“Las Tortugas” that’s what Christopher Columbus first called three islands he spotted in the Caribbean Sea May 10, 1503. He recorded that the islands were “full of tortoises, as was the sea about, inasmuch as they looked like little rocks.” Turtles were so plentiful on the islands, that legend has it sailors avoided them, thinking they were haunted: Apparently, there were so many turtles along the shores and banks of the islands that from a distance the land appeared to be moving.

Today, these islands are known as Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman. (They ended up being named officially by Sir Francis Drake in 1586 for another animal—a crocodile.) Despite the change in name, the green sea turtles still hold an important place in the Cayman Islands past and current history. For centuries sailors passing by the islands would capture and carry turtles aboard their ships as a source of fresh meat for their voyages. Overharvesting throughout the centuries dwindled the population of sea turtles until they became an endangered species in the 1970s.

Looking at turtle eggs, Turtle Farm, Grand Cayman

The Cayman Turtle Farm: Island Wildlife Encounter on the Grand Cayman Island is building up the green sea turtle populations once again. Originally the facility began as a turtle farm that American and British investors set up in 1968 to produce and sell turtle meat. For a variety of reasons, the venture was unprofitable and later the Cayman Island government bought the facility as a turtle breeding and research facility in 1983.

Breeder turtles at the Turtle Farm, Grand Cayman 

The Turtle Farm has grown into one of the most popular attractions in the Cayman Islands. Here, green turtles are actively breed on the property to help reinvigorate the population. Over the years, they’ve released over 31,000 turtles back into the wild. Their conservation efforts also include providing turtle meat to local restaurants helping discourage poaching of green turtles in the wild. At the facility’s Schooners restaurant there’s turtle soup, turtle burgers, and turtle steak available on the menu. Wanting to try local fare, I sampled the turtle soup. I was surprised how much the dish reminded me of beef barley soup with its earthy broth, chunky vegetables and pieces of browned meat. I found turtle meat tasted like a satisfying cross between beef and pork.

turtle soup

The sprawling 23-acre Turtle Farm includes:

·      Breeding Pond where the Green Turtle Breeders are housed. “Sparky” is a favorite resident, the female green turtle weighs in at 565 pounds.

·      Touch Tanks where you can actually get into the turtle tanks with yearlings and hold them.

·      Swimming Lagoons where you can swim and snorkel through lagoons (with lifeguards) or head to the freshwater section that includes a large slide.

·      Education Center and Hatchery where you can see the life cycle of green turtle eggs and even hatchlings, depending on what time of year you visit (June through November you’ll be able to see eggs incubating).

·      Caribbean Aviary and Iguana Exhibit where you can see native birds and amphibians.

·      Restaurants, natural trails, and much more.

Of all the activities that my nine-year-old daughter enjoyed on our visit to Grand Cayman, getting into the turtle tank was the highlight. Our tour guide, Benny Ebanks, explained that when you rub under the sea turtles’ neck they become calm. My daughter listened to every word and when she had a chance to hold a turtle she started gently stroking under its head. Once she entered tank, which consists of several small swimming pool-sized areas, she gingerly picked up the turtles that swam by. One in particular caught her eye: She picked him up and rubbed his neck until they both seemed mesmerized. When it was time to go, she put him down and he floated next to her for a few seconds before swimming away. It was almost as if he enjoyed the interaction as much as she did. She later told me his name was “Bubbles.”

At the touch tank at the Turtle Farm, Grand Cayman

Other green sea turtle facts from our guide:

Green sea turtles are known as the “buffaloes of the sea” because they graze on sea grass beds.

Male green sea turtles have a longer tail than the females.

Green sea turtles are the type depicted in the movie Finding Nemo.

A green turtle’s gender depends on the outside temperature where it’s incubating.

Most green sea turtles weigh between 150-420 pounds, although they can get much bigger.

Our visit to Grand Cayman was sponsored by the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism and The Westin Casuarina Resort & Spa, Grand Cayman.

Kristen J. Gough is the Global Cuisines & Kids Editor for Wandering
Educators. She shares her family's adventurous food experiences--and recipes--at MyKidsEatSquid.com.

All photos courtesy and copyright Kristen J. Gough