Sure, this may look like an ordinary turtle, but this reptile and its ancestors make up an integral part of the history of the Cayman Islands.
According to a May 10, 1503 entry in Christopher Columbus's ship log, the explorer notes that the islands and the surrounding waters were so full of tortoise, they looked like little rocks. Columbus named these islands "Las Tortugas" (Spanish for The Turtles). Hunted for their meat, the Green Sea turtle sustained seamen as a protein source for centuries, feeding visiting fishermen and supporting the local economy right up into present day -- turtling is under legislation and designated for local consumption only, but you can find turtle burgers and turtle soup on some local menus.
Green Sea turtles are non-snapping, can grow to six feet and weigh over 600 lbs. The yearling pictured here was plucked from one of the Touch Tanks at Boatswain's Beach turtle farm. After posing for this photo, he was dropped back into the tank, where he'll stay until he's about two years old and join the big turtle boys and girls for some adult fun in the breeding pond.
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