“The foul conditions these resident turtles are kept under poses a significant health concern and most tourists who visit the farm aren’t aware of the dangers,” said Elizabeth Hogan, oceans and wildlife campaigns manager at WSPA. “We are sharing information about the serious health hazards this facility poses to tourism operations that have the Cayman Turtle Farm on their itinerary and so far the cruise line industry in particular has been very receptive to working with us.”

As part of its attraction, the farm encourages visitors to touch and pick up the sea turtles. However, WSPA’s testing found traces of salmonella, E. coli and Vibrio vulnificus in the turtle touch tank waters – meaning that visitors who touch the turtles are at risk for contracting these diseases and then possibly spreading them to fellow tourists either on board cruise ships or at other venues. According to a 2012 poll conducted by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner, 69 percent of cruise ship passengers who visited the Cayman Turtle Farm since 2009 were unaware of these health risks and the majority would not have touched the sea turtles had they known.

Clifford Warwick, a senior scientific consultant at the Emergent Disease Foundation in the United Kingdom, who was commissioned by WSPA to conduct independent and external research, says the Cayman Turtle Farm offers tourists little to no protection from the bacteria. Warwick also commented that the risk of contracting salmonella and E.coli at the farm could be dangerous and fatal where vulnerable groups are involved, such as the elderly.

Over the summer, WSPA met with the Cayman Turtle Farm owners to discuss its investigation findings and propose a plan for the farm to transition its business to a sea turtles rehabilitation and research center and eliminate the option for tourists to touch or handle the turtles. To date, the farm has not accepted any recommendations.

“It’s true that all turtles should be regarded as carriers of salmonella and there are some that also carry E. coli,” added Warwick. “But the turtles at this farm, due to the dirty and overcrowded tanks where they are kept, likely disseminate bacteria widely and in great quantities.”

To learn more about WSPA’s campaign to end sea turtle cruelty at the farm, please visit http://www.StopSeaTurtleFarm.org.