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Illegal hawksbill trafficking: five years of records of the handicrafts and meat trades of the hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia


Journal of Aquaculture & Marine Biology
Cristian Ramirez Gallego,1 Karla G Barrientos Munoz1,2

Abstract

The hawksbill turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata, is one of four sea turtle species that nest in the Colombian Caribbean. This species has suffered prolonged anthropogenic pressure, primarily in the forms of tortoiseshell trade and consumption of their eggs and meat. We investigated the occurrence of hawksbill products for sale in Cartagena de Indias (Cartagena), Colombia. We found that the sale of hawksbill turtle items was carried out by street vendors only on the streets of the San Diego and La Matuna neighborhoods of the old walled city section. We estimated that 1,800–2,800 items per year were offered for sale during the five years of this study. The majority of items were articles of jewellery (96.2%). The prices of items varied greatly depending on the size, design, quality, season, and the origin of tourists. Two restaurants in the Getsemaní neighborhood were found offering sea turtle meat on their menu. Based on our results, we recommend a heightened awareness campaign aimed at informing tourists of the protected status of hawksbsill, including restrictions on internationally transporting hawksbill products. We also recommend that capacity building is needed for police and environmental authorities, so protective regulations can be enforced for the benefit of the conservation of hawksbills at local and regional levels along the Caribbean coast of Colombia.

Keywords

eretmochelys imbricata, critically endangered, tortoiseshell trade, cites, caribbean, cartagena de indias, circumglobal distribution, anthropogenic pressure

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