Topic: DoE
Historic sightings of schools of hammerhead sharks off Little Cayman
At a glance
Divers on Little Cayman report four sightings of multiple hammerheads this year
Sightings of schools of hammerheads at these depths have...
Caybrew’s new release ‘Lagerhead’ supports turtle conservation
The Cayman Islands Brewery – operating under the brand Caybrew – has launched 'Lagerhead', a new premium amber lager and a permanent addition to its core portfolio. The brewery indicated it is "brewed with both flavour and purpose in mind" and that the new beverage supports turtle conservation and protection.
Animal welfare charity seeks court order to stop cat cull
An animal welfare charity has filed a judicial review challenge against the Cayman Islands Government, contesting the legality of its cat culling operations.
High-powered air rifles used in Little Cayman feral cat cull
More than 250 feral cats in Cayman Brac and Little Cayman have been culled since the official culling programme began on the Sister Islands, according to official figures, with a new tactic being the use of high-powered air rifles to euthanise cats in Little Cayman.
Men yet to be charged in poached turtle’s death
Criminal charges have yet to be laid against the two men arrested last week with a wounded poached green sea turtle, which later died.
Hope for return of beach after Royal Palms demolition
The removal of the old Royal Palms building has led to hope for the return of a healthy beachfront along Seven Mile Beach, portions of which have been lost over time to erosion and battering by storms.
Storm-ravaged Royal Palms seeks permission to renovate
Plans to demolish the storm-battered sea front bar at the Royal Palms and create a new venue further back from the water's edge came before the Central Planning Authority this week.
Experts sought to craft rescue plan for Seven Mile Beach
Government is seeking an expert technical consultant to help formulate a plan to bring sand back to the eroded southern end of Seven Mile Beach.
DoE conservation project tracks shark movement and behaviour
The Department of Environment has embarked on a new one-year project to map the movement of Caribbean reef sharks and black tip sharks in Cayman waters with the use of “pop-off” satellite archival tags to better understand their behaviour.
Renewed bid to licence and limit permit holders for fishing
Government backbencher McKeeva Bush is seeking to resuscitate implementation of a fishing license regime with catch restrictions for work permit holders in the Cayman Islands.
Sea Elephant tanker awaiting clearance for departure
Though repairs have been done on oil tanker Sea Elephant, which ran aground off Cayman Brac earlier this month, the vessel has not been cleared to depart the Cayman Islands just yet.
Sea Elephant departs Cayman Brac for additional repair works
The Sea Elephant tanker, which was grounded on the shallow sea bed off the north eastern shore of Cayman Brac over the weekend, has left for Grand Cayman after temporary repairs to its damaged hull.
How a golden retriever is pioneering sea turtle detection in Cayman
An award-winning golden retriever, Bell, is becoming Cayman’s first sea turtle detection dog. The effort is part of a pilot study by the Department...
Damage caused by fuel tanker still being assessed
Department of Environment personnel are still assessing the damage to the shallow sea bed off the north eastern shore of Cayman Brac caused by the Sea Elephant oil tanker when it ran aground over the weekend.
Fishermen help rescue trapped loggerhead turtle
Swift action from two fishermen and the Department of Environment Turtle Team led to the rescue of an adult female loggerhead turtle that was found trapped on Tuesday in a man-made groyne, a type of sea barrier.
Passion and purpose
A career with the Cayman Islands Department of Environment allows people to find value and purpose, while making a difference.
Nassau groupers recovering in Little Cayman, struggling in Grand Cayman
While Little Cayman's Nassau grouper population has rebounded with strong signs of recovery this year, Grand Cayman has not achieved similar success as it faces challenges to growth.
National Trust joins development debate, supports Conservation Act
The National Trust thrown its support behind the National Conservation Act as it weighed in on the debate of development versus environment saying that "it is difficult, if not impossible" to see how the legislation was seriously impeding development.
DoE issues warning after invasive lizard captured in Grand Cayman
The Department of Environment has issued an invasive species alert following the discovery of a red-headed rock agama lizard in Grand Cayman on Thursday, 25 Jan.
ReGen timeline still unknown as project drags on
Government has yet to provide a set timetable for concluding the ReGen project financial close even as negotiations enter a third year, after missing several deadlines and hard stop dates.
Multiple rare whitetip sharks recorded in Cayman
A collaborative effort between the Cayman Islands Department of Environment and the Global Ocean Wildlife Analysis team has revealed the critically endangered Oceanic Whitetip Sharks have found sanctuary in Cayman’s waters.
Deadline looms for exotic-pet registrations
Time is running out for residents with exotic pets to register their animals with the Department of Environment as the 31 Dec. deadline draws closer.
ReGen EIA under review, approval expected early in new year
While government continues to negotiate the financial close on ReGen, work on the environmental impact assessment for the multi-million dollar waste-management project is nearing completion.
Two men face charges after 40 lbs of poached conch seized
Two men are facing charges after they were caught illegally taking 86 conch from a marine reserve in the Barkers area of West Bay.
Driver backs into mangrove pilot project site
A driver has damaged a small section of a new border of mangrove propagules planted at the Barcadere Marina as part of a pilot project to test the feasibility of using recycled glass to protect local wetlands.
Cayman’s turtle nests now 1,000 and counting
Cayman's turtle nesting season has broken yet another record, with the number of nests passing the 1,000 mark, a first since the Department of Environment stared monitoring nests in 1998.
DoE issues warning as conch and whelk season opens
As conch and whelk season opens Wednesday the Department of Environment has warned the community against breaking the legal take limits.
Baby Caribbean reef shark found dead
The death of a baby Caribbean reef shark, the second in recent weeks, has prompted a call from the Department of Environment for residents to exercise caution when fishing.
More than 60,000 turtle hatchlings make it to sea so far in 2023
Cayman's turtle nesting season has continued its upward trend hitting another recording breaking figure of 986 nests for 2023 and more than 60,000 hatchlings making it to sea.
Injured stingray sighting prompts DoE safety warning
Video footage of a severely injured stingray has prompted a Department of Environment warning to boat operators traversing the Sandbar area to exercise caution and follow Wildlife Interaction Zone rules.
Department of Environment to consult with DPP on Aggressor grounding case
The Department of Environment has confirmed it will be consulting with the Director of Public Prosecutions regarding potential charges in the wake of the Cayman Aggressor IV’s grounding on a reef in the North Sound last month.
Cayman on high alert for severe coral bleaching
The highest level of alert warning of heat stress to Cayman’s corals has been triggered, meaning extensive bleaching is imminent.
DoE assessing reef damage after Aggressor grounding
The Department of Environment on Friday was assessing the impact of the Cayman Aggressor IV's grounding on a reef in the North Sound the day before.
Cayman Aggressor liveaboard dive boat now afloat
The Cayman Aggressor IV, which ran aground earlier on Thursday on a reef in the North Sound, is now afloat.
Baby shark found dead in plastic slipper
The death of a one-month-old Caribbean reef shark that was found in a plastic slipper in South Sound has triggered both outrage and distress within the community.
Boggy Sands cabana application heads back to planning board after Court of Appeal ruling
The National Conservation Council has the "final word" on planning applications that are likely to have adverse effects on marine parks or other environmentally protected areas, the Court of Appeal confirmed in a judgment handed down Friday.
Seaweed swamps Seven Mile Beach
Wave surges fueled by Hurricane Idalia deposited large mounds of marine algae on Cayman's prized Seven Mile Beach overnight Tuesday prompting emergency clean-up operations on Wednesday.
Turtle rescue ‘memorable lifetime experience’ for US family
When Debi Schneiderwind decided to take an early morning walk with her coffee on the last day of her Cayman vacation, she had no...
Natural born culler: Iguana hunter racks up kills
Iguana hunter Tyree Hernandez has kept his finger on the trigger and eyes on the target for nearly six years in his quest to rid the Cayman Islands of the invasive reptiles.
Conservation Council chair McFarlane Conolly dies in snorkeling incident
The Cayman community is mourning the loss of National Conservation Council chairman and Older Persons Council member McFarlene Conolly who passed away on Monday.
Cayman shark week spotlights conservation efforts
As Discovery Channel launches its annual Shark Week special on July 11 so too will Cayman's local shark expert Johanna Kohler as she puts the spotlight on this apex predator.
DoE issues warning after ‘heartbreaking’ death of young nurse shark
The death of a young nurse shark, which was recently spotted at the Royal Palms Ledges dive site, has prompted a Department of Environment warning for the public to refrain from harming the animals as it is considered a criminal offence.
Rare glow-in-the-dark shark discovered in Cayman’s waters
Glow-in-the dark sharks and schooling scalloped hammerheads are among the mind-bending discoveries of Cayman’s first serious effort to explore its deep seas.
Rare sperm whale sighting creates stir
Fisherman Cameron Ebanks and his friends got a sighting of a lifetime on Tuesday when they spotted a rare sperm whale in the waters off East End.
CITA boss: Stingray mishandling ‘unacceptable’
A social media video showing a stingray being taken out of the water and placed on top of a couple has prompted an investigation by the Department of Environment.
Loggerheads kick off 2023 turtle nesting season
The sighting of loggerhead turtle tracks on all three islands has heralded the official start of Cayman's 2023 nesting season.
Fishermen’s fears, as Brac braces for sargassum influx
A further influx of sargassum is expected this week along the Cayman Brac coastline, which has already been invaded by the stinky seaweed.
Carnivorous moustached snail on the loose
An invasive carnivorous species of snail with moustache-like tentacles has been discovered in Grand Cayman.
Hawksbill turtle rescued from poachers
A large female Hawksbill turtle was rescued on Sunday from the hands of poachers, the Department of Environment reported Tuesday.
Two sharks found entangled in fishing lines
The rare and "very special" sighting of a lemon shark in the North Sound has been marred for marine enthusiasts, after the animal was recorded struggling to swim, having become entangled in abandoned fishing lines.
Late hatching makes 2022 turtle nesting season longest on record
Cayman's 2022 turtle nesting season is now the longest on record after the last official nest of the season hatched on 22 Feb. on Little Cayman.
Researchers aim to protect turtles from climate-change threats
Researchers at the Cayman Islands Department of Environment and the University of Exeter have teamed up on a project on how to protect local turtles from the multiple threats caused by climate change.
DoE issues warning on poisonous Brazilian peppertree
The recent discovery of a new plot of the highly invasive and poisonous Brazilian peppertrees in Newlands has prompted a warning to the public from the Department of Environment about the South American plant.
Storms and lack of turtle-friendly lighting take toll on turtles
The Cayman Islands may have enjoyed a record breaking turtle season with 858 turtle nests recorded in 2022, but a number of nests and hatchlings did not survive the season due to both weather and man-made threats.
Turtle nest numbers break record in 2022
A record 858 turtle nests were recorded this year, the highest total since the Department of Environment starting logging statistics in 1998.
Lobster season opens
Cayman's favourite crustacean is back on the menu with the Department of Environment announcing the 1 Dec. start of lobster season.
DoE reminds public to keep out of Marine Reserve ahead of conch season
While Cayman's conch will be back on the menu starting next Tuesday the Department of Environment is reminding the public to follow the rules when it comes to hunting the local delicacy.
Study to assess eradicating Little Cayman feral cats
A Darwin Plus project on eradicating feral cats on Little Cayman has secured the help of international experts to assess the feasibility of ridding the island of the entire population of these animals.
Divers urged to look out for nurse shark tangled in bag
The Department of Environment is asking local divers to keep an eye out for a nurse shark entangled in a mesh bag, which was spotted at the Eagle Ray Pass dive site on the North Wall on Friday, 14 Oct.
Scalloped hammerhead school spotted in Cayman’s deep waters
A school of scalloped hammerhead sharks has been observed by local and international marine researchers as they survey Cayman's deep waters.
Grand Cayman’s bat population declining
In a survey the Department of Environment conducted through a group of citizen scientists, it was found that the bat population has decreased by more than 2,000 since 2020.
Frogs hop into action after storm
Normally Cayman's frogs are quite inconspicuous, however, after Ian skirted Cayman earlier this week, the four-legged amphibians have been quite visible as the recent heavy rains have heralded the start of their mating season.
More than 1,000 turtle hatchlings rescued, released ahead of Ian
The Department of Environment turtle team is assessing the impact of Hurricane Ian on local turtle nests along the shoreline after associated sea surges battered the coastline.
Blue iguana’s ‘outing’ to George Town cut short
One of Cayman's protected blue iguanas was caught in George Town on Tuesday, 20 Sept., after a brief unsanctioned outing from its home at the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park.
North Side resident teams with DoE in weekend turtle rescue
Saturday morning started out as any other for North Side resident Dean Miller until he found turtle tracks that ended abruptly on the beachfront property he was checking that day.
Dead shark pup prompts DoE reminder
The Department of Environment has said the cause of death of a black tip shark pup, a photo of which was making the rounds on social media on Thursday, was inconclusive.
More than 25 turtle hatchlings lost due to condo lights
Cayman's turtle population suffered a blow last week when a nest of at least 25 hatchlings, misoriented by condo lights, failed to find their way to the sea.
DoE investigates corals damaged at Eden Rock
The Department of Environment is investigating the cause of an area of damaged corals at the Eden Rock dive site; however, it appears the culprits may escape unpunished.
Multiple ‘pillaging poachers’ appear in court
As Cayman authorities crack down on poachers, more and more cases are making their way through the court system.
Premier pleads for end to poaching and illegal wildlife trade
Premier Wayne Panton is calling for an end to poaching and for those facilitating the act to cease buying illegally taken wildlife.
Nesting loggerhead turtle poached on Cayman Brac
The Department of Environment has expressed concern over the poaching of a nesting loggerhead turtle reported on Cayman Brac this week.
DoE adds tech approach as local bat count commences
The Department of Environment is turning the spotlight on Cayman's local bat population and is using a technological approach to track the number of the nocturnal animals locally.
