Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Consuming turtles: Definitely NOT 'ok'

Local threats faced by the Chinese soft-shell turtles (Pelodicus Sinensis) are mainly :
1. Consumption - Major Threat
2. Illegal Pet trade,

Be it the consumption of turtle meat, turtle soup or turtle eggs, it is a general perception that it is "ok" or "alright" because turtle meat are perceived as "just like other meat", such as Pork or Chicken or Beef. Perhaps that is why TriDelta Food Pte Ltd., largest turtle distributor in Singapore estimates an annual local consumption of 230-250 tons of turtle meat.

If you have the common perception that the consumption of turtle meat is merely something like

This,


Then you are very wrong.

The ugly truth:

Slaughtering turtles for a restaurant in Chinatown, Singapore.


Streets of Shanghai. Singapore import turtle supplies from China as well, thus local demand had generated increased demand for the chinese soft-shell turtles in China.




Chinese soft-shell turtle
Despite these, there is still the observation of accelerating demand for turtle soup in Singapore:


From the interview we had with Kok Kee Turtle Soup and Si Yang Steamed Soup in Singapore, we learnt that:

Kok Kee Turtle Soup
- 80 to 100 customers daily
- Revenue of S$900 or more daily
- S$22,000 or more income generated monthly
- Chinese soft-shell turtles are supplied from their sole agent, TriDelta Food Pte Ltd, largest turtle meat distributor in Singapore.
- While the shop starts operations at 10am, business can be so good, especially on weekends, that turtle soups are run out in the afternoon.

Si Yang Steamed Soup
- Estimated 70-80 bowls of turtle soup sold daily
- Daily revenue between S$700 to S$800
- Stall earned numerous prestigious reviews and recommendations that spurred on more consumption as the shop's gaining popularity amongst locals.


And because local demand for the chinese soft shells remains steep, such further threaten the livelihood of the endangered turtles. The Pelodiscus Sinensis (chinese soft shell turtle) is listed as "Vulnerable" in the IUCN Red List 2009.

Our Project focuses more on the threat of Consumption of the Pelodiscus Sinensis. Eating these turtles are not ok. Support us. Leave your comments. Thank you.

40 comments:

  1. I wasn't aware that the turtle soup is made from and endangered turtle. We have to stop eating/use turtle-related products.

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  2. omg this is so scary !!!!!!!! i'm not gg to eat this turtle stuff.. i make sure i'll tell the ppl i knoe to stp eating. It looks for cruel !
    how to eat it when u know what the turtle goes thru before ending up in ur late.

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  3. eating turtle is so wrong... no i wont eat it and will advice my friends and family to stop eating as well...!!!

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  4. Annual local consumption of 230-250 tons of turtle meat is a lot!!! Look at the statistics of the revenue turtle shops are getting!!! We must stop turtle consumption to help those poor things!

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  5. STOP CONSUMPTION OF TURTLE!!

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  6. I eat turtle soup every week but i didnt know the turtle they are using for the soup is endngered. so... i will stop eating turtle soup, since they are endangered

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  7. Poor turtles,not goona eat it

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  8. turtle r killed so cruelly! my grandfather say turtles dont die immediately, so they can actually feel the pain of being cut up.. look at the pic of it being cut up at chinatown.............. ewww. wont eat

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  9. i vote not to eat. its not even humane in the first place.

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  10. This is definitely a act of cruelty. We should not do this to the innocent turtle. I would never eat turtle soup and i think that it is great that there is project like this to help save the turtle.

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  11. i puked while looking at the picture! gross!!

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  12. !!
    Tianshan to the rescue!!

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  13. Its so gross.
    I will never EVER EAT IT !!!!!

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  14. Eat other kinds of meat, why go eat turtle meat?

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  15. Save the poor turtle.
    T.T

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  16. i just went to eat turtle soup with my father last night! OMG. but i feel like puking now looking at the picture! im a sinner. ):

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  17. I am having goosebumps.

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  18. Those sellers are so cruel and heartless.they will get their karma

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  19. Phew.
    Sad to know that these cute little turtles are being killed for human selfish consumption.

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  20. Wow,this blog is getting popular.

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  21. ken! you eat turtle soup?! yucks! dont lah, give hope and add lives! dont eat! yes yes zhiyang!!! im a turtle fan! i love turtles! eat substitute food instead of turtles!!!!! dont eat the turtles!!!!

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  22. Me support this conservation campaign

    Teeheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

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  23. Back in china, i did eat turtle soup before.Now dont dare

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  24. Post more post more!!
    I wana know more about turtle soup

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  25. Look at the flesh of the turtle.Horrible.

    ;-(

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  26. So cruel.Why would human beings do such a thing?

    Say no to turtle soup

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  27. Support this x 10000000000000000000000000000

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  28. I promise not to eat it

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  29. Hello! Thank you all for the spreading of awareness for our Project! Please do help us in our Project and feel free to give us comments or opinions! They may be directed to our email: givinghopeaddinglife@gmail.com or you may leave them on this blog! We will go through each and every comment thoroughly.

    And yes, eating these turtles are very cruel. The local demand for turtle meat / soup is very bad. According to TriDelta Food Pte Ltd, S'pore's largest turtle distributor, there's local consumption of 230-250 tons annually. Think about the potential harms to the turtles should consumption does not decrease!

    Thank you! Give Hope, Add Lives. Help the Turtles.

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  30. Its good to se there is conservation effort going on.
    Its so rare to see a turtle conservation group going on.

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  31. Ahhhh, shocking and gross...

    I will encourage my family members not to consume it

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  32. I prefer eating bamboo shoots

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  33. Turtles be careful..run for ur life

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  34. Sorry, what we mean by "The local demand for turtle meat / soup is very bad" is that the situation is local consumption is grim.

    Please help us in the conservation efforts. Thank you. Give Hope, Add Lives. Don't threaten these endangered species further.

    Comments and visits to our blog are welcome and greatly appreciated! Once again, Thank you. On behalf of our Conservation Group as well as for the Chinese Soft shell Turtles, Pelodiscus Sinensis.

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  35. very good to post up these pics so that people can see the gruesome, ugly truth of turtle slaughter.

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  36. omg! the poor turtles.. the gruesome pictures is actually effective in putting me off wanting to eat turtle soup (not that i would have anyway..)
    yeah.. great job! (:

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  37. This is animal cruelty! Call the cops!

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