Contemporary Culture, Use, and Conservation of Sea Turtles
317
been imported by Japan, France, Spain, Italy, and the U.S. (Thorbjarnarson et al.,
2000a). The use of animal parts in fashion has a long tradition. In Victorian
England, women decorated their hats with bird feathers, a trend that threatened
some bird populations (McCormick, 1989). The use of animal fur in fashion has
become highly politicized in the West, but fur continues to find a place in fashion
(Anonymous, 2001). Any cultural significance of sea turtle leather accessories in
fashion is undocumented.
12.2.1.4 Other Parts and Products
As reported in Thorbjarnarson et al. (2000a), oil from turtles has been used to
cure wooden boats in the Persian Gulf (Ross and Barwani, 1982) and in India
(Kar and Bhaskar, 1982). Turtle penis is used as an aphrodisiac on the Red Sea
coast of Saudi Arabia (Miller, 1989), and turtle blood is used to treat ailments in
India (Silas and Rajagopalan, 1984). In Togo, various parts of turtles are used for
medicinal purposes (Hoinsoude et al., in press). The prevalence of wild animal
parts in traditional medicine is a topic that concerns conservationists (Roberts et
al., 1999). However, studies on cultural significance of, or attachment to, such
remedies are lacking.
12.2.1.5 Taxidermy
Animal collection and taxidermy has had its place in Western culture. McCormick
(1989) describes collectors in Victorian England, and how their amateur enthusiasm
contributed to depletion of populations. The popularity of collecting reflected enthusiasm for science and particularly natural history. Turtle enthusiasts have also been
collectors. In The Windward Road (Carr, 1967), Carr celebrates when a rare species
of tortoise is captured and killed so that it can be added to his collection.
Taxidermy continues to serve the tourist trade: “‘stuffed’ turtle curios from
Southeast Asia” have been available in Hawaii (Balazs, 1977). More recent reports
of “whole, stuffed turtles and tortoiseshell products” in Vietnam (Thuoc et al., 2001),
of subadult hawksbills in Bangladesh (Islam, 2001), and of turtle heads and carapaces
in Uruguay (Lopez and Fallabrino, 2001) identify tourists as the target market. What
drives current collection is unknown. Tourists purchasing such items risk fines if
traveling to or from a Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of
Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) signatory country, although some may be unaware
of such risk.
12.2.1.6 Tortoiseshell
Tortoiseshell, traditionally obtained from the hawksbill turtle, has ranked among
the world’s luxury goods since earliest recorded times (Anonymous, 1977). Anthropologist Elizabeth Overton identified tourists purchasing hawksbill shell in the
Maldives as contributing to “wiping out sea turtles” (Anonymous, 1977). Balazs
(1977) included hawksbill shell on his list of items available in Hawaii. The World
Society for the Protection of Animals (no date) reported that in a 12-month period,
1123 book.book Page 317 Thursday, November 14, 2002 11:50 AM
317
been imported by Japan, France, Spain, Italy, and the U.S. (Thorbjarnarson et al.,
2000a). The use of animal parts in fashion has a long tradition. In Victorian
England, women decorated their hats with bird feathers, a trend that threatened
some bird populations (McCormick, 1989). The use of animal fur in fashion has
become highly politicized in the West, but fur continues to find a place in fashion
(Anonymous, 2001). Any cultural significance of sea turtle leather accessories in
fashion is undocumented.
12.2.1.4 Other Parts and Products
As reported in Thorbjarnarson et al. (2000a), oil from turtles has been used to
cure wooden boats in the Persian Gulf (Ross and Barwani, 1982) and in India
(Kar and Bhaskar, 1982). Turtle penis is used as an aphrodisiac on the Red Sea
coast of Saudi Arabia (Miller, 1989), and turtle blood is used to treat ailments in
India (Silas and Rajagopalan, 1984). In Togo, various parts of turtles are used for
medicinal purposes (Hoinsoude et al., in press). The prevalence of wild animal
parts in traditional medicine is a topic that concerns conservationists (Roberts et
al., 1999). However, studies on cultural significance of, or attachment to, such
remedies are lacking.
12.2.1.5 Taxidermy
Animal collection and taxidermy has had its place in Western culture. McCormick
(1989) describes collectors in Victorian England, and how their amateur enthusiasm
contributed to depletion of populations. The popularity of collecting reflected enthusiasm for science and particularly natural history. Turtle enthusiasts have also been
collectors. In The Windward Road (Carr, 1967), Carr celebrates when a rare species
of tortoise is captured and killed so that it can be added to his collection.
Taxidermy continues to serve the tourist trade: “‘stuffed’ turtle curios from
Southeast Asia” have been available in Hawaii (Balazs, 1977). More recent reports
of “whole, stuffed turtles and tortoiseshell products” in Vietnam (Thuoc et al., 2001),
of subadult hawksbills in Bangladesh (Islam, 2001), and of turtle heads and carapaces
in Uruguay (Lopez and Fallabrino, 2001) identify tourists as the target market. What
drives current collection is unknown. Tourists purchasing such items risk fines if
traveling to or from a Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of
Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) signatory country, although some may be unaware
of such risk.
12.2.1.6 Tortoiseshell
Tortoiseshell, traditionally obtained from the hawksbill turtle, has ranked among
the world’s luxury goods since earliest recorded times (Anonymous, 1977). Anthropologist Elizabeth Overton identified tourists purchasing hawksbill shell in the
Maldives as contributing to “wiping out sea turtles” (Anonymous, 1977). Balazs
(1977) included hawksbill shell on his list of items available in Hawaii. The World
Society for the Protection of Animals (no date) reported that in a 12-month period,
1123 book.book Page 317 Thursday, November 14, 2002 11:50 AM