Cayman's Wildlife Laws

The latest edition of Destination Cayman 2017 had a great article providing the DOs and DON'Ts as it relates to the Cayman Islands Wildlife Laws. Since these are common questions for our guests, it made sense to summarize here. Everyone that goes on a vacation likes to take home a souvenir, but taking home things you find in the ocean is a little more complicated than taking home a t-shirt. In an effort to preserve the Cayman Islands ecosystem, there are several laws in place to help. If you follow these simple tips, you should be able to go home with a great new Cayman Islands memory:

1. A very popular souvenir is the conch shell. The law states that up to three shells may be taken home by an individual without special permission.
2. While turtles are beautiful animals, they are an endangered species. That means that all turtle products are banned, including meat, shells and anything else that comes from a turtle.
3. The stunning beauty of Cayman is punctuated by the colorful corals in the sea. It is an absolutely no-no to export raw coral. It causes untold damage to the reefs if pieces of coral are broken off. Coral jewelry that you purchase at a Cayman Islands store do not need any special permits and is perfectly legal.
4. The best tip is to get advice. If you have any questions about an item you want to take home, you should ask someone at the Customs Office at the airport.
5. The Cayman Islands take great pride in protecting their wildlife. If you are caught taking wildlife out of the Cayman Islands without the proper permits or approvals, it could lead to a confiscation of the items, fine or imprisonment. The laws are very strict, but necessary to protect the beautiful Cayman Islands environment.

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