pelf-ism is contagious

In response to the previous post about trurtlemeatballs..

I am indeed very pleased with the responses I had received from YOU, my fellow friends. You know, after spending so much time and effort spreading awareness on the importance of conserving this soon-to-be-extinct turtle species, I am glad that a lot of you are AGAINST eating turtle meat and drinking turtle soup. Though I must say that it isn’t ALL because of me, because I realized some of you who left me a comment were a first-timer (here) so I guess you must have read or heard about turtle conservation somewhere else.

So yea, Cindy even noted that the post sounded sarcastic(!!). And while I must agree that it wasn’t one of the best posts my sister wrote, it did have a hidden message behind the “meatballs”.

You see, in a lot of places, people still consume turtle meat. In places such as Hong Kong and China, the turtles are considered a delicacy. Turtle meat fetches very high prices, and surprisingly, people (mostly Chinese, I assume) don’t mind paying an arm and a leg for a bowl of turtle soup!

Besides turtle meat and turtle soup, how many of you eat turtle jelly (gui lin gou)? I see a few raised hands! Now, do you know that turtle jellies are made by grinding the plastron (underside) of the turtles into the form of powder? Now, isn’t THAT cruel?

If you’ve been to Japan, did you notice the bekko industry where a lot of souvenir items are made of hawksbill turtles’ carapace (shell)? Combs, cabinets, door posts, hand mirrors, you name it. And oh by the way, do you also know that some people use turtle fats to make soaps and candles?!

Closer to home, the Malays consume turtle eggs because they say turtle eggs are more delicious and nutritious. Fact is, the nutritional content of turtle eggs aren’t very much different from that of chicken eggs. So why do people say turtle eggs are more nutritious? Because turtle eggs are rarer, and more expensive?

So you see, the above are just a few examples of how people around the world “utilize” turtles. Otherwise, why do you think those Vietnamese came into OUR waters and poached OUR turtles? Because these turtles do fetch very high prices in other countries!

Come, let’s do this together: Say NO to turtle exploitation!

P/S: You are most welcome to share your own “turtle story” in the comments section!