When this photo was taken, sea turtles were frequently captured and eaten. They were considered delicacies and had been so since the start of the British Empire. Green sea turtle soup and steaks were served in restaurants until the 1950s throughout the United States and worldwide. Tampa restaurants like the DeSoto Hotel and the Old Fort restaurant served the soup, with the latter selling a bowl for 25 cents. Turtle soup was available canned at grocery stores and was featured in cookbooks like The Joy of Cooking late into the 20th century. The taste was so popular that even after manufacturing had ceased, recipes for Mock Turtle Soup- using oxtail or beef for substitutes-became popular.

Seeing this photo with 2024 eyes might upset some viewers. The photo below of a woman “riding” a sea turtle is a testament to the differing attitudes of the day. From the late 1800s to the mid-1900s, sea turtles were seen like any other bounty from the oceans and harvested. It is estimated that their population was in the hundreds of thousands. Their estimated numbers have dwindled to under 100,000 nesting females.

In 1973, the green sea turtle was designated an endangered species. Some eateries in Japan continue to serve the soup, which is now seen as a rare delicacy. Their eggs, easily poached from shallow beach nests and illegal to harvest in most regions, continue to be threatened worldwide.

© Chip Weiner 2024. All rights reserved