SOS Tartarugas works in Cape Verde protecting nesting loggerheads turtles (Caretta caretta) and their habitat. Cape Verde is the third most important nesting area for loggerheads in the world. Turtles are at risk from hunting for meat, stealing of eggs, removal of sand for building and unregulated tourism development. Our email is info@turtlesos.org.
P
lease subscribe to the blog or follow us on Twitter or on our Facebook page to keep up to date. (You can also read this blog in a different language, please use the tool in the sidebar).
You can apply to volunteer with us by clicking here.

Friday, March 11, 2011

Tiny turtles tagged

By customising tiny 9gm tags usually used for birds, scientists have been able to track a group of 4-6 month old turtles.  The turtles were released in Palm Beach.  Prof Wyneken of Florida Atlantic University said "The turtles varied a lot in their movements, more so than we expected.  They're likely doing much more than just paddling straight to the deep water and riding the current."

Now if we could only raise £32,000 we could tag one of our own little loggerheads!

Read the full story here.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Tag a Turtle Project, Newquay, England

The Tag a Turtle project aims to raise enough funds to satellite tag the next turtle that finds itself lost and in need of rehabilitation at the Blue Reef Aquariam in Newquay.  Many of the recently stranded turtles have been loggerheads.
The project needs to raise £3,000.  Congratulations to Nicola and Nicole on this great initiative.
You can read more about in on their website Tag a Turtle

Monday, March 7, 2011

Cape Verde Shearwater in danger

Sadly it's not only the turtles that face extinction in Cape Verde. 

The Cape Verde shearwater (calonectris edwardsii, known here as the cagarra) also faces a severe threat from hunting.  The birds are killed for food just before they are ready to leave the nest.

Even after awareness campaigns and other activities hunting of the fledglings continue, as José Melo says "it is causing the extinction of a species that only exists in Cape Verde, 70% of them on Raso islet and also near Rombo islet, next to Brava.  It doesn’t exist anywhere else in the world.”

Read the full article here