Extracts from last night's log (Four turtles saved, much craziness)

Beach at Serra Negra

Hattie (Serra Negra 9pm-1am) : "OMG what a night.... JC & I decided to do a short patrol on SN.  On our way over we saw lights, not a good thing, then when we arrived we saw a truck, really not a good thing.  JC & I walked quickly towards poacher heaven, Bay 3.  When we got there we found a few more people than we were expecting - around eight people sitting in the cave with a lot of supplies and cooler boxes, really set up for the night.  Sat there for a while then watched from the top of the cliff.  See another guy on Bay 2 and decide to go back to Bay 1 to get phone reception and call for back up.  Hear all about the two flipped turtles on Algodoeiro and call Neal to deal with that.  Rush back to Bay 3 and find two of the hunters calmly watching a nesting turtle.  Talk quietly to them to explain what we are doing when we tag her and try to get them to name her, no go, so Jacquie names her 'Double-date. ' Drunk guy starts tickling my feet - very not cool, move away.  He then starts throwing sand everywhere trying to help the turtle to cover up, then when she stops he follows her down pointing at the sea and shouting "go, go, go"!!!  You would expect that to be the end of the story, but no, he comes back up the beach, lies on her nest and fills in her body pit.  He looked like a huge turtle, so funny.  Ben and Pilar arrive and take over drunk-watch.  Apparently Francesco and the police came but they didn't find us, so obviously they left even though the quad was there and the truck "

Pilar (Serra Negra 1am-6am) : "My first patrol.  Al the interesting stuff happened at the beginning of the night when Ben woke me up three hours earlier than expected and told me there was an emergency at SN.  After waiting for the police and talking with some guys who explained to us what turtle eggs tasted like, we finally went alone.  The night consisted of walking, sitting, walking... we saw nothing, literally nothing, the sky was full of clouds and I found it hard to recognise my feet."
Nerissa (Walking Algodoeiro with tourists) : "An action packed night which at present is still continuing to unfold.  Saw three dodgy looking characters, one was walking around at the back.  Janice and Chris went to investigate and found a flipped turtle (still intact and very much alive).  We tagged, flipped her over and got her back to the sea.  As we were leaving Neal phoned and said there was a second flipped turtle near us.  A very happy group of tourists who were very helpful and supportive of our actions."

Saved turtle on Algodoeiro

James (Algodoiero 9pm - 6am) : Well... a very interesting night, I am very tired so I will just stick to the facts.  Heard that Nerissa had an upside down turtle, helped her and then Victor said he heard bottles rattling.  Went to check it out and there she was, a turtle underneath a large sheet.  We untangled her, flipped her over and sent her on her way.  Three men near the left soon after we arrived.
Carolyne (Costa Fragata 1am-6am) : Reached Fridge and found turtle tracks up but not down.  Stef explained everything, tagged the turtle and we walked her back to the sea.  More tracks on Ponta Jelonga and messy tracks and lots of footprints.  Stef followed the track to find an upside down turtle.  She hadn't been harmed but was obviously in some distress.  Stef tagged her, we turned her over and watched her go back to the sea... v. slowly & in the wrong direction, at least the long way round!!!
Hattie (Morning patrol 6am - 9am) : Very tired.  After only two hours sleep I was woken at 5am by Stef, another upside down turtle .... seriously??  No luck getting hold of anyone at the police.  Rubbish!  Told Stef to just tag her and flip her back and put her back in the sea.  Ben and Pilar arrive safely back from Serra Negra, no more drama.  End of long night but what a fantastic success!!!

Thomson gives a helping hand

Following our appeal for tents for the soldiers, we managed to purchase six tents from the UK and Thomson have kindly agreed to ship them free of charge. Thanks a lot!  Also thanks to Peter and Linda for taking them to the airport.

Two more turtles saved on Serra Negra

A hunter was out last night on Serra Negra and had managed to turn two turtles upside down before our intrepid Rangers, Ben & Laura managed to scare him off.  He had already begun the grisly job of butchering one of them while she was still alive.  He had already inflicted a cut down the centre of her abdomen and had started to saw off her flippers when he was disturbed.  She was returned to the sea but was obviously in a great deal of shock and pain and for a while could not manage to float the right way up or swim.  The second turtle was returned unharmed to the sea. 

The hunter was obviously intent on staying the whole night as he had brought food, coffee and plenty of clothing.  He had also been studying the way we work and had attempted to fake a track back to the sea, even bringing a bush from another part of the beach and covering the upside down turtle with it.

Unfortunately for him he ran off without his belongings and these are now in police custody as evidence.  The police believe they know who the culprit is and will be interviewing him later.

Neal and our newest Ranger, Fogo at the police station with the hunter's belongings

The state of our beaches

Mass destruction of beaches on the west coast of Sal.  No good for people or turtles.

A new network for turtle protection in Cape Verde

At the end of June the second conference of people and organisations active in turtle conservation in Cabo Verde took place in Boa Vista.  The network was christened 'Taola' - a combination of "Tartaruga Marinha" (marine turtle) and "Krioula" (the language spoken here).

Amongst the many issues discussed, the removal of sand from beaches for construction was high up on the agenda and following the conference this practice has been thrown into the spotlight.

Despite laws prohibited this activity, the Municipal Chamber of São Filipe on Fogo is allowing building companies to scoop up large amounts of sand from one of the few beaches remaining on which turtles can nest.

In the first joint action of the group, Taola has issued a statement calling for this practice to cease immediately and asking the Municipal Chamber to "Not just be a signatory of the Convention of Biological Diversity but to actually put into practice actions which allow the protection of endangered species"

Posters in Santa Maria

"This turtle was born in Sal around 20 years ago.  She nested in 2008 and was tagged and then named 'Linda' by a young girl in Santa Maria.

This is how her life ended on Costa Fragata. 

Not only was her life lost but the lives of hundreds of turtles that would have been born from her eggs left scattered around her body.

IS THIS WHAT YOU WANT HAPPENING ON YOUR ISLAND?

Join the fight!  Save Sal's turtles for future generations.

Call 132 if you know anyone killing turtles or selling turtle meat."

Princess Fiona - snatched from the jaws of death

11.30pm the phone goes.  It's Phil, they have a turtle and she is upside down a kilometre from the beach.  They are in the Cotton Bay (Algodoeiro) area and have probably just scared off the hunters.
They have tried to lift her but the turtle probably weighs more than Janice and it is a no go on that front. 

Instantly wide awake, Neal & I run for the big torch, quad keys and phones and we're out the door.  Call Paulo who is on Costa Fragata and ask him to call the police.  The culprits are probably still around.  The police say 'no transport, sorry' but then change their minds and tell us they will come if we collect them.  Race round to the police station and Neal heads off on the quad while I wait for the taxi.  Two lovely policemen hop in and we're off. 

Driving down towards the beach, for once we are making noise and lights blazing - we want the hunters to know that the police are coming.  Locate Phil and Janice and the turtle who had a near death experience and all is well.  She is full of beans and heading back to the sea. 

Meanwhile another pick up turns up and another six policemen get out!  They have driven right through the settlement in the oasis which is most likely where the hunters are and they will go back there to ask some questions.  What a great deterrent. 

Slow progress with the turtle though, so it's 'up you go' and on to the back of the quad.  "She won't like that" I say as she starts flapping her flippers in the vicinity of Neal's arms and legs and yes, she lands him a couple of good ones right on the arse!!!

Down to the shore and she's off into the sea as if nothing ever happens.  We go home wired and unable to sleep and Phil and Janice continue their vigilance for the rest of the night.

Three questions remain:
1. Why is it Janice who always finds upside down turtles?
2. Why is it always me & Neal on call when there is an upside down turtle?
3. Why has a turtle been called Princess Fiona?

Just your regular night in turtleville.