Kids ask everyone to recycle

As part of World Ocean Day SOS Tartarugas in conjunction with Escola Kim Barbosa initiated a project to encourage recycling and the proper disposal of rubbish. 

As an island, Sal has limited ways to dispose of rubbish and litter and debris is becoming an increasing problem as both a health hazard and an eyesore.

The kids at the school in Santa Maria made rubbish bins from found materials and decorated them with environmental themes.  The children demonstrated great creativity and understanding of the problem.  The bins are on display in the Cultural Centre in Santa Maria this week and will move to the Library in Espargos next week.

You can see more photos here.

New cafe opens in Monte Gorde, São Nicolau sponsored by SOS

The beautiful park of Monte Gorde in São Nicolau is visited by many tourists, but unfortunately there are no facilities for them, so they simply pass through the small village and the community receives no benefit from their visit .  Encouraged by the Peace Corps Volunteer living there, one enterprising individual has decided to open a cafe and to produce home made jams to sell to visitors. 

SOS Tartarugas was delighted to be asked to participate in this project and sponsored the menus and labels for the products.  In this way we can help the community and also get across a message about the need to preserve nature and the community has a way to generate income to help improve conditions.

Assisting the community in Pedra de Lume

Last week SOS met members of the community association in Pedra de Lume in the second phase of a project to improve conditions for people living there.

Sr Jorge, association secretary takes notes as SOS discusses Palmeira community needs

The first phase, in 2010, was a period of consultation where communities living in Sal were invited to tell us what they thought about turtle conservation and whether they believed it was relevant and necessary.  Happily the vast majority believed that it was important to preserve nature and in particular the endangered and emblematic turtles that they view as part of the national patrimony.  However, few people could see why they should get involved and in what way this could happen.

The project in Pedra de Lume is a pilot to see whether the community can benefit from running and designing their own turtle conservation scheme.  It is a long-term goal of SOS Tartarugas to hand over the management of turtles to the population of Sal, since this is the only truly sustainable solution.

Next week members of the community will attend a workshop in Santa Maria where they will learn not only about turtle conservation and research techniques but also how to raise finance and how to conduct outreach and education activities.

Palmeira Association members, Claudio (far right) was chosen to lead the project and will attend next week's training workshop

Pedra de Lume is often bypassed as visitors drive through to visit the salinas ,so the community, with the help of SOS Tartarugas, will try to design an attraction such as a museum or visitor's centre to raise money that will benefit all residents.  SOS Tartarugas will also help the community to apply for grants.

An excellent example of this kind of programme can be seen in Cruzinha da Garça on Santo Antão, which began a conservation project in partnership with INDP & SOS Tartarugas.  After three years of hard work the community association received funding from the UN GEF Small Grants programme and went on to win the Equator Prize which "is designed to shine a spotlight on these leading grassroots efforts by celebrating them on an international stage."  You can read more information about the project here.  SOS Tartarugas also supports community projects on São Vicente, Fogo, São Nicolau, Maio & Santiago.

Rufina, from the fishing community of Cruzinha da Graça visits SOS Tartarugas to learn about hatchery management

We hope to help the community of Pedra de Lume to emulate these fantastic achievements while at the same time preserving Cabo Verde's heritage for generations to come.

Lucky escape for a turtle in Santiago

What a great story this is.  A turtle was being carried off to be killed but the hunters were seen by the police.  Thankfully she was saved and was returned to the sea earlier today, exhausted but able to swim to safety.

It's the first time I have heard of such an intervention in Santiago and would love to think that the Nha Terra campaign workshops for the authorities contributed in some small part to this rescue. 


Praia: Tartaruga salva pela polícia da morte iminente

English translation:

Turtle About To Die Saved by Police

It was really a close call for this sea turtle which escaped from ending up in a pan. Apparently a group of fishermen took the turtle from Gamboa beach and by chance were seen by a police van on the street. The incident occurred at around 23:00 yesterday, June 22.

The turtle was being carried by a group of fishermen who came from Gamboa beach but seeing the the National Police truck  they dropped the animal in the road near the roundabout in San Antonio and ran away.

National Police colleagues contacted the Marine Police who soon arrived at the scene.  The injured turtle was placed on the back of the van and was returned to the sea today.   According to a source an animal of this size could be sold for around €300.

This incident comes at a time when there is an awareness campaign for the population of Santiago on the consumption of turtles. An initiative of the National Protection of Sea Turtles in Cape Verde (TAOLA), in partnership with the Directorate General for Environment (DGA).

According to the DGA, Santiago is the island where there is the most consumption of meat.

Training underway

We are finally starting to see tracks regularly and following a great welcome meeting at Turtle House on Tuesday night, training is underway with local and international volunteers.

Learning what a nest looks like

How to find the egg chamber

Night patrols have also started and several nests have been recorded.

Romina & Ariano collect data on Serra Negra

Sal's first nest of the 2011 season

The turtles really made us wait this year!  The first track was on 3 June and then unusually, there was nothing until last night - a whole 17 days later.  Normally if a turtle didn't nest the first time she came out of the water you would expect to see another nest the next night or even later that same night - even if not a nest, a track - or something!! 

Maybe that first early turtle must have gone to another island because she doesn't seem to have nested here.

Anyway, after all this waiting and plenty of Ranger beach miles, here it is, the first nest, laid on Costa Fragata last night.

Spread the word - please, no more driving on any beach or dune.

Little Nippers Nesting in Cape Verde

A very nice article about the turtles here in Cabo Verde from our friends at the travel portal My Destination.


Little Nippers Nesting in Cape Verde