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Although all species of sea turtles are officially protected under the laws of Cape Verde, they are exposed to multiple threats. The primary threats are the slaughter of female Loggerheads when they come ashore to nest, and the destruction of their nesting beaches by uncontrolled construction as part of a rapid tourism development.
Loggerhead Sea Turtles are threatened with extinction – as all sea turtles are – and listed on Appendix I of CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) as well as on the Red List of the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature). The Cape Verde nesting population of Loggerhead Sea Turtles (Caretta caretta) is the third largest population in the world after the nesting populations of Oman and Southeast Florida. Up to 90% of the nesting occurs on the island of Boavista, the largest of the eastern islands with an area of approximately 620 km².
The females are currently being heavily exploited by poachers for their meat when they come ashore to lay eggs during the nesting season which takes place between June and October. The female turtles are turned upside down as they come ashore to nest, which allows the poachers time to find other turtles and come back and kill the turtles at their leisure. The slaughter is particularly brutal and cruel, with the flippers being cut off first, then the animal is sliced open to remove meat, eggs, and internal organs, all while still alive. In 2007, over 1100 female turtles were slaughtered on the beaches, a number estimated to be 15% of the total population of nesting females in the Cape Verde area in 2007. This situation has resulted in the United Nations Environment Programme identifying Cape Verde as the conservation priority for Loggerhead turtles (UNEP, 2002).
The Turtle Foundation was determined to intervene and as quickly as possible put in place a program to reduce the current slaughter, while working toward the eventual protection of all the beaches and all the turtles. By early 2008, agreements had been reached with other organizations working in Cape Verde, such as Natura 2000, as well as local government agencies such as the Ministry of Environment and Agriculture, the Boavista Community Council, and the military command. With limited funds and planning time, the project for our first year focused on patrolling and protecting the 15 km section of beach in Porto Ferreira on the east coast of Boavista, an area heavily used by nesting turtles and requiring a 4 wheel drive vehicle to access.
With the help of soldiers provided by the Cape Verde military, Turtle Foundation personnel began performing night patrols in late June to protect the turtles from poaching. The effect of these patrols was seen almost immediately. The patrol teams found turtles “turn ed turtle” on the beach awaiting the poachers’ return, and patrol staff turned the turtles right side up and allowed them to return to the sea. Turtles encountered on the beach were protected from harm until they finished nesting and returned to the sea. As a result of our beach patrols on Boavista‘s east coast during the 2008 nesting season we reduced the number of sea turtles killed on the protected beach by 90%. Whereas in 2007 approx. 600 sea turtles were killed, in 2008 only 60 animals were documented killed on this stretch of beach.
In addition to the patrols, during the season alliances and partnerships with the local government, other conservation organizations, and most importantly the local community had been forged. Various activities such a coloring competition for children, an environmental education presentation in Praia and a conservation and information presentation in Sal Rei were very well received by the local community of Cape Verde. Turtle Foundation is now well known in Boavista for supporting the conservation of Cape Verde’s sea turtles as well as supporting the local community.
2009 Nesting Season Update: 
During the 2009 nesting season, Turtle Foundation expanded the protection project to four nesting beaches, 2 in the east and 2 in the south of Boavista. The patrols were supported again by the Cape Verde military, and for the first time we also had the invaluable participation of international volunteers. There were 19 volunteers, ranging in age from 18-43 years old, and from countries such as Germany, England, Portugal, Slovenia and Cyprus each giving between 2-6 weeks of their time in helping with the monitoring and protection of the turtles. We could not have accomplished nearly as much without them, and we are tremendously grateful for the energy, dedication, and hard work. We are looking forward to working with more volunteers in 2010.
 Patrols occur at night, as most turtles come ashore at night to nest. Teams of at least 2 people, one a soldier, walk the beach in 4 hour shifts to watch for turtles, and protect them until they return to the water. Surveys are done daily or weekly to collect data on nesting activity, and to document killed turtles. Other activities conducted by Turtle Foundation and the volunteers in 2009 included educational programs and environmental camps for school children, painting of conservation murals in the community, beach clean-ups to remove plastic and trash from the beach, erection of informational signs regarding the turtles on the beaches, training of local tour guides to promote eco-tours to watch nesting turtles and hatching nests, and working with the community to promote alternative methods of income from the living turtles such as turtle crafts.
In 2009 we continued our work with the Cape Verde Sea Turtle Network, a coalition task force dedicated to completely stopping the poaching of sea turtles in Cape Verde, increasing local and global awareness of the Cape Verde sea turtles, and increasing scientific knowledge about this sea turtle population. This coalition brings together three foreign NGO’s, two research institutions, and the Cape Verde Ministry of Environment, Land Planning and Marine Resources. Turtle Foundation is an active member of this coalition, being one of the three NGO’s along with Natura 2000 and SOS Tartarugas.
 The results of the protection project for the 2009 season were overwhelmingly positive. Over 500 turtles were killed on these beaches in 2007, and in 2009 only 42 were documented killed. Nevertheless, there are still unprotected beaches where the hunting pressure is high, nesting beaches that are being destroyed by construction, beaches covered in plastic and trash, and there is much work to do with the local community to promote education and conservation that will benefit both the turtles and the community. In 2010 Turtle Foundation plans to expand the project even further, setting up 3 beach camps to allow continual patrolling, monitoring, and research activities during the nesting seasons to come. Whenever and wherever possible we involve the local community, local authorities or local partner organizations in our work.
In order to reach these ambitious and realistic goals we need your support. Please help! us prevent the extinction of the third largest nesting population of Loggerhead Sea Turtles in the world!
Season Updates 2009
Results of beach patrols on Boavista:
Results as of August 18, 2009
TURTLE_FOUNDATION_DATA 2009.pdf
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