Turtle Rescue and Information Centre on Boa Vista – A Milestone for Sea Turtle Conservation

On Boa Vista, we have been facing a new challenge for some time: more and more sea turtles are losing their way back to the ocean or are washed ashore injured.
Not only do these turtles face dehydration and overheating, many also get injured on their way or become stuck in rock crevices. Some turtles become entangled in ghost nets or other debris, suffering deep cuts on their limbs or neck. Without timely assistance, many of these animals would be lost. For this reason, the rangers of our Dog and Drone Team regularly patrol the beaches. Healthy turtles are immediately returned to the sea, while injured turtles receive our best care, although so far we can only help them to a limited extent. A Turtle Rescue and Information Centre on Boa Vista is now planned to address this.

We have been planning the construction of a Turtle Rescue and Information Centre on Boa Vista for some time. Now we are one major step closer: we have finally received the land-use permit from local authorities to build the centre. In addition, our future veterinarian, Dr. Harrison Watler, visited the site in August to gain a detailed understanding of the situation.

What Will the Centre Look Like?

The centre will have two main functions:

1. Rescue and Care of Injured Turtles: The goal is to care for the animals and eventually release them safely back into their natural habitat.

2. Information and Education Centre: Tourists, the local community, and school groups will have access to marine environmental education and learn more about sea turtles and their conservation.

Another important issue in recent years has been whale strandings. We also want to be prepared for these: we have already procured equipment and will receive comprehensive training in early November to rescue as many stranded whales as possible in the future.

Rangers rescue lost Loggerhead Sea Turtle on Boa Vista

We are currently working on structural and organizational preparations to bring the centre to life as soon as possible. We hope to begin construction in 2026 so that we can provide professional assistance to all turtles on Boa Vista as soon as possible.

Every donation helps us give injured sea turtles a second chance.