Preliminary approach to the hatchlings sex-ratio of a population of Caretta caretta of Boavista island, Cape Verde Archipielago (Western Africa).

[EN] A nesting population of loggerhead sea turtles Caretta caretta has recently been described for Boa Vista Island, Cape Verde Archipelago (Western Africa). Since 1998, “Projecto Cabo Verde Natura 2000” has monitored three beaches during the turtle breeding season. The beaches being monitored - Calheta, Errata and Ponta Cosme - are located in the southeast part of Boa Vista Island. This work intends to give a first insight into the Boa Vista Island sea turtle population’s sex ratio using a histological approach, as sexual determination in sea turtles is known to be temperature-dependent (TSD or temperature-dependent sex determination).

Monitoring and conservation of the largest loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) nesting population in Africa: successes and challenges.

[EN] The Republic of Cape Verde is situated about 500 km off the coast of Senegal, West Africa. The islands of Sal, Boa Vista and Maio constitute the Eastern group and harbour the most important nesting beaches for loggerhead turtles in the Archipelago. During 1998-2004 nesting seasons, fieldwork has been focused on the eastern beaches of Boa Vista and, occasionally, in other beaches of Boa Vista and in the islands of Maio, Sal and Santa Luzia. The main study area includes a total extension of 3.1 km of suitable nesting beaches. All through these years, a tagging program has been carried out, alongside recording of biological data and monitoring of nests.

Efforts to increase the participation of local communities in the conservation of the endangered loggerhead population of Cape Verde

[EN] The loggerhead population of Cape Verde is one of the most important in the world. Several islands from this archipelago capture nesting females for human consumption. This a widespread practice in the local population that can be killing more than 25% of nesting females every year. This activity is not relevant for the general economy of the country but can be important for some families.

Evaluation of male breeding population inferred from paternity analyses in the Cape Verde islands

[EN] Because of the extensive migrations of marine turtles through the ocean, many aspects of their biology have been unknown for a long time. However, much information has been recently gained from genetic studies and population monitoring of female turtles at their nesting sites. In contrast, still very little is known on the genetic diversity, population structure and dispersal patterns of the male breeding population, mainly because of the difficulty of capturing and monitoring them at sea. The aim of this study is to assess the genetic patterns of the male breeding population of the loggerhead turtle, Caretta caretta, using a non invasive approach and compare them to the female breeding population.

The coast of Cape Verde hosts the third largest loggerhead nesting population in the world

[EN] Extensive sea turtle nesting monitoring has been conducted in several islands of the Archipelago of Cape Verde during the past years. The loggerhead turtle is the only species that nests in these islands though green and hawksbill turtle juveniles are very often found feeding around their coasts. Around 90% of loggerhead nests are deposited in the island of Boavista on approximately 50 km of white sandy beaches. This is one of the less populated islands with more inaccessible beaches, as all villages are far from the main nesting areas. Another 9% of nests are equally distributed among the islands of Sal, Maio and San Nicolau and the remaining 1% of nests are found among the other six major islands and several islets of the archipelago.