The journey
It has been suggested that the salt-water switch that the tag needs to work became jammed and has now worked itself free. Other turtles released at the same time only sent signals for a matter of weeks before their tags failed. Maggie has covered 5,826kms on her incredible journey and since loggerheads nest every two to three years, she may even be seen on one of our beaches this summer.
For more information view the link here
Organised by SOS Tartarugas, the workshops are for anyone who would like to volunteer to work alongside SOS Rangers or for anyone who would simply like to know more about turtles.
The workshop will cover basic biology and life cycle, conservation and protection activities and how to get involved. Beginning at 7pm at Turtle House, Tuesday’s workshop is in English and Wednesday’s will be in Portuguese, other languages can be catered for on request. For more information and for directions to Turtle House please email info@turtlesos.org or call 974 5020.
150 bags of approximately 4,000kgs of rubbish were removed from Costa Fragata yesterday, World Ocean Day. The big clean up will be of great benefit to the nesting turtles who will start coming ashore in the next few days. The clean up was a joint effort incorporating the European expatriate community, SOS Tartarugas, WWF, Camara Municiapl do Sal, the Adventist church, the armed forces and many other individuals. The majority of the rubbish is washed up on the east coast from Africa and from fishing boats. The vast majority of the rubbish removed is fishing net and discarded plastic items.
Rubbish on the beaches can deter turtles from nesting and hinders hatchlings on their way to the sea.
Loggerhead turtles are also seasonal visitors and are found nesting on sandy beaches on all the islands from June to October. With approximately 17,000 arriving each year, the archipelago is the third most important loggerhead nesting site in the world (after Florida and Oman).
Unfortunately, in common with all marine turtles, loggerheads are under extreme threat of extinction. In Cabo Verde there are pressures from illegal hunting, poaching of eggs and loss of habitat through development.
At a recent workshop held on Sal for everybody involved in turtle conservation in Cabo Verde, a new coalition – The Capeverdian Sea Turtle Network was formed to ensure a more cohesive and effective strategy.
Delegates from the Department of the Environment, Fisheries Department and Camara Municipais from many of the islands stated their determination to ensure the survival of loggerhead turtles in Cabo Verde through increased protection and legislation. 
Not only this, but many are also aiming to increase the population so substantially that Cabo Verde will overtake their two rivals and become the world’s most important nesting site for loggerheads!
This year should see a substantial decrease in the mortality of nesting female turtles, with new initiatives being started on Boa Vista, Maio, Sao Vicente, Santo Antao, Sao Nicolau and Fogo.
On Sal island, SOS Tartarugas will continue to work with the Camara Municipal, the military, martime and national police forces to improve on the 72% reduction of dead turtles that was achieved last year.
The first turtles are expected in the next two weeks and it is still possible to become involved. Part time Rangers of all nationalities are welcome and a commitment of only a few hours a week could make a big difference.
Please help us with a beach clean up on World Ocean’s Day June 7th from 8am – midday (come when you can) on Costa Fragata. Followed by a barbeque at Grijinha. For more information call Neal on 00238 976 9681.
For more information on volunteering call 00238 974 5020 or email info@turtlesos.org.
For information on night time turtle walks (starting approximately last week in June) call 00238 974 5019 or email neal@turtlesos.org
Visit our website www.turtlesos.org
What does SOS Tartarugas do?
• Deter hunting through night time beach (June to October)
• Collection of scientific data to improve conservation efforts
• Relocation of ‘at risk’ nests (flooding, destruction by vehicles, poaching, brightly lit areas & pollution)
• Incubation under natural conditions in a hatchery (June to December) and immediate release (hatchlings lose their instincts if they are kept in unnatural conditions and are unlikely to survive)
• Protection of beaches through clean ups and discouraging illegal practices such as driving on beaches and removal of sand for building
• Outreach activities including conducting guided walks for residents and visitors.
Cabo Verde’s Loggerhead Nesting Season
March, April, May
Male and female loggerheads are seen in the surrounding waters. Mating can be observed from boats and by divers.
June & July
Female turtles come ashore to lay their nests. The exact start and end date varies from year to year depending on temperature and other factors. Both male and females are still seen in the water and may be migrating between islands.
On Sal, turtles nest on every bit of sandy beach and while many return to exactly the same beach, some will lay their nests on different parts of the island.
In 2008 the first turtle track was seen on the 12th June.
August & September
Nests are still being laid, usually peaking in mid August. The first of the hatchlings will be born in the middle of the month, approximately after around 56 days incubation.
October
Nests are still being laid but the frequency is much lower. The last tracks seen on Sal in 2008 was 27th October.
November & December
Babies continue to be born during these months and the incubation period is longer, probably due to the lower temperature. The last nest to hatch in 2008 on Sal was on 25th December.
Adopt a Turtle
Make a donation to SOS Tartarugas
In 2007 Sal surfers Daniel Obradovic and Joazinho formed Revolusal, a youth movement based in Santa Maria which combines surfing with education and teaches respect of the environment and to each other. The organisation provides stability to many youths as well as encouraging them to attend school, whilst providing a focus through the positive medium of creation that is surfing. Sal, which is widely regarded as one of the finest water sport arenas in the world, has already produced a world champion kitesurfer, Mitu Monteiro, and by providing contests and a surf “scene” RevoluSal is nurturing some superb young talents in the surfing world.
Since it’s formation, RevoluSal has organised:
Beach & coastal cleanups: removing rubbish from several sites of outstanding natural beauty around Sal
Surf Events & Training: bringing surfers together from all of the islands to compete at some of the best surf spots in the world
Social events: getting kids off the streets and working together in social programs
Get involved
RevoluSal is run and funded by volunteers and is recruiting surfers and Life members .Whether you are a surfer of many years or if you simply want to be involved in something positive here in Sal, a small donation or to simply join in a Clean-Up session makes all the difference. The clean ups are a lot of fun and are a great way of meeting and interacting with the young surf community – remember the beaches are there for everyone to enjoy.
If you would like more information or to find out about the next Clean-Up day contact info@revolusal.org or visit the official site RevoluSal.org
RevoluSal Contacts
Board of Directors
+ President | Daniel Obradovic
+ Vice President | Edir Lopes
+ Secretary | Filomeno Carvalho
+ Treasurer | João Silva Almeida
+ Substitute | Fred Wilson Cruz Duarte
General Assembly
+ Table President | Fredy Harley Fortes
+ Table Vice Pres. | Roberto Espirito Santo
+ Table Secretary | Dunia S.L. Obradovic
Watch Committee
+ President | Ricardo Xavier Bettencourt
+ Vice President | Valdir Duarte Brito
The new initiative is designed to support several non-governmental organisations in Cape Verde with protecting and monitoring nesting loggerheads. It is thought up to 25% of nesting female loggerheads are killed annually in the archipelago by illegal poaching.
Source Yubanet.com
The government of Cape Verde, in partnership with infrastructure development company InfraCo, plans to increase energy production in the country by setting up four wind farms, the director-general for Energy, Abraão Lopes, said in Praia.
Cited by Cape Verdean news agency Inforpress, Lopes said that the farms, which represent an investment of 50 million euros, will be set up on the islands of Santiago, Sal, Boavista and Sao Vicente, and will have capacity to generate 28 megawatts.
“The project is being carried our in its entirety by the Government and its partner. The tender has been launched and all technical studies and preliminary conditions for its implementation carried out,” said Lopes.
At the moment, the contract phase for supply of machines and installation was underway, Lopes said, adding that so far four proposals had been received from international companies, with which Cape Verde is negotiating.
Meanwhile the director-general for Energy has said the next step is to identify a partner to manage the park as, according to him, neither the State nor state electricity company Electra will manage this company.
InfraCo is a company that develops infrastructures with funding from donors, acting as an “honest intermediary” and balancing the interests of government, national and international private companies and providers of funding.
InfraCo’s capital is obtained via subscriptions from members of the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG), which currently is made up of the development agencies of Austria, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the World Bank.
Source: macauhub
These islands have a long history of exploitation of their marine resources.
Read the full story
| March 11, 2010 | |
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Clear current temperature: 27°C |
