sos 2010 report summary

8/6/2019 SOS 2010 Report Summary

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SOS TARTARUGAS

2010 CAMPAIGN REPORT

PREPARED BYJacquie Cozens

[email protected] : + 238 974 5020

We gratefully acknowledge the assistance and support of the followinginstitutions, businesses and individuals

Cmara Municipal do Sal, the National Police, Maritime Police & the Armed Forces. DGA, INDP, CmaraMunicipal do Ribeira Brava and all our colleagues from the Capeverdian Sea Turtle Network. The staff ofScubaCaribe and the beach staff of the RIU for your help with the management of the hatchery. All oursponsors big and small and in particular the MTCA.Cape Verde Imports for trouble-free shipping, Ao Caranguejo for all the delicious pizzas, Overboard forkeeping our electronic equipment sand free, Manta Diving Centre for offering Rangers discounted divingand all the water-based businesses that assisted with our in-water study. Garantia for insuring our vehicles.

The residents and businesses of Sal and all the wonderful visitors who accompanied us on a turtle walk oradopted a turtle. Without your generosity and positive energy our work would be impossible and much lessrewarding.The regular expatriate beach cleaners we dont know why you enjoy it so much but were glad you do!Francesco and Deborah Massa who allow us to invade their beautiful home each summer, Turtle Housemust surely be the best volunteer accommodation anywhere in the world!Finally, the project would not function without the hard-working full time and part time Rangers andvolunteers who come from many countries and backgrounds but are united in their dedication to protectturtles in Cabo Verde.


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SOS Tartarugas Summary 2010 Page 2 of 8

HIGHLIGHTSNB ALL DATA QUOTED IS PRELIMINARY AND MAY BE REVISED

1760 tracks, 566 nests. This represents a 63% increase compared to 2008 and a54% decrease compared to 2009.

120 turtles tagged on Sal.

8 turtles killed on protected beaches 35 turtles killed on unprotected beaches (16.67% of emergences compared to

14.26% in 2009).

81% of turtles killed were killed on unprotected beaches. Problem areas for killingof turtles identified as Mont Leo (34.88%) and northern beaches (39.53%).

9 turtles saved through direct intervention by SOS Tartarugas

Around 10 arrests on Sal for killing or eating turtles. Insufficient penalties resultedin repeat offenders killing several times during the season.

8% decline in nesting on Algodoeiro due to construction work (deterioration in

beach, lighting, noise)

Average hatching success in situ 81%. Average hatching success main hatchery75%. Average hatching success Surf Beach hatchery 64%.

42,705 hatchlings born on Sal (On beaches 37,038, 1,175 Surf Beach Hatchery &4,492 Main Hatchery)

Severe problems with predation by dogs on Algodoeiro for the first time (increase inhuman / canine presence)

First workshop for conservationists from community projects from other islands.Subjects included fieldwork, fundraising and outreach.

Workshops held for policemen, soldiers, fishermen, tourism students andvolunteers.

Environmental education visits to kindergartens and school visits to hatcheries forchildren and teachers in conjunction with CMS & Peace Corps.

Diagnostic study on community involvement undertaken in conjunction withCmara Municipal do Sal and INDP.

Media campaign featuring SOS Tartarugas on national and local television andradio.

VIP visits to nesting beaches for business owners, travel agents, tour operators,hotel owners.

Support given to turtle conservation programmes in Santiago, Fogo, Santo Anto,So Vicente and So Nicolau.

Successful ecotourism programme encompassing turtle watching, public releases,hatchery visits and adoptions. 44% of visitors to turtle nesting beaches were British& Irish. Disturbance to turtles caused by untrained guides points to need for controland licensing.

Driving on beaches reduced until September. Areas with very high vehicle useinclude the southern part of Costa Fragata (individuals on quads) and Algodoeiro in

front of Tortuga Beach (construction traffic) and Paradise Beach (quad tours andconstruction traffic) where beaches are becoming very degraded. A new tour


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operator was seen driving on Serra Negra and continues to do so despite severalpromises not to and a police warning.

Other threats included heavy rains and pollution and rubbish on beach.

Five beach cleans undertaken on Costa Fragata & Serra Negra. Lack of vehiclesfrom Cmara Municipal & SOS Tartarugas caused problems removing the rubbishcollected.

Scientific studies undertaken

o Temperature study of beaches and hatcheries

o Impact of foot traffic on hatchling emergence in hatcheries

o The effect of water inundation on nests in Serra Negra

o In water study of turtles found off the coast of Sal

Three scientific papers published

o The effects of tourism, beachfront development and increased light pollutionon nesting loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) on Sal Island, Cape Verde:

2008- 2010o Nesting activity of the Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) on Maio

island, Cape Verdeo The loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) on Sal Island, Cape Verde:

nesting activity and beach surveillance in 2009

Participated in second annual meeting of Taola, the Capeverdian Sea TurtleNetwork in Boa Vista.

Participated in INDP Seminario conservao das TM na zona de Barlavento(Conservation Seminar for Marine Turtles in the Barlavento Zone) in So Vicente.

Figure 1 Taola Conference Delegates


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SUMMARY

2010 was a successful year in terms of the primary objective the mortality of nestingturtles on protected beaches was very low. However it is obvious that there is an urgentneed to patrol more northerly beaches, in particular, Mont Leo on which 15 turtles nestedand 15 turtles were killed.

However, the most urgent conservation problem is the disruption and loss of habitat onAlgodoeiro, especially in front of the Resort Group constructions, Tortuga Beach & Dunasresort where nesting has declined by half compared to 2008. A recent study has shownthat this population has genetic differences to the turtles nesting on the east coast of Sal,causing even more concern.

We anticipate issues arising from lighting and beach furniture that will necessitate therelocation of all nests in these areas, a time-consuming, expensive and unsatisfactorysolution.

A lack of will to prosecute once more hampered conservation efforts, with repeat

offenders arrested and released immediately, only to return to the beach to kill anotherturtle. In addition, many infringements such as beachfront lighting, driving on beaches,sand removal and direct interference with turtles were seen, with no consequences for theoffenders.

Without a doubt the biggest threat on Sal is no longer hunting of turtles, but beachfrontdevelopment, with 40% of nests recording some degree of disturbance from lights fromdevelopments, hotels, bars or residences. This ranged from a few going inland to entirenests lost. In some areas such as Algodoeiro (in front of Tortuga Beach/Resort Group)and Surf Beach (Praia Antonio de Sousa) the only solution was to relocate ALL nests tothe hatcheries, a situation that is less than ideal. A limited amount of success wasachieved with some construction sites switching off some lights and residences allowingus to install red filters. This issue needs to be addressed further both in terms of outreachand legislation.

A study was undertaken in conjunction with INDP & Cmara Municipal do Sal todetermine the populations opinions and understanding of turtle conservation. It is clearthat a proportion of the population do not understand or do not care about the need toprotect turtles and turtle habitat and changing this attitude is the only sustainable wayforward.

As in previous years, the highest proportion of nests was on Serra Negra and CostaFragata with Algodoeiro in third place.


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Figure 2 Location of nests Sal island 2010

Serra Negra accounts for 33% of nests and has large areas that are completely washed

over by high tides, consequently a high proportion of nests need to be relocated. Ifsecurity was not an issue, this would be an ideal place for a hatchery. One solution forSerra Negra would be a semi-permanent camp for both soldiers and Rangers that wouldbe suitable for schools, community groups and tourists to visit.

Closer to Santa Maria, once again, 12% of nests were located in the southern section ofCosta Fragata (Ponta Jelonga) a wide beach with minimal light disturbance. The mainproblem on this beach is vehicles, which not only compact the sand but also causes rutswhich hatchlings follow instead of turning towards the sea. Although no quad tours usethis route any more, current signposting is not sufficient to deter individuals. More work isalso needed to make sure that tourists and residents are aware of the restrictions.

Another area of note is Surf Beach (Praia Antonio de Sousa) which saw a decrease innesting due to the expansion of a beach bar using extremely bright lights. Several nestswere disrupted late in the season by a stage being built on the beach on top of the nests.

The weather in 2010 also presented some difficulties, with many areas being washedaway during the heavy rains, particularly in Serra Negra and on Algodoeiro.

The second meeting of the Capeverdian Sea Turtle Network (CVSTN) was held in BoaVista in June 2010. The coalition was renamed Taola.

Our tourism programme was once more a great success, helping to fund patrols andcommunity work as well as being a platform for encouraging active participation in turtleconservation. Several other guides were present on the beach during the peak season,often causing considerable disturbance, through restraining the turtle, interrupting nesting,walking on tracks and nests and use of torches and flash photography. This kind ofactivity is likely to increase and there is a need for training, control and licensing in orderto minimise disturbance to the turtles.


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CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR 2011

Overall objectives for 2010 remain the same, with the priority of minimising mortalityamongst nesting turtles, but in 2011 there will be more emphasis on social and communityprogrammes to engage the population, both Capeverdian and expatriate.

Stronger penalties including custodial sentences for those convicted of killing turtles will

act as a deterrent and demonstrate the seriousness with which the authorities view thiscrime. We also recommend turtle community service for offenders, for example, assistingwith beach clean ups, attending school visits, undertaking night patrols.

We believe that clarification of laws relating to turtles and turtle habitat is needed as wellas a better understanding of who is able to enforce the law. Even amongst the judiciarythere is confusion and misunderstanding.

We will also continue outreachand educational activities, astrategy that achieves results

more slowly, but is critical for thelong-term cessation of hunting ofturtles. This will include acommunity programme for Saldeveloped in conjunction withINDP. The programme will bedesigned to find ways in which tomotivate and engage thepopulation in turtle conservationand environmental awareness.

In order to protect nesting habitat and minimise beachfront lighting, more outreachincluding clarification and implementation of the laws covering driving on beaches,removal of sand and lighting disturbances is required. At present there are rarely anyconsequences for infringements. Increased signposting and information boards onbeaches with the authority of the DGA and Camara Municipal would be a great help.

We would like to investigate ways in which SOS Tartarugas could assist withEnvironmental Impact Assessments during the planning process.

A solution needs to be found for the nests that are laid on Algodoeiro since no nests can

remain there in current conditions. The obvious answer would be a hatchery but there is alack of suitable areas due to a combination of deterioration of sand from construction workand a tendency to flood.

Until there is enforcement of the law it will be impossible to protect nests on Algodoeiroand impossible to preserve this as a nesting beach.


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We strongly recommend limiting the number of tours permitted on nesting beaches atnight in order to minimise disruption of nesting. This is particularly important onAlgodoeiro since the areas for turtles to nest is vastly reduced. A proposal for regulationhas been submitted to the Cmara Municipal do Sal.

We believe that intensive monitoring on Mont Leo is necessary and have proposed theestablishment of a semi-permanent camp.

We will continue to support campaigns on other islands with our colleagues from Taola,supplying training, technical support and equipment as necessary.

Figure 3 Sr Antero Alfama adopts the first hatchery nest on behalf of Cmara Municipal do Sal


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Project Goals 2010

Establish sustainable turtle conservation programme Stimulate and facilitate turtle conservation activities within Cabo Verde

Project Activities

Recruitment, training and employment of Wildlife Rangers.Wildlife Rangers were involved in the project for varying periods from June 1 st untilDecember 8th. Rangers were responsible for patrolling beaches at night andduring the day, relocating nests to the hatchery and conducting guided walks onnesting beaches as well as being involved in outreach activities. Many more part-time Rangers and volunteers from the community also participated. For the firsttime we accepted paying volunteers into the project. These volunteers participatedfor three weeks or less and were responsible for their own expenses.

Protection of nesting turtles

Beach patrols every night from 9pm 5am by pairs of Rangers or volunteers inconjunction with the armed forces.

Protection of habitatIncluding education, outreach and signage regarding light disturbance and drivingon beaches as well as monthly beach cleaning activities.

Protection of nestsDaily morning patrols were undertaken and 185 doomed nests were relocated totwo hatcheries.

EcotourismVisitors and residents were offered night-time guided walks on nesting beachesand participation in morning patrols. Daily talks were given on turtle conservationand other environmental issues at the hatcheries. We operated an adoptionprogramme for both hatchlings and adult turtles.

Research and scientific studiesA daily census of main nesting beaches as well as several counts of northernbeaches on Sal was undertaken.

Outreach and community activityThis included schools visits, radio and television interviews and visits to nestingbeaches and hatcheries by children, business owners, police officers andemigrants.

Support for other projectsTechnical advice, equipment and training were given to other projects in SoNicolau, Fogo and So Vicente in conjunction with INDP & funded by MTCA. Atraining workshop for community conservation will be held on Sal in July 2011.

sos 2010 report summary

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