Loggerhead turtles

The Prime Minister of Cape Verde, Ulisses Correia e Silva, has announced plans to extend the Biodiversity Tourism Integration Project to more of the Cape Verde islands. The Prime Minister said “This project should ensure the continuity and the scope of the other islands. It is based on a good concept, it was necessary to create a legal and institutional framework as well as a management model and it has produced results”.

The project, is funded by the UN Global Environment Facility, the UN Development Programme and the Government of Cape Verde. The project is currently implemented on the islands of Boa Vista, MaioSantiago and Sal. The total cost being 6m$(US) (€5.5m). The aim is to promote tourism that is based on more than beaches and the sun, but includes the mountains, valleys and biodiversity on all of the islands.

The biodiversity in Cape Verde is quite fragile. The sand dunes are attractive as recreational spaces, but they are also where the turtles nest. Large resort facilities on the beach are usually brightly lit. This adversely affects the turtles, but guests staying in such resorts are often unaware of the impact. So much that tourism brings to a country such as Cape Verde can, if not handled carefully, damage the biodiversity. Therefore, encouraging and supporting eco-tourism is important for the natural world.

[20 Jan 2023]