The turtle nursery a stone's throw from the houses

For several years now, in Sal Rei, the capital of Boa Vista, a nursery for Caretta caretta turtle eggs has been set up on Cabral beach every summer. The eggs of the animals that choose the city beach to nest on are transferred here immediately after they have been laid. Other “criaderos” are located along the wild coastlines with the highest concentration of nests on the island. In this case, it is an exceptional site, because it is located close to the town of Sal Rei. In the nurseries, the eggs find a favorable environment for the development and birth of the young, protected from risks and predators.

In the Praia Cabral criadero, from mid-July to the end of August, over 150 nests were transferred and hosted. The naturalist associations, which study and protect the turtles, patrol and guard the beaches, carry out studies and research, and ensure the management of the criaderos. Boa Vista is today the first island in the archipelago for the nesting of Caretta caretta turtles and Cape Verde is in third place in the world after Oman and Florida.