Cabo Verde Introduces New Fees For Turtle Watching To Protect Species

Cabo Verde has introduced new laws to regulate sea turtle watching to protect the creatures and their nesting areas from human disruption. Adult Cabo Verdeans will now pay 1,000 escudos ($10) to observe sea turtles, while foreign visitors will be charged 2,200 escudos ($22).

Fees for children and adolescents under 16 are lower, with Cabo Verdeans paying 500 escudos and foreigners 1,650 escudos.

These fees are geared towards supporting the conservation of the endangered species. Cabo Verde has the third-largest population of nesting loggerhead turtles in the world.

According to the Cabo Verdean government, human activity on nesting beaches and nearby waters can interfere with the turtles’ natural behaviours, such as reproduction and feeding. To mitigate this, a license is now required for turtle observation in the West African country, costing 15,000 escudos for the first application and 10,000 escudos for renewals. The license will be valid for three months.

Furthermore, sea turtle observation activities on land and nesting beaches have been restricted to the hours of 7:00 p.m. to midnight, and visitors must be accompanied by a nature guide.

The regulations also ban the use of artificial light, such as flash photography or mobile phone lights, to ensure the turtles are not disturbed.

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