Former sea turtle hunters in Cabo Verde are now guarding nesting beaches, and the shift has helped drive illegal killings on Boa Vista down from 1,253 in 2007 to just 20 by 2024

For decades, sea turtle hunting was part of life in Cabo Verde, an island nation off the coast of West Africa. Turtle meat was consumed in some communities and, for some families, represented a source of food and income.

Today, some individuals who once poached the animals are now protecting them from being hunted on beach patrols at night.

The transformation has become one of the most remarkable conservation success stories in the Atlantic. According to the conservation group Turtle Foundation, illegal killings of female loggerhead sea turtles on the island of Boa Vista have fallen from 1,253 in 2007 to just 20 in 2024. Over the same period, loggerhead nesting activity on the island increased more than sevenfold.


From poachers to protectors

One of the individuals leading the patrols is now Roni Nelson Batista Ramos, a former turtle poacher.

The turtle meat that he consumed in his childhood days was just part of the traditional local culture he never suspected could form the basis of a new, respected profession. Now he works as a ranger and camp coordinator on Boa Vista, helping lead patrols of the nesting beaches and monitoring sea turtles during nesting seasons.

He is just one example of the transition that many say has contributed most to reducing poaching: transforming former hunters into rangers armed with intimate knowledge of their target species and providing them with the financial alternatives required for conservation.

Mongabay reported that Euclides Resende, managing director of the Turtle Foundation in Cabo Verde, said the decline in poaching reflects a mix of technology, community participation, and steady conservation work.

Why Boa Vista matters

Boa Vista is an important island for sea turtle conservation.

Roughly two-thirds of all loggerhead turtles nesting in Cabo Verde are found on Boa Vista, with the country supporting the largest population of this species in the eastern Atlantic. In fact, Cabo Verde hosts one of the world's largest loggerhead nesting populations and is considered the most important nesting site for the species in the eastern Atlantic.

Scientifically known as Caretta caretta, the loggerhead sea turtle is listed as vulnerable globally. It plays a vital ecological role in keeping marine ecosystems and bottom habitats healthy by feeding on bottom-dwelling organisms.

Every year between June and October, loggerheads journey from feeding grounds in the Atlantic Ocean and crawl onto Cabo Verdean beaches to dig nests where they lay their eggs. It is this habit that has made the islands a breeding ground of global significance for this species.

Technology assists conservationists

While patrols on the beach remain critical, they no longer rely on just flashlights and their eyes. Rangers are being equipped with thermal drones and night-vision goggles and, in some cases, are assisted by trained detection dogs used in conservation work.

Using this modern technology helps the rangers cover large areas of coast with relative ease, in addition to enhancing safety and reducing potential danger when facing poachers, and minimizing their ability to hunt unnoticed at night.

Conservationists say these technological tools help improve monitoring and enforcement efforts, particularly during peak nesting season, when turtles are most vulnerable to predation and illegal harvesting.

Threats persist

Despite the good news of more nests on the beaches, authorities in Cabo Verde say there are still many dangers for sea turtles in this region. A key threat is bycatch, which is when marine species are accidentally caught in fishing equipment. According to WWF, bycatch remains one of the leading threats to loggerhead turtles worldwide, particularly in longline and gillnet fisheries.

Climate change, plastic pollution, industrial fishing activity, and the constant threat posed by development on the coastal areas have also been raised as causes of concern by local experts and conservation organizations.

Some researchers interviewed for this article highlighted the continuing existence of a demand for turtle meat within some black market communities, underscoring the need for public awareness campaigns.

Lessons from Cabo Verde

What is unique about this story is that it did not hinge on legislation alone.

Though new laws have enhanced protections for vulnerable turtle species in recent years, conservation organizations acknowledge that lasting results have been due to the commitment of local communities to wildlife preservation.

By turning formerly involved hunters into conservation officers, developing new work opportunities through tourism, and implementing various education and awareness campaigns, they managed to turn a potentially disastrous scenario into a genuine conservation success.

At a time of mounting challenges worldwide that put many endangered species under severe threat, the beaches of Boa Vista offer a notable example that meaningful results are possible when we involve the local population in conservation.