Turtle Conservation
Saving Sea Turtles
Travelling across the ocean expanse, five out of the seven species of sea turtles visit Mozambique’s waters to forage, shelter and nest. And they need our help.
Each of the five species of sea turtles found in Southern Africa are listed on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species and are considered to be threatened with extinction globally. Sea turtles are slow to grow to adults and have a low reproductive rate. Only one in a thousand turtle hatchlings survive to adulthood to start the nesting process. This is where vital turtle conservation projects come in.
Saving Sea Turtles
Travelling across the ocean expanse, five out of the seven species of sea turtles visit Mozambique’s waters to forage, shelter and nest. And they need our help.
Each of the five species of sea turtles found in Southern Africa are listed on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species and are considered to be threatened with extinction globally. Sea turtles are slow to grow to adults and have a low reproductive rate. Only one in a thousand turtle hatchlings survive to adulthood to start the nesting process. This is where vital turtle conservation projects come in.
Turtle Tours
One of the simplest and most rewarding ways to help turtles is to take part in a turtle tour to observe nesting or hatching turtles.
The magical moment when females heave themselves onto the shore to lay their egg clutches is a true bucket-list experience. Watching these charismatic animals carving out their nests, and laying dozens of eggs, before laboriously camouflaging the clutches with sand is remarkable.
Equally as exceptional is the moment when the hatchlings break free from the nests and embark on a hazardous trek across the beach to the ocean. Our teams will ensure that their path to the ocean is clear of objects that might impede their journey. Through the dedicated work of the local community and conservationists, there are turtle monitoring projects set up at both Ilha do Fogo and Machangulo. We offer visitors an opportunity to join turtle monitoring tours, which provide crucial funds for monitoring, research, and patrol teams.
We recommend that guests spend several days joining the patrols, who head out every 12 hours on low tide. As volunteers, you may get the opportunity to help with fieldwork, including data collection, ensuring that nesting areas are free of debris, tagging nesting turtles, and marking nests.
Why join a tour?
- It is a bucket list experience offered at only a handful of destinations in the world.
- You will contribute toward the livelihoods of local community members.
- You will contribute toward the livelihoods of local community members.
Why join a tour?
- It is a bucket list experience offered at only a handful of destinations in the world.
- You will be supporting the protection of turtles threatened with extinction.
- You will contribute toward the livelihoods of local community members.
When is the best time to see turtles?
Dates to Visit
April – June = Nesting season
June – August = Hatching season
Dates to Visit
October – December = Nesting season
December – March = Hatching season
You may spot turtles foraging in the abundant reefs off of our coast. Ilha do Fogo has a unique population of hawksbill turtles that visit to nibble on the many sponges, as well as green and olive ridley turtles. Machangulo boasts a resident population of loggerhead turtles, a quick boat ride away at Inhaca Island, and leatherback turtles have been spotted just offshore by the whale-watching boats.
- Tours take part in the evenings as this is when the turtles usually nest and hatchlings emerge.
- Not recommended for young children or anyone with mobility problems due to the amount of walking.
- Tour days will be dependant on weather conditions.
- As is the standard with wildlife, we cannot guarantee sightings.
When is the best time to see turtles?
Dates to Visit
April – June = Nesting season
June – August = Hatching season
Dates to Visit
October – December = Nesting season
December – March = Hatching season
You may spot turtles foraging in the abundant reefs off of our coast. Ilha do Fogo has a unique population of hawksbill turtles that visit to nibble on the many sponges, as well as green and olive ridley turtles. Machangulo boasts a resident population of loggerhead turtles, a quick boat ride away at Inhaca Island, and leatherback turtles have been spotted just offshore by the whale-watching boats.
- Tours take part in the evenings as this is when the turtles usually nest and hatchlings emerge.
- Not recommended for young children or anyone with mobility problems due to the amount of walking.
- Tour days will be dependant on weather conditions.
- As is the standard with wildlife, we cannot guarantee sightings.
Challenges
- Turtles date back 240 million years, to the Triassic age, and the earliest marine turtle lived around 120 million years ago, since the age of dinosaurs. However, despite their distinctive armour, which evolved to protect them from predators, all five of the species we see here are threatened with extinction.
- The two most endangered species are hawksbill and green turtles. They are the main target of poaching and harvesting for their meat and shells. Trade statistics going back over 100 years indicate substantial declines in hawksbill populations, of up to 95 percent. This renders them the most threatened species of turtle in the world.
- The IUCN-SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group have identified the five main threats to sea turtles worldwide: poaching, fisheries bycatch, coastal development, pollution and pathogens, and climate change. With many turtles continuously returning to the same nesting grounds where they were born, known as “natal homing”, threats like coastal development and poaching pose a particular challenge.
- Read more about the threats facing turtles and other marine life.
Challenges
- Turtles date back 240 million years, to the Triassic age, and the earliest marine turtle lived around 120 million years ago, since the age of dinosaurs. However, despite their distinctive armour, which evolved to protect them from predators, all five of the species we see here are threatened with extinction.
- The two most endangered species are hawksbill and green turtles. They are the main target of poaching and harvesting for their meat and shells. Trade statistics going back over 100 years indicate substantial declines in hawksbill populations, of up to 95 percent. This renders them the most threatened species of turtle in the world.
- The IUCN-SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group have identified the five main threats to sea turtles worldwide: poaching, fisheries bycatch, coastal development, pollution and pathogens, and climate change. With many turtles continuously returning to the same nesting grounds where they were born, known as “natal homing”, threats like coastal development and poaching pose a particular challenge.
- Read more about the threats facing turtles and other marine life.
Why protect turtles?
At their current rate of decline, some species of turtles may not be around for future generations to enjoy. At both Ilha do Fogo and Machangulo, protecting turtles from further decline is integral to preserving the delicate balance of our fragile marine and terrestrial ecosystems.
Bio-Engineering
Balance
Nutrients
Migration
Turtle Species and Information
Hawksbill Turtle
Hawsbill Turtle Information
Reproductive age
15 – 50 years old
Lifespan
Up to 60 years
Nesting frequency
Every 1 to 5 years
Clutch size
110 – 180 eggs
Incubation period
Around 60 days
Clutch per season
2 – 4
Period between nesting
15 days
Green Turtle
Green Turtle Information
Reproductive age
20 – 35 years old
Lifespan
Up to 70 years
Nesting frequency
Every 2 to 5 years
Clutch size
110 – 130 eggs
Incubation period
Around 60 days
Clutch per season
2 – 5
Period between nesting
10 – 14 days
Olive Ridley Turtle
Olive Ridley Turtle Information
Reproductive age
From 7 years old
Lifespan
Up to 50 years
Nesting frequency
Annually
Clutch size
105 -120 eggs
Incubation period
Around 60 days
Clutch per season
1 – 3
Period between nesting
20 – 28 days
Loggerhead Turtle
Loggerhead Turtle Information
Reproductive age
30 – 35 years old
Lifespan
Up to 80 years
Nesting frequency
Every 2 to 3 years
Clutch size
100 – 130 eggs
Incubation period
Around 60 days
Clutch per season
4 – 7
Period between nesting
14 days
Leatherback Turtle
Leatherback Turtle Information
Reproductive age
From 14 years old
Lifespan
Up to 50 years
Nesting frequency
Every 2 to 4 years
Clutch size
80 – 100 eggs
Incubation period
Around 60 days
Clutch per season
4 – 9
Period between nesting
9 – 10 days
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