In June begins the era of the egg-laying turtles. Females mostly like Caretta Caretta out of the sea at night to search for the most appropriate place to dig their nests where they lay between 80 and 120 eggs. After 45-60 days (depending on weather conditions) the eggs hatch and the baby turtles go to the ocean to face a harsh daily life that will bring them back, perhaps, (only a small percentage survives) after at least 25 years on the beach native to continue the cycle of life.
Throughout Cape Verde there are several projects for the protection of these wonderful animals that human stupidity is leading to extinction for the alleged aphrodisiac properties of its meat and the male sexual organ.
Many Cape Verdeans eat the turtle as a traditional dish, but unfortunately many tourists ask and some unscrupulous restaurateurs offer it under the table.
Hundreds of volunteers patrol the beaches at night archipelago, protecting the nests with eggs and labeled the turtles to create a database that will serve to protect the species.
In the sea of Cape Verde you can meet green turtles, loggerhead and leatherback turtle rarely.