Dogs in action against poachers of giant turtles
On Boa Vista, one of the islands of Cape Verde, giant Caretta Caretta turtles return every year to lay their eggs on the beaches.
After a few weeks, the few grams weighing turtles hatch and run to the sea.
Every year, many giant turtles are killed for their meat - by poachers.
And the hatched turtles are caught on their way to the sea - by natural predators.
Egg nests are deliberately or unintentionally destroyed, and some eggs are even stolen - by humans.
The aim is to protect these giant turtles.
On the island of Boa Vista, dogs are being trained to stop poaching as well as illegal trade of meat, eggs, animals.
Our foundation supports the training and deployment of these dog teams. As the poachers operate at night, the rangers patrol in the dark. The dog teams are supported by a drone operating team.
In May 2022, a member of our Board of Trustees visited the team on Boa Vista and was able to observe the team's training and work on site.
In addition to the normal training of the dog team and the drone team, a first aid course for humans and dogs was also held.
The reason is: the work of the rangers involves a certain potential for injury: there are sharp stones, pointed objects, thorny bushes and broken glass on the beaches and in the dunes, all of which can cause injury.
All the rangers from the local Turtle Foundation and other interested parties took part in the course. Interest was very high and the enthusiasm for the practical exercises was immense.
We received very valuable help from SIRMED for this course. SIRMED brought us up to speed with the latest techniques and provided the team of Boa Vista with essential material.
A big thank you to SIRMED! More information about SIRMED
In the end, the team was able to rescue injured people, provide first aid and even perform CPR. SIRMED offered a resuscitation doll, which the team named Heidi.
The project week on Boa Vista showed how committed the team is to protecting the Caretta Caretta.
Some pictures show the rangers at work.
