Zoologia Caboverdiana Vol. 1, No. 2 (2010)
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Loggerhead Caretta caretta is now the only species of marine turtle nesting on the island of Sal, Cape Verde Islands. Since 2008, ADTMA - SOS Tartarugas has patrolled all the southern beaches of the island in order to protect nesting females and to collect nesting data. Although hunting is still a major issue, with 90 turtles killed in 2009, habitat loss and light pollution are becoming an ever more serious threat. Construction sites, hotels, apartment buildings and restaurants close to beaches, bright lights and illegal removal of sand are contributing to a marked decrease in the total number of nesting turtles on some beaches. In 2009, beaches on Sal experienced an average increase in nests of 200%, while the beach most affected by construction (Tortuga Beach) saw a decrease of nests of 7.3% (from 19.1% of total number of nests in 2008 to 11.8% in 2010). This beach also recorded a much lower nest to emergence ratio than normal (17.6% of emergences resulting in nests compared to 29.9% in other areas), indicating reluctance to nest due to light pollution and other disturbances.
Dragonflies (Insecta, Odonata) of São Vicente, Cape Verde Islands : 10 species on a desert island
(2010)
The island of São Vicente, Cape Verde Islands, has no natural and permanent surface fresh water habitats. Surprisingly, with records of 10 species of dragonflies, the island is the most species-rich in the archipelago so far (cf. Aistleitner et al. 2008, this study). Knowledge of Odonata from São Vicente is based on a small number of reports, mostly including single records only (Calvert 1893, Kirby 1897, Lobin 1982, Aistleitner et al. 2008). During a visit to the island in August 2009, AM recorded four species as single adults. Two species were recorded on 26 August 2009, after two days of heavy rainfall which caused extensive temporary waterflows and pools in the main courses of river beds, on the plains, as well as on roads and sports grounds in and around the town of Mindelo.
First record of Straw-coloured fruit bat Eidolon helvum (Kerr, 1792) for the Cape Verde Islands
(2010)
On 8 September 2010, at 9:45 AM, a fruit bat was seen flying at a height of ca. 2 m over the sea off Ervatão, southeastern Boavista, Cape Verde Islands (16º 02’ N, 22º 41’ W). After a while, the animal landed in the beach vegetation. When captured, it did not offer any resistance to being handled and it was taken to the nearby sea turtle station, operated by the NGO Cabo Verde Natura 2000. The bat – which proved to be a female – was placed in an improvised cage made of plastic netting where it eagerly fed on the food provided, i.e. tomato, apple and banana. At 16:00 PM, the following biometric data were taken: head width 31.6 mm, humerus 81.1 mm, ulna 121.2 mm, tarsus 49.7 mm. When restrained for taking body measurements, the bat attempted to defend itself with its mouth.
Based on both stranding and sighting records, recent data on the status and distribution of whales and dolphins in the Cape Verde Islands are presented, including records of four taxa new to the archipelago, viz. Common minke whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata, Dwarf sperm whale Kogia sima, beaked whale Mesoplodon cf. europaeus and False killer whale Pseudorca crassidens. Distribution elsewhere in the tropical eastern Atlantic and some taxonomic issues are discussed.