Chic African Culture Africa Factbook

Green Sea Turtle Nesting In Africa

Many African islands are known as Turtle Island due to green sea turtles nesting on their beaches.


João Viera-Poilão Marine Park has the largest green sea turtle nesting site on the Atlantic coast of Africa. It is illegal to collect, harm or kill green sea turtles in Guinea-Bissau Africa.


Guinea-Bissau Green Sea Turtles

Guinea-Bissau is a small coastal West African country just to the South of Senegal where many indigenous African languages are spoken along with a unique dialect of Crioulo (Creole mixed with Portuguese and French).

Guinea-Bissau was once part of the Mali Empire known as Gabu. The Portuguese set up slave trade operations in the ports of Bissau and Cacheu on the coast of Guinea, the interior was not explored until around 1915 with heavy resistance from the indigenous population. The islands off the coast of Guinea-Bissau Bijagos Archipelago (islands) are 88 islands and islets of which 23 are inhabited.
 
Guinea-Bissau is a small coastal West African country photo by gaborbasch
Guinea-Bissau is a small coastal West African country

The Bijagos islands are a Biosphere Reserve or internationally designated protected areas since 1996, with two National Marine Parks, João Viera-Poilão and Orango. João Viera-Poilão has the largest green sea turtle nesting site on the Atlantic coast of Africa.

The endangered green sea turtle migrates long distances to nest on the shores of Africa’s Guinea-Bissau. Green sea turtles migrate long distances between feeding sites and nesting sites; some swim more than 2,600 kilometers or 1,600 miles to reach their breeding grounds. It is illegal to collect, harm or kill green sea turtles, Guinea-Bissau has numerous local and international laws and regulations to protect green sea turtles nesting areas.

The Bijagos islands also have a Marine Protected Area Community of Formosa islands, Nago and Urok. Bijagos islands are the second most important site for migratory birds in West Africa after the Banc d'Arguin in Mauritania. 

Each year the archipelago receives countless overwintering and breeding waterbirds at the Community Urok Marine Protected Area. As of late, the Bijagos islands are a tourist attraction for beach goers and wildlife enthusiasts.

Green Sea Turtles 3 facts

Green Sea Turtles grow up to 1.5 meters (5 ft) in length and can weigh over 300 kg (700 lbs.), making them the largest of the hard-shell sea turtles.
Average life span in the wild is 80 or more years for green sea turtles.
Green sea turtles can stay underwater for up to five hours, but their feeding dives usually only last five minutes or less.
The endangered green sea turtle migrates long distances to nest on the shores of Africa’s Guinea-Bissau.

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