Preliminary approach to the hatchlings sex-ratio of a population of Caretta caretta of Boavista island, Cape Verde Archipielago (Western Africa).

Abstract

A nesting population of loggerhead sea turtles Caretta caretta has recently been described for Boa Vista Island, Cape Verde Archipelago (Western Africa). Since 1998, “Projecto Cabo Verde Natura 2000” has monitored three beaches during the turtle breeding season. The beaches being monitored - Calheta, Errata and Ponta Cosme - are located in the southeast part of Boa Vista Island. This work intends to give a first insight into the Boa Vista Island sea turtle population’s sex ratio using a histological approach, as sexual determination in sea turtles is known to be temperature-dependent (TSD or temperature-dependent sex determination).</p>