Curral Velho

Curral Velho Protected Landscape is a conservation area on Boa Vista, the easternmost island of Cabo Verde and one of the flattest in the archipelago. Boa Vista is renowned for its vast sandy beaches, extensive dune systems, and semi-arid savanna-like terrain, and Curral Velho sits within this distinctive environment on the island's southern coast. The name, meaning 'old corral', refers to historical livestock enclosures in this remote part of the island. The protected landscape designation covers a section of coastline and hinterland that supports nesting sea turtles, seabirds, and typical Boa Vistan dry-land vegetation. The area is among the quieter and more remote parts of Boa Vista, away from the beach resort development concentrated on the island's north and west coasts.

Curral Velho is particularly significant for loggerhead sea turtle conservation. Boa Vista's beaches, including those within the protected landscape, are among the most important loggerhead nesting grounds in the entire eastern Atlantic and rank among the largest in the world outside of Florida and Cape Verde collectively. Female loggerheads come ashore between June and October to lay eggs in the sandy beaches of this and neighbouring areas. Shorebirds and wading birds use the tidal flats and coastal margins, while various seabirds patrol the offshore waters. The dry scrubland inland supports small populations of endemic Cabo Verde reptiles. Ospreys and other raptors are occasionally observed hunting along this stretch of coast.

The vegetation of the Curral Velho area reflects Boa Vista's predominantly arid character, with dry savanna-like shrublands and sparse ground cover adapted to sandy soils and low rainfall. Acacia trees, both native species and introduced varieties, provide the main woody cover across parts of the landscape, and their shade creates microhabitats for smaller plants and animals. Sand-binding grasses and low shrubs stabilise the dune margins, preventing sand movement and maintaining the beach structure that sea turtles depend upon for nesting. Native coastal plants tolerant of salt spray and drought conditions colonise the shoreline zone. In sandy arroyos and seasonal drainage lines, slightly more moisture allows a denser growth of shrubs than on the exposed dune faces.

Boa Vista is geologically among the older islands of Cabo Verde, with its low, flat terrain reflecting extensive erosion of ancient volcanic material and the accumulation of marine sediments and wind-blown sand over millions of years. The island lacks the dramatic highland relief of Santo Antão or Santiago, instead presenting a landscape of low volcanic hills, ancient calcareous beach rock, and shifting sand dunes. The Curral Velho coastline features stretches of sandy beach interspersed with rocky headlands of exposed basalt and fossil reef material. Sand movement driven by trade winds is an active process, burying old landscapes and creating new dune forms across the island's terrain. The geology here creates an ideal nesting substrate for loggerhead turtles, combining accessible sandy beaches with inland areas of stabilised sand.

Boa Vista has one of the driest and sunniest climates in Cabo Verde, receiving very little rainfall and experiencing strong, consistent trade winds from the northeast for much of the year. Annual precipitation is among the lowest in the archipelago, typically under 100 millimetres (4 inches), concentrated in the August to October period when the inter-tropical convergence zone occasionally reaches this latitude. Temperatures are warm year-round, moderated by the cool Canary Current. The persistent trade winds produce a semi-arid landscape reminiscent of West African Sahel environments and drive the movement of sand dunes across the island. The Harmattan dust wind from the Sahara periodically blankets the island in red dust, reducing visibility and depositing iron-rich sediment.

Boa Vista was among the first Cabo Verde islands visited by Portuguese explorers in the 15th century, and its name refers to the good views afforded by its flat terrain when approaching by sea. The island's aridity limited agricultural potential, and historical settlement was modest compared to more fertile islands. Livestock herding, particularly of goats and cattle grazed on the sparse but extensive dry savanna, was the main activity in areas like Curral Velho, where the name itself evokes these historical corrals. Salt extraction and fishing were also important activities on this low-lying, coastally accessible island. The island experienced significant out-migration during difficult years and has traditionally had one of the smaller populations in the archipelago.

Curral Velho was designated as a Protected Landscape as part of Cabo Verde's national network of protected areas, with a particular focus on safeguarding the loggerhead sea turtle nesting beaches that make Boa Vista internationally significant for marine conservation. The protected status works alongside other marine protected areas around the island to create a comprehensive system for turtle protection. Non-governmental conservation organisations, most notably SOS Tartarugas, have been active on Boa Vista since the 2000s, working with local communities on turtle monitoring and nest protection programmes that complement the formal protected area designation. The conservation work has involved training local turtle guardians who monitor beaches throughout the nesting season.

The main attraction of the Curral Velho area is its remote, undeveloped coastline and the opportunity to observe loggerhead sea turtle activity on the beaches during the nesting season from June to October. Organised turtle-watching tours, conducted under strict guidelines to minimise disturbance, allow visitors to observe nesting females or hatchlings under the supervision of trained guides. The remote desert landscape and extensive empty beaches provide a striking contrast to the more developed resort areas of northern Boa Vista. Birdwatching along the coast and in the dry inland scrubland attracts naturalists. The area is reached by dirt track from the main road network and requires a four-wheel-drive vehicle for comfortable access.

Visitor facilities at Curral Velho are minimal, consistent with its status as a remote protected landscape rather than a developed tourist destination. Access requires a four-wheel-drive vehicle along sandy tracks from the island's road network. There are no permanent visitor facilities on site, though conservation organisations active on the island provide guided turtle-watching tours that include transport from the main tourist areas. Boa Vista has an international airport and a range of accommodation in the resort town of Santa Maria on the northern coast, which serves as the base for most visitors to the island. Day trips to the southern coast, including the Curral Velho area, can be arranged through local operators.

The conservation of loggerhead sea turtle nesting beaches is the central priority for Curral Velho. Turtles face threats from beach disturbance, artificial lighting that disorients hatchlings, and predation of eggs by introduced predators. Poaching of nesting females and eggs, historically a problem on Boa Vista, has been significantly reduced through community engagement programmes that give local people economic stakes in turtle conservation through ecotourism. The growing beach resort development in northern Boa Vista poses indirect threats by drawing light, noise, and human activity toward nesting areas. Climate change is an additional concern, as rising sea levels and changing sand temperatures can affect nesting success and alter the sex ratio of hatchlings, as incubation temperature determines sex in sea turtles.