Sal, a small desert in the ocean

'Sal, a small desert in the ocean'

Introduction
SOS Tartarugas

Turtles

Birds

Cetaceans

Fishes

Geology

Hiking routes from the point of view of Geology and Biodiversity

       Route 1. West of the island: Bahía da Murdeira, Monte Leão (165m), lhéu Rabo de Junco.

       Route 2. North of the island: Morro do Sal (309m) and Salinas de Pedra da Lume

       Route 3. East of the island: Serra Negra (99m)
Other activities 

Introduction

Sal (N 16º 44’ W 22º 56’) is one of the 10 islands and three islets of the volcanic archipelago of Cape Verde which is included in the biogeographic region of Macaronesia.

General view of the island

Given its geographical isolation, it exhibits a unique ecoregion with endemic arid climate with no sources of fresh water and that is why the species we find here are adapted to extreme living conditions. These features also make Sal an interesting place for someone interested in nature.  In addition, Sal and other islands in Cape Verde are one of the most important nesting areas for the loggerhead turtle and this makes this island a hot spot for the conservation and protection of this turtle classified by the IUCN as Endangered. 
The landscapes are peculiar with long golden sandy beaches, rocky volcanic coasts, extremely arid desert similar to the Mars landscape and some volcanic formations of about 100 – 400 m high.
It is also interesting to see the mix of international cultures that we can find in Sal, a mix of Cape Verdean people and immigrants from other African and European countries such as Guinea Bissau, Senegal, Italy, Portugal or China in addition to the european tourists.

Tourism or related activities are the main and basically the only economic source of income in the island so it is of vital importance to develop this activity in a sustainable way. We can already see some environmental and social problems related to a lawless development of tourism such as exploitation of sand for construction works with poor control, urbanization in protected areas, construction of huge resorts or other facilities with no light pollution limiting measures (this affects the orientation of turtles). This is a shame as many of the resorts, buildings, roads or other facilities by the coast are new or yet to be built but it looks like these light pollution limiting measures that should have been taken into account before starting the construction were not in mind. Other activity that also should be controlled is the driving of vehicles over nesting areas of birds and turtles in the beaches. A better organization of tourism could lead to minimize the economic inequalities between tourists and local people. Only a short walk on the streets of Espargos or Santa Maria is enough to realise that there are big differences in the community with some people living in tough conditions without water or electricity when these basic resources are available. Actions to solve environmental and social problems should be taken togheter as some of these problems are closely related, but once more the solution is not quick or easy.

In my opinion, tourism in Sal should be developed in a sustainable way and the good news, in contrast with many other European countries, are that in Sal is not too late to develop a sustainable model for tourism and to avoid to make again the same mistakes already done in Europe. Even more reason to avoid the same mistakes is that most of the real estate investment companies are European.

SOS Tartarugas

SOS Tartarugas is a recognised NGO very involved in nature conservation and fully immersed with the local communities in Sal. Furthermore, is a partner in turtle conservation by the Cabo Verdean government and works in collaboration with the DGA (Ministry of Environment), the Camara Municipal (Local government), INDP (Fisheries Department), ISECMAR Marine Sciences Institute, Natura 2000 in Boa Vista,  WWF and the law enforcement agencies on Sal.
SOS Tartarugas works for the environmental conservation of biodiversity in the island with a mixed team of international and local people. This organisation is very well known by the community and also by different institutions in Sal as they are very active and carry out many environmental education activities in schools, give training for troops and other organisations involved in turtle protection and other activities. They also promote scientific divulgation, report and give advice in environmental issues. This is a well structured organisation focused in conservation and protection of nature but also very immersed in the local communities where they have a very important role due to the high number of local people that they train and employ. Some of the local members of SOS Tartarugas have evolved together with the organisation as this has provided them the training required to carry out its job and some of them have become trainers and are now in charge of other local and international members of the team. Some members that initially joined the team only to earn some money are now fully involved in the project. In my opinion the social commitment with the local community is essential in the success of this organisation and is one of the aspect I value the most.

To support the work of the organization in nature and turtle protection the organisation carries out a series of nature tourism activities always following strict rules not to disturb the fauna such as turtle walks, bird watching tours, stargazing and hiking routes that also help to make people understand the natural values of Sal and the importance of sustainable development.  

For more info visit: http://www.sostartarugas.org/SOSTartarugas/Welcome.html  

Memebers of SOS Tartarugas at work in Costa Fragata

Turtles

One of the most spectacular nature events in Cape Verde is the turtle season when loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) go to the beaches at night to nest. The Cape Verde islands and Sal are one of the most important nesting areas in the world for this turtle classified by the IUCN as Endangered and protected by law and this is why it is extremely important to protect this area. Every night from June to October the females go to the beaches and lay the eggs. The eggs have an incubation period of about 2 months, meaning that hatchlings are born from August to December. 

Female laying the eggs at night (top with red light) and female coming back to the ocean after laying the eggs just over. Female turtles usually nest at night but in this case the sun rised before she finished the work. 

Due to the reproduction strategy of this turtle, only about 1 in 1000 hatchlings will reach the adult age to be able to reproduce. The loggerhead turtles face many different problems from hunting, bycatch fishing, destruction of nesting habitat, hatchling predation by dogs, pollution of sea waters to light pollution that affects the orientation of the hatchlings when born making them to divert to the light from houses or touristic resorts by the beaches instead of going to the sea.

SOS Tartarugas carry out patrols to deter hunters and monitoring of turtles as well as other measures such as nest relocations to improve the reproductive success of the turtles. This work is carried out by trained local and international people.

Hatchlings just born at the hatchery where the nest was relocated after its previous location was in danger due to light pollution. 

A turtle nest can have around 80-100 eggs. In the picture the hatchlings walk to the ocean just after they hatched.

 Hatchlings trapped on the nest about to be released after scientific data was taken.  

Birds

Sal offers a number of endemic birds from Cape Verde and it is an interesting area to watch many different species of resident, migrating, winter and summer visitors depending on the time of the year.

Some of the birds that I have seen are in the next list, most of them are resident birds.

- Pandion haliaetus/ Osprey/ Águia pescadora ‘Guincho’

Three of them were seen in Monte Leão and an old nest was located. The ospreys were also seen flying along Costa Fragata looking for fish and in Serra Negra. Signs of activity such as excrements and fish bones can be seen around Monte Leão.

Activity signals of the Osprey, We can see a fishbone just in front of the stone, a feather and some white excrements. Monte Leão appears in the background.

Osprey in Serra Negra

- Phaeton aethereus/ Red billed tropic bird/ Rabo-de-junco 

Four of them were seen in Serra Negra.  Bright white and very smart when flying, very noisy as well.

Red Billed Tropic Bird in Serra Negra, One of the smartest birds, its bright white colour elongated by the tail streamers and red bill contrast the blue background of the ocean.

- Apus alexandri/ Alexander’s swift (Cape Verde Swift)/ Andorinhão-preto. Seen in Monte Leão

- Falco tinnunculus/ Common kestrel/ Francelho. Seen in Santa Maria

- Falco alexandri/ Alexander’s Kestrel/ Francelho Filili

- Numenious phaeopus/ Whimbrel/ Maçarico-galego. Seen in Costa Fragata

- Corvo ruficollis/ Brown-necked Raven/ Corvo

- Himantopus himantopus/ Black winged stilt/ Pernilongo. Easily found in the salines in Santa Maria. Very distinctive voice.

- Arenaria interpres/ Ruddy turnstone/ Rola-do-mar. Easily seen Costa Fragata.

- Calidris alba/ Sanderling/ Pilrito-das-praias. Easily seen Costa Fragata

- Charadrius alexandrinus/ Kentish plover/ Borrelho-de-coleira-interrompida

- Passer iagoensis/ Iago sparrow (Cape Verde Sparrow)/ Pardal-de-terra

- Passer domesticus/ House sparrow/ Pardal-das-casas

- Passer hispanicus/ Spanish sparrow/ Tchota-coco

Typical birds of the desert with cream-brown colours

- Ammomanes cinctura/ Bar-tailed lark   

- Alaemon alaudipes/ Greater Hoopoe-Lark

- Cursorius cursor/ Cream-coloured courser

Cetaceans

Cetaceans are always very attractive to watch but they are not easy to be seen .In the waters of Cape Verde we can find different species of cetaceans also depending on the time of the year.

In the Atlantic Ocean, the seas of the The Cape Verde archipelago constitute one of the two known breeding grounds for Northern Hemisphere humpback whale populations (Megaptera novaeangliae). Wintering humpbacks arrive in Cape Verde seas in January (sometimes as early as December), while the last of the animals have generally left the area by mid May (Hazevoet & Wenzel 2000, PLS pers. obs.). That period is a good opportunity to spot these whales looking to the Bahía da Murdeira from the top of Monte Leão or to take a boat and look for them on the ocean. Groups of dolphins could be easier to be seen. 

Humpback whale/ Baleia de bossas (Megaptera novaeangliae)

The Bahia da Murdeira seen from the top of Monte Leão is a good spot for whale watching.

Strandings of short finned pilot whale (Globicephala macrorhyncus) were reported by members of SOS Tartarugas in Costa Fragata in July 2014 and they helped to bring them back to the ocean. 

Some individuals of Globicephala macrorynchus, Pilot whale, Baleia piloto where found stranded in Costa Fagata in July 2014 and they were rescued by SOS Tartarugas.

The list below shows some of the cetaceans that can be seen in the Cape Verde waters.

Sub-Ordem Mysticeti (Baleias de barbas)

Famíla das Balaeonopteridae

Balaenoptera borealis – Baleia sardinheira – Finbeque – Sei whale

Balaenoptera edeni – Bryde’s whale

Megaptera novaeanglia – Baleia de bossa – Ampebeque – Humpback whale

Sub-Ordem Odontoceti (Baleias com dentes e golfinhos)

Família Physeteridae (Cachalote)

Physeter macrocephalus – Cahalote – Baleia

Família Kogiidae (Cachalotes anões e pigmeus)

Kogia breviceps – Cachalote pigmeu – Pygmy sperm whale

Família Ziphidae (Bicos de garrafa)

Ziphius cavirostris – Zífio – Bico de garrafa – Cuvier’s beaked whale

Mesoplodon europeus – Baleia de bico Gervais – Bico de garrafa – Gervais beaked whale

Mesoplodon densirostris – Baleia de bico Blainville–Bico de garrafa – Blainville’s beaked whale

Família Delphinidae (golfinhos)

Orcinus orca – Orca – Quilha – Killer whale

Globicephala macrorhyncus – Baleia piloto – Boca de panela – Short finned pilot whale

Pseudorca crassidens – Falsa orca – Negro – False killer whale

Peponcephala electra – Golfinho d ecabeça de melao – Melon-headed whale

Steno bredanensis – Golfinho de bico comprido – Rough toothed dolphin

Grampus griseus – Grampo – Moleiro – Risso’s dolphin

Tursiops truncatus – Roaz – Toninha brava – Bottlenose dolphin

Stenella frontalis – Golfinho pintado – Toninha pintada – Atlantic spotted dolphin

Stenella coeruleoalba – Golfinho riscado – Toninha riscada – Striped dolphin

Delphinus delphis – Golfinho comum – Toninha mansa – Short beaked common dolphin

Delphinus capensis – Golfinho comum de bico longo – Long beaked common dolphin

Stenella atenuatta – Golfinho pintado pantropical – Pantropical spotted dolphin

Stenella longirostris – golfinho rotator – Spinner dolphin

Stenella clymene – Golfinho Clímene – Clymene dolphin

Sousa teuszii – Golfinho-corcunda-do-Atlantico – Atlantic humpback dolphin

Lagenodelphis hosei – Golfinho-de-Fraser – Fraser’s dolphin

Família Phocoenidae
Phocoena phocoena – Boto comum – Boto – Harbour porpoise

Fishes

Most of the biodiversity of Sal is underwater, there are many interesting species of pelagic and demersal fishes with high commercial value. In Sal there are three fishing ports, Santa Maria, Palmeira and Pedra de Lume. The seaports are now also a hot spot for tourism as big fishes and sharks are easily seen when fishermen are back from their fishing journey. Sal is also a good destination for divers or lovers of big-game fishing who came here from around the world due to its marine biodiversity and good weather.

Following is a short list of some fish species. 

- Yellowfin tuna/ Albacora (Thunnus albacares)

- Atlantic Blue Marlin    (Makaira nigricans)

- Chicharro ou Olho largo (Selar crumenophthalmus)

- Garoupa (Cephalopholis taeniops)

- Moreia (Muranea sp.), Salmonete (Pseudopeneus prayensis)

- Bica (Lethrinus atlanticus)

- Merato (Epinephelus sp.)

- Mero (Epinephelus guaza)

- Sargo preto (Diplodus fasciatus)

- Sargo de areia (Lithognatus mormyrus)

- Sargo salema (Diplodus sp.)

- Salmonete (Pseudopeneus prayensis)

Sharks, some of them endangered and protected.

- Gata (Centrophorus sp.)

- Tubarão azul (Prionacea glauca)

- Tubarão branco (Carcharhinus sp.)

Yellowfin tuna, Albacora (Thunnus albacares) at Santa Maria's pier

 

Gata (Centrophorus sp) in Santa Maria

Fishermen cleaning the fishes in Pedra de Lume

Globe fish

Garoupa (Cephalopholis taeniops)

Woman selling fish in Palmeira

Ghost crab

Fishing boats in Santa Maria

Fishermen from Palmeira are back from work 

Walking on Sharky Bay, where sharks can easily be seen due to the special conditions of the bay, a big terrace of only about 40 cm deep. 

Sea urchins

Mero (Ephinepelus sp.)

Fishermen heading back to the pier

Blue marlin (Makaira nigricans) and male shark in Santa Maria's pier. Some species of sharks are endangered.

Geology

The substratum of the island is volcanic, with ages between 25 and 0.6 Ma. The main lithotypes representing Sal island lavas are alkali basalts, nephelinites and melilitites. Quaternary marine units generally occur as raised marine terraces forming a broad staircase between elevations of 55–60 m and present sea level. Terraces include a basal conglomerate overlaid by calcarenite; both host corals, algae and molluscs. The Quaternary sedimentary record includes marine and related aeolian and alluvial fan deposits. The oldest sedimentary units described in Sal are marine calcarenites found in Ribeira de Fragata-Serra Negra (Silva et al., 1993 Torres et al., 2002a, b) that have been tentatively assigned to an Uppermost  Miocene-Pliocene age. A large part of the island is occupied by broad platforms topped by fossiliferous marine limestones and calcarenites, which are known locally as lajedos. Adapted from Comunicações Geológicas  n.97 Amadora  2010.Petrology and Geochemistry of lavas from Sal Island: Implications for the variability of the Cape Verde magmatis. P. Torres†; L. C. Silva; J. Munhá; R. Caldeira; J. Mata & C. Tassinari

Hiking routes from the point of view of Geology and Biodiversity

Route 1. West of the island: Bahía da Murdeira, Monte Leão (165m), lhéu Rabo de Junco

The main atractive of this route is to climb the top of the volcanic structure of Monte Leão (165m) to see the amazing views of the Bahía da Murdeira and if the weather is good to see other of the Cape Verde islands looking South. The Ilhéu Rabo de Junco is a good place for snorkeling.

Birdwatching:
Due to the protection that the cliffs offer to the birds, some of the species we can find here are listed below.

- Pandion haliaetus / Osprey/ Águia pescadora ‘Guincho’ (Old nest located on the top)

- Phaeton aethereus/ Red billed tropic bird/ Rabo-de-junco 

- Apus alexandri/ Alexander’s swift, (Cape Verde Swift)/ Andorinhão-preto

- Falco alexandri/ Alexander’s Kestrel/ Francelho Filili

- Falco tinnunculus/ Common kestrel/ Francelho

- Corvo ruficollis/ Brown-necked Raven/ Corvo

Whalewatching;
From the top of Monte Leão Humpback whales could be seen in the Bahía da Murdeira from December to May.

Big shells and fossils are easy to be seen. The Monte Leão appear in the eye of the left shell and the lhéu Rabo de Junco on the horizon on the right side.

Top of Monte Leão

Route 2. North of the island: Morro do Sal (309m) and Salinas de Pedra da Lume

This route starts in a very flat area close to Espargos and from here there is an easy walk to Morro do Sal, a volcanic cone partially collapsed. The top is easy to reach from the north face and from there we can see the whole island. This route is very interesting because the volcanic structures but also because the first part of the route up to Morro do Sal is not usually visited by tourists or locals. This formation was created in the upper Pleistocene when highly undersaturated rocks (olivine nephelinites and olivine melilitites) were erupted (lava flows and pyroclastic cones) to give origin to the Monte Grande-Pedra Lume Formation (1.06 to 0.6 Ma, Holm et al, 2008; Torres et al., 2002a). Currently we can walk over layers of cooled magma where 'rivers' of this material flowed about 1 milion years ago. On the ground adapted to these extreme conditions appear some species of plants, few insects and big spiders that are easy to be seen on its web.
Birdwatching; 
As this route is mainly through the desert the birds we can see are those typical of this environment.

- Ammomanes cinctura/ Bar-tailed lark   

- Alaemon alaudipes/ Greater Hoopoe-Lark

- Cursorius cursor/ Cream-coloured courser

From the top of Morro do Sal the amazing views of the Salinas de Pedra de Lume will be revealed. It is a huge 1100m diameter crater generated by a phreatic/phreatomagmatic explosion (Silva et al., 2002) and this is the most significant geomorphological expression of this formation; the evaporitic salt deposits continuously forming within it are clearly related with the name of the Sal island. From here looking north we can also see Monte Grande (406 m) a Quaternary lapilli cone, the highest spot of the island.

Extreme living conditions

Towards the top of Morro do Sal.

Layers of lava like this flowed about 1 ma ago.

Only few adapted plants to these extreme conditions can survive.

Monte Grande (406 m), a Quaternary lapilli cone that has partially collapsed.

Salinas de Pedra de Lume. A 1100 m diameter crater generated by a phreatic/phreatomagmatic explosion (Silva et al., 2002). All photos by Carles.

Shadow of the clouds on the plain 

Spider on its web

Red lava with some lichens on it.

Having a rest by the crater of Salinas de Pedra de Lume, Morro do Sal appears behind.

Route 3. East of the island: Serra Negra (99m)

Nice itinerary with awesome views to the ocean during all the hike. The genesis of the Serra Negra Eruptive Formation was occurred by the end of the Miocene ~5.5 Ma ago (Torres et al., 2002a; Holm et al., 2008). 

The hike starts at Bahia Negra and it goes up to the top of Serra Negra (99m) climbing it from the West side. On the top there is an area where some of the members and volunteers of SOS Tartarugas have written their names on the ground with stones. The route follows the top of the mountain towards the north until the end of Serra Negra. Then the way back can be done just by the sea but it should be taken into account that the path is not as easy as there are steep rocky slopes and the tides or bad weather could make it difficult and dangerous. The beaches on the route are unique, very beautiful and during the nesting season of the turtles these are busy beaches at night for them. This place is of high interest at geological level and currently a mix of fossil dunes, corals, terraces, volcanic rocs and columns can be seen.

Birdwatching;

This is also a good place for birdwatching as the cliffs provide shelter and the following species  were seen in this location.

- Pandion haliaetus / Osprey/ Águia pescadora ‘Guincho’

- Phaeton aethereus/ Red billed tropic bird/ Rabo-de-junco 

- Apus alexandri/ Alexander’s swift, (Cape Verde Swift)/ Andorinhão-preto

- Falco alexandri/ Alexander’s Kestrel/ Francelho Filili

- Falco tinnunculus/ Common kestrel/ Francelho

- Corvo ruficollis/ Brown-necked Raven/ Corvo

Nice view from the top of Serra Negra looking to the beaches and the ocean.

Path by the lower part of Serra Negra 

Continental Africa is 500Km in that direction

Sea urchins, shells, crustaceans and small fishes can be seen on the rocks during the low tide.

In the photos above; fossil corals and dunes, volcanic rocks and columns, 

Some of the landscapes in Sal are singular and similar to those we have in mind when thinking about other planets.

A kind of Mars landscape

Somehow similar to the Moon landscape

Other activities 

- Hiking tours from an environmental and biodiversity point of view.
-General island tours from the environmental, cultural, geologic and biodiversity point of view.

- Whale watching

- Bird watching
- Geology/ Biodiversity tours
- Stargazing

- Activities for incentive trips for European companies.

- Geocaching/ Treasure hunting 
- Survival skills in the desert
- Sports orienteering

- Diving

- Snorkeling

'There are always interesting things to discover everywhere'