Page 38 - Atlas Sea Birds Ver1

A B C D E

6°

9°

12°

15°

Dermochelys coriacea Chelonia mydas Caretta caretta Lepidochelys olivacea Eretmochelis imbricate

Figure 2. Map of spatial nesting distributions along the Angolan coast: A Dermochelys coriacea; B Chelonia mydas; C Caretta caretta;
D Lepidochelys olivacea; E Eretmochelis imbricate. Confirmed nesting distributions are shown by black bars, probable nesting distributions
by white bars, important feeding sites by triangles, and particular records along the coast by stars

Olive Ridley Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea)

In Angola, the nesting sites of the Olive Ridley Turtle
ranged from the coast of Cabinda, with the northmost
record at latitude 5.0296 S, to the region south of Ponta
Albina (15.8790 S, Figure 2)
There is no evidence that it has nested farther south
(Morais 2012a, 2012b, 2013, 2014, 2015, Morais and
Tiwari 2022). The Angolan coast had the highest population
of this species in the Atlantic Ocean, taking into account
the numbers nesting and area used for nesting every year
(Morais and Tiwari 2022).
Aerial surveys indicated that the northern and central
part of the Angolan coast contained most of the nesting.
The largest numbers occurred between the Xingi River and A Loggerhead Turtle nesting in the Palmeirinhas region (photo
Barra do Dande, Buraco and Longa River, Cabo das Três Sofia Costa, Projecto Kitabanga)
Pontas and the Palanca/Muconga region, Quicombo and
Praia da Hanha and between Chamune and Cuio (Morais ing nets along the coast of Cabinda during surveys carried
and Tiwari 2022) (Figures 1 and 2). out between 2006 and 2007 by the Kitabanga Project (Mo-
rais 2008) and one animal during the 2014/2015 season in
Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) Soyo (Morais 2015) (Figures 1 and 2). The northern region
of Angola may be an important nursery and foraging area
With regard to the Hawksbill Turtle, little is known about for this species, with animals probably migrating south from
it in Angola, with only its presence recorded, especially São Tomé and Príncipe off West Africa to Angolan waters.
along the northern coast (Hughes et al. 1973, Carr and This species has one of its main nesting areas at São Tomé
Carr 1991). Some juveniles were found stranded in fish- (Fretey 2001).

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