West Africa is of global importance for sea turtles, all seven species of which appear on the IUCN Red List as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered.
Some of the world’s largest populations of loggerhead and green turtles breed in Cape Verde and Guinea-Bissau respectively. These populations are threatened by invasive species, illegal harvesting of females and eggs, bycatch by industrial and artisanal fishing vessels, and decline in nesting habitat due to coastal erosion, flooding and unregulated tourism.
