Turtle Conservation

Hawksbill turtle swimming by reef earth legacy foundation

Saving Sea Turtles

Travelling across the ocean expanse, five out of the seven species of sea turtles visit Mozambique’s waters to forage, shelter and nest. And they need our help. 

Each of the five species of sea turtles found in Southern Africa are listed on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species and are considered to be threatened with extinction globally. Sea turtles are slow to grow to adults and have a low reproductive rate. Only one in a thousand turtle hatchlings survive to adulthood to start the nesting process. This is where vital turtle conservation projects come in.

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Hawksbill turtle swimming by reef earth legacy foundation

Saving Sea Turtles

Travelling across the ocean expanse, five out of the seven species of sea turtles visit Mozambique’s waters to forage, shelter and nest. And they need our help. 

Each of the five species of sea turtles found in Southern Africa are listed on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species and are considered to be threatened with extinction globally. Sea turtles are slow to grow to adults and have a low reproductive rate. Only one in a thousand turtle hatchlings survive to adulthood to start the nesting process. This is where vital turtle conservation projects come in.

Free turtle guide when you sign up to our newsletter:

barefoot beach walking sandy feet

Turtle Tours

One of the simplest and most rewarding ways to help turtles is to take part in a turtle tour to observe nesting or hatching turtles.

The magical moment when females heave themselves onto the shore to lay their egg clutches is a true bucket-list experience. Watching these charismatic animals carving out their nests, and laying dozens of eggs, before laboriously camouflaging the clutches with sand is remarkable.

Equally as exceptional is the moment when the hatchlings break free from the nests and embark on a hazardous trek across the beach to the ocean. Our teams will ensure that their path to the ocean is clear of objects that might impede their journey.  Through the dedicated work of the local community and conservationists, there are turtle monitoring projects set up at both Ilha do Fogo and Machangulo. We offer visitors an opportunity to join turtle monitoring tours, which provide crucial funds for monitoring, research, and patrol teams. 

We recommend that guests spend several days joining the patrols, who head out every 12 hours on low tide. As volunteers, you may get the opportunity to help with fieldwork, including data collection, ensuring that nesting areas are free of debris, tagging nesting turtles, and marking nests.

Turtle Tours

One of the simplest and most rewarding ways to help turtles is to take part in a turtle tour to observe nesting or hatching turtles.

The magical moment when females heave themselves onto the shore to lay their egg clutches is a true bucket-list experience. Watching these charismatic animals carving out their nests, and laying dozens of eggs, before laboriously camouflaging the clutches with sand is remarkable.

Equally as exceptional is the moment when the hatchlings break free from the nests and embark on a hazardous trek across the beach to the ocean. Our teams will ensure that their path to the ocean is clear of objects that might impede their journey.  Through the dedicated work of the local community and conservationists, there are turtle monitoring projects set up at both Ilha do Fogo and Machangulo. We offer visitors an opportunity to join turtle monitoring tours, which provide crucial funds for monitoring, research, and patrol teams. 

We recommend that guests spend several days joining the patrols, who head out every 12 hours on low tide. As volunteers, you may get the opportunity to help with fieldwork, including data collection, ensuring that nesting areas are free of debris, tagging nesting turtles, and marking nests.

Why join a tour?

It is a bucket list experience offered at only a handful of destinations in the world.
You will be supporting the protection of turtles threatened with extinction.
You will contribute toward the livelihoods of local community members.

When is the best time to see turtles?

Turtle illustration blue earth legacy foundation saving sea turtles
Ilha do Fogo
Machangulo
Year-round
Note for Guests
Mission Statement for our projects with an aeriel image of Ilha do Fogo
Dates to Visit

April – June = Nesting season
June – August = Hatching season

Mission Statement for our projects with an aeriel image of Ilha do Fogo
Dates to Visit

April – June = Nesting season
June – August = Hatching season

Dates to Visit

October – December = Nesting season
December – March = Hatching season

Dates to Visit

October – December = Nesting season
December – March = Hatching season

scuba diver under water with turtle

You may spot turtles foraging in the abundant reefs off of our coast. Ilha do Fogo has a unique population of hawksbill turtles that visit to nibble on the many sponges, as well as green and olive ridley turtles. Machangulo boasts a resident population of loggerhead turtles, a quick boat ride away at Inhaca Island, and leatherback turtles have been spotted just offshore by the whale-watching boats.

scuba diver under water with turtle

You may spot turtles foraging in the abundant reefs off of our coast. Ilha do Fogo has a unique population of hawksbill turtles that visit to nibble on the many sponges, as well as green and olive ridley turtles. Machangulo boasts a resident population of loggerhead turtles, a quick boat ride away at Inhaca Island, and leatherback turtles have been spotted just offshore by the whale-watching boats.

Tours take part in the evenings as this is when the turtles usually nest and hatchlings emerge.Not recommended for young children or anyone with mobility problems due to the amount of walking.Tour days will be dependant on weather conditions.As is the standard with wildlife, we cannot guarantee sightings.
Tours take part in the evenings as this is when the turtles usually nest and hatchlings emerge.Not recommended for young children or anyone with mobility problems due to the amount of walking.Tour days will be dependant on weather conditions.As is the standard with wildlife, we cannot guarantee sightings.

Challenges

Turtles date back 240 million years, to the Triassic age, and the earliest marine turtle lived around 120 million years ago, since the age of dinosaurs. However, despite their distinctive armour, which evolved to protect them from predators, all five of the species we see here are threatened with extinction. The two most endangered species are hawksbill and green turtles. They are the main target of poaching and harvesting for their meat and shells. Trade statistics going back over 100 years indicate substantial declines in hawksbill populations, of up to 95 percent. This renders them the most threatened species of turtle in the world.The IUCN-SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group have identified the five main threats to sea turtles worldwide: poaching, fisheries bycatch, coastal development, pollution and pathogens, and climate change. With many turtles continuously returning to the same nesting grounds where they were born, known as “natal homing”, threats like coastal development and poaching pose a particular challenge. Read more about the threats facing turtles and other marine life.

Why protect turtles?

At their current rate of decline, some species of turtles may not be around for future generations to enjoy. At both Ilha do Fogo and Machangulo, protecting turtles from further decline is integral to preserving the delicate balance of our fragile marine and terrestrial ecosystems.

As bioengineers, turtles help maintain the health of seagrass beds and coral reefs that benefit other vital marine life.

Hawksbill turtles play a unique role. As one of the few animals that consume sponges, ensuring a balance of sponge populations, enabling other reef species to thrive.

Turtle nests can benefit coastal fauna and flora by providing nutrients.

As migratory species, turtles provide nutrient transport, pollination, and seed dispersal.

Turtle Species and Information

Ilha do Fogo Turtles
Machangulo Turtles

Turtles visiting the island

hawksbill turtle head top view illustration
Hawksbill Sea Turtle Information
  • Reproductive age

    15 – 50 years old

  • Lifespan

    Up to 60 years

  • Nesting frequency

    Every 1 to 5 years

  • Clutch size

    110 – 180 eggs

  • Incubation period

    Around 60 days

  • Clutch per season

    2 – 4

  • Period between nesting

    15 days

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Hawksbill turtle illustration by saskia rezelman earth legacy foundation
green sea turtle top view head illustration blue saskia rezelman earth legacy foundation
Green Sea Turtle Information
  • Reproductive age

    20 – 35 years old

  • Lifespan

    Up to 70 years

  • Nesting frequency

    Every 2 to 5 years

  • Clutch size

    110 – 130 eggs

  • Incubation period

    Around 60 days

  • Clutch per season

    2 – 5

  • Period between nesting

    10 – 14 days

Click me to view info
Contact Earth Legacy Foundation to get this green turtle illustration by saskia rezelman or our full turtle guide
olive ridley sea turtle top view head illustration blue saskia rezelman earth legacy foundation
Olive Ridley Sea Turtle Information
  • Reproductive age

    From 7 years old

  • Lifespan

    Up to 50 years

  • Nesting frequency

    Annually

  • Clutch size

    105 -120 eggs

  • Incubation period

    Around 60 days

  • Clutch per season

    1 – 3

  • Period between nesting

    20 – 28 days

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Olive ridley turtle illustration by saskia rezelman earth legacy foundation

Hawsbill Turtle

Hawksbill turtle illustration by saskia rezelman earth legacy foundation

Green Turtle

Contact Earth Legacy Foundation to get this green turtle illustration by saskia rezelman or our full turtle guide

Olive Ridley Turtle

Olive ridley turtle illustration by saskia rezelman earth legacy foundation

Turtles visiting Machangulo

leatherback sea turtle top view head illustration blue saskia rezelman earth legacy foundation
Leatherback Turtle Information
  • Reproductive age

    From 14 years old

  • Lifespan

    Up to 50 years

  • Nesting frequency

    Every 2 to 4 years

  • Clutch size

    80 – 100 eggs

  • Incubation period

    Around 60 days

  • Clutch per season

    4 – 9

  • Period between nesting

    9 – 10 days

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loggerhead sea turtle top view head illustration blue saskia rezelman earth legacy foundation
Loggerhead Sea Turtle Information
  • Reproductive age

    30 – 35 years old

  • Lifespan

    Up to 80 years

  • Nesting frequency

    Every 2 to 3 years

  • Clutch size

    100 – 130 eggs

  • Incubation period

    Around 60 days

  • Clutch per season

    4 – 7

  • Period between nesting

    14 days

Click me to view info

Leatherback Turtle

Loggerhead Turtle