Cape Verde, also known as Cabo Verde, is an island nation located in the central Atlantic Ocean, off the northwest coast of Africa. It consists of an archipelago comprising 10 volcanic islands, which are divided into two groups: the Barlavento (windward) islands and the Sotavento (leeward) islands. The capital city, Praia, is situated on Santiago, the largest island. Its landscape is diverse, ranging from lush green mountains in islands like Santo Antão to flat, desert-like conditions in Sal and Boa Vista. The islands are known for their dramatic volcanic peaks and cliffs that plunge into the sea, as well as their beautiful sandy beaches that attract tourists from around the world.

The climate of Cape Verde is generally classified as arid to semi-arid owing to its lack of rainfall and persistent trade winds. These conditions make agriculture challenging but have fostered a unique blend of flora and fauna adapted to the harsh environment. Despite the arid climate, the temperature is moderate throughout the year, making the islands a popular year-round destination.

	Score	Rank	Change
Total Score – NCI 2024	50.2	154	N/A
Land Management	40	161	N/A
Protected Areas (Terrestrial)	56	103	N/A
Ecological Representativeness of Terrestrial Protected Areas	37	130	N/A
Connectedness of Terrestrial Protected Areas
Protected Areas (Marine)	0	118	N/A
Pristine Habitat (Converted Land)	100	1	N/A
Sustainable Nitrogen Management (Soil Pollution)
Sustainable Pesticide Use
Threats to Biodiversity	48	174	N/A
Threatened Species (Terrestrial)
Threatened Species (Marine)	50	95	N/A
Threatened Species’ Coverage by Protected Areas	93	77	N/A
Species Coverage by Marine Protected Areas	76	112	N/A
Species with Declining Populations (Terrestrial)	2	163	N/A
Species with Declining Populations (Marine)	6	7	N/A
Depleted Fisheries
Fishery Pressure in the High Seas	100	19	N/A
Invasive Species Pressure	89	120	N/A
Capacity and Governance	70	28	N/A
Total Management Cost	100	4	N/A
Conservation Culturomics	44	87	N/A
Conservation Legislation	54	34	N/A
Ratification of CBD	100	1	N/A
Ratification of CITES	100	1	N/A
Political Stability and Absence of Violence
Control of Corruption
Government Effectiveness
Future Trends	43	83	N/A
Climate Change Mitigation	43	83	N/A

Four pillars elaborated:

Land Management

Cabo Verde has actively worked to establish protected areas to preserve its unique biodiversity and ecosystems, resulting in seven protected areas across the archipelago as of May 2024. These areas include both terrestrial and marine environments, with some already undergoing evaluations to gauge their management effectiveness. Currently, the terrestrial and inland waters protected areas cover approximately 120 km² (46 mi²), or about 2.9% of the total land area. Although there are no marine protected areas reported yet, efforts are in progress to establish and manage these vital ecosystems.

Notable among these protected regions are the Pico do Fogo and Fogo Natural Park, which includes Cabo Verde’s highest peak, the Cova-Ribeira da Torre-Paul Natural Park on Santo Antão, known for its verdant Paul Valley, and the Monte Gordo Natural Park on São Nicolau, which safeguards the Monte Gordo mountain. Additionally, conservation projects are underway to enhance a network of protected areas, with a particular focus on marine biodiversity hotspots and the protection of emblematic and endemic marine species.

Threats to Biodiversity

Human activities, such as habitat destruction, fragmentation, and predation, continue to pressure terrestrial biodiversity. Invasive species, ecosystem fragmentation, and poor management and awareness are identified as the main causes of plant biodiversity loss. In marine environments, fishing, tourism, recreation, and transport also pose significant threats.

In Cabo Verde, economic activities and development projects have led to direct and indirect threats to biodiversity loss, including poverty, erosion, IUU fishing, pollution, climate change, and a lack of environmental awareness. The cumulative effects of these threats further exacerbate the situation.

Capacity and Governance

The Government Program of the VIII Legislature established a green agenda focused on creating a more respectful attitude towards nature and the environment. The third Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategic Paper (PRSP III) is being implemented to establish and manage protected areas, combat desertification, protect forests, improve wastewater treatment, and introduce clean energy.

Biodiversity is integrated into economic activities through conservation requirements, and state and civil society organizations are implementing conservation initiatives for endangered species. Cabo Verde has recognized Maio Island as the first Biosphere Reserve in the country and is open to international scientific community programs studying climate change.

Future Trends

Cape Verde’s National Vision for biodiversity conservation aims to protect, recover, and value biodiversity while promoting its sustainable use and equitable benefit sharing by 2030. The second National Strategy and Action Plan on Biodiversity (EPANB) was developed through a participatory approach involving various entities such as government institutions, municipalities, research institutions, civil society organizations, and the private sector.

Biodiversity

Cabo Verde, a beautiful archipelago nation located in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa, boasts exceptional marine biodiversity, making it a global hotspot. Despite its arid climate, the country is home to a diverse range of plant and animal species. The islands support a high diversity of marine life, including over 20 species of whale, dolphin, and porpoise. The coastal waters are also vital foraging grounds for all five endangered sea turtle species. Several islands provide globally significant nesting areas for loggerhead turtles, and the waters are frequented by more than 60 shark and ray species, along with a myriad of colorful fish.

Cape Verde’s fauna includes a variety of reptiles, birds, and invertebrates, many of which are also endemic. The Cape Verde giant gecko and the Cape Verde wall gecko are notable reptile species adapted to the island environments. The archipelago is a significant site for birdlife, with several endemic species, such as the Cape Verde warbler, Cape Verde swift, and the Raso lark, found only on the uninhabited Raso Islet. The islands also serve as critical stopover points for migratory birds traveling between Europe and Africa.

In the table below are the number of known species in several main groups, how many of these species are Threatened with extinction, and how many of them are Endemic (unique to Cape Verde only):