Nature of Sal Island
Despite its dry landscape, Sal Island hosts unique ecosystems around its salt flats, turtle nesting beaches, and coastal shallows frequented by rays, sharks, and migrating whales.
Loggerhead Sea Turtle: The Most Fascinating Guest on Sal
The loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) is a type of sea turtle known for its large size, distinct reddish-brown shell, and powerful jaws. They are among the largest sea turtle species, with adults reaching an average length of around 3.5 feet (1 meter) and weighing between 200 and 400 pounds (90 to 180 kilograms). However, some exceptional individuals can grow even larger.
Dolphins: The Wonderful Marine Mammals of Sal Island
Sal’s sightings often include mixed groups, such as bottlenose dolphins with spotted dolphins, and occasionally with pilot or beaked whales.
Pachamama Eco Park: Beautiful Oasis in the Desert Island
Pachamama Eco Park, also known as Viviero Botanical Garden & Zoo, is a thriving ecosystem that houses over 150 plant species and dozens of rescued animals.
Land, Wind, and Sea
Sal Island’s landscape is shaped by wind, sun, and salt. It is one of the flattest and driest islands in the archipelago, with an arid, desert-like terrain dominated by plains, dunes, and volcanic rock. Rain is rare, and the vegetation is sparse, primarily consisting of drought-resistant shrubs and grasses. Yet the simplicity of Sal’s landscape is precisely what makes it striking.
Much of the island is defined by its salt flats. The Pedra de Lume crater, once a major centre of salt production, remains one of the island’s most iconic natural sites. Visitors can still float in its dense, mineral-rich waters, while the old tunnel and rail system offer a glimpse into the island’s industrial past. These salt pans have shaped both the economy and environment of Sal for over two centuries.
Along the coast, long stretches of sandy beach define Sal’s shoreline, particularly around Santa Maria. The beaches are wide, clean, and buffeted by steady trade winds from the northeast. These conditions have made Sal a global destination for wind and kitesurfing. Underwater, the surrounding Atlantic hosts rich marine life: sea turtles nest on the southern shores, while rays, nurse sharks, and migrating whales can be seen offshore.
Despite its dry conditions, Sal supports protected areas and wildlife conservation projects. Several species of birds stop here during migration seasons, and turtle nesting sites are monitored and protected. The island’s nature may seem minimal at first glance, but it reveals a delicate balance between wind, sea, salt, and life — one that continues to define the rhythm of the island.
Have You Seen This Beautiful Crimson-Speckled Flunkey?
The crimson-speckled flunkey (Utetheisa pulchella), first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae, is a widespread moth that occurs naturally in northern and central parts of Africa, the Mediterranean, Near East and Central Asia. However, it can travel far north with plumes of warm air during the summer or autumn and is observed sporadically even in England (less than 100-200 records in the last century).
Shell Cemetery Beach: The Great Hidden Gem of Santa Maria
Known as Shell Cemetery Beach, this stretch of coast offers a landscape at once alien and visceral, where seashells reshape our sense of place and time.
Lemon Sharks: Close Look at the Beautiful Species
The lemon shark (Negaprion brevirostris) occupies shallow waters, coral keys and mangrove forests along the Atlantic Ocean and parts of the Pacific. It inhabits and returns to specific nursery sites for breeding, like the Shark Bay of Sal Island – the shallow bay where you can go in the water to see the little lemon sharks closely.