Who we do > Projects

Brava Island

Cabo Verde (since 2016)

The project on Brava Island began in 2016 after a group of residents requested assistance to manage the street animal population ant to improve animal and public health on the island. Since then, we have visited the island approximately once a year for a campaign and we have organised activities in all communities of the island.

Presently, the canine and feline populations on the island exhibit good overall health, good body condition, and show lower levels of parasitism. In addition, we feel the community trusts and value our work and we are able to revisit the same caregiver and animals each campaign. Few animals are seen unsupervised on public roads, and most of those observed are already sterilized. However, some challenges remain, and continuous effort is needed to sustain the positive results and address these challenges effectively. The cat and dog population management programme is still ongoing and is operated is in close collaboration with the City Council, the Delegation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment of Brava, and, more recently, the conservation-focused non-governmental organization BiFlores.

Results

  • 8 years of work (2016-2024)
  • 8 castration and deworming campaigns carried out in different locations on the island
  • 1429 castrations performed
  • Over 2000 parasite treatments delivered
  • Other medical and surgical treatments performed
  • More than 300 children and teenagers educated about animal welfare, basic care for animals and public health
  • 17 trainees from 3 islands (Brava, Fogo, and Santiago) certified in ”safe capture of street cats and dogs” by trainer Brian Faulkner
  • 1007 estimated owned dogs, through a door-to-door survey conducted in 2022 (estimated dog-to-inhabitant ratio of 1:5)
  • Meeting with livestock breeders held in 2021, to discuss the problem and potential solutions for dog attacks on livestock species. Situation being monitored since then
  • Location: Sotavento group of the Cabo Verde Archipelago (14° 49′ N and 14° 54′ N, 24° 40′ W and 24° 44′ W)
  • Municipalities: Brava
  • Area: 67 km²
  • Population: approx. 5,000 inhabitants (2021)
    Connections: isolated in the Atlantic Ocean, with no airport and with limited connectivity through a few ferries per week to Fogo Island.
  • Veterinary Services: The island lacks a permanent veterinarian, whether privately employed or within state livestock services.
  • Curiosities: Brava is the smallest inhabited island in the archipelago, renowned for its remoteness, lush greenery and flowers.

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