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The discovery and exploration of Angolan freshwater fishes was largely effected by foreign scientists on expeditions organised by European and North American parties. Current knowledge of Angolan freshwater fishes is briefly described according to the main drainage systems that include Cabinda, Lower Congo, Angolan Coastal region including the Cuanza, the southern Congo tributaries, the Zambezi, Okavango, Cunene and Cuvelai drainages. A biogeographic model to explain the freshwater fish fauna of Angola is presented. The need for the conservation of Angolan freshwater fishes will rise with rapidly increasing pressures on aquatic ecosystems from urbanisation, dams for power, agriculture and human needs, habitat destruction from mining and deforestation, pollution, the introduction of alien species and overfishing.

Angolan amphibians have been studied since the mid-nineteenth century by explorers and scientists from all over the western world, and collections have been deposited in around 20 museums and institutions in Europe, Northern America, and Africa. A significant interruption of this study occurred during Angola’s liberation struggle and civil war for nearly four decades and, as a consequence, knowledge about the country’s biodiversity became outdated with critical gaps. Since 2009, a new era in Angolan biodiversity studies started as expeditions scattered in southwestern, northeastern, southeastern, and northwestern Angola lead to exciting discoveries, including new records for the country, descriptions of new species, range extensions and taxonomical updates. Currently 111 amphibian species are listed for the country (of which 21 are endemic), but this number is an underestimate and the various unresolved taxonomical issues challenge the study of every other aspect of this group. The Angolan amphibian fauna remains one of the most poorly known in Africa and much still has to be done in order to understand its diversity, evolution and conservation needs. An overview of existing knowledge of Angolan amphibians is presented, including an updated checklist for the country, comments on problematic groups, endemic species, biogeography, recent findings, and priority research topics.

This review summarises the current status of our knowledge of Angolan reptile diversity, and places it into a historical context of understanding and growth. It is compared and contrasted with known diversity in adjacent regions to allow insight into taxonomic status and biogeographic patterns. Over 67% of Angolan reptiles were described by the end of the nineteenth century. Studies stagnated during the twentieth century but have increased in the last decade. At least 278 reptiles are currently known, but numerous new discoveries have been made during recent surveys, and many novelties await description. Although lizard and snake diversity is currently almost equal, most new discoveries occur in lizards, particularly geckos and lacertids. Poorly known Angolan reptiles and others from adjacent regions that may occur in the country are highlighted. Most endemic Angolan reptiles are lizards and are associated with the escarpment and southwest arid region. Identification of reptile diversity hotspots are resolving but require targeted surveys for their delimitation and to enable protection. These include the Kaokoveld Centre of Endemism, Angolan Escarpment and the Congo forests of the north. The fauna of Angola remains poorly known and under-appreciated, but it is already evident that it forms an important centre of African reptile diversity and endemism.

Angola has a rich history of ornithological exploration going back to the early 1800s. From the early-1970s to 2002, however, the civil war prevented access to many areas, and very little work on birds was done. From about the early 2000s information on birds in Angola has been gathered at an increasing rate, with new species being added to the list and a steady rise in publications on biogeography and biology of birds. With about 940 species, Angola has an impressive array of bird species, including c. 29 endemic species, and several species that are rare and poorly known. For the future, there are many areas of avian biology to attract studies, not only to gather more data on the rare and endemic species, but also local surveys of bird communities, the identification of major threats to the avifauna from landuse changes (concomitantly with suggestions for remedial action) and more. Understanding the role of birds in ecosystem processes, long term studies on the biology and breeding of individual species, and inferring the evolutionary history of the endemic species and of those species that occur in small isolated populations in Angola are all areas for future research. The future of ornithological research and conservation in Angola is dependent on it being carried out by Angolans – outreach, capacity building, and advanced training must all come together in order to find and train the motivated ornithologists that such a biodiversity-rich country deserves.

Scientific investigations on the mammals of Angola started over 150 years ago, but information remains scarce and scattered, with only one recent published account. Here we provide a synthesis of the mammals of Angola based on a thorough survey of primary and grey literature, as well as recent unpublished records. We present a short history of mammal research, and provide brief information on each species known to occur in the country. Particular attention is given to endemic and near endemic species. We also provide a zoogeographic outline and information on the conservation of Angolan mammals. We found confirmed records for 291 native species, most of which from the orders Rodentia (85), Chiroptera (73), Carnivora (39), and Cetartiodactyla (33). There is a large number of endemic and near endemic species, most of which are rodents or bats. The large diversity of species is favoured by the wide range of habitats with contrasting environmental conditions, while endemism tends to be associated with unique physiographic settings such as the Angolan Escarpment. The mammal fauna of Angola includes 2 Critically Endangered, 2 Endangered, 11 Vulnerable, and 14 Near-Threatened species at the global scale. There are also 12 data deficient species, most of which are endemics or near endemics to the country.

The history of whale and dolphin (cetacean) research in Angolan waters is scant. Prior to the 2000s it primarily consisted of information from historical (1700s to the 1920s) and modern (1920s–1970s) whaling catches, from which baleen whales and the sperm whale were confirmed. Very few species were added to Angola’s cetacean checklist between the whaling era and the 2000s. However, observations since 2003 have confirmed Angola as a range state for at least 28 species, comprising seven baleen whales, two sperm whale species, at least two beaked whales, and at least 17 delphinids. There is potential for approximately seven more species to be identified in the region based on their known worldwide distributions. Angola has one of the most diverse cetacean faunas in Africa, and indeed worldwide, due to its varied seabed topography and transitional ocean climate which supports both (sub)tropical species and those associated with the Benguela Current. While no cetacean species are truly endemic to Angola, the country is one of few confirmed range states for the Critically Endangered Atlantic humpback dolphin and the Benguela-endemic Heaviside’s dolphin. Those species, together with endangered baleen whales and breeding populations of sperm and humpback whales, are highlighted as conservation priorities.

The giant sable antelope is the most widely recognised representative of Angolan biodiversity, owing to its endemic status, rarity and physical attributes. One of the last large mammals to be described in Africa, it is confined to the upper Cuanza basin, in central Angola. Studies on the biology of giant sable were mostly conducted in the 1970s, but ongoing efforts using modern tools such as DNA analyses, GPS tracking, camera trapping and satellite imagery are improving our knowledge. Past explanations for the extent of the isolation and relationships with other sable populations have been controversial. Molecular studies have only recently made significant contributions to interpret the evolutionary history of giant sable. Although much pursued by hunters during the first half of the twentieth century, the conservation needs of giant sable were recognised early on, with the proclamation of two protected areas and the setting in place of strict regulations. Park management and efficient protection was enforced in the 1960s, but these protected areas were abandoned soon after the country’s independence, leading to population crashes and interspecific hybridization, which left the subspecies on the verge of extinction. The giant sable is currently the main focus of a conservation programme supervised by the Angolan Government that is successfully promoting its recovery.

Angola is a large country of great physiographic, climatic and habitat diversity, with a corresponding richness in animal and plant species. Legally protected areas (National Parks and Game Reserves) were established from the 1930s and occupied 6% of the country’s terrestrial area at the time of independence in 1975. As a consequence of an extended war, the Protected Areas were exposed to serious neglect, poaching and land invasions. Many habitats of biogeographic importance, and many rare and endemic species came under threat. The recently strengthened administration gives cause for optimism that a new era for biodiversity conservation is at hand. The Protected Areas system was greatly expanded in 2011, and increasing resources are being made available towards achieving management effectiveness.

The importance of museum and herbarium collections is especially great in biodiverse countries such as Angola, an importance as great as the challenges facing the effective and sustained management of such facilities. The interface that Angola represents between tropical humid climates and semi-desert and desert regions creates conditions for diverse habitats with many rare and endemic species. Museum and herbarium collections are essential foundations for scientific studies, providing references for identifying the components of this diversity, as well as serving as repositories of material for future study. In this review we summarise the history and current status of museum and herbarium collections in Angola and of information on the specimens from Angola in foreign collections. Finally, we provide examples of the uses of museum and herbarium collections, as well as a roadmap towards strengthening the role of collections in biodiversity knowledge generation.

Angola is a country full of opportunities. Few countries offer more exciting prospects for young scientists to discover and document the rich biodiversity, complex ecosystem processes and undescribed species of plants and animals that are to be found in its amazing diversity of landscapes and seascapes. The current expanding support of the Angolan government and of international partners is unprecedented, and the positive response from young students ensures the growth of a new generation of biodiversity researchers and conservation professionals. Based on a synthesis of biodiversity research and conservation activities of the past century, we outline opportunities, approaches and priorities for a strengthened collaborative research and conservation agenda.