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with reproductive cycles. There was no apparent long- the animals whose hunting is prohibited in Angola.
term trend in annual values of densities of nests per km Executive Decree No. 252/18 of 13 July 2018 – Angola’s
(Figure 4). Red List of Species, lists the species of fauna and flora
Taking into account the number of nests recorded at that are at some risk or danger of extinction, which is why
localities regularly monitored in the Kitabanga project they enjoy protection. Executive Decree No. 469/15 of 13
area, the overall nesting area, that females may lay 1 to July 2015 prohibits the slaughter, in national territory, of the
8 nests per season (Aguirre 2004) and intervals between species listed in Annex I of the Convention on International
nesting of 2 or 3 years (Hirth 1997, Broderick et al. 2001), Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
the average annual nesting population of Green Turtles in (CITES).
Angola during 2010–2021 was gauged to be of the order In addition to the Laws and Decrees, Dispatch
of 91 females, with a maximum of 136 and a minimum of nº 1489/21 of 26 March 2021 restricts the occupation of, and
45 females. There was a slight increase but no significant fishing activity in, the region of the mouth of the Longa River
trend over time in numbers of females nesting along the in favour of the conservation of sea turtles; the National
coast (Figure 5). It is important to note that nesting in con- Strategy and Action Plan for the Biodiversity (NBSAP)
secutive seasons (12-months apart) has been observed on 2007–2012 includes the conservation of sea turtles in
some occasions, but always at small percentages of the actions A.1.3, A.2.5 and D.3.3; the Strategy and National
total breeding population (Hirth 1997, Pilcher 2000). Us- Action Plans for Biodiversity (NBSAP) 2019–2025 present
ing a remigration interval of 3 years (Seminoff et al. 2015), recommendations for rescue of species affected by oil spill
the estimated number of nesting females in the population accidents at sea with relevance to avifauna and sea turtles
was 135–408 animals. However, the numbers of animals and mobilization of funds and carrying out detailed stud-
observed feeding at the mouth of the Cunene River have ies on the current situation of endemic and/or endangered
been much higher (~ 500 animals per km, Morais 2013, species such as sea turtles.
2015). Angola is a signatory to the Convention on Biological
Diversity (CBD), Convention on International Trade in
Olive Ridley Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES),
Bonn Convention (CMS), and Cartagena Protocol, so
Of the sixteen permanent monitoring sites, the highest it is com- mitted to the protection and conservation of
number of nests was consistently recorded at Longa, which its biological heritage, including sea turtles. A full list of
had an average annual density of 155 nests/km (Figure 3). Angolan laws, decrees and strategies, and of conventions
However, the Cuanza region, which was only sampled in a to which Angola is a party, that have relevance to the
single season (2020/21), had a higher density of nests. The conservation of its turtles is given in Appendix 1.
lowest average nesting density (9 nests/km) was at Dande Sea turtles are listed on Angola’s Red List of species
(Figure 3). Across the 104 km of beaches monitored regu- as: D. coriacea Endangered (EN, Category B); C. mydas,
larly, the average density of nests was 54/km (Figure 4). C. caretta, L. olivacea and E. imbricata Vulnerable (VU,
Extrapolation of the mean density of nests at monitored Category C) (Primo et al. 2022). In 2022, global populations
beaches to the entire 1,210 km of coastline where nest- of these species were classified as: D. coriacea VU (Wallace
ing occurred indicated that on average 60,783 nests et al. 2013); C. mydas EN (Seminoff 2004); C. caretta VU
(range 30,391–91,174 nests) were laid annually during (Casale and Tucker 2017); L. olivacea VU (Abreu-Grobois
2010–2021, suggesting laying by an equivalent number and Plotkin 2008); and E. imbricata Critically Endangered
of females. Using a remigration interval of 1.5 years (Mortimer and Donnelly 2008). In the Southeast Atlantic,
(Miller 1997, Metcalfe et al. 2015), the estimated size of the D. coriacea was regarded to be Data Deficient because
breeding population was 45,586–136,761 females. How- trend data were unavailable for Gabon, which hosted the
ever, the number breeding decreased over time (Figure 5). majority of this subpopulation (IUCN 2013). In the South
Atlantic, C. mydas was of Least Concern (Broderick and
Conservation status Patricio 2019).

Turtles in Angola are protected by law. Law nº 5/98 of 19 References
June 1998 – Base Environmental Law, in its article 13,
establishes measures aimed at ensuring the protection Abreu-Grobois A, Plotkin P (IUCN SSC Marine Turtle Specialist
and conservation of biodiversity, including sea turtles. Law Group). 2008. Lepidochelys olivacea. The IUCN Red List of
Threatened Species 2008: e.T11534A3292503.
nº 6-A/04 of 8 October 2004 – Law on Biological Aquatic Afonso EC. 1987. Contribuição para o Conhecimento das
Resources, prohibits possession, transport, storage, Tartarugas Marinhas Cheloniidae da Baía do Mussulo.
processing and sale of species of turtles listed in its Relatório de Estágio de Licenciatura em Biologia.
Annex I. Law nº 6/17 of 24 of January 2017 – Law on Departamento de Biologia, Luanda, Angola.
Forests and Wild Fauna, in its article 23 ensures the Aguirre JT. 2004. Estudio de la biologia de la reproduccion de
protection of migratory species of wild fauna and their las tortugas marinas del sur de la Isla de Bioko (Guinea
habitats. In its article 29, it prohibits the harvesting, Ecuatorial). Tesis Doctoral, Universitat de Valensia, Facultat
cutting, hunting and possession of threatened forest or de Ciències Biològiques, Departamento de Zoologia,
fauna resources. Law nº 8/20 of 16 April 2000 – Law on Valencia, 210 pp.
Environmental Conservation Areas, protects sea turtles Bernardo J, Plotkin PT. 2007. An evolutionary perspective on
and their habitats located in conservation areas. the arribada phenomenon and reproductive behavioral
polymorphism of olive ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys
Likewise, several Decrees assume protection for sea olivacea). In: Plotkin PT (ed.). Biology and Conservation
turtles. The Joint Executive Decree nº 201/16 of 26 April of Ridley Sea Turtles. Johns Hopkins University Press,
2016 regulates hunting licenses and its Table 2 shows Baltimore, USA, pp. 59–87.

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