December 12, 2018
The International Crane Foundation conducted an aerial survey of Cameia National Park in Moxico and the surrounding Bulozi Plain of Angola, a massive fresh water floodplain, and discovered three new breeding grounds for Wattled Cranes.
Wattled Crane families, one of the newly discovered populations.
Wattled Crane habitat on the Bulozi Plain.
Click here to download a PDF version of the August 2018 issue of the Foundation’s publication, The Bugle.
October 19, 2018
Angolan reed frog, endemic to Angola
The Angolan Escarpment is the least known and studied part of the African Great Escarpment. Urgent research is required to protect and conserve Angola’s threatened biodiversity. Several observatories have been implemented throughout Angola including one in the southern escarpment in Tundavala.
A recent study states that despite this area’s stunning landscape that is home to several endemics, Tundavala “lacks official national protected status and is threatened by increasing human activities, especially logging and burning for charcoal production and the harvesting of natural resources such as medicinal plants and rocks for building purposes. Increasing numbers of villagers inhabit the region with their livestock (cows and goats) and plant crops. Other threats include man-made fires and the dumping of rubble and domestic, commercial, and even medical waste.”
As part of this study on Biodiversity and Ecology by Hamburg University, you can now download a special report titled Amphibians and reptiles of the Tundavala region of the Angolan Escarpment, by researchers Ninda Baptista, Telmo António, and William R. Branch. Click here for the PDF.
Ansorge’s whip snake, endemic to Angola
July 23, 2018
Available now, The Special Birds of Angola, a guide to birds of Angola by Michael Mills. Click on the book cover to download a sneak-peek of the book:
This book can be purchased directly from the author: www.goawaybirding.com or via the BirdLife South Africa bookshop at www.birdlife.org.za.
The Red-crested Turaco is the national bird of Angola. Image taken from The Special Birds of Angola.
“Angola is endowed with the richest diversity of eco-regions of any African country. Its habitats range from the mobile dunes of the Namib Desert to the equatorial rainforests of Cabinda, from arid savannas of the Cunene Basin to the moist miombo woodlands of the Bie planalto, and from the floodplains of the Cuando-Cubango to the montane grasslands and forests of the Benguela highlands. It is thus not surprising that Angola has a remarkably rich birdlife, one of the richest on the continent.
Despite all the natural treasures of Angola, it remains one of the most poorly researched regions of the globe. Fortunately, this situation is rapidly changing. Increasing numbers of young Angolan biologists are joining expeditions led by international experts in the study of Angola’s biodiversity. For more than a decade, Michael Mills has been working with Angolan colleagues in exploring the far corners of the country, discovering and documenting the incredibly rich diversity of birds. Most importantly, he has been working with the local communities of Morro Moco to protect the critically threatened forests of Angola’s highest mountain, where many bird species known nowhere else, are found.
This book is a unique and major contribution to bringing the diversity and beauty, but also the rarity and vulnerability, of Angola’s avifaunal treasures to the attention of the Angolan people. By highlighting the birds of special interest to ornithologists, to conservationists, and to the general public, Michael and his collaborators have set a benchmark for promoting awareness of the importance of Angola’s avifauna and the habitats they occupy to the world at large. Without knowledge, there can be no appreciation, and without awareness there can be no conservation. As Angola’s critically important bird areas come under increasing threat, time is not on the side of the birds and their habitats. This book can help reverse the trend.” – From the Foreword by Brian Huntley to the newly published book, The Special Birds of Angola.
June 12, 2017
Angolan dwarf galago. Photo from AJPA.
A new species of bush baby has been discovered in the Kumbira Forest in Kwanza Sul. The 6 inch mammal is named the Angolan dwarf galago (galago angolano in Portuguese). Kumbira Forest is home to many endemic species in Angola but it continues to be logged rather than protected. The rate of logging in Angola is one of the fastest known in the world.
Read full details in this article, “A giant among dwarfs: a new species of galago (Primates: Galagidae) from Angola” published in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology (Svensson, Mills et al. 2017). Also see this National Geographic online article.
June 7, 2017
Wednesday, June 21, at 20:00, singer/guitarist Teofilo Chanter, who composed some of diva Cesaria Evora’s greatest hits, is coming to the Angola Room on the second floor of the Epic Sana Hotel. The Cape Verdean musician will be accompanied by a four piece ensemble. The concert evening will be kicked off by Luanda’s own Banda Maravilha. The six-member group has been around since 1993 and will feature their innovation of Angola’s famous Semba music.
Tickets are on sale at the office of Alliance Française or at the website:
www.ingressopratico.co.ao/pt/concertos/28-festa-da-musica.html
General public: 2500.00 AKZ
Students and seniors over 60: 1500.00 AKZ
The concert is brought to you by Alliance Française in partnership with Air France.
Banda Maravilha, photo Alliance Française
Teofilo Chantre, photo Alliance Française
September 26, 2016
Luanda – a rise in crime and long queues in supermarkets. But in rural Angola the people are as friendly as ever, their level of poverty has changed little, they were always poor. And the countryside is as beautiful as ever. Get out of town and experience the diversity of Angola. Then share what you have discovered with a new Facebook page, Angola Ambiente: http://www.facebook.com/groups/1045499302182009/
The Angola Ambiente Facebook page was set up to give people the opportunity to post interesting observations on all aspects of Angolan natural history. Contributors are encouraged to post photographs and observations in order to further our knowledge of Angolan fauna and flora.
September 9, 2016
An Urban Safari with Angela Mingas, architect and anthropologist, who will take you on a Slave Tour through Luanda’s historic central district, on Saturday, September 17 from 9 AM to 12:30 PM. The safari is organized by the Campanha Reviver, which is a partnership of CEICA (Center of Architecture Studies and Scientific Research) and KALU (Association of natives, residents and friends of Luanda) whose aim is to defend, protect and promote the heritage of Luanda. To book, call 943183108. The tour starts downtown at Lusiada University.
March 14, 2016
Download the 2015 Annual Report (Relatório Anual) of the Angolan Association for Birds and Nature (Associação Angolana Para Aves e Natureza), in English and Portuguese, compiled by Michael Mills, on Bird Conservation and Research Activities in Angola (click on the cover to download PDF):
This year saw significant changes in the logistics of running our projects in
Angola, with Michael Mills moving from Luanda to Cape Town, and Aimy Cáceres moving to Luanda. A single field visit to Mount Moco allowed us to maintain the project there, which included preparing new areas for planting and expanding the nursery. The Kumbira Forest Project received a funding boost due to a second round of funding from the Conservation Leadership Programme. Aimy Cáceres is busy finishing off her PhD and will lead this project next year, working with Ninda and Sendi Baptista and Michael Mills. Another landmark achievement was raising funds to print 3000 copies of the bilingual book on The Common Birds of Luanda, which are now in Luanda and ready to be distributed to schools in 2016.
The nursery at Mount Moco Continues to work well
February 3, 2016
February 4th marks the 55th anniversary of the beginning of Angola´s armed struggle for national independence and liberation from the Portuguese colonial power. The Viking Club invites you to celebrate this national holiday Thursday, February 4th, at 19.30 with the screening of an exclusive documentary film about the MPLA guerilla warfare in Angola. Dutch film producer Roeland Kerbosch, who will be in attendance, visited the MPLA guerillas in Moxico province in 1971. He produced this film in connection with the Dutch civil society solidarity organization, Angola Comité. The film received a prize at the New York International Film and Television Festival.
Sweden was the only Western European government before Angola’s independence on November 11th, 1975, to support MPLA in its struggle for national independence and liberation from Portugal.
For map to the Viking Club visit angolafieldgroup.com/find-us
August 10, 2015
Former Cidade Alta train station. Photo by H. Koning.
There is still time to sign up for the REVIVER Bus Tour of Historic Luanda, sponsored by NEAAUD, an organization working to protect, preserve and promote the cultural heritage of Angola´s capital city. You must register in advance. Space is limited so sign up asap.
Who: Anybody is welcome to join
When: Sunday, August 16, at 8:30 AM
Where: Departing from Lusíada University, across the street from Cha de Caxinde, next to the old BESA bank which is now Banco Economico, in downtown Luanda. DOWNLOAD A MAP – CLICK HERE.
Cost: 2500 Kwanzas per person
To Register: Call Gilce at 935-356290 or email: passeios.campanha.reviver@gmail.com
The tour will stop at various locations including the Jesuit Church which is tucked away in Cidade Alta, the old train station in Cidade Alta and the National Bank (Banco Nacional de Angola), the iconic pink building on the Marginal. The tour lasts approximately 3 hours.
The Train Master’s house located just across the street from the station. Photo by H. Koning.
A Campanha Reviver parceria entre o CEICA (Centro de Estudos e Investigação Cientifica de Arquitectura) e KALU (Associação dos Naturais, Residentes e Amigos de Luanda), coordenada por Ângela Mingas e Cristina Pinto tem como Tema a DIVULGAÇÃO, DEFESA E PROTECÇÃO DO PATRIMÓNIO DA CIDADE DE LUANDA.
Angola Field Group 