Modern surveys of the Atlantic coast of Africa for sea turtles began as early as 1957 by Carr (1957), Carr & Hirth (1962) and Brongersma (1995). Research and conservation efforts over the last few decades, although hampered by financial, political and logistical difficulties, have revealed that the region is important for sea turtles. All six of the Atlantic species have been reported to occur from Morocco to South Africa: green turtle (Chelonia mydas), leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea), loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii). Significant sea turtle habitats have been identified, including green turtle feeding grounds in Banc d'Arguin, Mauritania (Fretey 2001), Corisco Bay, Equatorial Guinea/Gabon (Formia 1999) and Mussulo Bay, Angola (Carr & Carr 1991); green turtle nesting beaches in the Bijagos Archipelago, Guinea Bissau (Catry et al. 2002), São Tome and Principe (Dontaine & Neves 1999) and Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea (Tomás et al. 1999); olive ridley nesting and feeding grounds throughout the Gulf of Guinea (Dontaine & Neves 1999; Fretey 1999; Fretey 2001; Tomás et al. 1999); leatherback nesting in southern Gabon (Billes & Fretey in press); hawksbill developmental habitat in Cape Verde, São Tome, Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon (Fretey et al. 2002; Formia & Fretey in prep.). Although species status and population trends are still largely unknown, in the past few years sea turtle work along the Atlantic coast of Africa has gained momentum, and here we report on recent advances in research and conservation in the region.