Compared to those of the nearest mainland, the terrestrial mammals of Cuba have low diversity in regard to both species and higher taxonomic categories. However, over the years, many scientists have dedicated their work to the study of Cuban mammals. The development of mammalogy in Cuba is marked by the sociopolitical changes that have taken place on the island for more than two centuries. In this chapter, four historical periods are recognized and described, ranging from the arrival of Europeans with the Spanish chroniclers to the postrevolutionary period. For each period, the foreign and Cuban researchers and their contributions to the taxonomy and scientific knowledge of the extinct and extant mammals of Cuba are included.