Brazilian National Parks - Pictures and Info! #Part 4

So, part 4, and more 16 parks! I need to advice, that the final part (Part 5) will have just 11 parks, because due to maxium of characters (believe, it got more than 50k when I tried to do both parts together...), and the number of national parks in Brazil (73, prime number...), it didn't work. But let's start one more part!

The Pico da Neblina National Park was created on World Environment Day, on June 5, 1979, by President João Figueiredo. The park houses the peaks of Neblina and 31 de Março, which, respectively with 2 993.78 and 2 972 m of altitude, are the two highest mountains in Brazil. With an area of 2,252,414.68 ha, equivalent to 22,524.15 km², its administration is currently under the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio). The park was created in 1979, with the objective of preserving the untouched natural wealth of the region, in addition to protecting a representative sample of the Amazon ecosystem. The park is next to the Serranía de la Neblina National Park, in Venezuela, to the north. To the south, it is bounded by the Negro River. The park is in the geological province of Western Amazon and is on the northwest limit of the Guiana Shield. Crystalline rock formations of the Guianas plateau predominate, but there are also sedimentary rocks from the Roraima group. The land covers parts of the Roraima sedimentary plateau, the Amazonas-Orinoco plateau and the Rio Branco-Rio Negro pediplane. The average annual rainfall is 3,500 to 4,000 mm, with no pronounced wet or dry seasons. The average temperature is 26 ° C and varies from 9 to 40 ° C. At the highest points, temperatures can drop to 0 ° C.

It has a wide variety of plant formations with different endemic and rare plants. The first botanists who visited the park consider it to be one of the places with the greatest biodiversity and endemism on the planet, but detailed studies are lacking to confirm this. Vegetation types include campinarana and dense forest. Much of the park is also part of an indigenous territory. The north and east of the park cover part of the Yanomami Indigenous Land, which includes about 50% of the park. The park overlaps with the Rio Negro II Middle Indigenous Territory in the south. The west of the park contains 93.73% of the 257,000 hectares of the Balaio Indigenous Land, approved in 2009. The northwest overlaps the Cué-cué / Marabitanas Indigenous Land. There are 46 communities in the indigenous territories, including members of the ethnic groups yanomami, toucans, tuiúcas, desanos, baníuas, coripacos, carapanã, barés, tarianas, piratapuias, yepamasãs, cubeos and warekenas. 

It comprises a strip of waterfront with an area of 14,860 ha and 44 km long along the beach, about 2 km wide at the west end, next to the Cabiúnas lagoon and 4.8 km wide at the east end (channel Ubatuba), with a perimeter of 123 km. Of the total area, 62.38% is in the municipality of Quissamã. It is administered by the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio). "Jurubatiba" is a term of Tupi origin, meaning "gathering of jeribás", through the junction of jeri'wa (jeribá) and tyba (gathering). This sandbank, the largest in the country, was formed from the retreat of the sea during the Quaternary period. The successive juxtaposition of sandy deposits parallel to the coast created dunes between three and eight meters high, up to ten meters wide, giving rise to the sandy plain and at least eighteen lagoons. The soils are basically of the regossolo type, and saline and organic soils are also found. Summer is hot and rainy and winter is drier. The annual average temperature varies between 22 and 24 degrees centigrade and the annual precipitation between 1,000 and 1,350 millimeters. The lagoons have, in general, the elongated shape when more distant from the coast, which becomes rounded when the lagoons encounter dunes that dam their access to the sea. It is often the case that a very narrow lagoon or the elongated part of it is improperly called "river" by the inhabitants of the region. The Park includes vegetation formations that vary from the beach (creeping formation), through sparse shrubs, areas permanently or periodically flooded, to the high forests in the most distant places from the sea. 

The lagoons have, in general, the elongated shape when more distant from the coast, which becomes rounded when the lagoons encounter dunes that dam their access to the sea. It is often the case that a very narrow lagoon or the elongated part of it is improperly called a river by the inhabitants of the region. The Park includes vegetation formations that vary from the beach (creeping formation), through sparse shrubs, areas permanently or periodically flooded, to the high forests in the most distant places from the sea. The Black Lagoon of Jurubatiba is one of the only places in the world where the micro-crustacean Diaptomus azureus is found, which according to UFRJ researchers, only has similar ones on the west coast of Africa, proving, therefore, that this continent has already been united with the coast of Brazil in remote times.

The vegetation is represented by the Atlantic Forest, in its different physiognomies: Submontane Ombrophilous Forest, Montana Dense Ombrophilous Forest and Altomontana Ombrophilous Forest, in addition to the Vegetation Refuges (Campos de Altitude) and secondary vegetation found mainly in low-altitude regions where changes promoted by human activities were more frequent. Several endangered species are found at national and state level. It has a typical fauna of the Atlantic Forest of the Serra do Mar of southern Brazil, composed mainly of small and medium-sized species, adapted to the closed environment of the forest. Several endangered species are found, such as ocelot, jaguar, puma, jacutinga, purple-headed parrot, maria catarinense, maria-da-restinga and others that are in danger both at national and state level. This National Park has an Advisory Council, created in 2008 and formed by representatives of the four municipalities covered by the Unit, in addition to non-governmental organizations and state and federal government agencies operating in the region. The Park Management Plan is being prepared.

The park has 49 300 ha and is connected in the western portion to the Serra Furada state park. Together, both parks add up to 50 630 ha of protected area. The park is based on sandstone, resulting from the division of continents and Basalt, volcanic rocks dating from the Hauterivian period, approximately 133 million years old. The springs of the rivers that form the Canoas, Tubarão and Pelotas basins are located inside the park. In addition, there are important loading and unloading areas for the Guarani Aquifer. Of very irregular relief, with altitudes varying between 300 and 1,822 m, São Joaquim embraces from countryside landscapes to large furnas and slopes covered with native forest, with canyons. The highest altitudes are in the northeast of the park, with the summit at Morro da Igreja, measuring 1,822 m. The Campos de Santa Bárbara are located in the central part of the park and have altitudes of up to 1,650 m. The soil is predominantly stony. The park is inserted in the Atlantic Forest biome and, due to its wide scope, there are four types of plant formations: dense rain forest, mixed rain forest, altitude fields and cloud forests. Two species of birds are endemic to the park. The most well-known attractions of the São Joaquim national park are its summit and a rocky crevice, called Janela Furada or Pedra Furada, located in Morro da Igreja. The Furada Window is often confused with the Serra Furada, a sandstone crevice approximately 45 m high and 8 m wide, located a few kilometers away in the neighboring Serra Furada State Park. Another attraction of the park is the Canyon of Laranjeiras. The park is open to public visitation and there are no fees. Accompaniment by accredited guides is required to make trails within the Unit. Despite the park's name referring to the municipality of São Joaquim, access to the main attractions is from the municipalities of Bom Jardim da Serra and Urubici.

It has an area of ​​124,555 ha. It is administered by ICMBio. The conservation unit is located in a region of high historical and cultural importance, which led UNESCO to declare the municipality of Diamantina, a World Heritage Site. The name of the Park is a reference to the various species of “evergreens (sempre-vivas)”, small flowers typical of the region where it is located. Tourism is only allowed after authorization from its protection agencies. Access to the park is via the Inhaí district, which is 50 km from Diamantina. The site is home to a large concentration of springs from the tributaries of the Jequitinhonha River, with beautiful waterfalls. The physical landscape of the region is marked by extremely heterogeneous characteristics. The region has a semi-humid tropical climate with an average annual temperature of 20ºC and an average annual rainfall ranging from 1250 to 1500 mm. The Sempre-Vivas National Park has a great environmental heterogeneity, forming a complex mosaic of plant types, still in an excellent state of conservation. They have been recorded in the region of this dense forest from the bottom of the valley to the typical rupestrian fields of high altitudes. According to studies carried out in the Serra do Espinhaço region, about 70% of the evergreens, a group of euriocauláceas, in the world are concentrated in this mountain range. Serra do Espinhaço is also a region of great biological relevance. It was considered by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as one of the centers of plant diversity in Brazil due to the high degree of endemism. The high degree of preservation of the region is even more evident with the presence of animal species threatened with extinction such as the jaguar and the puma, species that due to their high size and feeding habits need well-preserved areas with many food resources to survive. Among the birds, there is the presence of the red-and-green macaw and the blue-and-yellow macaw. There is also the presence of the ocelot, maned wolf, giant anteater, giant armadillo, catitu, otter, Pampas deer, among others.

The creation of the park had the objective of implanting a shield of native vegetation, in the escarpments of Serra do Mar as protection of an eventual nuclear accident in the plants of Angra I and II. The headquarters of the park is in the city of São José do Barreiro, in the State of São Paulo. It is administered by the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio). Among the fauna of the park are the jaguar, cougar, maned-sloth, buffy-tufted marmoset, and countless species of birds. The park offers a wide range of natural tourist attractions, such as Santo Isidro Waterfall, Posses Waterfall and more inside the park, Veados Waterfall. The entrance to the park also marks the beginning of the final stretch of the Gold Trail, with a length of approximately 73 kilometers, and ending at Mambucaba Beach, in Angra dos Reis. Its highest point is Pico do Tira o Chapéu, which reaches 2,088 meters above sea level, one of the highest points in the State of São Paulo. 

Of the 156 species of non-flying mammals with distribution to the Atlantic Forest listed in 1996, there are 40 species in the park, 25% of which are threatened with extinction. The southern-muriqui, considered the largest primate in America, is still sought after by hunters in the areas around the Park and is very sensitive to changes in habitat. The forests located across the altitudinal gradient of the Serra da Bocaina favor the concentration of the vast majority of mammal species, such as the otter, the collared peccary, the white lipped peccary, the tapir, the felines such as the ocelot and puma, and canids such as the bush dog and maned wolf.

Protected species include the ancistrus, the jaguar and the puma (Puma concolor). The park belongs to the cerrado biome. It covers an area of 77,022 hectares, was created on September 21, 2000 and is managed by the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation. Serra da Bodoquena is located in the Pantanal Biosphere Reserve, which also includes the national parks of the Pantanal, Chapada dos Guimarães and Emas, in addition to the state parks of the Serra de Santa Bárbara, Rio Taquari Springs and the Rio Negro Pantanal. Modern and ancient limestone tufts, the latter located in abandoned drainage channels, have excellent leaf molds, which, together with studies of carbon and oxygen isotopes, enable paleoclimatic and paleo-hydrological interpretations. In addition to this scientific interest, the limestone tufts form landscaped sets of unusual beauty, much sought after by tourists, reasons that imply the need to preserve these deposits and pay special attention to the quality of the water in their rivers, on which the continuity of the formation of these deposits. The rivers of the region are known for their very crystalline and bicarbonated waters, of brackish taste. Such transparency is due to the following factors: the source of the spring with very little turbidity, not acquiring clay in its movement, in the springs very pure limestone rocks avoid the presence of clay. This limestone present in the rivers that comes from such rocks present in the springs acts as a filter, depositing the impurities at the bottom, where rocks are in permanent dissolution and through fractures in the soil form caves, chasms and underground channels.

The tropical climate, with an average temperature ranging from 25 to 30 ° C in summer, from 15 to 20 ° C in winter, reaching 0 to 40 ° C. Summer is rainy, and dry winter are the two seasons present in the Planalto da Bodoquena. The average rainfall ranges from 1200 to 1500 mm per year and the dry period lasts 3 to 4 months with brief droughts from May to August.

Serra da Canastra is between the municipalities of Capitólio, Delfinópolis, Sacramento, São João Batista do Glória, São Roque de Minas, and Vargem Bonita. It has the shape of a chest, hence the origin of the name, as canastra is a type of ancient chest. The Casca d'Anta waterfall, approximately 186 meters high, is one of the main attractions of the Park, coming out of a natural cut of the Serra of approximately 144 meters, that is, the height of the Serra reaches 330 meters. The São Francisco River rises 14 kilometers before its main fall. The Park protects a scenery of rare beauty, its transition vegetation between the "edge of the Atlantic Rainforest" and the "beginning of the Cerrado (Savanna)", with predominance of Campos de Altitude that shelter countless species of fauna and flora of the cerrado, such as the maned wolf, the giant anteater, the pampas deer, several hawks and endangered species such as the Brazilian merganser and the Giant armadillo. Water is the predominant factor in the park, whose springs, which number in the hundreds, arise due to the humidity that cold rock absorbs from the air, especially at night. The São Francisco River has its historical spring in the Serra da Canastra, more precisely in the municipality of São Roque de Minas and its first great waterfall, the Casca d'Anta, with 186 meters of height, is in the district of São José do Barreiro (MG), and it is accessed through ordinance 4 of the National Park, located in this district. In the park, is produced the famous Canastra Cheese, considered Brazilian intangible cultural heritage. Canastra Cheese, is made with raw cow's milk, and has a sharp, dense, and slightly spicy taste. It harmonizes with wines. There are many places for visit, like:

The park was created by decree No. 83,548, issued by the Presidency of the Republic on June 5, 1979, with the purpose of protecting one of the most important examples of the country's prehistoric heritage. Originally covering 100,000 hectares, the protection of the Park was expanded by Decree No. 99,143 of March 12, 1990 with the creation of Permanent Preservation Areas of 35,000 hectares. The administration of the unit is in charge of the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBIO). The Serra da Capivara National Park is an archaeological conservation site with a great wealth of remains that have been preserved for millennia. Cultural heritage and local ecosystems are closely linked, as the conservation of the former depends on the balance of these ecosystems. It is a place with several attractions, a monumental open-air museum, among beautiful rock formations, where you will find spectacular archaeological and paleontological sites, which testify to the presence of prehistoric humans and animals. The national park was created thanks in large part to the work of archaeologist Niède Guidon, who today runs the Museum of the American Human Foundation, the institution responsible for the management of the park. For its historical and cultural value, the park was declared by UNESCO, in 1991, Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The cave paintings are the most abundant, remarkable and spectacular manifestation left by the prehistoric populations that lived in the area of the National Park, since very remote times. The three sites that presented the oldest dates obtained in the National Park area are under-rock shelters. A shelter-under-rock is formed by the action of erosion which, acting at the base of the rocky cliffs, disintegrates the lower part of the walls, causing a protrusion to form at the top. This works as a roof that protects the soil under the sun and rain. As erosion progresses, the protrusion becomes more and more pronounced until, under the action of gravity, it fractures and collapses. 

The Serra da Capivara National Park is located in the morpho-climatic domain of the Caatinga, but has many transition forests in the Cerrado on its northern limit. The vegetation is formed by weak but extremely branched bushes, with short and hard branches, with thorny aspects. The trunk of the trees is smooth, the leaves are small and the foliage is light and lets in light. Herbaceous vegetation usually disappears outside the rainy season. The “white forests” of northeastern Brazil or caatingas, as the natives called them, are biogeographic formations characterized by xeromorphic plants (which lose all their leaves in the dry season). It occupies 650,000 km² of Northeastern Brazil, except for the coastal strip, of which only 0.1% are legally preserved. Research carried out in the park resulted in the registration of 33 species of non-flying mammals, 24 of bats, 208 species of birds, 19 of lizards, 17 of snakes and 17 of jewels and frogs. In the park stands out rock cavy, the only mammal endemic to the Caatinga. The largest predator in the entire region of the park is the jaguar.

In addition to its geological importance, the Serra do Cipó is considered a natural divider of the hydrographic basins of the São Francisco and Doce rivers. The diversity of its vegetation is very high, and many species are found only there. The fauna is representative and hosts several species threatened with extinction. To preserve this natural heritage, the Serra do Cipó National Park was created. There are altogether one hundred thousand hectares of savannahs, rupestrian fields and forests, in addition to rivers, waterfalls, canyons, caves and preserved archaeological sites. Located in the region, the Serra do Cipó district (formerly Cardeal Mota) is located in the Soberbo stream basin, tributary of the Cipó River basin, which gives the region its name. It belongs to the municipality of Santana do Riacho, whose access is via an asphalt road over a distance of approximately 30 kilometers. The Serra do Cipó district is crossed by the state highway MG-010, paved in 1985, which connects it to Belo Horizonte (less than 100km away) and links it with other cities in the north of Minas. The transformation of Serra do Cipó has been proceeding rapidly, mainly after the creation of the national park. The infrastructure for tourists today has commercial establishments, numerous hotels and inns, structured camping areas. 

As a result of the rugged relief, frequent formation of waterfalls, rapids and natural pools is observed, which keep their water volume constant almost all year round due to the sandy-rocky aspect of the soil. Also typical of the region are canyons, winding and deep gorges that house waterfalls and potions inside. One of the best known figures of the Serra do Cipó is the legendary Juquinha, whose memory was honored by the city with an imposing statue. Legend has it that Juquinha lived in Serra do Cipó, distributing flowers to residents of the region, and tourists. The people say that he died twice. At first, he got up at the wake, asking for food. In reality, Juquinha suffered from pathological catalepsy, a disease that makes the muscles become stiff, especially the heart, which has been without contractions for some time, giving the impression that the individual has died. At the northeast of the park is the Tabuleiro Waterfall, belonging to the municipality of Conceição do Mato Dentro. At over 270 meters, it is the highest waterfall in Minas Gerais, and the third highest in Brazil.

The park, created on October 2, 1998, has as main objectives the protection of a significant sample of the ecosystems present in the caatinga biome, which is still well preserved in the state of Piauí, still possessing great scenic beauty and high historical value, cultural and scientific. With an area of 823 837 ha, Serra das Confusões is the largest park in Piauí and the northeastern region of Brazil. Its administration is currently in charge of the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio). The area of this unit is still in a primitive state, with numerous archaeological sites in its caves and caves, including lithography on rocky walls of great historical, scientific and cultural value. It is so called because it changes its configuration according to the daylight. The park has various types of vegetation and climate. These explorers enslaved, expelled the Tupinambás Indians from this region and formed farms in these lands. Until the mid-1950s, there were still Indians located in small families. The region's climate is tropical mega-thermal and semi-arid. It presents a very dissected relief with peculiar rock formations, forming part of the interfluvial zone between Parnaíba and São Francisco rivers basins.

The Serra da Cutia National Park is located in the municipality of Guajará-Mirim, southwest of the state of Rondônia, and is bordered by Bolivia. It has 283 501.38 hectares, and is managed by the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio).

The Serra das Lontras National Park is a Brazilian national park, located in the state of Bahia, and created on June 11, 2010. It has about 11,343.69 hectares protecting remnants of Atlantic Forest in the state of Bahia. Together with the Una Biological Reserve, it forms an important complex of conservation units in this northeastern region, which protect the Coastal Forests of Bahia and its remarkable indices of diversity and endemism of animal and plant species. The northern muriqui, which is almost extinct in the state of Bahia, and the jaguar are in the forest areas of the park. Serra das Lontras is one of the last places with sufficient size to protect species of large and medium-sized mammals in the Atlantic Forest of Bahia.

The Serra da Mocidade National Park is an environmental complex located in the central region of the State of Roraima, at the municipality of Caracaraí, in an area neighboring that of the Yanomami Indians. It was created from the decree of April 29, 1998. The area of the park includes drainage parts of the Água Boa do Univini and Catrimani rivers, both tributaries of the right bank of the Branco River.

It contains the Atlantic Forest and Caatinga biomes and several species of animals. It is home to 16 species of reptiles, 24 of amphibians, 62 of mammals and 123 species of birds. It is about 38 km from Aracaju, the state capital, and is free to enter. The best known points of the park are Poço das Moças (Girls Well), Serra Cave, Via Sacra, Caldeirão, Hawks Park and Alto da Serra, which have the second highest point in Sergipe, at an altitude of 659 meters.

Well, we finished part 4. From Pico da Neblina to Serra de Itabaiana, we saw amazing parks and places. And the part 5? The finish needs to be the best! Will be the shorter, but needs to top off BNP! What surprises we will see? Just seeing for discover! Liked? So stay open to the news here on my blog! Thank you very much for that minute of attention, and until the next post!