The Atlantic Forest is one of the most diverse forests in the world, home to a rich variety of plant and animal species. At the time of the arrival of the Portuguese in Brazil, this forest covered an area of ​​more than 1.5 million km², extending across the northeast, southeast and south regions of the country.

The Atlantic Forest is one of 36 global biodiversity “hotspots”, housing more than 20,000 species of plants, approximately 2,200 species of birds, 370 species of mammals, 1,000 species of reptiles and amphibians and more than 350 species of freshwater fish. Many of these species are endemic, that is, they only occur in this biome.

Unfortunately, due to human activities, only 12% of the original forest cover remains, which puts many species of animals, plants and fungi at risk of extinction.