Margay
The cat that climbs like a monkey
Wildlife Expeditions
Wildlife of
Wildlife of
Pernambuco
From Atlantic Forest refuges to Caatinga thorn scrub, Pernambuco packs Brazil's sharpest habitat contrasts-and a high payoff in endemic and migratory wildlife.
12
Species
98,067.877 km²
Land Area
Wildlife of Pernambuco
Vampire Bat
Small bite, big biology.
Blue Tanager (Blue-Grey Tanager)
Blue bishop of the backyard edges
Crab-Eating Fox
Adaptable 'not-a-fox' of South America
Goliath Grouper
Mangroves to wrecks-Atlantic giant
Pied-Billed Grebe
Thick-billed master of the marsh
Ringed Kingfisher
Big-billed diver of the Neotropics
Sand Tiger Shark
Protruding teeth, gentle glide.
Mangrove Snapper
From mangroves to wrecks: built to hunt
Bonefish
Grey ghost of the tidal flats
About Pernambuco
Pernambuco's wildlife is shaped by fast changes in habitats over short distances: humid Atlantic Forest patches and mangrove-lined estuaries near Recife quickly turn into drier agreste and the semi-arid Caatinga inland. This close mix of habitats concentrates biodiversity and favors isolation, broken-up forests, seasonal extremes, endemic species, special adaptations, and big bursts of life after rains. Along the coast, Atlantic Forest fragments, restinga, and mangroves are refuges for forest birds, tree mammals, amphibians, and pollinators and support coastal food webs. Inland, agreste mosaics lead to Caatinga dry forest and thorn scrub, where many animals are nocturnal, use resources when available, or time life cycles to brief wet seasons; riparian corridors are vital lifelines. You can often move between very different ecosystems in one day, finding Atlantic Forest endemics, Caatinga specialists, and migratory coastal birds. Birding and wildlife viewing depend on tides on the coast and rain inland.
Geography
Pernambuco shows a strong east–west wet-to-dry pattern: humid Atlantic winds support coastal mangroves, reefs and the remaining Atlantic Forest along the coast. Rainfall falls sharply inland across a transition belt into semi-arid backlands of thorn scrub and seasonal dry forest. Borborema highlands have cool, wet pockets—high-altitude forest patches that shelter forest species and raise habitat diversity and endemism.
Elevation Range
Sea level to ~1,268 m (uplands of the Borborema Highlands and the Pajeu range area; higher elevations form cooler, wetter refuges that increase habitat heterogeneity)
Coastline
Atlantic Ocean coastline (~187 km), with extensive estuaries and mangrove belts near river mouths plus nearshore reef formations that shape coastal and marine habitats.
Key Landscapes
Protected Areas
Pernambuco's protected areas cover three habitats: fragmented coastal Atlantic Forest with many endemic and threatened species; coastal mangroves, estuaries and reefs vital for marine turtles, reef fish and West Indian manatees; and interior semi-arid scrub, dry forests and canyons with drought-adapted animals like threatened armadillos and unique birds. Protection is by federal (Chico Mendes Institute), state, municipal and private reserves.
Protected Coverage
About 10% of Pernambuco's land area is under some form of protected-area designation (including Environmental Protection Areas and extractive reserves); the share in strictly protected categories is smaller (roughly a few percent).
National Parks & Preserves
Catimbau National Park
≈62,300 ha (≈623 km²)One of the most important protected semi-arid landscapes in Pernambuco, notable for broad, scenic sandstone canyons, rocky outcrops, and seasonal dry forests that support a strong assemblage of dryland specialists and serve as a key refuge in a heavily used interior region.
Fernando de Noronha Marine National Park
≈11,000 ha (≈110 km²; marine)Brazil's flagship oceanic island marine park, outstanding for wildlife viewing: spinner dolphins close to shore, major green turtle nesting and foraging areas, dense seabird colonies, and clear-water reefs with abundant fish and sharks.
State & Provincial Parks
Two Brothers State Park
≈380 ha (≈3.8 km²)An urban-proximate Atlantic Forest stronghold in Recife that protects a key forest fragment and watershed; notable for accessible wildlife viewing of forest birds, small mammals, and reptiles in a rare green refuge within the metropolitan area.
Pepper Tree Forest State Park
≈887 ha (≈8.87 km²)A priority Caatinga protected area in Pernambuco's semi-arid backlands, conserving thorn scrub and seasonal dry forest and providing habitat for Caatinga birds and mammals, including dryland specialists.
Gurjau Ecological Reserve (State Conservation Unit)
≈1,000+ ha (order-of-magnitude; varies by zoning/definition)A strategically important Atlantic Forest area and reservoir catchment south of Recife, supporting forest-dependent birds and mammals and functioning as a corridor fragment in a heavily altered coastal landscape.
Wildlife Refuges
Three-banded Armadillo Wildlife Refuge
≈110,110 haA federally protected area in Pernambuco created specifically to conserve the threatened Brazilian three-banded armadillo and associated Caatinga habitat, safeguarding native wildlife in a semi-arid ecosystem.
Acau-Goiana Extractive Reserve (sections in Pernambuco and Paraiba)
≈6,000-10,000 ha (order-of-magnitude; cross-border extractive reserve)Mangrove-and-estuary protected area focused on sustainable use that also conserves critical nursery habitat for fish and crustaceans and supports rich waterbird communities; important for maintaining ecological function in an intensively used coastal zone.
Three-banded Armadillo Wildlife Refuge (Pernambuco, Caatinga biome)
110,110 haA wildlife refuge in Pernambuco within the Caatinga (seasonally dry tropical forest and scrub) created to conserve habitat for the threatened Brazilian three-banded armadillo and other native Caatinga biodiversity.
Wilderness Areas
- Interior canyon and plateau backcountry of the Catimbau region (sandstone escarpments, rock shelters and seasonally dry forest mosaics with low road density inside/around core protected blocks)
- Offshore and nearshore no-take waters and deeper reef slopes around Fernando de Noronha (highly intact marine habitat, limited access and strict zoning)
- Mangrove-estuary complexes of the Goiana River and nearby coastal wetlands (large continuous mangrove stands within and adjacent to RESEX zoning)
- Remaining Atlantic Forest blocks and watershed headwaters south of Recife (Gurjaú and adjacent forest fragments forming one of the last larger continuous coastal forest remnants in the metro region)
- Semi-arid interior Caatinga biome blocks associated with the Three-banded Armadillo Wildlife Refuge landscape (relatively extensive thorn scrub and dry forest compared with surrounding land uses)
Wildlife
Pernambuco's wildlife follows a sharp change from humid coastal Atlantic Forest fragments (lowland forest and coastal sandy-plain forest/shrub), mangroves and estuaries around Recife, and humid highland forest patches, to semi-arid thorn scrub and seasonally dry forest in the west. This creates many different habitats in short distances, with Atlantic Forest endemics in the east and dryland specialist species inland. Marine life is key, especially around Fernando de Noronha, with large seabird colonies, dolphins, sea turtles, nearshore reefs, and seagrass and mangrove nurseries.
≈150-180 species (coastal Atlantic Forest remnants + semi-arid thorn scrub/dry-forest mammals; includes bats and small mammals)
Mammals
≈535 bird species recorded (published state checklist; habitats include Atlantic Forest endemics, semi-arid seasonally dry tropical forest and scrub, mangroves, and seabirds on Fernando de Noronha)
Birds
≈150-200 species (snakes and lizards in semi-arid thorn scrub and dry forest + coastal/mangrove reptiles; includes marine turtles)
Reptiles
≈90-130 species (higher in humid Atlantic Forest and "brejo" enclaves; fewer in the driest Caatinga zones)
Amphibians
≈800-1,500+ species when combining reef/coastal marine fishes, estuarine species, and freshwater basins (high uncertainty; marine component dominates diversity)
Fish
Iconic Species
Spinner Dolphin
Fernando de Noronha is famous for predictable daytime resting and socializing dolphins in sheltered bays-one of Brazil's most emblematic marine-wildlife experiences.
Hawksbill Sea Turtle
A flagship species of Northeast Brazil's reefs; Pernambuco's island and mainland coastal waters are important foraging/nesting in the region, and turtles are a key draw for snorkeling and boat trips.
West Indian Manatee (Antillean Manatee)
One of Brazil's most charismatic and threatened coastal mammals; Pernambuco's quieter estuaries and nearshore habitats are part of the species' Northeast stronghold where conservation programs focus on recovery.
Blonde Capuchin (Pernambuco Capuchin)
A critically endangered primate strongly associated with the last Atlantic Forest fragments of Pernambuco and neighboring states-an emblem of how rare the original lowland forest fauna has become.
Three-banded Armadillo (Brazilian Three-banded Armadillo)
An icon of Brazil's semi-arid thorn scrub, famous for curling into a tight ball; it occurs across northeastern Brazil's dry interior, including parts of Pernambuco, and is strongly associated with the region's backlands wildlife.
Red-footed Booby
A signature seabird of Fernando de Noronha; visitors often see it nesting or soaring along cliffs and offshore islets.
Brown Noddy
One of the most conspicuous breeding seabirds at Noronha, forming visible colonies that highlight the archipelago's role as a major tropical seabird site.
Ocelot
A top small predator in both Atlantic Forest remnants and Caatinga mosaics; rarely seen, but it strongly represents Pernambuco's remaining functional carnivore communities.
Seven-colored Tanager
A highly sought-after Atlantic Forest endemic of Northeast Brazil; in Pernambuco it symbolizes the region's unique (and heavily reduced) coastal forest birdlife.
Endemic & Rare Species
Notable Populations
- Fernando de Noronha's spinner dolphins: a nationally famous, predictable aggregation that anchors the archipelago's wildlife identity.
- Fernando de Noronha seabird breeding colonies (e.g., red-footed booby and brown noddy): among Brazil's most important tropical oceanic island seabird sites.
- Regionally significant marine-turtle use (foraging and, in the broader region, nesting) along Pernambuco's coast and islands, supported by long-running protection and monitoring.
- Northeast Atlantic Forest endemics in Pernambuco's forest fragments (the 'Pernambuco Endemism Center'): a globally recognized hotspot-within-a-hotspot for threatened birds and primates.
Recent Changes
- Coastal manatee recovery efforts: continued rehabilitation, monitoring, and managed releases in Northeast Brazil have increased sightings in some suitable estuaries and protected coastal stretches, though populations remain small and vulnerable.
- Marine protection effects at Fernando de Noronha: enforcement and zoning have helped maintain higher reef-fish biomass and improved the reliability of megafauna encounters compared with many unprotected coasts.
- Atlantic Forest fragment declines: ongoing edge effects, isolation, and land-use pressure continue to reduce habitat quality for Pernambuco Endemism Center specialists (notably understory birds and primates), despite some restoration initiatives.
- Caatinga pressures: localized declines and increased fragmentation from land conversion, fuelwood extraction, and hunting continue to affect large/medium mammals (including armadillos and small carnivores), with strong site-to-site variability.
- Climate and reef stress: repeated marine heatwaves/bleaching risk and coastal development pressures have increased concern for nearshore reefs and the species that depend on them (including hawksbill turtles and key reef fishes).
Wildlife Viewing
Pernambuco offers diverse wildlife in a small area: coastal reefs and mangroves near Recife, Atlantic Forest remnants with rare endemic species in coastal highlands, and Caatinga drylands inland. Visitors can see sea turtles, reef fish, dolphins, herons, kingfishers, crabs, and forest birds and mammals. Fernando de Noronha is famous for spinner dolphins, sea turtles, seabirds, and snorkeling.
Best Seasons
Dec-Mar (dry summer on the coast; hottest months)
Best all-around beach and marine season: clearer water for snorkeling/diving (especially Fernando de Noronha), active sea turtles and reef fish, great conditions for boat trips and sunrise/sunset wildlife outings. In the interior Caatinga, heat is intense-plan early-morning wildlife walks.
Apr-Jun (rainier season begins on the coast/forest zone)
Atlantic Forest fragments become lush and vocal-excellent for birding (antbirds, tanagers, manakins). Amphibians and insects peak after rains (great for night walks). Coastal waters can be rougher; plan flexible sea days.
Jul-Sep (wettest stretch along parts of the coast; interior often drier)
Strong season for inland/Caatinga trips (Catimbau area) with comfortable nights and good visibility. In the wider NE Brazil, humpback migration is underway (mostly farther south/east), and offshore pelagic bird activity can increase with winds-conditions vary by week.
Oct-Nov (transition to drier weather; warming water)
Shoulder-season sweet spot: improving sea visibility, fewer crowds than peak summer, and excellent bird activity as habitats shift from wet to dry. Good time to mix Recife-area parks + Atlantic Forest birding + a coastal reef/mangrove day.
Top Wildlife Experiences
- Fernando de Noronha: dawn dolphin watching from land at Dolphins Bay (lookouts on the clifftop trails) as spinner dolphins return to rest in the bay-bring binoculars and go early for best activity.
- Fernando de Noronha Marine Park: snorkeling or diving at Sancho Bay / Bay of Pigs for sea turtles, rays, reef sharks, and dense reef fish; choose calm-day entries and go with a licensed operator.
- TAMAR Project (Fernando de Noronha): join an evening program and (seasonally) observe sea turtle nesting/hatchling outreach activities, plus interpretive talks on marine conservation.
- Atlantic Forest endemics day: birding in the Vulture Range and other Forest Zone Atlantic Forest remnants (with a specialist guide), targeting Pernambuco specialties such as the Pernambuco fire-eye and other threatened Atlantic Forest birds.
- Recife urban nature: morning walk in Two Brothers State Park (and nearby green corridors) for accessible birding-toucans/aracaris, trogons, woodpeckers, and mixed flocks-ideal on a tight schedule.
- Catimbau National Park (Agreste/Caatinga): guided hike among sandstone canyons and dry forest to look for Caatinga birds (e.g., parakeets, campo flicker, antshrikes), reptiles, and night wildlife on a spotlight walk.
- Mangrove & estuary wildlife near the south coast (for example, the Sirinhaem / Rio Formoso area): small-boat mangrove safari for herons, egrets, kingfishers, shorebirds, crabs, and nursery fish-time it with tides for maximum activity.
- Coastal reef pools (low-tide exploration): guided tidepooling on reef-protected beaches (where permitted) to see juvenile fish, sea urchins, and crustaceans-best paired with a local naturalist who can interpret safely and responsibly.
Wildlife Watching Types
Guided Options
- TAMAR Project - Fernando de Noronha: visitor programs, talks, and conservation-linked turtle experiences (seasonal activities vary).
- ICMBio / Fernando de Noronha Marine National Park: official park orientation, regulations, and authorized guiding framework for trails and marine activities.
- Licensed Fernando de Noronha boat/snorkel/dive operators: structured dolphin-focused boat routes, snorkeling circuits, and scuba dives with trained divemasters (book early in peak months).
- Specialist birding guides in Recife and the coastal forest zone (Vulture Range and nearby forest remnants): tailored day trips for Atlantic Forest endemics and mixed-flock strategy birding.
- Catimbau local guiding associations: mandatory/strongly recommended guides for canyon routes, night walks, and interpreting Caatinga wildlife and rock-art landscapes.
- Mangrove/estuary community boat guides (Sirinhaém/Rio Formoso corridor): tide-timed wildlife outings with local ecological knowledge; ask specifically for bird-focused trips and quiet-motor practices.
Ecosystems
Pernambuco has a strong east–west wet-to-dry gradient, from humid Atlantic coastal plains and escarpments near Recife to a drier transition and a semi-arid interior of thorn scrub and seasonally dry forests. Despite heavy land conversion, it still has Atlantic Forest remnants, high-elevation humid forest pockets, large rivers and reservoirs, mangrove estuaries, and coastal/offshore habitats including Fernando de Noronha.
Biomes
Tropical Rainforest
Atlantic Forest formations along the coastal zone and windward slopes, including evergreen to semi-evergreen forests and humid montane enclaves (high-elevation humid forest enclaves) that act as biodiversity refugia within drier regions.
Mainly a coastal strip and scattered montane enclaves inland; now highly fragmented and largely confined to protected areas and forest remnants.
Tropical Dry Forest
Seasonally dry tropical forests and thorny woodlands of the semi-arid interior, with drought-deciduous trees, cacti, and spiny shrubs; includes drier transition-zone mosaics shifting from Atlantic Forest to the interior backcountry.
Dominant across the interior and especially the far interior backcountry, covering a majority of the state's land area.
Freshwater
Rivers, intermittent streams, reservoirs, and riparian corridors across both Atlantic-draining basins and portions of the Sao Francisco basin; strong seasonality in the semi-arid interior.
Statewide along drainage networks; highest permanence and density near major rivers/reservoir systems and wetter eastern catchments.
Wetland
Estuarine wetlands, floodplain marshes, coastal lagoons/lowlands, and riparian wetlands; includes mangrove-associated wetland complexes near Recife and other estuaries.
Patchy but locally extensive around estuaries/coastal lowlands and along some river floodplains.
Marine
Tropical Southwestern Atlantic coastal and offshore systems, including beaches, reefs/reef-like formations (including calcareous algae/bank systems), seagrass/algal areas, and the oceanic island ecosystems of Fernando de Noronha.
Along the entire coastline plus offshore waters; highest habitat distinctiveness around Fernando de Noronha and nearshore reef belts.
Habitats
Rainforest
Humid Atlantic Forest remnants (lowland and submontane), with high endemism; notable in protected fragments near the coast and in high-elevation humid forest enclaves such as those in the Borborema highlands.
Forest
Mixed Atlantic Forest mosaics and secondary forests/regrowth in coastal and escarpment areas, often embedded in agricultural landscapes.
Deciduous Forest
Seasonally dry, drought-deciduous Caatinga forests (arboreal Caatinga), especially in less rocky soils and along some interior valleys.
Woodland
Open Caatinga woodlands with scattered trees over shrub layers; common across the Sertão and transitional Agreste.
Shrubland
Dense thorn scrub with cacti and bromeliads (typical Caatinga shrublands), frequently on shallow, rocky, or heavily seasonal sites.
Grassland
Open herbaceous areas and natural/secondary campos within Caatinga/Agreste mosaics, often expanding with grazing and land clearing.
River/Stream
Atlantic-draining rivers (e.g., Capibaribe, Ipojuca, Una) and tributaries to the Sao Francisco basin (e.g., Pajeu), ranging from perennial reaches near the coast to intermittent interior channels.
Lake
Natural coastal lagoons are limited, but large artificial lakes/reservoirs are widespread and ecologically important in the semi-arid interior.
Pond
Small farm ponds and seasonal waterholes in Caatinga landscapes, critical for wildlife during dry months.
Wetland
Riparian wetlands, floodplain patches, and lowland wet areas near river mouths; important for waterbirds and nutrient cycling.
Marsh
Brackish and freshwater marshes in estuarine margins and low-lying floodplain zones, especially near major coastal rivers.
Mangrove
Mangrove forests in estuaries and backwaters (notably around the Recife metropolitan estuarine complex and other river mouths), providing nursery habitat for fish and crustaceans.
Estuary
Highly productive estuaries where major rivers meet the Atlantic, mixing freshwater and marine systems and supporting mangroves, mudflats, and fisheries.
Coastal
Coastal plains with dunes, coastal sandplain vegetation, coastal cliffs in places, and a mosaic of urban and natural shorelines.
Beach
Extensive sandy beaches along the Atlantic coast, important for coastal dynamics and recreation; some stretches adjacent to nearshore reef structures.
Rocky Shore
Localized rocky headlands and reef-exposed shorelines, including intertidal hard substrates associated with nearshore reefs/rock outcrops.
Coral Reef
Reef and reef-like carbonate formations and patch reefs in nearshore waters; especially notable in the broader Northeast Brazil reef province and around oceanic islands.
Open Ocean
Pelagic waters off the Pernambuco shelf and around Fernando de Noronha, used by migratory fish, seabirds, and marine mammals.
Seabed/Benthic
Continental shelf and slope habitats with sandy/muddy bottoms and carbonate features; supports demersal fisheries and benthic communities.
Urban
Large urban/industrial footprint around Recife and other cities, with strong interactions with estuaries, rivers, and coastal habitats.
Agricultural/Farmland
Extensive croplands and pasture, including long-established sugarcane zones in the Zona da Mata and mixed farming/ranching in Agreste and Sertão.
Ecoregions
Conservation
Primary Threats
- In Pernambuco the Atlantic Forest is broken into small, isolated patches (often <100-1000 ha) by long sugarcane farming and coastal city growth. Inland thorn scrub is cut or damaged for grazing, fuelwood and small farms, lowering habitat quality and links.
- In Pernambuco, sugarcane farming dominates the coastal forest zone, putting pressure on forest remnants, riparian buffers and wetlands. In the semi-arid interior, more irrigated farming and overstocked pasture degrade soil, remove thorn scrub and raise desertification risk.
- Metropolitan Recife and coastal resort growth (including second-home development) replace or modify coastal sandplain scrub, dunes and mangroves, increase disturbance at nesting beaches, and amplify stormwater runoff and heat-island effects. Informal settlement expansion along waterways also increases encroachment into floodplains and mangrove edges.
- Untreated or partially treated sewage, industrial effluents and solid waste in coastal rivers and estuaries (notably around Recife) degrade mangroves and nearshore reefs, affecting fish nurseries and species like sea turtles and manatees. Agricultural pesticides and vinasse-related runoff from sugarcane areas can further impair water quality in lowland basins.
- Large ports, industry, dredging, pipelines and roads (especially near Suape) change coastal water flow, break up habitats, and raise wildlife deaths and barriers between Atlantic Forest fragments. Inland wind, solar and power lines can also break up habitats and cause collisions in semi-arid thorn scrub.
- River regulation, water withdrawals, channelization and reservoir operations reduce environmental flows, affecting estuarine salinity patterns and mangrove health. Fire use (often to manage pasture or clear land) can escape into thorn scrub remnants and forest edges, simplifying vegetation structure and reducing regeneration in drought years.
- Chronic extraction of fuelwood and charcoal in the semi-arid thorn scrub region, combined with overgrazing, gradually removes woody biomass and understory, lowers ecosystem resilience and accelerates soil erosion. Water scarcity in drought periods intensifies competition for groundwater and surface water, stressing both people and biodiversity.
- More frequent or intense drought and heat in the semi-arid backlands increase dieback risk, reduce forage and water availability, and heighten fire probability-compounding existing desertification pressures. Along the coast, sea-level rise and stronger storm surges intensify erosion and saline intrusion, threatening beaches (turtle nesting) and low-lying mangroves and estuaries.
- Heavy fishing in estuaries and nearshore reefs (lobster, fish, shrimp) removes important species and raises bycatch of sea turtles. Near tourism hubs, ports, and cities, local overfishing can happen quickly because fishing and market demand focus there.
- Heavy visitor use and boat traffic on the coast disturb turtle nesting, trample dune and coastal sandplain scrub, and raise manatee collision risk. Noise, lights and hardened shores make beaches less suitable for coastal wildlife.
- Subsistence and opportunistic hunting in semi-arid thorn scrub landscapes (for example, armadillos and other medium-sized fauna) and capture in forest remnants reduce already-small populations and disrupt ecological roles like seed dispersal. Hunting pressure tends to rise during drought-driven economic hardship.
- Capture and trade of songbirds and other wildlife-historically strong in Northeast Brazil-affects forest and thorn scrub species, with additional pressure from online markets and roadside commerce. Trafficking can be particularly damaging in a state where many populations persist only in isolated fragments.
- Non-native species such as tilapia in reservoirs and waterways, feral cats and dogs near protected areas and coastal nesting beaches, and (increasingly) marine invasives like lionfish on reefs can alter food webs and raise predation pressure on native fauna, including ground- or low-nesting birds and juvenile reef fish.
- Disease risks include pathogen spillover from domestic animals (for example, dogs near forest edges), which can affect native carnivores and primates, and stress-related disease susceptibility in corals and reef communities when combined with warming and pollution. Fragmentation can also amplify disease impacts by reducing genetic and demographic resilience.
Did You Know?
Recife, named for its stone reefs, has reef lines that make calm pools. Gaps and channels in the reef are where big predatory fish and sharks travel, so encounters happen in specific spots.
Fernando de Noronha has essentially no native terrestrial mammals aside from bats; many of the land mammals people notice there (e.g., rats, cats) are human-introduced, which is why invasive-species control is a central part of protecting seabirds and reptiles.
Pernambuco's "dry" backlands (Caatinga) host frogs that survive the long rainless season by going dormant underground (aestivation)-for example, the Caatinga frog Pleurodema diplolister can remain buried for months and then emerge quickly after heavy rains to breed in temporary pools.
The seven-colored tanager (Tangara fastuosa)-one of Brazil's most striking Atlantic Forest birds-is not an Amazonian species at all: it's restricted to a narrow band of northeastern coastal forest, including Pernambuco, making tiny forest remnants disproportionately important for its survival.
Fernando de Noronha (Pernambuco) is well-known for large daytime resting groups of spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris) in Dolphin Bay, where numbers can reach hundreds to over 1,000 animals.
Recife's Boa Viagem shoreline became one of the world's most notorious urban shark-incident hotspots from the 1990s onward, with most incidents linked to bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas) and tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier) moving along the river/port-influenced coast.
The Fernando de Noronha elaenia (Elaenia ridleyana) is a bird found nowhere else on Earth-its entire global range is restricted to the Fernando de Noronha archipelago.
The Noronha skink (Trachylepis atlantica) is another "only-on-Pernambuco" species: an endemic lizard whose natural global distribution is limited to Fernando de Noronha and nearby islets.
Pernambuco lies in the Atlantic Forest's 'Pernambuco Endemism Center,' one of the forest's most broken-up parts, with under 5% of original forest left north of the Sao Francisco River, including coastal forests.
Animals Found in Pernambuco
12 species documented in our encyclopedia