Back to the Bird Continent

I am about depart for a two week trip to Brazil's endemic-rich Atlantic Forest. One of the world's top biodiversity hotspots, the Atlantic Forest, or Mata Atlântica as its known in Brazil, stretches along the coast of south-east Brazil into coastal Uruguay and inland into north-east Argentina and eastern Paraguay. Geographically isolated from other forested areas of South America, the Atlantic Forest has a high degree of endemism, and supports about 200 endemic bird species!

Once again I'll be staying at Guapi Assu Bird Lodge located at REGUA, an Atlantic Forest reserve in Rio state and my foreign patch (photo below). REGUA spans two Endemic Bird Areas identified by BirdLife International - the Atlantic forest lowlands and the Atlantic forest mountains. So far an incredible 456 species have been recorded on the Reserve, including 118 Atlantic Forest endemics and 62 Brazilian Endemics! The Atlantic Forest is also one of the world's most threatened ecosystems with only around 7% of the original forested area remaining and virtually all of the lowland Atlantic Forest destroyed. REGUA contains a large area of continuous lowland forest which makes it an important reserve.

Since my last trip 14 months ago REGUA has planted another 32,500 native trees (105,000 now planted in total), purchased another 35 ha of rainforest, built a second hide at the wetland, opened a new laboratory at the conservation centre, landscaped the lodge gardens and developed new trails. I can't wait to see for myself how much things have changed!