The Atlantic Rainforest – a diverse variety of rare plants and animals
The Atlantic Jungle once covered huge areas of Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina. Today, the tropical/subtropical ecosystem is one of the most species-rich, but also one of the most endangered tropical forests. The diversity is also due to the wide expanse in hilly to mountainous terrain over different altitudes and latitudes: near the coast lie the deciduous tropical rainforests, the mountain rainforests and the haze forests with the cloud and cloud forests. Towards the south, the forest merges into subtropical rainforest and laurel forest with araucarias.
This so-called Mata Atlântica was formed 6 million years ago and is one of the oldest land habitats still in existence.
Magnificent world of flora over several levels
Due to the heavy rainfall, especially along the mountain slopes, the vegetation is dense. Trees up to 60 metres high form a closed green blanket and provide a humid and shady microclimate underneath. Different types of plants grow on several levels. It is estimated that, together with the insects, there are around 1.6 million different species. Many of these can only be found in the Mata Atlântica, for example more than half of the trees. There can be up to 450 different species per hectare. By comparison, Switzerland has a total of around 50 different native tree species. These are typically joined by hanging lianas, orchids, bromeliads, ferns and mosses.
The Mata Atlântica is the basis of existence for endangered animals
This dense jungle is home to many different large mammals such as lowland tapirs, white-bearded peccaries, capybaras, brown howler monkeys, crested capuchins, southern tamanduas, great anteaters, ocelots, southern tiger cats, jaguarundis, forest dogs, coatis, crabeater raccoons, big-tailed lemurs, giant otters and South American otters. 39 per cent of the mammals are only found in the Atlantic rainforest. The Mata Atlântica is home to hundreds of bird species, various reptile and amphibian species and countless different butterflies.
The Atlantic Forest is also home to numerous rare and sometimes endangered animals. This includes the jaguar. After its population in the border area between Brazil and Argentina had shrunk to around 50 adult animals, the Fundación Vida Silvestre – the Argentinian WWF organisation – now estimates that the population has returned to 250 individuals. However, the largest feline predator in South America is still highly endangered. Its prey is becoming fewer and fewer due to illegal poaching. In addition, the jaguar is illegally killed by cattle breeders because the big cat kills calves and cattle on the cleared areas.
