Mata Atlântica is the most diversified forest on planet, with more than 25 thousand plant species. Around 92% from Mata Atlântica area is devastated. High level of rain throught the year permits the existence of a rich and dense vegetation, with 30 meters high tall. Brazilwood, jequitibá, quaresmeiras, jacaranda, jambo, jambolão, xaxim, palmito, paineira, fig, caviúna, angico, maçaranduba, ipê-rosa, jatobá, imbaúna, murici, canela-amarela, aroeira, chestnut tree, sucupira, jacarandá-da-bahia, samambaiaçu-imperial, candeia, canela-preta, imbuia, braúna, angelim-rajado, mahogany, cherry-tree, guanandi and many others stand out. Sub wood, with smaller trees, is home of many epiphytes, gravatás, bromélias, orchids, mosses and liquens, ferns, begonias and many kinds of lilies.

Some of many kinds of animal life from Mata Atlântica which are extinction threatened are: onça-pintada, jaguatirica, mono-carvoeiro, macaco-prego, guaribas, mico-leão-dourado, many marmosets, preguiça-de-coleira, caxinguelê, ant bear. Among birds stand out jacu, macuco, jacutinga, tiê-sangue, araponga, sanhaço, many humming-birds, toucans, saíras and gaturamos. Among reptiles from this ecosystem are teiú, a lizard with more than 1,5 meters long, anacondas, jararacas and true coral snakes. The most amaizing hing is the large quantity of endemic species, those which only exist in one specific region. Among these we have 55 mammalian, 188 bird, 60 reptiles, 90 amphibious and 133 fishes species.

Ecological movements fight for animal and green preservation of remaining areas. A research realized by Fundação SOS Mata Atlântica and by Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais shows that Brasil has lost 533 thousand hectares of mata atlântica with 1,07 billion trees cut. This number stands out 6% from what there was in 1985.

It's estimated that, from 1990 to 1993, more than 316,888 hectares of forests have been cut. Main causes for trees cut are the spread ofpasture, eucalyptus plantation and implementation of trade sigle cultivations as soy and sugar-cane.

Mangroves are some of the ecosystems gathered to Mata Atlântica which is oceans food chain base; With special vegetation, mangrove areas are between sea and mountain range.

Lama and tree roots are home for microorganisms, mollusks and small invertebrates, source of organic matter and food for fishes. Fauna is very rich, mainly crustaceans (crawfish, crab and shimp), mollusks and another invertebrates, and seaweed and plankton. There are a great number of birds: herons, maguaris, socós, colhereiros, flamingos, maçaricos, marrecas, irerês, biguás, saracuras, batuíras, anus, urubus and hawks. Among reptiles there are jacaré-de-papo-amarelo (Caiman latirostris). The main mammal of mangroves is raccoon, which appears on night fall to hunt crawfish. One in each three amphibious species are endangered.

More than 1 million spare meters of mangroves were destroyed - 40% of native vegetation in 50 years.

In Espírito Santo, the most preservated mangroves are located at the city of Anchieta.

In Brazil, most of mangroves are on north shore, between Maranhão and Amapá and in Santa Catarina.

Greatest Shelter
Vera Cruz ecological station, on the south of Bahia, shelters 24,5% of 98 Mata Atlântica endangered invertebrate species, according to research made by Instituto Iguaçu de Preservação Ambiental.

Species Variety
Only in 1 hectare (10,000m2) of Santa Lúcia biological station, on Santa Teresa city (ES), 476 tree species were identified. This is the biggest rate registered, overcoming other Mata Atlântica áreas (458 species/hectare on south of Bahia) and Amazônia (473 species/hectare in Cuyabeno, Equador). The species by hectare average on temperate forests are among 2 and 20 kinds of trees.

Wealth
Mata Atlântica is one of 17 critical areas pointed by Hotpots, because its original area was reduced in approximately half of original area.. Even so, this forest is home of 54% of trees, 80% of primates and more than hald of mammals which there are in Brazil.

Many Species
Mata Atlântica has 25 thousand species of plants (almost half exists only in Brazil), 131 mammal species (50 exclusive), 620 of birds and 260 of amphibious.