Fernando de Noronha, Rocas Atoll, is a key site for the protection of biodiversity and endangered species i the Southern Atlantic

Fernando de Noronha & Rocas Atoll
Fernando de Noronha , Rocas Atoll is a key site for the protection of biodiversity and endangered species in the Southern Atlantic

Fernando do Noronha is a treasure chest of biodiversity, preserved under strict national regulations, and perhaps, one of the best kept secrets of Brazil. Fernando de Noronha is also on the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage list. Here you will find the largest population of spinner dolphins, and countless other species of spell-bounding biodiversity.

The destination is actually a series of 21 small islands, islets, and crags atop a submerged volcano. This paradise is cherished among surfers and divers in the know as being one of the best destinations worldwide, and is the best location for diving in all of Brazil. People travel from all parts of the world for a few days of the ultimate eco-experience. Interestingly, this peaceful wonder has been through years of regime change before settling into its current state of perfection. From the beginning of the 17th century, the main island has been invaded by the Spanish, French, Dutch and Portuguese. It then became a North American military base and prison, before the government declared the vast majority of the land and surrounding waters National Marine Park in 1988, enforcing conservation and protection laws that even limit the number of visitors allowed on the island at any given time.

Visitors to the Island must pay a conservation fee, and goods and services on the island tend to be relatively expensive. Also, as there are limits on the number of tourists allowed on the island, it is advisable to book in advance in order to avoid the risk of joining the waiting list. High season runs from mid December through the end of February.

Fernando de Noronha, Rocas Atoll represents over half the insular coastal waters of the Southern Atlantic Ocean. These highly productive waters provide feeding ground for species such as tuna, bill fish, cetaceans, sharks, and marine turtles as they migrate to the Eastern Atlantic coast of Africa. An oasis of marine life in relatively barren, open ocean, the islands play a key role in the process of reproduction, dispersal and colonization by marine organisms in the entire Tropical South Atlantic.

Baía dos Golfinhos is the only known place in the world with such a high population of resident dolphins and Rocas Atoll demonstrates a spectacular seascape at low tide when the exposed reef surrounding shallow lagoons and tidal pools forms a natural aquarium. Both sites have also exceptional submarine landscapes that have been recognized worldwide by a number of diving literatures.

Fernando de Noronha , Rocas Atoll is a key site for the protection of biodiversity and endangered species in the Southern Atlantic. Providing a large proportion of the insular habitat of the South Atlantic, the site is a repository for the maintenance of marine biodiversity at the ocean basin level. It is important for the conservation of endangered and threatened species of marine turtles, particularly the hawksbill turtle. The site accommodates the largest concentration of tropical seabirds to be found in the Western Atlantic Ocean, and is a Global Center of Bird Endemism. The site also contains the only remaining sample of the Insular Atlantic Forest and the only oceanic mangrove in the South Atlantic region.

Fernando de Noronha brief history