Houtman Abrolhos
The Houtman Abrolhos is unusual in having a luxuriant and diverse living coral reef at such a high latitude. 194 species in 50 genera have been recorded there, all but two of which are tropical. This is a surprisingly high coral diversity, considering the high latitude of the reef, and the relatively low diversity of other biota. For a full list, see list of corals of the Houtman Abrolhos.
Baía da Babitonga Wildlife Reserve
In 2007 the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio) estimated that over 2,000 families of fisherfolk used the natural resources in the proposed reserve area for their livelihood. Aquatic farms cultivated mussels and oysters in the bay, and tourism was expanding.
Endangered species such as the Guiana dolphin (Sotalia guianensis), La Plata dolphin (Pontoporia blainvillei) and Atlantic goliath grouper (Epinephelus itajara) depended on the environmental quality of the bay.
There were of mangroves in the area, the sole habitat of the over-exploited Uçá (Ucides cordatus) species of mangrove crab.