High in the canopy of Brazil’s Atlantic Forest lives the Southern Muriqui (Brachyteles arachnoides). Known locally as the mono-carvoeiro, meaning the “charcoal monkey” for its dark grey face, this long-limbed acrobat was once abundant throughout South America, but is now only found in the diminishing forests of Brazil’s Atlantic coast.
Covering a third of Earth's land surface, forests are not only the most biodiverse terrestrial ecosystems, but also perform ecosystem functions essential for all life. Integral to the global water cycle, forests also provide “ecosystem services” that quietly benefit human wellbeing and quality of life...
High in the canopy of Reserva Ecológica de Guapiaçu (REGUA), the movement of the Brown-throated Sloth (Bradypus variegatus) is almost imperceptible. Its shape shifts slowly among the leaves, limbs draped over a branch, peacefully minding its unhurried business as the busy forest hums all around...
Capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) might be one of the world’s most popular animals, and for good reason. An extremely social species that enjoys basking on the banks of rivers and soaking up the sun, they are often seen surrounded by fellow residents of the ecosystem...
Journey through the Mata Atlântica with Dan Bradbury, Director of Brand and Communications at World Land Trust. In July 2025 I had the chance to visit Reserva Ecológica de Guapiaçu, or REGUA, a place I had heard so much about during my time at World Land Trust (WLT) but never experienced in person...
Rivalling the Amazon rainforest for species richness, the Atlantic Forest is one of the world’s top biodiversity hotspots, and home to unique species found nowhere else. Once covering 150 million hectares across Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina, the Atlantic Forest has been cleared to a tiny fraction of its original size...
By Dan Bradbury, Director of Brand & Communications In July 2025, I had the privilege of visiting the Reserva Ecológica de Guapiaçu (REGUA). Nestled in the heart of Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, this remarkable reserve spans over 11,000 hectares (27,181 acres), and gave me my first opportunity to...
The Atlantic Forest of South America is one of the most biodiverse rainforests on Earth but also one of the most depleted and threatened. For the last two decades, World Land Trust (WLT) has been working closely with the Brazilian NGO Reserva Ecológica de Guapiaçu (REGUA) in a partnership to...
Exciting news has reached us from WLT partner REGUA in the Atlantic Forest of south-east Brazil, with a camera trap filming the first ever Maned Wolf recorded at the Guapiaçu Ecological Reserve. Environmentalist and nature photographer Juran Santos has long been capturing images of animals in the...
Ecosystems are intricate webs of life, each species interacting with its surroundings in ways that are crucial to its survival. Sometimes, these interactions hang in a delicate balance, whereby a species has become adapted to its environment via many intriguing and often baffling interactions. In...
By Lee Dingain – UK representative for REGUA. After nearly 20 years conserving the Atlantic Forest at the Guapiaçu Ecological Reserve (REGUA) in south-east Brazil, much of the biodiversity that calls this forest their home is steadily recovering. One of the most charismatic animals benefiting from...
A team of entomologists visiting Reserva Ecológica de Guapiaçu (REGUA) have found elusive praying mantis species named after dragons and unicorns, which could possibly be new species. There are more than 2,000 species of praying mantis around the world, and the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, where...
