The Descobrimento National Park, known as Parque Nacional do Descobrimento in Portuguese, is a national park located in the state of Bahia, Brazil.

Location

The Descobrimento National Park is located in the town of Prado, Bahia. It covers an area of 22,693.97 hectares, which is equal to 56,078.0 acres. The park includes the Discovery Coast World Natural Heritage Site, which is also a Biosphere Reserve.

Environment

The Descobrimento National Park is located in the Atlantic Forest biome, which is a type of ecosystem found in Brazil. It is home to a significant part of the Atlantic Forest in the northeast plateau of Brazil and serves as a crucial safe area for wildlife in southern Bahia. Some of the protected animals and birds in the park include the cougar (Puma concolor), the characid fish Mimagoniates sylvicola, and several bird species such as the ringed woodpecker (Celeus torquatus), black-headed berryeater (Carpornis melanocephala), red-billed curassow (Crax blumenbachii), banded cotinga (Cotinga maculata), band-tailed antwren (Myrmotherula urosticta), ochre-marked parakeet (Pyrrhura cruentata), and striated softtail (Thripophaga macroura).

Administration

The Descobrimento National Park was established by a government order on April 20, 1999. It covers an area of 21,129 hectares (52,210 acres) and was expanded to 22,693 hectares (56,080 acres) on June 6, 2012. The park is part of the Central Atlantic Forest Ecological Corridor, which was created in 2002. It is managed by the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio). A consultative council was formed on February 1, 2008, and the management plan was approved on December 26, 2014. The park is classified as an IUCN protected area category II (national park). Its goal is to protect a natural ecosystem that is very important for the environment and has beautiful scenery. It also supports scientific research, environmental education, outdoor recreation, and eco-tourism.