The whole Island is situated in an Environmental Protection Area called Tamoios (EPA dos Tamoios) and it is also divided into 3 specific areas:

• PEIG = SPIA = State Park of Ilha Grande
• RBPS = BRSB = Biological Reservation of South Beach
• PEMA = MSPA = Marine State Park of Aventureiro

The beaches indicated in the map with the numbers 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 are Lopes Mendes + Sto. Antônio, Caxadaço, Dois Rios, Praia de Leste, Praia de Sul and Aventureiro respectively, and they are situated in these specific areas. Besides this, you can also find in the map the following areas that have a controlled occupation: 1=Abraão, 8=Provetá, 9=Araçatiba, 10=Sítio Forte e 11=Bananal (all of them indicated with bold numbers).

STATE PARK OF IHLA GRANDE

This park was created in 1971 and today is being administrated by the SIW (State Institute of Woods). These 4.500 hectares take the shape of a triangle between Abraão, Lopes Mendes and Parnaióca.

This park is a public area protected by the law with the objective to get together men and environment.

It is forbidden to cut down trees, pick plants, capture or feed animals, exercise any agricultural activity, hunt or fish, the mining exploitation and the occupation for residence, commerce or industry. This means that the environment CANNOT BE PREDATED.

BIOLOGICAL RESERVATION OF SOUTH BEACH

It was created in 1981 and is being administrated by the State Foundation of Engineering and Environment (SFEE). 3.500 hectares form a rectangle embracing from the point do Drago to Parnaioca, extending until the slope of the mountains.

This biological reservation shelters all the ecosystems existent in the coastal of Rio de Janeiro. Perhaps this is the only reservation in Brazil with these characteristics.

The objective of the reservation is to preserve the fauna and flora species in danger of extinction.

Visitors are not permitted in this biological reservation. Visits must be only for scientific research and they need to be expressly authorized by the SFEE.

Is near the Biological Reservation and its borders belong to the whole coastal area and the beaches, from Ponta da Tacunduba (Parnaióca) to Ponta do Drago. It is forbidden to fish, hunt and any other alteration of the environment.

WHAT NEEDS TO BE RESPECT WHEN ARRIVING TO ILHA GRANDE?

1. It is forbidden to camp in the beaches, in the ecological reservations and in the wild life areas (Law Nº4771 from 09/15/1965 – Brazilian Forestal Code).

2. It is forbidden to camp without the proper licence given by the Council Prefecture of Angra do Reis (Decree Nº842/LO from 02/08/1996.

3. It is forbidden to enter the Biological Reservation of South Beach without specific authorization of the SFEE.

4. It is forbidden to take and/or pull out flowers and plants of any specie of the forest. (Brazilian Forestal Code).

5. It is forbidden the net fishing and the submarine hunting at less than 1 km from the Island. (Seaport Law of the SFEE).

6. It is forbidden the use of fireworks and the setting of fire.

7. The hunt is prohibited, it captures, persecution of wild animals and destruction of its nests. Birds can not be caught, small monkeys, turtles, to take sea stars, etc. (Law nº 5197 of 03/01/1967–Law of Protection of Fauna).

8. It is forbidden to destroy the forest and other vegetation. (Law Nº 4771 from 09/15/0965 – Brazilian Forestal Code).

9. It is forbidden to bathe in the potable water dams that supply the community. (This is a matter of education, hygiene and respect to others). Do not use shampoo or soap when you take a bath in the lagoons, rivers or cascades of the island.

10. It is forbidden the particular vehicle transit all along the State Park area and also along the Island. Bicycles are the only transportation permitted (CECA Nº3601 from 02/06/1990 and CONAMA Nº 013/90).

11. It is forbidden to build without specific authorization from the Real Estate (Law Nº08).

Warning:
Avoid entering the Island with illegal drugs. AVOID ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE ISLAND’S POLICE.
Do not take clothes with illustrations related to drugs or violence, neither BOB MARLEY’s images nor the JAMAICAN colors. All these may be considered as a drug addiction and violence apology. These ones could be confiscated.

If you visit the Island we suggest you to visit the place where all the confiscated clothes are stored, near the disembark dock.

FLORA AND FAUNA

The fauna and the flora are very varied. You will find vegetation from the hills, the coastal, the mangrove and the plains.

Flora: Ilha Grande is inserted into the dense OMBROFILA (of the low lands) grove’s domain known as Atlantic forest. In smaller proportion, the pioneer formations of marine influences (sandbank) and fluvial-marine (mangroves) are one of the most important ecosystems of biodiversity that directly influences the commercial fishing of the area región.

• The nature does not need your garbage. Take it away
• The pulled out plants die. Let them live
• Fire always represents a fire danger
• To hunt in the Island is a penalized crime
• Listen to the nature’s sound while you stay in the Island
  
  Fauna: The Island shelters a lot of rich fauna which is representative of the region. There are lots of bird species, parrots and saracuras. There are different types of monkeys, iguanas, snakes, etc. Some species are already in danger of extinction, as it is the case of the Alouatta fusca, popularly known as monkey Bugio.