Amphibians and reptiles from the Parque Nacional da Tijuca, Brazil, one of the world’s largest urban forests

A comprehensive survey of amphibians and reptiles in the Parque Nacional da Tijuca, Brazil—a UNESCO-listed urban forest—reveals a rich herpetofauna with 38 amphibian species and 36 reptile species, including endemic and threatened taxa. The study, conducted over 460 hours between 2013 and 2015, identified six amphibian species and one reptile species at risk of extinction, along with two exotic reptiles. Sampling efforts proved sufficient, capturing 80% of Atlantic Forest-endemic amphibians and 28% of endemic reptiles. The findings underscore the park's ecological significance as a biodiversity hotspot within an urban landscape, highlighting the success of reforestation in preserving native species.

Dorigo, T. A., Siqueira, C. C., Oliveira, J. C. F., Fusinatto, L. A., Santos-Pereira, M., Almeida-Santos, M., Maia-Carneiro, T., Reis, C. N. C., & Rocha, C. F. D. (2021). Amphibians and reptiles from the Parque Nacional da Tijuca, Brazil, one of the world’s largest urban forests. Biota Neotropica, 21(2). https://doi.org/10.1590/1676-0611-bn-2020-0978