Saint-Hilaire Lange National Park

Saint-Hilaire Lange Overview

Saint-Hilaire/Lange National Park, or Parque Nacional de Saint-Hilaire/Lange in Portuguese, is a protected area located in the southern part of Brazil in the state of Paraná. Covering approximately 93.33 square miles or 241.7 square kilometers, the park is nestled along Brazil’s Atlantic coastline and extends into the Serra da Prata mountain range.

The region is recognized for its exceptional biodiversity and plays a vital role in conserving a significant stretch of the Atlantic Forest biome. This park is named after the French naturalist Augustin Saint-Hilaire and the Brazilian botanist Adelbert von Chamisso de Lange, whose contributions to natural science are commemorated through the preservation of this diverse ecological zone.

The terrain of Saint-Hilaire/Lange National Park is distinguished by rugged mountain ridges, steep slopes, and lush coastal plains. The Serra da Prata forms the backbone of the park’s landscape, creating dramatic elevation changes that feed into streams and waterfalls, including the notable Cachoeira do Rio das Pombas.

The park’s vegetation is primarily dense Atlantic Forest, characterized by towering hardwood trees, thick undergrowth, and a vibrant mix of epiphytes and bromeliads. This forest canopy shelters a delicate understory of orchids and ferns and supports one of the most endangered and fragmented forest ecosystems in the world.

The park hosts an impressive array of wildlife, reflecting the rich biodiversity of the Atlantic Forest. Visitors may glimpse elusive mammals such as the South American coati, ocelot, and the endangered southern muriqui, the largest primate in the Americas.

The area is also vital for bird conservation, offering a haven for species such as the red-breasted toucan, the solitary tinamou, and the endangered red-tailed amazon parrot. Reptiles and amphibians also thrive here due to the humid environment, and colorful butterflies and insects play key roles in pollination within the ecosystem.

One of the most popular features of the park is the network of natural pools and waterfalls that are accessible via hiking trails, offering refreshing spots for rest and reflection. The scenic viewpoints from elevated areas of the Serra da Prata offer sweeping vistas of the Atlantic Ocean and the coastal lowlands, making the park a favorite for landscape photographers and nature lovers alike.

Visitors typically explore Saint-Hilaire/Lange National Park through well-marked trails suitable for hiking and birdwatching. Guided tours are available for those seeking deeper insights into the park’s ecology, and educational signage along trails helps promote environmental awareness. While camping is not permitted within park boundaries, nearby accommodations in the surrounding municipalities offer comfortable bases for multi-day visits.

Despite its ecological richness, the park faces several conservation challenges. Encroaching agriculture, illegal logging, and poaching have historically threatened the park’s integrity. However, management efforts by Brazil’s federal conservation agency, ICMBio, have strengthened in recent years.

Initiatives include community education programs, stricter enforcement of park boundaries, and scientific partnerships to monitor wildlife and forest regeneration. These efforts have led to measurable improvements in habitat restoration and species protection, offering a hopeful model for the conservation of the Atlantic Forest biome.

Park Map

Saint-Hilaire Lange National Park Highlights

Wildlife

Saint-Hilaire/Lange National Park, located in the state of Paraná, Brazil, protects a pristine section of the Atlantic Forest stretching from coastal lowlands to mountainous highlands. This altitudinal diversity supports a rich assemblage of terrestrial mammals, many of which are rare, endemic, or threatened.

Puma (Mountain Lion)
This adaptable top predator roams the park’s forests and highlands in search of prey like deer and armadillos. Solitary and stealthy, the puma plays a vital role in regulating herbivore populations.

South American Coati
Easily recognized by its ringed tail and long snout, the coati is a diurnal forager that travels in noisy groups. It uses its strong claws to dig for insects, fruit, and small animals along the forest floor.

Southern Woolly Spider Monkey (Muriqui)
One of the world’s rarest primates, the muriqui is endemic to Brazil’s Atlantic Forest and known for its peaceful behavior. It travels in large social groups and depends on mature forest canopy for food and movement.

Azara’s Agouti
A shy, forest-dwelling rodent, the agouti is an essential seed disperser. It buries nuts and fruits for later consumption, helping regenerate the native tree species of the park.

Ocelot
This beautifully spotted feline is a skilled hunter of small mammals and birds. It is mostly nocturnal and relies on dense understory cover for stalking its prey.

Collared Peccary
Common in lower elevations of the park, this pig-like mammal travels in small groups and roots through the forest for fruit, roots, and insects. It is an important part of the food chain.

Crab-eating Fox
This small, omnivorous canid is most active at dusk and dawn, feeding on a mix of fruit, insects, and small animals. It is often spotted in more open forest edges or along trails.

Paca
A nocturnal rodent with a speckled coat, the paca favors areas near streams and undergrowth. It is quiet and elusive but plays a vital role in spreading seeds across the forest floor.

Nine-banded Armadillo
This armored mammal is a common resident of the forest, digging for insects and sheltering in burrows. It is usually solitary and active at night.

Tayra
A curious and nimble predator of the weasel family, the tayra is omnivorous and active during the day. It climbs trees easily and forages for fruit, eggs, and small animals.

Birds

The Atlantic Forest in Saint-Hilaire/Lange National Park offers refuge to an extraordinary variety of birdlife, including rare and endemic species adapted to both lowland rainforests and misty mountain forests.

Red-breasted Toucan
This striking toucan with a bright red chest and large colorful bill is a common canopy frugivore. It is often seen flying between fruiting trees and calling with sharp, croaking notes.

Saffron Toucanet
Golden-yellow with olive accents, this toucanet is a key seed disperser in the forest. It is often observed feeding in mixed flocks in mid- to upper-level vegetation.

White-necked Hawk
An elegant raptor with contrasting black wings and white body, this hawk soars silently over the forest canopy in search of small birds, reptiles, and amphibians.

Maroon-bellied Parakeet
This green parakeet with a reddish belly is commonly seen in noisy flocks. It forages on fruits, seeds, and blossoms in the mid-canopy of the Atlantic Forest.

Solitary Tinamou
A shy, ground-dwelling bird that forages for insects and fallen fruit. It is more often heard than seen, with a haunting, flutelike call that echoes through dense undergrowth.

Planalto Woodcreeper
This slender, brown bird clings to tree trunks as it searches for insects in the bark. Its curved bill and stiff tail help it climb vertically through the forest.

White-throated Hummingbird
A fast-moving pollinator with a bright white throat and iridescent green body, this hummingbird flits between forest flowers, playing a vital role in pollination.

Bare-throated Bellbird
Known for its metallic, bell-like call, the male has a stark white body and bare greenish throat. It is most often found perched high in the canopy during breeding season.

Green-headed Tanager
One of the most colorful birds in the Atlantic Forest, this tanager displays a mix of turquoise, green, and black plumage. It feeds on fruit and insects in the canopy.

Black-fronted Piping-Guan
A large, arboreal bird with glossy dark plumage and a white crest, it is endangered due to hunting and habitat loss. It feeds on fruit and is critical to forest seed dispersal.