Perobas Biological Reserve, Biological reserve in Tuneiras do Oeste and Cianorte, Brazil

Perobas Biological Reserve is a protected area containing remnants of Atlantic Forest and native peroba trees that grow very tall. The reserve spans a large expanse of land with diverse forest habitats and varied vegetation throughout.

The area was established by the Brazilian Federal Government in 2006 to protect remaining forests in southern Brazil. This decision came after years of research to preserve an important part of the region's natural environment for the future.

The name comes from peroba trees, which are deeply rooted in the local environment and represent an important part of the region's natural world. Visitors walking through the forest can see these tall trees and understand why they became the identity of this place.

Perobas is a strict nature reserve (IUCN category Ia), so public visiting, trails and guided tours are not offered; the forest is closed to general entry. It lies in the municipalities of Tuneiras do Oeste and Cianorte, in the Ivaí River basin, where soils are sandy and fragile. Access is controlled by the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation, which manages the reserve.

Biologist Maurício Savi, who coordinated the task force mapping protected areas in Paraná and Santa Catarina, said the reserve holds the largest concentration of fauna he had seen in Brazil. He also warned that this density makes hunting easy: many hunter trails have been found, with tracks of peccaries, deer, pumas and tapirs in a small area.