Abrolhos Marine

Abrolhos Marine National Park is a marine protected area located off the southern coast of the state of Bahia in Brazil, encompassing approximately 91,300 hectares of the Atlantic Ocean approximately 70 kilometers from the mainland. Established in 1983, the park protects the most significant coral reef ecosystem in the South Atlantic Ocean and one of the richest marine biodiversity areas in Brazil. The name Abrolhos derives from the Portuguese nautical warning "abre os olhos," meaning "open your eyes," a caution to sailors navigating the hazardous reefs. The park encompasses five small islands, extensive coral formations, and surrounding oceanic waters. The Abrolhos reefs support unique coral formations called chapeirões, large pillar-like structures found nowhere else on Earth, which develop from the interaction of specific coral species with the local oceanographic conditions. The area is recognized as an internationally important site for humpback whale breeding.