Cagarras Islands and Surrounding Waters Hope Spot

Off the coast of Rio de Janeiro lie the Cagarras Islands, a rugged, uninhabited archipelago.

The Islands were designated as a Brazil federal natural monument in 2010, and make up the first no-take marine protected area (MPA) in Rio de Janeiro, Cagarras Islands Natural Monument (MONA Cagarras).

Zoom in and out on the map to get a closer look at the Hope Spot!

The Cagarras Islands have served as a sparkling example of ecosystem resistance – while located in a heavily populated metropolitan area, these islands remain a beacon of hope for biodiversity, harboring several endemic species and serving as nursery and feeding grounds for many others.

Photo: Sea turtle (c) Athila  Bertoncini 

The current MPA no-take zone encompasses 10m around each of the six Cagarras islands and islets. However, Dr. Aline Aguiar and Caio Salles, the Hope Spot Champions, and their partners are calling for increased protection to shield the local wildlife from pollution and extractive activities.

Photo: (c) F. Moraes

The Cagarras Islands and Surrounding Waters have been declared a Hope Spot in support of the Champions’ goals to heighten public awareness of the magnificent marine ecosystem and to build upon marine conservation practices to reduce pollution and ensure the integrity of the area’s natural processes and environmental balance.

Dr. Aline Aguiar, Founder of  Mar Adentro Institute  and Hope Spot Champion, says, “Rio de Janeiro is a political, business, and travel centerpiece in South America. The city brings together policymakers and passionate people who already love the natural wildlife here who can compel the public to make a difference through actions like improved ecotourism and cleanup projects."

Photo: (c) Athila Bertoncini

Pieced together within the Hope Spot is a mosaic of municipal protected areas that are enforced with various mismatched regulations that continue to allow fishing and other extractive activities.

The Praia Vermelha Cove (c) Caio Salles

Caio Salles, researcher and Coordinator of Verde Mar Project and Hope Spot Champion explains, “These types of protected areas are very difficult to enforce and meaningfully protect the marine ecosystems here." 

The Inhabitants of the Cagarras Islands

MONA Cagarras is home to one of the largest nesting grounds of the South Atlantic for frigatebirds and brown boobies. There are an estimated 5,000 and 2,500 individuals left in the reproductive colony. 

Photo: Brown booby and chick nest (c) F. Moraes

Six cetaceans species inhabit the islands’ surrounding waters in different periods of the year, including Bryde’s whales, humpback whales, and bottlenose dolphins. Humpback whales also use the area as a corridor when they migrate from Antarctica’s cold waters to Northeast Brazil.

Photo: (c) Liliane Lodi

The area also serves as a feeding ground for green and hawksbill sea turtles. Octopuses and lobsters call the MPA and surrounding waters home as well as French angelfish and butterflyfish.

(c) F. Moraes

The Path to Greater Protection

Unfortunately, the Cagarras Islands and surrounding waters continue to face threats from humans. Like in many blue pockets of the planet, plastic pollution washes up on the islands’ rocky shores. The Rio de Janeiro waterfront faces heavy ship traffic and hosts substantial industrial and artisanal fishing grounds that threaten the remaining populations of sensitive marine species – not to mention humans, too. Just 1km away from Palmas Island is the Ipanema Submarine Sewage Outfall which dumps raw sewage right into the water, severely depleting the water quality.

(c) F Moraes

The current MPA no-take zone encompasses 10m around each of the six Cagarras islands and islets. With a municipal Marine Sanctuary Project for the implementation of a new no-take zone within the Praia Vermelha Cove, life within Rio de Janeiro’s waters has a promising future.

The city of Rio de Janeiro with a view of the Cagarras Islands in the distance (c) F. Moraes

Eduardo Cavaliere, Environment Secretary of Brazil expresses his support. “The Hope Spot recognition is an essential representation of how vital local and international actors are for developing a sustainable future for Rio. Ecotourism and science in the Cagarras will benefit from this recognition and inspire hope in Rio and Brazil.”

Dr. Aguiar elaborates, “The Hope Spot and its treasures are within reach of everyone, not only scientists. The Cagarras Islands are close to shore, and many people already enjoy snorkeling, SCUBA diving and boat tours to admire the wildlife.”

(c) Athila Bertoncini

She continues, “We hope that we can inspire more people to work to protect the natural environment and understand the importance of conservation and the sustainable use of resources.”

Photo: (c) Athila Bertoncini

The Hope Spot partners include the Cagarras Islands Natural Monument Consultative Council,  Morros da Urca and Pão de Açúcar Natural Monument Council  National Museum of Rio de Janeiro Federal University  Associação Brasileira de Combate ao Lixo no Mar  WWF Brasil  Associação IEP , and  JPG . These organizations support the Hope Spot Champions and their work to invest in a healthy future for Brazil's natural ecosystems.


 Mar Adentro Institute  is a non-profit organization, founded in 2005. The institutional mission is to promote, participate and stimulate actions to generate and improve knowledge about aquatic ecosystems, aiming to ensure the integrity of natural processes, environmental balance, and benefits for today’s citizens and future generations. Several initiatives have been conducted towards sustainability, including  Ilhas do Rio Project  since 2011.O

An important aspect of the Ilhas do Rio Projects work is outreach and education and they have recently launched a children's cartoon as part of their environmental education series.

MARULHADA Episode 01 (English) - Swell - The Best Place

The Verde Mar Project promotes environmental conservation, emphasizing marine and coastal environments, sensitizing people through communication and education, developing scientific research, carrying out events and direct actions. The project literally dives against marine litter and brings to the surface more than only collected debris. It also exposes information that can help to understand the origin of this material. Therefore, Verde Mar collaborates with creating public policies to face the causes of the problem, acting locally to contribute globally.

You can read the Cagarras Islands and Surrounding Waters Hope Spot Ocean Story  on the Mission Blue website! 

(c) F Moraes

The Praia Vermelha Cove (c) Caio Salles

(c) F Moraes

The city of Rio de Janeiro with a view of the Cagarras Islands in the distance (c) F. Moraes

(c) F Moraes