Ilha Grande National Park

Did You Know?

• The park was created by decree without number issued by the Presidency of the Republic.
• The park is open free to the public for tours every day of the week.
• Boat rides on the Paraná River pass through various localities of Ilha Grande.

Characterization area

The park covers 78875 ha and includes all islands and islets of the Itaipu reservoir from the Piquiri river mouth to the mouths of the Amambai and Ivaí rivers on the Paraná River. Major islands are Grande, Peruzzi, Peacock, and Bandeirantes. Wetlands, flood plains, lake and lagoon waters, and the Seawall Macaws are also part of the area. River water intended for navigation is excluded. The park borders nine municipalities: Guaíra, Altônia, São Jorge do Patrocínio, Alto Paraíso, and Icaraíma in Paraná; and Mundo Novo, Eldorado, Itaquirai, and Naviraí in Mato Grosso do Sul. Archaeological sites once inhabited by Guarani Indians and Xetás are protected within the park.

Wildlife and vegetation

The park lies in a transition zone between cerrado, typical of the Pantanal, and seasonal forest. Terrestrial fauna includes the marsh deer (Blastocelus dichotomus), the yellow caiman (Caiman Latorostris), the jaguar (Panthera onca), the tapir (Tapirus terestris), and the giant anteater (Myrmecophata trydoctyla). Aquatic species recorded are painted (Pseudoplatystoma corruscans), jaú (Paulicea luetkeni), armed (Pterodoras granular), gold (Salminus maxillosus), and pacu (piractus mesopotamicus). Avifauna includes the jabiru (Jabiru mycteria), jaó (Cryptrellus undulatus), curassow (Crax fasciolata), American spoonbill (Platalea ajaja), and jacana (Jacana jacana). Fishing regulations were published on 2 October 2008 for conservation areas and buffer zones in the Paraná River basin. The Santa Maria Ecological Corridor connects Iguaçu National Park with protected margins of Lake Itaipu, which link to Ilha Grande National Park. The park is part of the proposed Trinational Biodiversity Corridor in the Upper Paraná ecoregion.