in fact, in the reserve, there are sandbanks that are occasionally covered by the high tides and  develop significant salinity levels. restingas represent a harsh environment where only few creatures, that are especially adapted to this changing environment, can survive.

many protected wildlife species live among the mangrove roots or the sandbanks, including endangered varieties of birds, butterflies, lizards, geckos and even caimans -a smaller cousin of the alligator.