there is plenty of flora and fauna for nature enthusiasts to spot, including the maria farinha, a type of albino crab (caranguejo) special to the area. the island is rich of epiphytes - mainly  bromeliads and orchids, as well as a variety of protected species. 

furthermore, marambaia is of particular historical and archeological significance as it contains 'sambaquis' (shell-mounds) - ancient deposits formed by shells, kitchenware, utensils, and skeletons piled up by the populations which inhabited the coastal area in prehistoric times and then petrified by a natural calcification process.

ancient indian burial sites have attracted much interest in the area because many of the dead were buried with their belongings. many scientific expeditions and projects take place on the island, in particular joint ventures between the brazilian navy (comando geral do corpo de fuzileiros navais) and the federal ruarl university of rio de janeiro (universidade federal rural do rio de janeiro).