at a glance

the brazilian emperor, dom pedro ii, also known as 'the magnanimous', received a special welcome when he returned from a journey abroad to find the word 'hail' residing on top of the mountain.

much of sugar loaf mountain is bare, revealing the rugged granite surface, but there are sporadic patches of green vegetation, remnants of the atlantic forest, which contains a huge diversity of rare plant species and animals.  

there are also a number of species that hail from other regions of the continent, including the mico-estrela, in english translated to 'marmoset' and referring to a species of monkey that has a silky coat and long tail - armadillos, bats, and possums also form part of the native mammal population that surround the forested region around pão de açúcar.

the urca-sugar loaf region contains a significant variety of green vegetation with a number of endemic and / or rare species - including various species native to the area that have been reintroduced after being rescued from traffickers.