Tubarao

The Alcatrazes Archipelago appears in historical accounts since the colonization of Brazil as a landmark and support point for navigation, and from 1915 onward it began to be studied by scientists. The archipelago holds the largest frigatebird nesting colony in the South Atlantic and is a feeding, breeding and resting area for more than 10,000 seabirds.

The Refuge protects 259 fish species, among them the hammerhead shark and the angel shark. Reef fish surround divers during visits to the Refuge, and turtles and marine invertebrates are also among its attractions. In the region, the green turtle (Chelonia mydas) and the hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) can be observed, as well as fish that swim at the surface, such as the ocean sunfish (Mola mola) and the hammerhead shark (Sphyrna lewini). In March 2024, divers spotted a school of more than 40 hammerhead sharks at Alcatrazes.

In the region, the best weather and sea conditions for boating and scuba diving tend to occur from November to May. Dolphins usually accompany the boats on the way to the archipelago, and whales are seen most often from June to September. Several dolphin species can be seen throughout the year, while pelagic seabirds such as albatrosses and petrels tend to be more common in autumn and winter.