The Atlantic Forest has a new species of fruit tree The newly-discovered Eugenia guapiassuana was so named by the researchers in reference to the locality of Guapiaçu in the municipality of Cachoeiras de Macacu an employee of the Guapiaçu Ecological Reserve (REGUA) It is a large tree that is notable for its large in contrast to other species of the Eugenia genus one of the richest genera of Brazilian flora Due to its close relationship with Eugenia involucrata a native fruit tree popularly known as the Rio Grande cherry Eugenia guapiassuana has been given the popular name of guapiaçu cherry meaning that it loses its leaves completely at flowering time as it can be recognized from a distance by its showy pink crown Its fruits are bright red in color and have juicy orange flesh which is very aromatic and has a slightly acidic taste the species faces a critical risk of extinction due to its rarity and the degradation of its habitat mainly due to agricultural activities and urban sprawl The article in which the species is described was published in the Kew Bulletin an important scientific journal in the field of Botany and is the result of a collaboration between researchers from the Botanical Garden of Rio de Janeiro the Federal University of Ceará and Sítio E-Jardim The work received technical and logistical support from REGUA Access the original article. Metrics details Classical insect-flaviviruses (cISFVs) and dual host-related insect-specific flavivirus (dISFV) are within the major group of insect-specific flavivirus Remarkably dISFV are evolutionarily related to some of the pathogenic flavivirus The Evolutionary relatedness of dISFV to flavivirus allowed us to investigate the evolutionary principle of host adaptation dISFV can be used for the development of flavivirus vaccines and to explore underlying principles of mammalian pathogenicity Here we describe the genetic characterization of a novel putative dISFV Distinct strains of GUAPV were isolated from pools of Aedes terrens and Aedes scapularis mosquitoes we also detected viral GUAPV RNA in a plasma sample of an individual febrile from the Amazon region (North of Brazil) Although GUAPV did not replicate in tested mammalian cells 3′UTR secondary structures duplication and codon usage index were similar to pathogenic flavivirus further studies are needed to understand the evolutionary origin of pathogenic flavivirus and ISFV as well as the restriction of flavivirus replication in mammalian cells In the current manuscript we report the detection and phylogenetic assignment of a novel dISFV named Guapiaçu virus (GUAPV) captured in Guapiaçu municipality in northern São Paulo state (southeast Brazil) We also detected GUAPV in a human plasma sample from Macapá city (Amapá state in north Brazil) derived from an individual suffering from fever and fatigue one from Aedes terrens with a total of six mosquitoes and another with two specimens of Aedes scapularis were collected in Guapiaçu city on March 15th Both pools tested positive for flavivirus using polyclonal antibodies and negative using DENV and YFV monoclonal antibodies a positive RT-qPCR for flavivirus genus followed by a small NS5 gene analysis resulted in the identification of unknown flaviviruses in the sample obtained from a patient residing in Macapá city We further characterized these unknown flaviviruses using next-generation sequencing Guapiaçu virus IFA results on day 7 after inoculation 1A: C6/36 infected cells; 1B: Hela cells; 1C: RD cells; 1D: Vero cells Genomic organization of GUAPV. The number under the box indicates the nucleotide length of each peptide and the blue triangle indicates the position of potential N-glycosylation sites. Nucleotide pairwise identity of distinct flaviviruses Pairwise identity matrix was generated from complete genomes nucleotide sequences using p-distance model and 1000 bootstrap replication in MEGAX software version 10.0.5 NOUV (Nienokoue virus) and NANV (Nanay virus) Maximum likelihood phylogeny of the genus Flavivirus members Strain names and GenBank accession numbers are given after the names of the viruses The GUAPV sequences of this study are represented by arrows The genetic distance based on p-distance was computed within and between dISFs clades Highlighted in blue are classical insect-specific flaviviruses (cISFs) in green are mosquito-borne flavivirus (MBFV) and red are dual host-related insect-specific flavivirus (dISFV) The tree is rooted at the midpoint and approximate Likelihood-Ratio values are indicated in the nodes of the tree CAI analysis of flavivirus showing signs of codon usage adaptation towards the human host genome Boxplot for normalized CAI values obtained with polyprotein of dISFV (red box) MBFV (brown box) and cISFV (pink box) was generated using random six strains of each virus CAI value > 1 was considered as evidence of codon adaptation to human house-keeping genes In silico prediction of CFAV, MODV, TBEV, NHUV, WNV and GUAPV 3′UTR and conserved secondary structure. Secondary structures were generated in Mfold software using 3′UTR sequences of each representative strain and structural elements were identified based on previous studies (see “Methods”) 3′ end stem-loop structure (also named as Flavi_CRE) In silico predicted MBFV xrRNAs-like structures are referred as SL-II and SL-IV The structures were visualized in RNAplot software we report a novel Flavivirus named Guapiaçu virus (GUAPV) isolated from Aedes mosquitoes during YFV surveillance studies in Guapiaçu city GUAPV sequence was also identified in a human sample from the Amazon Region we detected in this study a GUAPV strain (AP481-2015) in a human plasma sample in Amapá state Although GUAPV failed in replicate in mammalian cells codon usage analysis suggested this virus has a codon bias preference to the human genetic code and pathogenic flavivirus are equally or nearly adapted for the human host Owing to the close relationship to mosquito-borne flaviviruses dISFV may require fewer adaptive steps to evolve from single to dual tropism than cISFV we have described a novel virus phylogenetically more similar to dISFV isolated from two different species of Aedes mosquitoes in southeastern Brazil GUAPV was also detected in a human sample and although this virus did not replicate in mammalian cells the 3′UTR structure duplication suggests the possibility of host switch This study contributes to a better understanding of the adaptive potential of ISFV to acquire a mechanism to infect different species and placed in liquid nitrogen containers for transportation to the laboratory where they were stored in a freezer at − 70 °C until processing Mosquitoes were identified morphologically separated into pools according to species and date and stored at − 70 °C until they were processed All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards Informed consent was obtained from the adult individual and from all parents or guardians of children participants involved in the study Ethics Committee approval was granted by Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (CAAE: 53153916.7.0000.0065) and Centro Universitário Luterano de Palmas—ULBRA (CAAE: 53153916.7.3007.5516) All experiments were performed following safety criteria for virus isolation in Bsl 2 equipment by trained people 5 μL from each sample of extracted RNA was used for the assay The samples negative for ZDC and positive for pan-flavivirus RT-qPCR were submitted for metagenomic NGS protocol in order to check cross-reaction within different hyperimmune polyclonal antibodies a second passage (C6/36) of GUAPV was inoculated into C6/36 cells as described above and IFA tests were performed using an in house anti-YF BeH-111 strain anti-SLEV Span-11916 strain and anti-DENV3 hyperimmune polyclonal antibodies All antibodies showed positive labeling with similar immunofluorescence signals under the immunofluorescence microscope although anti-SLEV showed the strongest signal (data not shown) 500 μl of each sample was homogenized in a 2 ml impact-resistant tube containing lysing matrix C (MP Biomedicals The homogenized sample was centrifuged at 12,000×g for 10 min and approximately 300 μl of the supernatant was then filtrated through a 0.45 μm filter (Merck Millipore 100 μl of cold PEG-it Virus Precipitation Solution (System Biosciences the mixture was centrifuged at 10,000×g for 30 min at 4 °C and the supernatant discarded The pellet rich in viral particles was treated with a mix of nuclease enzymes (TURBO DNase and RNase Cocktail Enzyme Mix-Thermo Fischer Scientific Germany; and RQ1 RNaseFree DNase and RNase A Solution-Promega Viral nucleic acids were then obtained using ZR & ZR-96 Viral DNA/RNA Kit (Zymo Research CA) according to the manufacturer’s protocol and cDNA synthesis was performed using SuperScript III (Thermo Fischer Scientific CA) and random decamer (Thermo Fischer Scientific The second strand of cDNA synthesis was obtained using DNA Polymerase I Large Fragment (Promega cDNA library analysis was performed using Nextera XT Sample Preparation Kit (Illumina The library was deep-sequenced using the HiSeq 2500 Sequencer (Illumina The resulting singlets and contigs were analyzed using BLASTx to search for similarity to viral proteins in GenBank’s Virus RefSeq the contigs were compared to the GenBank nonredundant nucleotide and protein database (BLASTn and BLASTx) The Sequences obtained with de novo assembly and identified in blast were then submitted mapping with the Geneious R9 Software (Biomatters Ltd L2 so that the generated sequence did not generate a biased or chimera sequence then a normalized CAI (nCAI) threshold was obtained by calculating rCAI/eCAI values A value above ‘1’ is considered as evidence of codon adaptation to the reference set of codon preferences The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request and vector/host coadaptations within the genus Flavivirus Historical perspectives on flavivirus research A review of flaviviruses that have no known arthropod vector Characterization of three new insect-specific flaviviruses: Their relationship to the mosquito-borne flavivirus pathogens Insect-specific viruses and their potential impact on arbovirus transmission Bolling, B. G., Weaver, S. C., Tesh, R. B. & Vasilakis, N. Insect-specific virus discovery: Significance for the arbovirus community. Viruses https://doi.org/10.3390/v7092851 (2015) extended by analysis of canonical and alternative coding sequences e0117849 Mosquito-specific and mosquito-borne viruses: Evolution Redefining the invertebrate RNA virosphere Evolutionary and phenotypic analysis of live virus isolates suggests arthropod origin of a pathogenic RNA virus family Complete genome sequences of two insect-specific flaviviruses a novel mosquito-borne flavivirus identified in Culex perexiguus mosquitoes Insect-specific flaviviruses: A systematic review of their discovery superinfection exclusion potential and genomic organization A new flavivirus and a new vector: Characterization of a novel flavivirus isolated from uranotaenia mosquitoes from a tropical rain forest Cunha, M. S. et al. Applying a pan-flavivirus RT-qPCR assay in Brazilian public health surveillance. Arch. Virol. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-020-04680-w (2020) Characterization of a novel flavivirus from mosquitoes in northern Europe that is related to mosquito-borne flaviviruses of the tropics Dating the origin of the genus Flavivirus in the light of Beringian biogeography Host influence in the genomic composition of flaviviruses: A multivariate approach The 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions of the flaviviral genome Subgenomic flaviviral RNAs: What do we know after the first decade of research noncoding RNA produced by flaviviruses is required for pathogenicity Infernal 1.1: 100-fold faster RNA homology searches LocARNA-P: Accurate boundary prediction and improved detection of structural RNAs A novel highly divergent strain of cell fusing agent virus (CFAV) in mosquitoes from the Brazilian Amazon region Detection of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of Hubei reo-like virus 7 by next-generation sequencing in Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes from Brazil Epizootics due to Yellow Fever Virus in São Paulo State Brazil: Viral dissemination to new areas (2016–2017) Spread of Chikungunya virus East/Central/South African Genotype in Northeast Brazil The insect virome: Opportunities and challenges Re-assessing the diversity of negative strand RNA viruses in insects Insect-specific flaviviruses from Culex mosquitoes in Colorado First isolation of Aedes flavivirus in the Western Hemisphere and evidence of vertical transmission in the mosquito Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) Detection of West Nile virus and insect-specific flavivirus RNA in Culex mosquitoes a novel flavivirus isolated from mosquitoes from the Pantanal A multigene analysis of the phylogenetic relationships among the flaviviruses (Family: Flaviviridae) and the evolution of vector transmission a unique alphavirus with host range restricted to insects by RNA replication Host range restriction of insect-specific flaviviruses occurs at several levels of the viral life cycle Unprecedented genomic diversity of RNA viruses in arthropods reveals the ancestry of negative-sense RNA viruses Öhlund, P., Lundén, H. & Blomström, A. L. Insect-specific virus evolution and potential effects on vector competence. Virus Genes https://doi.org/10.1007/s11262-018-01629-9 (2019) A viral mRNA motif at the 3′-untranslated region that confers translatability in a cell-specific manner RNA structure duplications and flavivirus host adaptation Functional RNA structures in the 3′ UTR of tick-borne insect-specific and no-known-vector flaviviruses Dengue virus RNA structure specialization facilitates host adaptation Musashi binding elements in Zika and related Flavivirus 3′ UTRs: A comparative study in silico CAIcal: A combined set of tools to assess codon usage adaptation Does adaptation to vertebrate codon usage relate to flavivirus emergence potential? Development of one-step quantitative reverse transcription PCR for the rapid detection of flaviviruses Mosquito cell cultures and specific monoclonal antibodies in surveillance for dengue viruses Genetic and serologic properties of zika virus associated with an epidemic An ensemble strategy that significantly improves de novo assembly of microbial genomes from metagenomic next-generation sequencing data Complex virome in a mesenteric lymph node from a Californian sea lion (Zalophus californianus) with Polyserositis and Steatitis BioEdit: A user-friendly biological sequence alignment editor and analysis program for Windows 95/98/NT New algorithms and methods to estimate maximum-likelihood phylogenies: Assessing the performance of PhyML 3.0 MEGA X: Molecular evolutionary genetics analysis across computing platforms The codon adaptation index—A measure of directional synonymous codon usage bias E-CAI: A novel server to estimate an expected value of Codon Adaptation Index (eCAI) Direct repeats in the 3′ untranslated regions of mosquito-borne flaviviruses: Possible implictions for virus transmission The 3′ untranslated regions of Kamiti River virus and cell fusing agent virus originated by self-duplication The 3′ untranslated region of tick-borne flaviviruses originated by the duplication of long repeat sequences within the open reading frame 5′- and 3′-noncoding regions in flavivirus RNA Molecular archaeology of Flaviviridae untranslated regions: Duplicated RNA structures in the replication enhancer of flaviviruses and pestiviruses emerged via convergent evolution Mfold web server for nucleic acid folding and hybridization prediction Darty, K., Denise, A. & Ponty, Y. VARNA: Interactive drawing and editing of the RNA secondary structure. Bioinformatics https://doi.org/10.1093/bioinformatics/btp250 (2009) Freiburg RNA tools: A web server integrating INTARNA EXPARNA and LOCARNA Download references This work was supported by the Brazilian Ministry of Health FAPESP (2018/14389) and a Medical Research Council and CADDE partnership award (MR/S0195) (http:/caddecentre.org) FAPESP #2016/01735-2 and CNPq #400354/2016-0 Antonio Charlys da Costa is funded by FAPESP #2017/00021-9 Vanessa S Morais is funded by FAPESP #2019/21706-5 and Élcio Leal is supported by CNPq # 302677/2019-4 Garçon from Núcleo de Culturas Celulares and Adriano Abbud for providing cell cultures used in the experiment We also thank Pró-reitoria de pesquisa e pós-graduação of UFPA for supporting the publication costs These authors contributed equally: Geovani de Oliveira Ribeiro Antonio Charlys da Costa and Danielle Elise Gill These authors jointly supervised this work: Eric Delwart Ester Cerdeira Sabino & Mariana Sequetin Cunha Public Health Laboratory of Amapa-LACEN/AP Health Surveillance Superintendence of Amapa Leandro Guaraglia D’Agostino & Mariana Sequetin Cunha Centre for Drug Design Discovery and Development (C4D) Superintendence for Control of Endemic Diseases (SUCEN) Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto (FAMERP) identified and prepared mosquitoes samples; A.C.C conducted the Sanger sequencing assays; A.C.C performed the deep-sequencing assays; E.L. performed phylogenetic analysis and prepared figures wrote the manuscript; All authors critically revised the manuscript for intellectual content and approved the final version The authors declare no competing interests Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations Download citation DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-83879-6 Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: a shareable link is not currently available for this article Sign up for the Nature Briefing: Translational Research newsletter — top stories in biotechnology The Atlantic Forest in Brazil is one of the world’s most threatened biodiversity hotspots Originally spanning over 500,000 square miles less than 10 percent of the forest remains Rainforest Trust has been supporting Brazilian partner Reserva Ecologica de Guapiaçu (REGUA) for over a decade to purchase and protect this severely threatened rainforest By strategically purchasing rainforest acres in Brazil’s Guapiaçu Valley which is about 40 miles from the metropolis of Rio de Janeiro REGUA has created a secure 22,466-acre reserve that provides critical protection for many of the Atlantic Forest’s most threatened species as development pressures from Rio expand into the valley the integrity of the local ecosystem faces mounting challenges Rainforest Trust is helping REGUA purchase seven strategically-placed parcels that combine for 349 acres and establish a protected corridor linking properties previously acquired by REGUA agriculture and deforestation all threaten the fragmented remaining Atlantic Forest Fueled by development projects related to the World Cup and the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro land prices in the Guapiaçu Valley have increased significantly Proposed development projects threaten to further fragment forests in the valley Rainforest Trust will work together with REGUA to purchase 352 acres to provide much needed protection for its endemic and endangered species These purchases are part of a larger strategic plan to expand the reserve throughout the entire Guapiaçu Valley and reconnect forest fragments Thank you for signing up for news and information alerts from Rainforest Trust Our board members and other supporters cover our operating costs so you can give knowing your whole gift will protect rainforests and general and administrative costs through a combination of investment earnings and unrestricted contributions from our closest supporters 100% of your donation is allocated to conservation projects green water reflecting the backdrop of forest-clad mountains Nicholas Locke told of the time when this flourishing wetland was once a barren pasture after being drained much of Brazil’s Atlantic Forest has suffered a similar fate this wetland has been transformed thanks to Locke’s relentless restoration efforts to rewild one of Brazil’s most important biomes caimans can be seen peering through clusters of reeds while great egrets nest in waterside canopies “The birds came back,” Locke told Mongabay while walking in the area The wetland is part of 12,000 hectares (29,652 acres) of primary and restored Atlantic Forest in the state of Rio de Janeiro, protected by Locke’s nonprofit Guapiaçu Ecological Reserve (Regua) the area now supports 487 types of birds and hundreds of tree species after 750,000 trees were replanted in the last two decades Many of Brazil’s urban areas now lay on top of what once was the Atlantic Forest Despite its depletion, the Atlantic Forest remains an area of high endemism and is a global conservation priority region “It’s a biodiversity hotspot,” Thiago Belote “It’s also important for people — several sectors of the Brazilian economy depend on the ecosystem services produced there.” The most important steps to protect the Atlantic Forest are to slash greenhouse emissions and cease primary forest deforestation “The first priority is that we should be protecting what’s already there,” Karen Holl professor of environmental studies at the University of California But restoration is a solution to help rebuild what’s already been lost and encourage natural regeneration “Restoration in the Atlantic Forest is fundamental because it’s already been degraded even more so than the Amazon,” Ricardo Rodrigues an ecologist at the University of São Paulo Since 2009, communities and NGOs have united to restore 15 million hectares (37 million acres) of native Atlantic Forest in a coalition known as the Trinational Atlantic Forest Pact, recognized by the United Nations in December as one of 10 World Restoration Flagship Initiatives More than 300 signatory organizations support the Pact created Regua when they decided to transform their farm back to its original forested state They aim to preserve this once fragmented area while raising awareness of the importance of conservation through ecotourism in their reserve and local community education “The fruit of this restoration is the tapir reintroduction program,” Locke said Their reserve supports the reintroduction of the largest land mammal in South America previously extinct in Rio de Janeiro for 100 years with plans to increase the population to 50 The region is also within the Guapiaçu watershed, one of the most important river basins in northern Rio, ensuring clean water for 2.5 million people who are vulnerable to unstable water security connects existing forest fragments and contributes to water security for the watershed’s downstream population.” Regua has so far purchased 110 surrounding properties that no longer have any agricultural potential “There is a consensus that the best way to protect land is through purchasing,” Locke said “We have received enormous support from around the world in our endeavors to secure these properties to protect forests and biodiversity.” Experts say that a long-term commitment is important to the success of restoration projects and purchasing land is one way of achieving this this project [Regua] looks good because they’re making sure there is secure ownership,” Holl said wandered through rows of seedlings planted tightly together in pots and tucked into soil-filled tubes before the seedlings are replanted in land designated for restoration “There are 120 native species here at the moment,” she told Mongabay “Almost all the seeds are gathered from the nearby mature forests.” Up to 90% are collected from the forests in the surrounding mountains The rest are brought in by state-owned nurseries It costs on average between $5,000 and $6,000 per hectare for restoration “The downside is that a project of this magnitude takes years and requires extensive support to establish,” Raquel Locke said costs go down and ecoservice payments along with tourism keep it going.” For restoration efforts to be successful, they must provide value to local communities, experts say. More than 70% of Brazilians live in an Atlantic Forest region and depend on the biome’s environmental services to maintain air quality and supply energy and water Regua works with local schools to provide weekly environmental education activities to emphasize the importance of conserving their forests and protecting the water supply They also welcome local and global universities as well as visiting researchers to go there to help study the species of the Guapiaçu watershed “This helps involve the community and better understand the wildlife in the region,” Locke said Data from research collective MapBiomas shows forest cover has remained stable between 1985 and 2020 after years of high deforestation the apparent stability hides the loss of mature forests versus the regeneration of young forests the loss of primary vegetation was 10 million hectares (24.7 million acres) whereas the area of secondary vegetation gained 9 million hectares (22.2 million acres) Complementing conservation of the primary forests with restoration efforts is fundamental, experts say. With 80% of the Atlantic Forest in private hands play a huge role in the future of the forest In the garden just outside the Regua visitor center is the belvedere Locke looked out across the bustling canopies and the Serra do Mar mountains “We want to raise awareness of why this forest is precious,” he added as a chorus of birds whooped and whistled in the background Banner image: A lowland tapir with its calf. Guapiaçu Ecological Reserve reintroduced the lowland tapir to Rio de Janeiro for the first time in 100 years. Image by Nick Athanas via Flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) FEEDBACK: Use this form to send a message to the author of this post Natural regeneration and women-led initiatives help drive Atlantic Forest Pact The “fortress conservation” model is under pressure in East Africa, as protected areas become battlegrounds over history, human rights, and global efforts to halt biodiversity loss. Mongabay’s Special Issue goes beyond the region’s world-renowned safaris to examine how rural communities and governments are reckoning with conservation’s colonial origins, and trying to forge a path forward […] Southern Muriqui (EN), Crowned Solitary Eagle (EN) The Atlantic Rainforest is one of the world’s most threatened biodiversity hotspots. Originally spanning over 500,000 square miles across Brazil, less than 10% of the forest remains. Yet, the Atlantic Forest harbors a similar number of species to the Amazon. Rainforest Trust’s Brazilian partner REGUA is leading efforts to protect this severely threatened rainforest. The Endangered Crowned Solitary Eagle, by Ksenia Ragozina The landscape of REGUA Reserve, courtesy of REGUA REGUA Reserve safeguards essential habitat for 60 mammal species, including Pumas, Ocelots, Jaguarundis, Three-toed Sloths, Vulnerable South American Tapir and South America’s largest and rarest primate, the Endangered Southern Wooly Spider Monkey. REGUA supports 466 bird species, of which 118 are endemic to the Atlantic Rainforest. Eleven bird species are listed as Endangered or Vulnerable including the Crowned Eagle and Brown-backed Parrotlet. Urbanization, agriculture, timber and mining industries, poaching and small scale deforestation all threaten the fragmented remaining Atlantic Rainforest. This has added additional pressure in the valley with the construction of vacation homes by Rio de Janeiro’s wealthier residents. Proposed development projects threaten to further fragment forests in the Guapiaçu Valley unless quick action is taken. REGUA Reserve is set within a scarcely populated watershed made up of farming communities with the dominant agricultural activities of lowland crops such as corn, yams, cassava and okra, whilst banana plantations are still found on hillsides. The Atlantic Rainforest is one of the world’s most threatened biodiversity hotspots. Originally spanning over 500,000 square miles across Brazil, less than 10% of the forest remains. Our partners’ ability to work with their governments and build strong connections with local communities ensures the successful implementation of our projects. Thank you for signing up for news and information alerts from Rainforest Trust! Our board members and other supporters cover our operating costs, so you can give knowing your whole gift will protect rainforests. Rainforest Trust covers its fundraising, and general and administrative costs through a combination of investment earnings and unrestricted contributions from our closest supporters. As a result, unless you direct us otherwise, 100% of your donation is allocated to conservation projects. Cobb-Vantress is investing $15 million in increasing its farm and hatchery production in Brazil The project includes expanding and remodeling the Cobb great grandparent and grandparent farms in Brazil to increase production capacity by 23 percent and hatchery capacity by 10 percent “This investment in expanding and improving our facilities will also enhance the welfare of our birds which is one of our core policies,” said Idir Savoldi production manager at Cobb-Vantress Brasil “With the latest advances in technology and automated controls we can look forward to continuing increases in performance on the farm and at the hatchery.” At the company’s two great grandparent farms in Paulo de Faria (São Paulo) and Itapagipe (Minas Gerais) the housing capacity has been expanded to allow for introduction of the Male MX line to meet demands  The associated hatcheries have been expanded with additional rooms to allow hatching dates and quantities to be more flexible The project includes fitting the latest environment controls providing quicker and more precise adjustments to ensure bird comfort and installing minimum ventilation and CO2 control devices “This advanced automation will help improve production and hatching rates,” added Idir Savoldi The grandparent farms in Itapagipe (Minas Gerais) Palestina (São Paulo) and Água Clara (MatoGrosso do Sol) have also undergone major renovation The production capacity at the Itapagipe farm has been doubled to allow for an increase of two million breeders per year more than1,200M2 of floor space has been added and the entire hatching facilities have been replaced by Petersime machinery The environment control system has also been replaced bringing this facility in line with the other Cobb hatcheries operating state-of-the-art technology and equipment has its headquarters outside Guapiaçu in the state of São Paulo The Atlantic Rainforest in Brazil is one of the world’s most threatened biodiversity hotspots REGUA has created a secure 22,466-acre reserve that provides critical protection for many of the Atlantic Rainforest’s most threatened species such as the Endangered Southern Woolly Spider Monkey Rainforest Trust is helping REGUA purchase a strategically-placed 1,764-acre parcel to expand the reserve to 24,230 acres This titled parcel contains Endangered Southern Woolly Spider Monkeys and establishes a protected corridor linking properties previously acquired by REGUA Courtesy of Eduardo Menezes via Shutterstock Bare throated Bellbird (Procnias nudicollis) safeguards essential habitat for 60 mammal species Three-toed Sloths and South America’s largest and rarest primate the Endangered Southern Woolly Spider Monkey There are fewer than 1,500 of these threatened primates left in the wild and the species is expected to have an additional population decline in the coming years if its habitat continues to be fragmented which is currently extirpated in the State of Rio de Janeiro will be reintroduced in the reserve before the end of the year The South American Tapir is one of the largest mammals on the continent and is known for its importance in seed dispersal 118 of which are endemic to the Atlantic Rainforest Twelve bird species are listed as Endangered or Vulnerable Endangered Black-fronted Piping-guans will be reintroduced to the reserve in the near future The reserve also supports 204 dragonfly and damselfly species 37 reptile species (30 percent of which are endemic) and over 100 species of orchids agriculture and deforestation all threaten the fragmented remaining Atlantic Rainforest Rainforest Trust’s partner REGUA recognizes that it can only succeed in protecting Atlantic Rainforest through collaboration with local communities With an active education and community outreach program as well as workshop offerings for university students REGUA has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to involving local citizens in their conservation work All of REGUA’s nine forest guards come from the local villages Some of REGUA’s best guards are former hunters and are excellent trackers; these guards play an instrumental role in successfully deterring poachers from the REGUA Reserve Rainforest Trust will work together with REGUA to purchase 1,992 acres to expand the REGUA reserve and provide much needed protection for its endemic and endangered species This parcel contains a population of Endangered Southern Woolly Spider Monkeys and will be suitable habitat for the reintroduced South American Tapirs and Black-fronted Piping-guans This purchase is part of a larger strategic plan to expand the reserve throughout the entire Guapiaçu Valley and reconnect forest fragments Our partners’ ability to work with their governments and build strong connections with local communities ensures the successful implementation of our projects