‍ ‍Searching for the Elusive Tamarin of the Atlantic Forest: Superagüi

‍Some wildlife trips are defined by success. Others are defined by the search itself.

My recent journey to Brazil's remote Superagüi National Park was firmly in the second category. The goal was clear from the beginning: to find one of the rarest primates on Earth, the critically endangered Superagüi tamarin, also known as the black-faced lion tamarin (Leontopithecus caissara). A species found only in a tiny corner of Brazil's Atlantic Forest, with a population believed to number only a few hundred individuals. [en.wikipedia.org], [native-nature.org]

The adventure began in São Paulo where I spent the first night after a nearly 40-hour flight from Bangkok to Istanbul to Sao Paulo.  I was beat.  Luckily my guide and friend Eduardo met me at the airport and was able to take me to my lodging.  Note of caution – The Airport Ibis and the Airport Budget Ibis are two very different places!  We found this out the hard way.  Anyway I was able to get a few hours of sleep prior to our expedition to one of the most beautiful places in Brazil.

Leaving behind one of the world's largest cities, Eduardo whom I travelled with three years prior on my massive Primate Safari of 2023.  We drove south along 4-lane highways before following smaller roads through the lush coastal mountains of Paraná and eventually reaching dirt tracks to the end of the road.  I recall the drive being about 7 hours.

The scenery became increasingly wild as the urban sprawl faded away. Eventually I reached the tiny port of Ariri, a sleepy settlement near the border of São Paulo and Paraná states. Ariri feels like the end of the road, and in many ways it is. Beyond lies a labyrinth of waterways, mangroves, forests and islands that form part of the immense Lagamar estuarine complex.

From Ariri, I boarded a boat bound for Pousada e Camping do Márcio Recanto Ararapira. The journey across the waterways was spectacular. Mangrove-lined channels twisted through an almost untouched wilderness, with forested hills rising beyond the water. It was immediately obvious why this region is one of the most important conservation areas in southern Brazil.

Before we even began searching for the tamarin, there was another wildlife mission. Upon arrival in Ariri, I was met by my local Indigenous guide Márcio. Together we all three set off into the vast waterways searching for Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis). These attractive estuarine dolphins inhabit coastal waters and river mouths along the Atlantic coast of South America and are particularly associated with mangrove systems and sheltered bays. They are smaller than bottlenose dolphins, with a distinctive long beak and typically travel in small groups. [en.wikipedia.org]

The search proved far more difficult than expected. Kilometer after kilometer slipped by as we explored channels, bays and estuaries without success. The dolphins seemed determined to remain hidden. Eventually, after covering a considerable distance, the first dorsal fin broke the surface. Soon more appeared. Watching them surface gracefully amid the mangroves was a magical experience and a wonderful introduction to this remarkable landscape.  Happy that I had my second target already nailed, I had a sense of confidence and was making plans for other activities that may be possible after we nailed the tamarins in short order…Boy was I naïve.

Márcio's pousada was exactly the sort of place I love. Simple, comfortable and welcoming, it felt deeply connected to the landscape around it. Rather than luxury, it offered authenticity. Surrounded by rainforest and water, it served as the perfect base for exploring one of Brazil's least-visited national parks. Meals were hearty, the atmosphere relaxed, and evenings were filled with the sounds of frogs, insects and distant birds.

Superagüi National Park itself is an extraordinary protected area. Covering islands, estuaries, beaches, mangroves and extensive tracts of Atlantic Forest, it is part of a UNESCO-recognized conservation region and protects one of the best preserved coastal ecosystems in Brazil. The park is famous for its deserted beaches, vast mangrove forests and exceptional biodiversity. Endangered wildlife includes the Superagüi Tamarin and many species of avifauna, and countless reptiles and mammals thrive in its forests and wetlands. [en.wikipedia.org], [en.wikivoyage.org], [internatio...lparks.org]

Humans have lived here for thousands of years. Long before Europeans arrived, the region was occupied by the Carijós and Tupiniquins peoples. One of the most fascinating reminders of their presence are the ancient shell middens, enormous accumulations of shells and other materials left behind by coastal communities over countless generations. These archaeological sites remain important evidence of the deep human history of the Superagüi region. [en.wikipedia.org], [en.wikivoyage.org]

And then came the reason I had travelled all this way.

The Black-faced Lion Tamarin is arguably one of the world's most difficult primates to observe. Discovered only in 1990, it occurs in a tiny range along the coast of Paraná and southern São Paulo. It inhabits lowland Atlantic Forest and restinga forest (a distinct type of coastal tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf ecosystem found primarily in eastern and northeastern Brazil) near sea level, living in small family groups and feeding on fruits, insects, spiders, nectar and other forest foods. Its beautiful golden-orange fur contrasts sharply with a black face, limbs and tail, making it one of the most striking of all the lion tamarins. Sadly, habitat loss and its incredibly restricted range have left it highly threatened. [en.wikipedia.org], [animalia.bio]

The next three days were devoted entirely to finding this remarkable primate.

Every day, Márcio led us through the gorgeous Atlantic rainforest surrounding his home. His knowledge of the forest was astonishing. Every trail, creek crossing, fruiting tree and wildlife sign seemed familiar to him. Day one was hard work from dawn until dusk. We covered extensive ground through beautiful forest but found no tamarins.

Day two was much the same. More hiking, more searching, more listening. We encountered plenty of other wildlife and absorbed the incredible atmosphere of the Atlantic Forest, yet the tamarins remained elusive.

Then came day three. At last, Márcio located them!

Unfortunately, we were exploring a different trail when the news came through. By the time we hurried back, the opportunity had passed. I heard their vocalizations clearly and perhaps even caught some movement high in the vegetation, but I never achieved what mammal watchers would call a true sighting.  It was a crushing moment.

When you travel halfway around the world for a single species, missing it is undeniably disappointing. The Superagüi Tamarin had been my only real target, and knowing that the animals were there, so close yet unseen, made the miss particularly painful. But that disappointment eventually gave way to perspective.

One of my core wildlife-travel philosophies is not to become too attached to the target species. Of course targets matter. They are the reason we make the journey. Yet if a successful sighting becomes the only measure of a trip, we risk missing everything else that made the experience worthwhile. The search, the effort, the places visited, the people met, and the unexpected wildlife seen often become the most valuable memories.  And Superagüi provided plenty of those.

The birdlife alone was phenomenal. More than 70 species were recorded during the trip. One particular highlight was finally seeing Scarlet Ibis in their natural habitat. That was a far more satisfying experience than the lone individual that appeared in Samut Prakan last year, which was almost certainly an escapee. Here, surrounded by mangroves and wild estuaries, seeing these brilliant crimson birds felt exactly as nature intended.

Even without the tamarin, the trip was filled with rewards. The forests were magnificent. The waterways were beautiful. The dolphins were memorable. The hospitality from Eduardo and Márcio was unforgettable.  In the end, I dipped on the Superagüi tamarin.  It was a gallant try, but not a successful one.

Given the remoteness of the region and the rarity of the species, I suspect I may never have another opportunity to search for it. If that proves true, I will have to be content with having seen three of the four Atlantic Forest lion tamarin species. And honestly, that's okay.

Because Superagüi is the kind of place that reminds you why we travel for wildlife in the first place. The scenery, the forests, the people and the sense of adventure are worth the journey on their own. Finding the tamarin would have been the perfect ending. Not finding it simply means the story remains unfinished but will a wonderful story for sure.

‍ ‍What I heard but did not see! Photo by Jon Hall (Link to Jon’s Report Here)

Some Avifauna at Superagüi National Park

Flora, Scenery and History of Superagüi National Park

Bird Species List

White-necked Hawk Amadonastur lacernulatus

Robust Woodpecker Campephilus robustus

Brazilian Tanager Ramphocelus bresilia

Ruby-crowned Tanager Tachyphonus coronatus

White-banded Mockingbird Mimus triurus

Green-headed Tanager Tangara seledon

Palm Tanager Thraupis palmarum

Sayaca Tanager Thraupis sayaca

Grayish Baywing Agelaioides badius

Bananaquit Coereba flaveola

Azure Jay Cyanocorax caeruleus

Red-tailed Parrot Amazona brasiliensis

Brown-backed Parrotlet Touit melanonotu

Scaled Antbird Drymophila squamata

Squamate Antbird Myrmoderus squamosus

Greenish Schiffornis Schiffornis virescens

Swallow-tailed Manakin Chiroxiphia caudata

Scarlet Ibis Eudocimus ruber

Vermilion Flycatcher Pyrocephalus rubinus

Crested Caracara Caracara plancus

Sepia-capped Flycatcher Leptopogon amaurocephalus

Long-billed Wren Cantorchilus longirostris

Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus

Social Flycatcher Myiozetetes similis

Neotropic Cormorant Nannopterum brasilianum

Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea

Great Egret Ardea alba

Cocoi Heron Adea cocoi

Snowy Egret Egretta thula

American Oystercatcher Haematopus palliatus

Unicolored Blackbird Agelasticus atroolivaceus

Golden-crowned Warbler Basileuterus culicivorus

Masked Yellowthroat Geothlypis aequinoctialis

Neotropical River Warbler Myiothlypis rivularis

Rufous-collared Sparrow Zonotrichia capensis

Rufous-bellied Thrush Turdus rufiventris

Creamy-bellied Thrush Turdus amaurochalinus

Pale-breasted Thrush Turdus leucomelas

White-bearded Manakin Manacus manacus

Saffron Finch Sicalis flaveola

Ochre-collared Piculet Picumnus temminckii

Blackish Rail Pardirallus nigricans

Gray-necked Wood-Rail Aramides cajaneus

White-shouldered Fire-eye Pyriglena leucoptera

Roadside Hawk Rupornis magnirostris

Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax

Masked Water-Tyrant Fluvicola nengeta

Southern House Wren Troglodytes musculus

Southern Lapwing Vanellus chilensis

Yellow-headed Caracara Milvago chimachima

Bare-throated Bellbird Procnias nudicollis

Green-winged Saltator Saltator similis

Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus

Variable Antshrike Thamnophilus caerulescens

Red-crowned Ant-Tanager Habia rubica

Ochre-faced Tody-Flycatcher Poecilotriccus plumbeiceps

Dusky-legged Guan Penelope obscura

Tropical Parula Setophaga pitiayumi

Southern Rufous-winged Antwren Herpsilochmus rufimarginatus

Plain Antvireo Dysithamnus mentalis