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| Herpetological Society of Brazil | |
|---|---|
| Name | Herpetological Society of Brazil |
| Native name | Sociedade Herpetológica do Brasil |
| Formation | 1970s |
| Type | Non-governmental organization |
| Headquarters | São Paulo |
| Region served | Brazil |
| Language | Portuguese |
| Leader title | President |
Herpetological Society of Brazil The Herpetological Society of Brazil is a national scientific association dedicated to the study, conservation, and dissemination of knowledge about amphibians and reptiles in Brazil. Founded by researchers and conservationists, the Society connects field biologists, museum curators, university faculty, and policy advocates across institutions such as the Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo, Fundação Zoobotânica do Rio Grande do Sul, and Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia. Its activities intersect with regional programs in the Amazon, Cerrado, Atlantic Forest, Caatinga, Pantanal, and Mata Atlântica, bringing together specialists associated with universities and museums including Universidade de São Paulo, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Universidade Federal do Pará, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Museu Nacional, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, and Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro.
The Society emerged from meetings of field herpetologists, museum directors, and professors linked to institutions such as Universidade Estadual Paulista, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo, and Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi. Early contributors included curators and researchers from Museu Nacional, Instituto Butantan, Fiocruz, and Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, alongside conservationists from Fundação Biodiversidade. The organization’s development paralleled regional efforts by entities like Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Reserva Ducke, Reserva Biológica do Tinguá, Parque Nacional da Tijuca, and Parque Nacional do Iguaçu and engaged with international partners including the IUCN, Conservation International, BirdLife International, World Wide Fund for Nature, and The Nature Conservancy.
The Society’s mission emphasizes the study and preservation of amphibian and reptile diversity across Brazilian ecoregions, coordinating research aligned with agendas from Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, CAPES, CNPq, and the Programa Conservação da Biodiversidade. Objectives include supporting taxonomic revisions associated with Museu Nacional and Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi collections, promoting conservation actions in areas such as Chapada dos Guimarães, Serra do Mar, Serra da Canastra, and supporting red-listing processes coordinated with IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group and IUCN SSC Snake Specialist Group.
Membership comprises academic researchers from Universidade de São Paulo, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Universidade Federal do Paraná, and international associates from institutions like the Smithsonian Institution, American Museum of Natural History, Natural History Museum (London), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, and Zoological Society of London. Governance features an elected board including representatives from Museu Nacional, Instituto Butantan, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, and Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, with committees focusing on taxonomy, conservation, education, and legislative engagement with agencies such as ICMBio and Ministério do Meio Ambiente.
Research priorities include systematics, phylogenetics, ecology, biogeography, and disease ecology, integrating methodologies used by researchers at institutions like Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, and Laboratório de Herpetologia da Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo. Conservation initiatives address chytridiomycosis monitoring in Piauí and Amazonas, habitat protection in Pantanal and Cerrado, and restoration projects in Atlantic Forest fragments of Serra do Mar and Mata Atlântica, often coordinated with NGOs such as SOS Mata Atlântica, Instituto Socioambiental, and Fundação Biodiversidade. The Society contributes to environmental impact assessments for infrastructure projects like BR-319 and hydroelectric proposals affecting areas such as Rio Xingu, Rio Tapajós, and Rio Tocantins.
The Society publishes peer-reviewed journals and bulletins that disseminate taxonomic descriptions, distributional records, and conservation assessments, drawing on specimen data from Museu Nacional, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo, and collections at Instituto Butantan. Communications include newsletters distributed to members at universities and museums including Universidade Federal do Pará, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, and outreach via partnerships with media outlets and science communicators affiliated with Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rede Globo educational programs, and science sections in Folha de S.Paulo and O Estado de S. Paulo.
Annual symposia, workshops, and field courses are held in collaboration with universities and conservation units such as Reserva Ducke, Parque Nacional da Serra dos Órgãos, Parque Nacional da Chapada Diamantina, and Reserva Natural do Novo Aripuanã. Training programs target graduate students and curators from Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, and technicians from Instituto Butantan and Fiocruz. Public education initiatives coordinate with botanical gardens, zoos like Jardim Zoológico do Rio de Janeiro, and environmental education centers operated by municipal and state secretariats.
Collaborative networks include academic partnerships with Universidade de Oxford, Harvard University, Yale University, University of California, Berkeley, University of Florida, and international museums such as the Field Museum, Royal Ontario Museum, and Naturalis Biodiversity Center. Conservation partnerships extend to IUCN, Conservation International, The Nature Conservancy, WWF, BirdLife International, SOS Mata Atlântica, Instituto Socioambiental, and regional secretariats of environment across states including Amazonas, Pará, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo. The Society engages with funding and policy bodies such as CNPq, CAPES, Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo, and municipal science foundations to support long-term monitoring, captive breeding, translocation, and habitat restoration projects.
Category:Scientific organizations based in Brazil