What Refauna does

Refauna is a Brazilian non-profit civil society organization (OSCIP, CNPJ 44.052.791/0001-79) founded in 2010 and headquartered in Rio de Janeiro. It promotes the translocation and reintroduction of vertebrate animal populations to reverse the "syndrome of empty forests" (defaunation) in Atlantic Forest (Mata Atlântica) remnants, restoring lost ecological interactions such as seed dispersal, herbivory, and nutrient cycling. The organization runs four core reintroduction projects: tapirs (Tapirus terrestris) at the REGUA Ecological Reserve (since 2017), and howler monkeys (Alouatta guariba, since 2015), yellow-footed tortoises (Chelonoidis denticulatus, since 2018), and red-rumped agoutis (Dasyprocta leporina, since 2009) at Tijuca National Park.

Operationally, Refauna combines field ecology methods — radio telemetry tracking, camera-trap monitoring networks, and seed-dispersal assessment protocols — to locate reintroduced individuals, confirm births, and quantify ecological outcomes. It coordinates the "Rede Refauna," a national network connecting 80+ conservation units (RPPNs, PARNAs, FLONAs, REBIOs, etc.), 100+ animal source facilities (zoos, breeders, CETAS), and 40+ academic/research agents, with scientific work led through partner laboratories at UFRJ (LECP), UFRRJ (LECF), and IFRJ (LEMAS). Documented outcomes include the first wild-born tapir calf in Rio de Janeiro state in roughly 100 years (2020) and howler-monkey interactions with 60+ plant species and 20+ dung beetle species.

As a non-profit, Refauna does not sell products; its funding derives from voluntary donations (PayPal, PIX, bank transfer) and monthly/annual associate membership plans that provide quarterly newsletters, assembly participation, and branded merchandise. Its go-to-market is community-led, relying on volunteer programs, a blog, social media, and a transparency portal (publishing DRE 2023 financial statements). It serves conservation-minded individual donors and volunteers, academic and research institutions, and protected-area managers. Governance is provided by an elected Consultative Council and Fiscal Council (2023–2025 term), with Marcelo Rheingantz among the central coordinating figures.

Name

Refauna

Legal name

Refauna

Website

https://refauna.org.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Refauna is a Brazilian non-profit that reintroduces vertebrate animals into Atlantic Forest remnants to restore lost ecological interactions, serving conservation donors, volunteers, academic research institutions, and protected-area managers through a national network of reserves, animal sources, and universities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation Services

akta.pro primary industry

Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation (BPAGAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB), Ecological Restoration Planning & Monitoring (Habitat, Wetland, Stream) (EUAHAHAF)

Keywords

• Wildlife reintroduction
• Conservation nonprofit
• Forest restoration
• Vertebrate translocation
• Ecological monitoring

Headquarters

HQ city

Rio De Janeiro

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations: Refauna accepts donations via PayPal and PIX (key: 44.052.791/0001-79) and bank transfer (Banco Itaú, Ag: 0842, Conta Corrente: 99854-4). These are the primary funding mechanisms for the nonprofit's reintroduction projects.
2. Membership/Associate Plans: Individuals can become associates through monthly or annual subscription plans, gaining access to quarterly newsletters, assemblies, and branded merchandise compatible with each tier.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Refauna is a nonprofit civil society organization based in Brazil that promotes the translocation of animal populations to restore ecological interactions in defaunated Atlantic Forest remnants. The organization's core work consists of species-specific reintroduction programs at two flagship sites — Reserva Ecológica de Guapiaçu (REGUA) and Parque Nacional da Tijuca — focused on re-establishing key vertebrate species including the lowland tapir (anta), howler monkey (bugio), red agouti (cutia-vermelha), and yellow-footed tortoise (jabuti-tinga), with long-term post-release ecological monitoring.

Product overview

Refauna is a Brazilian civil society organization (OSCIP) dedicated to restoring ecological interactions in defaunated Atlantic Forest remnants through the reintroduction of vertebrate animals. The organization operates through four main wildlife reintroduction projects: tapir (Tapirus terrestris) reintroduction at REGUA Ecological Reserve, howler monkey (Alouatta guariba) reintroduction at Tijuca National Park, yellow-footed tortoise (Chelonoidis denticulatus) reintroduction at Tijuca National Park, and red agouti (Dasyprocta leporina) reintroduction at Tijuca National Park. Refauna maintains a conservation network (Rede Refauna) connecting conservation agents (laboratories, universities, organizations), animal source institutions (zoos, breeding facilities, CETAS), and conservation units across Brazil. The organization also engages the public through volunteering programs (punctual field activities and long-duration programs) and accepts donations via PayPal and PIX.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tapir (Anta) Reintroduction Program at REGUA Reintroduction of lowland tapirs (Tapirus terrestris) into the Atlantic Forest at the Reserva Ecológica de Guapiaçu (REGUA) to restore large-seed dispersal functions in defaunated areas. The program is intended for conservation practitioners and ecological-restoration audiences and is supported by long-term post-release monitoring.
• Howler Monkey (Bugio) Reintroduction Program at Tijuca National Park Reintroduction of howler monkeys (Alouatta) at Parque Nacional da Tijuca to re-establish primate populations and the seed-dispersal functions they provide. Aimed at restoring the Atlantic Forest's vertebrate community within a heavily visited urban protected area.
• Red Agouti (Cutia-vermelha) Reintroduction Program at Tijuca National Park Reintroduction of the red agouti (Dasyprocta leporina) at Parque Nacional da Tijuca to restore a critical seed-disperser role in the Atlantic Forest ecosystem.
• Yellow-footed Tortoise (Jabuti-tinga) Reintroduction Program at Tijuca National Park Reintroduction of yellow-footed tortoises (Chelonoidis denticulata) at Parque Nacional da Tijuca as part of efforts to re-establish long-lived vertebrate populations in the Atlantic Forest.
• Rede Refauna (Refauna Network) National network connecting animal source areas, conservation units, and accredited agents to plan, authorize, and execute vertebrate translocation initiatives across Brazil's Atlantic Forest biome. Targeted at conservation practitioners, researchers, and protected-area managers.
• Programa de Associados (Associate Program) Membership program that invites individuals to support Refauna's mission through recurring financial contributions and provides associate benefits to individuals interested in funding Atlantic Forest reintroduction work.
• Programa de Voluntários (Volunteer Program) Volunteer engagement program that mobilizes individuals to support field activities, monitoring, and outreach for Refauna's reintroduction projects in the Atlantic Forest.

Quantifiable outcome

• First wild-born tapir calf in Rio de Janeiro in approximately 100 years — documented by camera traps at REGUA (2020)
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• JaboominorGTM or Marketing PartnerJaboo is listed as a supporter (apoiador) on the Refauna website, providing marketing and communication support to the organization.
• IFRJ (Instituto Federal do Rio de Janeiro)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFRJ's Laboratory of Ecology and Wildlife Management (LEMAS) coordinates the tapir reintroduction project at REGUA. Researchers from IFRJ are embedded in the project's scientific team.
• UFRJ (Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUFRJ's Laboratory of Ecology and Conservation of Populations (LECP) coordinates howler monkey, giant tortoise, and agouti reintroduction projects at Tijuca National Park. Academic researchers from UFRJ lead ecological monitoring.
• UFRRJ (Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUFRRJ's Laboratory of Ecology and Conservation of Forests (LECF) co-coordinates howler monkey reintroduction studies including seed dispersal and spatial ecology research.
• REGUA (Reserva Ecológica de Guapiaçu)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerREGUA is the primary site for the tapir reintroduction project. The reserve, located in Cachoeiras de Macacu, RJ, hosts 8 reintroduced tapirs and provides ecological monitoring infrastructure.
• 80+ Conservation Units (RPPNs, PARNAs, FLONAs, REBIOs, etc.)coreOthersRefauna's network includes over 80 protected areas across Brazil — including Tijuca National Park, Atlantic Forest conservation units, and private reserves — serving as release sites and ecological corridors for reintroduced fauna.
• 100+ Animal Source Facilities (Zoos, Breeders, CETAS)coreOthersRefauna's network of animal sources includes over 100 zoos, wildlife breeders, and CETAS (animal triage centers) across Brazilian states, providing the animals needed for reintroduction programs.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• WWF-Brasil: Brazilian arm of the WWF network, operating conservation and habitat restoration projects across the Mata Atlântica and other Brazilian biomes. Larger, broader conservation portfolio with overlapping geography and stakeholder base.
• Wildlife Conservation Society: Global wildlife conservation organization running species recovery and reintroduction programs across multiple continents. Overlapping mission in vertebrate species recovery; much larger budget and policy footprint.
• Fauna & Flora International: Global wildlife conservation NGO with active species reintroduction and translocation programs in 40+ countries, including Brazil. A broader incumbent with much larger budget, overlapping mission around vertebrate conservation and ecological restoration.

Others

• IUCN SSC Small Mammal Specialist Group / Tapir Specialist Group: IUCN specialist groups focused on tapirs and small mammals - taxa directly targeted by Refauna's reintroduction programs. Comparable in being scientific networks that support conservation protocols, population viability analyses, and recovery planning for the same species.
• IUCN SSC Reintroduction Specialist Group: IUCN Species Survival Commission specialist group that develops global guidelines for species reintroduction and translocation. Comparable in being the central reference network for the reintroduction methodology Refauna applies; provides protocol standards and peer review.

Direct peers

• SAVE Brasil: Brazilian bird conservation NGO (BirdLife International affiliate) that runs species translocation, habitat restoration, and protected-area projects across multiple Brazilian biomes. Comparable operating model of donor-funded field conservation with academic and government partnerships.
• Rewilding Europe: European rewilding nonprofit that reintroduces keystone species (European bison, lynx, horses, cattle) to restore ecosystem processes. Closely comparable rewilding methodology and donor-funded nonprofit structure, though operating in a different geography.
• Instituto Espaço Silvestre: Brazilian wildlife conservation NGO focused on endangered species recovery in southern Brazil, including translocation and reintroduction programs. Closely aligned mission (vertebrate species recovery) and Brazilian nonprofit structure.
• Associação Mico-Leão-Dourado: Brazilian nonprofit dedicated to the conservation and translocation of the golden lion tamarin in the Atlantic Forest. Highly comparable model: species reintroduction/translocation, Mata Atlântica focus, partnerships with academic institutions, and donor-funded conservation.
• Rewilding Argentina: South American nonprofit implementing rewilding through translocation of keystone species (macaws, giant otters, peccaries) across Argentine biomes. Directly comparable mission and methodology - restoring ecological function via vertebrate reintroduction.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/projeto_refauna
• Facebookfacebook.com/refauna
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/refauna

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Refauna