Brazil's most mysterious oceanic island recovers part of its forest after eliminating goats

Excerpt from oglobo.globo.com Photo credit: Élcio Braga via OGlobo.Globo.com

The Brazilian island that holds the most mysteries per square kilometer is becoming greener. For centuries, Trindade — 1,180 kilometers off the coast of Espírito Santo — began to be devastated by a herd of hungry goats, transforming it almost into a desert bathed by the South Atlantic. A study conducted by researchers from the National Museum, with support from the Navy, shows that this scenario has been changing over the last 30 years. A forest is resurging — and, even better, with native species. The green area increased by 1,468%, equivalent to 65 hectares. Meanwhile, the undergrowth expanded by 325 hectares, an increase of 319%.