In a world where monkeys and marmosets face a daily game of Frogger just to find lunch, one Brazilian biologist is swinging into action — literally. Meet Fernanda Abra, the innovative conservationist crafting aerial highways for tree-dwelling animals to dodge deadly traffic below. Her secret weapon? Canopy bridges that let primates trade perilous pavement crossings for a safer stroll above the fray.
The inspiration struck Abra years ago when she spotted a Groves’ titi monkey — a species teetering on the brink —huddled perilously close to a road. “It was totally exposed to road mortality,” she recalls. That moment sparked a mission to protect Brazil’s wildlife, which loses an estimated 475 million vertebrates yearly to vehicle collisions. Partnering with the Waimiri-Atroari Indigenous people, whose deep knowledge of Amazonian ecology proved invaluable, Abra launched the Reconecta Project. Together, they’ve strung over 30 leafy lifelines across the BR-174 highway, a 3,300-kilometer asphalt ribbon slicing through the Amazon.
A monkey crosses the canopy bridge with his fruit. Photo courtesy of Reconecta
These arborean overpasses aren’t just rope-and-wood whimsy. Each bridge is a high-tech marvel, equipped with cameras to spy on furry commuters. The footage reveals which species — like the wide-eyed Groves’ titi or the nimble Guiana spider monkey — are frequent fliers, and which critters need more convincing. “Every time I see the video of the monkey using my canopy bridge, it’s wonderful because we are avoiding the situation of road mortality,” Abra said. The data helps tweak designs, turning shaky skeptics into regular crossers.
Every time I see the video of the monkey using my canopy bridge, it’s wonderful because we are avoiding the situation of road mortality,” Abra said.
But the bridges do more than prevent splat-on-asphalt tragedies. By reconnecting forest fragments, they’re essentially wildlife dating apps. “Connecting the population, we can make it stronger and allow it to grow,” Abra said. For lonely marmosets or isolated spider monkeys, that means more mates, more mangoes, and a fighting chance against extinction.
Monkeys make use of the rope canopy bridge. Photo courtesy of Reconecta
Abra’s work couldn’t be timelier. Brazil’s infrastructure boom, including a $200 billion plan for new highways, threatens to further fracture habitats. Yet her team isn’t just building bridges — they’re slapping speed bumps on roads and posting critter-crossing signs to remind drivers they’re sharing the asphalt. The project’s success has even caught global attention, mirroring efforts like California’s mountain lion-friendly freeway overpass.
Now, Reconecta is branching out. In Alta Floresta, Abra is rallying government agencies, nonprofits, and universities to weave more green threads across Brazil’s roadscape. “What amazes me about Brazil is the richness that we have, the wonderful biodiversity we have here,” she said, adding with resolve, “I will do everything that I can as a person, as a professional, as a conservationist and researcher to protect this rich biodiversity.”
Sources: CNN | My Positive Outlooks
