The Trindade Island: an ecological sanctuary and open air laboratory of Brazil read more .............

When astronomer Edmund Halley British landed in 1700 with goats and sheep on the island of Trindade, he dedicated this island paradise of the South Atlantic to the devastation.

It took over 300 years for the Brazilian authorities decided to end these animals that were excessively reproduced on this small island located between Brazil and Africa. They ravaged the forest that covered, affecting rivers and reproduction of local species like green turtles.

A 1167 km coastline? S State of Espirito Santo (Southeast), today Trindade is uneven and rocky terrain covered with low vegetation.

But gradually, through the intervention of scientists, volunteers and the military, nature takes its course and the island is poised to regain its label of "biodiversity paradise."

The island, where it happens only by boat, is a strategic point of defense for Brazil. Witness a battle between English and Germans in 1914, during the First World War, it is under the control of the Brazilian Navy and hosts dozens of scientific expeditions. It is forbidden to tourists.

"The island can quickly become a military action support position", told AFP the captain of frigate Mauro Santos Medeiros, who until recently headed the Oceanographic Station Island (Poit), inaugurated in 1957.

Today, 30 military work there permanently and take turns every two to four months.

- Hunting goats and sheep -

Although the island had been discovered in 1501 by Portugal, Halley was the first to land there in 1700, five years before discovering the famous comet that bears his name.

On arrival Halley said the islands "British territory", triggering a diplomatic dispute that has been resolved at the end of the 19th century when Brazil -colonisé in 1500 by the Portuguese - declared its independence.

In 1994, scientists from the National Museum of Rio recommended to eliminate some 800 goats, 600 sheep and hundreds of feral pigs on the island. The solution was to hunt. The last goat was killed in 2005 and 10 years later, Trindade gives signs of recovery.

"During my first mission in 1994, the island was devastated. I think now plant cover is frank recovery. We checked the satellite images," says Ruy Valka Alves, professor of the National Museum of Botany who killed more than 20 missions in Trindade.

- Crabs, turtles and 'Camel' -

The scientific station Trindade works on the island since 2011 and has already received 500 researchers. There is also a weather station - the only country on an island - which contributes the weather forecast worldwide.

Trindade is a breeding ground for various marine birds begin to return with the gradual return of vegetation. It abounds with coral, fish and shellfish, including crab yellow endangered. It also has the second largest community of green turtles in the South Atlantic, sheltering some 3,600 nests each year.

During the last breeding season the population of turtles has increased with the birth of 134,000 specimens, according to data from the Tamar turtle conservation project that has worked for over 30 years in the island.

In this paradise, however, no one can walk alone and bathing are restricted to a few beaches.

The rains form the high seas, to a very great depth, a huge wave called "camel" who arrived at the coast sweeps everything in its path, like a tsunami.

Since the Brazilian army has settled on the island in 1957, more than a dozen people drowned by the wave traitor.