[3] Aiuaba Ecological Station is classed as IUCN protected area category Ia (strict nature reserve)[citation needed].

[2] The eared dove (Zenaida auriculata), which is threatened by professional hunters, seeks refuge in the unit during the breeding season.

There had been no manager since December 2012, which was causing irreparable damage to the region's wildlife and savannah biome.

Hunters were on a spree, killing birds and wild animals, as well as felling centuries-old native trees.

The unit and its surroundings were threatened by local people who hunt and remove trees, although an environmental awareness program may be having some effect in reducing these activities.