[2] The reserve covers parts of the municipalities of Porto Seguro and Prado in the state of Bahia.

[4] The park contains and takes its name from Monte Pascoal, the first land seen by the Portuguese explorer Pedro Álvares Cabral.

It has the objectives of preserving natural ecosystems of great ecological relevance and scenic beauty, enabling scientific research, environmental education, outdoors recreation and eco-tourism.

[3] Protected birds in the reserve include red-browed amazon (Amazona rhodocorytha), white-necked hawk (Buteogallus lacernulatus), ringed woodpecker (Celeus torquatus), black-headed berryeater (Carpornis melanocephala), red-billed curassow (Crax blumenbachii), banded cotinga (Cotinga maculata), band-tailed antwren (Myrmotherula urosticta) and the ochre-marked parakeet (Pyrrhura cruentata).

[1] Other protected species include the jaguar (Panthera onca), cougar (Puma concolor), giant armadillo (Priodontes maximus), the fish Mimagoniates sylvicola and the ant Dinoponera lucida.