Pedra do Elefante Natural Monument
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| Pedra do Elefante Natural Monument | |
|---|---|
| Monumento Natural da Pedra do Elefante | |
 Pedra do Elefante | |
  | |
| Nearest city | Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro |
| Coordinates | 22°19′58″S 43°04′41″W / 22.332846°S 43.078035°W |
| Area | 530 hectares (1,300 acres) |
| Designation | Natural monument |
| Created | May 2010 |
| Administrator | Secretaria de Meio Ambiente e Desenvolvimento Sustentável |
The Pedra do Elefante Natural Monument (Portuguese: Monumento Natural da Pedra do Elefante) is a municipal Natural monument in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The Pedra do Elefante Natural Monument is in the municipality of Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro. It has an area of about 530 hectares (1,300 acres).[1] The monument is an imposing granite mountain in the Serra de Petrópolis. It is in the Posse district of the Taquaril Bairro.[2] It is located on the Taquaril road.[1]
The rock, also known as Jacuba Menor, rises to an elevation of 1,380 metres (4,530 ft). The rock face is about 500 metres (1,600 ft) high, and has thousands of boulders at its base. It provides challenging routes for climbers, who may reach the base via well maintained trails from the Abrigo do Elefante site at Kilometer 2 on the Taquaril road. Hazards include loose stones, hawks, swallows, snakes, racoons and, according to legend, an ocelot.[3] The site in 2013 was suffering from deforestation and use of pesticides by local landowners.[4]
