Reintroducao do Tucano-de-bico-preto (Ramphastos vitellinus ariel Vigors, 1826) no Parque Nacional da Tijuca (Rio de Janeiro-RJ)e notas sobre sua distribuicao geografica. Bol. Mus. Biol. Mello Leitao (N.Ser.) 11/12:189-200. jun/2000Adelmar F. Coimbra FilhoDa Academia Brasileira de CienciasABSTRACT: Reintroduction of the channel-billed toucan (Ramphastos vitellinus ariel Vigors, 1826) in ihe Parque Nacional da Tijuca (Rio de janeiro, RJ) and notes about its geographical distribution. At the end of the 1960', the IBDF (today IBAMA) apprehended a great number of wild animais trom illegal merchants, and many specimens of several different species were retained by the federal organ. At that time the IBDF did not have the means to maintein them, a deficiency in management that affected the survival of those animais. Of the species confiscated, many were forms that belonged to the original fauna of the PNT region, which gave rise to the idea of using them in the ecologica! context of this park, as in the case of Ramphastos vitellinus ariel, the channel-billed toucan. Previous such attempts being unheard of, a biological revision of these birds became necessary, so that they might be reintroduced into the PNT through appropriate methodology, The project for the reintroduction of these toucans demanded a rigorous selection of the specimens, as well as prophylactic measures, so that they could be relocated in areas of the PNT that offered appropriate conditions for them. Aspects of the past and present geographical distribution of this subspecies of R. vitellinus are commented on, as well as the probable causes of the fragmentation of their primitive areas of occurrence, certainly provoked by the destruction of forests that has taken place in our historical time, a fact that has enormous biogeographical and ecological significance. We end by calling attention to the unquestionable success of this project that, thirty years after its inception, has managed to reintegrated to the region a missing element of the rich avifauna of Rio de Janeiro, which can still be enriched by further judicious reintroductions.Key Words: Atlantic rain forest, Parque Nacional da Tijuca, Ramphastos vitellinus ariel reintroduction.RESUMOGrandes apreensoes de animais selvagens foram realizadas no comercio ilegal pelo IBDF (hoje IBAMA) no final da decada de 1960, oca­siao em que foram confiscados pelo orgao federal exemplares de diversas espe­cies. Na epoca, o IBDF nao dispunha de meios para mante-los, deficiencia gerencial que afetou a sobrevivencia dos animais retidos. Das especies apreendidas, muitas pertenciam a fauna original da regiao do Parque Nacional da Tijuca (PNT), surgindo dai a ideia de recoloca-las no contexto eco­logico do parque, como neste caso da reintroducao de Ramphastos vitellinus ariel, o tucano-de-bico-preto. Desconhecendo-se iniciativas similares an­teriores, para que se pudesse aproveitar metodologia ja testada, tornou-se necessario rever a biologia dessa ave para, atraves de procedimentos adequados, reintroduzi-la no PNT. A reintroducao desse tucano exigiu rigorosa selecao dos exemplares, bem como de tratamentos profilaticos, para poderem ser translocados em trechos escolhidos do Parque com condicoes apropriadas as soltas. Abordam-se aspectos de distribuicao geografi­ca dessa ave no passado e na atualidade, e as provaveis causas da fragmentacao da sua area de ocorrencia primitiva, causada pela destruicao florestal ocor­rida em