Brazil's tropical swamp cowboys

In the Brazilian wetlands, herding cattle requires years of experience and an intimate connection with nature

A cowboy in the Pantanal wetlands of Brazil.
(Image credit: The Associated Press)
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(Image credit: (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)As stunning as it is, the terrain makes for a difficult pass for ranchers trying to get their cattle to market. With few roads and mud that rises from ankle to waist, t)

(Image credit: AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

(AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)In the Brazilian wetlands, herding cattle is still a vibrant and lucrative way to make a living — one requiring years of experience and an intimate understanding of the peculiarities of the wetlands. Most grazable pastures, for example, are underwater, so cattle must be transported across great stretches of deep, murky waters to find food. And though the rainy season can obstruct passage, the blistering heat of the dry season can be even worse for the animals.Market runs can take up to several months, depending on the weather and time of year. In May, Associated Press photographer Eraldo Peres followed a group of six professional cowboys, capturing just one grueling day of their three-week journey guiding 520 oxen through the overflowing Taquari River.

(Image credit: (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres))

(Image credit: AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

(AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)The men rose hours before the sun came up to rouse the herd from their slumber. They traveled 11 miles from sunrise to 3 p.m. in 90 degree heat, dressed in thick leather chaps over long clothes to protect them from the mud and brush they slogged through.At the end of the day, they secured their charges, built camp, and cooled themselves with iced mate, a traditional South American caffeine drink. As evening closed in, they grilled meat over an open flame.The cowboys are paid reasonably for the region. The average hand can earn about $18 a day and the pack leaders can earn as much as $285 a day. Many will do it for life.Take a peek into the lives of Brazil's masterful wetlands cowboys:

(Image credit: The Associated Press)

(AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

(Image credit: The Associated Press)

(AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

(Image credit: The Associated Press)

(AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

(Image credit: The Associated Press)

(AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

(Image credit: (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres))

(Image credit: (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres))

(Image credit: (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres))

(Image credit: (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres))

Kelly Gonsalves
Kelly Gonsalves

Kelly Gonsalves is a sex and culture writer exploring love, lust, identity, and feminism. Her work has appeared at Bustle, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, and more, and she previously worked as an associate editor for The Week. She's obsessed with badass ladies doing badass things, wellness movements, and very bad rom-coms.

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