Water Buffalo on the Island of Marajó

Introduction:

Marajó Island in Brazil has two types of buffalo: domestic water buffalo and wild water buffalo. The domestic water buffalo is a type of buffalo that has been raised by humans for thousands of years. It's used for its milk, meat and as a farm animal. It was brought to Marajo Island by European settlers a long time ago.

The wild water buffalo is a bigger and more aggressive type of buffalo that's usually found in Asia. But in the 1970s, some of these buffalo were brought to Marajo Island to make a new population for hunting and for conservation reasons. Unfortunately, they have now spread too much and are harming the environment, so they're called an invasive species. This comes at a trade-off because the buffalo help the local economy, but because they are an invasive species, they threaten the populations of other plants and animals on the island.

Water buffalo provide jobs and food for many people on the island. Their milk is used to make cheese and sweetened condensed milk. The grocery stores in Soure typically only sell buffalo meat. 

What does this creature or plant look like?:

On Marajo Island, there are two kinds of buffalo: domestic water buffalo and wild water buffalo. The domestic buffalo are big and have a thick, dark coat that protects them from the sun and bugs.

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