About
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Ilha do Maraj≤
Archaeologists have discovered that the island was home to several Indian tribe over 3,000 years ago. Pottery and other artefacts found on the island are similar to those made by several Andean peoples – leading researchers to believe that the island may have been colonised by people who travelled all the way downriver from the Andes. Today, the island is most famous for its buffalo. Buffalo aren’t a native animal – they escaped from a French ship which struck rocks and sank close to the coast several hundred years ago. The ship was transporting the buffalo Southeast Asia to French colonies in French Guiana. Following their accidental introduction, the buffalo successfully colonised Ilha do Maraj≤ and adapted to life on the island They spend most of their time standing in pools of water – submerged up to their necks, trying to escape the heat. The buffalo have even adapted to diving underwater to grab mouthfuls of grass when the fields flood during the wet season. The swamps and marshes on the island are also home to many snakes, but buffalo have extremely tough skin so needn’t worry about snake bites. Visitors generally don’t have to worry about snakes either, since snakes usually stay away from areas with people. There are many birds, such as white herons and pink ibises (flamingos) which can be seen gathered in marshy areas.
Life on Ilha do Maraj≤ is slow and relaxed. The towns are small and have a very rural feel. Even in the biggest town, Soure, there are buffalo wandering free through the streets. Almost all the island’s roads are unpaved, and become difficult during the wet season when they turn into mud. The people on the island but they are very quiet and reserved. They don’t seem to talk very much, and having a conversation with them is sometimes difficult. However, the people are friendly and helpful. Most are farmers or fishermen (maybe "fisher-persons" is a better description), plus there are a few storekeepers and hotel workers. The farms and cattle ranches are called fazendas, and are sometimes open for people to visit and stay. |
The Amazon Adventure is supported by:
Ilha do Maraj≤ is an island in
Amazon river, located at its mouth near BelΘm. The
island is very big – it is about 50,000 square
kilometres, and is bigger than the European nation of
Switzerland. The eastern side of the island is mostly low
fields and marshes, while the western half is primarily
forest and mangrove swamps.
The
easiest way to travel to the island is on a riverboat
from BelΘm, which takes about three hours. Because the
Amazon river is very wide, it feels more like travelling
on the ocean. Some of the waves get very big, causing the
small riverboat to roll in the ocean-like swells. It is
scary at first, but you soon get used to it. On reaching
the island, passengers are transferred onto a bus and
driven to the biggest town on the island, Soure
(pronounced "Sorry").