TOCANTINS, BRAZIL — Federal authorities ordered the removal of over 100,000 cattle from protected Indigenous territory on Bananal Island in northern Brazil within the past year. Wranglers drove the cattle off the island when river levels were low to comply with these orders.

The authorities stated that the land is reserved for Indigenous peoples and conservation. They asserted that cattle herds kept on the island by outside ranchers were illegal and contributed to habitat degradation. Brazilian law prohibits commercial activity on Indigenous lands and allows cattle raising only for subsistence purposes.

For decades, parts of the island were leased for cattle ranching through an informal system. Under this system, ranchers paid village leaders approximately 15 reais ($3) per head monthly, which was less than the 60 reais ($12) paid outside the island. When over 100,000 head of cattle were on the island, monthly revenue from leasing could reach 1.5 million reais ($290,000).

These leasing payments went to Indigenous chiefs, who distributed a portion of the funds to local associations. Cleiton Javae, chief of Txuiri village, said, "Cattle, over the years, have covered many of our community's expenses." The removal of cattle has since created economic problems for Indigenous residents who relied on revenue from these leasing arrangements.

Leandro Milhomem, chief of IBAMA's Tocantins office, stated that some Indigenous chiefs had resources while children in the same community died of malnutrition. Indigenous residents reported that wranglers fenced off parts of the island and restricted access to communal farming areas. "The situation became unsustainable, and removing the cattle was the only alternative." Javae said.

In March, environmental authorities seized 550 head of cattle and issued 21 citations on the island. One citation referenced a wrangler who stated an Indigenous chief instructed him to falsely claim the herd was Indigenous-owned to avoid sanctions. According to Brazil's environmental agency, cattle ranching on the island has caused soil acidification. Investigations found that blazes on the island often started near grazing areas.

The Brazilian government designated the region as a protected area in the 1950s. The island is located between the Javae and Araguaia rivers at the junction of Tocantins, Mato Grosso, and Para states. The Javae, Karaja, and Ava-Canoeiro Indigenous groups live on the island, which is the world's largest river island.