Photo by Cristina Mittermeier mitty | The Pantanal swamplands of Brazil are one of the most colorful, vibrant, and exciting ecosystems on the planet. Home to jaguars, macaws, and caimans, it is also where the fabled South American cowboys, or pantaneiros, have lived for generations. The cattle herds that roam the Pantanal are well adapted to the seasonally flooded landscape, and the marriage between wildlife and people is a beautiful thing to behold. Follow me mitty for more images and stories from Brazil, one of my favorite places in the world.