Pantanal children
This is a pantaneiro with his son. Family life in Pantanal is not easy. Some of the Fazendas have schools, but if there is not a school on the Fazenda, then children of school age have to go to the nearest town and live away from their parents, with relations, or the family is split up, or they are not educated.

This boy is 14 and staying with his father during the holidays. His mother lives in the nearest town. He is a 'chip off the old block'. He already rides a horse as if he was born on it and can lasso a calf with the greatest of ease. When I asked him if he was going to follow in his father's footsteps and work on the ranch he said he was going to finish his education first and then decide.

Pousada Aguape has a school building and used to run a Fazenda school (up to 20 children of all ages), but had to close through lack of support from the local council. They hope to start the school up again soon.