Araguapaz

History

Until the 1960s the region was uninhabited. In 1961 Dolzane de Paulo Bastos, from Orizona, Goiás, entered the area with his companions and settled along the banks of the Córrego Cambuí, in a region called Cavalo Queimado. Dolzane and his group offered lots to anyone willing to build a house, and soon other pioneers arrived. By 1962 there were 11 huts made of palm fronds and a dirt road—really a cow path—to the capital Goiás, 120 kilometers away. By 1963 the settlement was raised to a district with the name Cavalo Queimado. Later the name was changed to São Joaquim do Araguaia, and later to Araguapaz, due to its proximity to the Rio Araguaia and the Córrego Isabel Paes. In 1970 the town began to grow with the construction of a road linking Goiás and São Miguel do Araguaia. This road was known as the Estrada dos Bois (the highway of the cows). Later a road was opened from Araguapaz to Aruanã, opening up possibilities of tourism. In 1982 Araguapaz was elevated to a municipality.

Most-observed species

• Toco Toucan

  Ramphastos toco P.L.S.Müller, 1776 · Aves
  3
• Rufous Hornero

  Furnarius rufus (Gmelin, 1788) · Aves
  3
• Blue-black Grassquit

  Volatinia jacarina (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  3
• Blue-and-yellow Macaw

  Ara ararauna (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  3
• American Barn Owl

  Tyto furcata (Temminck, 1827) · Aves
  3
• White Woodpecker

  Melanerpes candidus (Otto, 1796) · Aves
  2
• Yellow-chevroned Parakeet

  Brotogeris chiriri (Vieillot, 1818) · Aves
  2
• Blue-headed Parrot

  Pionus menstruus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  2