Green Daily

When it comes to ranching on protected lands, Brazilian police are not messing around. They're currently in the middle of a crackdown that has resulted in the impounding of over 13,500 head of cattle from illegal farming operations. According to Brazil's environmental protection agency IBAMA, this is the first year since 2004 that illegal deforestation has risen -- and they're not taking it lightly.

Although much of the Amazon is protected, illegal ranchers continue to slash and burn their way deeper into the world's largest rainforest to take advantage of high beef prices. So far, the police have carried out major raids in the states of Pará and Rondonia, similar to this winter's Arch of Fire operation. Environmental minister Flavio Montiel expects to seize over a hundred thousand cows by the time the crackdown comes to a close -- hopefully discouraging all profiteers to back off of the rainforest. The impounded herds will become "environmental barbeque" for the nation's hunger-fighting programs. Sorry PETA.