What the heck are those big silly brown things in the water near Brahma Island in Lake Kissimmee? Those are some funny looking cows! No, no, they are water buffalo. No, they look more like bison. Actually, water buffalo and bison both live on Brahma Island in Lake Kissimmee. I bet you didn't think you'd see that.
Brahma Island is the largest privately owned freshwater island in the US at 19 square miles. The Lightsey Cattle Co owns the island and a large tract of land around Lake Kissimmee. The Lightsey family emigrated from Germany in the 1700's and purchased the Lake Wales Region and Brahma Island from the King of England after the Spanish ceeded Florida to England after the Seven Years' War. They now organize high paying client hunts on the island for exotic animals they have released there over the years.
You can read more about it Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and here.
(Photo by Mike Calloway 2014-04-24)
