'Mashco Piro': Rare Photos Of World's Largest Isolated Tribe Raise Alarm | WATCH

Rare photos of the world’s largest isolated tribe deep in the Peruvian Amazon have surfaced, showing members of the Mashco Piro tribe emerging from their traditional territory in Peru’s southeastern province bordering Brazil.

The images show tribal people relaxing near a riverbank in the Madre de Dios region. But this sighting has raised alarm bells about the tribe’s well-being, as the photographs, taken in late June, show the tribe members just a few kilometers from areas where logging operations are set to begin.

Caroline Pearce, director of Survival International, commented, “These incredible images show that a large number of isolated Mashco Piro live just a few kilometers from where the loggers are about to start their operations.”

“This is a humanitarian disaster in the making – it’s absolutely vital that the loggers are thrown out, and the Mashco Piro’s territory is properly protected at last. The FSC must cancel its certification of Canales Tahuamanu immediately – failure to do so will make a mockery of the entire certification system,” she added.

Local Indigenous rights group FENAMAD (Federación Nativa del Medio Ambiente de Madre de Dios) reports that increased logging activity is likely pushing the Mashco Piro away from their traditional lands. The tribe may be moving closer to nearby settlements in search of food and safer refuge. “We are deeply concerned about the impact of logging on these vulnerable communities,” said a spokesperson from FENAMAD.

The Mashco Piro inhabit a region between two natural reserves in Madre de Dios and have rarely been seen or contacted. They traditionally avoid interaction with outsiders, including neighboring Yine communities. According to Survival International, more than 50 Mashco Piro were recently spotted near the Yine village of Monte Salvado, while another group of 17 appeared in the nearby village of Puerto Nuevo.

The Peruvian government reported on June 28 that local residents had seen the Mashco Piro on the Las Piedras River, about 150 kilometers from Puerto Maldonado, the capital of Madre de Dios. Moreover, the tribe has been spotted across the border in Brazil, where they are reported to be foraging for Amazon turtle eggs.

(With agency inputs)