Members of the Mashco Piro, one of the world’s largest uncontacted tribes, have been spotted near a village in Peru’s Amazon, raising fears that the isolated community is being pushed from its forest home by expanding logging operations.
Indigenous leaders and rights groups say the sightings near the Yine village of Nueva Oceania are a troubling sign that the Mashco Piro are under increasing stress. A logging company is reportedly building a bridge that could give outsiders easier access to the group’s territory, heightening the risk of disease and violent conflict.
“It is very worrying. They are in danger,” said Enrique Añez, president of the Yine community. “Heavy machinery is cutting paths through the jungle and across rivers into their land.”
The Mashco Piro live deep in the Madre de Dios region, avoiding contact to preserve their health and way of life. Lacking immunity to common illnesses, even limited exposure to outsiders could be devastating.
Survival International, which campaigns for Indigenous rights, said the area has become a flashpoint between loggers and the reclusive group. “Exactly one year after the encounters and the deaths, nothing has changed,” said researcher Teresa Mayo, referring to two loggers killed by bow and arrow in 2024. “The clash could be imminent.”
The Forest Stewardship Council has suspended certification for the logging company, Maderera Canales Tahuamanu, but activists say construction continues. The firm’s concessions border the Mashco Piro’s recognised lands, which Indigenous organisations have urged the government to expand.
Peru’s culture ministry said it is reviewing reports and has strengthened protection efforts, creating new reserves and doubling its 2025 budget for isolated communities.
Environmentalists warn the new bridge over the Tahuamanu River could accelerate deforestation and bring the Mashco Piro into further danger.
