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A man named Tomas Anez Dos Santos worked in a modest clearing within in the Peruvian jungle when he noticed sounds drawing near through the dense jungle.

He became aware that he had been hemmed in, and froze.

“One positioned, aiming with an arrow,” he states. “And somehow he noticed of my presence and I began to run.”

He had come face to face the Mashco Piro tribe. For a long time, Tomas—residing in the small community of Nueva Oceania—had been virtually a neighbor to these wandering individuals, who reject contact with outsiders.

A recent document issued by a rights organization indicates remain at least 196 described as “uncontacted groups” in existence globally. This tribe is thought to be the most numerous. The report states 50% of these groups may be eliminated over the coming ten years should administrations don't do additional measures to safeguard them.

The report asserts the biggest risks come from logging, extraction or drilling for crude. Isolated tribes are exceptionally vulnerable to basic sickness—consequently, it says a risk is presented by contact with proselytizers and online personalities looking for attention.

In recent times, members of the tribe have been appearing to Nueva Oceania more and more, based on accounts from locals.

This settlement is a fishermen's hamlet of a handful of clans, perched atop on the shores of the Tauhamanu River in the heart of the of Peru rainforest, half a day from the most accessible town by watercraft.

The area is not recognised as a safeguarded area for remote communities, and deforestation operations function here.

Tomas says that, sometimes, the sound of heavy equipment can be heard continuously, and the community are seeing their jungle disrupted and devastated.

Among the locals, residents say they are torn. They fear the projectiles but they also have strong admiration for their “brothers” dwelling in the woodland and want to protect them.

“Allow them to live as they live, we must not change their traditions. This is why we maintain our separation,” says Tomas.

Inhabitants in Nueva Oceania are worried about the destruction to the Mascho Piro's livelihood, the danger of aggression and the chance that deforestation crews might expose the community to illnesses they have no immunity to.

While we were in the community, the group appeared again. A young mother, a young mother with a young child, was in the jungle gathering food when she heard them.

“We heard cries, shouts from people, numerous of them. As if there was a large gathering calling out,” she shared with us.

It was the initial occasion she had encountered the group and she fled. After sixty minutes, her thoughts was continually pounding from anxiety.

“Since exist timber workers and operations clearing the woodland they are escaping, possibly because of dread and they arrive near us,” she said. “We don't know how they will behave to us. That is the thing that frightens me.”

Two years ago, a pair of timber workers were confronted by the tribe while catching fish. A single person was wounded by an arrow to the abdomen. He recovered, but the second individual was located deceased days later with several injuries in his body.

The administration has a policy of no engagement with remote tribes, making it illegal to start contact with them.

This approach originated in Brazil following many years of campaigning by tribal advocacy organizations, who noted that initial interaction with remote tribes resulted to entire communities being wiped out by sickness, poverty and starvation.

During the 1980s, when the Nahau tribe in the country made initial contact with the world outside, half of their population died within a short period. A decade later, the Muruhanua community experienced the same fate.

“Remote tribes are extremely vulnerable—from a disease perspective, any exposure may introduce sicknesses, and even the most common illnesses could decimate them,” explains Issrail Aquisse from a tribal support group. “In cultural terms, any contact or intrusion may be extremely detrimental to their way of life and well-being as a community.”

For local residents of {