Anthropology Photo Album

More on the Amazon's Threatened "Unseen" Tribes

2008-05-31T16:56:50Z

Photo: Oil Exploration in Amazon ThreatensPhoto: Oil Exploration in Amazon Threatens "Unseen" Tribes From http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/bigphotos/38994623.html A photograph taken from an airplane in October 2007 shows a group of natives near palm huts on the banks of the Las Piedras River in Peru's southeastern Amazon. The natives are said to be among the 15 uncontacted tribes thought to be living in the Peruvian rain forest. The airplane was carrying scientists conducting an environmental survey of the region. The researchers say the tribe's territory is threatened by illegal logging. Photograph from Reuters/INRENA/Handout (PERU) A photograph taken from an airplane in October 2007 shows a group of natives near palm huts on the banks of the Las Piedras River in Peru's southeastern Amazon. The natives are said to be among the 15 uncontacted tribes thought to be living in the Peruvian rain forest. The airplane was carrying scientists conducting an environmental survey of the region. The researchers say the tribe's territory is threatened by illegal logging. Photograph from Reuters/INRENA/Handout (PERU)

Brazilian tribe believed never to have had contact with the outside world were published by official

2008-05-30T22:59:18Z

O PAULO (AFP) - Dramatic images of an isolated Brazilian tribe believed never to have had contact with the outside world were published by officials Friday to draw attention to threats posed to their way of life. The pictures, released by the Brazilian government's National Indian Foundation (FUNAI), showed alarmed natives pointing bows and arrows at the aircraft carrying photographers. The head of FUNAI's environmental protection unit responsible for the images, Jose Carlos dos Reis Mereilles, told Brazilian newspapers the foundation had known of the existence of the tribe for years -- located in thick rainforest near the Peruvian border -- and many photos had been taken. "This time, we decided to reveal the material to prove that there are Indians living in complete isolation, and to call attention to a serious problem that exists, which is the threat of interlopers from the Peruvian side," he told O Estado de S. Paulo. The pictures were taken from several flights over the apparently sedentary tribe's thatched-roof village in the remote Brazilian state of Acre. Survival International, a British group lobbying on behalf of indigenous people around the world, said on its website there were fears illegal logging in Peru could endanger the Brazilian tribe's habitat, by forcing displaced Peruvian tribes into contact with it. It said there were an estimated 500 isolated Indians living on the Brazilian side of the border. "The world needs to wake up to this, and ensure that their territory is protected in accordance with international law. Otherwise, they will soon be made extinct," Survival International director Stephen Corry said. His group said there were more than 100 uncontacted indigenous tribes worldwide.

2005-12-22T23:18:48Z

2005-12-07T14:22:58Z

mellon head

2005-12-07T14:22:58Z

collection of giant skulls

2005-12-07T14:22:58Z

Giant

2005-12-07T14:22:58Z

Note the number of teeth

2005-12-07T14:22:58Z

round and flattened

2005-12-07T14:22:58Z

Double lobes

2005-12-07T14:22:58Z

I'm yer daddy !

2005-12-07T14:22:58Z

Who's yer daddy?!

2005-12-07T14:22:58Z