Survival International, the movement for tribal people estimates that there are still around 40,000 people in some 100 tribes around the world that have had at most limited contact with ‘civilisation’ (lucky them!).

The Brazilian government department for Indian affairs, FUNAI, estimates that there are up to 70 tribes that have had limited contact in its rain-forest. This is despite the incursion of loggers and cattle farmers into these areas over recent years.

On second thoughts, as fatality rates usually rise after first contact, due to disease and violence, perhaps we’d best leave them alone….