In February 2010 we mentioned the death of Mrs. Boa, last speaker of the Bo language, on the Andaman Islands.

Her death had a strong impact and drew worldwide media attention: the strip of islands where she spent her life was home to populations descending from one of the most ancient human cultures, who came from Africa some 65 000 years ago.

Another article published in June mentioned the Jarawa, another population from the Andaman Islands who, until very recently, still suffered the presence of… human safaris.

Today we turn to a third population of the Andaman, the Sentinele, with an estimated population of around 250. Having always rejected foreign contact, the Sentinele are one of the most isolated tribes in the world, and they continue to protect themselves by aiming bows and arrows at whoever approaches their shores. They live on hunting and picking, thus the safeguard of their island’s resources and biodiversity is essential to their survival.

However, an increasing number of poachers from the outside come and venture around the island in search for fish, turtles and sea cucumbers for the Chinese market. Their presence is a direct threat to the existence of the Sentinele.

The lack of resources is not the only danger bearing upon the tribe: as their Jarawa neighbours, they are now exposed to diseases they’re not immune to.

The Indian authorities are aware of the issue, and coast-guards have already arrested over a hundred illegal Burmese fishers since last August. Yet these only stand for a small proportion of the actual threat: the majority of poachers apparently still avoids control.

See Survival feature article for more information