BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — A young individual from a secluded Indigenous tribe in Brazil’s Amazon made headlines after voluntarily returning to his community less than 24 hours after approaching a riverine settlement, according to Brazilian officials.

The incident took place around 7 p.m. local time on Wednesday in Bela Rosa, a community situated along the Purus River in the southern Amazon. Video footage obtained by The Associated Press captures him barefoot and dressed in a simple loincloth, appearing calm and healthy as he carried two logs.

Witnesses indicated that the man was inquiring about fire. A smartphone recording from the scene depicted one local attempting, but failing, to demonstrate how to operate a lighter. Shortly after, representatives from Brazil’s Indigenous affairs agency, Funai, arrived to assist him and subsequently took him to a nearby facility.

In a statement released on Friday, Funai disclosed that the young man returned to his forest home the following afternoon. The agency also dispatched a team of health specialists to evaluate whether he had been exposed to any diseases, particularly those to which isolated Indigenous populations lack immunity. Additionally, they established surveillance measures to prevent unauthorized visits to the tribe’s territory.

Brazil’s approach to such Indigenous groups is one of non-contact, opting instead to create protected and monitored areas like Mamoriá Grande, located near the site of the encounter.

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