Podcast Summary: Julian Dorey Podcast #383

Title: “Massacre!” - Paul Rosolie on Uncontacted Tribes Video PROOF, Narco Mass Grave & El Dorado
Date: February 13, 2026
Host: Julian Dorey
Guest: Paul Rosolie

Overview

In this riveting episode, Julian Dorey welcomes conservationist and author Paul Rosolie to discuss the dangerous realities of protecting the Amazon rainforest. They cover mind-blowing encounters with uncontacted tribes (including the first verifiable video evidence), the deadly threat posed by narco traffickers and illegal gold miners, the violence against environmental defenders, and insights on Amazon history, culture, and conservation victories. The tone is raw, at times humorous, deeply personal, and driven by a relentless focus on what it takes to defend the jungle.

Main Themes & Purpose

• Exposing the current existential threats facing the Amazon, especially from narco traffickers and illegal miners/loggers.
• Sharing firsthand accounts of violence, close-calls, and the loss of colleagues and friends to targeted killings.
• Revealing new, never-before-seen video proof of uncontacted tribes and the ethical dilemmas around sharing such documentation.
• Highlighting the on-the-ground realities of conservation work, organizational transparency, and the emotional cost of defending nature.
• Illuminating how grassroots action, storytelling, and transparency can yield global conservation victories—and why the fight is far from over.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. A Deadly New Era: Narco Violence & Conservation

• Paul recounts the day a police official he’d just shaken hands with was shot dead by narco traffickers.
  Quote:

  “I get the phone call. The man whose hand I just shook who saved our asses today, is dead.” (109:59)

• Organized violence has escalated, with narcos putting bounties out for Paul and his Peruvian colleague JJ.
  Quote:

  "If you find the gringo that flies the drone... or Juan Julio Doren, and you can kill him, we’ll reward you.” (111:23)

• A hair-raising near-ambush: Only an impulsive change of plans saved JJ and Paul from armed hitmen waiting on a jungle road.
  Quote:

  "They had him on the ground with a gun against his head: 'Where's Paul and JJ?'... 'Tell them they got lucky today. They're not going to get lucky again.’" (115:02)

• The magnitude of the threat is unprecedented:
  Quote:

  “This was a dangerous job before... now there’s angry people that want to kill us out there.” (125:51)

• Data:

  “2024, at least 146 environmental defenders were killed or disappeared globally, with the vast majority in Latin America.” (127:01)

2. Gold Mining: The Amazon’s Wasteland

• Illegal and legal gold mining areas are vast and fiercely guarded by mafias, often with military-grade weapons.
  Quote:

  “You find your guy with the AK47... you don’t go past there.” (138:17)

• Paul describes face-to-face threats from Russian and other mafias, and how his conservation work made him a target.
  Quote:

  “They know your name. They know you raise money to stop them. They're all talking about the fact that you're here right now.” (138:45)

• The scale of destruction:
  Tens of thousands of acres are rendered unlivable, with sandstorms and mercury poisoning in former jungles.

• Desperation drives local people to risk everything for tiny nuggets of gold while destroying irreplaceable ecosystems.

3. Jungle Keepers & Transparent Conservation

• Paul details the ethos of Jungle Keepers: open accounting, grassroots funding, and direct action.
  Quote:

  “We started just publishing the funding. This is how we use it. This is what goes to Ranger Pay. This is what goes to Land Acquisition. ... People can see it.” (03:56 - 05:35)

• Illustrative victory: Buying land to stop logging and immediately ending plans to destroy thousands of acres.
  Quote:

  “You looked at all of us and said, ‘What you see here looks like a great loss, but this is actually a huge victory.’” (08:53)

4. Uncontacted Tribes — First Direct Video

• Paul shares the story and ethical complexity of filming a direct encounter with an uncontacted Amazonian tribe (Mashco-Piro), coordinated with local indigenous communities and anthropologists.
  Quote:

  "This is the first time in history that we are getting a view into what it was like when people were living in the Stone Age. It's like an aperture back in time.” (196:00)

• The tension of such encounters is palpable:
  Quote:

  “They came down the beach with the bows out. Seven foot arrows.” (189:18)
  “At first, the first two hours were very tense.” (201:18)

• Footage shows exchange of gifts (plantains, rope, clothing) and cultural gestures; the tribespeople speak a dialect related to Yine and display both wariness and curiosity.

• The uncontacted tribes’ existence is under immediate threat from narcos, loggers, and gold miners who have massacred clans and are destroying habitat.

5. Facing Existential Overwhelm

• Paul reflects on the impossibility of saving the whole Amazon—and why the “boil your own pot” approach is all anyone can do:
  Quote:

  “For a second, yeah... but that's no way to fight a war. You worry about the hill you're taking. ... We're focused on one thing right here." (55:05 - 55:16)

• “Wawa Theory”: Most Americans, away from screens, get along; it’s a media distortion that makes collapse feel constant.

  "You just heard the bad news from an entire planet. ... Shut your phone. ... Look around you. ... All of a sudden, everything's okay.” (34:58 - 35:25)

6. Conservation Wins & Hope

• Paul highlights conservation victories: elephant seals, California condors, and tiger and bald eagle recoveries.
  Quote:

  “Tigers have gone up from I think 3,000 to 5,000. ... Bald eagles are back in the Hudson Valley. ... When you just stop polluting, the wildlife comes back.” (180:41 - 181:07)

• He also stresses the importance of storytelling and mission for mental health and impact.
  Quote:

  “As long as you're on a mission, the human brain is happy. ... If I'm on that level of a mission, why the fuck would I care what some politician said?” (30:21 - 31:33)

7. The Unyielding Personal Toll

• Paul shares harrowing injuries and brushes with death: animal attacks, stingray bites, dangerous falls, and more.
• The emotional cost is heavy. Grief over loss of wild places—and determination to carry on driven by love, responsibility, and grassroots support.
  Quote:

  "The thing you love the most gets annihilated in front of your eyes. ... Maybe my job is to bear witness to the loss of something beautiful." (169:38)

Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• Narco Threats:

  “The police happened to arrest somebody... If you find the gringo that flies the drone... or Juan Julio Doren, and you can kill him, we'll reward you.” (111:23)

• Uncontacted Tribe Encounter:

  “This is the first time in history that we are getting a view into what it was like when people were living in the Stone Age. It's like an aperture back in time.” (196:00)

• Conservation Transparency:

  "We just didn't do that. We're just direct line. And so now I get to go on all these shows and be like, we are the most direct way to protect the Amazon. And nobody can fight me on that because the IRS says it." (05:35)

• Fear and Focus:

  “For a second, yeah. But again, that's no way to fight a war. You worry about the hill that you're taking. … Done.” (55:05)

• Encounters with Wildlife:

  “I've been charged by a black bear ... I mean, you can make noise and be like, 'Hey, bear, you know, get out of here.' ... I've snowboarded next to a fully running black bear.” (45:38 - 46:57)

• Human Connection:

  “In that moment you get lifted off the ground and you're totally in the movie and you're not thinking about performances or camera angles... that's just where you lose yourself.” (80:58)

• On Media and Outrage:

  “I could post today, we saved 5,000 acres of forest. ... If I show an elephant getting shot in the face... hundreds of thousands of likes, shares. … Distress sells.” (31:33)

Timestamps for Major Segments

| Time | Segment/Topic | |------|---------------| | 00:00 - 07:47 | Early dangers, narco threats, what drives Paul’s work | | 07:47 - 13:26 | Deforestation, transparent fundraising, conservation impact | | 25:25 - 31:33 | Fear, presence in the jungle, psychological toll | | 34:58 - 39:35 | Media distortion, “Wawa theory," real America vs. perception | | 45:38 - 48:09 | Wildlife encounters, bear charges, perils of the jungle | | 109:56 - 116:09 | Narco violence peaks, assassination of an ally, bounties | | 125:51 - 127:30 | Increased operational danger and cost; defending environmental defenders | | 186:47 - 213:39 | Uncontacted tribe encounter, ethics, documentation; showing the video | | 219:19 - 221:06 | Discussion of ancient Amazon cities, El Dorado myth |

Tone, Language & Notable Moments

• Raw and Candid:
  The conversation moves between alarming (massacres, assassinations, macabre jungle realities) and deeply inspiring (conservation wins, living by an unwavering mission).

• Humor and Humanity:
  Despite dire circumstances, the banter is laced with self-deprecation, dark jungle humor, and relief at moments of safety, demonstrating the bond between host and guest.

• Transparency:
  Paul stresses clear accounting, openness with supporters, and the importance of being mission-driven (not organizationally bloated).

• Philosophical:
  The show dwells on deeper issues of what it means to have purpose, the value of human mission, stewardship, and personal sacrifice.

Final Takeaways

• The Amazon faces an assault from organized violence: narco traffickers, mafias, and illegal extractors—this is not just a matter of trees, but human lives.
• Grassroots action, transparency, and storytelling work—Jungle Keepers has doubled protected acreage in the last few years and inspired global involvement.
• Contact with uncontacted tribes is a rare, dangerous, ethically-charged phenomenon; these people exist on the edge of time, now under existential threat.
• Saving ecosystems requires focus on what you can change—“worry about the hill you’re taking"—and that meaningful victories still happen, every day.
• The struggle—for land, wildlife, indigenous autonomy—is ongoing, often harrowing, sometimes heroic, but always urgent.

Resources

• Jungle Keepers (Paul Rosolie’s organization)
• Paul Rosolie’s new books—including Jungle Keeper and Mother of God
• Paul's Instagram: @paulrosolie — See the viral uncontacted tribe footage

Suggested Listening/Viewing

• Full segment on the historic uncontacted tribe encounter (186:47 – 213:39)
• Paul’s intense retelling of narco violence (109:56 – 116:09)
• Conservation impact stories (8:53 – 11:34; 55:05 – 56:34)
• Reflections on media and civilization (31:33 – 39:35)

For more, visit The Julian Dorey Podcast or follow @JulianDorey on socials.