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LONDON - Tropical birds, from kingfishers to wrens to warblers, are showing signs of mercury contamination as artisanal and small-scale gold mining operations reach deeper into jungles, new research finds.
Tropical bird biodiversity has been declining in recent decades, but scientists are not fully sure why."Based on the levels here, it's reasonable to suggest that mercury may be playing a role," Sayers said. Artisanal gold mining is often either carried out illegally in protected areas, or done informally outside reserves but without explicit government permission.
Birds are the"canary in the gold mine," Sayers said, as they are sensitive to mercury pollution and easily accessible, allowing scientists to take the temperature of overall ecosystem health.
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