The Unesco submission notes that the sanctuary is threatened by hydraulic and small-scale gold mining to the west of the lake, where it is “located along streams that flow into the lake. Elevated mercury levels and increased sedimentation in the lake have been documented. The regional government is considering what to do with these mines.”
According to Yan Khaung from Fauna and Flora International, mining has become an important source of income for some locals, while it also attracts impoverished migrant workers from across the region. Among the miners, he said, drug addiction is common, much like at Hpakant’s notorious jade mines.
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