Urgent Appeal: Mercury Poisoning among tribal peoples in Peru, Brazil and Venezuela

Mercury poisoning is threatening the health and survival of tribal peoples in Peru, Brazil and Venezuela. 2. Exposure to mercury is highly dangerous and can be fatal. Its effects include kidney malfunction, respiratory failure and acute anemia. 3. Mercury poisoning is particularly dangerous for children, pregnant women and fetuses. Babies exposed to mercury in the womb are often born with developmental defects. 4. Tribal peoples are especially susceptible to mercury poisoning due to the large amount of unmonitored activities, such as illegal alluvial gold mining, that take place on their land. Amazonian tribes that eat a lot of fish are particularly at risk due to the high concentrations of mercury often found in this food source.
http://assets.survivalinternational.org/documents/1542/urgent-appeal-mercury-poisoning-in-south-america.pdf