A new study published in the Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals (LAJAM) shows alarming levels of mercury in dolphins and fish in Lake Maracaibo.
A recent study by Yurasi Briceño et al., which was supported by YAQU PACHA, confirms a critical level of mercury contamination in Guiana dolphins(Sotalia guianensis) and fish from the southern part of Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela.
Alarming results:
- Mercury was detected in all fish and dolphin samples tested.
- The WHO limit value is 0.5 mg/kg.
- Four out of six dolphins clearly exceeded this value, one of them with 2.96 mg/kg.
- The fish species Gobioides broussonnetii was also above the limit at 0.92 mg/kg.
Why this is important:
Mercury does not stay in the water, but passes through the food chain from sediments to fish, dolphins and eventually to humans.
These findings show a threat to marine wildlife and a serious risk to local communities that live from fishing.
YAQU PACHA supports this research in order to draw attention to the links between environmental pollution, species protection and human health.
The complete study was published in the Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals (Vol. 20, No. 2, 2025) published.
YAQU PACHA has supported the publication of the LAJAM Journal from the very beginning.
