02195naa a2200229 a 450000100080000000500110000800800410001910000190006024501420007926000090022152015340023065000110176465000120177565000130178765000190180065000140181965000140183365300160184765300140186370000180187777300700189517908702017-03-31       1997    bl ---       0--  u    #d1 aALHO, C. J. R.  aFish and wildlife resources in the Pantanal wetlands of Brazil and potential disturbances from the release of environmental contaminants.  c1997  aThe Pantanal is one of the world's largest wetland ecosystems, encompassing 140.000 km2. The region is a breeding ground for waterfowl, and enormous rookeries of storks, herons egrets, and ibises indicate a vast abundance of birds. the Pantanal is also one of the most important refuges for many of Brazil's threatened or endangered species, such as jaguars, giant anteaters, and swamp deer. The productive web of waters supports an important fishery undustry. The Pantanal, with its extraordinary diversity and abundance of wildlife, is a threatened region. Deforestation, expanding agriculture, illegal hunting and fishing, unplanned tourism, and pollution with pesticides have caused a progressive deterioration of the natural environment, placing one of Brasil'smost important ecosystems at risk. Gold mining is still common in the northern Pantanal. Along the Cuiaba river are 700 functional gold-mining dredges. In the town of Pocone, unregulated gold mines have also contaminated the area with mercyry, which is used during the processing of gold. Approximately 50% of the fishes from the Cuiaba River and 35% from the Bento Gomes River have mercury levels highter than 0.5 ug/g. which is beyond the international standard for contamination. Fishes from the Paraguay River have levels below 0.5. Birds like Phalacrocorax olivaceus, Aramus guarauna and Rosthramus sociabilis were also contaminated. No research has been conduted on the fate of pesticides in the Pantanal. However, because of the huge demand for soyabean...  aBrazil  amercury  aPantanal  aContaminação  aMercúrio  aPesticida  aContaminant  aPesticide1 aVIEIRA, L. M.  tEnvironmental Toxicology and Chemistrygv.16, n.1, p.71-74, 1997.