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In addition to the hordes of illegal loggers and climate change, the Amazon rainforests and the people are also suffering from the curse of gold: in Bolivia alone, gold mining has destroyed millions of hectares of forest in recent years. The gold diggers use mercury to extract the gold from the earth and rock, poisoning the rivers on which the indigenous peoples depend for food, especially fish, which are their main source of food. The Madidi National Park north of La Paz is under severe threat. This protected area, one of the largest in the world with exceptional biodiversity, is home to 31 indigenous communities who live on their ancestral land. Rising gold prices and Bolivia's mining-friendly policies have attracted more and more, often illegal, miners. They not only endanger the park's unique ecosystem, but also the local population. Recent studies show that mercury levels in indigenous communities are seven times higher than the permissible limit - their health is seriously at risk. #bolivia #gold #mercury Video available until 20/10/2027 Link to the media library: https://www.arte.tv/de/videos/120689-... Subscribe to ARTE's YouTube channel: / artede Follow us on social networks: Facebook: / arte.tv Twitter: / artede Instagram: / arte.tv