Researchers from Biodiversity Research Institute, in partnership with the Biodiversity Initiative, conducted the first dedicated bird sampling in Equatorial Guinea to assess mercury exposure.

Tropical rainforests—especially primary forests—are highly effective at converting elemental mercury into methylmercury, a toxic form that accumulates up the food chain. Mercury exposure can impact not just individual birds but entire populations, compounding threats they already face from habitat change and climate-related pressures. Initial tests revealed elevated mercury levels in several species, signaling potential reproductive and health impacts.

Learn more in our 4-page report detailing our sampling, findings, and implications for conservation in the region:

• English version
• Spanish version
• French version

The Central Africa Region Mercury Monitoring and Evaluation Network (CARMEN), of which Equatorial Guinea is a collaborating country, is an important mercury monitoring hub for the region.

The development of a centralized mercury lab aids in building capacity to contribute toward an understanding of the effects of mercury exposure on human and ecological health.

The CARMEN will assist in:

• Building capacity with relevant local Ministries in the focal country of Gabon;
• Developing standard operating procedures for the region;
• Coordinating information about mercury for human and ecological health purposes.

Explore BRI’s collection of global mercury research and technical resources. These reports and publications provide scientific insights into mercury’s movement through ecosystems, its effects on wildlife and human health, and international efforts to reduce mercury use and exposure.

• Global Mercury Threat Assessment
• Caribbean Mercury Monitoring Network Report
• Mercury in the Global Environment
  • Mercury in the Global Environment: Marine Mammals
  • Mercury in the Global Environment: Tuna
• Local, Regional, and Global Biomonitoring: Understanding Mercury Exposure through Monitoring At-risk Species
• Global Mercury Monitoring in Biota (8-page summary)
• Technical Information Report on Mercury Monitoring in Biota
• Phasing Out/Phasing Down Mercury-added Products: What to Know about Consumer and Commercial Products Outlined in the Minamata Convention

This work in done in partnership with Biodiversity Initiative and the Bioko Biodiversity Protection Program. These sampling efforts are part of a long-term monitoring program, initiated in 2016 by Biodiversity Initiative, which studies understory birds in the ecosystem.

For more information on this work, contact Billi Krochuk (billi.krochuk@briwildlife.org) or Kevin Regan (kevin.regan@briwildlife.org).