Toxic Spanish chicks

Three years after an Aznalcllar mine dam near Seville, Spain, burst, releasing water containing heavy metals, birds in Doana National Park, a world heritage site, are showing signs of genetic damage. Arsenic, thallium, zinc, cadmium and manganese were found in potentially lethal levels in birds by researchers. Felipe Corts, cell biologist at the university of Seville, on testing blood samples of white stork chicks living near the park, found 10-20 times higher genetic damage than in those living further away. Though Spain's environment ministry officials claim that clean-up efforts have helped, environmentalists foresee animals being harmed in the long-term ( New Scientist , May 23, 2001).