The unexpected dangers of mushroom hunting in France
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EmailMushroom hunting is one of the popular activities in France. However, it can be a harmful hobby.
Mushroom hunting is one of the popular activities in France. However, it can be a harmful hobby. In Rhone-Alpes region in France some of the mushrooms had high level of cesium radioactive element. This is believed to be due to the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, which happened 30 years ago. Locals also think that this could be due to the nuclear tests in 1950’s and 1960’s. The level of the cesium radioactive element is lower than it used to be, but still detectable.
There are also other toxic mushrooms in the region that people had collected without any knowledge, and got poison. Due to this around 100 people fell ill in one week last October.
Another sad story happened while two pickers were collecting mushrooms and 82-year-old man thought that pickers were pheasants and shot them. One of the pickers got shot in the neck and was placed into the hospital, and another one died. Mushroom hunting can be a good and fun activity but people have to be careful and should not die while picking or eating mushroom.
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