13 SHARKS IN BRAZIL TEST POSITIVE FOR COCAINE

Scientists have found that sharks swimming in the waters around the coast of Brazil have tested positive for high levels of cocaine.

The study, conducted by researchers from the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, examined 13 Brazilian sharp nose sharks taken from the South Atlantic Ocean near Rio de Janeiro.

What the researchers found

The researchers found that all 13 sharks had extremely high concentrations of cocaine in their muscle and liver tissue.

That is up to 100 times higher than what had previously been detected in other marine creatures.

“This indicates chronic exposure to the drug,” said Dr. Rachel Ann Hauser-Davis, a British scientist and member of the research team.

Possible reasons for this strange discovery

The researchers believe that cocaine is entering the sharks’ systems through a few potential routes.

One is the discharge of untreated human sewage and urine into the ocean, as cocaine is excreted by its consumers.

Furthermore, another possibility is the waste from illegal cocaine laboratories in the region.

However, the team ruled out the sharks directly consuming cocaine that had been dumped by drug smugglers, saying this was less likely the case.

Regardless of the source, cocaine exposure is a serious risk for the sharks.

They may not be going on feeding frenzies from the cocaine. But it could significantly reduce their life expectancy,” warned Dr. Tracy Fanara, an ecotoxicology and environmental engineering expert from the University of Florida.

The drug is believed to be damaging the sharks’ eyesight and hunting abilities.

A similar situation

This discovery comes just a month after marine biologists warned of sharks feasting on cocaine parcels dumped by smugglers off the coast of Florida.

At that time, they observed the sharks exhibiting strange behaviour. Some of them were biting into packages thought to look like cocaine.

Currently, the newly discovered situation on the Brazilian coast seems to be due to indirect pollution. Although the implications are just as severe.

“This is a major environmental concern,” said Dr. Hauser-Davis.

“Sharks are apex predators, so the cocaine contamination could have cascading effects throughout the entire marine ecosystem.”

The researchers plan to expand their study to examine whether cocaine exposure is affecting shark populations and their behaviours.