Sharks Near Brazil Coast Found with Cocaine Traces

Marine biologists have discovered alarming levels of cocaine in sharks off the coast of Brazil, according to a recent study. Researchers from the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation tested 13 Brazilian sharpnose sharks from the waters near Rio de Janeiro and found unusually high cocaine concentrations in their muscles and livers. These concentrations were reportedly up to 100 times higher than those previously detected in other aquatic species.

This groundbreaking research marks the first documented case of cocaine contamination in sharks. Experts suggest that the drug may be entering the ocean through illegal drug manufacturing labs or from the excrement of drug users. While the possibility of cocaine entering the water through packages lost or dumped by traffickers exists, researchers believe this is less likely.

Sara Novais, a marine eco-toxicologist at the Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre of the Polytechnic University of Leiria, emphasized the significance of these findings, stating they are “very important and potentially worrying.” The study raises concerns about the ecological impact on marine life, particularly since all the female sharks in the study were pregnant. The potential effects of cocaine exposure on shark fetuses remain unknown.

Further research is needed to determine whether cocaine is altering the behavior of these sharks. Previous studies have shown that drugs can affect animals similarly to humans, suggesting possible behavioral changes in marine life exposed to such contaminants.