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Cocaine has been found in sharks off the coast of Brazil and scientists suspect it is changing their behavior. In a study done on 13 Brazilian sharpnose sharks near Rio de Janeiro, marine biologists found that all of them had high levels of cocaine in their muscles and liver.
In a paper for the journal Science of the Total Environment, marine biologists said the drug likely came from drains from illegal laboratories where cocaine was manufactured, or from the excreta of drug users, via untreated sewage.
“It could possibly have come from sharks feeding on bales of cocaine that were lost or dumped into the sea by drug smugglers – but this is unlikely.”
According to Wire Citing British scientist and research team member Dr Rachel Ann Hauser-Davies, the report said the results suggest “long-term exposure due to human use of cocaine in Rio de Janeiro and discharge of human urine and faeces through sewage as well as from illegal laboratories.”
He also told that Wire Unlike Mexico and Florida, in Rio de Janeiro many bales of coke are not dumped or lost at sea.
Dr Reichel said cocaine was probably harmful to the animals’ health, however it is not known whether it had any effect on their behaviour, making them more aggressive and unpredictable or making them more prone to eating frenzies.
“This may be the case, since cocaine targets the brain and hyperactive and erratic behavior has been observed in other animals as well,” said Dr. Enrico Mendes Sagioro, an ecotoxicologist at the Oswaldo Cruz Institute. “This is a possibility and needs further study.”
According to experts, cocaine can harm the health of sharks, as it affects their vision, which in turn affects their ability to hunt.
“You might see a decrease in fertility and growth rates,” Dr Tracy Fanara, an expert in ecotoxicology and environmental engineering from the University of Florida, told The Telegraph. However, she agreed that there was no evidence yet that cocaine triggered crazy behaviour or feeding frenzy in sharks.
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Published: July 23, 2024, 04:49 PM IST
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