Watch Out for Coked-Out Sharks Off the Coast of Brazil

Brazilian researchers have found sharks off the coast of Brazil with concentrations of cocaine higher than other marine creatures, according to a new study published on July 15. The 13 sharpnose sharks found off the shores of the Brazilian vacation capital, Rio De Janeiro, had concentrations of cocaine up to 100 times higher than other aquatics animals tested by the Brazilian marine biologists from the Oswaldo Cruz foundation. Twelve of the 13 sharks also tested positive for benzoylecgonine, which is a chemical created as a result of cocaine metabolism, according to Interesting Engineering . Cocaine can lead sharks to an early grave, alter their DNA, change their behavior and possibly blind them, according to the study. The presence of cocaine in the water is believed to be caused by drug traffickers. A 2023 study found cocaine had contaminated 37 countries’ sewage and surface water, which were tested between 2011-2017.

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