RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – In a recent study, sharks captured off the coast of Brazil were found to contain traces of cocaine in their systems. The research involved thirteen sharpnose sharks, purchased from local fishermen near Rio de Janeiro. Upon dissection, the sharks’ liver and muscle tissues were tested for cocaine, with all samples returning positive results. The levels of cocaine found in the sharks were up to 100 times higher than those previously recorded in other marine species.
This discovery has confirmed long-standing concerns about the impact of drugs on marine life. The research was conducted by six Brazilian research groups, in collaboration with the Cape Eleuthera Institute in the Bahamas. The findings were published in the scientific journal, Science of the Total Environment.
Several theories have been proposed to explain the presence of cocaine in the sharks. One possibility is that the drug entered the water as a result of a spill from an illegal drug lab. Another theory suggests that the sharks may have ingested the drug through the excrement of drug users. A third theory proposes that the sharks could have consumed bundles of cocaine that were lost or discarded in the sea by drug traffickers.
While the exact impact of the drug on the sharks remains unknown, it is speculated that the cocaine could have made them more aggressive and unpredictable. “Cocaine targets the brain, and hyperactive and erratic behavior has been observed in other animals exposed to the drug. This could be the case with the sharks, but further studies are needed,” said Dr. Enrico Mendes Saggioro, an ecotoxicologist.
The study’s results indicate chronic exposure to cocaine in the waters off Rio de Janeiro, likely due to human consumption of the drug and subsequent discharge of human waste, as well as potential spills from illegal labs. Dr. Rachel Ann Hauser-Davis, a British scientist and member of the research team from the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation in Rio de Janeiro, expressed concern over the findings.
The implications of these findings are alarming for the marine ecosystem. There are concerns that the sharks’ exposure to cocaine could damage their eyesight, impairing their hunting abilities. Dr. Tracy Fanara, an expert in ecotoxicology and environmental engineering from the University of Florida, also suggested that the drugs could potentially reduce the sharks’ lifespan.
This study follows a 2023 documentary titled “Cocaine Sharks,” which explored the possibility of sharks in the Gulf of Mexico consuming packages of cocaine lost or discarded in the sea by drug smugglers. The documentary revealed that sharks would approach and bite dummy packages of drugs dumped in the ocean, although it remained unclear whether they had ingested actual drugs.