Are sharks partying till dawn and acting like the waters off Brazil are Studio 54? Well, scientists are exactly sure why -- but the fish are testing positive for cocaine.
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(Brazil) – It’s not entirely clear as to why, but scientists say sharks off the coast of Brazil are testing positive for cocaine. Although they haven’t definitively ruled out the possibility of a deep sea night club, the working theory is that the sharks are coming into contact with the cocaine one of two ways. The first theory is that the sharks are being exposed to cocaine as a result of runoff or dumping from the lab where the drugs are made. Another thought is that the sharks are eating the excrement of cocaine users, and being exposed that way.
The tests were done in the waters off Rio de Janeiro. In all, 13 Brazilian sharpnose sharks were tested, and scientists found the cocaine concentration was 100 times higher than during previous tests. The findings made their way into this week’s “Science of the Total Environment,” where they were published.
Some have joked this could spawn its own blockbuster movie, as the 2023 film “Cocaine Bear” told the story — loosely inspired by a real-life tale — in which an American black bear ate about 75 pounds of cocaine and went nuts. There’s also the existing “Sharknado” series — and so one can’t entirely rule out “coked up sharks,” potentially coming to a theatre near you. And be careful while swimming!
