The news
Scientists have found alarmingly high concentrations of cocaine in Brazilian sharpnose sharks off the coast of Rio de Janeiro.
Experts believe that the water released from illegal cocaine labs or drug users’ feces could be responsible, the BBC reported.
A marine ecotoxicologist told Science the findings are “very important and potentially concerning” because research has shown the drugs have similar effects on animals as they do on humans.
It is the first time cocaine has been found in sharks, and experts say more research is needed to determine how it affects their behavior and their fetuses.
Knowing more
It is difficult to measure how drugs affect specific species. Previous studies have found hyperactivity in European eel and impaired development of skeletal muscles in fish larvae when exposed to cocaine.
Earlier this year, a marine biologist in England who studied the impact of drugs carried in raw sewage on marine life said that cocaine and MDMA change a fish’s decision to fight or flee of danger.
As top predators, it is also common for sharks to aggregate a higher level of environmental toxins from their prey.