Cocaine Shark sounds like a natural sequel to the movie Cocaine Bear, and sadly this one would also be loosely "based on a true story." Between 2021 and 2023, scientists analyzed the tissues of more than a dozen Brazilian sharpnose sharks they bought from fishing boats in Brazil. These small sharks are endangered, but that doesn't stop them from being harvested. All of the sharks tested positive for cocaine in their tissues. The results showed an average of 23 micrograms per fish, which is considered a trace amount. But it shows how cocaine is polluting our waterways and making its way into fish. Also consider that these sharks were alive when caught. We have no idea how much a shark could ingest before it dies.
Cocaine is a growing ocean pollutant, since it is shipped by boat and illegal. At signs of pursuit, the cargo can be tossed overboard, leaving large bales of the drug to infiltrate seawater and all that live in it. This kind of research is in its infancy, and further study is needed to see how cocaine will affect endangered species and our food supply. Read more about the cocaine found in sharks at Popular Science. -via Damn Interesting
(Image credit: D Ross Robertson)
