A shocking thing related to sharks has come to light in the marine areas of Bahamas. In a recent scientific study, traces of cocaine and other drugs have been found in the blood of some sharks. This discovery indicates that things used by humans are now reaching the marine ecosystem as well.
According to reports, a team of scientists was studying marine creatures around the island of Eleuthera, located about 50 miles east of Nassau in the Atlantic Ocean. During this time, they found signs of drugs and chemicals related to medicines in the body of some sharks. Researchers examined blood samples from three different species of sharks, in which apart from cocaine, substances like caffeine, paracetamol and diclofenac were also found.
However, it is reassuring to know that no abnormal changes were observed in the behavior of these sharks. She was swimming and hunting normally. Despite this, scientists believe that the presence of such chemicals in the bodies of marine creatures is a serious sign. This shows that pollution caused by human activities has now reached the deeper parts of the ocean.
There is no clear answer yet as to how these substances reach the shark's body. But researchers at Cape Eleuthera Institute believe that cocaine packets or other waste falling into the sea could be the reason behind this. According to lead researcher Natasha Vosnik, sharks often bite to investigate any new or strange thing, which can lead them to unknowingly come into contact with these substances.
A total of 85 sea creatures were tested in this study, in which caffeine was found the most. Traces of caffeine were found in 27 sharks, while cocaine was confirmed in two. Apart from this, diclofenac was found in 13 sharks and paracetamol in four. These figures indicate that the levels of drugs and chemicals in the marine environment are gradually increasing.
During the experiment, scientists also observed that changes in some indicators related to metabolism – such as lactate and urea – were seen in the sharks in which these chemicals were found. However, it is not yet clear how harmful these changes are to the health of sharks or to what extent they may affect their behavior.
Experts on this subject say that this discovery is also important because never before had so many types of man-made chemicals been found simultaneously in sharks. Especially the combination of caffeine and paracetamol is a new and worrying thing. This shows that ocean pollution has now taken a complex form.
