Cocaine discovered in sharks off of coast of Brazil, study hopes to explain why
By Lauren Taylor (Anchor), Evan Hummel (Producer), Jake Maslo (Video Editor)
Marine biologists announced on Tuesday, July 23, that sharks off of the coast of Brazil have tested positive for high levels of cocaine. The scientists tested 13 Brazilian sharp nose sharks caught on the shores near Rio de Janeiro and found the fish had high levels of cocaine in their muscles and livers.
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Wild sharks off Brazil coast test positive for cocaine, scientists say
Click to see story on The GuardianSharks off coast of Brazil test positive for cocaine
Click to see story on The Independent“Cocaine Sharks” Found In Brazil, Scientist Unsure Where They Get The Drug
Click to see story on NDTVSharks in Brazil test positive for cocaine, say scientists
Click to see story on CNN“Cocaine sharks”: Predators off coast of Brazil test positive for drug, scientists say
Click to see story on CBS NewsSharks in Brazil test positive for cocaine, say scientists – Boston News, Weather, Sports
Click to see story on WHDHSharks in Brazil test positive for cocaine, say scientists – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports
Click to see story on WSVNSharks off the coast of Brazil have high levels of cocaine
Click to see story on Novinky.czBrazilian sea lions test positive for cocaine
Click to see story on delo.si“Cocaine Sharks” Found Off The Coast Of Brazil
Click to see story on IFLScienceSharks off Brazil coast test positive for cocaine
Click to see story on BBC News‘Cocaine sharks’ throng Brazilian waters
Click to see story on NZ HeraldSharks in Brazil test positive for cocaine, say scientists
Click to see story on KRDOSharks off Brazil coast test positive for cocaine
Click to see story on Sky News UKCocaine found in muscle and liver of sharpnose sharks off coast of Rio de Janeiro
Click to see story on Phys.orgSharks off the coast of Brazil have tested positive for cocaine. Experts are sounding the alarm
Click to see story on Digi 24Sharks tested positive for cocaine in Brazilian waters
Click to see story on La LibreSharks off coast of Brazil test positive for cocaine
Click to see story on 24ur.comResearchers Have Now Discovered ‘Cocaine Sharks’ Off The Coast Of Brazil
Click to see story on BroBibleCocaine sharks found off the coast of Brazil – Washington Examiner
Click to see story on Washington ExaminerBrazil: sharks test positive for cocaine after being contaminated at sea
Click to see story on Le ParisienThirteen Brazilian Sharks Test Positive for Cocaine, Researchers Say
Click to see story on TMZ‘Cocaine sharks’ found off coast of Brazil
Click to see story on 9NewsRight
Untracked Bias
Study finds cocaine in the body of bull sharks in Brazil.
Click to see story on GloboA positive cocaine test result was obtained from dogfish off the coast of Brazil.
Click to see story on T24Researchers find cocaine in body of sharks off coast of Brazil.
Click to see story on Het Belang van LimburgResearchers find cocaine in body of sharks off coast of Brazil.
Click to see story on Het NieuwsbladHay in Brazil’s coast are on a cocaine high.
Click to see story on KurierSharks off the coast of Brazil tested positive for cocaine. This concerns scientists.
Click to see story on iDNES.czSharks test positive for cocaine
Click to see story on SIC NotíciasCocaine and the sharks of Rio de Janeiro
Click to see story on O AntagonistaResearchers find cocaine in shark bodies off the coast of Brazil: “Causes hyperactive and unpredictable behavior”
Click to see story on Gazet van AntwerpenSharks off Brazil found positive for cocaine
Click to see story on NaftemporikiSharks in Brazil test positive for cocaine, scientists find
Click to see story on seznamzpravy.czSharks test positive for cocaine off Brazilian coast
Click to see story on 444.huSharks off Brazil coast test positive for cocaine
Click to see story on 98 Rock BaltimoreSharks off the coast of Brazil have tested positive for cocaine. What scientists have discovered.
Click to see story on Stirile Pro TV“Cocaine sharks” are found in Brazil
Click to see story on Olhar Digital – O futuro passa primeiro aqui…Sounding the alarm after discovery of “narco sharks” off the coast of Brazil
Click to see story on NettavisenSharks tested positive for cocaine
Click to see story on TV 2Tested positive: Brazilian sharks are heavy on coke
Click to see story on der Standard DESharks in Brazil’s coastal waters contain traces of cocaine in the body
Click to see story on Mediafax‘Cocaine sharks’ found in waters off Brazil
Click to see story on ScienceSharks test positive for cocaine contamination off Brazilian coast, scientists unsure of origin
Click to see story on BreezyScrollSharks off coast of Brazil positive for cocaine
Click to see story on politika.rsSTA: Brazilian sharks positive for cocaine
Click to see story on sta.siSharks in Brazil have tested positive for cocaine. How they came to consume the drug and why marine biologists are worried
Click to see story on antena3.roSharks on Brazilian coast test positive for cocaine
Click to see story on rtl.nl13 Brazilian Sharks Test Positive for Cocaine
Click to see story on dagens.com‘Cocaine Shark’: Drugs Found in Sharks off Coast of Brazil
Click to see story on hngn.comResearchers said they believe the cocaine entered the sharks’ bodies after making its way into the ocean through illegal labs that manufactured cocaine and drug users’ biological waste. Scientists also said that packs of cocaine dumped or lost by drug trafficker into the sea could be a source, though it’s a less likely cause.
Brazil is one of the world’s largest suppliers of cocaine and has poor sewage infrastructure, according to the researchers. Scientists said that is a major reason they are seeing increased levels of cocaine in the sea.
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The higher concentrations of cocaine sharks likely mean they’re consuming sea creatures with the drug already in them, according to the study. Researchers now believe that cocaine is getting into the human food supply. Brazilian sharp nose sharks are sold in Brazil at markets, meaning people may already being consuming the cocaine-riddled fish.
The impact on marine life is still being researched, but scientists say all of the female sharks involved in the study were pregnant. It’s unclear what impact the presence of cocaine may have on their offspring.
As far as the effects of cocaine on shark behavior, studies have shown it to have side effects similar to those humans’ experience.
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The team involved in the study said it hopes to expand its research to other shark species. The reason the Brazilian sharp nose shark was chosen is because of its small size and also due to the fact that it lives in a small area where it is exposed to large amounts of contaminant discharges, according to scientists.
[LAUREN TAYLOR]
MAYBE YOU’VE HEARD OF THE MOVIE “COCAINE BEAR?”
“COCAINE BEAR” MEET “COCAINE SHARK” … OR SHARKS… BUT THIS ISN’T FICTION AND IT MAY BE CAUSE FOR CONCERN AMONG HUMANS AND MARINE LIFE.
13 SHARKS OFF OF THE COAST OF BRAZIL TESTED POSITIVE FOR HIGH LEVELS OF COCAINE.
MARINE BIOLOGISTS FOUND IT IN THE MUSCLES AND LIVERS OF BRAZILIAN SHARPNOSE SHARKS.
SO, HOW DID IT GET THERE?
RESEARCHERS BELIEVE THE COCAINE IS MAKING ITS WAY INTO THE OCEAN THROUGH ILLEGAL COCAINE LABS AND DRUG USERS’ BIOLOGICAL WASTE.
THEY ALSO SAY PACKS OF COCAINE DUMPED OR LOST BY TRAFFICKERS INTO THE SEA COULD BE A SOURCE– THOUGH LESS LIKELY.
BRAZIL IS ONE OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST SUPPLIERS OF COCAINE AND HAS POOR SEWAGE INFRASTRUCTURE– WHICH RESEARCHERS SAY IS LEADING TO INCREASED LEVELS OF THE DRUG IN THE SEA.
HIGHER COCAINE CONCENTRATIONS IN SHARKS LIKELY MEANS THEY’RE CONSUMING SEA CREATURES WITH THE DRUG ALREADY IN THEM. NOW RESEARCHERS BELIEVE COCAINE IS GETTING INTO THE HUMAN FOOD SUPPLY.
BRAZILIAN SHARPNOSE SHARKS ARE SOLD IN BRAZIL AT MARKETS– MEANING PEOPLE MAY ALREADY BE CONSUMING THE COCAINE-RIDDLED FISH.
THE IMPACT ON MARINE LIFE IS STILL BEING RESEARCHED– BUT SCIENTISTS SAY ALL OF THE FEMALE SHARKS THEY STUDIED WERE PREGNANT– AND IT’S UNCLEAR WHAT IMPACT THAT COULD HAVE ON THEIR OFFSPRING.
AS FAR AS THE EFFECTS OF COCAINE ON SHARK BEHAVIOR — STUDIES HAVE SHOWN IT TO HAVE SIDE EFFECTS SIMILAR TO THOSE HUMANS EXPERIENCE.
FOR MORE STORIES LIKE THIS– DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT SAN-DOT-COM.
Media Landscape
See who else is reporting on this story and which side of the political spectrum they lean. To read other sources, click on the plus signs below. Learn more about this dataBias Distribution
Left
Wild sharks off Brazil coast test positive for cocaine, scientists say
Click to see story on The GuardianSharks off coast of Brazil test positive for cocaine
Click to see story on The Independent“Cocaine Sharks” Found In Brazil, Scientist Unsure Where They Get The Drug
Click to see story on NDTVSharks in Brazil test positive for cocaine, say scientists
Click to see story on CNN“Cocaine sharks”: Predators off coast of Brazil test positive for drug, scientists say
Click to see story on CBS NewsSharks in Brazil test positive for cocaine, say scientists – Boston News, Weather, Sports
Click to see story on WHDHSharks in Brazil test positive for cocaine, say scientists – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports
Click to see story on WSVNSharks off the coast of Brazil have high levels of cocaine
Click to see story on Novinky.czBrazilian sea lions test positive for cocaine
Click to see story on delo.si“Cocaine Sharks” Found Off The Coast Of Brazil
Click to see story on IFLScienceSharks off Brazil coast test positive for cocaine
Click to see story on BBC News‘Cocaine sharks’ throng Brazilian waters
Click to see story on NZ HeraldSharks in Brazil test positive for cocaine, say scientists
Click to see story on KRDOSharks off Brazil coast test positive for cocaine
Click to see story on Sky News UKCocaine found in muscle and liver of sharpnose sharks off coast of Rio de Janeiro
Click to see story on Phys.orgSharks off the coast of Brazil have tested positive for cocaine. Experts are sounding the alarm
Click to see story on Digi 24Sharks tested positive for cocaine in Brazilian waters
Click to see story on La LibreSharks off coast of Brazil test positive for cocaine
Click to see story on 24ur.comResearchers Have Now Discovered ‘Cocaine Sharks’ Off The Coast Of Brazil
Click to see story on BroBibleCocaine sharks found off the coast of Brazil – Washington Examiner
Click to see story on Washington ExaminerBrazil: sharks test positive for cocaine after being contaminated at sea
Click to see story on Le ParisienThirteen Brazilian Sharks Test Positive for Cocaine, Researchers Say
Click to see story on TMZ‘Cocaine sharks’ found off coast of Brazil
Click to see story on 9NewsRight
Untracked Bias
Study finds cocaine in the body of bull sharks in Brazil.
Click to see story on GloboA positive cocaine test result was obtained from dogfish off the coast of Brazil.
Click to see story on T24Researchers find cocaine in body of sharks off coast of Brazil.
Click to see story on Het Belang van LimburgResearchers find cocaine in body of sharks off coast of Brazil.
Click to see story on Het NieuwsbladHay in Brazil’s coast are on a cocaine high.
Click to see story on KurierSharks off the coast of Brazil tested positive for cocaine. This concerns scientists.
Click to see story on iDNES.czSharks test positive for cocaine
Click to see story on SIC NotíciasCocaine and the sharks of Rio de Janeiro
Click to see story on O AntagonistaResearchers find cocaine in shark bodies off the coast of Brazil: “Causes hyperactive and unpredictable behavior”
Click to see story on Gazet van AntwerpenSharks off Brazil found positive for cocaine
Click to see story on NaftemporikiSharks in Brazil test positive for cocaine, scientists find
Click to see story on seznamzpravy.czSharks test positive for cocaine off Brazilian coast
Click to see story on 444.huSharks off Brazil coast test positive for cocaine
Click to see story on 98 Rock BaltimoreSharks off the coast of Brazil have tested positive for cocaine. What scientists have discovered.
Click to see story on Stirile Pro TV“Cocaine sharks” are found in Brazil
Click to see story on Olhar Digital – O futuro passa primeiro aqui…Sounding the alarm after discovery of “narco sharks” off the coast of Brazil
Click to see story on NettavisenSharks tested positive for cocaine
Click to see story on TV 2Tested positive: Brazilian sharks are heavy on coke
Click to see story on der Standard DESharks in Brazil’s coastal waters contain traces of cocaine in the body
Click to see story on Mediafax‘Cocaine sharks’ found in waters off Brazil
Click to see story on ScienceSharks test positive for cocaine contamination off Brazilian coast, scientists unsure of origin
Click to see story on BreezyScrollSharks off coast of Brazil positive for cocaine
Click to see story on politika.rsSTA: Brazilian sharks positive for cocaine
Click to see story on sta.siSharks in Brazil have tested positive for cocaine. How they came to consume the drug and why marine biologists are worried
Click to see story on antena3.roSharks on Brazilian coast test positive for cocaine
Click to see story on rtl.nl13 Brazilian Sharks Test Positive for Cocaine
Click to see story on dagens.com‘Cocaine Shark’: Drugs Found in Sharks off Coast of Brazil
Click to see story on hngn.comStraight to your inbox.
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