Are the sharks here not only on a blood high, but also on a cocaine high?
For decades, huge bundles of drugs have washed up on Florida’s beaches. The cocaine loads are often dumped in the sea – and then collected by smugglers. This is how the criminals make it harder for the police.
Because of this scam, marine biologist Tom Hird (39) now wanted to find out: Do the sharks off the Florida coast consume the sunk drugs? To do this, he carried out experiments that are shown as part of the “Shark Week” (German: Hai-Woche) on the “Discovery” station.
In fact, they found sharks that behaved conspicuously – and gave up puzzles. A sandbank shark appeared to be staring at something nonexistent and swam in tight circles.
AND: When Hird dived with his research colleague Tracy Fanara, a hammerhead shark came straight at them. Although the animals are actually afraid of people.
The marine biologist said the strange behavior could have been caused by an injury or “perhaps a chemical imbalance”.
“The deeper story here is how chemicals, pharmaceuticals and illicit drugs enter our oceans and what impact they could have on delicate marine ecosystems,” Hird told the science portal „Live Science“.
Sharks pounced on counterfeit drug packages
The researcher and his team produced quasi-fake cocaine for the experiment: Bundles that look similar to the smugglers’ drug packages – but filled with fish powder. This should also trigger a dopamine rush in the sharks.
The researchers did not want to throw real coke into the sea. In order not to intentionally drug the animals.
“We gave them what I think is the next best thing. It set their brains on fire. It was crazy,” Hird said, according to Live Science. The sharks immediately swam towards the packages and bit off bits.
One of the animals even escaped with a fake bundle of cocaine. They were interested in dummy swans Sharks, on the other hand, zero.
Means: The animals seem to connect the drug packages with something positive. Proof that they actually Cocaine consume, but that is not yet. Hird sees his experiments as a starting point for further research.