Researchers investigating stray dogs in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone have encountered a surprising phenomenon: several dogs have developed a blue coloration. This discovery, reported by IFLScience, raised concerns about the potential impact of radiation exposure, but researchers are confident there is a more mundane explanation.
According to Jennifer Betz, the veterinary medical director of the Dogs of Chernobyl initiative, the dogs likely rolled in a substance that accumulated on their fur. Betz suggested that this substance may have originated from an old portable toilet located nearby, although the team was unable to confirm this hypothesis. “We are not in any way saying that it is related to radiation in Chernobyl,” she emphasized.
Portable toilets typically contain a blue liquid comprising biocides, dyes, detergents, and odor-neutralizing agents, which help maintain freshness. Fortunately, even if the dogs came into contact with or ingested this blue substance, it appears they are unharmed. “The dogs appear healthy, as do all of the other dogs that we have encountered during our time in Chernobyl,” Betz noted. “I would suspect, as long as they don”t lick the majority of the substance off of their fur, it would be mostly harmless.”
The Dogs of Chernobyl initiative, a nonprofit organization, has been active since 2017, focusing on monitoring and sterilizing the offspring of pets that once lived in the area decades ago. To date, they have sterilized over 1,000 cats and dogs. This initiative is part of the Clean Futures Fund, which aims to raise awareness and provide support for communities affected by industrial accidents and long-term remediation efforts.
Recently, the fund addressed rumors on social media regarding manipulated images of the blue dogs, stating, “We don”t have time to be doing things like that.” The Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, largely devoid of human presence for nearly 40 years, has become a refuge for various wildlife species, including grey wolves, brown bears, and wild boars.
While the blue coloration in dogs is not attributed to radiation, researchers have observed that local Eastern tree frogs have evolved to develop increased melanin to better cope with the prolonged radiation exposure from the 1986 disaster, resulting in their transformation from typical green to nearly black.
This is not the first instance of blue dogs being reported in the region. In early 2021, images of bright blue dogs in an industrial area near Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, sparked social media interest. Authorities suspected that those dogs had encountered a toxic industrial chemical, like copper sulfate, which could have caused their unusual coloring. Fortunately, tests conducted by a local veterinarian confirmed those dogs were also in good health, leading to two of them being adopted shortly thereafter.
