Blue dogs have been spotted near the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, and the reason for their unusual color remains unknown.
The blue fur sightings were first reported by the Dogs of Chernobyl program, which has been monitoring and caring for the descendants of pets abandoned during the 1986 nuclear disaster.
On October 17, researchers from the program took to Facebook to confirm that the geotagged images showed at least three dogs with blue fur.
"These photos were taken by Darrin the lead of our catching team a few days ago.
"We have been trying for days to find them again to catch them for sterilization purposes only and to possibly wash off whatever they’ve gotten into," they wrote in the caption.
The pictures sparked speculation that the color could be due to chemical contamination, however, the actual cause is believed to be far more mundane... and somewhat gross.
Chemical Contamination, Not Radiation
Dr. Jennifer Betz, Veterinary Medical Director for the Dogs of Chernobyl program, shared her team's findings with IFLScience and revealed that the dogs had been rolling in a substance likely linked to an old portable toilet nearby.
“They appear to have been rolling in a substance that had accumulated on their fur.
"We are suspecting that this substance was from an old portable toilet that was in the same location as the dogs, however, we were unable to positively confirm our suspicions,” Dr. Betz said.
This wasn’t the first time such an incident had occurred, as in 2021, a similar situation arose in Dzerzhinsk, Russia, when a pack of dogs was found with bright blue fur. In that case, the dogs had been in contact with copper sulfate, a blue chemical used in manufacturing.
While the blue coloration of the Chernobyl dogs may seem striking, Dr. Betz reassured that there is no cause for concern regarding their health.
“The dogs appear healthy, as do all of the other dogs that we have encountered during our time in Chornobyl. I would suspect, as long as they don’t lick the majority of the substance off of their fur, it would be mostly harmless,” she said.
The Chernobyl disaster took place in Ukraine, which was then the USSR. Credit: Wojtek Laski / Getty
The Dogs of Chernobyl
These dogs are not just the latest in a series of strange occurrences at the Chernobyl site.
They are part of a group of animals that have managed to survive and even thrive in the area, which is still radioactive from the nuclear disaster.
The Dogs of Chernobyl program provides food, medical care, and sterilization services to roughly 700 dogs living within the 18-square-mile exclusion zone.
While the program aims to control the population, the animal's unique resilience in such a toxic environment continues to be a subject of scientific interest.
Genetic Mutations in Chernobyl Dogs
Recent studies have uncovered some fascinating genetic changes among the Chernobyl dogs.
Research led by Norman J. Kleiman, an environmental health scientist at Columbia University, found that these dogs have developed genetic mutations that help them endure the extreme conditions in the zone.
Kleiman's team also discovered that the dogs have adapted to long-term exposure to radiation, heavy metals, and pollution.
In a study published in Canine Medicine and Genetics in 2023, investigators identified nearly 400 “outlier loci,” genetic markers that show patterns of variation far different from typical dogs, the Daily Mail reported.
These genetic adaptations are believed to be a result of the dogs’ exposure to the contamination from the Chernobyl disaster, passed down through generations.
Dogs are part of a remarkable group of animals that have managed to survive in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. Credit: Sean Gallup / Getty
While the blue coloring of the dogs may seem bizarre, it adds to the mystery of how Chernobyl’s wildlife continues to persist in the area.