Overview
- Photos of three bright-blue dogs taken in October in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone went viral after Dogs of Chernobyl shared them while staff had not yet captured the animals for examination.
- On Nov. 13, scientific adviser Timothy A. Mousseau posted on the group’s Facebook page that the most likely cause was dye from a tipped-over porta-potty, rejecting radiation or mutation theories.
- The statement stresses the coloration reflects typical canine behavior around waste rather than any evolutionary adaptation linked to the site’s contamination.
- The Dogs of Chernobyl program, affiliated with the Clean Futures Fund, provides care and sterilization for roughly 700 stray dogs descended from pets left behind after the 1986 evacuation.
- Coverage places the episode in broader context that includes ongoing research on Chernobyl wildlife, with past studies noting genetically distinct dog populations near the plant without tying the blue fur to radiation effects.