Overview
- Researchers off Eleuthera tested 85 sharks and found 28 carried at least one of 25 human-used compounds.
- Tests detected caffeine, painkillers and paracetamol, and reports say cocaine turned up in two sharks, including a juvenile lemon shark.
- Scientists point to sewage and tourist discharges as the most likely source, with a second idea that sharks may bite drug packets lost at sea.
- No clear behavior changes have been seen so far, though researchers noted stress signs and Tracy Fanara said the exposure forces sharks to burn more energy to clear pollutants.
- The sampling took place about 6 km offshore in waters seen as remote, and the team plans to publish the full study in Environmental Pollution in May 2026.