Newsroom
Something strange, and oddly colorful, is happening in Chernobyl. A few stray dogs living in the Exclusion Zone around the abandoned nuclear plant have been spotted with bright blue fur, baffling animal rescuers and sparking wild speculation online.
The discovery was made earlier this month by Dogs of Chernobyl, a volunteer group that helps care for the hundreds of dogs still roaming the restricted area. In an Instagram post on October 13, the team said they came across “three dogs that were completely blue” while carrying out a sterilization mission.
“We’re not exactly sure what’s going on,” the group wrote, adding that the animals were energetic and appeared healthy despite their striking new look.
Experts say it’s unlikely the color has anything to do with radiation. Instead, the more likely explanation is that the dogs came into contact with a chemical or industrial dye, perhaps near one of the many decaying factories or storage sites still scattered around the zone. One theory even suggests the animals may have wandered into a leaking Porta Potty.
The Dogs of Chernobyl project, run by the Clean Futures Fund, estimates there are now more than 700 stray dogs living around the site, descendants of pets left behind when residents were evacuated after the 1986 nuclear disaster. Many have survived generations of harsh winters, radiation exposure, and even attacks from wild wolves.
Since the animals are not allowed to leave the exclusion zone, volunteers travel there regularly to feed, vaccinate, and sterilize them. For now, rescuers are still trying to catch the mysterious blue dogs to find out what exactly turned their fur such a vivid shade, and whether it’s harmless or not.
*Source: People.com
