Chernobyl, a name that still evokes one of the darkest chapters in human history. In 1986, reactor 4 at the nuclear power plant exploded, thousands of people had to flee, and entire cities were abandoned forever. But at the heart of this dead zone, life persists: hundreds of stray dogs, descendants of the animals that were left behind.
For years, the organisation "Dogs of Chernobyl" has been caring for these animals. It feeds them, provides medical care, and sterilises them. But what the animal rescuers discovered recently has chilled the blood of even the most experienced volunteers.
A discovery that leaves no one indifferent
Whilst the team was working in the exclusion zone, it made an unsettling discovery. "We are currently on site to catch dogs for sterilisation and we came across three animals that were completely blue", the organisation announced.
This discovery is making headlines around the world and sparking speculation. Is this unusual coat colour due to radioactivity? Is it a chemical reaction? Or is it a consequence of decades of exposure to radiation in the soil?
The mystery of the blue dogs
A blue coat, right in the heart of Chernobyl's irradiated zone? The rescuers couldn't believe their eyes. A spokesperson for the organisation explained: "We don't know what happened. We're trying to catch them to find out what's going on."
However, local residents reported that the dogs had looked completely normal a week earlier.
As if from another world
Dr Jennifer Betz, the project's veterinary lead, has a theory. "These dogs are extremely fearful of humans and we've tried in vain to catch them. But it appears they've rolled in a substance that has accumulated in their coats", she explains to BILD.
It's thought that residue from old portable toilets could be behind this phenomenon. But it's not 100% certain. Until the dogs can be caught, the mystery remains unsolved.
