Who’s responsible for the blue hue?

Stray dogs wandering the Chernobyl exclusion zone have recently turned heads with their bright blue coats. Local animal volunteers suggest these vibrant hues likely resulted from the dogs frolicking in a toppled porta-potty.

The striking images of these azure-coated canines quickly spread across the internet, gaining widespread attention after the Dogs of Chernobyl program posted them on Facebook. This initiative looks after strays in the vicinity of the infamous 1986 nuclear disaster in Ukraine.

In response to swirling rumors, a scientist associated with the program, which operates under the Clean Futures Fund (CFF), stepped forward to clear up misconceptions. Speculation had arisen that the dogs’ unusual coloring was due to radioactive mutations.

Dr. Timothy A. Mousseau from the University of South Carolina, mentioned in a Dogs of Chernobyl Facebook update, explained, “CFF’s initial TikTok posts ignited a wave of social media chatter, with many attributing the color change to radiation or even evolutionary adaptation to the area.”

He clarified, “This couldn’t be further from reality. The blue tint is probably from dye in a spilled porta-potty, where the dogs were indulging in their natural antics, much like cats with litter boxes.”

“Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, the blue dye likely came from a tipped-over porta-potty where the dogs were rolling around in the poop as dogs are prone to do (think cat litter box!),” he added.

“The blue coloration was simply a sign of the dog’s unsanitary behavior! As any dog owner knows, most dogs will eat just about anything, including feces!” Mousseau said.

Some 700 dogs living within the 18-square-mile exclusion zone around the former nuclear plant have been cared for by the Dogs of Chernobyl program since 2017.

The animals are the descendants of pets abandoned when residents were evacuated following the disaster at the plant.

Since human fled the region almost 40 years ago, wildlife has flourished in the exclusion zone.

A 2024 study found that some dogs in the area had developed a mutation that conferred immunity to radiation, pollution, and heavy metals.

Radiation in the exclusion zone remains six times the allowed exposure for human workers, and experts say the area will not be habitable for some 3,000 years.