Several dogs with blue fur have been spotted in the Chernobyl exclusion zone, sparking a wave of speculation about radiation mutations.
However, scientists from the Dogs of Chernobyl program confirmed that the unusual color is not related to radiation. The explanation turned out to be much simpler: the animals likely got stained with blue liquid that leaked from an old portable toilet.
Three such dogs were spotted on October 6, 2025. Researchers believe that the chemical poses no serious threat if the animals do not lick it off their fur in large quantities.
Similar cases have occurred before. In 2021, in Russia, dogs with blue coloring were spotted near an abandoned chemical plant, caused by rolling in copper sulfate.
After the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster in 1986, thousands of pets were left behind but managed to adapt and survive in the wild around the station. Since 2017, more than 1,000 animals have been sterilized as part of a population control program. Today, this area has become a refuge for many species — from wild boars to wolves, which have been found to have unique protective mutations.
