There’s a new instrument to detect mercury pollution in the environment – sled dog fur.

Scientists have discovered that analyzing the fur of Alasakan sled dogs can reveal the levels of mercury contamination in the immediate surroundings, the blog Live Science reports. The dogs eat the leftover food from the surrounding villages, which contain the varying levels of mercury.

Here’s a scary thought: if the mercury is showing up in the dog fur, might it mean the toxic substance is showing up in the bodies of the human population as well?

 -Valerie