Dolphins have learnt to deliberately get stoned on fish toxins

PanARMENIAN.Net - The makers of a documentary called "Dolphins: Spy in the Pod" found that the animals enjoyed getting themselves high off toxins produced by puffer fish, Civilized. reports.

As a defensive mechanism, puffer fish release a toxin when threatened by other animals. In high doses, this can be deadly. But at lower doses, the toxin produces a mind-altering effect similar to getting high.

In the documentary, dolphins can be seen grabbing puffer fish in order to get them to release the neurotoxin. Once they do so, a group of them will swim around the toxin to get a taste of the effects.

One of the producers in the film noted, "After chewing the puffer gently and passing it round, they began acting most peculiarly, hanging around with their noses at the surface as if fascinated by their own reflection."