I know it’s a fun story that dolphins pass pufferfish or something and the venom gets them “high” but I wonder if this is accurate. This seems like a cute urban legend more than genuine animal psychology. Or am I wrong? Is it scientifically verified somehow that dolphins have the cognitive ability to deliberately abuse drugs and get high socially?
In: Biology
Most animals get high/drunk when the opportunity presents itself. Even pretty simple creatures can form an addictive bond to chemicals if exposed to them.
The amount of evidence you seem to want is not realistic. We can’t pop a dolphin in an MRI and see what impact the toxin is having.
What we know is that dolphins will play with a fish that has a known neurochemical in it. At the end of playing, their behavior is changed temporarily.
That certainly looks like getting high.
As a side-note, dolphins do have *extremely* complex social behavior. They’ve very, very smart. But that isn’t a necessary component of the behavior you’re asking about.
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