Puff, Puff, Pass: Teen Dolphins Are Caught Getting High On Puffer Fish

CitizenJack
I believe dolphins to be our closest intellectual relatives on this planet. I know some will disagree and say this animal or that, it is just my opinion. I dont believe that I need to highlight all their attributes in this thread but I thought it would be nice to add one to their credit. These creatures like to experience reality in different states. Its actual more natural than you may know here is another article written about this animal behavior
www.takepart.com... .

edit on 30-12-2013 by CitizenJack because: (no reason given)

edit on 30-12-2013 by CitizenJack because: typos : /

Yes, dolphins and humans probably have very similar levels of consciousness and awareness. Hence this behavior, which I've noticed in the field while studying human lifestyles and ways of enjoying their lives without hurting other humans. In this case the loser is the puffer fish, who unfortunately developed a defense mechanism which dolphins seem to use for other purposes entirely.

reply to post by CitizenJack


They're self-medicating. Does anyone wonder why?

Dolphins Suffering From Lung Disease Due to Gulf Oil Spill, Study Says

Study Finds Strong Connection Between Deepwater Horizon Spill and Dolphin Deaths

Lethal Sounds: The use of military sonar poses a deadly threat to whales and other marine mammals

Emerging Diseases in Marine Mammals: from Dolphins to Manatees

Exposures to viruses, pollutants may lead to diseases, sometimes involving immune dysfunctions, among marine mammals

[fyi - I think the same forces and dynamic affect human behaviour too, and in the same way.]

(the other thread has been closed, and I thought this was a good find to bring here)

Ah, look. It is not the pufferfish itself which is the home-source of the neurotoxin which the dolphins seek, but the symbiotic species of bacteria which reside inside the pufferfish.

Wikipedia page on tetrodotoxin:

en.wikipedia.org...

Although tetrodotoxin was discovered in these fish and found in several other animals (e.g., blue-ringed octopus, rough-skinned newt, and Naticidae) it is actually produced by certain symbiotic bacteria, such as Pseudoalteromonas tetraodonis, certain species of Pseudomonas and Vibrio, as well as some others that reside within these animals.

Tetrodotoxin blocks action potentials in nerves by binding to the voltage-gated, fast sodium channels in nerve cell membranes, essentially preventing any affected nerve cells from firing by blocking the channels used in the process.

So, knowing what bacterial growth produces the effect, tetrodotoxin can be cultivated for the captive dolphins once it is ascertained how much of a dosage free members of their species consume, adjusted downward for loss of muscle mass due to their incarceration. In "the wild" dolphins seem to instinctively sense when they've had enough tetrodotoxin for their needs (it may be quick acting enough that they know when to quit).

A savvy animal rights attorney could plead the case that the world's captive dolphin population should be offered tetrodotoxin-laced dead fish so they can obtain what to them seems like a natural need for their species.

I have GOT to see this documentary. Sadly, I don't have BBC. The series has 900 hours of ''sneaky' spy footage which would be fascinating to watch. I'll have to keep my eye open for this show. Simply amazing.

I wonder if they play 'spin the bottlenose' while puffing...

Do they call their parties 'reefers?'

Do they ever exhale?

Can they be triggered into having splashbacks?

Do they listen to Bob Marlin and the Whalers?

Is puffer fish a gateway drug? If so, what is the good stuff - Man O' War?

What do they eat when they get the munchies?

Just a tease....

reply to post by CitizenJack


Citizen Jack - dolphins are also known to have sex for fun, unlike many in the animal kingdom. And their method of communication (at least one of them) involves sending pictorial signals through sonar of objects they have seen - they duplicate the object and click it to one another using whatever sound they make.

In that sense, their language is pictorial and symbolic -

reply to post by FlySolo


Wow I love Spy Turtle...

Aleister
In this case the loser is the puffer fish, who unfortunately developed a defense mechanism which dolphins seem to use for other purposes entirely.

I bet the Puffer Fish genes didn't see that one coming!

reply to post by Varhaard

I wonder if they play 'spin the bottlenose' while puffing...
Do they call their parties 'reefers?'
Do they ever exhale?
Can they be triggered into having splashbacks?
Do they listen to Bob Marlin and the Whalers?
Is puffer fish a gateway drug? If so, what is the good stuff - Man O' War?
What do they eat when they get the munchies?

Who'd of thought the BEST post on ATS for the year would come about on it’s last day!

AHHHH HA HAHAHAHAHHAHAHA!

Ok, so now back on topic... What about the Dogs licking toads to get high...?

In parts of Australia dogs are turning to hallucinogenic amphibians to get high, according to a film about cane toads in the country. The reasons for the usage is unclear but filmmaker Mark Lewis, who explored the subject of doggy psychedelics in his recent film “Cane Toads: The Conquest,” told the Daily News some dogs are in need of interventions.

"It's hard to determine how much fun the dogs have but they keep doing it," he said. "Sometimes you'll see a dog running around in circles and realize it must have licked a toad."

Dogs, dolphins - next thing you know it will be...humans!

peace

(And yes, I’m looking forward to Varhaard’s response to my post)...

WINNER WINNER !!!!!
Wow you sir have won the goofy face award for most creative comical reply .

Varhaard
I wonder if they play 'spin the bottlenose' while puffing...

Do they call their parties 'reefers?'

Do they ever exhale?

Can they be triggered into having splashbacks?

Do they listen to Bob Marlin and the Whalers?

Is puffer fish a gateway drug? If so, what is the good stuff - Man O' War?

What do they eat when they get the munchies?

In second was

Ramcheck
Marinejuana!

Your prize is the gotcha face award for best one liner post in this thread .

Congrats to our participants .

Seriously though the feedback is great guys I'm going to get a few more replies off before bed, long day at work blah.

dog - toad
dolphin - puffer
cat - catnip
elephant - marula

They all know their stuff. No, you cannot join the party.

reply to post by Aleister


Wow you made an argument worthy of a court room appearance all on your own .Well with animal rights / sentient right it stands that the dolphins are acting in their own interest of personal happiness or the pursuit of happiness.... So in places that these guys have been granted personhood where do we draw the seperating line?

It if it became a case of " this is a natural behavior that dolphins/ persons (according to india) do " correlating to their own personal pursuit of happiness, then the question becomes are we not also animals / persons with our own interest in the pursuing happiness as we see fit. Hmm what say you india ?

" THE NARCOTIC DRUGS AND PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCES ACT, 1985 (shortened to NDPS Act). Under the NDPS Act, it is illegal for a person to produce/manufacture/cultivate, possess, sell, purchase, transport, store, and/or consume any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance. "

Duh Duh Duh. Better watch out dolphins, they'll becoming for that puffer you just wait and see.

darkbake
reply to post by CitizenJack

 

Citizen Jack - dolphins are also known to have sex for fun, unlike many in the animal kingdom. And their method of communication (at least one of them) involves sending pictorial signals through sonar of objects they have seen - they duplicate the object and click it to one another using whatever sound they make.

In that sense, their language is pictorial and symbolic -

These are a few of the reasons I believe them to be closest to us intellectually and consciously . There are loads more, some are even floating around here on ATS .

Interestingly enough they may also have names for each other. Dolphins each have a unique whistle they develop over the first few years of their life. The whistle also seems to serve as a name that other dolphins maybe able to call upon when seeking out that particular dolphin. Pretty cool stuff imho.

reply to post by silo13

curious that they don't die.

that is some serious toxin.

i've enjoyed a fugu dinner (4-5 courses) and it's regulated to the gov to clean it.

these animals have to have something going on that we could benefit from, if we knew.

Back "in the old days" there was a weed that horses and cows could eat that would get them high. They would go back for it time and time again, effectively ruining good work animals. So the folks worked to eradicate it It still grows, and can still present a problem to local ranchers....but you don't hear the stories that are told from "back when" (likely due to less horses being in town).

Apparently it wasn't uncommon for a stoned horse to go wandering into a business and trash the place. Cows would get high and end up stumbling off into a ravine or something and killing themselves.

Dolphins also have a dark side.

That comment about the rape caves? Not far wrong. Gangs of male dolphins have been observed capturing and harassing females until they are forced to mate with them. Male dolphins will also kill calves to mate with the females. It is also somewhat dangerous to interact with dolphins as they may try to hump you, too.

For dolphins, sex can be used as a weapon. So it's not all fun and games.