Recreational drug use in animals

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Several non-human animal species are said to engage in apparent recreational drug use, that is, the intentional ingestion of psychoactive substances in their environment for pleasure, though claims of such behavior in the wild are often controversial. [1] This is distinct from zoopharmacognosy, in which animals ingest or topically apply non-food substances for their health benefits, as a form of self-medication.

Contents

Alcohol

Elephants

According to legend, the fruit of the marula tree is sought by elephants for its alcohol content when ripe. Marula01.jpg
According to legend, the fruit of the marula tree is sought by elephants for its alcohol content when ripe.

South African legends, recorded as early as the 1830s by naturalist Adulphe Delegorgue, describe elephants seeking out the fermented fruit of the marula tree, and showing signs of intoxication, including increased aggression, after doing so. This behavior was controversially depicted in the 1974 documentary Animals Are Beautiful People : the crew of the film reportedly staged the scene, either by soaking the fruit in alcohol before allowing animals to eat it, [2] or by simply injecting the animals with a veterinary anesthetic to elicit symptoms of intoxication. [3] A 2005 study concluded that it is very unlikely that an elephant could eat enough of the fruit in a day to become drunk; the study instead attributed their aggression to the value of the trees as a food source. Yet it may be possible that another intoxicant is at play – elephants are also known to eat the bark of the tree, which often contains toxic beetle pupae. [4] [1]

Vervet monkeys

Vervet monkey consuming a human beverage (in this case non-alcoholic) Vervet drinking energy drink at Tshokwane.jpg
Vervet monkey consuming a human beverage (in this case non-alcoholic)

Some vervet monkeys in the Caribbean, particularly teenaged individuals, exhibit a preference for alcoholic beverages over non-alcoholic ones, a taste which likely developed due to the availability of fermented sugar cane juice from local plantations. [4] On Saint Kitts, these monkeys often raid bars and tourist beaches for alcoholic drinks, and become visibly inebriated. The proportions of the monkey population that do not drink, that drink in moderation, and that drink to excess mirror those proportions in humans. [5]

Others

Other species that have been reported to consume alcohol in the wild include Bohemian waxwings, fruit bats, tree shrews, and bees, though there is no evidence that these species consume alcohol preferentially. [6] Anecdotal reports of drunken animals in the wild include moose, parrots, orangutans, and a badger. [3]

Other intoxicants

Bees

A 2010 study from the University of Haifa reported that bees prefer nectar containing nicotine and caffeine over that without, and suggested that this preference may be part of the reward system driving the mutualistic feeding behavior. [7]

Cats

A domestic cat under the influence of catnip Catnip-effects.jpg
A domestic cat under the influence of catnip

About 70% of domestic cats are attracted to, and affected by, the plant Nepeta cataria , also known as catnip. The plant also affects some wild cats, including tigers, though the percentage of these cats affected is unknown. Cats sniff, lick, and sometimes chew the plant, and may rub against it, with their cheeks and whole body, by rolling over it. If cats consume concentrated extract of the plant, they quickly show signs of overexcitement, including violent twitching, profuse salivation, and sexual arousal. The reaction is caused by volatile terpenoids called nepetalactones present in the plant. Although these are mildly toxic and repel insects from the plant, their concentration is too low to poison cats. [8] :61–63

Dolphins

A rough-toothed dolphin Steno bredanensis 2.jpg
A rough-toothed dolphin

In 1995, the marine biologist Lisa Steiner reported that a group of rough-toothed dolphins near the Azores were pushing around inflated puffer fish and behaving lethargically. Puffer fish defensively excrete tetrodotoxin, which might have been having an intoxicating effect on the dolphins. [4] This behavior was also reported in the 2014 BBC documentary Dolphins - Spy in the Pod . [6] [9] However, tetrodotoxin is not known to be psychoactive, and only produces numbness, tingling, and lightheadedness in small doses, while in larger doses it is extremely toxic. [4] [6] For these reasons, marine biologist Christie Wilcox has expressed doubt that dolphins dose themselves with the toxin intentionally. [4]

Lemurs

Black lemurs have been documented gently biting toxic millipedes, which causes them to salivate, and then rubbing their saliva and the millipede secretions on their fur. The millipede toxins, including cyanide and benzoquinone, are thought to act primarily as an insect repellent, protecting the lemurs from diseases such as malaria, thus making this behavior a form of zoopharmacognosy. However, the toxins also appear to have a narcotic effect on the lemurs, causing them to enter an apparently blissful state, which may serve as a reward for the behavior. [10] [11]

Wallabies

In Tasmania, wallabies have been reported repeatedly entering commercial poppy fields, consuming the plants, and showing signs of intoxication. [12]

See also

Further reading

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alcohol intoxication</span> Behavioural and physical changes due to the consumption of alcohol

Alcohol intoxication, also known in overdose as alcohol poisoning, commonly described as drunkenness or inebriation, is the behavior and physical effects caused by a recent consumption of alcohol. In addition to the toxicity of ethanol, the main psychoactive component of alcoholic beverages, other physiological symptoms may arise from the activity of acetaldehyde, a metabolite of alcohol. These effects may not arise until hours after ingestion and may contribute to the condition colloquially known as a hangover. The term intoxication is commonly used when large amount of alcohol is consumed along with physical symptoms and deleterious health effects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Food</span> Substances consumed for nutrition

Food is any substance consumed by an organism for nutritional support. Food is usually of plant, animal, or fungal origin and contains essential nutrients such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals. The substance is ingested by an organism and assimilated by the organism's cells to provide energy, maintain life, or stimulate growth. Different species of animals have different feeding behaviours that satisfy the needs of their metabolisms and have evolved to fill a specific ecological niche within specific geographical contexts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Poison</span> Substance that causes death, injury or harm to organs

A poison is any chemical substance that is harmful or lethal to living organisms. The term is used in a wide range of scientific fields and industries, where it is often specifically defined. It may also be applied colloquially or figuratively, with a broad sense.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drinking</span> Ingestion of water or other liquids

Drinking is the act of ingesting water or other liquids into the body through the mouth, proboscis, or elsewhere. Humans drink by swallowing, completed by peristalsis in the esophagus. The physiological processes of drinking vary widely among other animals.

<i>Sclerocarya birrea</i> Species of tree

Sclerocarya birrea, commonly known as the marula, is a medium-sized deciduous fruit-bearing tree, indigenous to the miombo woodlands of Southern Africa, the Sudano-Sahelian range of West Africa, the savanna woodlands of East Africa and Madagascar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamie Uys</span> South African film director

Jacobus Johannes Uys, better known as Jamie Uys, was a South African film director, best known for directing the 1980 comedy film The Gods Must Be Crazy and its 1989 sequel The Gods Must Be Crazy II. Uys also directed the 1974 documentary film Animals Are Beautiful People.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mushroom poisoning</span> Harmful effects from ingestion of toxic substances present in a mushroom

Mushroom poisoning is poisoning resulting from the ingestion of mushrooms that contain toxic substances. Symptoms can vary from slight gastrointestinal discomfort to death in about 10 days. Mushroom toxins are secondary metabolites produced by the fungus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kilju</span> Finnish home made alcoholic beverage

Kilju is the Finnish word for home made alcoholic beverage typically made of sugar, yeast, and water. The ABV is around 15–17%, and since it does not contain a sweet reserve it is completely dry. Crude fermented water may be distilled to moonshine. Kilju for consumption is clarified to avoid wine fault. It is a flax-colored alcoholic beverage with no discernible taste other than that of ethanol. It can be used as an ethanol base for drink mixers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of alcoholic drinks</span>

Purposeful production of alcoholic drinks is common and often reflects cultural and religious peculiarities as much as geographical and sociological conditions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zoopharmacognosy</span> Self-medication by animals

Zoopharmacognosy is a behaviour in which non-human animals self-medicate by selecting and ingesting or topically applying plants, soils and insects with medicinal properties, to prevent or reduce the harmful effects of pathogens, toxins, and even other animals. The term derives from Greek roots zoo ("animal"), pharmacon, and gnosy ("knowing").

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black lemur</span> Species of lemur

The black lemur is a species of lemur from the family Lemuridae. Like all lemurs, it is endemic to Madagascar. Originally, the species was thought to have two subspecies, Eulemur macaco macaco and Eulemur macaco flavifrons, both of which were elevated to species status by Mittermeier et al. in 2008 to Eulemur macaco and Eulemur flavifrons respectively. The most startling difference between the two species is the eye colour; Eulemur flavifrons, the blue-eyed black lemur, has blue eyes, while Eulemur macaco, the black lemur, has brown or orange eyes, and also has ear tufts.

<i>Animals Are Beautiful People</i> 1974 South African nature documentary film

Animals Are Beautiful People is a 1974 South African nature documentary written, produced, directed, filmed and edited by Jamie Uys, about the wildlife in Southern Africa, presented with comedic elements. It was filmed in the Namib Desert, the Kalahari Desert and at the Okavango River and Okavango Delta. It was the recipient of the 1974 Golden Globe Award for Best Documentary Film.

Persin is a fungicidal toxin present in the avocado. Persin is an oil-soluble compound structurally similar to a fatty acid, a colourless oil, and it leaches into the body of the fruit from the seeds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bees and toxic chemicals</span>

Bees can suffer serious effects from toxic chemicals in their environments. These include various synthetic chemicals, particularly insecticides, as well as a variety of naturally occurring chemicals from plants, such as ethanol resulting from the fermentation of organic materials. Bee intoxication can result from exposure to ethanol from fermented nectar, ripe fruits, and manmade and natural chemicals in the environment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alcoholic beverage</span> Drink with a substantial ethanol content

An alcoholic beverage is a beverage containing alcohol. Alcoholic drinks are typically divided into three classes—beers, wines, and spirits—and typically their alcohol content is between 3% and 50%.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Religion and alcohol</span> Role of alcohol in several religions

Religion and alcohol have a complex history. The world's religions have had different relationships with alcohol, reflecting diverse cultural, social, and religious practices across different traditions. While some religions strictly prohibit alcohol consumption, viewing it as sinful or harmful to spiritual and physical well-being, others incorporate it into their rituals and ceremonies. Throughout history, alcohol has held significant roles in religious observances, from the use of sacramental wine in Christian sacraments to the offering and moderate drinking of omiki in Shinto purification rituals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Self-anointing in animals</span> A behaviour whereby a non-human animal smears odoriferous substances over themselves

Self-anointing in animals, sometimes called anointing or anting, is a behaviour whereby a non-human animal smears odoriferous substances over themselves. These substances are often the secretions, parts, or entire bodies of other animals or plants. The animal may chew these substances and then spread the resulting saliva mixture over their body, or they may apply the source of the odour directly with an appendage, tool or by rubbing their body on the source.

<i>Dolphins - Spy in the Pod</i> Nature documentary series

Dolphins - Spy in the Pod is a British factual television series that was first broadcast on BBC One on 2 January 2014. The two-part series was narrated by David Tennant and produced by John Downer Productions. The series was also broadcast by Discovery Channel in the US.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alcohol (drug)</span> Active ingredient in fermented drinks

Alcohol, sometimes referred to by the chemical name ethanol, is one of the most widely consumed psychoactive drugs in the world and falls under the depressant category. The term "Alcohol and Other Drugs" (AOD) emphasizes this inclusion by grouping alcohol with other substances that alter mood and behavior. It is classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a toxic, psychoactive, dependence-producing, and carcinogenic substance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khamr</span> Arabic word for intoxicant, wine

Khamr is an Arabic word for wine or intoxicant. It is variously defined as alcoholic beverages, wine or liquor.

References

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