Dolphins are thought of as one of the most intelligent species in the animal kingdom – and experts believe they have put their ingenuity to use in the pursuit of getting “high”.
In extraordinary scenes filmed for a new documentary, young dolphins were seen carefully manipulating a certain kind of puffer fish which, if provoked, releases a nerve toxin.
Carefully chewing on the puffer and passing it between one another, the marine mammals then enter what seems to be a trance-like state.
“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.
The documentary makers used spy cameras hidden in fake turtles, fish and squid to film 900 hours of footage showing dolphins in their natural habitats.
The scenes showing them “using” puffer fish will feature in the second episode of the series, which starts on Thursday.
It is the latest in a long run of wildlife documentaries made by Downer which use similar spy camera techniques. »