Dolphins have been filmed chewing on toxic puffer fish, apparently to enjoy their 'narcotic-like effect'.
The footage was shot using cameras disguised as other sea creatures for the BBC series Dolphins: Spy in the Pod, from by the award-winning wildlife documentary producer John Downer. It shows dolphins gently chewing on the fish, and passing it between them, before lapsing into a sort of trance, floating just beneath the surface and apparently fascinated by their own reflections.
Although large doses of the toxin produced by puffer fish can be deadly, in small amounts it can produce a narcotic effect — and the dolphins appeared to know exactly how to make the fish release just the right amount to get them 'high'.
It's the first time dolphins have been filmed acting in this way.
The first of the two-part series will be shown on BBC1 on Thursday, January 2, at 8pm.
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