【趣谈英语】海豚与河豚鱼-Dolphins Get High on Puffer Fish

In a 2015 documentary on dolphin behaviour, a filmmaker claimed that dolphins get high on puffer fish. Puffer fish release a poisonous nerve toxin that can be deadly to humans. In the film footage, the dolphins don’t eat the fish. They toss the fish around like a ball, and take turns with it. Afterwards, the dolphins appear to be in a trance-like state. The filmmaker suggests that dolphins use puffer fish to enjoy a natural high, just as other animals enjoy fermented⁴ sugarcane, nectar, or berries. Some sceptics say there is no scientific proof that puffer fish give dolphins a natural high. One researcher says that the dolphins would have to eat the puffer fish to feel the effects of the toxins⁵. Another says dolphins may be immune to the toxins, like some sharks. Regardless of whether or not dolphins are affected⁶ by the toxins, they certainly have fun playing with objects, including ball-shaped fish.