Animals sometimes experience altered states of consciousness by ingesting or interacting with naturally occurring psychoactive substances. This phenomenon leads to temporary changes in their perception, mood, or behavior. These occurrences highlight that the pursuit of altered states is not solely a human endeavor. Exploring these examples offers insight into the complex interactions between animals and their environment. This article explores the specific substances animals consume, their origins, and the behaviors observed.
Animals and Their Chosen Elixirs
Many animals engage with substances that alter states. Reindeer, for example, consume Amanita muscaria mushrooms, containing psychoactive compounds like muscimol. After ingestion, they may exhibit erratic movements, vocalizations, and disorientation. Wallabies in Tasmania enter opium poppy fields and eat the poppy heads, which can lead to them running in circles or behaving disoriented.
Elephants consume fermented fruit, which contains alcohol. Observations suggest they can become intoxicated, displaying unsteady gait and altered social interactions. Domestic cats are drawn to catnip (Nepeta cataria), a plant containing nepetalactone, which triggers a euphoric response. Cats typically rub, chew, and roll in the plant, often becoming playful, vocal, and sometimes appearing to enter a trance-like state.
Bighorn sheep in the Canadian Rockies seek out lichen containing psychoactive alkaloids. After consumption, the sheep become lethargic and easily approached. Dolphins interact with pufferfish, nudging them to release a neurotoxin in small doses. This interaction induces a trance-like state in the dolphins, which they seem to deliberately seek out.
Sources of Altered States
Psychoactive substances originate from various natural sources within animals’ environments. Many come from plants, which produce complex chemical compounds like alkaloids and terpenes, often as defense mechanisms. Opium alkaloids in poppy plants or nepetalactone in catnip are examples. These plant compounds can affect an animal’s nervous system when ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through contact.
Fungi are another source of mind-altering compounds, such as psilocybin or muscimol, found in mushroom species. Animals encounter these fungi by foraging. Fermentation processes also create alcohol when yeasts convert sugars in ripe fruits into ethanol.
Animals also encounter psychoactive effects from animal-derived toxins. Pufferfish neurotoxins, a defense mechanism, can induce a narcotic effect on predators like dolphins in controlled doses. These substances are naturally occurring elements of diverse ecosystems.
Behavioral Changes and Motivations
Animals under the influence of psychoactive substances exhibit a range of behavioral changes. These often include disorientation, loss of coordination, and unsteady gait. Some animals become playful or hyperactive, while others may become lethargic, withdrawn, or enter a trance-like state. Perception can also be altered.
The motivations behind these behaviors are complex and debated. One theory suggests accidental ingestion as part of their regular diet. Other observations point to deliberate seeking behavior, possibly for self-medication against parasites or illness, as some compounds have anthelmintic properties.
Another perspective proposes these behaviors are a form of play or curiosity, where animals explore novel stimuli. Social bonding could also play a role, as shared experiences might strengthen group cohesion. While discerning an animal’s true “intent” remains challenging, repeated and deliberate consumption suggests more than mere accident. This phenomenon continues to be a fascinating area of study.