[SCIENCE] That's how dolphins roll, at least!
In many places around the world, scientists have spotted dolphins engaging in an odd and fascinating ritual: swimming in circles and slowly passing a puffer fish from one individual to another. Why? Because this poor fish, once provoked, can inflate and release an intensely powerful chemical defense: tetrodotoxin. It’s one of the most lethal natural toxins found in the ocean.
The dolphins, though, aren’t trying to catch or eat it. On the contrary, they seem to treat it with great care, nudging or mouthing the pufferfish before releasing it to the next dolphin. After a while, the pod can often be seen floating on the surface in a trance-like state.
Scientists have proposed two main explanations: either the dolphins are purposefully subjecting themselves to tiny amounts of this toxin (just a little at a time), inducing a mild numbness or an altered state of sensory perception. Or they’re simply at play: dolphins are highly intelligent and incredibly playful, curious animals that have been observed interacting with seaweed, jellyfish, and even air bubbles simply for fun.
We don’t know for certain if these dolphins are self-medicating or just playing a game, but either way, this episode is a beautiful reminder that, yes, dolphins are self-aware. They know. They know the pufferfish is a very, very strange fish, and they know how to make it work for them!