I'm always up for a good story about animals using intoxicants... the kinds of substances authorities try to call "artificial stimulants," even if they grow in the ground or, in this case, crawl along it....
Excerpt:
An imported species of millipede from the West Indies is flourishing in parts of South Florida, experts say. The capuchin and owl monkeys at the park like to rub the creatures on their fur, which sends them into a delirious state, said Sian Evans, who heads the DuMond Conservancy, a primate conservation group based at Monkey Jungle, the South Miami-Dade tourist attraction.
A species of South Florida birds also likes the millipedes. Grackles pick them up with their beaks and use them to anoint the area under their wings.
Millipedes defend themselves by secreting a chemical that acts as a natural bug repellent, said Virginia-based millipede expert Richard Hoffman, who helped identify the species. Scientists believe the monkeys rub the bugs on their fur to ward off mosquitoes, a behavior documented in capuchin monkeys but never in the nocturnal owl monkeys.
The millipedes' secretions induce an excited state in the monkeys that lasts up to 30 minutes, kind of like how cats react to catnip.
''They bite the millipedes, then reach behind their back and rub it on their fur,'' said Evans, who added that the behavior is natural but rarely seen. ``Their eyes glaze over and they're completely focused on what they're doing.''
Last week, one monkey shared a millipede with four family members and the entire family turned into a ``writhing mass.''
Domestic cats, given the chance, will seek out catnip. And elephants will seek out fermented marula berries to get drunk.
I've even read that some ornithologists believe crows (related to grackles) roll around in fire ant nests to get a rush from the formic acid in ant bites.
I don't think this will make any big difference in the war on drugs, but it certainly seems to strike at some of the drug war's philosophical underpinnings. |
