This Thursday, the BBC will air an intriguing new underwater documentary titled Dolphins: Spy in the Pod, which features footage captured by cleverly disguised cameras to observe dolphins in their natural environment. While the series promises rare insights into the daily lives of these intelligent marine mammals, one particular scene has made headlines even before its official release.

According to The Sunday Times, the documentary includes footage that appears to show dolphins intentionally interacting with pufferfish in a peculiar way—suggesting they may be using the fish to get intoxicated. The scene reportedly captures young dolphins gently harassing a pufferfish and then passing it around among themselves. Shortly after, the dolphins enter what’s described as a “trance-like state,” appearing mesmerized as they hover near the surface, staring at their reflections.

“This was a case of young dolphins purposefully experimenting with something we know to be intoxicating,” said zoologist Rob Pilley, one of the documentary’s producers. He described the dolphins’ behavior as highly unusual and suggested it could indicate purposeful drug-like experimentation.

The notion that dolphins could be engaging in recreational drug use is certainly attention-grabbing—and entertaining. After all, dolphins are already known for complex social behavior, intelligence, and a somewhat dark moral record, which includes documented cases of bullying, infanticide, and even sexual aggression. If true, recreational drug use would simply be the latest addition to the list of their surprisingly human-like behaviors.

But Is It Really True?

As fascinating as it sounds, many scientists and skeptics aren't convinced. While dolphins are indeed curious and intelligent creatures—capable of exploring and manipulating unfamiliar objects—the idea that they intentionally use a toxic fish as a drug source is, at best, speculative.

Let’s break it down: When threatened, pufferfish can inflate their bodies as a defense mechanism, making them harder to eat. If that fails, they produce a powerful neurotoxin called tetrodotoxin (TTX), which serves as a chemical deterrent. TTX is incredibly potent, even in minuscule doses. It’s the same substance responsible for occasional fatalities among diners who consume poorly prepared fugu, the Japanese delicacy made from pufferfish.

The theory presented in the documentary suggests that dolphins are purposefully provoking the fish to release just enough toxin to get a mild “buzz.” However, this raises numerous scientific red flags.

Tetrodotoxin: A High-Risk Substance

Tetrodotoxin doesn’t function like typical recreational drugs. It doesn’t cross the blood-brain barrier, which means it doesn’t cause the type of mental or emotional alterations typically associated with substances like THC or MDMA. Instead, TTX acts on the nervous system by blocking sodium channels, silencing neural communication. In very small amounts, it may cause tingling or numbness. In higher doses, it leads to paralysis, respiratory failure, and death.

So why would dolphins risk exposure to such a substance? There’s little evidence that TTX causes euphoria or pleasurable effects at any dose. If it did, humans—ever eager to exploit new substances—would likely have found a way to use it recreationally. But even in Japan, where pufferfish has been consumed for centuries, the goal is to avoid toxic effects, not seek them.

From 1974 to 1983, tetrodotoxin poisoning killed 179 people and poisoned nearly 500 more in Japan alone. Gram for gram, TTX is 120,000 times more lethal than cocaine, and tens of thousands of times more deadly than heroin or methamphetamine. It’s even more toxic than the venom of the black mamba or widow spiders. There’s simply nothing “fun” about it—it's a chemical weapon, not a recreational tool.

What Was Really Caught on Camera?

Could the dolphins simply have been curious, and accidentally experienced a mild dose of TTX? That seems far more plausible. Dolphins often interact playfully—and sometimes aggressively—with various marine creatures. They could easily mistake a pufferfish for a toy or test its texture and behavior out of curiosity.

In the BBC footage, the dolphins’ behavior—such as staying near the surface and appearing dazed—could just as easily be early signs of toxin exposure. Rather than intoxication, these behaviors might reflect physical discomfort, paralysis, or instinctive survival responses, like staying near the surface to breathe more easily. It's worth noting that different pufferfish carry varying levels of toxin, making the whole idea of using them for a controlled “high” highly impractical and risky.

A Dangerous Game

If dolphins were deliberately using pufferfish for intoxication, it would mean they’re treading a razor-thin line between mild numbness and full-body paralysis. Given the inconsistent toxicity levels among puffers, it’s hard to believe that even the smartest dolphins could accurately manage that risk repeatedly. One miscalculation could be fatal.

Some scientists believe the dolphins’ odd behavior may be better explained as a naïve mistake—young males experimenting with a strange creature and suffering unintended consequences. The fact that they were filmed behaving strangely after the encounter doesn’t necessarily point to drug use; it could just as easily indicate the onset of mild poisoning.

Could There Be More to the Story?

Still, the idea isn’t entirely without scientific value. As someone who studies toxins and chemical ecology, I can’t help but wonder: if dolphins really were experimenting with toxins, what does that say about intelligence, risk, and evolution in animal behavior?

Very few examples of recreational drug use exist in the wild. Some animals eat fermented fruit or lick hallucinogenic toads, but these behaviors are rare and poorly understood. If dolphins were using tetrodotoxin recreationally, it would be one of the most bizarre and dangerous examples ever recorded—and it would raise countless questions about how and why such behavior might evolve.

How would such interactions influence the evolution of toxins in pufferfish? Could they affect dolphin health or behavior long-term? Could dolphins learn to self-medicate or regulate their experiences with toxic substances in a purposeful way?

These are fascinating questions—but right now, they remain hypothetical.

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In Conclusion

The idea of dolphins getting high off pufferfish is wildly entertaining, and it certainly makes for good television. But from a scientific standpoint, there’s little credible evidence to suggest intentional drug use. More likely, this was a case of animal curiosity gone slightly wrong—a group of young dolphins pushing the boundaries of play, perhaps suffering temporary consequences, and living to swim another day.

That said, if dolphins are getting high, someone should really just pass Flipper a joint and let the poor guy relax without the risk of neurotoxin-induced paralysis.