"Fish under the influence of benzoylecgonine swam up to 1.9 times (nearly 14 kilometers) farther on average each week compared with salmon that weren't exposed."
"Benzoylecgonine had a stronger effect than cocaine itself, but the researchers aren't completely sure why yet."
A study on wild Atlantic salmon revealed that exposure to cocaine and its metabolite, benzoylecgonine, significantly increased their swimming distances. Juvenile salmon fitted with tracking tags were released into Lake Vattern, where those exposed to benzoylecgonine swam nearly 14 kilometers farther each week compared to unexposed fish. The results indicated a 60 percent increase in dispersal distance for the drug-exposed salmon. The stronger effect of benzoylecgonine over cocaine raises questions about the implications of environmental pharmaceuticals on wildlife behavior.
Read at www.scientificamerican.com
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