There’s certainly a lot to be anxious about nowadays, including the possibility of all of our anti-anxiety medications having an effect on wildlife.
As reported by The New York Times, a new study explores the impact of pharmaceutical pollution — caused by medicine that enters nature via drug producers and human waste, among other factors — has on the migratory habits of young salmon. Specifically, it observed the behavior of fish that had been exposed to anti-anxiety medications and opioid painkillers.
The study found that the exposed salmon were able to navigate dams significantly quicker than the control group. Scientists credit that increased speed to an increased boldness caused by the drugs.
“These bolder fish could just be going faster because they’re less inhibited,” says salmon ecologist Olivia Simmons, who was not involved in the study.
However, boldness may come with negative side-effects. Salmon moving with such a lack of inhibitions may throw off their migration timing, leading them to arrive in waters in different kinds of temperatures. Plus, a fish that takes more risks may risk, for example, landing in the mouth of a bear.
“The more risks you take, the more chances you have to lose everything,” says behavioral ecologist Giovanni Polverino, who was also not involved in the study. “In this case, the fish’s life.”