Authorities believe the bear ate too much of a local honey with hallucinogenic powers.
A disorientated brown bear cub thought to be intoxicated on so-called "mad honey", has been rescued in Turkey's north-western Duzce province.The honey's natural hallucinogenic effects have been documented for thousands of yearsA video posted online showed the young female bear wobbling and whining in the back of a ute after being rescued from the forest.
"Mad honey", or "deli bal" in Turkish, is produced by bees from a certain type of rhododendron, and can have hallucinogenic effects.Authorities said the bear was in otherwise good condition and was likely to be released back into the wild in the next few days.Mad honey originated in Turkey's Black Sea region and is produced in small quantities by beekeepers in the Kaçkar mountains.Small amounts can cause light-headedness, feelings of euphoria and even hallucinations.
Too much, however, can cause dangerous blood pressure drops, nausea, fainting, seizures, arrhythmia and in rare cases, death.Greek philosopher and military leader Xenophon described the impact of eating mad honey on soldiers during an expedition in 401 BC. "The number of bee-hives was extraordinary, and all the soldiers that ate of the combs, lost their senses ... none of them were able to stand upright," he wrote.
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