A bear believed to be intoxicated off hallucinogenic honey was rescued in Turkey. The country is now asking the public to help name the cub.
A female bear was rescued in Turkey after being found disoriented off of hallucinogenic honey.
Courtesy of dokuz8HABER
- A bear cub was found disoriented somewhere in the Düzce Province of northwestern Turkey.
- Reports said the bear ate excessive amounts of mad honey, which has hallucinogenic properties.
- The Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is asking the public to help name the bear.
A bear cub found in the Düzce Province of northwestern Turkey got a little more than what she bargained for when she dipped into a stash of naturally hallucinogenic honey.
Multiple reports say that a cub was found and believed to be intoxicated after eating an excessive amount of a substance known as "mad honey."
Mad honey, also known as "deli bal" in Turkish, originated in the Black Sea Region of Turkey and is produced when bees pollinate rhododendron flowers that contain a natural neurotoxin called grayanotoxin, Texas A&M University anthropology professor Vaughn Bryant said in a university press release.
The effects can range from light-headedness, feelings of euphoria, and hallucinations, the publication wrote. Historically, the honey has also been used to treat hypertension, diabetes, and low libido, according to a study published in RSC Advances.
Video footage shared on Twitter by dokuz8Haber, a Turkish media outlet, shows the cub wobbling in the back of a pick-up truck in a drunken-like state.
—dokuz8haber (@dokuz8haber) August 10, 2022
The Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry later shared on Twitter that the bear is in "good health" and in treatment. The agency is calling on the public to help find their "daughter" a new name.
—T.C. Tarım ve Orman Bakanlığı (@TCTarim) August 11, 2022