Jaguars on ayahuasca and monkeys on iboga: psychedelic use spans the whole animal kingdom

Our furry (and slippery) friends enjoy the benefits of psychedelics just as much as we humans do.

It’s no secret that indigenous wisdom harbors more than Western society could ever filter into its data-driven spreadsheets, apps, and databases. For centuries, we humans have observed animals’ behavior to learn what herbs and fungi can treat ailments. (There’s a word for this: “zoopharmacognosy” — the study of how animals use plants for medicinal purposes is termed.)

A few examples:

• The Navajo revere the bear for teaching them about the osha root, effective for stomach pain, bacterial infections, and upper respiratory issues.
• Horses in pain seek willow stems, which is where aspirin originally came from
• Capuchin monkeys cover themselves in citrus and citronella to keep bugs away

Turns out, animals know all about entheogens (psychedelic plants and fungi), too.

Psychedelic use in the animal kingdom:

Jaguars and ayahuasca: