Drugs used by Human, changing behaviour of Fish

Drugs used by Human, changing behaviour of Fish

Drugs used by Human, changing behaviour of Fish

To reduce anxiety, agitation, humans use tranquilizers, sleeping pills. But, have you ever thought so far, that these drugs when flushed in waterways, are affecting the behavior of fish and other aquatic life? Scientists say, that after reaching rivers and lakes in high concentration, these drugs are causing fish to get bolder, less sociable and even greedier.

Previously, studies revealed that synthetic hormones in the residues of contraceptive drugs became responsible for collapsing the fish population and now, it is the psychiatric drug.
Experiments have been done by exposing the wild perch to low levels of the anti-anxiety drug, oxazepam and it is found that the normally shy perch becomes fearless of being caught by predators and so, loses the essential defensive skills. They were even noticed in loosing interest in hanging out with the group and staying far away all alone. According to Tomas Brodin, an ecologist at Umea University in northern Sweden who led the study, these drugged fish ate zoo-plankton three times as quickly as other fishes did when placed in an aquarium.

The drug, oxazepam for anxiety and insomnia is commonly prescribed in Europe and are frequently found in rivers and lakes. Many drugs are chemically unaltered when leave the human body and flushed out to the water-bodies to serve the aquatic animals the cocktail.

Don’t you think its a very serious issue?? Every single day we are coming across such risk factors, affecting the balance of the ecosystem and the environment. It won’t be long when we will be reaping what we are sowing. And believe us, that fruit won’t be sweet.