So, it turns out that leaves are a source of nitrous oxide, otherwise known as laughing gas. Who knew? Apparently, deer knew.
As evidenced in video footage captured by the JS Project Wild, deer root around in a pile of leaves and inhale nitrous oxide—then go crazy.
They jump on each other, prance around each other, rise up on hind legs and basically act as if they are high as a kite. Because, apparently, they are.
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JS Project Wild explains: “Supposedly decomposing leaves emit nitrous oxide, especially when the leaves are concentrated such as in a pile. My leaf pile is huge and some of the leaves are four years old. I periodically `stir’ the pile with my loader tractor. However, if the leaves on the top are dry, the deer will actually dig down to the rotting leaves and then inhale. It’s crazy—at different times in the video you will actually see them do this.”
It is crazy, but it is true about leaves emitting nitrous oxide, as reported by the National Science Foundation.
Yes, it’s crazy.
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