– Chimpanzees observed sharing alcohol-rich fruit in the wild-
Study supports ‘drunken monkey hypothesis’ on alcohol consumption
– First evidence of nonhuman great apes engaging in social drinking
For the first time, scientists have captured footage of wild chimpanzees in Guinea-Bissau’s Cantanhez National Park consuming and sharing naturally fermented African breadfruit, which contains low levels of alcohol (up to 0.61% ABV). This behavior was documented on 10 separate occasions using motion-activated cameras. Notably, chimpanzees don’t often share food, making this alcohol-related sharing particularly significant.
The findings lend support to the “drunken monkey hypothesis,” suggesting that primates, including humans, evolved a preference for fermented fruit due to its high energy content. A 2014 genetic study indicated that a common ancestor of chimps and humans developed an enhanced ability to metabolize ethanol millions of years ago.
Researchers are now exploring whether chimpanzees deliberately seek out alcoholic fruit and how this behavior influences social bonding, potentially offering insights into the evolutionary roots of human convivial practices.
