Hasty Briefsbeta

Chimpanzees consume equivalent of a beer a day in alcohol from fermented fruit

a day ago
  • #chimpanzees
  • #primate behavior
  • #alcohol
  • Chimpanzees in the wild consume about 14g of pure ethanol daily through fermented fruit, equivalent to half a pint of beer.
  • Researchers studied ethanol levels in fallen fruit in Kibale (Uganda) and Taï (Ivory Coast) national parks.
  • Chimps eat 5-10% of their body weight in ripe fruit daily, leading to substantial alcohol intake despite low individual fruit alcohol levels.
  • The 'drunken monkey' hypothesis suggests human alcohol attraction stems from primate ancestors' consumption of energy-rich, fermented fruit.
  • Chimps show no obvious signs of inebriation despite consuming about 4.5kg of fermented fruit daily.
  • Other animals, like slow lorises, also consume alcohol, showing it's common in the animal kingdom.
  • The NHS recommends no more than 14 units of alcohol per week for humans, but studies show no healthy level of consumption.