Wild Chimps Get Drunk and Party

St. Croix Times Staff

For the first time in history, wild Chimpanzees have been observed eating and sharing fruit that contains alcohol. A research team from the University of Exeter installed cameras in Guinea-Bissau’s Cantanhez National Park in West Africa to monitor the event that could be compared to adults “passing the bottle.”

The footage captured Chimpanzees sharing fermented African breadfruit, which was confirmed to contain ethanol. The discovery raises intriguing questions about whether Chimpanzees intentionally consume alcohol and what effects it might have on their behaviour.

In humans, alcohol consumption is believed to date back deep into evolutionary history and is often associated with social bonding. This new study suggests that our closest relatives might be doing something similar.

“For humans, we know that drinking alcohol leads to a release of dopamine and endorphins, and resulting feelings of happiness and relaxation,” said Anna Bowland, from the Centre for Ecology and Conservation at Exeter’s Penryn Campus in Cornwell. 

“We also know that sharing alcohol, including through traditions such as feasting, helps to form and strengthen social bonds. So - now we know that wild Chimpanzees are eating and sharing ethanolic fruits - the question is: could they be getting similar benefits?”

The researchers used motion-activated cameras, which filmed chimps sharing fermented fruits on ten separate occasions. The fruit shared by these chimps was tested for alcohol content. The highest level found was the equivalent of 0.61% ABV (Alcohol by Volume - a measure used in alcoholic drinks).

Although this is a relatively low level, researchers say it may be the “tip of the iceberg,” as 60-85% of Chimps’ diet is fruit, so low levels of alcohol in various fruits could add up to a significant consumption.

The researchers stress that chimps are unlikely to get drunk, as this would clearly not improve their survival chances.

Obviously, the impact of alcohol on Chimpanzees’ metabolism is unknown. Perhaps a small amount goes a long way. But recent discoveries of a molecular adaptation that greatly increased ethanol metabolism in the common ancestry of African Apes does suggest that eating fermented fruits may have ancient origins in species, including humans and chimps.

Chimps don’t share food all the time, so this behavior with fermented fruit might be important,” said Dr. Kimberley Hockings, also from the University of Exeter. 

“We need to find out more about whether chimps deliberately seek out ethanolic fruits and how they metabolize it. But this behavior could be the early evolutionary stages of ‘Feasting.’ If so, it suggests that the human tradition of Feasting may have its origins deep in our evolutionary history.”

Although the report offers few substantive conclusions, the staff at the St Croix Times has to wonder if it would really surprise anyone to know that Chimpanzees get drunk and party?