Chimps drinking equivalent of a lager a day in fermented fruit, study finds
Summary
Wild chimpanzees consume fermented fruits that contain alcohol, equivalent to a small bottle of lager per day. This study suggests that human attraction to alcohol might have started with our primate ancestors, who relied on these sugary, alcoholic fruits for food.Key Facts
- Wild chimps consume alcohol by eating ripe fruits such as figs and plums.
- They ingest about 14 grams of ethanol daily, similar to the alcohol in one 330ml bottle of lager.
- The study supports the "drunken monkey" hypothesis, which links our taste for alcohol to primate ancestors.
- Researchers measured how much alcohol chimps were consuming in Côte d'Ivoire and Uganda.
- The research highlights primate dietary habits and adds to our understanding of alcohol's evolutionary role.
- The study was published in the journal Science Advances.
- Chimpanzees are endangered due to threats like deforestation and climate change.
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