Chimps Caught on Film Sharing Boozy Fruit

A group of chimpanzees in Guinea-Bissau’s Cantanhez National Park was seen recently sharing a huge piece of fruit containing alcohol.  Their little party was being monitored by a research team from the University of Exeter.

Wild chimps have been observed “drinking” before, but this is the first time the festivities have been captured on camera. The researchers filmed chimps sharing fermented African breadfruit, which they later confirmed contained ethanol, the kind of alcohol that humans have imbibed for millennia.

“For humans, we know that drinking alcohol leads to a release of dopamine and endorphins, and resulting feelings of happiness and relaxation,” says Anna Bowland, of Exeter’s Center for Ecology and Conservation. “We also know that sharing alcohol – including through traditions such as feasting – helps to form and strengthen social bonds.”

So the researchers are wondering whether wild chimpanzees are getting similar benefits, namely dopamine and social bonding. It should be noted that the fermented breadfruit contained 0.61% alcohol by volume, a relatively small dose (a typical light beer has about 4% ABV). 

But the researchers say that, since 60-85% of chimps’ diet is fruit, even low levels of alcohol can add up.

“Chimps don’t share food all the time, so this behavior with fermented fruit might be important,” says Exeter biosciences professor Kimberley Hockings. “We need to find out more about whether they 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 the human tradition of feasting may have its origins deep in our evolutionary history.”

Chimps are not the only animals enjoying the joys of drink; as we observe wildlife more closely, the drinkers are adding up. Elephants have been known to eat well-fermented fruit, as have baboons, spider monkeys, chimpanzees, deer, squirrels, bears, and quite a few birds. It’s a party out there.

Photo credit: Bowland et al / University of Exeter