Chimpanzees Share Fermented Fruit, Hinting at Deep Evolutionary Roots of Social Drinking​.

For the first time, scientists have captured footage of wild chimpanzees consuming and sharing fermented fruit containing alcohol, suggesting that the roots of human social drinking may extend deep into our evolutionary past.​

A research team from the University of Exeter installed motion-activated cameras in Guinea-Bissau's Cantanhez National Park to study chimpanzee behavior. Over ten separate occasions, the cameras recorded chimpanzees consuming and sharing overripe African breadfruit, which was found to contain up to 0.61% alcohol by volume (ABV) due to natural fermentation. While this alcohol content is relatively low, the chimpanzees' fruit-heavy diet—comprising 60–85% fruit—suggests that regular consumption could lead to significant ethanol intake over time.​

"Chimpanzees don't share food all the time, so this behavior with fermented fruit might be important," said Dr. Kimberley Hockings from the University of Exeter. "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'."​

The study, published in the journal Current Biology, explores the possibility that such behaviors in chimpanzees may mirror early human practices of communal drinking and feasting, which are known to strengthen social bonds. "For humans, we know that drinking alcohol leads to a release of dopamine and endorphins, resulting in feelings of happiness and relaxation," explained Anna Bowland from the University of Exeter. "We also know that sharing alcohol helps to form and strengthen social bonds. So—now we know that wild chimpanzees are eating ... —the question is: could they be ... ?"​

The researchers caution that while the chimpanzees are unlikely to become intoxicated from the low levels of alcohol, the behavior raises intriguing questions about the role of fermented foods in primate social structures. Notably, a 2014 genetic study identified a mutation in a common ancestor of African apes and humans that enhanced ethanol metabolism, suggesting that the consumption of fermented foods has ancient origins.​

This discovery supports the "drunken monkey hypothesis," which posits that the human attraction to alcohol stems from an evolutionary history where primates consumed fermented fruits for their caloric benefits. The observed behavior in chimpanzees may represent an ancestral trait shared with humans, shedding light on the evolutionary underpinnings of our own social and dietary practices.​

The findings open new avenues for research into primate behavior and the evolutionary origins of human social customs. Further studies are needed to determine whether chimpanzees actively seek out fermented fruits and to understand the implications of this behavior on their social interactions and overall health.​

As Dr. Hockings notes, "If so, it suggests the human ... ."

Source:https://phys.org/news/2025-04-wild-chimpanzees-pictured-boozy-fruit.html

This is non-financial/medical advice and made using AI so could be wrong.