Chimpanzees Consume Equivalent of One Beer Daily, Study Finds
Chimpanzees Consume Equivalent of One Beer Daily, Study Finds
Chimpanzees in the wild consume approximately 14 grams of ethanol daily, equivalent to a 330 ml bottle of beer, according to researchers from the University of California, Berkeley. The alcohol is naturally ingested through ripe fruits.
The study, conducted in Uganda and Côte d'Ivoire, supports the so-called "drunken monkey" hypothesis, which suggests that human attraction to alcohol originated from primate ancestors consuming fermented fruits around 30 million years ago.
According to experts, chimpanzees prefer fruits with higher ethanol content but not at levels that cause intoxication.
Researchers also note that this habit may have fostered social bonds, such as when the animals gather in clearings to share fallen fruits.
Subscribe to @sputnik_africa
