A new study has found that animals regularly consume alcohol in the wild

Recent studies have shown that many animals naturally drink alcohol, challenging the notion that humans are unique in drinking alcohol. A study published in Trends in Ecology & Evolution found that animals have been consuming ethanol for hundreds of years, challenging the assumption that such consumption is rare and random.

A research team led by behavioral ecologist Kimberley Hawkings of the University of Exeter analyzed the available scientific literature to understand the prevalence of ethanol and its role in the natural world. They argued that since ethanol is naturally present in almost all ecosystems, most animals that eat fruit and nectar probably consume it habitually. “We’re moving away from this anthropocentric view that ethanol is just something people use,” said Hawkings, a behavioral ecologist and lead author at the University of Exeter.

Ethanol is a naturally occurring substance found in fruit, produced by the fermentation of fruit sugars by yeast, and is present in almost any environment, with higher concentrations in humid tropical regions. Naturally fermented fruit typically reaches only 1-2% alcohol by volume (ABV), but concentrations up to 10.2% ABV have been observed. For example, palm fruit in Panama has been found to exceed 10% ABV, similar to wine. In comparison, most alcoholic beverages consumed by humans range from 3% ABV (light beer) to 50% ABV (distilled alcohol).

“Most fruit-eating and nectar-sipping animals probably consume ethanol, which may be a regular part of their diet,” the researchers say. Many animals have adapted to efficient ethanol metabolism. Animals that eat alcoholic fruits often have genes that help them break down ethanol without getting drunk, a trait they’ve cultivated over millions of years. Primates, birds and small mammals called shrews have adapted to efficiently metabolize ethanol, especially those that love fruit and nectar.

Matthew Kerrigan, a molecular ecologist and co-author at the College of Central Florida, said, “It’s not ecologically beneficial to be drunk when you’re climbing trees or surrounded by predators at night — that’s a recipe for not passing on your genes.” He added: “It’s the opposite of people who want to get drunk but don’t really want the calories; from a non-human point of view, animals want calories, but not intoxication.”

There are many anecdotes of wild animals acting as if they were “drunk” after eating the fermented fruit, including elephants and baboons in Botswana that consumed marula fruit, as well as primates such as capuchin monkeys and chimpanzees that ate alcoholic fruit. In 1974, the South African film The Funny World of Animals showed various species of animals, including elephants and baboons, reaching for the partially fermented fruit of the Marula tree and moving unsteadily, although experts doubt whether this behavior is due to enjoyment of the food. fallen fruit

Sightings of wobbly hedgehogs, poorly climbing squirrels, or uncoordinated chimpanzees have been reported. However, biologists estimate that elephants would need to eat 400 times more marula fruit to be visibly intoxicated. Wild chimpanzees in southeastern Guinea have repeatedly consumed the alcoholic sap of the raffia palm. Spider monkeys on Barro Colorado Island, Panama love the ethanol-rich yellow mombin fruit, which contains between 1% and 2.5% alcohol.

Fruit flies deliberately lay their eggs in substances containing ethanol, which protects their eggs from parasites. Fruit fly larvae increase ethanol consumption when they are parasitized by wasps, making their internal environment less hospitable to invaders. This behavior of increased ethanol consumption by fruit fly larvae is an example of self-medication in the wild. Ethanol may have medical benefits for animals, as seen in insects such as fruit flies. The researchers say that consuming ethanol may have several benefits for wildlife, including being a source of calories and potential medicinal benefits.

Aromatic compounds produced during fermentation can direct animals to food sources. “The odorous compounds may lead them to sweet foods that provide a lot of calories,” the researchers noted. However, it is not clear whether animals intentionally consume ethanol for its own sake or simply for the pleasure of consumption, and whether they intentionally seek out overripe fruit to experience the effects of alcohol needs further investigation.

“Cognitively, it has been suggested that ethanol may activate the endorphin and dopamine system, creating a feeling of relaxation, which may have benefits in terms of sociability,” said Anna Bowland, a behavioral ecologist and first author at the University of Exeter. . She added: “To test this, we really need to know if ethanol causes a physiological response in the wild.”

Stay up to date with the latest news!

Subscribe to the Jerusalem Post newsletter

The researchers emphasized that they do not know whether the animals are seeking intoxication. The idea that animals avoid drinking is a hypothesis, not a valid conclusion. There are still several unanswered questions about the significance of ethanol consumption for wild animals, including whether they deliberately seek out overripe fruit to experience the effects of alcohol. More research is needed to understand the effects of ethanol consumption on animal physiology and evolution, including its behavioral and social consequences, as well as its effects on social life, family dynamics, and evolutionary adaptations.

In future studies, Kimberly Hawkings’ team plans to examine the behavioral and social consequences of ethanol consumption in primates. The team also plans to study more closely the enzymes involved in alcohol metabolism. “One of our next steps is to test whether animals in nature prefer food containing ethanol, or only eat it when ethanol levels are too low to detect, or when unfermented fruit is hard to find,” said Matthew Kerrigan.

The results of this study were published in Trends in Ecology & Evolution.

Sources: Popular Science, La Razón, La Voz, Der Standard, The Hill, The Guardian, WION, Telegraaf

This article was written in collaboration with the generating company Alchemiq