Greater Noida (World Desk): The behaviour of wild chimpanzees in Guinea-Bissau’s Cantanhez National Park has surprised scientists. Researchers at the University of Exeter have collected evidence for the first time that wild chimpanzees were observed consuming naturally fermented (drunken) fruit — and, importantly, sharing it.
The study, conducted using motion-sensor cameras, observed chimpanzees eating and passing on fermented African breadfruit (Trileculla africana) to each other on ten separate occasions. The discovery is a major step towards understanding social behaviour in chimpanzees and the possible biological effects of alcohol.
The study provides evidence in favour of the so-called Drunken Monkey Hypothesis. According to this hypothesis, alcohol from naturally fermented fruits provided our ancestors with a high-energy meal, helping them survive and evolve.
Zoologists have captured for the first time a “drinking session” of chimpanzees
The primates found a quiet spot and shared fermented breadfruit with each other. Yes, it contains alcohol. pic.twitter.com/aYqF8VoswR
— Based & Viral (@ViralBased) April 22, 2025
Do chimpanzees also experience social pleasure?
“In humans, drinking alcohol triggers the release of chemicals such as dopamine and endorphins, which produce feelings of pleasure and group bonding. So do chimpanzees experience something similar?” says Anna Boland of the University of Exeter in Cornwall.
This question makes this study even more exciting. If chimpanzees not only eat fermented fruits but also share them, this could indicate a role for alcohol in the evolution of social relationships.
The beginning of feasting: an evolutionary tradition?
“Chimpanzees don’t usually share food. So when they share fermented fruit, in particular, it may indicate that this behaviour represents the evolutionary beginnings of ‘feasting’,” says researcher Dr Kimberley Hawkings, also from Exeter.
The idea of feasting is deeply embedded in human culture – at festivals, weddings, and even simple get-togethers. This discovery suggests that this tradition may have its roots in our very early ancestors.
The way forward: more questions, new possibilities
The researchers now want to know whether chimpanzees deliberately seek out these ‘intoxicating’ fruits and whether they are adept at digesting ethanol. If so, it will help us understand not only chimpanzee behaviour but also our own social evolution in a new way.
This study provides a new perspective on the natural and social use of alcohol in the wild. The sharing of fermented fruit by chimpanzees may be not just a food behavior but also a tale of the evolution of social relationships — a tale that perhaps even dates back to the beginnings of human feasts and socializing.
