Some Animals Drink Alcohol Too!

While humans are known for their taste for alcohol, animals are no strangers to naturally occurring ethanol, according to researchers. Alcohol, present in nearly every ecosystem, is a byproduct of fermenting sugars in fruits and nectar. Many animals unknowingly consume it as part of their diets, whether in fruits, sap, or nectar, giving rise to some fascinating observations about alcohol in the animal kingdom.

A team from the University of Exeter found that a “diverse coterie” of species regularly consumes alcohol. “We’re moving away from this anthropocentric view that alcohol is used by just humans and that actually ethanol is quite abundant in the natural world,” said researcher Anna Bowland. Evidence suggests ethanol became plentiful around 100 million years ago with the rise of flowering plants, and animals consuming ripe fruits could encounter alcohol levels of up to 10% ABV, particularly in overripe palm fruits.

Chimpanzees in Guinea, for instance, have been observed drinking alcoholic raffia palm sap, and spider monkeys in Panama seem to enjoy the ethanol-laden yellow mombin fruit. Other species, like elephants and baboons, are rumored to indulge in fermented marula fruit, though no alcohol measurements were taken in these cases.

Interestingly, many animals appear quite tolerant of alcohol. Treeshrews, known for consuming large quantities of ethanol, show no signs of intoxication. Bowland points out that species regularly consuming fermented foods are efficient at metabolizing alcohol, sparing them from its effects. However, animals like the cedar waxwing, which rarely encounters ethanol, can suffer when they overindulge. After feasting on overripe berries, these birds have been known to fly erratically and crash into obstacles.

Insects also display intriguing behavior with alcohol. Fruit flies use ethanol for various purposes, including laying eggs in alcohol-rich environments to protect against parasites. Some fruit flies even turn to alcohol to cope with rejection, and female fruit flies of certain species become less selective after consuming it. More remarkably, oriental hornets can consume extremely high levels of alcohol without any harmful effects.

Researchers like Matthew Carrigan now hope to understand if animals have a preference for ethanol-rich food or if they eat it by chance. Further studies may reveal more about how animals interact with this ancient substance and their potential preferences.

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