A few days ago we learned that chimpanzees have tools necessary for cooking, and now researchers have noticed something else unusual in the behavior of chimpanzees...
Namely, scientists discovered that this type of monkey actually consumes alcohol.
Based on new findings, the so-called "Drunk Monkey Hypothesis" was born, that is, scientists believe that our ancestors ate fermented fruit about 10 million years ago. Proponents of this hypothesis believe that this enabled the consumption of a variety of food and thus brought the primitive man closer to the consumption of alcohol.
There are also various anecdotes related to monkeys and alcohol consumption, and one of them is related to the island of St. Kitts, where they allegedly drink tourists' cocktails. However, most of these stories cannot be said to be true.
Scientists have now, for the first time, confirmed their assumptions.
The research was conducted in Guinea, and lasted from 1995 to 2012. Bosou villagers would leave palm fronds in containers throughout the day and later use the plant juices. Sweet palm juices are quickly fermented and this is how palm wine is created. On one occasion, it was observed that the chimpanzees, immediately after sucking the wine from the leaves, had to rest, and one chimpanzee was jumping from tree to tree and looked very upset.
In order to determine whether chimpanzees are really attracted to alcohol, scientists will give these animals access to both alcoholic and non-alcoholic palm juice in further research.
Source: National Geography
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