Getting high or drunk might not be common just in humans. A recent study reveals that alcohol consumption is prevalent among animals who eat ripe and fermented fruits. Ecologists argue against the notion that animals consume alcohol only rarely and accidentally. This discovery will challenge our understanding of animal behavior.
“We’re moving away from this anthropocentric view that ethanol is just something that humans use. Ethanol is much more abundant in the natural world than we previously thought, and most animals that eat sugary fruits are going to be exposed to some level” says senior author Kimberley Hockings of the University of Exeter. Although the concentration of ethanol is low in most fruits 1%-2% alcohol by volume (ABV) still most animals are reactive to alcohol toxicity. On the other hand, animals who eat fermented fruits regularly are capable of metabolizing alcohol rapidly bypassing its negative effects.
The research team has analyzed over 100 studies, revealing evidence that alcohol has played a very crucial role in evolutionary studies. Ethanol has become widespread in the ecosystem since when yeast started producing it by fermenting the nectar and fruits of early flowering plants. As a result, animals adapted to consuming alcohol due to its high energy content.
There are a lot of studies that were conducted based on the interaction of alcohol with animals. In a study conducted in South Eastern Guinea, wild chimpanzees were observed bingeing on the alcoholic sap of Rafia palms. Meanwhile, spider monkeys of Panama consume ethanol-laden yellow mombin fruits.
This study concluded that animals consuming fermented fruits encounter ethanol regularly which affects their foraging patterns. Ethanol is also a source of high-energy offering an energy boost, though excessive intake can also be dangerous.
“Aside from the fruit fly, aye aye and slow loris, it is unclear if animals prefer ethanol-containing food,” said Matthew Carrigan at the College of Central Florida, who worked on the review with Bowland. “One of our next steps is the test whether animals in the wild prefer ethanol-containing food or eat it only when ethanol levels are too low to detect or unfermented fruit is hard to find.”
Future studies might also give us insights into the effect of alcohol on the behavior, social structure and survival of an animal.
Copyright @smorescience. All rights reserved. Do not copy, cite, publish, or distribute this content without permission.
