CHIMPS AND THEIR COCKTAILS

HUMANS AREN’T the only ones who enjoy their happy hour. A group of libation-loving chimpanzees has been discovered in West Africa. Similar to humans who come together to socialize and have a few drinks, the chimps congregate and enjoy fermented sap from raffia palms. They have even come up with a clever way of sourcing the drink through a “leaf sponge” tool. Scientists have seen both male and female monkeys imbibing the drink in Bossou, Guinea. And just like humans, after one too many the monkeys started showing behavioral signs of inebriation. Some became agitated and dozy after downing the alcohol, the royal society open science journal reported. Dr. Kimberley Hockings, an expert in animal behavior from Oxford Brookes University, said: ‘There are numerous anecdotes about wild non-human primates ingesting ethanol, although almost all remain non-validated. The consumption of ethanol by modern-day human beings is nearly universal, being found in every society with fermentable raw materials. However, aside from enforced ingestion in captive experiments or anecdotal observations in wild apes, the habitual and voluntary consumption of ethanol has been documented until now only in humans.” A common ancestor to both apes and humans had a genetic mutation which meant they could metabolize ethanol enabling their modern-day counterparts to consume the drink. And the theory called “drunken monkey hypothesis” states that primates’ liking of ethanol has helped their survival. Green monkeys have also been seen on the island of St. Kitt targeting tourists’ cocktails. If they get lucky the monkeys become drunk and knock over tables and get into fights. According to Dr. Hocking, the chimpanzees are generally better at holding their drink.