Overview

• Motion-activated cameras captured wild chimpanzees in Cantanhez National Park sharing fermented African breadfruit on ten separate occasions.
• Laboratory tests confirmed the fruit contained up to 0.61% alcohol by volume, a naturally occurring ethanol level in overripe fruit.
• This is the first documented instance of wild primates sharing alcohol-containing food, paralleling human feasting rituals that foster social bonding.
• Scientists propose this behavior may represent early evolutionary stages of communal 'feasting,' with potential metabolic and social implications for chimpanzees.
• Further research is needed to determine whether chimpanzees deliberately seek out fermented fruits and how alcohol affects their metabolism.