Overview

• The peer-reviewed study in Science Advances, led by UC Berkeley researchers, analyzed more than 500 fruit samples from 20 species at sites in Uganda and Côte d'Ivoire.
• Chimpanzees were estimated to eat about 4.5 kilograms of fruit per day with mean ethanol concentrations near 0.31–0.32%, totaling roughly 13–15 grams of ethanol intake.
• Lead author Aleksey Maro described the intake as not insignificant yet highly diluted and tied to food rather than beverage-like consumption.
• Researchers say it remains unclear whether chimpanzees actively seek fermented fruits or whether chronic low-level exposure produces behavioral or biological effects.
• Further fieldwork is planned to study selection behavior, metabolism, risks and potential benefits, with primatologists noting no evident intoxication at these levels.