Animals also drink alcohol, but without knowing it. This is what a study carried out at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom, published recently, reveals.
No, humans aren't the only ones who drink alcohol. It turns out that even animals have access to this substance, directly in nature. Ethanol, the molecule responsible for inebriation, would even be “very abundant in the natural world» as explained by Anna Bowland, a researcher on the team from the University of Exeter. And for good reason, alcohol is found in their food like fruits, sap or even nectar, a more or less viscous sweet liquid from plants. This is due to fermentation.
The process occurs when the fruits age and begin to decompose, or simply when they fall from the trees. The sugar present in the fruit will then be transformed into alcohol by the yeasts present, like any alcohol produced by humans. All it takes is for an animal to choose this fruit over another and that's it, the ethanol has its effect.
How do animals react to alcohol?
From insects to elephants, many species are affected by the phenomenon. According to the study, flies, birds, deer and even chimpanzees have been seen intoxicated after consuming different fruits or berries. But not everyone has the same reaction to the substance.
If, according to scientists, ethanol is very well tolerated in many animals, and could even have caloric and medicinal benefits, some do not always reap the benefits of this consumption. For example, American waxwing birds have been killed by hitting structures while flying, probably less straight than usual, under the influence of alcohol. On a less tragic note, a moose in the same state has already found its head stuck in a tree. Even if the study specifies that the alcohol content present in natural elements generally stagnates between 1 and 2% by volume, the alcohol level in animals seen drunk has never been able to be measured.
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Surprisingly human behaviors
Some species even exhibit behaviors that can resemble those of humans under the influence of alcohol. Beyond the general state of intoxication, it seems that alcohol influences the behavior of certain species. This is the case for certain female flies who mate with more males after consuming ethanol. While males turn to the substance when they are rejected by their partner. The study also suggests that, like humans, animals may be attracted to alcohol because of the endorphin production it causes.*
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