Tools to tipple: ethanol ingestion by wild chimpanzees using leaf-sponges
African apes and humans share a genetic mutation that enables them to effectively metabolize ethanol. However, voluntary ethanol consumption in this evolutionary radiation is documented only in modern humans. Here, we report evidence of the long-term and recurrent ingestion of ethanol from the raffi...
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Online Access: | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsos.150150 |
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doaj-8267cd2790a94035a2ad1c1f1642f1362020-11-25T04:07:54ZengThe Royal SocietyRoyal Society Open Science2054-57032015-01-012610.1098/rsos.150150150150Tools to tipple: ethanol ingestion by wild chimpanzees using leaf-spongesKimberley J. HockingsNicola Bryson-MorrisonSusana CarvalhoMichiko FujisawaTatyana HumleWilliam C. McGrewMiho NakamuraGaku OhashiYumi YamanashiGen YamakoshiTetsuro MatsuzawaAfrican apes and humans share a genetic mutation that enables them to effectively metabolize ethanol. However, voluntary ethanol consumption in this evolutionary radiation is documented only in modern humans. Here, we report evidence of the long-term and recurrent ingestion of ethanol from the raffia palm (Raphia hookeri, Arecaceae) by wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) at Bossou in Guinea, West Africa, from 1995 to 2012. Chimpanzees at Bossou ingest this alcoholic beverage, often in large quantities, despite an average presence of ethanol of 3.1% alcohol by volume (ABV) and up to 6.9% ABV. Local people tap raffia palms and the sap collects in plastic containers, and chimpanzees use elementary technology—a leafy tool—to obtain this fermenting sap. These data show that ethanol does not act as a deterrent to feeding in this community of wild apes, supporting the idea that the last common ancestor of living African apes and modern humans was not averse to ingesting foods containing ethanol.https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsos.150150ethanol ingestionelementary tool-usegreat apesraffia palm |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Kimberley J. Hockings Nicola Bryson-Morrison Susana Carvalho Michiko Fujisawa Tatyana Humle William C. McGrew Miho Nakamura Gaku Ohashi Yumi Yamanashi Gen Yamakoshi Tetsuro Matsuzawa |
spellingShingle |
Kimberley J. Hockings Nicola Bryson-Morrison Susana Carvalho Michiko Fujisawa Tatyana Humle William C. McGrew Miho Nakamura Gaku Ohashi Yumi Yamanashi Gen Yamakoshi Tetsuro Matsuzawa Tools to tipple: ethanol ingestion by wild chimpanzees using leaf-sponges Royal Society Open Science ethanol ingestion elementary tool-use great apes raffia palm |
author_facet |
Kimberley J. Hockings Nicola Bryson-Morrison Susana Carvalho Michiko Fujisawa Tatyana Humle William C. McGrew Miho Nakamura Gaku Ohashi Yumi Yamanashi Gen Yamakoshi Tetsuro Matsuzawa |
author_sort |
Kimberley J. Hockings |
title |
Tools to tipple: ethanol ingestion by wild chimpanzees using leaf-sponges |
title_short |
Tools to tipple: ethanol ingestion by wild chimpanzees using leaf-sponges |
title_full |
Tools to tipple: ethanol ingestion by wild chimpanzees using leaf-sponges |
title_fullStr |
Tools to tipple: ethanol ingestion by wild chimpanzees using leaf-sponges |
title_full_unstemmed |
Tools to tipple: ethanol ingestion by wild chimpanzees using leaf-sponges |
title_sort |
tools to tipple: ethanol ingestion by wild chimpanzees using leaf-sponges |
publisher |
The Royal Society |
series |
Royal Society Open Science |
issn |
2054-5703 |
publishDate |
2015-01-01 |
description |
African apes and humans share a genetic mutation that enables them to effectively metabolize ethanol. However, voluntary ethanol consumption in this evolutionary radiation is documented only in modern humans. Here, we report evidence of the long-term and recurrent ingestion of ethanol from the raffia palm (Raphia hookeri, Arecaceae) by wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) at Bossou in Guinea, West Africa, from 1995 to 2012. Chimpanzees at Bossou ingest this alcoholic beverage, often in large quantities, despite an average presence of ethanol of 3.1% alcohol by volume (ABV) and up to 6.9% ABV. Local people tap raffia palms and the sap collects in plastic containers, and chimpanzees use elementary technology—a leafy tool—to obtain this fermenting sap. These data show that ethanol does not act as a deterrent to feeding in this community of wild apes, supporting the idea that the last common ancestor of living African apes and modern humans was not averse to ingesting foods containing ethanol. |
topic |
ethanol ingestion elementary tool-use great apes raffia palm |
url |
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsos.150150 |
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