Wild chimpanzees spotted sharing alcoholic fruit in guinea-bissau

A group of wild chimpanzees were filmed sharing fermented fruits rich in alcohol as if it were an aperitif. An unusual behavior for them, but one that brings them ever closer to us humans

In the lush forests of Guinea-Bissau, a group of wild chimpanzees has been caught on hidden cameras engaging in a surprisingly human-like behavior: sharing fermented fruit with measurable levels of alcohol—basically, hosting their own happy hour.

The footage, recorded in the Cantanhez National Park, shows chimps passing around pieces of fermented breadfruit, not just eating it individually. The scene looks less like foraging and more like a relaxed after-work drink with friends.

What’s new here isn’t just the consumption of naturally alcoholic fruit—something that’s been seen before—but the act of sharing, which is extremely rare among wild chimpanzees. The alcohol content in the fruit was measured at 0.61% ABV—enough to create a light buzz, but nowhere near blackout territory.

The drunken monkey hypothesis

Researchers from the University of Exeter suggest that this behavior may represent one of the earliest known social rituals involving alcohol. If that’s true, the roots of our own cocktail culture stretch back much further than beachfront bars.

The chimps don’t just eat the fermented fruit together—they appear to do it in a conscious, almost ceremonial manner.

This theory is backed by what scientists call the “drunken monkey hypothesis”—the idea that our ancestors developed the ability to process ethanol through regular consumption of ripe, fermented fruits. Ethanol exists naturally in many fruits, and it may have played a key role in primate social evolution.

If you thought we invented happy hour, think again

This isn’t the first time chimps have surprised researchers with their refined taste. In another village in Guinea, chimps were seen drinking fermented sap from raffia palms, using rudimentary tools to collect the liquid.

In other words, if you thought the aperitivo was a modern Italian invention, you might need to rewrite the history of prosecco.

These behaviors raise some intriguing questions: Do chimpanzees actively seek out fermented foods? Are they doing it for the flavor, the buzz, or to build social bonds?

While scientists are still working on the answers, one thing is clear: the line between humans and chimps is much blurrier—and more booze-soaked—than we ever imagined.

Sources: University of Exeter /Current Biology