Animals and alcohol: a surprising evolutionary relationship

Elephants, monkeys and hamsters like it, but many other animals also consume it. In high concentrations the effects are not positive, but new research has highlighted some (unexpected) advantages

Some time ago, we commented upon the study performed on Oriental wasps, or red hornets, reporting that among all animals they can drink more alcohol without getting drunk.

Actually, in the Indian Institute of Science-headed study in Bangalore (India), it was found that these wasps can continuously drink an 80% alcoholic solution for one week without changes in their behavior.

Natural alcohol consumption among animals

Many animals naturally consume low concentrations of ethanol, a behavior that has its advantages and disadvantages.

The article titled “The Evolutionary Ecology of Ethanol” and published in Trends in Ecology & Evolution explains that alcohol has been available in nature since the Cretaceous period. This was initially during the development of flowering plants and fruits that would undergo fermentation to produce ethanol.

Animals attracted to alcohol

Of the animals who have been known to like a little alcohol, the list includes monkeys, elephants, and hamsters, but they are by no means alone. Due, however, to the fact that it negatively impacts their abilities, especially in large concentrations, researchers attempted to understand why animals continued to seek it and consume it.

Why do animals seek alcohol?

There might be a number of reasons: on one hand, alcohol has its nutritional value, and, on the other, it possesses some medicinal properties. Last but not least, alcohol initiates a lively production of endorphins and dopamine, hence offering a relaxed state that is so much supportive in social interaction.

The role of ethanol in nature

This ultimately suggests that ethanol in the wild is neither a rare commodity nor one entirely avoided by animals. Alcohol consumption, despite its toxicity, may thus confer certain advantages. They finally propose that ethanol’s ecological role and evolutionary consequence need to be revised in the wild, requiring further studies to explore this avenue of investigation.

SOURCE: Trends in Ecology & Evolution