Do Animals Get Drunk?

Written by Nick
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Published on December 19, 2016
Butterflies on drink feature

‘Tis the season of holiday parties and the ringing in of a new year. While humans imbibe adult beverages aplenty, it crosses more than one mind to find out for themselves whether animals get drunk too. The answer is, surprisingly, yes, and some even seem to do it with the same motivations as humans.

Like sports fans on game day, butterflies are drawn to beer. Many researchers even bait their butterfly traps with this hoppy brew in order to attract specimens. Male butterflies drink beer to boost production of spermatophores, making them more attractive to females. Butterflies will also drink white wine in a pinch, so keep an eye on your drink during your next barbecue or you may find a fluttering beauty stealing a sip.

Ever drown your sorrows after a bad breakup? You’re not alone. A 2012 study showed that male fruit flies who had been rejected by potential mates gravitated towards alcohol-rich foods. Meanwhile, those who had paired off stayed away from the inebriating options. The study showed that the single male flies had a lower level of the chemical neuropeptide F, a pleasure-driven response in the brain, than their coupled counterparts.

While insects seem to seek out alcohol intentionally, do animals get drunk on purpose? Most animal intoxication is probably accidental, a result of the animals eating overripe fruit that has fermented. Wine comes from fermented grapes, hard cider comes from fermented apples. Animals consuming fruit in the wild can sometimes find themselves getting a little tipsy just by grabbing a bite.

Insect Alcohol Feature
Photo from Adam Wilson/Unsplash

Apples & animal intoxication

Apples are a frequent culprit in many episodes of animal intoxication. Deer scavenging in orchards often stumble about or act very sleepy after ingesting one too many apple from the ground. A few years ago, a small town in Norway was practically held hostage by rampaging moose who were overindulging on overly ripe apples, making a mess in the town and terrifying townsfolk.

Birds and bats aren’t exempt from this wilderness frat party. Additionally, winter weather exacerbates the problem. The first frosts of the season hasten the formation of alcohol in berries. This means the winged creatures who eat them may exhibit some signs of intoxication. Most will be a little tipsy but some who overdo may end up trying, and failing, to fly under the influence.

Please remember to enjoy your holiday spirits responsibly and don’t feed it to animals. It can fall under abuse in many states!

Featured Image from Katrin Hauf/Unsplash

Nick

Nick