Overview
- The Biology Letters study reported ethyl glucuronide in most samples, with 17 of 20 positive at 300 ng/ml and 10 of 11 above 500 ng/ml.
- Researchers at Ngogo in Uganda collected 20 urine samples from 19 chimpanzees over roughly 11 days using improvised plastic-bag collectors, leaves, and puddles.
- African star apples at the site averaged about 0.1% ethanol by weight, occasionally reaching 0.4%, and feeding rates point to an intake near 14 grams of ethanol per day.
- Juveniles and females were more likely to yield negative tests, raising questions about access to more fermented fruit and social dynamics within the group.
- Authors note limits including a small, single-site dataset and the persistence of EtG, which does not confirm intoxication or deliberate ethanol seeking, and they call for behavioral and seasonal follow-up studies.