Are wild animals really getting drunk in nature?

Wild animals have long consumed naturally fermented foods, a process involving yeast producing alcohol from sugars. This exposure, evolving over millions of years, offers nutritional benefits like pathogen resistance and calorie access. Climate change and habitat fragmentation are now intensifying these encounters, posing new challenges for wildlife physiology and conservation.

Are wild animals really getting drunk in nature?
Wild animals have long consumed naturally fermented foods, a process involving yeast producing alcohol from sugars. This exposure, evolving over millions of years, offers nutritional benefits like pathogen resistance and calorie access. Climate change and habitat fragmentation are now intensifying these encounters, posing new challenges for wildlife physiology and conservation.