An analysis of 20 urine samples from chimpanzees in Uganda found byproducts of ethanol in at least 17 samples, indicating that apes ingest significant alcohol from the fermented fruit in their diet.
Urine from individually identified chimpanzees was collected opportunistically and non-invasively using a pipette from fresh and dry leaf litter. Chimpanzees predictably urinate just prior to leaving a fruit crop and can often be seen preparing to do so by climbing to a lower branch of a tree. Urination on the ground is often accompanied by defaecation, and in these cases, urine was pipetted from pools in the leaf litter opposite the faeces. Samples were only collected on dry days, since rainwater on understory leaves cannot be visually differentiated from urine. Urine may also be collected directly from underneath urinating chimpanzees by holding out a clean disposable plastic bag placed over the end of a forked branch; urine samples collected from leaf litter were previously shown not to significantly affect measured hormone levels relative to samples collected using a plastic bag
Imagine spending weeks in the jungle holding a camouflaged urine collection bag under a chimpanzee while also dodging falling chimpanzee shit. What a life.
No standups, no Workday goals, just nature. And piss. And flying shit. What a lucky guy.
By holding a bag below them when they pee or pipetted from pooled urine on leaf litter
Full quote:
Imagine spending weeks in the jungle holding a camouflaged urine collection bag under a chimpanzee while also dodging falling chimpanzee shit. What a life.
No standups, no Workday goals, just nature. And piss. And flying shit. What a lucky guy.