Boozing chimps back 'drunken monkey' theory

Wild chimpanzees enjoying opportunistic binges on palm wine have helped shed light on a theory about evolution, scientists said on Wednesday.

Chimps in the West African country of Guinea discovered a free treat in raffia palms tapped by local people to extract a sweet, milky sap that then ferments into an alcoholic drink.

The apes scrunched up leaves in their mouths, moulding them into spongy pads that they then dipped into the sap-gathering container, which villagers attach to the tree near its crown.