Drunk animals

Marula trees grow in the southern part of Africa. They produce fruits that look sort of like apricots (used to flavour Amarula liquer). When the marulas ripen, the trees are mobbed by hungry animals of all species, who gorge themselves- with an interesting side effect.

The fruits ferment in the animals’ bellies and turn into alcohol, which gets the wildlife good and drunk. This basically causes a frat party on the savannah, with hilariously loaded animals staggering around, concentrating really hard on keeping their balance, and then falling over.

Here’s a funny video clip of this animal intoxication phenomenon. It’s from a Disney movie called “Animals Are People Too” and it’s a little overenthusiastic with the goofy sound effects- you kind of keep expecting to hear Bob Saget start squealing about the Jackalope- so I think it’s funnier to watch without sound. Ideally surrounded by your office mates while you narrate what the animals are saying to each other “You know, I’ve alwaysh liked you. You’re shuch a schpecial lady.”

In theatre school, we learn that the best way to convincingly act drunk is to try really hard to act sober; this principle is nicely illustrated here.

Thanks to Eric Vedder for the tip.