A French law enforcement agency is warning drivers to watch out for drunks on the road.<\/p>\n
They are not referring to humans.<\/p>\n
It is inebriation season for wild animals, according to the agency, the Gendarmerie de Sa\u00f4ne-et-Loire, which is based in a rural region in central-eastern France. \u201cIn the spring, some wild animals consume buds, fermented fruits, or decaying vegetation \u2014 and may exhibit completely unpredictable behavior,\u201d the agency wrote last week on social media.<\/p>\n
The police force noted that tipsy animals can quickly cause collisions if humans are not vigilant. To prove this point, the authorities in the picturesque Burgundy region, known for its berries and wines, posted a video of what appeared to be a very drunk deer that has captured international attention.<\/p>\n
In the video, the deer spins in tight circles, dizzyingly, around and around. Soon, it tumbles onto its back, flips over and staggers back up, standing again on wobbling legs, and staring ahead, unaware \u2014 or not caring \u2014 that it is being filmed.<\/p>\n
Then it runs off into another field, where it repeats the routine.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf Bambi has had a bit too much of that forest aperitif, now might not be the best time to drive as if you own the road,\u201d the agency\u2019s post said. It warned drivers to slow down, be aware of their surroundings and \u201cavoid sudden steering maneuvers.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was not immediately clear how many car accidents have been linked to such animals in France, and the Gendarmerie de Sa\u00f4ne-et-Loire did not respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n
A variety of animals have shown a predilection for alcohol, though scientists have debated whether it is anecdotal, hard evidence or humans seeing themselves in nature.<\/p>\n
Researchers have seen chimpanzees in West Africa stealing palm wine<\/a>, tree shrews in Malaysia sipping<\/a> nectar and waxwings that died from alcohol poisoning<\/a>, seemingly from too much fermented fruit. In anecdotal cases, people have found moose<\/a> and elk<\/a> eating rotten apples, stuck in trees and tangled<\/a> in Christmas lights.<\/p>\n Some researchers have questioned<\/a> whether animals, especially large ones like elephants and elk, can actually become drunk, given their size and the limited alcohol in the environment. But a 2020 study<\/a> found that elephants and many other mammals lack a key enzyme that quickly metabolizes ethanol, helping keep stories of drunk and unruly elephants alive.<\/p>\n