While doing some research this afternoon on national drinking habits (for work, honestly!), I happened to turn up this story on the Malaysian Pen-Tailed Tree Shrew (Ptilocercus Iowii). It seems it was all over the worldwide media around the end of July 2008, but it passed me by somehow (I was probably a bit distracted by all the Beijing Olympics brouhaha). Apparently, this little critter lives exclusively on nectar from the buds of the bertam palm - but this stuff naturally ferments, attaining an alcoholic content of up to 3.8% ("one of the highest alcohol concentrations ever recorded in a natural food"), comparable to what we'd call a 'light beer' in the West, and a smidge stronger than most of the local beers here in China. And despite guzzling continuously for hours at a time, and clocking up blood alcohol percentages that would have most of us talking to God on the Big White Telephone.... this tiny tough-guy mysteriously shows "no sign of intoxication".
Respect, little fella.
1 comment:
No way! I am putting this little critter on a t-shirt!
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