Imagine a lively Friday night in Newcastle or Cardiff’s heart, but you have elephants instead of party-goers.
This amusing scenario was captured in images showcasing young elephants that appeared to have had too much of a peculiar fruit.
The herd was munching on large amounts of the marula fruit, known for its potential to induce an intoxicating effect in large mammals when overly ripe and consumed in abundance.
The marula fruit is sweet, tangy, and refreshing; the marula fruit, once it has matured and fallen from the tree, creates a sort of ‘happy hour’ for these elephants.
Ross Couper, a seasoned field guide affiliated with the elite safari company Singita in South Africa’s Kruger National Park, witnessed the elephants’ comical movements.
As they began to tumble over their siblings and stagger around, he noted, “It was a sight to behold, as the young ones appeared to be exhibiting signs of intoxication.”
Yet, there’s a twist to the tale. Some claim that the elephants’ unusual antics are not due to the marula fruit’s potential fermentation but rather the ingestion of beetle pupae residing in the bark of marula trees.
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