In Indonesia, an orangutan has learned to treat its own wounds using medicinal plants
Kyiv • UNN
An injured orangutan named Rakus applied a paste made from the leaves and stem of an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial plant called Akar Kuning to heal a large wound on his cheek. This is the first time scientists have recorded an animal in the wild treating an injury with a medicinal plant.
In Indonesia, scientists observed a wounded orangutan self-medicating, using a paste of plants to heal a large wound on his cheek. This was reported by UNN with reference to BBC.
Details
For the first time, scientists have recorded an animal in the wild treating an injury with a medicinal plant. An orangutan named Rakus applied a herbal poultice to a wound on his cheek, and in a month the wound closed and healed. This case was described in the scientific journal Scientific Reports.
The research team spotted Rakus with a large wound on his cheek in June 2022 in Indonesia's Gunung Leuser National Park. It could have been injured in a fight with rival males. The team then saw Rakus chewing on the stem and leaves of a plant called Akar Kuning, an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial plant that is also used to treat malaria and diabetes. He applied the liquid to his cheek several times for seven minutes. Rakus then smeared the wound with the chewed leaves until it was completely closed. He continued to eat the plant for over 30 minutes.
The paste and leaves seemed to have done their job - the researchers saw no signs of infection, and the wound closed within five days.
Scientists believe that this behavior may originate from a common ancestor of humans and great apes.
They are our closest relatives, and this once again shows that we are similar. We are more alike than different
The scientists concluded that Rakus knew he was using the medicine because orangutans rarely eat this particular plant and because of the duration of the treatment.
The researchers also saw that Rakus was resting much longer than usual - more than half a day - and speculate that he was trying to recover from the injury.
Add
Scientists already knew that great apes use medicine for self-medication.
In the 1960s, biologist Jane Goodall saw whole leaves in chimpanzee feces, and other researchers documented great apes swallowing leaves with medicinal properties. But they have never seen a wild animal apply the plant to a wound.
Dr. Laumer says that it is quite possible that Rakus is the first to use this method of treatment.
Perhaps he accidentally touched the wound with a finger that had the plant on it. And then, because the plant has quite powerful painkillers, he could feel immediate pain relief, which made him use it again and again
The researchers will now closely monitor other orangutans to see if they can display the same medical skills that Rakus demonstrated.
