In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists in Indonesia observed an orangutan treating a wound on its face with a medicinal plant. This is the first documented instance of such behavior in a wild animal.
The research, published in the journal Scientific Reports, details how Rakus, a male Sumatran orangutan, chewed leaves from a climbing vine called Akar Kuning and repeatedly applied the juice to a facial wound. He then used the chewed leaves as a makeshift bandage.
Akar Kuning is known in traditional medicine for treating various ailments like dysentery, diabetes, and malaria. The study's lead author, Dr. Isabelle Laumer, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, expressed excitement about their observations, which occurred in June 2022 at Gunung Leuser National Park, Indonesia.
While some wild primates are known to ingest or rub themselves with plants with medicinal properties, this is the first time such targeted treatment of a fresh wound has been documented.
This finding suggests a deeper understanding of plant properties and their potential healing uses in these intelligent creatures.
The research opens new avenues for studying animal behavior and cognition. It raises questions about whether other animals possess similar knowledge about medicinal plants and their potential applications.
Further research could shed light on the evolution of self-medication in the animal kingdom.
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Source: Motherjones
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