An orangutan was observed using a medicinal plant to treat a wound on its cheek. This is the first time scientists have documented a wild ape apparently self-medicating an injury.
- A male orangutan named Raku got injured, likely from fighting with other males
- He was seen picking leaves from a medicinal plant and applying them to the wound
- The wound healed quickly, completely closing within a couple of days
- Scientists think this shows orangutans know medicinal plants
Does this mean orangutans can act as their doctors? Read on to learn more about this fascinating discovery.
Orangutan Observed Self-Medicating
Deep in the forests of Indonesia, scientists made an incredible observation. A large male orangutan named Raku had sustained an injury, probably from fighting with other male orangutans over territory or mates.
Rather than simply licking the wound, Raku took a different approach. He began carefully picking leaves from a nearby plant with thin, green leaves and bright yellow stems.
Using Plants as Medicine
For 13 minutes, Raku chewed the leaves in his mouth. He then took the plant juice from his mouth and repeatedly applied it directly to the open wound on his cheek.
The scientists realized Raku was using the plant as a medicine or antiseptic wash for his injury. The plant has antibacterial and healing properties when applied to wounds.
One of the researchers explained, “It looked similar to using a wound plaster. “The wound healed quite fastโit was fully closed within a couple of days.”
Amazing Healing Powers
One month later, the scientists checked on Raku again. His injury was completely healed over, with just a tiny scar remaining as evidence of the wound.
The researchers were stunned. Never before had they witnessed a wild animal actively treating its injuries in such an intelligent way.
“This is another sign of how closely humans are related to great apes like orangutans,” said Dr. Rizal, the lead researcher. We treat wounds with medicine, and it seems orangutans do, too.”
Ancestral Knowledge?
Some scientists believe great apes like orangutans, chimpanzees, and gorillas may have inherited knowledge of medicinal plants from our last everyday ancestors millions of years ago.
Similar ointment-using behaviors have occasionally been observed in wild chimpanzee and gorilla populations in Africa. However, this is the first confirmed case in orangutans.
The researchers plan to monitor other orangutans closely to determine whether Raku’s abilities are unique or whether self-medication is more widespread among these intelligent apes.
Profound Implications
The discovery raises profound questions. Do orangutans have an innate understanding of plants’ medicinal properties? How did they acquire this knowledge? And what else might these remarkable animals be capable of?
One thing is sure – the scientists’ chance observation of Raku has opened up a new window into the minds and abilities of one of humans’ closest genetic cousins in the animal kingdom.
