A male Sumatran orangutan has been observed using a medicinal plant, known for its antibacterial properties, to treat a facial wound in a groundbreaking behaviour that has implications for understanding animal self-medication and cognitive abilities.
Scientists have documented a male Sumatran orangutan treating a facial wound using a medicinal plant in a protected rainforest in Indonesia, marking a significant observation in animal behavior. The orangutan, named Rakus, was observed applying a chewed paste made from the Akar Kuning plant, known for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, directly to a wound on his cheek.
This practice led to the wound healing within a few weeks, showcasing a level of self-medication previously undocumented in wild animals to this extent. Dr. Caroline Schuppli and Dr. Isabella Laumer, who are affiliated with the Max Planck Institute and involved in the study, noted that this behavior highlights not only the cognitive abilities of orangutans but also poses questions about the evolution of medicinal knowledge shared by humans and great apes.
The findings, published in the journal Scientific Reports, were obtained through field research conducted by the Suaq Project team. This discovery adds to existing knowledge that other great apes, such as chimpanzees and other orangutan populations, also utilize plants for medicinal purposes. It however, marks the first recorded instance of a wild orangutan applying a medicinal plant concoction directly to an open wound, suggesting a deliberate and knowledgeable use of natural resources for health purposes.
The research underlines the complex interactions between animals and their natural habitats and expands our understanding of the cognitive capabilities of orangutans, offering new insights into the ancestral origins of wound treatment and self-medication behavior among primates.
