Orangutans' high levels of intelligence have long been recognized, in part due to their practical skills, such as using tools to crack nuts and search for insects. But new research suggests the primate has another handy skill in its arsenal: applying medicinal herbs.
Orangutans use medicinal plants for treatment PHOTO Pixabay
Researchers say they observed a male Sumatran orangutan treating an open facial wound with sap and chewed leaves from a plant known to have anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties, according to The Guardian.
It's not the first time wild animals have been spotted self-medicating: among other examples, orangutans in Borneo have been seen rubbing their arms and legs with chewed leaves from a plant used by humans to treat muscle pain, while chimpanzees have been recorded chewing plants known to treat worm infestations and applying certain insects to wounds for cleaning
However, the new discovery marks the first time a wild animal has been observed treating open wounds with a substance known to have medicinal properties.
“In the case of chimpanzees, they used insects, and unfortunately it was never known whether these insects actually promote wound healing. Whereas in our case, the orangutan used the plant, and this plant has known medicinal properties”said Dr. Caroline Schuppli, lead author of the research at the Max Planck Institute for Animal Behavior in Germany.
The team says the findings provide insight into the origins of human wound care first mentioned in a medical manuscript dating back to 2200 BC.
