<
https://www.theguardian.com/science/article/2024/may/02/orangutan-seen-treating-wound-with-medicinal-herb-in-first-for-wild-animals-max-planck-institute-sumatra>
"The high intelligence levels of orangutans have long been recognised, partly
due to their practical skills such as using tools to retrieve seeds and forage
for insects. But new research suggests the primate has another handy skill in
its repertoire: applying medicinal herbs.
Researchers say they have 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.
It is not the first time wild animals have been spotted self-medicating: among
other examples, Bornean orangutans have been seen rubbing their arms and legs
with chewed leaves from a plant used by humans to treat sore muscles, while
chimpanzees have been recorded chewing plants known to treat worm infections
and applying insects to wounds.
However, the new discovery is the first time a wild animal has been observed
treating open wounds with a substance known to have medicinal properties.
“In the chimpanzee case they used insects and unfortunately it was never found
out whether these insects really promote wound healing. Whereas in our case,
the orangutan used the plant, and this plant has known medical properties,”
said Dr Caroline Schuppli, senior author of the research based at Max Planck
Institute of Animal Behavior in Germany.
The team say the findings offer insight into the origins of human wound care –
the treatment of which was first mentioned in a medical manuscript dating to
2200BC.
“It definitely shows that these basic cognitive capacities that you need to
come up with a behaviour like this … were present at the time of our last
common ancestor most likely,” said Schuppli. “So that that reaches back very,
very far.”
Writing in the journal
Scientific Reports, Schuppli and colleagues report how
they made the discovery while working in a research area of a protected
rainforest in Indonesia."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
