Orangutan in Indonesia Demonstrates Self-Medication Using Medicinal Plant

Rakus, a Sumatran orangutan, applied a plant with known medicinal properties to a facial wound, marking a rare documented case of self-medication in wild animals.

• Rakus used the liana plant, known for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, to treat a facial wound sustained in a fight.
• The incident, observed in Gunung Leuser National Park, is the first documented instance of a wild animal using a plant with proven medicinal qualities for wound care.
• Researchers suggest this behavior could offer insights into the evolutionary origins of wound treatment and self-medication.
• Following the application of the plant, Rakus's wound healed completely within a month, demonstrating the effectiveness of the treatment.
• The study highlights the cognitive abilities of great apes, suggesting a potential link to the medicinal knowledge of human ancestors.

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