Orangutan Self-Medicates with Medicinal Plant, Offering Insights into Animal Health Behaviors

A Sumatran orangutan's use of a medicinal plant to treat a wound highlights potential evolutionary roots of self-medication.

Rakus, a male Sumatran orangutan, treated his facial wound with Akar Kuning, a plant known for its medicinal properties.
The incident, observed in Indonesia's Gunung Leuser National Park, marks a rare documented case of wildlife using natural remedies.
Researchers suggest this behavior could reflect deep evolutionary connections in wound care between humans and primates.
The plant used, Akar Kuning, has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic properties, aiding in quick and effective healing.
This discovery adds to growing evidence of self-medication among animals, previously noted in other primates and bird species.