Orangutan Uses Tropical Plant to Treat Wound, Scientists Say

In a new study published in Scientific Reports, scientists have reported that an orangutan was observed treating a wound with medicine from a tropical plant, showcasing how animals resort to natural remedies to alleviate their ailments. The remarkable behavior was captured in 2022 by field researcher Ulil Azhari in Medan, Indonesia, who documented an adult male orangutan named Rakus plucking and chewing leaves from a medicinal plant commonly used in Southeast Asia to relieve pain and inflammation.

Following his consumption of the plant, Rakus used his fingers to apply the plant juices directly to a wound on his right cheek. Moreover, he ingeniously used the chewed-up leaves as a makeshift bandage, covering the open wound. Astonishingly, photographs from the study showed the wound healing and closing within a month without any complications.

While previous research has documented great apes foraging for medicinal plants in forests as a means of self-healing, this is the first time scientists have observed an animal applying potent plant medicine directly onto a wound. Co-author Isabelle Laumer, a biologist at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, described the behavior as "very likely self-medication." Notably, Rakus exclusively applied the plant extract to the wound and not to any other part of his body.

Researchers have been studying orangutans in Indonesia's Gunung Leuser National Park for nearly three decades, but this behavior had not been observed until now. The study highlights the potential learning capacity of orangutans, suggesting that Rakus may have learned this technique from orangutans living outside the park, beyond the daily monitoring of scientists.

The exact cause of Rakus' wound remains unknown, but researchers hypothesize that it likely resulted from an altercation with another animal. It is also unclear if this was the first instance of Rakus using plant medicine to treat injuries.

This intriguing observation adds to the growing body of evidence of primates using plants for medicinal purposes. Bornean orangutans have been observed rubbing themselves with medicinal plant juices, possibly to alleviate bodily pains or ward off parasites. Chimpanzees have been noted chewing on bitter-tasting plants to soothe their stomachs, and gorillas, chimpanzees, and bonobos consume certain rough leaves to rid themselves of stomach parasites.

The discovery of the orangutan's behavior raises questions about the evolution of medicine and its potential roots in nature. Tara Stoinski, president and chief scientific officer of the nonprofit Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, expressed interest in understanding how this behavior could offer insights into the origins of medicine, stating, "If this behavior exists in some of our closest living relatives, what could that tell us about how medicine first evolved?"

While this singular observation provides a captivating glimpse into the remarkable capabilities of orangutans, scientists emphasize the need for further study to comprehend the full extent of their medical practices. Nonetheless, this discovery brings us closer to understanding the intricate healing abilities of our animal counterparts and reminds us of the vast knowledge nature holds.