Scientists have discovered a red-haired orangutan in Indonesia using homemade herbal medicine to apply to a wound, which healed a month later. This is the first recorded instance of a wild animal using medicinal plants to treat wounds.
According to a report by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on May 3rd, in a study led by Isabelle Laumer, a biologist at the Max Planck Institute in Germany, researchers conducted research at the Gunung Leuser National Park in Sumatra, Indonesia in June 2022.
They found that a male Sumatran orangutan named Rakus chewed the leaves of a plant called “Akar Kuning” and then applied the juice of the leaves to a wound on its cheek.
“Akar Kuning” is a plant with anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, and locals also use it to treat malaria and diabetes.
Researchers believe that Rakus was injured in a fight with a hostile male orangutan, as they had seen his wound a few days earlier when he cried out loudly.
They observed Rakus continuously applying the juice to the wound for 7 minutes and then placing chewed, ointment-like leaves on the wound until it was completely covered. He also continued to consume the leaves of the plant for over 30 minutes.
They also found that Rakus’ wound closed within 5 days, completely healed after a month, with almost no visible trace of the old injury.
They believe that Rakus knew he was using medication because orangutans rarely eat “Akar Kuning” plants, and he used this plant for some time for treatment.
Laumer said, “The whole process lasted a considerable amount of time, which is why we believe he deliberately used it.”
She said this may have been Rakus’ first time using this treatment. He may have accidentally brushed against the leaves of “Akar Kuning” due to its pain-relieving substance, which may have immediately reduced his pain, leading him to use it repeatedly.
Additionally, he may have learned this treatment from other orangutans. Researchers will closely monitor other orangutans to see if they use the same treatment as Rakus.
Laumer said, “I believe in the coming years, we will even discover more human-like behaviors and abilities in (orangutans).”
Scientists have previously known that orangutans use medication to treat themselves, such as a recent observation in Africa where a chimpanzee was seen applying insects to wounds. However, scientists have never seen a wild animal like Rakus applying herbal medicine to a wound.
The above research findings were published in the journal “Scientific Reports”.