Researchers have observed a orangutan from Sumatra using floors with medicinal properties known to treat a facial wound open.
This finding not only highlights the intelligence of these primates, but also provides valuable insights into possible origins of wound treatment in humans.
Autonomous behaviors in the animal kingdom
The orangutansknown for their impressive ability to use tools and solve problems, have once again demonstrated their sophistication through the self-administration of medicinal treatments.
During a recent study, a male orangutan, identified as Rakus, was observed using the leaves and sap of the liana Fibraurea tinctoriaa plant recognized for its effects analgesics and anti-inflammatories.
Three days after suffering a wound In a confrontation with another male, Rakus carefully selected leaves of this plantchewed them and applied the resulting mixture directly on his wound.
This behavior was not only repeated several times, but culminated in total coverage of the wound with chewed leaves. The extraordinary thing about the case is that, after five days, the wound It began to close, and weeks later, only a minimal scar remained.
This autonomous behavior in wound treatment It is rarely documented in wildlife, with previous cases limited mainly to chimpanzees using insects in a similar way, although without clear evidence of its medical benefits.
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 case of chimpanzees they used insects and unfortunately it was never known if 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, lead author of the research at the Max Planck Institute for Animal Behavior in Germany.
implications and future perspectives
Dr. Caroline Schuppli, lead author of the study carried out by the Max Planck Institute of Animal behavior in Germany, explained that this behavior could indicate that orangutans They have cognitive abilities similar to those necessary for the development of medicinal practices in humans.
According to Schuppli, these abilities could date back to our last common ancestorsuggesting that rudimentary medicine is an ancient behavior and not unique to humans.
“It definitely shows that these basic cognitive abilities that are needed to develop behavior like this… were probably present around the time of our last common ancestor,” Schuppli said. “So that goes back very, very far.”
The plant used by Rakus, Fibraurea tinctoriais known in the traditional medicine in Southeast Asia for treating conditions such as dysentery, diabetes and malaria.
The chemical analyzes of the plant have confirmed the presence of compounds such as furanoditerpenoids and protoberberine alkaloids, which offer antibacterial properties, antifungal, antioxidants and anticancer.
This case not only highlights the need to further study self-care behavior in wild animalsbut it could also have implications for understanding how humans began to explore and use Natural medicine in the early stages of civilization.
The possibility that Rakus learned this behavior from others orangutans or discovered it independently remains unknown.
However, the case opens new lines of research on the transmission of knowledge and skills in populations of orangutans and other species animals.
