Recently, scientists published an article in the journal "Nature," documenting the process of wild animals using plants to treat wounds, with surprisingly good results!
Could it be that animals also know traditional Chinese medicine? The Sumatran orangutan, Rakus, seems to have some expertise in this area.
Lakus, a male orangutan living in the Gunung Leuser National Park in Indonesia.
Since 1994, scientists have been observing orangutans here, with Lakus being a resident first discovered in March 2009.
On June 22, 2022, researchers found an open wound the size of a bottle cap on the right side of Lakus's face.
Based on the wound's location and recent events in the area, researchers speculate that the wound resulted from a fight with another male.
Nature can be cruel, as even a very small wound can be life-threatening.
To help himself heal quickly, Lakus began self-treatment:
Three days later, on June 25th, scientists observed that Lacus was chewing on leaves and fruits of a plant, applying the juice and paste onto the wound as he chewed. The entire process lasted for 7 minutes, with multiple applications of the paste.
After dressing the wound, Lacus proceeded to ingest this plant.
Upon identification, the plant was recognized as Akakuning, a herb commonly consumed by the locals known for its pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties.
In the following days, scientists consistently observed Lacus consuming Akakuning, with remarkably positive results.
Injured on June 22nd, starting the treatment on the 25th, after 5 days of treatment, by the 30th, the wound scabbed over without infection.
Nearly a month later, by August 5th, the wound the size of a bottle cap had completely healed.
Healing Process
How do chimpanzees know the medicinal properties of plants? Coincidence?
According to the paper, it seems that Rakus intentionally applied the medicine to the wound.
These herbs are not part of their regular diet, yet Rakus both applied them externally and ingested them, repeatedly. This suggests that Rakus knew what it was doing and understood the effectiveness of these plants on wounds.
But how did it know about the healing properties of these plants?
Scientists believe this could be an individual innovative behavior.
By a stroke of luck, Rakus accidentally got plant juice on its hand and touched the wound. Suddenly, Rakus felt less pain, realizing the benefits of the plant on the wound. From then on, it repeatedly used the plant to treat its wounds.
Another possibility is that Rakus learned from other chimpanzees.
As we know, chimpanzees are highly intelligent and capable of social learning.
Cats Eating Grass
Animals have various self-healing methods
Similar healing behaviors are actually quite common in animals, with cats eating grass being one of them.
Animals Eating Bat Guano
The three animals shown in the photo above are a chimpanzee, a black-and-white colobus, and an antelope. They are caught in the act of stealing and consuming bat guano in a bat cave.
Instead of eating proper food, they choose to consume feces. Scientists captured this behavior on camera. What are they after?
In traditional Chinese medicine, bat guano is known as "night bright sand." It contains various minerals and serves multiple functions such as detoxification and pain relief.
These animals inhabit the region of Uganda, where there has been a significant promotion of tobacco cultivation. This has led to the near disappearance of the doum palm tree, which happens to be one of the primary food sources for these animals.
With the lack of a regular food source and essential nutrients, these animals are forced to resort to consuming the "nutrient-rich" bat guano.
Research has shown that the nutritional content of bat guano is remarkably similar to that of the doum palm tree.
Chimpanzees Eating Soil
Several years ago, chimpanzees in this area were observed drinking muddy water and eating soil.
Upon investigation, it was found that the chimpanzees were consuming clay, which is rich in minerals. One reason for this behavior is to neutralize the tannic acid in their food.
These examples illustrate how animals engage in self-medication through ingesting certain substances.
Some animals also ingest indigestible materials to treat internal parasites.
Chimpanzees, for instance, roll up a dozen or so plant leaves into a ball, swallow it whole without chewing, with the aim of expelling parasites from their bodies.
The bear infected with parasites, the white one
Alaskan brown bears also exhibit similar behavior. In spring, they ingest moss leaves. The rough leaves, once in the intestines, have the potential to tear apart the bodies of parasites, ensuring the parasite count in their bodies is kept to a minimum.
Like the red-haired gorilla Rakus mentioned at the beginning, applying medicine to wounds is a form of self-treatment beyond ingestion and swallowing. It is relatively rare but has been observed.
Birds that eat clay
Scientists have observed that female capuchin monkeys use syrup to treat wounds, while brown bears chew plants into a paste and apply it to areas bitten by mosquitoes.
Friction in an anthill stirs up birds
Birds, with their clever tactics, catch ants with their beaks and then rub them onto their feathers. They either roll directly in ant hills, all to make the ants secrete formic acid, which can kill the parasitic lice in their feathers.
In short, animals have their own survival strategies.
Behaviors like Rakus applying ointment to wounds are not uncommon in nature; it's just that humans don't witness them often.
