Great Apes

Scientists were already aware that great apes used medicine to treat themselves, but they had never witnessed a wild animal putting a plant to a wound. In a study conducted in a national park in Indonesia, researchers reported the first case of a wild animal, a male Sumatran orangutan named Rakus, using a plant for wound treatment. They observed Rakus with a pink wound beneath his eye and another in his mouth, likely resulting from a fight with other males. Over the following days, he chewed on the leaves and stems of Akar Kuning, a plant known locally for its antibacterial properties and rarely eaten by orangutans. He then carefully applied the chewed plant material to his wound. Researchers also noted that Rakus covered his wound with leaves and rested more, probably to help his recovery. His wound healed completely within five days, setting a significant example of self-treatment and recovery among wild animals.