Orangutan seen treating wound with a medicinal plant — a first

A wounded orangutan was seen self-medicating with a plant known to relieve pain. It's the first time an animal has been observed applying medicine to a skin injury.

An orangutan named Rakus hit a rough patch in the summer of 2022. 

Researchers heard a fight between male orangutans in the treetops of a rainforest in Sumatra, Indonesia; a day later, they spotted Rakus sporting a pink wound below his right eyelid. 

A chunk of flesh about the size and shape of a puzzle piece was missing. When Rakus, who is most likely in his 30s, belted out a long call, the researchers noticed another wound inside his mouth. 

Over the next several days, researchers followed Rakus at a distance — and saw something so surprising they wound up reporting it in great detail in the journal Scientific Reports. 

According to their study, published Thursday, Rakus was observed repeatedly chewing on the leaves of a particular liana plant over several days. The climbing vine is not a typical food for orangutans, but it is known to humans as a pain reliever. 

https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/orangutan-treated-own-wound-medicinal-plant-rcna150230


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