29/05/2025
We don’t give other beings in the natural world enough credit.
Meet Rakus, a male Sumatran orangutan who recently caught the attention of the scientific community . He was spotted in Gunung Leuser National Park, Indonesia , with a noticeable wound on his right cheek —likely from a confrontation with another orangutan.
What amazed researchers came afterward: they observed Rakus carefully selecting and using a plant known as akar kuning (Fibraurea tinctoria) . This climbing vine is traditionally used in local medicine for its potential pain-relieving and antibacterial properties .
Rakus chewed the plant’s stems and leaves, extracted the juice , and applied it directly to his wound. He then placed the chewed remains on top of the injury, almost like a natural bandage . He repeated this process for several days , and gradually, the wound started to heal without any visible signs of infection .
After about a month , the wound had fully closed. This behavior, documented by a team of primatologists , is considered one of the first known examples of a wild animal using medicinal plants for self-treatment .
The discovery provides fascinating insights into the intelligence of great apes and how they may instinctively use nature’s resources to care for themselves . It also opens up exciting possibilities for future studies on animal self-medication .
Source: (Rainmaker1973)
