Scientists witnessed a wild orangutan using a medicinal plant to treat a wound

A group of researchers saw a wild orangutan using a medicinal plant to treat and heal a wound over a long period, shedding some light on the origins of medicine.

The incident occurred at Gunung Leuser National Park in Indonesia. In June 2022, the Sumatran Orangutan, Raku, treated its wound with plant paste.

Raku had a significant injury on his right cheek (pictured). According to the BBC, the park researchers believe, due to the sounds he made, that rival males hurt him during a fight.

After he appeared hurt, they noticed him chewing the stem and leaves of a plant called Akar Kuning, which had antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties, for several minutes.

Photo: Samuel Lee / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)

As the BBC recounts, after chewing, Rakus applied the resulting liquid to the wound for seven minutes. Then, he filled the wound with the chewed leaves.

According to the AP, Rakus healed his wound a month after applying the natural treatment. The picture shows him without the wound.

The team believes it was not a coincidence since orangutans generally do not feed on Akar Kuning, which locals use to treat malaria and diabetes.

Another reason they believe Rakus knew what he was doing is the time he spent chewing and applying. According to the BBC, it was over 30 minutes.

The researchers also told the broadcasting company that they saw Raku resting more than usual during those days, presumably to ease his healing process.

It was the first time a team of scientists witnessed and recorded an animal using a medicinal plant to treat an injury.

Biologist Dr. Isabella Laumer, the lead author of the research, told the BBC that that might have been the first time Rakus used a plant to treat a wound.

"It could be that he accidentally touched his wound," Dr. Lambert said, and after feeling relief from the plant's anesthetic properties, Rakus repeated the process.

However, he may also have learned this behavior from other orangutans. So, the researchers decided to observe closely to see if any other individual uses a similar technique.

Still, according to the BBC, other researchers have pointed to the possibility of primates using medicinal plants. In the 1960s, Jane Goodall saw the rest of such leaves in the feces of Chimpanzees.

AP News says Bornean orangutans use a medicinal plant to reduce body pains or parasites. Gorillas and bonobos also swallow rough leaves whole to treat stomach parasites.

Experts cited by AP News pointed to how the discovery can help us trace the origins of medicine back to a common ancestor between humans and primates.