Orangutans Using Plants as Medicine
- Amy Stanton
- 23 hours ago
- 3 min read
Maria Baeva explores the first recorded instance of a Sumatran orangutan self-medicating with medicinal leaves in the wild.
Photo by: Seis Kranen
A Sumatran orangutan in Indonesia was observed self-medicating a wound using a local medicinal plant. Researchers who witnessed this suggest it to be a notable discovery, but what makes this behaviour so significant?
In May this year, a research team at Gunung Leuser National Park, Indonesia, came across an injured Sumatran orangutan in their observations, named Rakus. He appeared to be treating a deep cut on his cheek by chewing medicinal leaves and rubbing the juice into it repeatedly for seven minutes. After applying the concoction to his face, Rakus continued eating the same leaves for an additional 30 minutes.
The medicinal leaves Rakus used are from a plant called Akar Kuning, also known as Fibraurea tinctoria. It is a type of climbing plant with known anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, used locally to treat illnesses like dysentery, diabetes and malaria.
Five days later, Rakus’ wound closed with no signs of infection and in a month, the cut was completely healed.
The researchers hypothesised that Rakus was deliberately using the medicinal plant on his cheek for two key reasons: firstly, orangutans do not generally consume Akar Kuning. Secondly, the treatment was an unusually lengthy process and was meticulously carried out. The team also noticed that he spent more time resting than usual, suggesting to them that he was trying to recuperate after his injury.
Did you know? The idea that animals can self-medicate, known as Zoopharmacognosy, has been recognized since at least the 1960s.
A new discovery
The research team at Gunung Leuser National Park took care to make a note of this event and one of the biologists, Isobelle Laumer stated that she was “very excited” about Rakus’ innovative, self-medicated solution. But what makes this case so significant?
The idea that animals can self-medicate, known as Zoopharmacognosy, has been recognised since at least the 1960s. For example, primatologist, Jane Goodall and anthropologist, Toshisada Nishida both observed on separate occasions an interesting behaviour in chimpanzees; they were swallowing leaves whole as opposed to chewing them. Goodall and Nishida knew this by examining the faeces left behind by the chimpanzees, and it was later theorised by biologist Michael Huffman that the chimps were swallowing these leaves whole likely to take advantage of their rough texture, using both the leaves and their stems to scour their intestines and rid themselves of parasites.
Observing Rakus
Compared to these accounts, Rakus’ story seems quite similar, with only one key difference: he was actively seen carrying out this behaviour, making it the first time an animal in the wild has been seen self-medicating an injury.
Dr Laumer suggests that it might have been Rakus’ first time using the plant to heal an injury and that he may have picked up the technique from another orangutan in his group.
"It could be that he accidentally touched his wound with his finger that had the plant on it. And then because the plant has quite potent pain-relieving substances, he might have felt immediate pain relief, which made him apply it again and again."
"The medicinal leaves Rakus used are from a plant called Akar Kuning, also known as Fibraurea tinctoria. It is a type of climbing plant with known anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, used locally to treat illnesses like dysentery, diabetes and malaria"
What Next?
With this discovery being as novel as it is, the researchers plan to keep monitoring the orangutans at Gunung Leuser National Park to see if any others show the same self-medicating behaviour as Rakus.
"I think in the next few years we will discover even more behaviours and more abilities that are very human-like", commented Dr Laumer.
Until then, it will be an interesting endeavour for the research team at Gunung Leuser National Park to see what the future holds for Rakus and the potential breakthroughs his behaviour could unlock in understanding the cognitive and behavioural capabilities of orangutans.
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