Orangutan Rakus Demonstrates Remarkable Intelligence Through Self-Medicating with Medicinal Herbs

An orangutan named Rakus has shown incredible intelligence by self-medicating a face wound with medicinal herbs. This exceptional behavior was observed by researchers in the Gunung Leuser National Park in Indonesia's Aceh province after hearing male orangutans fight in the treetops of a rainforest in Sumatra. After tracking Rakus for three days, scientists found him with an open wound below his right eyelid.

What amazed them was the orangutan's method of healing himself by chewing on the leaves of a vine known for its medicinal properties, called Fibraurea tinctoria. This plant has been used in traditional medicine by locals for its healing properties. The remarkable observation of Rakus applying the plant juice directly onto his wound was documented in a study published in the journal Nature Scientific Reports.

This marks the first time a wild animal has been seen using medicinal plants to treat a wound. According to the study conducted by Indonesian and German scientists, Rakus chewed the leaves without swallowing them and used his fingers to smear the plant juice directly onto his facial wound. He continued to cover the entire wound with the chewed-up leaves to protect it from flies landing on it.

The researchers monitored Rakus the following day and noticed him eating the vine's leaves again. Remarkably, his wound had closed up and healed without any signs of infection within a week of the initial observation. The study described Rakus' behavior as a systematic and active wound treatment using a biologically active plant substance.

The orangutan's actions of detaching, chewing, and applying the plant juice directly onto his wound demonstrate a level of intelligence and self-awareness that is rare to see in non-human species. This discovery adds to the existing knowledge about how animals, particularly primates, use plants for medicinal purposes to maintain their health. It sheds light on the sophisticated ways in which animals adapt to their environment and utilize natural resources for their well-being.

The researchers involved in the study emphasized the importance of documenting such observations to further understand the behavior and cognitive abilities of animals in the wild. By studying how animals self-medicate and treat their own injuries, scientists can gain insights into the evolutionary history of such behaviors and their potential implications for human medicine. Overall, Rakus' extraordinary display of self-medication highlights the remarkable abilities of orangutans and other non-human species in utilizing medicinal plants for healing purposes.

It serves as a reminder of the interconnectedness of all living beings and the importance of preserving biodiversity for the health and well-being of all species on Earth.