Innovative Orangutan Discovers Medicine for Wounds: Unraveling the Evolutionary Origins of Self-Medication in Our Closest Relatives

In the Suaq Balimbing research area of Gunung Leuser National Park in Indonesia, a unique behavior was observed in an orangutan male named Rakus. This behavior involved applying a plant with medicinal properties to a wound under one of his eyes. This behavior had never been seen before in a wild animal and took place in June 2022.

Rakus applied the sap of the climbing plant Akar Kuning (Fibraurea tinctoria) to his wound, covering it with chewed leaves. Akar Kuning is known for its analgesic and antipyretic effects and is traditionally used to treat wounds, dysentery, diabetes, and malaria. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Animal Behavior in Germany and Universitas Nasional in Indonesia observed Rakus’ behavior and noted how he selectively treated his wound with the plant’s juice. This intentional behavior suggests that medical treatment of wounds may have originated from a shared common ancestor of humans and orangutans.

This innovative behavior by Rakus raises questions about the intentionality of such actions in non-human animals and how they develop. While wild primate species have been observed using plants with medicinal properties, it was the first time that a great ape species was seen applying them to fresh wounds. Rakus’ wound healed in five days and was completely cured within a month due to the application of the plant’s juices.

The potential evolutionary origins of this behavior shed light on the existence of self-medication in our closest relatives and provide insights into the broader concept of wound medication among great apes. The discovery of this unique behavior by Rakus underscores the importance of continued research on animal behavior and their ability to learn from their environment.