Researchers claim that an orangutan in an Indonesian rainforest appeared to intentionally treat its own facial wound.

Earlier this month, a study in the journal Scientific Reports reported that an orangutan in a protected Indonesian rainforest site treated a facial wound he sustained on his own.

According to the study, the primate chewed the leaves of a plant with anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and pain-relieving properties, and then applied a paste made from the chewed leaves to his facial wound.

In the summer of 2022, researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior in Germany and Universitas Nasional in Indonesia observed the orangutan, named Rakus, over several weeks.

His wound closed within five days, he noted.

A month later, the report stated that the wound had healed completely with a barely visible scar.

A male Sumatran orangutan in the wild has been observed treating an active wound with a "known biologically active plant substance."

The researchers observed that he chewed the leaves without swallowing them and applied the plant juice from his mouth directly onto his facial wound using his fingers.

"This behavior was repeated several times."

"Rakus covered the wound with plant pulp until it was fully green. He then continued eating the plant," they continued.

The orangutan was observed at the Suaq Balimbing research site in Indonesia.

Approximately 150 critically endangered Sumatran orangutans reside in a rainforest area, as stated in a news release.

The Sumatran flanged male orangutan's behavior, as observed by the researchers, seemed deliberate.

"The entire process took a considerable amount of time."

The likely cause of the animal's facial wound, according to the study authors, was a fight with a neighboring male.

One of the lead study authors, Isabelle Laumer, a primatologist and cognitive biologist at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior in Germany, stated in an email to Planet Chronicle Digital that the primate employed a climbing plant known as Fibraurea tinctoria.

The plant is renowned for its pain-relieving properties and is employed in traditional remedies to alleviate ailments such as malaria.

Laumer said that Rakus's knowledge of using Fibraurea tinctoria to treat his own wound may have been due to accidental individual innovation.

Rakus may have unintentionally applied the juice of Fibraurea tinctoria to his wounds while feeding on it, which could have caused him to repeat the behavior several times and apply solid plant matter.

Rakus was not born at the research site, Laumer said.

When they reach puberty, male orangutans typically disperse over wide distances to establish a new home in another area, an expert noted.

According to Laumer, it's possible that orangutans in their native habitat exhibited the behavior.

Similar types of self-treatment have been reported in the past with other primates.

Researchers have observed that great apes consume certain plants to treat parasite infections and apply plant material to their skin to alleviate sore muscles, according to reports.

"Maybe we can learn something about human medicine from them."

In Gabon, a group of chimpanzees was observed applying insects to wounds, but the effectiveness of this behavior is still uncertain, according to a news release.

Observations of this kind could aid humans in managing potential health issues, according to researchers.

According to Laumer, who spoke to Planet Chronicle Digital, several reports have been shared indicating that individuals have gained knowledge about the medicinal qualities of plants by observing animals.

A veterinarian not involved in the study, Dr. Robin Sturtz, commented on the findings.

She told Planet Chronicle Digital that it's great they caught the images, but pointed out that the published report is based on observation.

Sturtz informed Planet Chronicle Digital that it's necessary to determine if the occurrence is repeated in this or another animal.

""Though they are incredibly smart and learn quickly, maybe we can learn something about human medicine from them," she added."

One of the study's co-authors, Caroline Schuppli, stated in a news release that active wound treatment is not exclusive to humans.

Both African and Asian great apes also contain them, she stated.

"There may be a shared mechanism for recognizing and utilizing substances with medicinal or functional properties on wounds, and our ancestors may have exhibited similar behaviors in using ointments."

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