Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2024/05/04/paging-dr-zaius-wild-orangutan-treats-own-wound.html
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It’s the first time an animal has been observed using plants topically to treat a wound, but there have been prior observations of animals using plant medicines. FTA:
“Huffman says self-medication is seen in many species. Canadian snow geese (Anser caerulescens ) swallow leaves whole to expel tape worms2. Dusky-footed wood rats (Neotoma fuscipes ) line their nests with aromatic plants to fumigate parasites3. And chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes ) in Gabon have been observed rubbing insects near their wounds2, potentially as treatment.“
It also seems unique in that the orangutan prepared a poultice before application instead of direct application.
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Dr. Zaius? How the the Librarian on the Unseen University?
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“Dammit Bursar, he’s a librarian, not a doctor!”
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It’s not even that. Orangs previously were documented to chew plants and applying them topically. The new authors claim this is “the first” because the anti-inflammatory plant in the earlier report isn’t used by humans, so it didn’t count. Or maybe this was the first time on a Sunday or something
2017 article from the same journal with a previous “first time”:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-16621-w
One of the coolest examples of non-human medicine is leafcutter ants. They grow antibiotic bacteria on themselves and rub it onto infections
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Even more important, leafcutter ants apply the antibiotics to their fungus gardens. An entire nest could be killed if those get taken over by some poisonous mold, but the compounds their bacteria produce help suppress those in favor of the edible species they grow. It’s a nice three-part symbiosis. 
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Neat, thanks!
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Yes, but none of the other orangutans published their findings, so this reportage takes precedent.
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Oh yeah! Dr Zaius knew how to party.
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