"Researchers heard a fight between male orangutans in the treetops of a rainforest in Sumatra, Indonesia; a day later, they spotted Rakus sporting a pink wound below his right eyelid.A chunk of flesh about the size and shape of a puzzle piece was missing.According to their study, published Thursday, Rakus was observed repeatedly chewing on the leaves of a particular liana plant over several days. The climbing vine is not a typical food for orangutans, but it is known to humans as a pain reliever.On at least one occasion, Rakus made a paste from the chewed leaves and applied it to his face. It’s the first time an animal has been seen applying medicine to a skin wound. Rakus’ wound never showed signs of becoming infected, and it closed up within a week.It’s possible Rakus learned to treat his wound through “individual innovation,” Laumer said, after he accidentally touched a finger to a wound with the pain-relieving leaf juice. Or he may have learned the behavior culturally, from other orangutans, early in life.Orangutans learn socially and have been shown to be capable with tools. They develop sophisticated knowledge of foods from their mothers.He theorized that ancient humans derived the ability to identify medicinal plants and substances from close observations of animals."
More information at NBC News and the embedded link at Nature. Image cropped for size from the one posted at the New York Times.
"...accidentally touched a finger to a wound with the pain-relieving leaf juice."
ReplyDeleteThat's a stretch if the leaf/juice is not in their normal diet.
xoxoxoBruce
When are we going to learn that animals are far smarter than (a lot of) people are willing to give them credit for?
ReplyDelete...once we overcome reliance/dependence on our bacterial masters, which of course will never happen.
DeleteHe theorized that ancient humans derived the ability to identify medicinal plants and substances from close observations of animals."
DeleteAfter they sprung up out of the ground? Yes, animals can learn from other species, but no, humans didn't just start learning medicine from animals a few hundred thousand years ago. Knowledge of the local environment, combined with need based trial and error had as much to do this this as observation.
Nepkarel, I feel you should have ended that sentence after the word people. ;o)
ReplyDeletexoxoxoBruce
Very true.
DeleteI was triggered though because a couple of months ago there were several NatGeo articles in an issue that declared all kinds of obvious animal skills a revelation. Even NatGeo pretended to not know that dogs know all kinds of stuff about their owners, and that horses can recognize not only people, but also emotions. I always wonder if these "researchers" have ever spent time with the animals they study.....
[Of course, as a researcher, I support documenting new science, even if it's obvious. But I can be surprised that these things count as "new". How is research in to dog and horse behavior running decades behind Jane Goodall?]