Is this the remarkable proof orangutans have learned to use jungle plants as medicine?
ORANGUTANS may have knowledge of medicines unknown to humans, a study has revealed.
The great apes have been filmed chewing leaves from a small rainforest tree into a balm – which they then use to soothe their aching limbs.
Scientists say they may have shown local indigenous people how to treat themselves and are investigating whether mankind’s closest relatives know of other medicinal plants that could be used by humans.
The orangutans were spotted using the herbal medicine in the Sabangau Forest, in Central Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo. After chewing the leaves into a green lather, they methodically rub it into their upper arms or legs for 15 to 45 minutes.
None of the leaf of the dracaena cantleyi tree is swallowed, and the chewed pulp is always spat out.
Researchers from the Borneo Nature Foundation have filmed more than 100 apes since 2003, gathering 20,000 hours of footage.
In one video, a female orangutan called Indy is seen chewing the leaves to produce a soapy lather. She rubs it on one arm for about seven minutes, then rubs it on to the other.
Studies show the female orangutans are more keen to use the potion than males and concentrate mainly on their arms when fur-rubbing. In nine out of the ten cases, females were seen applying the ‘ointment’.
The extra weight they carry when climbing with their offspring may be a factor.
In their paper, published in Scientific Report, researchers say the highly intelligent animals may have inspired local people.
Dr Helen Morrogh-Bernard of the University of Exeter and co- director of Borneo Nature Foundation, said: ‘This is very exciting news. It confirms self-medication in orangutans, the first report of self-medication in an Asian ape, and for the first time, to our knowledge, the external application of an anti-inflammatory agent in animals.’
The research team added: ‘It is known that indigenous communities obtain knowledge of medicinal plants through observing their use by sick animals.
‘This new finding highlights the importance of tropical forests for medicinal plants.
‘But more research into the practical uses of plants is needed. It also opens up the question as to what other plants orangutans may use for medicinal purposes, a topic we know very little about.’
Orangutans share 97 per cent of their DNA sequence with us but evolved more slowly than humans. The word orangutan is derived from Malay and Indonesian words meaning ‘person of the forest’. It is estimated that only 1 per cent of plant species have been examined for their medicinal potential.
‘What other cures do they know about?’