Orangutans Using Wild Medicines with Dr Isabelle Laumer | S4E59

Talking Apes - A podcast by GLOBIO

In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists have observed a male orangutan, Rakus, using plants as medicine—a first-ever recording of a wild animal self-medicating for wound care. This unique behavior was spotted in the jungle, where Rakus chewed the stem and leaves of a plant known for its anti-inflammatory properties and applied it to his injured cheek. The wound, likely caused by a territorial fight, healed within a month.What makes this finding extraordinary is its implications for both ora...