A male Sumatran orangutan named Rakus was seen using medicinal plants to heal a wound on his face in a world-first observation. The plant has anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties and the wound healed within a month. Orangutans are highly intelligent and share many genes with humans.
Key Points
Rakus, a male Sumatran orangutan, used Akar Kuning plant to heal a wound on his face
The wound healed within a month with no signs of infection
Orangutans demonstrate high intelligence and problem-solving skills
Pros
Observation of a wild animal using medicinal plants for healing
Insight into the intelligence and problem-solving abilities of orangutans
Potential implications for understanding the origins of wound treatment behavior
Cons
Limited sample size of observation (only one orangutan)
Unclear how widespread this behavior is among orangutans
Possible challenges in generalizing findings to other wildlife populations