Sumatran orangutan becomes first wild animal seen using medicinal plant to treat wound.

A Sumatran orangutan has become the first wild animal seen self-medicating with a plant to heal a wound. The male orangutan, named Rakus, had sustained a wound on his cheek pad, most likely from fighting other males, researchers said in a study published in the journal Scientific Reports. Rakus was seen chewing liana leaves without swallowing them, then using his fingers to apply the resulting juice onto the wound, the researchers said. Finally, he covered the wound up completely with a paste he had made by chewing the leaves and continued feeding on the plant. Five days after he was seen applying the leaf paste onto the wound it was closed, and a month later barely visible. It is the first documented case of active wound treatment by a wild animal with a plant known to have medicinal qualities. The leaves were from a liana known as akar kuning (Fibraurea tinctoria in Latin), which is used in traditional medicine to relieve pain, reduce fever and treat various diseases, such as diabetes and malaria. It also has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antifungal and antioxidant properties.