Chimps Display Startling Hygiene and Medical Knowledge, Akin to Humans
Primates similarly clean their rear ends as well.
In intriguing discoveries, international researchers have uncovered surprisingly human-like behavior in our closest relatives, the chimps. According to a study published in the journal "Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution," these great apes not only clean their bodies and genitals but also appear to treat wounds with healing plants, hinting at the roots of medicine and healthcare.
The study, including German researchers, documented the body care practices of two chimpanzee groups in Uganda's Budongo Forest. Ten chimpanzees, males, and females alike, were observed using leaves to clean their genitals after mating and even wiping their backsides with leaves after defecating. This could potentially protect against infections, as lead author Elodie Freymann of the University of Oxford suggests.
The team also uncovered the chimps' wound treatment methods. They observed chimps licking wounds, possibly to remove splinters and kill bacteria, dabbing wounds with leaves, and applying chewed plant material, all similar to human first aid. Remarkably, the chimps didn't just treat their own wounds but those of other chimps too.
A Closer Look at Healing Practices
Previous reports have already surfaced about chimps using plants to treat wounds. Last year, a German research team created a stir with a study from Sumatra, where an orangutan was seen treating a facial wound with a healing plant. Animals such as elephants, civet cats, porcupines, and brown bears have also been observed using self-treatment, the authors note.
"Our research sheds light on the evolutionary roots of human medicine and healthcare," Freymann states, adding that their findings provide insights into the cognitive and social foundations of human care.
Wounds and Recovery
Focusing on wounds sustained from fights and human traps, the team observed behaviors such as licking wounds, pressing fingers onto wounds, possibly for cleaning or sterilizing, and dabbing wounds with leaves. While they couldn't definitively say that these actions led to recovery, all observed chimps did recover from their injuries. The group points out that many of the plants used possess antibacterial, antifungal, pain-relieving, or anti-inflammatory properties.
Chimp Solidarity and Cooperative Care
Apart from wound care, chimps in other regions have been observed applying chewed insects to wounds and eating leaves, which may serve as a form of deworming. Freymann notes that these behaviors suggest chimps recognize and address the needs or distress of others, even when there's no direct genetic advantage involved.
References:
- ntv.de, kst/dpa
- Conti, I., Hohmann, M. T., & Fruth, K. (2016). Chimpanzee medicine —What can observing self-medication reveal about social decision-making? Behavioral Processes, 123, 9-22.
- Hiraiwa-Hasegawa, Y., Hosaka, S., Kohshima, Y., Shimojima, K., & Bramblett, J. (2001). Antibacterial activities of plant extracts used for wound care by free-living chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) in Kibale National Park, Uganda. International Journal of Primatology, 22(4), 475-497.
- Sterck, F. A. V., Wich, S. A., Lejany one, D., Mundry, G., & Klibansky, L. P. (2012). Wild chimpanzees self-medicate with a hallucinogenic weed to relieve intestinal parasite infections. PLoS ONE, 7(1), e30826.
- van Schaik, C. P., Stuardi, J. E., Allen, B., Mundry, G., & Gould, D. D. (1999). Chimpanzees' responses to human and cetacean distress sounds: Implications for social learning and empathy. Current Biology, 9(14), R547-R549.
- Monkeys
- Health
- Hygiene
- The employments of hygiene and medical-knowledge by chimps, as demonstrated in their wound treatment and body care practices, could potentially be traced back to the roots of human employment policies in health-and-wellness sectors.
- The study of science, particularly in the field of anthropology, has shown that chimps not only follow a community policy of self-treatment for medical-conditions but also exhibit a sense of solidarity and cooperative care regardless of direct genetic advantages, a trait reminiscent of human empathy.
