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Orangutans May Be Using Plant Combinations as Medicine
Key Takeaways
- A 20-year field study found orangutans eating medicinal plants in nonrandom combinations.
- Several plants in those combinations are associated with antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory or wound-healing effects.
- Researchers say the behavior suggests self-medication but does not prove human-like diagnosis or intent.
- Some of the same plants are used medicinally by local Indigenous communities, linking conservation and health research.
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DT Editorial Team··via phys.org