Chimpanzees Use Medicinal Plants for Wound Care

Research in Uganda's Budongo Forest has found that wild chimpanzees use medicinal plants to treat their own wounds and those of others, indicating prosocial healthcare behaviors. Scientists from the University of Oxford, led by Dr. Elodie Freymann, documented chimps chewing and applying plant material to injuries, cleaning wounds, and freeing companions from snares. Decades of observation and video evidence show these practices are widespread and not limited to family members. Some plants used by the chimpanzees have known chemical properties that aid in wound healing. These findings suggest the evolutionary origins of medicine, empathy, and altruism extend deep into the primate lineage. The study challenges the belief that humans are unique in providing medical care.