Chimpanzees Use Insects as Natural Medicine to Heal Wounds, Research Says

TIMESINDONESIA, JAKARTA – Chimpanzees have surprised scientists by using insects to treat their wounds. This rare example of self-medication shows that chimpanzees have found a way to heal themselves using natural remedies.

While self-medication is common in many animals, using insects to heal is something very few species have been observed doing.

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In a recent study, researchers saw a female chimpanzee catch an insect from the air and put it on her son’s open wound. What made this discovery more interesting is that other chimpanzees were also helping each other treat wounds with insects.

Scientists believe this behavior shows pro-social behavior, which means chimpanzees care for each other and help, even if the injured chimp doesn’t ask for it.

“It takes a lot of trust to put an insect in an open wound. They seem to understand that if you do this to me with this insect, then my wound gets better. It’s amazing," Simone Pika said, a biologist at the University of Osnabrück in Germany as stated in Guardian.

Before applying the insects to their wounds, the chimpanzees crush the insects in their mouths to create a soft mixture. This cream-like mixture is then placed on the injured skin.

This behavior shows the chimpanzees’ intelligence and their understanding of how to use their environment for healing.

Researchers believe that insects contain anti-inflammatory or antiseptic properties. It helps prevent infections and reduce pain. Over the years, chimpanzees have learned that this natural treatment helps their wounds heal.

But why do chimpanzees use insects? This behavior probably developed after many years of observing nature and learning from experience.

While humans have doctors and medicine, chimpanzees must rely on the natural world for their survival. Insects contain chemicals that are good for healing, and chimpanzees seem to know this from years of trying it.

Chimpanzees are also known to use plants to treat themselves. They have been observed chewing or swallowing plant leaves that have anti-parasitic properties.

These leaves can help them fight parasites, bacteria, and viruses in their bodies. This shows that chimpanzees have a strong understanding of how to use natural remedies to stay healthy.

Self-medication is not limited to chimpanzees. Many animals, like bees, birds, elephants, and lizards, have been seen using natural resources to treat themselves.

For example, some animals use mud to cool burns or certain plants to fight off parasites. These behaviors show how animals have a deep connection with nature and know how to survive using what is around them.

Scientists are still trying to understand how common this behavior is among chimpanzees, but it is clear that chimpanzees have developed a special understanding of their environment.

They know that insects can help with healing, and they share this knowledge with each other. This also strengthens the social bonds between them.

This discovery helps scientists understand not only chimpanzees but also the early stages of medicine. It raises questions about how early humans might have treated their wounds using natural remedies like plants or insects. By studying chimpanzees, researchers can learn more about the roots of human medicine.

Chimpanzees are clearly more advanced than we often think. Their use of insects for healing is an impressive example of self-care, trust, and cooperation. It reminds us that animals, like humans, have their own ways of surviving and staying healthy in the wild. (*)

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