In the lush Budongo Forest Reserve in the heart of Africa, chimpanzees engage in a strange ritual: eating medicinal plants. A team of researchers from the University of Oxford closely observed these primates to understand their unusual feeding behavior.
According to the research, chimpanzees do not eat these plants simply for appetite, but rather for health benefits. For example, a female suffering from a parasitic infection was seen consuming the pith of a Catthorn tree for its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties.
The scientists also noted that the chimpanzees appeared to consciously choose certain plants based on their needs. Some individuals traveled long distances to find specific resources, even if these appeared to be low in nutrients.
This study has highlighted the fact that chimpanzees are capable of self-medicating, a phenomenon already observed in other primates such as orangutans. Chimpanzees use various plants to promote wound healing, fight parasitic and bacterial infections, and strengthen their immune system.
The researchers identified 13 plant species, including dead wood, that chimpanzees appear to specifically seek out. Laboratory analyses revealed that extracts from these plants have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, confirming their medicinal nature.
This behavior observed in chimpanzees raises fascinating questions about their ability to instinctively recognize plants with healing properties. It is also possible that this knowledge is transmitted from generation to generation, which underlines the importance of culture and ancestral knowledge even in animals.
Ultimately, this study reveals the complexity and sophistication of animal behavior, and invites us to reconsider our relationship with the animal kingdom and the nature around us. The chimpanzees of Budongo remind us that healing and well-being are embedded in the very roots of nature, and that there is always value in learning from its mysteries.