Chimpanzees use insects for their wounds

Chimpanzees stuff insects in their wounds, researchers from the University of Osnabrück have noticed. They think it’s a form of self-medication.

The use of plants or other inedible substances to fight disease is not uncommon in the animal world. It has already been observed in insects, reptiles, birds and mammals. Bonobos and chimpanzees, for example, swallow certain leaves that help fight parasites. But the use of other animals in open wonder has never been seen before. Until now.

Researchers studied the behavior of a group of about 45 chimpanzees in Loango National Park in Gabon, Africa. They looked at, among other things, social relationships and interactions, contact with other groups, and gathering and capturing food. Researchers have regularly seen the chimpanzees catch insects and then put them in open wounds. They were found to do this not only with themselves, but also with other chimpanzees, even if they were not related, without it working directly to their advantage.

They have not yet been able to study the exact effect of this action, but the insects probably help fight inflammation. Of course, there may also be no direct benefits, but that’s just a custom in the chimpanzee community. In the next step of the research, they now want to examine which insects are involved and which (possibly medical) properties these animals have.

Read more: Chimpanzees apply insects to wounds, a potential case of medication? Researchers from the University of Osnabrück are now investigating a possible pharmaceutical function†