The wound. Now you see it:

Now you don’t. (These are actual photographs of the orangutan in question):

Orangutan seen treating wound with medicinal herb in first for wild animals, The Guardian, 2 May 2024

Researchers say they have observed a male Sumatran orangutan treating an open facial wound with sap and chewed leaves from a plant known to have anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties.
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“Thirteen minutes after Rakus had started feeding on the liana, he began chewing the leaves without swallowing them and using his fingers to apply the plant juice from his mouth directly on to his facial wound,” the researchers write.

Not only did Rakus repeat the actions, but shortly afterwards he smeared the entire wound with the chewed leaves until it was fully covered. Five days later the facial wound was closed, while within a few weeks it had healed, leaving only a small scar.

The team say the plant used by Rakus is known to contain substances with antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, antioxidant, pain-killing and anticarcinogenic properties, among other attributes, while this and related liana species are used in traditional medicine “to treat various diseases, such as dysentery, diabetes and malaria”.

Orangutan heals face wound using plant medicine in Indonesia in documented first, USAToday, 2 May 2024

Scientists concluded that Rakus knew the process would heal him because orangutans rarely eat poultice, because of the precise placement of the plant on the wound and the amount of time it took.

‘Orangutan, heal thyself’: First wild animal seen using medicinal plant, Nature, 2 May 2024

Orangutans in the area rarely eat this plant.
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Humans might even have discovered some remedies by watching animals, he says. “Probably our ancestors were looking at other animals and learning about medicines.”

Each of these stories claims this is a “first”, the first time we have borne witness to a wild animal intentionally healing itself with a plant. Yet, at the end of these articles it says, for example, “humans have discovered some remedies by watching animals.” Which is it? Are we just now noticing that animals use plants as medicine? Or have we been noticing it for ages?

Maybe we’re being a bit anthropocentric here. We really need to give credit where credit is due.