[HN Gopher] Chimps observed medicating themselves and others wit...
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Chimps observed medicating themselves and others with insects for
the first time
Author : Pigalowda
Score : 31 points
Date : 2022-02-08 12:47 UTC (10 hours ago)
(HTM) web link (www.washingtonpost.com)
(TXT) w3m dump (www.washingtonpost.com)
| openknot wrote:
| Link to research paper referenced in the article (included in the
| article by The Washington Post): https://www.cell.com/current-
| biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(21)...
|
| Abstract of paper: "Self-medication refers to the process by
| which a host suppresses or prevents the deleterious effects of
| parasitism and other causes of illness via behavioural means. It
| has been observed across multiple animal taxa (e.g. bears,
| elephants, moths, starlings), with many case studies in great
| apes. Although the majority of studies on self-medication in non-
| human primates concern the ingestion of plant parts or non-
| nutritional substances to combat or control intestinal parasites,
| more recent examples also report topical applications of leaves
| or other materials (including arthropods) to skin integuments.
| Thus far, however, the application of insects or insect parts to
| an individual's own wound or the wound of a conspecific has never
| been reported. Here, we report the first observations of
| chimpanzees applying insects to their own wounds (n = 19) and to
| the wounds of conspecifics (n = 3)."
|
| A video of the observed behavior is also linked in the research
| paper:
| https://www.cell.com/cms/asset/746cc1d0-b5a3-4a15-a338-8ec42...
| ratsmack wrote:
| Even parrots self medicate.
|
| https://www.forbes.com/sites/grrlscientist/2017/08/09/why-do...
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(page generated 2022-02-08 23:02 UTC)