Primates that make mosquito repellent, chimpanzees that make bandages or butterflies that care for their future babies… Although these situations seem to come straight out of a children’s story, they do indeed exist in nature.
In 1987, primatologist Michael Huffman noticed a very peculiar behavior in a chimpanzee: she seemed to have self-medicated by chewing on bark. Since then, studies have shown that she is not the only one in the animal kingdom to resort to self-medication, explains the media National Geographic.
National Geographic lists five species that are the greatest doctors.
Caterpillars adapt their diet to treat infections
In 1993, while biologist Michael Singer was observing the Isia isabella caterpillars, he noticed that they were not feeding on their usual plant. In fact, they were infected with a deadly parasite, and their behavior was not insignificant. By voluntarily ingesting toxic plants, they managed to get rid of their unwanted host. While this treatment increased their chances of survival, it was still harmful to the caterpillars, a phenomenon that the biologist compared to some of our medications and their side effects..
Primates Create Mosquito Repellent
Capuchins from South America, but also lemurs from Madagascar, have been observed stalking the millipede Orthoporus dorsovittatus. The goal? To crush it and happily cover their fur with it. Known for secreting chemicals called “benzoquinones”, this millipede is very effective at repelling mosquitoes. And we humans are apparently not the only ones to have made this discovery.
Monkeys treat wounds with insect juice
In 2022, during a study carried out on…
- Slate.fr
