Is This Orangutan the First Animal Healer?
pick (something) up: to learn something, often without being taught directly
In a rainforest in Indonesia, an orangutan named Rakus surprised scientists. He had a large wound on his cheek, likely from a fight. To treat his injury, Rakus chewed the leaves of a special plant known for its healing powers. He then rubbed the plant’s juice on his wound and covered it with the leaves.
Rakus repeated this over several days, and soon, his wound healed, leaving only a faint scar. This was the first time scientists had seen a wild animal using a plant to treat its injury. No one knows how Raku picked up this skill. This kind of intentional wound treatment has never been seen before, but it is possible that he learned it from other orangutans.
Researchers hope this discovery will help us learn more about the evolution of medicine among animals.
Sample sentences
1. Maria picked up some basic Spanish from her neighbors by talking to them every day.
2. Tom picked up cooking skills by watching his mother in the kitchen.
3. Sarah picked up new computer skills from online courses.
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Orangutan in the wild applied medicinal plant to heal its own injury, biologists say