Animals exhibiting intelligence in self-healing and wellness management

In the vast and intricate web of life, animals have developed ingenious ways to combat illnesses and infections. One such example that has caught the attention of scientists is the practice of self-medication, a behaviour observed in various species across the globe.

A study by biologist Michael Huffman, now a professor at the Wildlife Research Center of Kyoto University, sheds light on this fascinating phenomenon. Huffman made the case for self-medication in animals, citing the behaviour of monarch butterflies as a prime example. These colourful creatures make choices based on the future infection of their offspring by selecting milkweed with higher levels of cardenolides, a toxin that can protect their offspring from the potentially lethal, wing-deforming disease Ophryocystis elektroscirrha.

This behaviour is not limited to monarch butterflies alone. Caterpillars infected with parasitic flies have been found to seek out plants containing pyrrolizidine alkaloids to self-medicate. Similarly, woolly bears in the grasslands of Southeast Arizona have been observed feeding on plants containing these toxic compounds between 1993 and 2024.

The use of cigarette butts by urban birds is another form of prophylaxis, or practice to prevent disease. Although the toxic effects on the birds are well-documented, the practice repels pests, providing a potential health benefit. In Mexico City, local birds were found to line their nests with shreds of cigarettes, attracting fewer mites, lice, and ticks compared to non-smoker counterparts.

Primates, too, have been observed engaging in self-medication behaviours. Chimpanzees in various regions have been seen tending to their wounds with squished insects. In one instance, primatologist Michael Huffman observed a chimpanzee named Chausiku chewing on a plant called bitter leaf in Tanzania in 1987. More recently, chimps were observed helping each other with wound treatment, with one female handing an insect to another unrelated male who applied it to the open wound of another male.

However, it's important to note that these behaviours are not necessarily signs of animals knowing what they are doing. Instead, they may be driven by innate physiological factors. Huffman believes that both innate physiological factors and socially learned ones are at play in self-medication behaviours in animals.

The behaviour of animals choosing plants based on their medicinal properties is a testament to the adaptability and resilience of life on Earth. As we continue to unravel the mysteries of nature, it's clear that self-medication is a more widespread phenomenon in the animal kingdom than previously thought. This fascinating discovery opens up a new avenue for research and understanding the intricate interplay between animals, their environment, and their health.