Study: Chimpanzees Clean Up Their Butts, Heal Others With Leaves

Researchers from the University of Oxford found that chimpanzees use leaves to wipe their butts, tend to each other’s injuries, and clean up after doing the deed. They were observed applying chewed plant material to wounds much like we would put a bandage on a hurt loved one. “I think the more that we find cases of animals helping each other with no immediate benefit to themselves, the more we compile evidence to show that that’s something that’s also not as uniquely human as we once thought,” Dr. Elodie Freymann said. Some of the plants chimps used on wounds actually had wound healing properties. “The cognitive capacities that you need to perform these behaviors, they’re shared between humans and chimpanzees,” Dr. Caroline Schuppli said. (The Guardian)