An Orangutan’s Remarkable Self-Medication
An orangutan named Rakus faced challenges in the summer of 2022.
Male orangutans were heard fighting in the treetops of a Sumatra rainforest, and a day later, Rakus was seen with a pink wound below his right eyelid.
A significant piece of flesh was missing, and another wound was noticed inside his mouth when Rakus vocalized.
Researchers observed Rakus chewing on leaves of a specific liana plant, which is not a typical food for orangutans but known for its pain-relieving properties.
Rakus even made a paste from the leaves and applied it to his face, marking the first instance of an animal self-medicating a skin wound.
Michael Huffman, an associate professor at the Wildlife Research Center at Kyoto University, described Rakus’ behavior as the first documented case of external self-medication.
Rakus’ wound healed without infection, providing new evidence of orangutans’ ability to use pain-relieving plants.
Researchers believe this behavior could be traced back to a shared ancestor with humans.
Orangutans’ Medicinal Knowledge
Rakus’ unique behavior was observed in the protected Suaq Balimbing research area in Indonesia’s Gunung Leuser National Park.
Researchers have been studying orangutans in the area since 1994, with Rakus being a prominent figure since 2009.
Orangutans’ ability to self-medicate may stem from individual innovation or cultural learning within the species.
They exhibit social learning and tool usage, showcasing a deep understanding of their environment and food sources.
Research over the years has shown various animal species engaging in self-medication behaviors, indicating a level of control and adaptability for survival.
Humans may have learned about medicinal plants from observing animals, suggesting a shared history of natural remedies.
Orangutans, genetically similar to humans, offer valuable insights into ancient primate behaviors related to seeking medicinal treatments.
Conservation Concerns
Sumatran orangutans, like Rakus, face critical endangerment due to habitat loss from agriculture and wildfires intensified by climate change.
With fewer than 14,000 individuals estimated to remain, urgent conservation efforts are needed to protect these intelligent and endangered primates.
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Republican Party Criticizes Biden’s Silence on Anti-War Protests on College Campuses
Posting a job directly after about a week… The Republican Party criticizes quietly
President Joe Biden is scheduled to deliver a speech on the 2nd (local time) regarding the anti-war protests in the Gaza Strip that are intensifying on American university campuses.
The Associated Press reported, citing an unnamed White House official, that President Biden was scheduled to speak about student protests against the war in Gaza that day.
About a week has passed since President Biden directly announced his position on anti-war protests. On the 24th of last month, President Biden called this event an “anti-Semitic protest” and said, “People don’t understand what’s happening in Palestine.”
Since then, the White House has avoided commenting on the protests. When asked at a briefing on the 29th of last month whether disciplinary action should be taken at the school, White House Press Secretary Currin Janpier drew the line on intervention, saying, “It is a matter for the school decide on her own. don’t get involved.”
He also dismissed the question of whether police should be used, saying, “That depends on the university.”
However, in a briefing on the 1st, he said, “President Biden is monitoring the situation closely,” and assessed that some protests have crossed the line between free speech and illegal activities.
This statement is interpreted as an acknowledgment of the Republican Party’s attacks on President Biden for remaining silent on protests.
The US Republican House Speaker, Mike Johnson (Louisiana) criticized on the 30th of last month, saying, “The President of the United States needs to address this issue and say this is wrong, ” adding, “What’s happening on college campuses is wrong. “
Former President Donald Trump, his opponent in the presidential election, also began to criticize publicly. In an interview with Fox News, former President Trump attacked Biden, saying, “Biden needs to do something,” and “He needs to speak for our country, but he doesn’t.”
At an event held in Wisconsin the day before, he said, “Radical extremists and agitators on the left are threatening college campuses,” and “But you can’t see Biden anywhere. “They don’t say anything,” he criticized fiercely.
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Arizona, abortion: the 1864 law that prohibited it repealed
The Arizona Senate has voted to repeal an 1864 law that banned abortion. It’s the latest major Democrat-led effort to wipe the law from state regulations.
Two Republicans joined the Democrats of the Senate to support the repeal bill, which narrowly passed the House last week. Governor Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, welcomed the result and is preparing to formalize the repeal of the law.
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Arizona repeals 1864 law prohibiting termination of pregnancy
The law, prior to the birth of the State, prevents abortion from the moment of conception, with no exceptions for rape or incest. Last month it was reinstated after the Arizona Supreme Court ruled that the ban could be enforced following the US Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v Wade in June 2022a historic ruling that nullified the right to abortion nationwide.
The decision had sparked outrage across the country, where voters largely support abortion access, and galvanized efforts to put an abortion question on the November ballot, which would expand rights in the state.
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For Republicans heading into the fall elections, the ban presented a major political dilemmawith lawmakers caught between the party’s conservative base and more moderate voters who called the pre-civil war law draconian.
Some prominent Republicans, including LFormer President Donald Trump and former Arizona Governor Doug Ducey distanced themselves from the lawsuggesting he was out of step with the state’s voters.
The repeal bill passed 16-14 on Wednesday after two Republicans, Shawnna Bolick and TJ Shope, abandoned their party line and voted yes on the repeal bill.
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Anti-abortion activists condemned the two politicians, criticizing what they described as political cynicism. “This model of irresponsibility and cowardice will be emulated across the nation by other opportunistic Republicans who willingly wear the pro-life mantle for donor dollars, but stab the movement in the back when it is time to act,” said Chanel Prunier, vice president of political affairs for the anti-abortion group Students for Life Action.
If the repeal is signed by Governor Hobbs, abortions in Arizona will be governed by the 2022 law, which bans abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, with exceptions only in cases of medical emergencies. There are no exceptions for rape or incest.
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However, Things could change in November, when Arizonans are expected to vote on a ballot question that would guarantee access to abortion up to the 24th week of pregnancy.
Similar campaign initiatives in Republican-controlled states after the overturning of Roe have all led to victories for the pro-abortion movement.
Meanwhile, in Florida the ban on abortion after six weeks of gestation came into force yesterday with very few exceptions. The new law replaces the previous 15-week ban and will force many citizens of the state to go elsewhere to undergo the pregnancy termination procedure. Most states in the region have also passed similarly restrictive laws following the 2022 Supreme Court ruling that struck down the right to abortion nationwide. Florida, the third largest state in the Union by population, is home to around 50 clinics which last year performed around 84,000 abortions, 8,000 of which were on women coming from other states. Until July 2022, termination of pregnancy up to the 24th week was possible in Florida. The new law allows exceptions up to the 15th week in cases of rape and incest or in case of danger to the woman’s life and, before the third trimester, for serious malformations of the fetus.
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