Elephants travel far to eat specific plants for health care

UPDATE - follow-up to After great apes, scientists find African elephants self-medicate too: Wild elephants travel long distances without stopping for food just to reach a specific tree and eat its bark or leaves. Scientists call this behavior zoopharmacognosy. This means animals look for plants to treat internal parasites, lung infections, fungal diseases, wounds, and stomach problems.

Other Animals

Other wildlife also show this smart medical knowledge. Orangutans put plants on their wounds as a balm. Chimpanzees eat bitter leaves that kill bacteria. Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins line up to rub against certain corals. Birds put insect-killing plants in their nests to stop mites that cause anemia.

Context

Animals use more than just plants for medicine. They also treat themselves with charcoal, clay, and insects. Many of the plants that animals use for healing are also eaten as traditional medicine by humans.