Overview

• Researchers observed 41 healthcare events among Budongo chimpanzees, including 34 instances of self-care and 7 of prosocial care, where aid was provided to unrelated individuals.
• Chimpanzees used techniques such as licking wounds, dabbing leaves, and applying chewed plant materials known for their antimicrobial and healing properties.
• The study highlights prosocial behaviors like snare removal and hygiene assistance, suggesting empathy and social awareness in non-human primates.
• Findings are based on decades of archival data, video evidence, and four months of direct observation, though researchers note potential biases due to differences in community habituation.
• Researchers call for further pharmacological studies to validate the medicinal properties of plants used and deeper exploration of the ecological and social drivers of these behaviors.