In the wild, when animals feel unwell, they have many strategies to help themselves feel better. One strategy involves self-medication.

The study of the ancient practice of self-medication, and the processes by which animals in the wild select and utilize plants – and other natural substances – to heal themselves and promote wellbeing, is known as Zoopharmacognocy (from the Greek ‘zoo’ meaning animal, ‘pharma’ meaning drug, and ‘gnosy’ meaning knowing). Zoopharmacognosy recognises that wild animals seem to have the ability to know what they need to feel better.

Animals are naturally curious, and given the resources, will learn a lot about what is good for them, and what is not, through their early experience and from those in their social group. After eating something disagreeable just the sight, smell or taste is enough for them to avoid it in the future. However, there are times when animals will desire and eat, or use, plants (and other natural substances like soil) that they otherwise avoid. In some animals, like the apes, this behaviour can show great intention and purpose.

Watching what plants animals use is not new (although perhaps new to science). Even the names of some herbs remind us that a relationship with animals exists – take Cats Love (Valeriana officinalis) for example. Self-medication behaviour has been observed in a wide variety of wild animals from insects and birds, to bears and chimpanzees. We have all seen dogs and cats eating grass, often vomiting it up afterwards. It seems everyone is doing it. The behaviour is typically observed in animals that are unwell, around pregnancy and birth, and to reduce external parasites like mites and fleas. Self-medication behaviour is also seen as a way animals prevent disease.

Here are some examples of what has been observed:

• Chimpanzees, Bonobos and Gorillas eating hairy leaves to help with worms
• Elephant eating a specific plant before birth
• Capuchin monkeys rubbing their fur with plants and millipedes to repel insects
• Brown bears chewing a root, and rubbing the paste on their faces to deter insects
• Birds rubbing ants on their plumage to deter lice
• Rats lining their nests with plants to reduce fleas
• Ants incorporating plant resin in their nests to reduce microorganisms
• Starlings lining their nests with plants to reduce parasite infestation
• A variety of animals eating soil to aid digestive upsets or nutritional imbalances

If you would like to support animals in this way, a good thing to do is cultivate a Happy Animal Garden – a garden that provides a wide variety of plants, tastes and smells for your own animals and, if you include lots of indigenous plants, you will simultaneously be supporting to the wellbeing of wild animals too.