Loango National Park, GabonLoango National Park in Gabon recently provided a backdrop for researchers to observe a sight rarely seen in nature: chimpanzees applying insects to their injuries.
The behavior—a unique demonstration of potentially advanced cultural activity—suggests that the primate species may have developed longstanding health-related behaviors that are shared among members of tight-knit groups.
A large protected area on the west coast of Central Africa, Loango is a natural paradise: The area of more than 580 square miles contains a mosaic of different habitats—including rainforests, lagoons, wetlands, savanna, coastal rainforests, floodplains, and mangrove forests—that have created an explosion of biodiversity. The area is home to at least 80 species of mammals, including 11 species of primates, as well
