The first modern observation of self-medication in non-human vertebrates was put forth by Daniel H Janzen, an ecologist at the University of Pennsylvania. Jane Goodall—a British Primatologist, Ethologist and Anthropologist, Eloy Rodriguez—a biochemist and Professor at Cornell University, Richard Wrangham, a Harvard University Primatologist, World Wildlife Fund Scientist Holly Dublin, Michael Huffmann and Toshisada Nishida—Primatologists of Kyoto University, Mary Baker—an Anthrolopogist of University of California were some pioneering researchers in the field of zoo pharmacognosy.

Their meticulous long-time observations of animals in the wild, often in unison with several traditional healers, local forest officials and teams of phytochemists, toxicologists has resulted in a lot of scientifically validated data on animal self medication. This has generated a lot of research interest in zoopharmacognosy as it is being realized that it has profound implications for human medicine and animal care. In the words of Huffmann, “With growing chemoresistance to the Western world’s current arsenal of antibiotics and anthelmintics (antiparasites), we cannot afford to let that potential source of knowledge disappear.”

The most convincing and detailed evidence for the use of medicinal plants in animals so far comes from primates and carnivores. Due to constraints and difficulties of systematic research on wild animals in their natural habitat, what has been observed could just be a very small sample.

A brief look at some specific reports (Table 13.1 gives some more reported observations):