[MONKEYS CALLING]
Patrick Aryee: PREPARE TO MEET A FEW MEMBERS OF THE CLAN.
[ORANGUTAN SCREECHING]
[CHATTERING]
MISCHIEVOUS MONKEYS...
INTELLIGENT APES...
AND A CAST OF STRANGE AND ENCHANTING LITTLE COUSINS.
[SCREECHES]
THIS IS THE STORY OF OUR CLOSEST RELATIVES ON EARTH.
[MONKEY SCREECHES]
FROM THE MIGHTY GORILLA
TO A PRIMATE SO SMALL IT COULD FIT IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND,
WE’RE ALL PART OF THE SAME AMAZING ANIMAL ORDER.
TODAY, THERE ARE OVER 400 DIFFERENT MEMBERS
OF OUR PRIMATE ORDER.
THEY ARE UNRIVALED ACROBATS...
DOTING PARENTS...
AND SOME OF THE SMARTEST CREATURES IN THE NATURAL WORLD.
SO, HOW DID PRIMATES BECOME SO SUCCESSFUL?
[PRIMATES CALLING]
WE’RE ON A JOURNEY TO RETRACE THE ASTONISHING RISE TO POWER
OF OUR VERY OWN PRIMATE FAMILY TREE.
[HOWLING]
IT’S A JOURNEY THAT TAKES US TO THE JUNGLES OF THE AMERICAS.
HERE THEY WOULD EVOLVE TO BE UNLIKE ANYWHERE ELSE ON EARTH.
[HOWLING]
PREPARE TO MEET SOME OF YOUR CLOSEST RELATIVES.
♪
[PRIMATES CALLING]
♪
29 MILLION YEARS AGO,
ACROSS THE CONTINENTS OF AFRICA AND ASIA,
THE PRIMATE FAMILY WAS FLOURISHING.
♪
FROM MONKEY TROOPS THAT RULE THE MOUNTAINS...
[SCREECHING]
TO TINY FOREST HUNTERS THAT STALK THE NIGHT...
♪
THE PRIMATES HERE ADAPTED THEIR BODIES AND MINDS
TO MASTER THE DIVERSE LANDSCAPES.
BUT ASIA AND AFRICA ARE ONLY PART OF THE STORY.
MONKEYS BEGAN TO EXPAND INTO A BRAND NEW WORLD.
THE FINAL CONTINENTS TO BE COLONIZED
BY OUR PRIMATE RELATIVES WERE THE AMERICAS.
WHEN THESE ANCESTORS FIRST STEPPED FOOT ON THESE SHORES,
THEY DISCOVERED AN UNEXPLORED JUNGLE PARADISE.
A LAND WHERE THEY COULD RUN RIOT.
♪
THE VAST FORESTS OF THE AMERICAS
ARE THE PERFECT MONKEY PLAYGROUND.
[MONKEYS SQUAWKING]
TODAY THERE ARE MORE MONKEY SPECIES HERE
THAN THE REST OF WORLD PUT TOGETHER.
IN THESE FORESTS THEY EVOLVED AMAZING ADAPTATIONS
THAT CAN’T BE SEEN ANYWHERE ELSE ON EARTH.
[ROARING]
♪
OVER 150 DIFFERENT SPECIES LIVE IN THESE JUNGLES...
AND OF THEIR MANY WONDERFUL ADAPTATIONS,
THERE’S ONE THAT TRULY SETS MONKEYS OF THE AMERICAS APART
FROM THEIR COUSINS.
♪
THEY EVOLVED A RADICAL NEW WAY
TO MOVE THROUGH THE CANOPY.
♪
TO SEE THIS AMAZING ADAPTATION FOR MYSELF,
I’VE COME TO A RESCUE CENTER IN BELIZE
THAT’S HOME TO A PARTICULARLY CHEEKY LITTLE CHARACTER.
[SQUEAKING]
♪
[CHUCKLES]
THIS LITTLE GUY IS A SPIDER MONKEY,
AND AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE WAY HE MOVES,
HE GETS HIS NAME BECAUSE OF THOSE LONG LIMBS.
HE LOOKS LIKE A SPIDER
THE WAY THAT HE CLAMBERS AROUND THESE TREES.
HE’S PERFECTLY AT HOME IN THE TREES,
AND THAT’S LARGELY THANKS TO ONE KEY ADAPTATION.
♪
THE THING THAT MAKES THEM REALLY AMAZING IS THAT TAIL.
THESE SPIDER MONKEYS HAVE EVOLVED A TAIL
THAT PUTS MOST OTHER MONKEYS TO SHAME.
THEIR PREHENSILE TAIL IS SO FLEXIBLE
IT CAN WRAP AROUND THE THINNEST OF BRANCHES,
GIVING THEM A SECURE GRIP WHILE HIGH UP IN THE CANOPY.
BUT LOOK AT THAT CURLY TAIL.
IT GRABS ON TO EVERYTHING AS HE MOVES.
HE’S JUST AMAZING.
THE END OF ITS TAIL IS PACKED FULL OF NERVES,
SO IT CAN CAREFULLY FEEL ITS WAY ALONG THE BRANCHES.
♪
HAVING SUCH AN AMAZINGLY SENSITIVE, GRIPPING TAIL
IS TOTALLY UNIQUE TO MONKEYS IN THE AMERICAS.
OUR LITTLE MONKEY’S REALLY QUITE TENTATIVE
AS HE MOVES ACROSS THE BRANCHES,
BUT HE’S REALLY ONLY JUST LEARNING THE ROPES.
IT’S ONLY WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ADULTS
THAT YOU REALIZE HOW PERFECTLY ADAPTED THEY ARE
TO LIFE IN THE TREETOPS.
IT TAKES TIME TO LEARN HOW TO USE
SUCH AN IMPRESSIVE FIFTH LIMB,
BUT THE ADULTS HAVE MASTERED IT.
♪
THEY MAKE JUNGLE GYMNASTICS LOOK SO EASY.
♪
THEIR CURIOUS TAILS EVEN HAVE A BARE PATCH OF SKIN AT THE TIP,
MUCH LIKE THE PALM OF A HAND, FOR A MORE PRECISE GRIP.
♪
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY OF ALL,
THE MONKEYS HERE EVOLVED TAILS
FAR STRONGER THAN ANYWHERE ELSE ON EARTH.
THEY’RE SO POWERFUL,
THEY CAN SUPPORT THEIR ENTIRE BODY WEIGHT.
[CHATTERING]
IN THESE DENSE FORESTS,
THE SPIDER MONKEYS USE THEIR TAIL AS AN EXTRA LIMB.
AND THIS MAKES SWINGING THROUGH THE BRANCHES LOOK EASY.
♪
BUT THESE MONKEYS HAVE ANOTHER SPECIAL ADAPTATION
FOR MOVING THROUGH THE JUNGLE.
UNLIKE VIRTUALLY EVERY OTHER PRIMATE,
THEIR HANDS HAVE NO THUMBS AT ALL.
EARLY EXPLORERS THOUGHT THEIR LACK OF THUMB
WAS A SIGN THAT THESE JUNGLE SWINGERS
WERE VERY PRIMITIVE MONKEYS.
BUT IN FACT, THIS COULDN’T BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH.
THEIR HANDS HAVE CAREFULLY EVOLVED
TO ONLY HAVE FOUR LONG FINGERS AND NO THUMB,
WHICH COULD POTENTIALLY SNAG ON THE BRANCHES.
THIS MAKES THE PERFECT HOOK TO SWING FROM.
♪
WITH THEIR UNUSUAL HANDS AND THAT POWERFUL TAIL,
THEY MAKE CANOPY ACROBATICS LOOK EFFORTLESS.
[SQUEAKING]
♪
IN THIS NEW JUNGLE WORLD,
MONKEYS BEGAN TO ADAPT IN OTHER UNUSUAL WAYS--
WAYS THAT WOULD ALTER THE PATH OF OUR FAMILY’S HISTORY FOREVER.
♪
THE PRIMATE FAMILY TREE
IS MADE UP OF A NUMBER OF KEY BRANCHES.
[SQUAWKING]
THERE ARE WEIRD LITTLE LEMURS,
SUPER SMART APES,
AND THE LARGEST GROUP OF ALL, THE MONKEYS.
[YAWNING]
BUT AROUND 35 MILLION YEARS AGO,
THE MONKEY BRANCH SPLIT INTO TWO VERY SEPARATE GROUPS,
WHEN A FEW PIONEERING CHARACTERS FROM AFRICA
VENTURED ACROSS TO THE JUNGLES OF SOUTH AMERICA.
♪
TUCKED AWAY ON THIS DISTANT CONTINENT,
THE MONKEYS HERE BEGAN TO ADAPT IN WEIRD AND WONDERFUL WAYS.
[CROAKING]
TODAY, THEY’RE KNOWN AS THE NEW WORLD MONKEYS--
THE MOST DIVERSE AND BIZARRE BRANCH OF ALL.
[ROARING]
♪
IN THESE RICH, DENSE FORESTS,
THE CHALLENGE OF TRAVELING THROUGH THE JUNGLE
LED TO A NOVEL EVOLUTIONARY ADAPTATION.
BUT THE GRIPPING PREHENSILE TAIL WAS ONLY ONE OF THE SOLUTIONS.
[SQUEAKING]
THERE’S A TROOP OF TREETOP DAREDEVILS
THAT HAVE EVOLVED A PARTICULARLY EXPLOSIVE WAY
OF SPRINGING THROUGH THE THICK CANOPY.
♪
AT FIRST LIGHT, THE TROOP STARTS TO WAKE.
A FAMILY OF SLEEPY SQUIRREL MONKEYS.
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
[SQUEAKING]
ONCE THEY’RE UP, IT’S MAYHEM IN THE CANOPY.
♪
THESE SQUIRREL MONKEYS LIVE IN BIG GROUPS
OF UP TO 75 STRONG.
MOVING THROUGH THE CANOPY EN MASSE,
THESE BRIGHT-EYED LITTLE SCAMPS HARDLY EVER SIT STILL.
[SQUEAKING]
SPENDING THEIR DAY TRYING TO SNATCH UP INSECTS...
♪
OR BATTLING WITH THEIR FRIENDS FOR FRUITS.
[SQUEAKING]
♪
FOR THEM, LEAPING FEARLESSLY AMONGST THE BRANCHES
OVER 130 FEET HIGH IS EASY.
♪
[SQUEAKING]
SO WHAT ALLOWS THESE LITTLE ACROBATS
TO JUMP WITH SUCH DEATH-DEFYING PRECISION?
FIRSTLY, THEIR FINGERS HAVE TINY FINGERPRINTS JUST LIKE OURS,
WHICH IS AN ADAPTATION TO PROVIDE A MORE PRECISE GRIP.
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
BUT THEIR IMPRESSIVE HIGH WIRE ANTICS
ARE MOSTLY THE PRODUCT OF THEIR LEGS.
[SQUEAKING]
SQUIRREL MONKEYS WERE BUILT TO BOUNCE.
♪
THEY HAVE SHORT, STRONG THIGHS, AND LONGER LOWER LIMBS...
AND THESE FROG-LIKE PROPORTIONS
GIVE THEM REMARKABLE JUMPING POWER.
♪
THEY CAN LEAP OVER SIX AND A HALF FEET.
THAT’S MORE THAN SEVEN TIMES THEIR BODY LENGTH.
WITH THESE LEAPING LEGS,
THEY’VE EVOLVED THE PERFECT WAY TO BOUNCE UP
AND DOWN THE CANOPY...
[SQUEAKING]
IN A HEARTBEAT.
[BIRDS CALLING]
THE NEW WORLD MONKEYS CAME UP WITH NOVEL WAYS
OF GETTING ABOUT THESE DENSE FORESTS.
BUT HAVING THE ABILITY TO MOVE THROUGH THE BRANCHES
IS ONLY ONE OF THE TRIALS OF JUNGLE LIFE.
FOR MONKEYS LIVING HERE, THERE’S AN EVEN GREATER CHALLENGE--
A CHALLENGE THAT ONE BOISTEROUS CHARACTER
HAS SOLVED IN AN EAR-SPLITTING WAY.
[HOWLING]
THE HOWLER MONKEY.
[HOWLING]
[ROARING]
TO FIND OUT WHY THESE ROWDY HOWLER MONKEYS
MAKE SUCH A RACKET,
I’VE COME TO A SPECIAL RESERVE
IN THE JUNGLES OF CENTRAL AMERICA,
WHERE I CAN GET CLOSE TO A WILD TROOP.
AND THE FIRST THING I DISCOVER
IS THEY’RE NOT NEARLY AS SCARY AS THEY SOUND.
THE NAME HOWLER MONKEY CONJURES UP IN THE IMAGINATION
TO PICTURE SOME SORT OF FEARSOME ANIMAL.
BUT THEY’RE SURPRISINGLY GENTLE-MANNERED.
HELLO!
♪
THESE CHILLED CHARACTERS SPEND MOST OF THEIR TIME
RELAXING AND SLOWLY EATING LEAVES,
THOUGH THEY DO MAKE THE EXTRA EFFORT
TO PICK JUICY CASHEW FRUIT, WHICH THEY GET EVERYWHERE.
♪
SO WHY DO SUCH GENTLE SOULS CREATE SUCH A RACKET?
♪
THEY LIVE IN CLOSE-KNIT GROUPS.
THIS ONE HAS AN ALPHA MALE, THREE FEMALES,
AND LUCKILY FOR ME,
I ALSO GET A GLIMPSE OF A NEW ARRIVAL.
SHE’S CARRYING A LITTLE BABY.
AW. [LAUGHS]
IT CAN’T BE MORE THAN TWO MONTHS OLD,
AND HOWLER MONKEY BABIES WILL STICK WITH THEIR MOTHERS
UNTIL THEY’RE AT LEAST A YEAR OLD,
STAY CLAMBERED ON FOR SAFETY,
AND THAT’S WHAT I CAN SEE THIS ONE’S DOING RIGHT NOW.
YEAH, IT’S TAKING A FEW STEPS AWAY FROM MUM.
[GASPS] OH, WOW.
♪
SO THIS IS JUST A RARE MOMENT WHERE THIS TINY BABY
WILL SLOWLY START TO TRY AND GET USED TO ITS SURROUNDINGS,
ITS ENVIRONMENT, BUT MUM IS STILL CLOSE BY FOR SAFETY.
OF ALL THE MONKEYS I’VE MET,
HOWLERS SEEM TO LIVE THE MOST PEACEFUL LIVES.
WEIRDLY, THIS TRANQUILITY IS ALL THANKS TO THEIR MONSTER ROAR.
BECAUSE THEIR DEAFENING HOWL IS ACTUALLY A BRILLIANT WAY
OF AVOIDING CONFLICT WITH THE NEIGHBORS.
[HOWLING]
THERE’S SOMETHING ALMOST QUITE SCARY
ABOUT THE WAY THEY SOUND.
IF YOU DIDN’T KNOW WHAT A HOWLER LOOKED LIKE
AND YOU WERE IN THIS FOREST,
THAT WOULD DEFINITELY KEEP YOU AWAY!
[HOWLING]
ONCE THE BIG ALPHA MALE BEGINS...
[HOWLING]
THE REST OF THE GROUP JOIN IN.
[ALL HOWLING]
YOU CAN FEEL THE SOUND!
[HOWLING]
HOWLER MONKEYS BROADCAST THE LOUDEST CALL
OF ANY LAND MAMMAL ON EARTH.
IT RADIATES FOR NEARLY THREE MILES ACROSS THE CANOPY.
[HOWLING]
THIS RECORD-BREAKING HOWL IS LIKE A TERRITORIAL WAR CRY
THAT KEEPS RIVALS FAR AWAY FROM THE FAMILY.
[HOWLING]
TO CREATE THIS LONG-DISTANCE BELLOW,
THEIR VOCAL CORDS ARE NEARLY THREE TIMES LONGER THAN OURS,
GIVING THEM AN EXTRA LOW VOICE.
[HOWLING]
TO CONQUER THIS CONTINENT,
EVOLUTION PUSHED THE BODIES OF NEW WORLD MONKEYS
IN WAYS NEVER SEEN IN THEIR RELATIVES OF THE OLD WORLD.
THEY DEVELOPED SOME TOTALLY UNIQUE TRICKS.
TAILS THAT MOVE LIKE TENTACLES,
THROATS THAT ACT AS LONG DISTANCE SPEAKERS
AND SUPER SPRINGY, ALMOST FROG-LIKE LEGS.
[HOWLING]
♪
IN TIME, THEY EVOLVED INTO A HUGE DIVERSITY OF SPECIES
THAT WOULD CONQUER EVERY NICHE THROUGHOUT THE DENSE CANOPY.
[PRIMATES CALLING]
ON THE PRIMATE FAMILY TREE,
THE BRANCH OF THE NEW WORLD MONKEYS
SPLIT INTO SOME VERY DIFFERENT GROUPS.
[PRIMATES CALLING]
THE HOWLER AND SPIDER MONKEYS OCCUPY THE SAME OFFSHOOT,
WHILE ON THE OTHER BRANCHES
LIVE MANY OF THE SMALLEST MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY.
[CHATTERING]
THESE TINY CHARACTERS ARE ABLE TO REACH THE FRUITS
AMONGST THE SMALLEST TWIGS IN THE CANOPY.
BUT BEING SMALL IN THE JUNGLE CAN BE A DANGEROUS BUSINESS.
[MONKEYS CALLING]
AND ONE LITTLE REDHEAD
HAS COME UP WITH AN INGENIOUS SURVIVAL TACTIC.
♪
THE GOLDEN LION TAMARIN.
THEY MAY BE TINY, BUT TAMARINS ARE EXPERTS AT JUNGLE LIFE.
♪
[SQUEAKING]
THESE LIGHTWEIGHT LITTLE FUR BALLS
HAVE COME UP WITH CLEVER TRICKS
FOR DARTING THROUGH THEIR FOREST WORLD.
♪
PINGING THROUGH THE BRANCHES,
THEY CAN EVEN LAND ON VERTICAL TREE TRUNKS.
UNLIKE MOST PRIMATES,
THEIR FINGERNAILS HAVE EVOLVED INTO SUPER SHARP CLAWS.
THIS ALLOWS THESE NIMBLE LITTLE MONKEYS
TO CLAMBER ABOUT WITH EASE.
[SQUEAKING]
♪
BUT THE DOWNSIDE TO BEING SMALL
IS YOU’RE THE PERFECT BITE-SIZE SNACK
FOR MANY A JUNGLE PREDATOR.
♪
[SQUEAKING]
♪
[THUNDER]
JUNGLE CATS STALK THESE FORESTS...
AND TAMARIN FAMILIES ALWAYS NEED TO KEEP A WATCHFUL EYE.
[SQUEAK]
♪
[SQUEAKING]
BUT THESE LITTLE MONKEYS HAVE EVOLVED A CLEVER WAY
TO KEEP THEIR NUMBERS UP.
INSTEAD OF PRODUCING ONE YOUNGSTER AT A TIME
LIKE MOST OTHER PRIMATES,
THEY NEARLY ALWAYS GIVE BIRTH TO TWINS.
♪
TINY TAMARIN TWINS.
♪
WITH TWO TO LOOK AFTER,
THE PARENTS EVEN SHARE THE CHILDCARE.
♪
[SQUEAKING]
♪
HAVING TWO BABIES AT A TIME DOUBLES THE CHANCES
THAT AT LEAST ONE LITTLE ’UN
CAN BE KEPT SAFELY OUT OF HARM’S WAY.
♪
FOR A MONKEY WITH SO MANY PREDATORS,
IT MIGHT SEEM STRANGE THAT THEY HAVE SUCH BRIGHT ORANGE FUR.
TO OUR EYES, THEY STAND OUT LIKE A BEACON IN THE GREEN JUNGLE.
BUT THE BIG CATS THAT HUNT THEM ARE COLOR BLIND.
SO THEY CAN’T EASILY DETECT THE DIFFERENCE IN COLOR
BETWEEN SOMETHING THAT’S RED AND SOMETHING THAT’S GREEN.
♪
SO ALTHOUGH MUM CAN ALWAYS TELL WHERE THE FAMILY IS,
THEY’RE SURPRISINGLY WELL-CAMOUFLAGED
AMONGST THE LEAVES.
THE TAMARINS HAVE COME UP
WITH A CLEVER COMBINATION OF ADAPTATIONS
THAT HAVE MADE THEM MASTERS OF JUNGLE LIFE
AT THE SMALL SCALE.
♪
THE MONKEYS OF THE NEW WORLD
BECAME THE RULERS OF THE RAINFORESTS.
BUT AS THEY SPREAD FURTHER ACROSS THIS CONTINENT,
THE DENSE JUNGLE GAVE WAY TO MUCH DRIER, ROCKY FOREST.
IT’S HERE THAT I’M HOPING TO MEET
ONE OF THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY CHARACTERS
ON THIS CONTINENT.
I’M IN NORTHEAST BRAZIL,
IN A REGION WHERE ROCKY CANYONS MEET ARID WOODLAND,
AND THIS PLACE IS JUST SPECTACULAR.
AND IT’S ALSO HOME TO A VERY SPECIAL MEMBER OF THE FAMILY,
A MONKEY THAT WHEN IT COMES TO INTELLIGENCE
IS RIGHT AT THE TOP OF THE CLASS.
TO THRIVE HERE, THEY’VE COME UP
WITH ONE OF THE MOST BRILLIANT TRICKS IN NATURE.
MEET THE BRIGHT SPARKS OF THE MONKEY FAMILY--
A TROOP OF BEARDED CAPUCHINS.
[SQUEAKING]
THEY USE THEIR CLEVER MINDS
TO FIND THEIR FAVORITE FOODS IN THIS DRY FOREST...
AND THIS TROOP HAS A REAL TASTE FOR ONE THING--
PALM NUTS.
♪
BUT BEFORE THEY CAN ENJOY THEM, THEY FACE A REAL CHALLENGE.
SO THIS IS ONE OF THE PALM NUTS THAT THE MONKEYS ARE AFTER.
INSIDE IT IS A KERNEL THAT’S PACKED FULL OF CALORIES,
THE ONLY PROBLEM IS THAT IT’S ENCASED
IN THIS HARD OUTER SHELL.
AND TO REACH THE PRIZE KERNEL INSIDE,
THESE LITTLE CAPUCHINS HAVE ENGAGED THEIR BIG BRAINS
TO BECOME EXPERT NUT CRACKERS.
♪
BUT FIRST THEY NEED TO GATHER THE RIGHT TOOLS FOR THE JOB.
♪
GIVEN THE CHOICE, THEY’LL START WITH A STONE
THAT WEIGHS HALF AS MUCH AS THEY DO.
THEY LOOK LIKE KIDS PICKING UP BOWLING BALLS
THAT ARE A BIT TOO BIG FOR THEM!
THEY ARE REALLY QUITE FUNNY LITTLE THINGS.
♪
THEY’LL TRY THEIR HARDEST TO CARRY IT TO A HARD, FLAT SURFACE
THAT ACTS AS AN ANVIL.
THAT’S WHERE THE REAL BUSINESS CAN BEGIN.
[SQUEAKING]
HERE COMES THE ALPHA MALE.
HE IS THE STAR OF THE SHOW.
THIS GUY IS THE BEST NUTCRACKER IN THE TROOP.
BUT HOW MANY STRIKES WILL THIS EXPERT TAKE?
ONE STRIKE...
♪
TWO...
[CRASH]
♪
AND HE’S GOT INSIDE. PERFECT!
THESE PALM NUTS ARE 20 TIMES HARDER THAN A WALNUT...
AND CRACKING THEM TAKES SOME SKILL.
BUT SERIOUSLY... HOW HARD CAN IT BE?
OK, THE PRESSURE’S ON.
I DID SEE THE ALPHA MALE CRACK ONE OF THE NUTS
WITH ONLY TWO STRIKES.
WELL, YEAH.
[LAUGHS]
OH, MAN. YEAH!
HERE WE GO. UH...NO.
[LAUGHS]
OH, GOD. [LAUGHS]
I BEGIN TO DRAW A CROWD OF CURIOUS ONLOOKERS...
AND AT LAST...
YES!
FINALLY.
SO WHAT WAS THAT, ABOUT 20 HITS?
THE SPECTATORS HAVE BEEN KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON MY PROGRESS.
THEY ARE TRYING TO GET HOLD OF THAT.
[SQUEAKING]
[LAUGHING]
IT’S MY NUT!
♪
BUT NOT FOR LONG.
[LAUGHS]
INCREDIBLY, THESE CAPUCHINS DON’T NEED TO CRACK NUTS.
THERE’S PLENTY OF OTHER FOOD AROUND.
THEY JUST REALLY LIKE THEM.
♪
THEY’LL COLLECT ANY SCRAPS THAT COME FLYING THEIR WAY...
AND CAREFULLY PICK THE SHELLS CLEAN.
♪
THESE HAMMER STONES WEIGH AT LEAST TWO POUNDS,
SO FOR THE SMALLER ADULT FEMALES,
IT’S HARDER WORK.
♪
[THUD]
♪
[SNIFF]
[THUD]
LOOKING AT THE SIZE OF THAT ROCK AND THAT MONKEY,
IT’S JUST AMAZING THAT THEY HAVE THIS ABILITY,
NOT ONLY THE BRAINPOWER, BUT THEY ALSO THE BRAWN AS WELL.
♪
[THUD]
♪
[THUD]
THE MALES TEND TO BE BETTER AT NUTCRACKING
BECAUSE THEY ARE BIGGER AND STRONGER,
BUT IN THIS CASE WE’VE GOT A SIX-YEAR-OLD FEMALE,
AND SHE IS REALLY GIVING THE BOYS A RUN FOR THEIR MONEY,
BUT JUST IMAGINE, SHE’S PICKING UP THAT ROCK
WHICH IS ABOUT HALF HER BODY WEIGHT,
SO IT REALLY IS AN EFFORT FOR THESE LITTLE GUYS.
[THUD]
♪
THE YOUNGSTERS CAN’T SMASH THESE NUTS FOR THEMSELVES
UNTIL THEY’RE STRONG ENOUGH TO LIFT THE BIG STONES,
BUT THEY WILL START LEARNING AND PRACTICING
THE TRICKY NUT-SMASHING TECHNIQUE AT AN EARLY AGE.
[THUD]
♪
[THUD]
♪
THE YOUNG LEARN BY HANGING AROUND THE ADULTS
AND CLOSELY WATCH WHAT’S GOING ON.
♪
THEY START BY PRACTICING WITH SMALLER STONES.
BUT IT’S A HIGHLY COMPLEX OPERATION
WITH MANY FIDDLY STAGES.
THE PALM NUT HAS TO BE CAREFULLY POSITIONED IN A DIP ON THE ANVIL
TO HELP KEEP IT IN PLACE,
OR ELSE EVERYTHING WILL GO FLYING ON IMPACT.
♪
[THUD]
♪
AND IF THE STONE ISN’T BIG ENOUGH...
♪
OR NOT DROPPED HARD ENOUGH...
THE NUT SIMPLY WON’T BREAK.
SUCCESS REQUIRES A TRULY MASTERFUL TOUCH.
♪
[CRASH]
♪
THIS LEVEL OF DEXTERITY IS ONE
THAT’S PREVIOUSLY NOT THOUGHT POSSIBLE IN MONKEYS,
BUT HERE ARE THE CAPUCHINS DOING IT PERFECTLY,
AND IT’S JUST BRILLIANT TO WATCH.
♪
THESE SKILLFUL CAPUCHINS HAVE USED THEIR SHARP MINDS
TO CONQUER PARTS OF THE AMERICAS
OTHER MONKEYS SIMPLY COULDN’T REACH.
[CRASH]
♪
THE FIRST PRIMATES ARRIVED IN THE FORESTS OF THE AMERICAS
AROUND 29 MILLION YEARS AGO.
[HOWLING]
TODAY THEY ECHO WITH THE LOUDEST CALLS IN THE WORLD...
[HOWLING]
PLAY HOST TO THE MOST AGILE CANOPY GYMNASTS...
♪
AND THIS LAND HAS GIVEN RISE
TO THE SHARPEST MINDS OF ALL THE MONKEYS.
BUT THESE NEW WORLD MONKEYS WOULD, IN TIME,
RECEIVE A VERY DIFFERENT NEIGHBOR...
♪
THE BRIGHTEST PRIMATE OF ALL.
[CHATTERING]
FOR A LONG TIME, MONKEYS WERE THE ONLY PRIMATE
TO HAVE MADE IT HERE FROM AFRICA.
THEY HAD THIS LAND ALL TO THEMSELVES--
RIGHT UP UNTIL ABOUT 15,000 YEARS AGO,
AND THEN EVERYTHING CHANGED.
AN APE MANAGED TO MAKE THE JOURNEY
ACROSS FROM THE OLD WORLD TO THE AMERICAS.
HUMANS HAD ARRIVED.
♪
SOUTH AMERICA WAS THE LAST CONTINENT
TO BE COLONIZED BY HUMANS.
WHEN MANKIND FIRST STEPPED FOOT INTO THIS JUNGLE WORLD,
WE HAD FINALLY BECOME A TRULY GLOBAL SPECIES.
TODAY, WE HAVE OUTCOMPETED EVERY OTHER ANIMAL ON EARTH.
AND THAT PHENOMENAL SUCCESS IS ROOTED
IN OUR AMAZING PRIMATE FAMILY TRAITS.
♪
FROM THE WAY WE MOVE...
[SCREECHING]
OUR AGILITY...
[SQUEAKING]
BALANCE...
♪
AND POWER.
♪
TO OUR DEXTEROUS HANDS THAT ENABLE US AND OUR FAMILY
TO USE COMPLEX TOOLS.
♪
[THUD]
[SCREECHING]
WE SHARE THE DRIVE TO FIGHT FOR RESOURCES.
THESE BASIC PRIMATE TRAITS DEFINE US
AND MAKE US WHO WE ARE.
[SCREECHING]
BUT WE HAVE ALSO GONE FAR BEYOND OUR PRIMATE COUSINS.
[HORSE NEIGHS]
USING OUR BIG BRAINS,
WE’VE SHAPED THE NATURAL WORLD AROUND US...
AND EVEN HARNESSED THE POWER OF ANIMALS...
ALLOWING US TO CONQUER NEW LANDS.
WE HAVE PUSHED THE ABILITY TO WORK TOGETHER
IN TIGHT-KNIT GROUPS,
EVOLVING LANGUAGE
AND COMPLEX CULTURE.
WE’VE BUILT OUR OWN JUNGLES...
♪
WHERE WE CAN LIVE IN NUMBERS GREATER THAN EVER BEFORE.
WE ARE PERHAPS THE ULTIMATE PRIMATE...
IN THE FAMILY THAT HAS WALKED THE PLANET
FOR OVER 55 MILLION YEARS.
OUR PRIMATE FAMILY TREE FORMED FIVE KEY BRANCHES.
[PRIMATES CALLING]
THERE ARE ANCIENT LINEAGES, LIKE THE TINY CARNIVOROUS TARSIER...
[SHRIEKING]
AND THE LEMURS OF MADAGASCAR.
THE MONKEYS THRIVE ON TWO SEPARATE BRANCHES--
ONE DYNASTY IN AFRICA AND ASIA...
[CHATTERING]
WHILE THE NEW WORLD MONKEYS RULE THE JUNGLES OF THE AMERICAS.
[HOWLING]
THE FINAL BRANCH IS HOME TO THE APES,
INCLUDING CHIMPS, GORILLAS, ORANGUTANS...
AND THE MOST SUCCESSFUL GLOBAL PRIMATE EVER--
US.
[PRIMATES CALLING]
TODAY THERE ARE OVER 7 BILLION PEOPLE ON THIS PLANET.
BUT OUR METEORIC RISE HAS COME AT A COST
TO MANY MEMBERS OF THE PRIMATE FAMILY.
♪
OUR GROWTH IS THREATENING THE SURVIVAL
OF MANY OF OUR WILD COUSINS.
♪
ACROSS THE WORLD, NEARLY HALF OF ALL PRIMATES ARE NOW ENDANGERED,
AS THEIR FOREST HOMES ARE DESTROYED.
♪
ONLY 900 MOUNTAIN GORILLAS REMAIN IN THE WILD.
♪
AND LEMURS ARE THE MOST THREATENED GROUP OF MAMMALS
ON THE PLANET.
♪
BUT DESPITE THE DECLINE, THERE’S STILL HOPE.
AROUND THE WORLD THERE ARE PEOPLE WORKING
TO HELP OUR CLOSEST RELATIVES,
AND THEY’RE MAKING A REAL DIFFERENCE.
♪
ON THE ISLAND OF BORNEO,
PROTECTED FORESTS HAVE BEEN SET UP
TO PROVIDE A NEW START FOR ORANGUTANS
THAT HAVE LOST THEIR HOMES.
♪
OVER THE PAST FOUR DECADES, 40% OF THE JUNGLE HERE
HAS DISAPPEARED DUE TO DEFORESTATION.
FOR EACH AND EVERY ORANGUTAN,
THEIR FUTURE HANGS IN THE BALANCE.
♪
I’M LUCKY ENOUGH TO JOIN A DEDICATED TEAM ON A MISSION
TO RESCUE SOME OF OUR MOST THREATENED COUSINS.
THIS BABY AND HER MUM WERE FOUND IN A DEVASTATED FOREST
OVER 93 MILES FROM HERE.
WITH THEIR NATURAL HABITAT GONE,
THEIR CHANCES OF SURVIVAL WERE DOWN TO ZERO.
♪
TODAY, THE TEAM IS TRANSPORTING THEM TO A NEW JUNGLE HOME
IN A PROTECTED PART OF THE ISLAND
WHERE THEY CAN START A NEW LIFE TOGETHER.
♪
THE JOURNEY TO REACH THIS POINT HAS TAKEN THREE LONG DAYS,
BUT FINALLY THE TIME HAS COME FOR THIS MOTHER AND BABY
TO STEP OUT INTO THEIR NEW HOME.
♪
INSTANTLY HER INSTINCTS KICKED IN,
AND SHE JUST WENT UP THAT TREE,
AND I’VE COMPLETELY LOST SIGHT OF HER, BUT...
[SQUEAKING]
I CAN HEAR HER!
[LAUGHS]
[SQUEAKING]
MANY PRIMATES ARE FIGHTING FOR SURVIVAL,
BUT AT THIS CRITICAL TIME, THERE ARE ALSO MANY PEOPLE
FIGHTING TO ENSURE THEY HAVE A SAFER FUTURE.
♪
WE LIKE TO THINK OF OURSELVES
AS THE MOST INTELLIGENT ANIMALS ON EARTH--
BUT WITH THIS INTELLIGENCE SURELY COMES A RESPONSIBILITY
TO PROTECT OUR PLANET
AND THE ANIMALS THAT WE SHARE IT WITH.
THERE’S NO DOUBT THAT OUR FAMILY MEMBERS
ARE SOME OF THE MOST CHARISMATIC AND PRECIOUS CHARACTERS
ON THE PLANET.
[COOING]
♪
[SQUEAKING]
[BARKING]
[WHOOPING]
[CHIRPING]
[GRUNTING]
♪
TOGETHER, ALONG WITH OUR COUSINS...
[WHOOPING]
WE ARE SOME AMAZING PRIMATES.
[GRUNTING]