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(upbeat music)

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Gorillas are one of

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our closest living relatives,

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and yet they're also among the rarest animals on Earth.

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At the brink of extinction,

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(light dramatic music)

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humans are to blame for their demise.

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(light dramatic music)

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Their body parts are used in traditional medicine.

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Diseases have been spread by people entering the forest.

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They have lost vast expanses of land to human development.

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And they are killed and eaten,

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illegally harvested to feed an ever-growing population.

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We are pushing a close cousin out of existence.

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Why should we care?

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Get to know a typical day for a typical family and find out.

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(light dramatic music)

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(leaves rustling)

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In legend, the huge fearsome male gorilla

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was something to fear.

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His maturity is written in his fur.

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An iconic silverback.

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The term given to male gorillas, that like humans,

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develop some gray hair with age.

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He stands about as tall as an average man,

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but weighs more than twice as much.

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A mass of muscle.

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He's immensely powerful,

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but does he throw his weight around?

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Not so much.

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Actually, he uses his incredible power to defend his family,

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and today he stands proud watching over his newborn son.

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(light music)

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(leaves rustling)

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He's the dominant animal in a troop of about a dozen.

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(leaves rustling)

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His family members are all females and their offspring.

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He fathered each of the babies in this troop.

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The new baby causes great excitement in the group.

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Everyone wants to meet the new arrival.

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(playful music)

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For their own safety, all of the gorillas in the troop

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need to know each other.

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They must learn to recognize one another

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and help to keep the clan together.

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(leaves rustling)

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The mother is protective.

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This is her first baby.

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Like humans, gorillas are slow to mature.

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They don't start to breed until they reach their teens.

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Even fully grown, the mothers only half

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the weight of the silverback.

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This little one arrived, like a human baby,

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after nearly nine months of pregnancy.

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Just like a human infant, it's entirely dependent

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on its mother and will stay in physical contact with her

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for at least its first five months of life.

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Even after a year, young gorillas are rarely out

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of arm's reach of their mothers.

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Most of the other infants in the troop are two

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or three years old and hang out together for fun and games.

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(upbeat music)

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(leaves rustling)

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But there's not much opportunity for playtime this morning.

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The silverback watches carefully.

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(light piano music)

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The responsibility for the health and safety

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of the whole family rests squarely on his broad shoulders.

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He decides on a plan each day to safely get

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his family to food and water.

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And now it's time to leave.

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(upbeat music)

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The troop's home range is about 10 square kilometers

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deep in the heart of West Africa's tropical rainforest.

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A dense, tangled, massive forest and wetland.

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A maze to most, but the silverback knows his patch

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like the back of his hand.

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His intimate knowledge is vital to provide

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his family with all that they need.

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(leaves rustling)
(birds squawking)

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He might lead them over 1,000 meters a day

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to ensure a fresh supply of food.

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His ability to plan for the future

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based on experience from the past

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is an example of the gorilla's deep intelligence.

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This nomadic lifestyle also ensures

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that no one patch of forest is overused

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and will be good to return to in the future.

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One of the key reasons for keeping on the move

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is to follow the ripening of fruit trees.

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Finding fresh fruit for breakfast is his plan.

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(light dramatic music)

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Dense jungle can harbor many dangers,

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which is why the family must stay together.

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They also keep safe by being aware

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of their other animal neighbors.

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(dramatic music)
(birds chirping)

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(light dramatic music)

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(branch rustling)

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If the birds and the monkeys are quiet,

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the gorillas are safe.

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If they spot danger they will sound the alarm.

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But for now it sounds like the troop is safe to proceed.

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(upbeat music)

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(water trickling)

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Their homeland is crisscrossed with streams and rivers,

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one of the outcomes of living in a rainforest.

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Humans are the only great apes that seem to enjoy a dunk.

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The others prefer not to paddle if they can help it.

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They cautiously test the water.

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Tool use was thought to be a strictly human trait,

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but wild gorillas have been seen using logs

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as bridges and placing long sticks in the water

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to measure its depths.

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Fortunately, today they don't need to.

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They trust the silverback's choice in leading

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them through the shallows.

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(light music)
(water splashing)

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The youngsters seem to have a mixed reaction

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to the experience.

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One is so unsure that she tries to find a way to climb over,

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but others see it as yet another excuse to play.

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(playful music)
(water splashing)

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Gorillas rarely drink.

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They get plenty of moisture from their plant diet,

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but the crossing gives them a chance to take a sip.

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(light music)

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(water splashing)

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And then they're on their way.

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(birds squawking)
(monkeys hollering)

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A troop of drills are already foraging

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on foreign fruit when they arrive.

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The drills are baboon cousins that specialize

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in rainforest living.

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Like the gorillas, they live in clans of 10 to 20

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led by a dominant male.

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They seem happy to move on

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when the silverback leads his family in.

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(birds squawking)
(leaves rustling)

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Though gorillas spend a lot of time on the ground,

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they retain good climbing skills

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and the youngsters seem to race up

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to reach the ripest fruits.

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(light music)
(leaves rustling)

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Their efforts dislodge plenty of others,

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so the heavyweight silverback can sit underneath

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and take his pick.

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He sniffs the fruit to check it's ripe.

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(leaves rustling)
(bugs trilling)

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Dad's done well.

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(upbeat music)

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There's a feast for the family.

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Once all their bellies are full,

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it's time for a siesta.

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(birds chirping)
(leaves rustling)

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Most of them make a bed before they settle,

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either in the trees or on the ground.

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Pulling together leaves and branches

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to make a comfortable mattress.

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Another example of gorilla tool use.

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(gorilla snoring)

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While the adults are quick to get some shut eye,

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it would be peaceful were it not for the youngsters.

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(upbeat music)

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The little ones seem to have different ideas.

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It's not just babies in the group,

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there are adolescents as well.

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Much bigger and stronger individuals who

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have not yet reached maturity.

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But as they develop and hormones kick in,

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they can get a bit boisterous.

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Sometimes their games get a bit out of hand.

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The father doesn't care for the young directly

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like the mothers, but will intervene

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to stop them getting hurt.

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The big boys play too rough.

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(light dramatic music)

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But not for long.

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(gorilla hollering)

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(dramatic music)

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The adolescent male gets a telling off.

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Gorillas are strong and can be rough,

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but serious injuries are rare.

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It's just enough to put him in his place.

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The young male will soon face a choice.

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Most gorillas leave their family as they reach maturity.

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Young males have the choice of staying,

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but only if they're willing to remain subordinate

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to the silverback.

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He'll keep them around as wing men to help guard the family

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as long as they are willing to follow his lead.

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(light music)

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With the fight settled, mom pulls her youngster

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in for a feed.

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But now there is no time to rest.

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The biggest of primates have huge appetites.

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The silverback might eat 20 kilos of food a day,

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so the troop heads out for afternoon tea.

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This time, the silverback has a different menu in mind,

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but access to it is dependent on other jungle residents.

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(elephant trumpeting)

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Forest elephants.

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Slightly smaller than Africa's savanna elephant,

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and with distinctive round ears and downward pointing tusks.

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Though small by elephant standards,

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at up to four tons a piece they have a massive impact

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on the surrounding landscape.

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(light music)

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New science has shown that forest elephants

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are guardians of the jungle,

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dispersing seeds and keeping the canopy open.

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Just one herd on the move is enough to create pathways

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thanks to their bulk.

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(playful music)

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(air blowing)

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By letting light reach the forest floor,

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they encourage a greater diversity of plants

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and allow tree roots to get stronger

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resulting in a bigger, healthier canopy.

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They are ecosystem engineers,

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(elephant trumpets)

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and their biggest impact is when they are trying

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to fulfill a craving for salt.

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Jungle plants are low in sodium

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and so the elephants dig into salty mud

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so they can drink up a mineral-rich smoothie.

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The impacts of their salt cravings are dramatic.

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The elephants create huge glades,

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places where light can fall on the ground,

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encouraging grasses and other plants to grow.

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And where water rich in minerals is easily available.

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The clearings attract forest buffalo,

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African gray parrots,

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(birds squawking)

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antelope, and a host of other wildlife.

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Today, including the gorilla family.

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The pachyderms have created a salad bar

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rich in the gorilla's favorite herbs and sedges.

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Gorillas have been recorded to use more

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than 25 different sounds to communicate.

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One of the most endearing is humming.

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(gorilla humming)

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When humans tuck into dessert or an especially tasty meal,

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we often make yum sounds to show our appreciation.

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Gorillas do the same.

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And thanks to the silverback's good leadership skills,

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soon the whole troop is humming contentedly.

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(gorillas humming)

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With thick stems, they strip off the tough outer layers

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and chew on the softer pulp within.

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It's not long before bellies are bulging.

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(light music)

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(gorilla hollering)

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Suddenly an uneasy tension spreads across the troop.

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The males heard something.

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Bearing the responsibility of the group's safety,

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it's hard for him to relax.

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(elephants grumbling)

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Thanks to his vigilance,

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this disturbance hasn't gone unnoticed.

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(elephants trumpeting)

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Unsure of the threat, the females stand on their back legs

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to get a better view.

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(light dramatic music)
(bugs chirping)

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(leaves rustling)

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A leopard.

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One of few animals that might threaten a gorilla's life.

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(gorilla grunting)

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A quiet signal is given and the young know

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to return to their mothers,

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clinging on in case a quick exit is required.

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(suspenseful music)

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The male is ready to fight.

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He wouldn't hesitate to risk his own life

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to protect his troop.

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But the leopard is an ambush predator,

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relying on its camouflage to sneak up on potential prey.

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Now that it's been spotted

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there's little chance of a successful hunt

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and it knows better than to risk a counterattack

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from the huge silverback.

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Though the danger has diminished,

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the silverback makes the wise decision

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to take his troop back into the depths of the forest.

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(upbeat music)
(bugs trilling)

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If you know where to look, there's still plenty to eat.

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And although plants make up nearly all

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of the gorilla's diets, they are not averse

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to a bit of protein.

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(light music)
(leaves rustling)

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An experienced female knows exactly where to look.

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She rips off bark knowing termites

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will be sheltering underneath.

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With the termite mound exposed

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she can tear off chunks and eat at her leisure.

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(birds chirping)

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It's a bit like eating a wriggling pomegranate.

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Instead of picking the tasty seeds from the pith,

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she must fish out termites from their honeycomb home.

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Sometimes it's easier to shake them out.

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Her youngster dashes in to see what she's up to.

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Gorillas have long periods with their mothers,

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up to six years, and this is why.

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To watch and learn.

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(light music)

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Brow furrowed in concentration,

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the little one knows if he can master this technique

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he'll be rewarded with a tasty snack.

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His study pays off.

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This is how learning spreads through the troop;

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watching and copying.

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(light music)

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But that's enough for now.

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It's been a long day, time for the family to retire.

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While the troop is settling down,

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one of the females is feeling frisky.

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Rolling on her back to flirt,

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she solicits the male's attention

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and they adopt the missionary position.

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Making love face to face was once thought

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to be a strictly human trait.

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(leaves rustling)

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Then finally, the family can enjoy a peaceful night.

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(light music)
(birds chirping)

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Gorillas are like us in so many ways.

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They have growth rates like humans,

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where young need nurturing,

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and it takes years for them to build

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their impressive knowledge.

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The long schooling is a sign of intelligence.

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They have been shown to be capable of laughter.

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They have strong emotional relationships

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and will grieve for their dead.

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(leaves rustling)

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We share 98% of the same DNA as gorillas.

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They are not as different from us as you might think.

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These gentle giants are guardians of the forest

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vital in spreading seeds as they forage.

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There are four kinds of gorilla.

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This family are western lowland gorillas,

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the commonest kind, but common is a relative term.

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There are less than 100,000 of them.

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They are considered critically endangered.

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The other three kinds are much rarer.

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And these cross river gorillas, never filmed before,

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are the rarest of all

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with just 300 left.

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It's shocking that we can let our closest relatives

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reach such dire low numbers,

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but there are people trying to make a difference.

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(light dramatic music)
(leaves rustling)

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Dedicated field researchers, rangers,

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and anti-poaching patrols spend decades in the forest

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working in difficult conditions

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in order to protect and study the last gorillas.

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(light dramatic music)

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(upbeat music)

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Orphans are brought to wildlife rehabilitation centers

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where they are shown love and kindness,

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where they can become ambassadors

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for their relatives in the wild.

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Most rescued gorillas are kept in clans,

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trying to replicate their lifestyles in the wild.

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But not this one.

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After seeing her mother killed for meat

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and being abused as a baby,

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she was rescued and became the only cross river gorilla

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ever brought into captivity.

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(light dramatic music)
(speaking foreign language)

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For most of her life people were the only family she knew,

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but they did their best to fulfill

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her need to have a loving family.

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She lived in captivity for 12 years.

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During her life she showed just how close humans

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and gorillas are.

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She didn't have keepers, she had friends.

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If only more humans would extend the hand of friendship

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and care this much about their closest cousins

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ensuring a future for us all.

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(upbeat music)