1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:04,600 MONKEYS CHATTER 2 00:00:06,640 --> 00:00:08,600 # It's a new dawn 3 00:00:08,640 --> 00:00:10,560 # It's a new day 4 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:15,240 # It's a new life for me, yeah 5 00:00:15,280 --> 00:00:18,040 # It's a new dawn, it's a new day 6 00:00:18,080 --> 00:00:20,640 # It's a new life for me 7 00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:23,960 # Ooh-ooh, ooh 8 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:28,000 # And I'm feeling good... # 9 00:00:29,560 --> 00:00:30,960 Mischievous monkeys... 10 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:32,760 MONKEYS SCREECH 11 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:34,480 ..intelligent apes... 12 00:00:35,760 --> 00:00:40,640 ..and a cast of strange and enchanting little cousins. 13 00:00:40,680 --> 00:00:42,120 MONKEY SQUEAKS 14 00:00:43,440 --> 00:00:49,400 This is the story of our closest relatives on Earth, 15 00:00:49,440 --> 00:00:51,640 the primates. 16 00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:52,920 From the mighty gorilla 17 00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:57,160 to a monkey so small, it could fit in the palm of your hand. 18 00:00:57,200 --> 00:01:00,120 We're all part of the same amazing animal family. 19 00:01:02,280 --> 00:01:08,160 Today, there are over 400 different members of our primate family. 20 00:01:11,120 --> 00:01:13,760 They are unrivalled acrobats... 21 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:18,240 ..doting parents 22 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:21,600 and some of the smartest creatures in the natural world. 23 00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:28,160 But how did primates become king of the swingers? 24 00:01:30,760 --> 00:01:35,280 In this series, we're on a journey through the primate family tree, 25 00:01:35,320 --> 00:01:40,960 to retrace the astonishing rise to power of our very own animal family. 26 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:44,080 Hello. 27 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:45,040 He won't leave my face! 28 00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:46,400 MONKEY CHATTERS 29 00:01:46,440 --> 00:01:47,720 Oh! 30 00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:51,120 In this episode, we're in Asia, 31 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:53,360 the birthplace of the primate family. 32 00:01:56,320 --> 00:01:59,880 We reveal the surprising ways monkeys and apes 33 00:01:59,920 --> 00:02:03,800 conquered the biggest continent on the planet. 34 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:12,720 # I'm feeling good... # 35 00:02:12,760 --> 00:02:16,760 Prepare to meet our amazing animal family. 36 00:02:17,920 --> 00:02:19,200 MONKEY CHATTERS 37 00:02:19,240 --> 00:02:22,480 MONKEYS CHATTER AND SCREECH 38 00:02:29,240 --> 00:02:32,640 THUNDER RUMBLES 39 00:02:37,960 --> 00:02:41,000 Our story starts here 40 00:02:41,040 --> 00:02:43,240 in the forests of Asia... 41 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:47,320 ..more than 55 million years ago. 42 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:54,200 At some point, deep in the mists of time, 43 00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:58,680 an unfamiliar creature appeared somewhere up in the canopy. 44 00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:03,520 As this mysterious animal took its first steps leaping from 45 00:03:03,560 --> 00:03:05,560 branch-to-branch, 46 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:08,200 it marked the birth of a new family of animals on Earth, 47 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:10,200 our family, the primates. 48 00:03:18,440 --> 00:03:21,520 SCREECHING 49 00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:28,480 Today, the descendants of those early primates... 50 00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:33,120 ..still hang out in the tree tops of Asia. 51 00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:37,120 The gibbon. 52 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:39,640 SCREECHING AND CHATTERING 53 00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:54,680 Flying through the canopy at astonishing speed... 54 00:03:59,520 --> 00:04:03,240 ..they can clear 30 feet between branches. 55 00:04:03,280 --> 00:04:06,160 LEAVES RUSTLE 56 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:15,920 These jungle acrobats are perfectly adapted for canopy life. 57 00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:27,600 LEAVES RUSTLE 58 00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:40,680 Never has an animal looked so comfortable in the trees. 59 00:04:49,280 --> 00:04:52,320 To find out how the gibbon became king of the swingers... 60 00:04:55,440 --> 00:04:59,880 ..I've come to meet a youngster getting to grips with jungle life. 61 00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:07,760 This orphaned gibbon is about two years old and she's just adorable. 62 00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:14,680 She has an almost human-like quality. 63 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:27,080 You can see just by looking in her eyes 64 00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:29,080 that there's a real intelligence. 65 00:05:32,520 --> 00:05:36,440 Everything about her body is perfect for climbing. 66 00:05:38,520 --> 00:05:40,200 With light-weight bones, 67 00:05:40,240 --> 00:05:43,680 she doesn't weigh much more than a newborn human baby. 68 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:51,920 But there's one feature that stands out above all others. 69 00:05:58,040 --> 00:05:59,120 Looking at this gibbon, 70 00:05:59,160 --> 00:06:03,360 the first thing you notice is just how long all of its limbs are, 71 00:06:03,400 --> 00:06:05,280 especially its arms, 72 00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:07,600 which are one-and-a-half time longer than its legs. 73 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:14,440 But it does look perfectly at home in the trees. 74 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:21,520 With those long arms and their light-weight bodies... 75 00:06:23,560 --> 00:06:26,120 ..gibbons appear to defy gravity. 76 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:33,360 But this is a flying trapeze 77 00:06:33,400 --> 00:06:35,880 with no safety net. 78 00:06:42,480 --> 00:06:45,640 Living in the canopy can be a dangerous business 79 00:06:45,680 --> 00:06:48,480 and sometimes gibbons do get it wrong 80 00:06:48,520 --> 00:06:51,640 and they'll fall from what is clearly a great height 81 00:06:51,680 --> 00:06:54,480 and in the process, injure themselves or break bones, 82 00:06:54,520 --> 00:06:58,960 so imagine what it must be like raising young up there 83 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:00,000 in the tree tops. 84 00:07:13,400 --> 00:07:16,840 GIBBON CHATTERS 85 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:24,480 This little one spends most of his time clinging to Mum. 86 00:07:26,600 --> 00:07:29,000 But he's starting to learn the ropes. 87 00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:41,000 Like any novice, he's a little nervous. 88 00:07:42,200 --> 00:07:46,480 And when he's accidentally dropped 60 feet up... 89 00:07:50,240 --> 00:07:51,360 ..he has to learn fast. 90 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:55,680 But he soon gets into the swing of things. 91 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:08,680 It looks like he's passed his first lesson in jungle school. 92 00:08:14,480 --> 00:08:17,600 Living high in the tree tops may seem precarious. 93 00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:26,000 But there's a wealth of food in the canopy. 94 00:08:28,080 --> 00:08:30,920 And up here, few predators can get to them. 95 00:08:33,880 --> 00:08:38,960 That's why early primates flourished in the tree tops of Asia... 96 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:43,040 ..and why gibbons still live here today. 97 00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:54,320 The gibbon is the perfect jungle acrobat. 98 00:08:54,360 --> 00:08:58,240 But it's only one of over 400 extraordinary members 99 00:08:58,280 --> 00:09:00,440 that make up our amazing 100 00:09:00,480 --> 00:09:01,480 animal family. 101 00:09:07,280 --> 00:09:10,760 The primate family tree burst into life around 102 00:09:10,800 --> 00:09:13,080 55 million years ago. 103 00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:19,520 As it grew, separate branches began to break away, 104 00:09:19,560 --> 00:09:22,360 as new members of our family evolved. 105 00:09:23,760 --> 00:09:27,920 In the oldest part of the tree there are inquisitive lemurs. 106 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:34,320 Next to them is the oddest branch of all... 107 00:09:35,880 --> 00:09:38,080 ..home to curious little night-time hunters. 108 00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:44,600 The largest and busiest branches belong to the monkeys, 109 00:09:44,640 --> 00:09:49,400 with more than 270 noisy members. 110 00:09:49,440 --> 00:09:51,960 And finally there's our branch... 111 00:09:53,200 --> 00:09:54,240 ..the apes. 112 00:09:56,280 --> 00:09:59,080 The biggest and smartest primates of all. 113 00:10:00,880 --> 00:10:03,840 Today the primate family tree 114 00:10:03,880 --> 00:10:07,320 is one of the most diverse and dazzling groups of animals 115 00:10:07,360 --> 00:10:09,640 in the natural world. 116 00:10:13,360 --> 00:10:17,880 Our journey starts on one of the earliest branches of the tree... 117 00:10:19,360 --> 00:10:23,720 ..with this deadly little night-time ninja. 118 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:42,600 More than 55 million years ago, 119 00:10:42,640 --> 00:10:47,280 the first primates arose in the forests of Asia. 120 00:10:47,320 --> 00:10:49,480 WAVES CRASH 121 00:10:49,520 --> 00:10:52,840 I've come to the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia, 122 00:10:52,880 --> 00:10:55,880 in search of one of the most ancient members of our family. 123 00:11:00,360 --> 00:11:05,240 These bizarre creatures are part of a group that has existed since long 124 00:11:05,280 --> 00:11:07,000 before monkeys and apes. 125 00:11:11,400 --> 00:11:15,840 During the day, they hide out in the most impressive trees in the jungle. 126 00:11:31,440 --> 00:11:34,320 This magnificent strangler fig tree 127 00:11:34,360 --> 00:11:37,640 is home to one of the weirdest members of our family. 128 00:11:37,680 --> 00:11:41,640 Hidden deep in this living labyrinth are a group of strange, 129 00:11:41,680 --> 00:11:43,160 gremlin-like predators. 130 00:11:45,800 --> 00:11:50,320 To see these tiny terrors in action, I have to wait until sunset. 131 00:11:57,600 --> 00:11:58,920 As the sun goes down... 132 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:05,840 ..we can observe the jungle at night like never before. 133 00:12:08,760 --> 00:12:14,320 A brand-new low-light camera allows us to film in near total darkness... 134 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:20,800 ..that makes it look like daylight. 135 00:12:26,200 --> 00:12:28,600 This extraordinary new technology 136 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:33,000 reveals the secret world of some of our most distant cousins. 137 00:12:37,800 --> 00:12:39,920 The tarsiers. 138 00:12:47,560 --> 00:12:49,920 They aren't much bigger than a tennis ball. 139 00:12:54,520 --> 00:12:58,680 But what they lack in size they make up for in ears... 140 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:02,000 ..and eyes. 141 00:13:04,480 --> 00:13:07,240 Each eyeball is bigger than its brain... 142 00:13:12,560 --> 00:13:15,440 ..giving these little creatures night-vision 143 00:13:15,480 --> 00:13:18,240 100 times better than ours. 144 00:13:23,280 --> 00:13:25,080 With their alien appearance... 145 00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:28,920 ..it's easy to think we're not related. 146 00:13:30,680 --> 00:13:35,160 But look closely and you start to see the features we share 147 00:13:35,200 --> 00:13:36,880 as fellow primates. 148 00:13:39,520 --> 00:13:41,800 They have delicate little hands... 149 00:13:44,640 --> 00:13:49,160 ..with five fingers and even tiny fingernails... 150 00:13:51,240 --> 00:13:54,560 ..a feature seen in nearly all of our primate cousins. 151 00:13:58,400 --> 00:14:03,040 But the little tarsier also has a few unusual traits. 152 00:14:12,520 --> 00:14:16,120 They have long frog-like legs, 153 00:14:16,160 --> 00:14:18,200 which they use to launch themselves... 154 00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:23,360 ..60 times their own body length. 155 00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:30,120 They are the long-jump champions... 156 00:14:33,400 --> 00:14:34,760 ..of the primate world. 157 00:14:38,760 --> 00:14:40,240 What an incredible animal! 158 00:14:46,800 --> 00:14:49,680 Tiny tarsiers might look cute... 159 00:14:50,720 --> 00:14:54,400 ..but they use their springy limbs and doe eyes... 160 00:14:57,120 --> 00:14:59,160 ..for a sinister purpose. 161 00:15:08,120 --> 00:15:10,160 Each night they ping through the trees... 162 00:15:14,160 --> 00:15:17,520 ..pouncing on unsuspecting insect prey. 163 00:15:32,240 --> 00:15:35,160 Of over 400 members of our family, 164 00:15:35,200 --> 00:15:40,160 the innocent-looking tarsier is the only fully carnivorous primate. 165 00:15:41,920 --> 00:15:47,280 In these curious little predators, we get a glimpse of how the primate 166 00:15:47,320 --> 00:15:48,320 story began. 167 00:15:57,560 --> 00:15:59,200 On our primate family tree... 168 00:16:00,360 --> 00:16:04,240 ..tarsiers sit on one of the oldest branches... 169 00:16:05,640 --> 00:16:09,520 ..but around 40 million years ago a new branch broke away, 170 00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:14,360 ..as early primates continued to evolve. 171 00:16:17,360 --> 00:16:21,320 This group had bigger brains, better eyesight... 172 00:16:23,120 --> 00:16:27,120 ..and lived in big noisy troops. 173 00:16:28,520 --> 00:16:30,800 The monkeys had arrived. 174 00:16:35,840 --> 00:16:40,040 Today, in the same Sulawesi jungles the tarsiers patrol at night... 175 00:16:44,040 --> 00:16:47,560 ..monkeys have taken over the day shift. 176 00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:49,200 LEAVES RUSTLE 177 00:16:49,240 --> 00:16:50,520 MONKEYS CHATTER 178 00:17:01,280 --> 00:17:03,360 Black crested macaques. 179 00:17:05,400 --> 00:17:08,360 Monkeys with mohicans. 180 00:17:12,280 --> 00:17:15,680 I've come to meet these rowdy characters 181 00:17:15,720 --> 00:17:19,840 that live in troops of up to 100 mischievous members. 182 00:17:29,120 --> 00:17:33,000 Living together means these macaques can alert each other to danger. 183 00:17:33,040 --> 00:17:36,040 MACAQUE CHATTERS 184 00:17:36,080 --> 00:17:40,280 ..and watch over the troop's most precious members. 185 00:17:45,040 --> 00:17:48,680 But to live in big groups you have to know your friends... 186 00:17:51,280 --> 00:17:52,400 ..from your enemies. 187 00:17:55,440 --> 00:17:57,800 THEY CHATTER 188 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:05,160 And these guys have an ingenious way of sizing each other up, 189 00:18:05,200 --> 00:18:08,640 just by using their highly expressive faces. 190 00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:14,720 To demonstrate, I'm setting up a jungle photo booth. 191 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:18,960 It's thought that black crested macaques are some of the friendliest 192 00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:20,720 monkeys on earth. 193 00:18:20,760 --> 00:18:24,320 When they see a stranger or an individual they don't recognise, 194 00:18:24,360 --> 00:18:28,720 their faces light up and they switch on the charm and to see 195 00:18:28,760 --> 00:18:32,400 the charm offensive, I've brought an unusual piece of kit 196 00:18:32,440 --> 00:18:34,400 that they should find irresistible. 197 00:18:37,840 --> 00:18:39,600 Inside this box is a camera. 198 00:18:43,680 --> 00:18:45,840 It's hidden behind a one-way mirror. 199 00:18:48,240 --> 00:18:50,400 When the monkeys peer inside, 200 00:18:50,440 --> 00:18:52,040 all they'll see is their own reflection. 201 00:18:53,840 --> 00:18:55,680 And thinking it's another monkey, 202 00:18:55,720 --> 00:18:57,960 they should greet them 203 00:18:58,000 --> 00:19:00,920 by pulling a range of friendly facial expressions. 204 00:19:06,400 --> 00:19:09,840 MACAQUE CHATTERS 205 00:19:13,200 --> 00:19:14,880 HE LAUGHS 206 00:19:14,920 --> 00:19:17,840 You can see he's looking on one side and he's trying to figure out where 207 00:19:17,880 --> 00:19:21,320 the other monkey is. That's why he keeps going back and forth. 208 00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:26,320 Brilliant! 209 00:19:28,360 --> 00:19:32,360 But look what they're doing with their faces, 210 00:19:32,400 --> 00:19:34,240 especially their mouths. 211 00:19:40,080 --> 00:19:41,360 They're just lip smacking. 212 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:43,640 This is their way of saying hello. 213 00:19:46,240 --> 00:19:49,960 Different expressions have different meanings. 214 00:19:57,200 --> 00:20:03,280 An innocent looking yawn shows off sharp teeth and is in fact a threat. 215 00:20:07,880 --> 00:20:11,440 Folding the ears back is a friendly gesture. 216 00:20:11,480 --> 00:20:13,400 An invitation to play. 217 00:20:14,960 --> 00:20:16,680 CONTAINER CLATTERS 218 00:20:17,920 --> 00:20:23,040 Sulawesi macaques have up to 130 different actions and expressions. 219 00:20:27,680 --> 00:20:32,240 But sadly we only capture a few before our experiment... 220 00:20:32,280 --> 00:20:33,760 CONTAINER THUDS 221 00:20:33,800 --> 00:20:35,480 ..is cut short. 222 00:20:37,560 --> 00:20:39,160 LEAVES RUSTLE 223 00:20:41,200 --> 00:20:42,520 Sulawesi macaques 224 00:20:42,560 --> 00:20:45,960 have some of the most expressive faces of any primate. 225 00:20:51,600 --> 00:20:57,240 It seems there are a few expressions they even share with us. 226 00:21:02,840 --> 00:21:05,760 # Smile 227 00:21:05,800 --> 00:21:09,080 # Though your heart is aching 228 00:21:10,040 --> 00:21:11,560 # Smile 229 00:21:11,600 --> 00:21:14,320 # Even though it's breaking 230 00:21:15,920 --> 00:21:19,080 # When there are clouds 231 00:21:20,080 --> 00:21:22,360 # In the sky 232 00:21:22,400 --> 00:21:24,560 # You'll get by... # 233 00:21:24,600 --> 00:21:28,600 The ability to use their faces to communicate is not unique to 234 00:21:28,640 --> 00:21:33,000 these macaques - it's seen in ALL monkeys and apes. 235 00:21:37,680 --> 00:21:41,440 It's something that unites us as a family. 236 00:21:42,720 --> 00:21:46,760 It's enabled us to live in the most complex societies... 237 00:21:47,920 --> 00:21:49,080 ..of any mammal. 238 00:21:50,160 --> 00:21:53,080 # If you 239 00:21:54,640 --> 00:22:00,480 # Just smile. # 240 00:22:11,960 --> 00:22:15,320 As early primates ventured beyond the jungles, 241 00:22:15,360 --> 00:22:18,480 they began to colonise unusual new lands. 242 00:22:25,520 --> 00:22:28,840 I've come to a group of islands off southern Thailand... 243 00:22:30,560 --> 00:22:33,920 ..to meet some monkey castaways who have conquered 244 00:22:33,960 --> 00:22:36,600 this idyllic looking world. 245 00:22:40,400 --> 00:22:41,880 And to do this 246 00:22:41,920 --> 00:22:44,400 they've figured out a brilliant way 247 00:22:44,440 --> 00:22:47,400 to harvest the fruits of the sea. 248 00:22:47,440 --> 00:22:49,360 WAVES CRASH 249 00:22:50,600 --> 00:22:53,200 Meet the beach monkeys. 250 00:22:55,640 --> 00:22:57,920 Or, long-tailed macaques. 251 00:23:00,720 --> 00:23:05,280 They spend much of their day frolicking on the tropical sands. 252 00:23:13,920 --> 00:23:18,360 When it gets too hot they take a dip to cool off. 253 00:23:26,080 --> 00:23:28,560 MONKEY CHATTERS 254 00:23:28,600 --> 00:23:30,360 Move over, Daniel Craig. 255 00:23:42,320 --> 00:23:45,560 But what's the secret to their leisurely lifestyles? 256 00:23:47,800 --> 00:23:50,040 MONKEY SCREECHES 257 00:23:50,080 --> 00:23:53,200 WAVE CRASHES 258 00:23:53,240 --> 00:23:57,200 On the surface it looks like they have the perfect life. 259 00:23:57,240 --> 00:24:01,320 But this island is isolated from the mainland and food is scarce, 260 00:24:01,360 --> 00:24:05,000 so to survive here they've been forced to find their meals in a way 261 00:24:05,040 --> 00:24:06,640 that's really quite ingenious. 262 00:24:06,680 --> 00:24:10,760 WATER LAPS 263 00:24:10,800 --> 00:24:14,960 Every day, as the tide rolls out, the monkeys stop playing... 264 00:24:18,320 --> 00:24:21,520 ..and turn their minds to the task of finding food. 265 00:24:24,880 --> 00:24:28,960 Clams and oysters that were submerged 266 00:24:29,000 --> 00:24:30,600 are now ripe for the picking. 267 00:24:33,680 --> 00:24:38,920 But the fleshy treats are locked within a thick armour-plated shell. 268 00:24:42,440 --> 00:24:47,280 Their dextrous little hands and even their powerful jaws... 269 00:24:49,400 --> 00:24:51,320 ..aren't strong enough to open them. 270 00:24:53,960 --> 00:24:58,320 To get to their dinner they face the ultimate monkey puzzle. 271 00:25:03,680 --> 00:25:06,560 And these guys have cracked it. 272 00:25:09,920 --> 00:25:13,760 MUSIC: Also Sprach Zarathustra by Richard Strauss 273 00:25:33,000 --> 00:25:36,520 By selecting the most pointed rocks... 274 00:25:41,280 --> 00:25:45,480 ..these monkeys have figured out how to chisel their way 275 00:25:45,520 --> 00:25:48,000 into the toughest oyster shells. 276 00:25:50,920 --> 00:25:52,880 ROCK THUDS 277 00:25:59,880 --> 00:26:00,960 ROCK THUDS 278 00:26:01,000 --> 00:26:02,280 In the animal kingdom, 279 00:26:02,320 --> 00:26:06,760 only a handful of creatures have the intelligence to use tools 280 00:26:06,800 --> 00:26:09,160 in such a sophisticated way. 281 00:26:16,760 --> 00:26:20,920 These long-tailed macaques have used their big brains to figure out 282 00:26:20,960 --> 00:26:23,760 the secret to a leisurely lunch. 283 00:26:32,960 --> 00:26:35,160 MACAQUE CHATTERS 284 00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:40,080 Their seafood diet is so nutritious they soon get the energy they need. 285 00:26:46,600 --> 00:26:49,840 And they are back, spending time playing... 286 00:26:52,760 --> 00:26:54,440 ..lounging... 287 00:26:54,480 --> 00:26:56,760 MACAQUE CHATTERS 288 00:26:56,800 --> 00:26:59,200 ..or just taking a dip. 289 00:27:03,440 --> 00:27:07,840 For these macaques, life really is a beach. 290 00:27:13,640 --> 00:27:15,400 Watching these clever monkeys hard 291 00:27:15,440 --> 00:27:17,160 at work it's clear to see that there's 292 00:27:17,200 --> 00:27:19,560 far more than just brute force at play here. 293 00:27:21,160 --> 00:27:23,720 To succeed, they've applied their brilliant minds 294 00:27:23,760 --> 00:27:25,280 and worked out how to access this 295 00:27:25,320 --> 00:27:28,240 abundance of seafood 296 00:27:28,280 --> 00:27:31,400 and it is this resourcefulness that's led to the macaque family 297 00:27:31,440 --> 00:27:35,880 becoming the most widespread of all monkeys on Earth. 298 00:27:35,920 --> 00:27:39,480 Whether it's mountains, forests or beaches, 299 00:27:39,520 --> 00:27:43,400 their sharp minds have puzzled out the best way to survive. 300 00:27:54,280 --> 00:27:57,040 As early monkeys spread across Asia... 301 00:27:58,320 --> 00:28:00,640 ..they encountered some landscapes 302 00:28:00,680 --> 00:28:03,440 that even big brains couldn't help them conquer. 303 00:28:06,160 --> 00:28:09,120 They needed to adapt in other ways. 304 00:28:12,240 --> 00:28:15,480 The mangrove swamps of Borneo. 305 00:28:17,280 --> 00:28:19,440 They look lush and bountiful, 306 00:28:19,480 --> 00:28:22,560 but the leaves here are tough and highly toxic. 307 00:28:24,600 --> 00:28:26,200 Few animals can stomach them. 308 00:28:31,720 --> 00:28:36,440 But one strange looking monkey has evolved a way to survive. 309 00:28:36,480 --> 00:28:41,640 By pushing bits of its body to a comical extreme. 310 00:28:45,600 --> 00:28:46,960 The proboscis monkey. 311 00:28:51,560 --> 00:28:56,600 The males have by far the biggest noses of any primate. 312 00:29:02,280 --> 00:29:03,680 So big... 313 00:29:05,080 --> 00:29:08,000 ..they can make eating rather awkward. 314 00:29:13,920 --> 00:29:17,200 Combined with their swollen pot bellies, 315 00:29:17,240 --> 00:29:19,360 these primate Pinocchios... 316 00:29:20,440 --> 00:29:22,600 ..may not win any beauty contests. 317 00:29:26,160 --> 00:29:31,200 But their peculiar looks have been key to them conquering 318 00:29:31,240 --> 00:29:33,000 the hostile mangrove swamps. 319 00:29:40,760 --> 00:29:45,040 Behind those pot bellies are several bacteria-filled stomach chambers... 320 00:29:52,200 --> 00:29:54,240 ..that break down the toxic leaves. 321 00:29:55,680 --> 00:29:57,240 A bit like a cow's stomach. 322 00:30:00,440 --> 00:30:03,560 So they can happily chomp away on food 323 00:30:03,600 --> 00:30:06,320 other monkeys just can't stomach. 324 00:30:08,920 --> 00:30:10,000 But why the big noses? 325 00:30:12,240 --> 00:30:13,840 To demonstrate, 326 00:30:13,880 --> 00:30:17,520 I need to lure them close with the proboscis equivalent 327 00:30:17,560 --> 00:30:19,240 of a chat-up line. 328 00:30:22,080 --> 00:30:24,920 I've got the love song of the male, 329 00:30:24,960 --> 00:30:26,880 which I'm going to play using the speaker. 330 00:30:26,920 --> 00:30:29,960 Hopefully, it should act as an irresistible draw for the females - 331 00:30:30,000 --> 00:30:32,600 but also a bit of a threat for the males. 332 00:30:32,640 --> 00:30:36,080 Either way, it should get them a bit closer to the water's edge. 333 00:30:40,000 --> 00:30:42,840 MALE PROBOSCIS LOVE SONG PLAYS 334 00:30:46,760 --> 00:30:49,120 It's not long before my calling 335 00:30:49,160 --> 00:30:52,400 alerts a rival male to the river bank. 336 00:30:52,440 --> 00:30:56,000 PROBOSCIS HONKS 337 00:30:57,800 --> 00:31:00,600 And soon he starts to honk back. 338 00:31:01,960 --> 00:31:05,000 PROBOSCIS HONKS 339 00:31:05,040 --> 00:31:07,800 It must be the male making that sound. It's just going... 340 00:31:07,840 --> 00:31:10,400 HE HONKS 341 00:31:14,320 --> 00:31:16,560 PROBOSCIS HONKS 342 00:31:16,600 --> 00:31:18,120 It's very deep. It sounds so weird! 343 00:31:18,160 --> 00:31:19,600 The only thing... 344 00:31:19,640 --> 00:31:22,000 PROBOSCIS HONKS 345 00:31:22,040 --> 00:31:25,160 ..weirder than how they look is how they sound! 346 00:31:29,960 --> 00:31:32,480 Bizarrely it's this love call... 347 00:31:32,520 --> 00:31:34,400 PROBOSCIS HONKS 348 00:31:34,440 --> 00:31:37,840 ..that's thought to be the secret behind THAT nose. 349 00:31:43,720 --> 00:31:47,360 Proboscis monkeys live in troops, with one male... 350 00:31:47,400 --> 00:31:49,200 PROBOSCIS HONKS 351 00:31:49,240 --> 00:31:51,880 ..a harem of females, and their young. 352 00:31:53,880 --> 00:31:59,160 To impress his female followers the male tries to produce the deepest, 353 00:31:59,200 --> 00:32:00,640 loudest call he can. 354 00:32:01,760 --> 00:32:06,120 PROBOSCIS HONKS 355 00:32:08,000 --> 00:32:12,240 Surprisingly, the reason they can make those reverberating calls... 356 00:32:13,320 --> 00:32:17,640 ..is because their huge honkers are like a giant amplifier. 357 00:32:17,680 --> 00:32:20,360 PROBOSCIS HONKS 358 00:32:23,360 --> 00:32:25,560 It's thought that the big nose of the male 359 00:32:25,600 --> 00:32:27,680 acts as a resonating chamber, 360 00:32:27,720 --> 00:32:30,480 so the bigger the nose the louder the call. 361 00:32:33,200 --> 00:32:34,520 PROBOSCIS HONKS 362 00:32:34,560 --> 00:32:37,720 The secret behind the biggest nose in the jungle? 363 00:32:41,080 --> 00:32:47,920 Well, it was always going to come down to impressing the opposite sex. 364 00:32:47,960 --> 00:32:51,240 PROBOSCIS HONKS 365 00:32:51,280 --> 00:32:53,800 To us, they may appear comical... 366 00:32:57,320 --> 00:33:01,720 ..but these monkeys are perfectly adapted for life in the swamps. 367 00:33:01,760 --> 00:33:03,440 PROBOSCIS HONKS 368 00:33:03,480 --> 00:33:07,320 They are one of the only large mammals that can live here. 369 00:33:11,520 --> 00:33:15,200 By adapting their bodies and using their big brains... 370 00:33:18,360 --> 00:33:24,440 ..monkeys were able to reach new frontiers right across Asia. 371 00:33:30,800 --> 00:33:34,520 But the tropical jungles and beaches were just the beginning. 372 00:33:36,600 --> 00:33:41,520 Some monkeys would go on to conquer the snowcapped mountains. 373 00:33:41,560 --> 00:33:49,720 # I'm feeling good... # 374 00:34:01,760 --> 00:34:06,760 2 million years ago the primates were spreading across Asia. 375 00:34:09,160 --> 00:34:11,760 Most stuck to the tropical forests. 376 00:34:14,320 --> 00:34:17,600 But a few pioneering little monkeys 377 00:34:17,640 --> 00:34:19,840 began to push their way further north. 378 00:34:22,560 --> 00:34:26,040 Today, in the frozen mountains of central China... 379 00:34:28,160 --> 00:34:30,960 ..lives perhaps the hardiest monkey of all. 380 00:34:38,520 --> 00:34:40,960 The golden snub-nosed monkey. 381 00:34:47,000 --> 00:34:48,440 Even in the depths of winter... 382 00:34:50,080 --> 00:34:52,680 ..youngsters spend much of their day 383 00:34:52,720 --> 00:34:56,080 just playing about and making a racket. 384 00:34:56,120 --> 00:34:59,160 THEY CHATTER 385 00:35:07,280 --> 00:35:08,280 For the grown-ups... 386 00:35:10,760 --> 00:35:14,280 ..it can all get a little too much. 387 00:35:14,320 --> 00:35:17,480 MONKEY CHATTERS 388 00:35:24,680 --> 00:35:28,640 So how does a monkey that would seem more at home in the tropics... 389 00:35:30,360 --> 00:35:34,720 ..survive temperatures of -20 degrees Celsius? 390 00:35:44,120 --> 00:35:48,240 The adults have long golden manes for insulation. 391 00:35:54,280 --> 00:35:57,080 Even the babies have thick polar suits... 392 00:36:00,480 --> 00:36:03,880 ..with furry ears and mittens to keep them warm. 393 00:36:13,200 --> 00:36:17,840 But perhaps their strangest feature is their nose. 394 00:36:17,880 --> 00:36:23,400 Instead of fleshy snouts they have open nostrils that warm the freezing 395 00:36:23,440 --> 00:36:25,160 air as they breathe in. 396 00:36:31,120 --> 00:36:33,560 The golden snub-nosed monkey is 397 00:36:33,600 --> 00:36:36,360 living proof of how brilliantly primates 398 00:36:36,400 --> 00:36:38,920 can adapt to different landscapes. 399 00:36:42,640 --> 00:36:47,800 And why today there are more than 100 different species across Asia. 400 00:36:53,080 --> 00:36:55,200 MONKEYS SCREECH 401 00:36:55,240 --> 00:37:01,560 Monkeys occupy the busiest, noisiest branches on our primate family tree. 402 00:37:01,600 --> 00:37:05,480 MONKEYS SCREECH 403 00:37:05,520 --> 00:37:09,680 But around 25 million years ago a new branch grew... 404 00:37:10,840 --> 00:37:13,600 ..home to a new type of primate. 405 00:37:15,680 --> 00:37:20,120 They had longer, stronger arms, lost their tails... 406 00:37:21,200 --> 00:37:23,280 ..and they grew even bigger brains. 407 00:37:25,400 --> 00:37:28,160 This is our branch. 408 00:37:28,200 --> 00:37:30,200 The apes. 409 00:37:36,280 --> 00:37:41,520 Today, one of our closest relatives still hangs out in the jungles 410 00:37:41,560 --> 00:37:42,560 of Borneo. 411 00:37:48,720 --> 00:37:50,880 The orangutan. 412 00:37:52,320 --> 00:37:54,680 LEAVES RUSTLE 413 00:37:54,720 --> 00:37:57,840 Its name means person of the forest. 414 00:37:59,600 --> 00:38:01,760 And it's not hard to see why. 415 00:38:09,120 --> 00:38:14,160 To discover just how similar we are to these great apes, 416 00:38:14,200 --> 00:38:16,120 I've come to a jungle rescue centre... 417 00:38:18,160 --> 00:38:23,080 ..to meet an inquisitive little orangutan called Octo. 418 00:38:30,520 --> 00:38:32,320 (Hello.) 419 00:38:33,680 --> 00:38:35,960 What a cool-looking character. 420 00:38:39,720 --> 00:38:43,000 At first, Octo seems a little suspicious. 421 00:38:49,400 --> 00:38:52,960 But it's not long before he reveals his mischievous streak. 422 00:38:53,000 --> 00:38:54,520 LEAVES RUSTLE 423 00:38:54,560 --> 00:38:55,560 Oh! 424 00:38:58,280 --> 00:39:01,360 'And he seems determined to interrupt me.' 425 00:39:01,400 --> 00:39:03,640 It's near enough impossible... 426 00:39:05,720 --> 00:39:09,960 Even the onlookers start to heckle from the sidelines. 427 00:39:10,000 --> 00:39:13,640 Now we take having thumbs for granted but... 428 00:39:13,680 --> 00:39:17,480 ORANGUTAN BLOWS RASPBERRY 429 00:39:17,520 --> 00:39:20,200 HE LAUGHS 430 00:39:20,240 --> 00:39:22,440 ORANGUTAN BLOWS RASPBERRY 431 00:39:27,600 --> 00:39:29,680 It's only after they settle down 432 00:39:29,720 --> 00:39:31,440 that I'm able to get a proper look 433 00:39:31,480 --> 00:39:32,480 at young Octo. 434 00:39:36,320 --> 00:39:40,000 At two years old this young orangutan is such... 435 00:39:40,040 --> 00:39:42,120 a brilliant climber. 436 00:39:43,360 --> 00:39:48,160 By the time he's an adult, he'll have the reach of about two metres. 437 00:39:48,200 --> 00:39:50,800 Those arms are so long. 438 00:39:50,840 --> 00:39:52,760 But it's not just his arms that allow him 439 00:39:52,800 --> 00:39:55,240 to move through the tree with ease. 440 00:39:55,280 --> 00:39:57,120 It is also down to his legs. 441 00:39:57,160 --> 00:39:59,040 His hips are really flexible. 442 00:40:01,400 --> 00:40:03,760 You can see that in the way that he moves them. 443 00:40:03,800 --> 00:40:07,280 Sometimes it looks like he's doing splits between two branches. 444 00:40:09,800 --> 00:40:12,120 But the real secret to this little guy's success... 445 00:40:14,600 --> 00:40:17,160 ..comes down to a feature he shares with us. 446 00:40:20,000 --> 00:40:21,000 His thumbs. 447 00:40:22,800 --> 00:40:23,880 We take it for granted... 448 00:40:25,000 --> 00:40:27,160 Ooh, watch out! 449 00:40:27,200 --> 00:40:30,560 ..but having a thumb gives us such incredible dexterity. 450 00:40:31,760 --> 00:40:33,320 Just imagine NOT having a thumb, 451 00:40:33,360 --> 00:40:36,040 trying to do a simple task like doing the buttons up on your shirt, 452 00:40:36,080 --> 00:40:39,240 or opening a door. It would be nearly impossible. 453 00:40:40,240 --> 00:40:42,240 But having a thumb that pivots around - 454 00:40:42,280 --> 00:40:45,080 that you can use and clasp and grip with your hands - 455 00:40:45,120 --> 00:40:47,640 makes them such powerful tools, 456 00:40:47,680 --> 00:40:50,040 especially for climbing trees like this. 457 00:40:53,320 --> 00:40:55,960 Orangutan hands are so similar to ours. 458 00:40:57,840 --> 00:41:00,880 It's what allows them to move so comfortably 459 00:41:00,920 --> 00:41:02,480 through the forest canopy. 460 00:41:06,800 --> 00:41:11,000 But the greatest similarity between orangutans and us 461 00:41:11,040 --> 00:41:12,560 is not in the way we look... 462 00:41:14,360 --> 00:41:16,760 ..but in the way we bring up our babies. 463 00:41:25,640 --> 00:41:27,800 Other than humans, 464 00:41:27,840 --> 00:41:31,680 orangutans have the longest childhood of any primate, 465 00:41:31,720 --> 00:41:35,040 and this little one is going to stick with its mother 466 00:41:35,080 --> 00:41:37,280 until it is around eight years old. 467 00:41:37,320 --> 00:41:39,840 And she is its lifeline. 468 00:41:45,360 --> 00:41:48,600 The bond between orangutan mother and child 469 00:41:48,640 --> 00:41:52,200 is said to be the most intense bond in the animal kingdom. 470 00:41:56,680 --> 00:41:59,600 Adult orangutans spend most of their lives alone. 471 00:42:03,120 --> 00:42:04,960 So before they leave the nest, 472 00:42:05,000 --> 00:42:08,240 mums dedicate almost a decade 473 00:42:08,280 --> 00:42:10,000 teaching their offspring everything they 474 00:42:10,040 --> 00:42:12,720 need to know to survive in the forest. 475 00:42:26,000 --> 00:42:29,880 We have so much in common with these great apes. 476 00:42:31,360 --> 00:42:36,720 Our dextrous hands, big brains and long childhoods. 477 00:42:39,720 --> 00:42:42,800 These features were part of a winning blueprint 478 00:42:42,840 --> 00:42:46,200 that helped apes and monkeys spread across Asia. 479 00:42:46,240 --> 00:42:48,160 But also beyond. 480 00:42:56,640 --> 00:43:00,120 Primates first arose in Asia. 481 00:43:00,160 --> 00:43:04,120 They adapted their bodies and behaviours to conquer the forests, 482 00:43:04,160 --> 00:43:08,960 beaches and even the snowy landscapes of this giant continent, 483 00:43:09,000 --> 00:43:11,040 but their story didn't end here. 484 00:43:13,680 --> 00:43:14,920 Millions of years ago... 485 00:43:16,760 --> 00:43:20,040 ..early Asian primates ventured into a new land. 486 00:43:21,440 --> 00:43:27,120 # We have all the time 487 00:43:27,160 --> 00:43:29,440 # In the world 488 00:43:32,080 --> 00:43:37,440 # Time enough for life to unfold 489 00:43:37,480 --> 00:43:40,280 # All the precious things 490 00:43:40,320 --> 00:43:42,320 # Love has in store... # 491 00:43:43,600 --> 00:43:46,240 A land where they grew bigger... 492 00:43:46,280 --> 00:43:48,000 GORILLA BELLOWS 493 00:43:48,040 --> 00:43:53,800 ..stronger and smarter than anywhere else on the planet. 494 00:43:55,760 --> 00:43:57,880 For the primate family, 495 00:43:57,920 --> 00:44:03,640 Africa would become the land of the record breakers. 496 00:44:06,600 --> 00:44:11,120 # Every step of the way 497 00:44:12,680 --> 00:44:17,120 # Will find us 498 00:44:17,160 --> 00:44:22,240 # With the cares of the world 499 00:44:22,280 --> 00:44:25,800 # Far behind us... # 500 00:44:38,400 --> 00:44:43,640 Prepare to meet an amazing animal family. 501 00:44:45,360 --> 00:44:48,040 Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh! 502 00:44:48,080 --> 00:44:49,760 Ooh-ooh-ooh! 503 00:44:49,800 --> 00:44:55,320 # We have all the time 504 00:44:55,360 --> 00:44:57,560 # In the world 505 00:44:59,960 --> 00:45:02,760 # Time enough for life 506 00:45:03,720 --> 00:45:05,600 # To unfold 507 00:45:05,640 --> 00:45:08,640 # All the precious things 508 00:45:08,680 --> 00:45:10,960 # Love has in store. # 509 00:45:11,000 --> 00:45:12,920 Mischievous monkeys. 510 00:45:13,720 --> 00:45:16,160 Intelligent apes. 511 00:45:17,080 --> 00:45:21,960 And a cast of strange and enchanting little cousins. 512 00:45:24,160 --> 00:45:29,440 This is the story of our closest relatives on Earth. 513 00:45:29,960 --> 00:45:31,960 The primates. 514 00:45:33,160 --> 00:45:35,640 From the mighty gorilla, to a monkey so small 515 00:45:35,680 --> 00:45:37,880 it could fit in the palm of your hand. 516 00:45:37,920 --> 00:45:41,560 We're all part of the same amazing animal family. 517 00:45:41,600 --> 00:45:46,120 Today, there are more than 400 different primates. 518 00:45:47,400 --> 00:45:50,160 They are unrivalled acrobats... 519 00:45:52,600 --> 00:45:54,520 ..doting parents, 520 00:45:54,560 --> 00:45:58,560 and some of the smartest creatures in the natural world. 521 00:45:59,960 --> 00:46:04,960 But how did primates become king of the swingers? 522 00:46:06,800 --> 00:46:11,080 In this series, we're on a journey through the primate family tree. 523 00:46:12,240 --> 00:46:15,400 To retrace the astonishing rise to power 524 00:46:15,440 --> 00:46:18,160 of our very own animal family. 525 00:46:18,200 --> 00:46:20,080 Hello! 526 00:46:20,120 --> 00:46:21,680 Don't lick my face! 527 00:46:24,240 --> 00:46:29,560 Last time, we discovered how primates arose in the treetops of Asia. 528 00:46:31,480 --> 00:46:35,280 In this episode, we're in Africa 529 00:46:35,320 --> 00:46:37,800 to find out how primates became bigger... 530 00:46:39,000 --> 00:46:43,320 ..stronger and smarter than anywhere else on the planet. 531 00:46:46,200 --> 00:46:48,080 # Nothing more 532 00:46:48,120 --> 00:46:50,400 # Nothing less 533 00:46:50,440 --> 00:46:52,800 # Only love... 534 00:46:52,840 --> 00:46:56,760 Prepare to meet our amazing animal family. 535 00:46:58,720 --> 00:47:02,480 # Only love. # 536 00:47:08,040 --> 00:47:14,040 Our story starts in the lush jungles of Uganda. 537 00:47:18,000 --> 00:47:23,840 It's here in Africa that primates pushed their bodies and minds to a whole new level. 538 00:47:23,880 --> 00:47:26,680 They became bigger, stronger, 539 00:47:26,720 --> 00:47:30,800 and formed more complex societies than anywhere else on Earth. 540 00:47:30,840 --> 00:47:33,240 And it's in these forests 541 00:47:33,280 --> 00:47:35,920 that one group evolved something quite extraordinary. 542 00:47:35,960 --> 00:47:39,080 Because for the apes living under this canopy, 543 00:47:39,120 --> 00:47:41,240 it's all about one thing - 544 00:47:41,280 --> 00:47:43,160 brain power! 545 00:47:45,880 --> 00:47:47,360 For these jungles 546 00:47:47,400 --> 00:47:51,600 are home to one of the brightest sparks in the primate family. 547 00:47:57,040 --> 00:47:58,960 The chimpanzee. 548 00:48:05,480 --> 00:48:08,160 We have more in common with these great apes 549 00:48:08,200 --> 00:48:11,200 than with any other animal on Earth. 550 00:48:23,760 --> 00:48:27,480 Their faces can express complex emotions 551 00:48:27,520 --> 00:48:29,800 with a single glance. 552 00:48:35,480 --> 00:48:37,600 They yawn when they're tired. 553 00:48:41,160 --> 00:48:43,040 Laugh when they're having fun. 554 00:48:44,960 --> 00:48:48,440 And even kiss to make up after a spat. 555 00:48:51,960 --> 00:48:55,880 And just like us, they are endlessly inquisitive. 556 00:48:58,160 --> 00:48:59,880 And it's this natural curiosity 557 00:48:59,920 --> 00:49:02,080 that has been key to their success. 558 00:49:07,000 --> 00:49:09,480 I'm meeting some energetic four-year-olds 559 00:49:09,520 --> 00:49:11,640 at a jungle rescue centre 560 00:49:11,680 --> 00:49:17,240 to set them a challenge that should demonstrate just how smart they really are. 561 00:49:19,440 --> 00:49:21,560 But they've got other plans! 562 00:49:21,600 --> 00:49:24,680 This is what all the youngsters want to do! 563 00:49:26,280 --> 00:49:27,440 Ow! 564 00:49:27,480 --> 00:49:28,960 They just want to play! 565 00:49:29,000 --> 00:49:31,080 # Hey, everybody 566 00:49:31,120 --> 00:49:32,960 # Let's have some fun 567 00:49:33,720 --> 00:49:35,920 # You only live but once 568 00:49:35,960 --> 00:49:37,440 # And when you're dead, you're done 569 00:49:37,480 --> 00:49:40,040 # So let the good times roll 570 00:49:41,560 --> 00:49:43,760 # I said let the good times roll 571 00:49:46,600 --> 00:49:48,800 # I don't care if you're young or old 572 00:49:49,440 --> 00:49:53,000 # You ought to get together and let the good times roll... # 573 00:49:57,960 --> 00:50:01,560 These chimpanzees are really playful and so boisterous. 574 00:50:01,600 --> 00:50:04,880 They're lots of fun to play with. 575 00:50:04,920 --> 00:50:08,640 But one thing I noticed is just how heavy they are. 576 00:50:08,680 --> 00:50:10,440 They're extremely dense! 577 00:50:10,480 --> 00:50:14,680 They look like they should be at least half the weight of what they are. 578 00:50:16,240 --> 00:50:19,560 And that's because of all that muscle they've got. 579 00:50:19,600 --> 00:50:22,760 They are built for life not only on the ground 580 00:50:22,800 --> 00:50:25,280 but also in the trees. Look how well they're climbing! 581 00:50:32,800 --> 00:50:36,920 They're so playful, but they do have a gentle side to them, as well. 582 00:50:39,760 --> 00:50:43,160 Just like us, chimps have different personalities. 583 00:50:44,880 --> 00:50:47,040 Some are shy. 584 00:50:47,080 --> 00:50:49,160 Others, show-offs. 585 00:50:51,320 --> 00:50:53,520 Some like to take the lead. 586 00:50:53,560 --> 00:50:56,120 Others are a little more cautious. 587 00:50:58,080 --> 00:51:00,680 But perhaps the most extraordinary thing we share with chimps 588 00:51:00,720 --> 00:51:03,520 is the ability to learn from each other. 589 00:51:05,840 --> 00:51:08,680 To demonstrate, I've set up a test 590 00:51:08,720 --> 00:51:10,920 with an unused termite mound 591 00:51:10,960 --> 00:51:13,280 that's been filled with honey. 592 00:51:16,280 --> 00:51:19,800 The chimps have had to figure out how to get at the honey deep inside. 593 00:51:23,800 --> 00:51:25,920 A few super-smart chimps 594 00:51:25,960 --> 00:51:29,080 first learnt that if they could fashion a dipping stick 595 00:51:29,120 --> 00:51:32,240 they could get at the sugary treat. 596 00:51:35,120 --> 00:51:37,680 Amazingly, the others watched 597 00:51:37,720 --> 00:51:39,880 and learnt. 598 00:51:39,920 --> 00:51:42,040 Over a few years, 599 00:51:42,080 --> 00:51:44,960 this intricate behaviour spread through most of the group. 600 00:51:55,960 --> 00:51:59,800 One of our boisterous four-year-olds hasn't quite mastered it yet. 601 00:52:00,800 --> 00:52:03,120 So I'm giving him a lesson. 602 00:52:10,720 --> 00:52:12,560 It's not looking promising. 603 00:52:14,200 --> 00:52:16,000 But after some perseverance... 604 00:52:29,280 --> 00:52:34,680 Perfect! He's seen me using that stick to get to the honey and he's copied it 605 00:52:34,720 --> 00:52:36,520 and that's the process of learning. 606 00:52:36,560 --> 00:52:39,920 The chimpanzees' ability to figure out problems 607 00:52:39,960 --> 00:52:41,800 and learn from each other 608 00:52:41,840 --> 00:52:45,920 has led to different groups of chimps developing distinct behaviours 609 00:52:45,960 --> 00:52:48,480 and skills. 610 00:52:52,280 --> 00:52:54,520 These are so unique to different populations 611 00:52:54,560 --> 00:52:59,320 that chimps, like humans, are said to have different cultures. 612 00:53:06,800 --> 00:53:09,560 Chimpanzees are exceptionally bright. 613 00:53:09,600 --> 00:53:13,560 And they use their razor-sharp minds to puzzle out and remember 614 00:53:13,600 --> 00:53:16,480 how to solve even the trickiest of problems. 615 00:53:16,520 --> 00:53:20,120 But having a big brain isn't just a chimp thing. 616 00:53:21,360 --> 00:53:23,480 It runs right throughout the family. 617 00:53:23,520 --> 00:53:27,520 And it's this combination of intelligence and curiosity 618 00:53:27,560 --> 00:53:30,600 that has pushed primates beyond other animal families, 619 00:53:30,640 --> 00:53:33,280 allowing them to conquer so much 620 00:53:33,320 --> 00:53:36,160 and spread right across the continent of Africa. 621 00:53:41,640 --> 00:53:45,200 As primates ventured across Africa's varied landscapes, 622 00:53:45,240 --> 00:53:50,680 they evolved into new species on the primate family tree. 623 00:53:53,800 --> 00:53:59,320 It's a family tree that burst into life around 55 million years ago. 624 00:54:04,760 --> 00:54:06,360 One of the earliest branches 625 00:54:06,400 --> 00:54:10,440 belongs to a group that includes inquisitive little lemurs. 626 00:54:13,440 --> 00:54:16,120 Then come the tiny nocturnal tarsiers. 627 00:54:18,680 --> 00:54:21,720 In Africa, the monkey branches would flourish, 628 00:54:21,760 --> 00:54:25,200 with around 70 different species. 629 00:54:25,240 --> 00:54:28,480 Finally, there's our branch, 630 00:54:28,520 --> 00:54:30,120 the apes. 631 00:54:30,160 --> 00:54:33,960 Home to the biggest, brainiest primates of all. 632 00:54:36,320 --> 00:54:38,240 Today, across the world, 633 00:54:38,280 --> 00:54:44,000 there are over 400 species that make up our amazing animal family. 634 00:54:48,320 --> 00:54:52,920 But to find out how the very first primates spread into Africa, 635 00:54:52,960 --> 00:54:56,120 we begin on one of the oldest branches of all, 636 00:54:56,160 --> 00:54:59,120 with the leaping lemurs. 637 00:55:08,880 --> 00:55:11,400 Around 50 million years ago, 638 00:55:11,440 --> 00:55:14,960 long before today's monkeys and apes arose, 639 00:55:15,000 --> 00:55:17,360 the very first primates 640 00:55:17,400 --> 00:55:20,440 journeyed from Asia into Africa. 641 00:55:22,800 --> 00:55:24,960 Today, a group of their descendants 642 00:55:25,000 --> 00:55:27,840 are found on one very special island. 643 00:55:29,000 --> 00:55:31,360 The island of Madagascar. 644 00:55:35,560 --> 00:55:38,640 Most of the animals and plants here are completely unique. 645 00:55:42,880 --> 00:55:48,360 In the arid south, weird cactus-like forests dominate the scenery. 646 00:55:51,760 --> 00:55:54,160 In this unusual, spiny landscape 647 00:55:54,200 --> 00:55:57,400 lives an equally unusual little character. 648 00:55:57,440 --> 00:56:02,080 The locals here call these bizarre animals "the ghosts of the forest" 649 00:56:02,120 --> 00:56:04,720 because as they flit silently through the trees, 650 00:56:04,760 --> 00:56:06,920 all you catch are fleeting glimpses. 651 00:56:06,960 --> 00:56:09,040 But if you're lucky enough to see one, 652 00:56:09,080 --> 00:56:12,840 you're in for one of the most flamboyant displays in the natural world. 653 00:56:16,680 --> 00:56:21,360 These ghostly creatures are a type of lemur called Sifakas. 654 00:56:25,760 --> 00:56:27,920 They have long back legs... 655 00:56:29,120 --> 00:56:31,000 ..pointed snouts 656 00:56:31,040 --> 00:56:33,160 and wet little noses. 657 00:56:34,160 --> 00:56:37,360 They leap through the forest with pinpoint precision... 658 00:56:39,840 --> 00:56:41,360 ..most of the time! 659 00:56:43,160 --> 00:56:48,080 But these little acrobats have an even weirder way of getting about the forest. 660 00:56:53,880 --> 00:56:55,800 Oh, wow! Hello! 661 00:56:55,840 --> 00:56:58,120 Hello, little guy. 662 00:57:02,560 --> 00:57:06,720 I can't believe I'm this close to them, the wild, completely wild sifakas. 663 00:57:08,320 --> 00:57:09,280 Hello! 664 00:57:09,320 --> 00:57:15,360 Sifakas live in small troops, usually around six individuals. 665 00:57:16,480 --> 00:57:19,640 And they get their name from their distinctive calls. 666 00:57:19,680 --> 00:57:22,160 Shif-auk! Shif-auk! 667 00:57:23,600 --> 00:57:26,800 Shif-auk! Shif-auk! 668 00:57:26,840 --> 00:57:29,440 We've been following this troop of Sifakas 669 00:57:29,480 --> 00:57:32,240 and this one here, all of a sudden, it made this sound. 670 00:57:32,280 --> 00:57:34,160 "Shif-auk! Shif-auk!" 671 00:57:34,200 --> 00:57:37,160 That's the alarm call, and that's where they get their names from. 672 00:57:37,200 --> 00:57:40,840 Shif-auk!Shif-auk! Shif-auk! 673 00:57:40,880 --> 00:57:43,120 But the most incredible thing about these guys 674 00:57:43,160 --> 00:57:44,800 isn't the way they sound. 675 00:57:44,840 --> 00:57:47,440 It's the way they move. 676 00:57:51,960 --> 00:57:56,480 Especially when they leave the branches to cross open ground. 677 00:58:00,080 --> 00:58:05,000 Because sifakas have evolved one of the most peculiar walks on Earth! 678 00:58:11,240 --> 00:58:14,000 Their powerful hind legs act like springs, 679 00:58:14,040 --> 00:58:15,720 propelling them forward. 680 00:58:31,080 --> 00:58:34,280 Their strange walk is called bipedal galloping, 681 00:58:34,320 --> 00:58:37,280 and they are the only mammal that do it. 682 00:58:45,880 --> 00:58:47,840 It may look a little ungainly, 683 00:58:47,880 --> 00:58:52,040 but they can cover four feet in a single bound. 684 00:58:53,760 --> 00:58:57,800 Which means they can quickly get back into the safety of the trees. 685 00:59:00,520 --> 00:59:05,960 But up here, the challenges of getting about become even trickier. 686 00:59:06,960 --> 00:59:09,960 The vertical branches of the ocotillo tree 687 00:59:10,000 --> 00:59:13,200 are covered in needle-like thorns. 688 00:59:15,000 --> 00:59:18,080 But this is the sifakas' realm. 689 00:59:19,280 --> 00:59:26,160 Up here, they become the most graceful movers in the forest. 690 00:59:26,200 --> 00:59:31,280 MUSIC: Viennese Waltz 691 00:59:43,160 --> 00:59:46,840 They can leap 20 feet between branches. 692 00:59:50,720 --> 00:59:53,840 Thick leathery pads on their hands and feet 693 00:59:53,880 --> 00:59:57,000 are thought to offer protection from the spikes 694 00:59:57,040 --> 00:59:59,080 as they land. 695 01:00:04,600 --> 01:00:10,440 This is an aerial ballet seen only in the ancient forests of Madagascar. 696 01:00:21,320 --> 01:00:26,400 Sifakas are just one of over 100 different species of lemur in Madagascar. 697 01:00:28,480 --> 01:00:30,400 Most live in the trees. 698 01:00:31,920 --> 01:00:34,160 But there's one unusual little lemur 699 01:00:34,200 --> 01:00:36,240 that patrols the forest floor. 700 01:00:37,080 --> 01:00:40,600 And they can be recognised by a tell-tail sign! 701 01:00:56,200 --> 01:00:58,800 Ring-tailed lemurs. 702 01:00:58,840 --> 01:01:01,840 The gangsters of the lemur world! 703 01:01:03,360 --> 01:01:05,680 These hardy little bandits 704 01:01:05,720 --> 01:01:07,880 spend most of the time on the ground. 705 01:01:09,840 --> 01:01:13,880 They live in feisty groups of up to 30 members. 706 01:01:14,640 --> 01:01:17,000 And they can be highly territorial. 707 01:01:23,360 --> 01:01:25,960 But it's not the males that lead the gangs. 708 01:01:27,440 --> 01:01:29,200 It's the females. 709 01:01:31,560 --> 01:01:35,600 They'll chase off rivals and defend their patch. 710 01:01:39,160 --> 01:01:42,840 All whilst carrying babies on their backs! 711 01:01:52,440 --> 01:01:55,000 The females in these gangs are so close, 712 01:01:55,040 --> 01:01:57,200 they even coincide their pregnancies. 713 01:02:00,400 --> 01:02:04,200 So they all give birth at exactly the same time each year, 714 01:02:04,240 --> 01:02:07,080 when food is most plentiful. 715 01:02:09,640 --> 01:02:12,880 For the first couple of months, their tiny offspring 716 01:02:12,920 --> 01:02:14,640 get a piggy-back ride, 717 01:02:14,680 --> 01:02:18,840 but there comes a time when they have to find their own feet. 718 01:02:23,720 --> 01:02:27,200 This youngster thinks he's ready to go it alone. 719 01:02:28,840 --> 01:02:32,760 But taking your first steps in the trees is precarious! 720 01:02:51,120 --> 01:02:54,600 Under Mum's watchful eye, our young explorer 721 01:02:54,640 --> 01:02:56,760 soon gets a little more daring. 722 01:03:14,640 --> 01:03:18,080 And when he's done, he can always jump onto Mum's back. 723 01:03:20,840 --> 01:03:23,680 Young lemurs need to grow up fast. 724 01:03:25,080 --> 01:03:28,120 Males usually leave a group when they're just a few years old. 725 01:03:29,960 --> 01:03:33,360 But young females stay in the same gang for life. 726 01:03:34,920 --> 01:03:37,240 And if they're strong and healthy, 727 01:03:37,280 --> 01:03:40,640 they could grow up to be leader of the pack. 728 01:03:45,000 --> 01:03:49,680 Lemurs may not be the biggest, but they are fantastically hardy little animals. 729 01:03:49,720 --> 01:03:53,040 So much so, they're the only member of the primate family 730 01:03:53,080 --> 01:03:54,920 to make it to this remote island. 731 01:03:54,960 --> 01:03:59,360 Isolated here for 50 million years, they've been able to thrive, 732 01:03:59,400 --> 01:04:02,600 because back on mainland Africa, things were changing. 733 01:04:02,640 --> 01:04:06,680 A new chapter was unfolding that would change the primate family for ever. 734 01:04:08,800 --> 01:04:10,880 On our primate family tree, 735 01:04:10,920 --> 01:04:13,360 new species were evolving 736 01:04:13,400 --> 01:04:15,880 and filling up the branches. 737 01:04:17,520 --> 01:04:20,240 Lemurs occupied one of the oldest branches. 738 01:04:21,400 --> 01:04:24,240 But their noisy neighbours, the monkeys, 739 01:04:24,280 --> 01:04:26,000 were gaining ground. 740 01:04:26,760 --> 01:04:29,760 Spreading onto the great plains of Africa. 741 01:04:31,880 --> 01:04:35,480 Here, some would grow bigger and stronger. 742 01:04:37,440 --> 01:04:43,360 And a pioneering monkey would become queen of the savannah. 743 01:04:55,520 --> 01:04:57,720 Around ten million years ago, 744 01:04:57,760 --> 01:05:01,640 the climate across Africa began to dry out... 745 01:05:02,520 --> 01:05:05,320 ..opening up vast expanses of savannah. 746 01:05:07,960 --> 01:05:10,760 For the primate family, this brought new challenges 747 01:05:10,800 --> 01:05:12,520 and dangers. 748 01:05:14,400 --> 01:05:17,960 Out here, there was nowhere to hide from predators. 749 01:05:20,240 --> 01:05:22,200 To conquer these hazardous plains, 750 01:05:22,240 --> 01:05:27,880 monkeys would have to organise their troops with military precision. 751 01:05:29,080 --> 01:05:32,320 I'm on my way to visit a group of very mischievous monkeys 752 01:05:32,360 --> 01:05:34,440 that thrive out on these plains. 753 01:05:34,480 --> 01:05:36,320 And to survive out here, 754 01:05:36,360 --> 01:05:39,840 they've evolved to live in some of the biggest, most complex groups 755 01:05:39,880 --> 01:05:41,560 of any primate. 756 01:05:41,600 --> 01:05:46,120 And to find out how so many monkeys can live in so much proximity, 757 01:05:46,160 --> 01:05:49,280 I'm hoping to get right inside the troop. 758 01:05:55,080 --> 01:05:57,000 Chacma baboons. 759 01:05:58,480 --> 01:06:03,160 Of all the monkeys, these guys are the most at home on the ground. 760 01:06:04,880 --> 01:06:09,720 They roam the savannah in sprawling gangs of up to 80 strong. 761 01:06:16,520 --> 01:06:18,560 This troop, in southern Namibia, 762 01:06:18,600 --> 01:06:21,160 is made up of young orphans. 763 01:06:23,560 --> 01:06:28,520 Though they're used to humans, they still interact like a wild troop. 764 01:06:30,200 --> 01:06:33,200 And that means plenty of monkeying around! 765 01:06:36,360 --> 01:06:39,240 Like boisterous children in a school playground... 766 01:06:40,080 --> 01:06:42,080 ..there are all sorts of high jinks! 767 01:06:44,840 --> 01:06:46,680 From tussles on the climbing frame... 768 01:06:55,880 --> 01:06:57,920 ..to endless playing about. 769 01:07:07,720 --> 01:07:09,760 It appears fun, 770 01:07:09,800 --> 01:07:12,480 but there's more to this chaos than meets the eye! 771 01:07:14,080 --> 01:07:17,400 On first glance, it might seem like they're all best of friends. 772 01:07:17,440 --> 01:07:20,800 But the truth is that no two baboons are born equal. 773 01:07:20,840 --> 01:07:24,360 In every troop, there's a very strict hierarchy, 774 01:07:24,400 --> 01:07:26,280 the haves and the have-nots. 775 01:07:26,320 --> 01:07:29,520 And that status quo is ruthlessly enforced 776 01:07:29,560 --> 01:07:31,840 by the more dominant members of the troop. 777 01:07:33,800 --> 01:07:37,520 Males spend most of their lives fighting their way up the ranks. 778 01:07:39,000 --> 01:07:41,960 But for females, it's a different story. 779 01:07:45,600 --> 01:07:48,520 Because every female is born with a rank. 780 01:07:49,160 --> 01:07:52,680 A rank that usually stays with her for life. 781 01:07:54,720 --> 01:07:58,200 In this troop, one way the pecking order shows itself... 782 01:07:59,280 --> 01:08:01,560 ..is in who gets to hold the babies. 783 01:08:06,000 --> 01:08:08,640 This little six-week-old orphan... 784 01:08:10,000 --> 01:08:12,160 ..has recently been introduced to the group. 785 01:08:14,440 --> 01:08:16,640 All the females want to play with him, 786 01:08:16,680 --> 01:08:18,880 and with so much competition, 787 01:08:18,920 --> 01:08:21,240 it comes down to pulling rank. 788 01:08:22,560 --> 01:08:24,600 It's not so much baby-sitting, 789 01:08:24,640 --> 01:08:27,800 more baby stealing. 790 01:08:42,480 --> 01:08:44,720 But it's the highest-ranking female 791 01:08:44,760 --> 01:08:48,160 who ultimately wins the battle for baby. 792 01:08:51,520 --> 01:08:55,560 All this attention is quite exhausting! 793 01:09:02,560 --> 01:09:05,280 Baboon society might seem tough 794 01:09:05,320 --> 01:09:08,360 especially if you're a low-ranker. 795 01:09:09,600 --> 01:09:12,640 But chacma baboons, like many monkeys, 796 01:09:12,680 --> 01:09:14,840 have a way of keeping the peace. 797 01:09:16,960 --> 01:09:18,800 Grooming. 798 01:09:20,720 --> 01:09:23,480 They spend several hours a day pampering each other. 799 01:09:26,320 --> 01:09:29,280 For all their nit-picking, 800 01:09:29,320 --> 01:09:34,320 lower-ranking baboons can form alliances with those of higher status. 801 01:09:39,800 --> 01:09:43,440 And you know you've been accepted as part of a troop 802 01:09:43,480 --> 01:09:46,320 when you get your first grooming session! 803 01:09:47,360 --> 01:09:50,440 I am...covered in baboons 804 01:09:50,480 --> 01:09:51,880 right now! 805 01:09:53,280 --> 01:09:54,920 Licking my face! 806 01:09:58,480 --> 01:09:59,760 Ow! 807 01:10:03,680 --> 01:10:07,280 So much of the baboon's life is spent squabbling and fighting 808 01:10:07,320 --> 01:10:09,560 and jockeying for position 809 01:10:09,600 --> 01:10:12,080 that they need to find a way to de-stress, 810 01:10:12,120 --> 01:10:14,720 and grooming is a perfect way to do this. 811 01:10:15,560 --> 01:10:18,720 It's like the social glue that holds the troop together. 812 01:10:19,880 --> 01:10:23,080 And as you see, it is quite calming 813 01:10:23,120 --> 01:10:26,120 but also quite painful as I don't have any hair on my head! 814 01:10:28,560 --> 01:10:32,720 When monkeys moved out of the forests onto the open plains, 815 01:10:32,760 --> 01:10:36,240 living in larger groups was essential. 816 01:10:38,120 --> 01:10:40,000 With nowhere to hide from predators, 817 01:10:40,040 --> 01:10:43,320 many eyes were needed to scan for dangers 818 01:10:43,360 --> 01:10:45,520 and search for food. 819 01:10:52,880 --> 01:10:56,840 Chacma baboons live in one of the most complex societies 820 01:10:56,880 --> 01:10:58,640 of any primate. 821 01:11:01,920 --> 01:11:04,240 But some of their close cousins 822 01:11:04,280 --> 01:11:08,480 would take troop life to a whole new level. 823 01:11:16,960 --> 01:11:19,520 The Simien Mountains, 824 01:11:19,560 --> 01:11:21,080 Ethiopia. 825 01:11:25,760 --> 01:11:28,920 Rising to nearly three miles above sea level, 826 01:11:28,960 --> 01:11:33,080 this is the roof of Africa... 827 01:11:34,720 --> 01:11:39,720 ..and home to perhaps the most majestic of all monkeys... 828 01:11:41,560 --> 01:11:43,200 ..the gelada. 829 01:11:55,440 --> 01:11:59,240 Today, they're only found in these verdant highlands. 830 01:12:03,040 --> 01:12:06,640 Geladas spend their nights on the steep rocky slopes 831 01:12:06,680 --> 01:12:08,560 out of reach of predators. 832 01:12:09,480 --> 01:12:13,720 And every morning, they clamber up to the summit. 833 01:12:18,120 --> 01:12:21,760 The males have luxuriant and golden locks. 834 01:12:22,840 --> 01:12:25,840 And deep red markings on their chest. 835 01:12:26,920 --> 01:12:32,960 Most surprising, when they yawn they reveal these. 836 01:12:36,080 --> 01:12:40,560 Teeth like these are usually only seen in top predators. 837 01:12:44,400 --> 01:12:47,800 But these guys are mostly vegetarian. 838 01:12:48,960 --> 01:12:51,840 So why are they so long in the tooth? 839 01:12:53,520 --> 01:12:57,640 Well, it's partly down to sheer numbers. 840 01:13:05,000 --> 01:13:08,280 Geladas live in mega-troops 841 01:13:08,320 --> 01:13:11,800 of up to 1,200 individuals. 842 01:13:13,800 --> 01:13:16,680 Every morning, they move as one 843 01:13:16,720 --> 01:13:18,760 across the high plateaus 844 01:13:18,800 --> 01:13:21,440 in search of fresh feeding grounds. 845 01:13:22,640 --> 01:13:25,040 The mass march of the monkeys. 846 01:13:27,960 --> 01:13:29,680 But when they stop to feed, 847 01:13:29,720 --> 01:13:35,720 you notice this huge crowd is made up of many smaller family groups. 848 01:13:40,880 --> 01:13:46,840 Each one has a male, several females and their babies. 849 01:13:49,720 --> 01:13:52,440 They spend their days feeding on fresh grass shoots 850 01:13:52,480 --> 01:13:54,840 and playing around. 851 01:13:57,880 --> 01:14:00,280 It seems a peaceful life. 852 01:14:01,560 --> 01:14:04,720 But there's trouble on the horizon. 853 01:14:07,200 --> 01:14:09,960 Gangs of bachelor males watch on. 854 01:14:15,080 --> 01:14:17,080 Like troublesome teenagers, 855 01:14:17,120 --> 01:14:22,200 they wake up late and spend their days plotting. 856 01:14:23,520 --> 01:14:26,800 Their aim is to challenge the resident males 857 01:14:26,840 --> 01:14:29,680 and win control of a harem. 858 01:14:35,280 --> 01:14:38,400 They begin to close in on their target, 859 01:14:38,440 --> 01:14:42,040 singling out one individual male. 860 01:14:44,840 --> 01:14:49,240 But down below, he knows exactly what they're up to. 861 01:14:51,680 --> 01:14:54,200 It's the gelada stand-off. 862 01:14:58,040 --> 01:15:03,080 Both sides want to appear as threatening as possible. 863 01:15:04,240 --> 01:15:07,200 This is where those teeth come in. 864 01:15:17,360 --> 01:15:20,800 The big resident male leaves his harem 865 01:15:20,840 --> 01:15:23,440 and approaches the gang. 866 01:15:26,880 --> 01:15:30,280 He needs to show them who's boss around here. 867 01:15:42,320 --> 01:15:45,240 The odds are stacked against him. 868 01:15:45,280 --> 01:15:47,480 Six to one. 869 01:15:53,280 --> 01:15:56,200 (HIGH-PITCHED SCREECHING) 870 01:16:08,360 --> 01:16:10,680 He seems fearless. 871 01:16:12,000 --> 01:16:15,160 But what's surprising is what happens next. 872 01:16:19,080 --> 01:16:21,520 He turns and scarpers! 873 01:16:23,720 --> 01:16:25,640 But this isn't cowardice. 874 01:16:27,440 --> 01:16:31,040 It's a planned tactic to show those young whippersnappers 875 01:16:31,080 --> 01:16:33,040 who's got the most stamina. 876 01:16:38,200 --> 01:16:40,440 And they quickly tire. 877 01:16:42,560 --> 01:16:44,840 The bachelor boys are defeated. 878 01:16:46,080 --> 01:16:47,920 But they'll be back tomorrow. 879 01:16:49,560 --> 01:16:53,960 And our resident male returns to his family a hero. 880 01:16:56,200 --> 01:16:59,760 In gelada mega-troops, with more than 1,000 monkeys, 881 01:16:59,800 --> 01:17:03,080 males need a way to scare off rivals... 882 01:17:06,440 --> 01:17:08,560 ..and keep their family safe. 883 01:17:10,640 --> 01:17:13,240 And that's why these vegetarians 884 01:17:13,280 --> 01:17:17,200 have evolved those ferocious-looking fangs. 885 01:17:29,760 --> 01:17:32,880 So far in our primate story, 886 01:17:32,920 --> 01:17:36,240 we've seen how leaping lemurs were cast away 887 01:17:36,280 --> 01:17:38,880 on the island of Madagascar. 888 01:17:41,080 --> 01:17:43,240 And on mainland Africa, 889 01:17:43,280 --> 01:17:48,680 we've seen how monkeys conquered the open plains and plateaus. 890 01:17:52,080 --> 01:17:54,320 But the primate story in Africa 891 01:17:54,360 --> 01:17:56,640 has one last chapter. 892 01:18:00,280 --> 01:18:02,800 On our primate family tree 893 01:18:02,840 --> 01:18:07,320 the monkey branches were full of chattering characters. 894 01:18:09,960 --> 01:18:13,520 But there's one more branch crucial to our story. 895 01:18:15,520 --> 01:18:18,280 Our branch, the apes. 896 01:18:19,760 --> 01:18:23,240 In Asia, there were orangutans and gibbons. 897 01:18:23,880 --> 01:18:27,360 But in Africa, apes would become even smarter... 898 01:18:28,680 --> 01:18:30,600 ..and even bigger. 899 01:18:35,360 --> 01:18:37,160 Millions of years ago, 900 01:18:37,200 --> 01:18:39,960 the ape family reigned supreme. 901 01:18:41,440 --> 01:18:43,560 There were numerous different species. 902 01:18:44,960 --> 01:18:47,920 Today, only a handful remain. 903 01:18:49,320 --> 01:18:51,520 We've already met the chimpanzee, 904 01:18:51,560 --> 01:18:55,040 an ape with extraordinary intelligence. 905 01:18:56,640 --> 01:18:59,440 But in the remote mountains of Uganda 906 01:18:59,480 --> 01:19:01,960 lives one giant ape 907 01:19:02,000 --> 01:19:04,160 of mythical status. 908 01:19:06,400 --> 01:19:08,240 This jungle here in Uganda 909 01:19:08,280 --> 01:19:11,200 is known as the impenetrable forest. 910 01:19:11,240 --> 01:19:16,160 And as its name suggests, it's one of the wildest places in Africa. 911 01:19:16,200 --> 01:19:19,360 It's also one of the few places on Earth 912 01:19:19,400 --> 01:19:23,800 where you can still see one of the most powerful of all primates. 913 01:19:29,760 --> 01:19:31,560 The mountain gorilla. 914 01:19:34,840 --> 01:19:38,360 In terms of size, gorillas are undoubtedly 915 01:19:38,400 --> 01:19:40,680 the greatest of the great apes. 916 01:19:46,440 --> 01:19:49,640 They weigh around two and a half times as much 917 01:19:49,680 --> 01:19:51,720 as an average human male. 918 01:19:53,480 --> 01:19:56,720 And can reach up to 30 stone. 919 01:20:03,480 --> 01:20:06,600 So why did they grow so colossal? 920 01:20:09,080 --> 01:20:14,800 To find out, I'm hoping to come face to face with our giant primate cousins. 921 01:20:18,120 --> 01:20:19,960 As their name suggests, 922 01:20:20,000 --> 01:20:23,200 mountain gorillas live only at altitude. 923 01:20:24,440 --> 01:20:27,000 Most more than a mile above sea level. 924 01:20:28,480 --> 01:20:30,680 So there's only one way to get to them. 925 01:20:31,280 --> 01:20:32,960 And that's up! 926 01:20:38,080 --> 01:20:41,360 You can see why this is called the impenetrable forest! 927 01:20:41,400 --> 01:20:44,880 It's a dense, tangled web of vegetation. 928 01:20:44,920 --> 01:20:48,480 And for those early explorers who were trying to find the mountain gorilla, 929 01:20:48,520 --> 01:20:51,960 it must have been an exciting but daunting challenge. 930 01:20:55,640 --> 01:20:59,520 Mountain gorillas were first documented in 1902 931 01:20:59,560 --> 01:21:03,440 by a German explorer, Captain Beringe. 932 01:21:03,480 --> 01:21:08,280 In his diary, he describes the low rumbling noise they make. 933 01:21:08,320 --> 01:21:10,480 When you hear that noise, 934 01:21:10,520 --> 01:21:12,520 you know you're close. 935 01:21:15,160 --> 01:21:17,320 (LOW RUMBLING) 936 01:21:19,880 --> 01:21:21,720 We can finally hear them. 937 01:21:22,840 --> 01:21:26,560 I was told that you definitely hear the gorillas before you see them. 938 01:21:26,600 --> 01:21:28,920 (QUIET RUMBLING) 939 01:21:30,640 --> 01:21:33,000 In this thicket of jungle, you can't see anything. 940 01:21:33,040 --> 01:21:37,040 And then all you hear is this loud, deep bellow 941 01:21:37,080 --> 01:21:42,760 and you know that's coming from a creature that is two and a half times your size. 942 01:21:44,040 --> 01:21:48,640 So if I said I wasn't nervous, maybe that was a little lie! 943 01:21:52,320 --> 01:21:55,720 And then, after three hours of bushwhacking... 944 01:21:56,480 --> 01:21:59,560 ..I finally get my first glimpse. 945 01:22:11,080 --> 01:22:12,480 Wow. 946 01:22:13,480 --> 01:22:15,200 That's one of the females. 947 01:22:15,240 --> 01:22:19,200 What strikes me is how gentle they appear, 948 01:22:19,240 --> 01:22:22,280 considering they are the largest primate on the planet. 949 01:22:25,680 --> 01:22:28,560 But then I notice she isn't alone. 950 01:22:36,000 --> 01:22:40,120 This adorable baby gorilla is about a year old. 951 01:22:41,080 --> 01:22:44,240 Baby gorillas will stick by their mothers for the first few years 952 01:22:44,280 --> 01:22:47,080 and won't stray more than a few metres. 953 01:22:49,520 --> 01:22:54,160 Gorilla families are made up of several females and their babies. 954 01:22:56,280 --> 01:22:59,120 They're led by one giant male. 955 01:23:00,280 --> 01:23:01,840 The silverback. 956 01:23:04,200 --> 01:23:07,400 It's not too long before he makes his entrance. 957 01:23:10,680 --> 01:23:11,920 Wow! 958 01:23:14,760 --> 01:23:18,720 Right. So, I can now see the silverback. 959 01:23:18,760 --> 01:23:21,040 The leader of this family. 960 01:23:21,080 --> 01:23:23,640 And what a magnificent creature. 961 01:23:25,760 --> 01:23:30,600 You can see that he is noticeably different in comparison to the females. 962 01:23:30,640 --> 01:23:34,120 A huge forehead, a crest on the top of his head. 963 01:23:34,160 --> 01:23:36,720 That's where all those jaw muscles attach. 964 01:23:36,760 --> 01:23:38,800 That's where he gets that powerful bite. 965 01:23:39,720 --> 01:23:44,200 And his hands and arms are just enormous. 966 01:23:45,880 --> 01:23:49,480 The silverback is not only the leader of the family, 967 01:23:49,520 --> 01:23:51,880 but also the protector. 968 01:23:53,120 --> 01:23:56,640 This male bears the scars to prove it. 969 01:23:56,680 --> 01:24:00,480 Well, this silverback looks like a gentle giant, 970 01:24:00,520 --> 01:24:02,880 but he can be ferocious. 971 01:24:02,920 --> 01:24:05,280 A few days ago, he was in a fight with another male 972 01:24:05,320 --> 01:24:07,240 and he's got two scars to show for it - 973 01:24:07,280 --> 01:24:09,720 one on his head and one on his hand. 974 01:24:09,760 --> 01:24:14,280 But that is the life of a silverback that has a family to protect. 975 01:24:14,320 --> 01:24:17,840 His aim is to look after his females and his offspring. 976 01:24:19,480 --> 01:24:22,080 Providing security is one reason 977 01:24:22,120 --> 01:24:24,800 male gorillas have become so enormous. 978 01:24:27,640 --> 01:24:30,320 The biggest males attract the most females 979 01:24:30,360 --> 01:24:33,320 and so have the most offspring. 980 01:24:34,720 --> 01:24:38,560 For gorillas, big is best. 981 01:24:41,800 --> 01:24:46,560 But there's another reason they've become the giants of the primate family. 982 01:24:51,360 --> 01:24:53,280 And I catch a glimpse of this 983 01:24:53,320 --> 01:24:58,840 when another silverback unexpectedly steps out into a jungle clearing. 984 01:25:04,560 --> 01:25:08,560 I am just in awe of this animal. 985 01:25:09,560 --> 01:25:12,040 Mountain gorillas are vegetarians. 986 01:25:12,080 --> 01:25:16,560 But at this altitude, there's very little energy-rich fruit. 987 01:25:17,440 --> 01:25:19,520 So 85% of their diet 988 01:25:19,560 --> 01:25:22,520 is made up of nutrient-poor leaves. 989 01:25:24,440 --> 01:25:28,280 It's incredible to think that the massive bulk of a mountain gorilla 990 01:25:28,320 --> 01:25:30,800 comes only from the vegetation they eat, 991 01:25:30,840 --> 01:25:36,040 and an adult can make its way through 25 kilograms a day! 992 01:25:37,880 --> 01:25:41,520 To digest such a huge bulk of vegetation 993 01:25:41,560 --> 01:25:44,760 requires an equally huge stomach. 994 01:25:47,200 --> 01:25:50,160 And big stomachs require big bodies. 995 01:25:53,400 --> 01:25:55,720 So it's eating a poor quality diet 996 01:25:55,760 --> 01:25:57,800 and having to protect their family 997 01:25:57,840 --> 01:26:03,520 that explains why gorillas have become the giants of the primate family. 998 01:26:13,200 --> 01:26:15,920 But the best is yet to come... 999 01:26:17,800 --> 01:26:22,040 ..when a passing three-year-old male stops to check me out. 1000 01:26:26,120 --> 01:26:29,840 This is completely unexpected and so unbelievable! 1001 01:26:35,320 --> 01:26:36,800 (LOW RUMBLING) 1002 01:26:36,840 --> 01:26:38,120 Hello! 1003 01:26:38,720 --> 01:26:40,440 Hello. Hello! 1004 01:26:44,360 --> 01:26:46,040 Oh, my goodness! 1005 01:26:48,560 --> 01:26:50,160 I can't believe that! That is... 1006 01:26:51,160 --> 01:26:53,680 ..me coming face to face, not only face to face, 1007 01:26:53,720 --> 01:26:57,440 but hand to hand with a young mountain gorilla. 1008 01:26:57,480 --> 01:26:59,320 Unbelievable! 1009 01:27:02,280 --> 01:27:07,080 I've been incredibly lucky to get so close to these gentle giants. 1010 01:27:08,280 --> 01:27:11,240 Mountain gorillas are critically endangered. 1011 01:27:12,640 --> 01:27:16,080 Today, there are only around 900 left. 1012 01:27:18,440 --> 01:27:23,920 They are, perhaps, the most precious of all our primate cousins. 1013 01:27:30,480 --> 01:27:33,200 Over the course of millions of years, 1014 01:27:33,240 --> 01:27:35,960 primates conquered Africa. 1015 01:27:37,320 --> 01:27:40,920 To do so, some had become acrobats. 1016 01:27:42,760 --> 01:27:45,000 Others, gangsters. 1017 01:27:46,840 --> 01:27:50,240 And some had become masterminds. 1018 01:27:53,120 --> 01:27:56,760 Primates had conquered every corner of Africa, 1019 01:27:56,800 --> 01:28:00,800 from the island of Madagascar to the highlands of Ethiopia. 1020 01:28:00,840 --> 01:28:03,480 But their story didn't end here. 1021 01:28:03,520 --> 01:28:07,280 There was one last continent up for grabs. 1022 01:28:08,640 --> 01:28:10,800 In this lost jungle world... 1023 01:28:11,880 --> 01:28:13,880 ..monkeys would run riot, 1024 01:28:13,920 --> 01:28:17,920 evolving super-powers unseen anywhere else on Earth. 1025 01:28:21,560 --> 01:28:23,080 Next time, 1026 01:28:23,120 --> 01:28:26,360 monkeys crack the Americas. 1027 01:28:28,360 --> 01:28:33,360 # Every step of the way 1028 01:28:34,400 --> 01:28:37,640 # You'll find us 1029 01:28:39,080 --> 01:28:43,880 # With the cares of the world 1030 01:28:43,920 --> 01:28:48,160 # Far behind us 1031 01:28:48,200 --> 01:28:49,800 # Yes 1032 01:28:51,320 --> 01:28:55,200 # Only love. # 1033 01:28:57,400 --> 01:29:03,640 MONKEYS WHOOPING 1034 01:29:09,600 --> 01:29:12,360 # I see trees of green 1035 01:29:14,160 --> 01:29:16,400 # Red roses too 1036 01:29:17,480 --> 01:29:23,120 # I see them bloom for me and you 1037 01:29:23,160 --> 01:29:25,640 # And I think to myself 1038 01:29:28,480 --> 01:29:31,280 # What a wonderful world... # 1039 01:29:34,000 --> 01:29:35,720 Mischievous monkeys... 1040 01:29:36,920 --> 01:29:39,600 intelligent apes, 1041 01:29:39,640 --> 01:29:44,760 and a cast of strange and enchanting little cousins. 1042 01:29:46,480 --> 01:29:51,480 This is the story of our closest relatives on earth... 1043 01:29:52,800 --> 01:29:54,320 ..the primates. 1044 01:29:54,360 --> 01:29:56,400 #..What a wonderful world. # 1045 01:29:59,080 --> 01:30:02,120 From the mighty gorilla to a monkey so small 1046 01:30:02,160 --> 01:30:04,040 it could fit in the palm of your hand. 1047 01:30:04,080 --> 01:30:07,440 We're all part of the same amazing animal family. 1048 01:30:12,760 --> 01:30:15,480 They are unrivalled acrobats... 1049 01:30:17,880 --> 01:30:19,400 doting parents... 1050 01:30:20,880 --> 01:30:24,640 and some of the smartest creatures in the natural world. 1051 01:30:26,920 --> 01:30:31,000 But how did primates become king of the swingers? 1052 01:30:33,640 --> 01:30:37,320 We're on a journey through the primate family tree 1053 01:30:37,360 --> 01:30:40,640 to retrace the astonishing rise to power 1054 01:30:40,680 --> 01:30:43,280 of our very own animal family. 1055 01:30:46,840 --> 01:30:52,040 Primates first flourished throughout Africa and Asia. 1056 01:30:52,080 --> 01:30:57,720 But now, monkeys were to venture into a new jungle world... 1057 01:31:00,440 --> 01:31:01,840 ..the Americas. 1058 01:31:04,480 --> 01:31:09,680 Here, they would evolve to be unlike anywhere else on Earth. 1059 01:31:14,640 --> 01:31:18,880 Prepare to meet your amazing animal family. 1060 01:31:18,920 --> 01:31:21,120 MONKEYS CALLING 1061 01:31:34,120 --> 01:31:36,840 35 million years ago, 1062 01:31:36,880 --> 01:31:40,880 across the continents of Africa and Asia, 1063 01:31:40,920 --> 01:31:43,440 the primate family was flourishing. 1064 01:31:48,360 --> 01:31:51,280 From monkey troops that rule the mountains... 1065 01:31:55,360 --> 01:31:58,680 to tiny forest hunters that stalk the night... 1066 01:32:03,600 --> 01:32:08,120 the primates here adapted their bodies and minds 1067 01:32:08,160 --> 01:32:10,840 to master the diverse landscapes. 1068 01:32:13,440 --> 01:32:17,480 But Asia and Africa are only part of the story. 1069 01:32:22,480 --> 01:32:26,760 Monkeys began to expand into a brand-new world. 1070 01:32:28,000 --> 01:32:30,640 The final continent to be colonised 1071 01:32:30,680 --> 01:32:34,000 by our primate relatives were the Americas. 1072 01:32:35,160 --> 01:32:39,360 When these ancestors first stepped foot on these shores, 1073 01:32:39,400 --> 01:32:43,120 they discovered an unexplored jungle paradise, 1074 01:32:43,160 --> 01:32:45,800 a land where they could run riot. 1075 01:32:48,240 --> 01:32:52,240 The vast forests of South and Central America 1076 01:32:52,280 --> 01:32:55,000 are the perfect monkey playgrounds. 1077 01:32:56,680 --> 01:32:59,400 Today, there are more monkey species here 1078 01:32:59,440 --> 01:33:01,880 than the rest of the world put together. 1079 01:33:04,400 --> 01:33:07,600 In these forests, they evolved amazing adaptations 1080 01:33:07,640 --> 01:33:11,240 that can't be seen anywhere else on Earth. 1081 01:33:11,280 --> 01:33:14,880 IT ROARS 1082 01:33:19,160 --> 01:33:24,440 Over 150 different species thrive in these jungles. 1083 01:33:24,480 --> 01:33:27,280 And of their many wonderful adaptations... 1084 01:33:28,840 --> 01:33:32,960 there's one that truly sets monkeys of the Americas apart 1085 01:33:33,000 --> 01:33:34,480 from their cousins. 1086 01:33:37,240 --> 01:33:42,000 They evolved a radical new way to move through the canopy. 1087 01:33:57,000 --> 01:34:00,320 To see this amazing adaptation for myself, 1088 01:34:00,360 --> 01:34:02,880 I've come to a rescue centre in Belize 1089 01:34:02,920 --> 01:34:06,800 that's home to a particularly cheeky little character. 1090 01:34:26,760 --> 01:34:29,840 This little guy is a spider monkey. 1091 01:34:29,880 --> 01:34:32,400 And as you can see from the way he moves, 1092 01:34:32,440 --> 01:34:35,080 he gets his name because of those long limbs. 1093 01:34:35,120 --> 01:34:36,880 He looks like a spider, 1094 01:34:36,920 --> 01:34:39,480 the way that he clambers around these trees. 1095 01:34:42,280 --> 01:34:44,960 He is perfectly at home in the trees 1096 01:34:45,000 --> 01:34:48,480 and that's largely thanks to one key adaptation. 1097 01:34:51,920 --> 01:34:55,720 The thing that makes them really amazing is that tail. 1098 01:34:57,160 --> 01:35:00,320 These spider monkeys have evolved a tail 1099 01:35:00,360 --> 01:35:03,360 that puts most other monkeys to shame. 1100 01:35:05,160 --> 01:35:08,240 Their snake-like limb is so flexible, 1101 01:35:08,280 --> 01:35:11,720 it can wrap around the thinnest of branches, 1102 01:35:11,760 --> 01:35:15,600 giving them a secure grip while high up in the canopy. 1103 01:35:17,600 --> 01:35:19,800 Look at that curly tail. 1104 01:35:19,840 --> 01:35:22,440 It grabs onto everything as he moves. 1105 01:35:22,480 --> 01:35:24,000 He's just amazing. 1106 01:35:32,680 --> 01:35:37,040 The end of its tail is packed full of nerves 1107 01:35:37,080 --> 01:35:40,360 so it can carefully feel its way along the branches. 1108 01:35:50,680 --> 01:35:54,680 Having such an amazingly sensitive gripping tail 1109 01:35:54,720 --> 01:35:58,160 is totally unique to monkeys in the Americas. 1110 01:36:01,480 --> 01:36:03,960 Our little monkey is really quite tentative 1111 01:36:04,000 --> 01:36:06,240 as he moves across the branches. 1112 01:36:06,280 --> 01:36:08,360 But he's really only just learning the ropes. 1113 01:36:08,400 --> 01:36:11,120 It's only when you look at the adults that you realise 1114 01:36:11,160 --> 01:36:15,000 how perfectly adapted they are to life in the tree tops. 1115 01:36:17,840 --> 01:36:19,400 It takes time to learn 1116 01:36:19,440 --> 01:36:21,760 how to use such an impressive fifth limb... 1117 01:36:24,120 --> 01:36:26,480 but the adults have mastered it. 1118 01:36:31,720 --> 01:36:35,120 They make jungle gymnastics look so easy. 1119 01:36:54,000 --> 01:36:58,640 Their curious tails even have a bare patch of skin at the tip 1120 01:36:58,680 --> 01:37:02,640 much like the palm of a hand for an even better grip. 1121 01:37:09,080 --> 01:37:10,880 But most importantly of all, 1122 01:37:10,920 --> 01:37:14,360 the monkeys here evolved tails far stronger 1123 01:37:14,400 --> 01:37:16,640 than anywhere else on Earth. 1124 01:37:16,680 --> 01:37:17,880 They're so powerful, 1125 01:37:17,920 --> 01:37:20,480 they can support their entire body weight. 1126 01:37:28,240 --> 01:37:30,440 It might look like a common monkey trick, 1127 01:37:30,480 --> 01:37:35,000 but it's only monkeys in America that can hang around like this. 1128 01:37:38,920 --> 01:37:40,720 In these dense forests, 1129 01:37:40,760 --> 01:37:45,400 spider monkeys make canopy acrobatics look like child's play... 1130 01:37:46,920 --> 01:37:50,800 because they've turned their tail into an extra limb. 1131 01:38:01,920 --> 01:38:04,040 In this new jungle world, 1132 01:38:04,080 --> 01:38:07,120 monkeys began to adapt in other unusual ways... 1133 01:38:09,280 --> 01:38:13,600 ways that would alter the path of our family's history forever. 1134 01:38:20,400 --> 01:38:25,760 The primate family tree is made up of a number of key branches. 1135 01:38:29,920 --> 01:38:35,680 There are weird little lemurs, super smart apes... 1136 01:38:38,680 --> 01:38:42,280 and the largest group of all, the monkeys. 1137 01:38:47,680 --> 01:38:50,720 But around 35 million years ago, 1138 01:38:50,760 --> 01:38:55,320 the monkey branch split into two very separate groups, 1139 01:38:55,360 --> 01:38:58,360 when a few pioneering characters from Africa 1140 01:38:58,400 --> 01:39:02,360 ventured across to the jungles of South America. 1141 01:39:04,920 --> 01:39:07,440 Tucked away on this distant continent, 1142 01:39:07,480 --> 01:39:12,360 the monkeys here began to adapt in weird and wonderful ways. 1143 01:39:14,760 --> 01:39:18,960 Today, they're known as the New World monkeys, 1144 01:39:19,000 --> 01:39:22,080 the most diverse and bizarre branch of all. 1145 01:39:37,400 --> 01:39:40,120 35 million years ago, 1146 01:39:40,160 --> 01:39:44,680 monkeys began to conquer the forests of the Americas. 1147 01:39:46,200 --> 01:39:49,240 Today, there are more species of monkey here 1148 01:39:49,280 --> 01:39:51,920 than anywhere else on Earth. 1149 01:39:54,680 --> 01:39:57,080 Life in these dense forests 1150 01:39:57,120 --> 01:39:59,760 posed unique challenges for primates. 1151 01:40:02,120 --> 01:40:04,960 And one troop of tree top daredevils 1152 01:40:05,000 --> 01:40:09,600 has evolved an explosive way of springing through the canopy. 1153 01:40:16,800 --> 01:40:21,640 At first light, the troop starts to wake, 1154 01:40:21,680 --> 01:40:25,280 a family of sleepy squirrel monkeys. 1155 01:40:36,440 --> 01:40:41,000 Once they're up, it's mayhem in the canopy. 1156 01:40:52,400 --> 01:40:57,440 These squirrel monkeys live in big groups of up to 75 strong. 1157 01:40:59,920 --> 01:41:02,160 Moving through the canopy en masse, 1158 01:41:02,200 --> 01:41:06,280 these bright-eyed little scamps hardly ever sit still... 1159 01:41:08,920 --> 01:41:12,240 spending their day trying to snatch up insects... 1160 01:41:17,240 --> 01:41:20,120 or battling with their friends for fruits. 1161 01:41:29,640 --> 01:41:32,960 For them, leaping fearlessly amongst the branches 1162 01:41:33,000 --> 01:41:37,000 over 100ft high is easy. 1163 01:41:42,680 --> 01:41:45,760 So what allows these little acrobats 1164 01:41:45,800 --> 01:41:49,640 to jump with such death-defying precision? 1165 01:41:53,680 --> 01:41:56,920 Firstly, their fingers have tiny fingerprints, 1166 01:41:56,960 --> 01:41:58,400 just like ours... 1167 01:42:00,000 --> 01:42:04,360 which is an adaptation to provide just that little extra grip. 1168 01:42:08,000 --> 01:42:10,640 But their impressive high-wire antics 1169 01:42:10,680 --> 01:42:13,200 are mostly down to their legs. 1170 01:42:19,000 --> 01:42:21,520 Squirrel monkeys were built to bounce. 1171 01:42:33,880 --> 01:42:38,720 They have short strong thighs and longer lower limbs. 1172 01:42:40,920 --> 01:42:42,960 And these frog-like proportions 1173 01:42:43,000 --> 01:42:45,680 give them remarkable jumping power. 1174 01:42:50,160 --> 01:42:52,440 They can bound over six foot. 1175 01:42:54,040 --> 01:42:56,560 That's more than seven times their body length. 1176 01:42:58,000 --> 01:42:59,720 With these leaping legs, 1177 01:43:00,880 --> 01:43:03,800 they've evolved the perfect way to bounce up... 1178 01:43:05,520 --> 01:43:07,160 and down the canopy... 1179 01:43:09,440 --> 01:43:10,800 ..in a heartbeat. 1180 01:43:15,000 --> 01:43:16,640 The New World monkeys 1181 01:43:16,680 --> 01:43:20,800 came up with novel ways of getting about these dense forests. 1182 01:43:24,000 --> 01:43:27,120 But having the ability to move through the branches 1183 01:43:27,160 --> 01:43:29,840 is only one of the trials of jungle life. 1184 01:43:33,600 --> 01:43:37,040 For monkeys living here, there's an even greater challenge... 1185 01:43:39,600 --> 01:43:42,760 ..a challenge that one boisterous character 1186 01:43:42,800 --> 01:43:45,960 has solved in an ear-splitting way. 1187 01:43:46,000 --> 01:43:49,720 ANIMAL HOWLING 1188 01:43:52,640 --> 01:43:55,000 BIRDS TWITTERING 1189 01:43:59,520 --> 01:44:01,760 The howler monkey. 1190 01:44:01,800 --> 01:44:05,000 HOWLING 1191 01:44:09,000 --> 01:44:13,320 To find out why these rowdy monkeys make such a racket, 1192 01:44:13,360 --> 01:44:18,080 I've come to a special reserve in the jungles of Central America 1193 01:44:18,120 --> 01:44:20,800 where I can get close to a wild troop. 1194 01:44:22,800 --> 01:44:24,720 And the first thing I discover 1195 01:44:24,760 --> 01:44:28,160 is they're not nearly as scary as they sound. 1196 01:44:30,120 --> 01:44:33,400 The name howler monkey conjures up the imagination 1197 01:44:33,440 --> 01:44:36,640 to picture some sort of fearsome animal. 1198 01:44:36,680 --> 01:44:39,800 But they're surprisingly gentle mannered. 1199 01:44:41,760 --> 01:44:42,960 Hello. 1200 01:44:46,800 --> 01:44:48,760 These chilled characters 1201 01:44:48,800 --> 01:44:54,000 spend most of their time relaxing and slowly eating leaves... 1202 01:44:55,680 --> 01:44:57,760 though they do make the extra effort 1203 01:44:57,800 --> 01:45:02,200 to pick juicy cashew fruit which they get everywhere. 1204 01:45:12,800 --> 01:45:15,280 So why do such gentle souls... 1205 01:45:17,600 --> 01:45:19,240 create such a racket? 1206 01:45:27,320 --> 01:45:30,600 They live in close-knit groups. 1207 01:45:30,640 --> 01:45:34,200 This one has an alpha male, three females, 1208 01:45:35,720 --> 01:45:37,280 and luckily, for me, 1209 01:45:37,320 --> 01:45:40,240 I also get a glimpse of a new arrival. 1210 01:45:42,680 --> 01:45:44,520 She's carrying a little baby. 1211 01:45:47,680 --> 01:45:51,240 It can't be more than two months old. 1212 01:45:51,280 --> 01:45:53,960 And howler monkey babies will stick with their mothers 1213 01:45:54,000 --> 01:45:58,760 until they're at least a year old, stay clambered on for safety. 1214 01:45:58,800 --> 01:46:01,200 And that's what I can see this one's doing right now. 1215 01:46:04,960 --> 01:46:07,760 Yeah, it's taking a few steps away from Mum. 1216 01:46:07,800 --> 01:46:09,440 Oh, wow. 1217 01:46:16,000 --> 01:46:20,160 So, this is just a rare moment where this tiny baby 1218 01:46:20,200 --> 01:46:23,480 will slowly start to try and get used to its surroundings, 1219 01:46:23,520 --> 01:46:24,960 its environment, 1220 01:46:25,000 --> 01:46:27,440 but Mum is still close by for safety. 1221 01:46:30,800 --> 01:46:32,960 Of all the monkeys I've met, 1222 01:46:33,000 --> 01:46:36,800 howlers seem to live the most peaceful lives. 1223 01:46:39,000 --> 01:46:41,200 Weirdly, this tranquillity 1224 01:46:41,240 --> 01:46:43,800 is all thanks to their monster roar... 1225 01:46:45,240 --> 01:46:46,960 because their deafening howl 1226 01:46:47,000 --> 01:46:50,640 is actually a brilliant way of avoiding conflict 1227 01:46:50,680 --> 01:46:52,200 with the neighbours. 1228 01:46:55,440 --> 01:46:58,440 HOWLING 1229 01:47:05,360 --> 01:47:08,560 There's something almost quite scary about the way they sound. 1230 01:47:08,600 --> 01:47:11,360 If you didn't know what howler looked like 1231 01:47:11,400 --> 01:47:16,680 and you were in this forest, that would definitely keep you away. 1232 01:47:20,320 --> 01:47:22,800 Once the big alpha male begins... 1233 01:47:25,600 --> 01:47:28,240 the rest of the group joins in. 1234 01:47:28,280 --> 01:47:31,240 HOWLING 1235 01:47:34,240 --> 01:47:36,800 You can feel the sound. 1236 01:47:46,920 --> 01:47:49,920 Howler monkeys broadcast the loudest call 1237 01:47:49,960 --> 01:47:52,600 of any land mammal on earth. 1238 01:47:54,760 --> 01:47:58,640 It radiates for nearly 3 miles across the canopy. 1239 01:48:05,080 --> 01:48:08,880 This record-breaking howl is like a territorial war cry 1240 01:48:10,480 --> 01:48:13,600 that keeps rivals far away from the family. 1241 01:48:19,520 --> 01:48:22,240 To create this long-distance bellow, 1242 01:48:22,280 --> 01:48:25,720 their vocal cords are nearly three times longer than ours, 1243 01:48:27,680 --> 01:48:30,800 giving them an extra low voice. 1244 01:48:37,760 --> 01:48:39,760 There you have it, ladies and gentlemen, 1245 01:48:39,800 --> 01:48:41,640 the dawn chorus of the howler monkey. 1246 01:48:56,240 --> 01:48:58,160 To conquer this continent, 1247 01:48:58,200 --> 01:49:00,960 evolution pushed the bodies of New World monkeys 1248 01:49:01,000 --> 01:49:04,280 in ways never seen in their relatives of the old world. 1249 01:49:04,320 --> 01:49:07,120 They developed some totally unique tricks... 1250 01:49:09,240 --> 01:49:11,600 Tails that move like tentacles... 1251 01:49:13,200 --> 01:49:17,400 throats that act as long-distance speakers, 1252 01:49:17,440 --> 01:49:20,160 and super springy almost frog-like legs. 1253 01:49:22,200 --> 01:49:25,440 They would rewrite the monkey rule book. 1254 01:49:37,960 --> 01:49:39,880 The monkeys of the Americas 1255 01:49:39,920 --> 01:49:42,760 took on many of the challenges of jungle life. 1256 01:49:46,000 --> 01:49:49,680 And today, the forests echo with their unique 1257 01:49:49,720 --> 01:49:51,720 and unusual solutions. 1258 01:49:56,280 --> 01:49:58,560 On the primate family tree, 1259 01:49:58,600 --> 01:50:03,000 the branch of the New World monkeys continued to diversify 1260 01:50:03,040 --> 01:50:05,600 and split into different groups. 1261 01:50:08,600 --> 01:50:13,040 The howler and spider monkeys occupy the same offshoot... 1262 01:50:14,040 --> 01:50:15,720 while on the other branches, 1263 01:50:15,760 --> 01:50:18,120 live many of the smallest members of the family. 1264 01:50:21,280 --> 01:50:24,560 These tiny characters are able to reach the fruits 1265 01:50:24,600 --> 01:50:27,000 amongst the smallest twigs in a canopy. 1266 01:50:28,120 --> 01:50:32,400 But being small in the jungle can be a dangerous business. 1267 01:50:37,040 --> 01:50:41,440 And one little redhead has come up with an ingenious survival tactic. 1268 01:51:05,200 --> 01:51:08,920 The golden lion tamarin, 1269 01:51:08,960 --> 01:51:13,920 they may be tiny but tamarins are experts at jungle life. 1270 01:51:20,760 --> 01:51:24,800 These lightweight little fur balls have come up with clever tricks 1271 01:51:24,840 --> 01:51:27,120 for darting through their forest world. 1272 01:51:33,040 --> 01:51:35,080 Pinging through the branches, 1273 01:51:35,120 --> 01:51:39,160 they can even land on vertical tree trunks. 1274 01:51:39,200 --> 01:51:41,000 Unlike most primates, 1275 01:51:41,040 --> 01:51:45,520 their fingernails have evolved into super sharp claws. 1276 01:51:47,840 --> 01:51:50,240 This allows these nimble little monkeys 1277 01:51:50,280 --> 01:51:52,360 to clamber about with ease. 1278 01:52:04,880 --> 01:52:07,320 But the downside to being small 1279 01:52:07,360 --> 01:52:09,720 is you're the perfect bite-sized snack 1280 01:52:09,760 --> 01:52:11,880 for many a jungle predator. 1281 01:52:14,720 --> 01:52:17,440 THUNDER RUMBLES 1282 01:52:17,480 --> 01:52:21,960 Jungle cats stalk these forests, 1283 01:52:22,000 --> 01:52:25,520 and tamarin families always need to keep a watchful eye. 1284 01:52:44,120 --> 01:52:47,160 But these little monkeys have evolved a clever way 1285 01:52:47,200 --> 01:52:48,600 to keep their numbers up. 1286 01:52:49,720 --> 01:52:52,360 Instead of producing one youngster at a time, 1287 01:52:52,400 --> 01:52:54,360 like most other primates, 1288 01:52:54,400 --> 01:52:58,200 they nearly always give birth to twins... 1289 01:53:02,280 --> 01:53:04,600 tiny tamarin twins. 1290 01:53:09,000 --> 01:53:10,920 With two to look after, 1291 01:53:10,960 --> 01:53:13,760 the parents even share the childcare. 1292 01:53:22,840 --> 01:53:26,240 Having two babies at a time doubles the chances 1293 01:53:26,280 --> 01:53:31,000 that at least one little one can be kept safely out of harm's way. 1294 01:53:38,280 --> 01:53:40,560 For a monkey with so many predators, 1295 01:53:40,600 --> 01:53:44,880 it might seem strange that they have such bright orange fur. 1296 01:53:48,480 --> 01:53:52,600 To our eyes, they stand out like a beacon in the green jungle. 1297 01:53:54,280 --> 01:53:58,200 But the big cats that hunt them are colour blind, 1298 01:53:58,240 --> 01:54:01,240 they can't easily detect the difference in colour 1299 01:54:01,280 --> 01:54:04,800 between something that's red and something that's green. 1300 01:54:08,800 --> 01:54:12,080 So although Mum can always tell where the family is, 1301 01:54:12,120 --> 01:54:15,440 they're surprisingly well-camouflaged amongst the leaves. 1302 01:54:22,560 --> 01:54:24,200 The tamarins have come up 1303 01:54:24,240 --> 01:54:27,080 with a clever combination of adaptations 1304 01:54:27,120 --> 01:54:29,680 that have made them masters of jungle life 1305 01:54:30,880 --> 01:54:32,360 at the small scale. 1306 01:54:44,480 --> 01:54:49,400 The monkeys of the new world became the rulers of the rainforests. 1307 01:54:52,280 --> 01:54:55,560 But as they spread further across this continent, 1308 01:54:55,600 --> 01:55:00,480 the dense jungle gave way to much dryer rocky forest. 1309 01:55:01,760 --> 01:55:03,680 It's here that I'm hoping to meet 1310 01:55:03,720 --> 01:55:05,880 one of the most extraordinary characters 1311 01:55:05,920 --> 01:55:07,360 on this continent. 1312 01:55:11,920 --> 01:55:14,000 I'm in Northeast Brazil, 1313 01:55:14,040 --> 01:55:17,520 in a region where rocky canyons meet arid woodland, 1314 01:55:17,560 --> 01:55:19,600 and this place is just spectacular. 1315 01:55:22,760 --> 01:55:23,840 And it's also home 1316 01:55:23,880 --> 01:55:27,520 to a very special member of the family, 1317 01:55:27,560 --> 01:55:29,560 a monkey that when it comes to intelligence 1318 01:55:29,600 --> 01:55:32,200 is right at the top of the class. 1319 01:55:32,240 --> 01:55:34,240 To thrive here, they've come up 1320 01:55:34,280 --> 01:55:37,000 with one of the most brilliant tricks in nature. 1321 01:55:43,600 --> 01:55:47,440 Meet the bright sparks of the monkey family, 1322 01:55:47,480 --> 01:55:50,360 a troop of bearded capuchins. 1323 01:55:58,840 --> 01:56:02,560 They use their clever minds to find their favourite foods 1324 01:56:02,600 --> 01:56:04,120 in this dry forest. 1325 01:56:10,280 --> 01:56:13,920 And this troop has a real taste for one thing, 1326 01:56:15,280 --> 01:56:16,920 palm nuts. 1327 01:56:21,040 --> 01:56:25,600 But before they can enjoy them, they face a real challenge. 1328 01:56:30,720 --> 01:56:33,800 So this is one of the palm nuts that the monkeys are after. 1329 01:56:33,840 --> 01:56:38,360 Inside it is a kernel that's packed full of calories. 1330 01:56:38,400 --> 01:56:43,240 The only problem is that it's encased in this hard outer shell. 1331 01:56:44,520 --> 01:56:47,240 And to reach the prized kernel inside, 1332 01:56:47,280 --> 01:56:50,960 these little capuchins have engaged their big brains 1333 01:56:51,000 --> 01:56:53,920 to become expert nut crackers. 1334 01:57:00,360 --> 01:57:03,880 But first, they need to gather the right tools for the job. 1335 01:57:13,000 --> 01:57:15,840 Given the choice, they'll start with a stone 1336 01:57:15,880 --> 01:57:17,240 that weighs as much as they do. 1337 01:57:21,800 --> 01:57:23,960 They look like kids picking up bowling balls 1338 01:57:24,000 --> 01:57:25,880 that are a bit too big for them. 1339 01:57:27,520 --> 01:57:29,960 They're really quite funny little things. 1340 01:57:33,920 --> 01:57:38,360 They'll try their hardest to carry it to a hard flat surface 1341 01:57:38,400 --> 01:57:40,200 that acts as an anvil. 1342 01:57:41,480 --> 01:57:43,920 That's where the real business can begin. 1343 01:57:49,040 --> 01:57:50,440 Here comes the alpha male. 1344 01:57:50,480 --> 01:57:52,560 He is the star of the show. 1345 01:57:53,880 --> 01:57:56,680 This guy is the best nut cracker in the troop. 1346 01:57:56,720 --> 01:58:00,040 But how may strikes will this expert take? 1347 01:58:01,120 --> 01:58:02,760 One strike. 1348 01:58:11,520 --> 01:58:12,600 Two. 1349 01:58:18,040 --> 01:58:19,360 And he's got inside. 1350 01:58:19,400 --> 01:58:20,600 Perfect. 1351 01:58:22,400 --> 01:58:27,000 These palm nuts are 20 times harder than a walnut. 1352 01:58:27,040 --> 01:58:29,760 And cracking them takes some skill. 1353 01:58:30,800 --> 01:58:33,480 But seriously, how hard can it be? 1354 01:58:35,040 --> 01:58:37,000 OK, the pressure is on. 1355 01:58:37,040 --> 01:58:40,560 I did see the alpha male crack one of the nuts 1356 01:58:40,600 --> 01:58:43,240 with only two strikes. 1357 01:58:43,280 --> 01:58:44,720 Oh, yeah. 1358 01:58:47,920 --> 01:58:49,360 Yeah! Here we go. 1359 01:58:49,400 --> 01:58:50,800 Oh, no. 1360 01:58:54,120 --> 01:58:55,680 Oh, God. 1361 01:58:55,720 --> 01:58:57,240 HE LAUGHS 1362 01:59:02,120 --> 01:59:05,360 The force of the rock rebounding my hand, actually, 1363 01:59:05,400 --> 01:59:06,920 it does quite hurt. 1364 01:59:11,280 --> 01:59:14,840 I begin to draw a crowd of curious onlookers. 1365 01:59:16,840 --> 01:59:19,760 And at last... 1366 01:59:19,800 --> 01:59:22,080 Yes, finally. 1367 01:59:22,120 --> 01:59:25,240 So what was that, about 20 hits? 1368 01:59:27,760 --> 01:59:31,600 The spectators have been keeping a close eye on my progress. 1369 01:59:33,720 --> 01:59:37,280 They are trying to get hold of that. 1370 01:59:42,360 --> 01:59:43,600 It's my nut. 1371 01:59:48,760 --> 01:59:50,280 But not for long. 1372 01:59:55,040 --> 01:59:59,480 Incredibly, these capuchins don't need to crack nuts. 1373 01:59:59,520 --> 02:00:02,360 There's plenty of other food around. 1374 02:00:02,400 --> 02:00:05,080 They just really like them 1375 02:00:05,120 --> 02:00:07,240 and are willing to put in the practice 1376 02:00:07,280 --> 02:00:09,320 to perfect every stage 1377 02:00:09,360 --> 02:00:12,120 of this complex nut cracking procedure. 1378 02:00:15,560 --> 02:00:19,320 The young learn by hanging around the adults 1379 02:00:19,360 --> 02:00:22,040 and closely watch what's going on. 1380 02:00:28,800 --> 02:00:32,040 They start by practising with smaller stones. 1381 02:00:34,040 --> 02:00:39,280 But it's a highly complex operation with many fiddly stages. 1382 02:00:42,840 --> 02:00:48,160 The palm nut has to be carefully positioned in a dip on the anvil 1383 02:00:48,200 --> 02:00:50,920 to help keep it in place, 1384 02:00:50,960 --> 02:00:54,720 or else, everything will go flying on impact. 1385 02:01:05,920 --> 02:01:08,240 And if the stone isn't big enough... 1386 02:01:12,120 --> 02:01:15,160 or not dropped hard enough, 1387 02:01:15,200 --> 02:01:17,920 the nut simply won't break. 1388 02:01:20,120 --> 02:01:25,800 Success requires a truly masterful touch. 1389 02:01:32,360 --> 02:01:34,560 This level of dexterity is 1390 02:01:34,600 --> 02:01:37,560 one that was previously not thought possible in monkeys, 1391 02:01:37,600 --> 02:01:40,480 but here are the capuchins doing it perfectly, 1392 02:01:40,520 --> 02:01:43,240 and it's just brilliant to watch. 1393 02:01:47,280 --> 02:01:51,560 These skilful capuchins have used their sharp minds 1394 02:01:51,600 --> 02:01:55,560 to conquer parts of the Americas other monkeys 1395 02:01:55,600 --> 02:01:57,600 simply couldn't reach. 1396 02:02:05,600 --> 02:02:07,920 But 15,000 years ago... 1397 02:02:10,800 --> 02:02:13,760 an even smarter primate finally arrived... 1398 02:02:15,000 --> 02:02:18,600 the most intelligent family member of all. 1399 02:02:31,720 --> 02:02:35,600 The first primates arrived in the forests of the Americas 1400 02:02:35,640 --> 02:02:38,240 around 35 million years ago. 1401 02:02:38,280 --> 02:02:40,440 HOWLING 1402 02:02:42,160 --> 02:02:43,240 Today, 1403 02:02:43,280 --> 02:02:46,440 they echo with the loudest calls in the world... 1404 02:02:51,640 --> 02:02:54,960 play host to the most agile canopy gymnasts... 1405 02:02:58,440 --> 02:03:01,400 and this land has given rise 1406 02:03:01,440 --> 02:03:05,200 to the sharpest minds of all the monkeys. 1407 02:03:08,920 --> 02:03:11,520 But these New World monkeys 1408 02:03:11,560 --> 02:03:15,400 would in time receive a very different neighbour... 1409 02:03:18,760 --> 02:03:21,360 the brightest primate of all. 1410 02:03:23,720 --> 02:03:25,320 For a long time, 1411 02:03:25,360 --> 02:03:27,920 monkeys were the only primate 1412 02:03:27,960 --> 02:03:30,400 to have made it here from Africa. 1413 02:03:30,440 --> 02:03:34,320 They had this land all to themselves 1414 02:03:34,360 --> 02:03:37,680 right up until about 15,000 years ago, 1415 02:03:37,720 --> 02:03:40,520 and then everything changed. 1416 02:03:40,560 --> 02:03:44,320 An ape managed to make the journey across from the old world 1417 02:03:44,360 --> 02:03:46,600 to the Americas. 1418 02:03:46,640 --> 02:03:48,960 Humans had arrived. 1419 02:03:54,680 --> 02:03:59,880 South America was the last continent to be colonised by humans. 1420 02:03:59,920 --> 02:04:02,960 This is a man's world. 1421 02:04:03,000 --> 02:04:07,040 When mankind first stepped foot into this jungle world, 1422 02:04:07,080 --> 02:04:11,280 we had finally become a truly global species. 1423 02:04:12,360 --> 02:04:17,160 Today, we have out-competed every other animal on Earth. 1424 02:04:20,400 --> 02:04:22,040 And that phenomenal success 1425 02:04:22,080 --> 02:04:26,760 is rooted in our amazing primate family traits. 1426 02:04:31,720 --> 02:04:33,560 From the way we move... 1427 02:04:36,680 --> 02:04:38,440 ..our agility... 1428 02:04:42,280 --> 02:04:43,760 balance... 1429 02:04:46,080 --> 02:04:48,000 ..and power... 1430 02:04:52,760 --> 02:04:55,000 ..to our dextrous hands... 1431 02:04:56,880 --> 02:05:01,560 ..that enable us and our family to use complex tools. 1432 02:05:07,120 --> 02:05:10,760 We share the drive to fight for resources. 1433 02:05:12,760 --> 02:05:16,840 These basic primate traits define us 1434 02:05:16,880 --> 02:05:19,160 and make us who we are. 1435 02:05:20,760 --> 02:05:25,080 But we have also gone far beyond our primate cousins. 1436 02:05:28,160 --> 02:05:31,000 Using our big brains, 1437 02:05:31,040 --> 02:05:33,880 we shaped the natural world around us 1438 02:05:33,920 --> 02:05:37,680 and even harnessed the power of animals, 1439 02:05:37,720 --> 02:05:40,760 allowing us to conquer new lands. 1440 02:05:43,200 --> 02:05:44,960 We have pushed the ability 1441 02:05:45,000 --> 02:05:47,200 to work together in tight-knit groups... 1442 02:05:49,200 --> 02:05:51,120 evolving language... 1443 02:05:52,160 --> 02:05:53,680 and complex culture. 1444 02:05:55,640 --> 02:05:58,200 We've built our own jungles... 1445 02:06:02,960 --> 02:06:07,880 ..where we can live in numbers greater than ever before. 1446 02:06:07,920 --> 02:06:11,240 We are perhaps the ultimate primates 1447 02:06:11,280 --> 02:06:14,240 in the family that has walked the planet 1448 02:06:14,280 --> 02:06:17,760 for over 55 million years. 1449 02:06:24,440 --> 02:06:26,080 Throughout this series, 1450 02:06:26,120 --> 02:06:28,720 we've seen how the primate family tree 1451 02:06:28,760 --> 02:06:31,200 formed five key branches. 1452 02:06:35,400 --> 02:06:39,720 There are ancient lineages like the tiny carnivorous tarsier... 1453 02:06:40,720 --> 02:06:42,680 HOWLING 1454 02:06:42,720 --> 02:06:46,080 ..and the lemurs of Madagascar. 1455 02:06:48,920 --> 02:06:53,040 The monkeys thrive on two separate branches, 1456 02:06:53,080 --> 02:06:55,760 one dynasty in Africa and Asia... 1457 02:06:59,560 --> 02:07:04,000 while the New World monkeys rule the jungles of the Americas. 1458 02:07:07,680 --> 02:07:11,120 The final branch is home to the apes... 1459 02:07:12,760 --> 02:07:14,120 including chimps, 1460 02:07:14,160 --> 02:07:17,160 gorillas, orangutans, 1461 02:07:17,200 --> 02:07:20,080 and the most successful global primate ever... 1462 02:07:21,760 --> 02:07:22,920 us. 1463 02:07:25,520 --> 02:07:29,160 Today, there are over seven billion people on this planet. 1464 02:07:29,200 --> 02:07:30,880 But our meteoric rise 1465 02:07:30,920 --> 02:07:34,720 has come at a cost to many members of the primate family. 1466 02:07:40,720 --> 02:07:43,640 Our growth is threatening the survival 1467 02:07:43,680 --> 02:07:45,760 of many of our wild cousins. 1468 02:07:49,760 --> 02:07:51,160 Across the world, 1469 02:07:51,200 --> 02:07:55,160 nearly half of all primates are now endangered 1470 02:07:55,200 --> 02:07:57,280 as their forest homes are destroyed. 1471 02:08:02,920 --> 02:08:06,640 Only 900 mountain gorillas remain in the wild. 1472 02:08:09,880 --> 02:08:11,520 And lemurs 1473 02:08:11,560 --> 02:08:15,400 are the most threatened group of mammals on the planet. 1474 02:08:20,920 --> 02:08:23,920 But despite the decline, there's still hope. 1475 02:08:26,760 --> 02:08:28,240 Around the world, 1476 02:08:28,280 --> 02:08:31,040 there are people working to help our closest relatives. 1477 02:08:33,360 --> 02:08:35,520 And they're making a real difference. 1478 02:08:40,280 --> 02:08:42,520 On the island of Borneo, 1479 02:08:42,560 --> 02:08:45,160 protected forests have been set up 1480 02:08:45,200 --> 02:08:48,000 to provide a new start for orangutans 1481 02:08:48,040 --> 02:08:49,880 that have lost their homes. 1482 02:08:57,200 --> 02:09:02,720 Over the past four decades, 40% of the jungle here 1483 02:09:02,760 --> 02:09:05,600 has disappeared due to deforestation. 1484 02:09:09,680 --> 02:09:12,240 For each and every orangutan, 1485 02:09:13,520 --> 02:09:15,640 their future hangs in the balance. 1486 02:09:31,760 --> 02:09:34,520 I'm lucky enough to join a dedicated team 1487 02:09:34,560 --> 02:09:37,680 on a mission to rescue some of our most threatened cousins. 1488 02:09:51,760 --> 02:09:54,720 This baby and her mum 1489 02:09:54,760 --> 02:09:57,120 were found in devastated forest 1490 02:09:57,160 --> 02:09:58,720 over 100 miles from here. 1491 02:10:01,760 --> 02:10:03,720 With their natural habitat gone, 1492 02:10:03,760 --> 02:10:06,360 their chances of survival were down to zero. 1493 02:10:11,440 --> 02:10:15,200 Today, the team is transporting them to a new jungle home 1494 02:10:15,240 --> 02:10:18,120 in a protected part of the island 1495 02:10:18,160 --> 02:10:20,520 where they can start a new life together. 1496 02:10:24,200 --> 02:10:28,400 The journey to reach this point has taken three long days. 1497 02:10:28,440 --> 02:10:32,600 But finally, the time has come for this mother and baby 1498 02:10:33,960 --> 02:10:36,160 to step out into their new home. 1499 02:10:53,880 --> 02:10:56,680 Instantly, her instincts kicked in 1500 02:10:56,720 --> 02:10:58,680 and she just went up that tree 1501 02:10:58,720 --> 02:11:02,400 and, I've completely lost sight of her, but... 1502 02:11:02,440 --> 02:11:03,640 I can hear her. 1503 02:11:06,280 --> 02:11:09,760 Many primates are fighting for survival. 1504 02:11:11,040 --> 02:11:13,240 But at this critical time, 1505 02:11:13,280 --> 02:11:18,480 there are also many people fighting to ensure they have a safer future. 1506 02:11:24,760 --> 02:11:26,040 We like to think of ourselves 1507 02:11:26,080 --> 02:11:29,120 as the most intelligent animals on Earth. 1508 02:11:29,160 --> 02:11:32,240 But with this intelligence surely comes a responsibility 1509 02:11:32,280 --> 02:11:33,520 to protect our planet 1510 02:11:33,560 --> 02:11:35,560 and the animals that we share it with. 1511 02:11:37,640 --> 02:11:40,920 There is no doubt that our family members 1512 02:11:40,960 --> 02:11:45,320 are some of the most charismatic and precious characters 1513 02:11:45,360 --> 02:11:47,240 on the planet. 1514 02:11:47,280 --> 02:11:51,280 # At last 1515 02:11:55,280 --> 02:11:58,680 # My love has come along 1516 02:12:03,360 --> 02:12:07,000 # My lonely days 1517 02:12:07,040 --> 02:12:08,680 # Are over 1518 02:12:11,640 --> 02:12:16,040 # And life is like a song 1519 02:12:19,560 --> 02:12:22,400 # Oh, yeah, yeah 1520 02:12:22,440 --> 02:12:24,080 # At last 1521 02:12:27,680 --> 02:12:31,880 # The skies above are blue 1522 02:12:36,440 --> 02:12:41,440 # My heart was wrapped up in clover 1523 02:12:44,080 --> 02:12:45,400 # The night I looked at you... # 1524 02:12:45,440 --> 02:12:48,520 Together, along with our cousins, 1525 02:12:48,560 --> 02:12:53,400 we make up a truly amazing animal family. 1526 02:12:53,440 --> 02:12:56,920 # At last. #