All language subtitles for The Last Orangutan Eden PBS Nature 2015 720p HDTV x264 AAC EN Sub

NARRATOR: In Sumatra,

orangutans are losing their last
wild home to logging

and palm oil farms.

MAN: I always refer to them
as refugees.

NARRATOR: Often,
these orangutans

have also lost
their mothers

and are too young
to make it on their own.

MAN: They're really slow
growers, just like humans.

NARRATOR: Some lucky babies
get rescued.

It's really hard to believe

what this little creature
has been through

at the hands
of humans.

And they go to school
to learn how to survive.

Yes, you are doing
so well!

What a good tree climber.

But how do these special jungle
schools know what to teach?

We watch a family of wild
orangutans to find out

how they live
in the treetops.

Wow, look at that!

It is like a giant
bird nest.

And their remarkable ways
of finding food.

WOMAN: They produce
a tool

and then use it to get the seeds
out of the fruit.

NARRATOR: But can these refugees
learn to survive

in the last orangutan Eden?

NARRATOR: I imagine when we
first encountered the red ape,

we may have mistaken them
for an unusual tribe

of tree dwelling people.

We even named them "Orang Utan,"

meaning,
"people of the forest."

They were mysterious,
yet so familiar.

They once roamed right across
the islands of Sumatra and Java.

But today, fewer than
7,000 Sumatran orangutans

remain in the wild.

They've become
the unwitting poster child

for the tropics'
most endangered animals.

In a corner of northern Sumatra
a pocket of wilderness

three times the size of
Yellowstone has become

a battleground for both
scientists and conservationists.

Around 85% of Sumatra's
orangutans are found here,

in the Leuser Ecosystem.

It harbors
the most sophisticated

orangutan culture on Earth,

and it's the last stronghold

for the remaining
wild Sumatran orangutans.

My name is Chris Morgan.

I've come to
the island of Sumatra

to better understand
what's at stake

for Asia's only great ape.

So, we're here.
We are over it now.

With me is renowned
conservationist,

Dr. Ian Singleton.

He's taking me over

a portion of
the Leuser Ecosystem

that's now at risk.

SINGLETON: Leuser is
the last hope for

Sumatran elephant,
Sumatran rhino, Sumatran tiger,

and the Sumatran orangutan.

Only here do you find
the populations of these species

still in viable numbers --

hundreds,
if not a few thousand,

compared to tens and dozens
elsewhere on the island.

MORGAN: Stretching out below me
is an ocean of green --

but a lifeless one.

The original forest
was logged and burned

to make way for vast
oil palm plantations.

Palm oil is found in half of
all household products,

from perfume
to peanut butter,

and it's the leading
ingredient in biofuel.

Indonesia now ranks among
the world's top

greenhouse gas emitters
due to rapid deforestation.

The clearing of land
for the production of palm oil

is the single greatest threat
facing wild orangutans.

SINGLETON:
When plantations go in,

they convert primary forest
to palm oil.

During that conversion process
they end up with barren land

and nothing survives
that process.

It's hard to find a spider
or a lizard, you know?

MORGAN: This quarantine center
is the temporary home

to around 48 orangutans.

They've either been
rescued from logged land

or confiscated from
the pet trade.

Many have lost their mothers,

and all of them
have lost their homes.

More than half the orangutans
at quarantine

are under
five years old.

In the wild
they would still be nursing.

With such long childhoods,

the staff must act as their
surrogate mothers.

SINGLETON: People always say
that one of the biggest threats

to orangutans is the pet trade,
but it's not --

the pet trade is simply
a byproduct

of the large-scale destruction
of orangutan habitat --

the killing of many, many
orangutans in that process.

And the orangutans
that end up in the pet trade

are actually
the lucky ones.

They're the lucky survivors
of that process.

And I always refer to them
as refugees,

because the definition
of a refugee

is somebody whose homeland
is no longer available to them.

And that certainly represents

the case for orangutans.

MORGAN: But they don't survive
long as pets --

most people are ill-equipped

to look after
a baby orangutan,

and their only chance
of survival

is to be rescued
by centers like Ian's.

Surgical masks are worn

to prevent the spread of any
human illness to the orangutans.

How old are these guys?

SINGLETON: Three, getting on
four -- still quite young.

They're really slow growers,
just like humans.

MORGAN: These youngsters still
have a lot to learn...

And every day
they go to school --

climbing school.

SINGLETON: You can see that
they're actually more closely

attached to each other
than they are to Henry.

And that's the way we want it.

MORGAN: Hello, hello!

Amazing to see.

So, I guess the physical
interaction...

I know I'm not supposed to be
touching them,

which is the most
difficult thing

I think I've ever been through.

You try very hard to separate
them from humans and...

SINGLETON: These guys used to be
with their mothers,

and their mother was killed
right in front of them.

They've already gone through
this trauma

of being separated from
their mother figure once,

and the last thing
we want to do

is get them into that situation

where they have to
go through it again.

MORGAN: Ian's goal
is to get these orphans

to bond with each other,
making their release

back into the forest
as smooth as possible.

These guys are so obviously

very connected, aren't they?

They know each other well,
they're very comfortable.

It's exactly what you're
looking for, I suppose.

SINGLETON:
They're all individuals,

and they're all
completely different

in terms of personality,
but also experience.

MORGAN: For an animal that
spends its entire life

in the canopy,

developing their motor skills
at an early age is vital.

And every day
their confidence grows.

Little by little,

they're figuring out
what it takes to be

a wild orangutan again.

It may be at least

another year and a half
before they are ready

to begin the reintroduction
process.

But there are
no steadfast rules --

every youngster learns
at their own pace.

Ian introduces me to their
most recent graduate, Udin.

He's been at quarantine
for the past three years,

but soon he'll be released
back into the wild.

SINGLETON: When we found him,

he was only recently captured
and he --

his mother had been clubbed
or beaten

with logs or a machete
or something.

But his skull was fractured.

If we hadn't
confiscated him,

he would've almost
certainly died,

you know, where he was.

MORGAN: Right, and how do you
feel like he's going to do?

Is he a good candidate?

I think he is.

I mean, he's --
he's been with

other orangutans a lot,

but he's not seeking
interaction too much.

I think he'll do very well.

And to look at him, he's gonna
be a very handsome male.

He's gonna be the pick.

MORGAN: Udin's time in
quarantine is almost over.

But for some new arrivals,

the road to recovery
will be a long one...

And I soon find myself
eye to eye

with two of the cutest
orangutans I've ever seen.

It's really hard to believe

what this little creature
has been through

at the hands of humans.

[Sighs] He was confiscated
just this week and brought here

just a few days ago --
five or six days ago.

You can see he's hiding
under this towel.

He's not very social
and doesn't trust humans,

and understandably.

They found him in a plastic bag,

tied up in a plastic bag
in somebody's back yard.

And he's totally dehydrated
and malnourished.

While he was in captivity

he's been attacked by a dog,

so he's got scars
around his neck

and on his
shoulder blade there.

The trauma is unbelievable.

In fact, you know what's more
surprising, though,

is that he trusts
people at all.

He doesn't --
He must be hungry.

-WOMAN: Yeah.
-MORGAN: He must be hungry,

but he doesn't trust
people with food.

He's three years old,
which is hard to believe

because his friend here that
he's been socializing with,

is six months old,
and they're the same size.

But sadly, his story
is a common one.

SINGLETON: There's no way a
mother orangutan will allow you

to take its baby without
defending it to the death.

And so you essentially have to
club this animal unconscious

or just beat it to death

in order to
take that baby away.

It's those babies --
those very babies --

that end up being taken home,
kept alive,

in the hope that they might be
able to sell it somewhere.

MORGAN: The three year old is
still far too weak to climb,

but for his little buddy,

climbing lessons
have already begun.

Yes! You are doing so well.

What a good tree climber.

I have to say,
when you are looking at them

it is like looking into the eyes
of a human being.

There's so much
going on back there.

You can see the intelligence
in their eyes.

This one's six months old...

and as she's
climbing through the trees

she's taking in this
massive information all the time

and you really sense that
she's retaining it

and is going to be
able to use it.

And it makes you wonder whether
they can learn enough

during the process
of rehabilitation

to make it
as a wild orangutan

on their own.

It's difficult to imagine
what these orphans have lost.

What is home like for a young
orangutan in the wild?

Where do they sleep at night?
What do they eat?

To find out,
I'm heading to

a remote jungle in the heart of
the Leuser Ecosystem,

a place known as
Suaq Balimbing,

home to the densest population
of orangutans on Earth.

[Thunder crashing]

It's well before dawn.

We're getting an early start in
the hopes of setting up camp

deeper in the swamp.

Researcher Caroline Schuppli
is my guide on this expedition.

She's been studying
the orangutans of Suaq

for the past
four years.

It's a bit eerie.

Our journey into the forest
starts with crossing the river

in the pitch darkness.

It's still hot
even though it's night.

So, we get across the river
and start hiking down the trail.

There is something
really unnerving about

being in the forest --

being in a forest
that you don't know

in the night.

And every little sound,
and every little leaf drop

could be an animal.

It feels as if we've been

walking in the dark for hours,

and as dawn arrives,
I'm relieved to finally see

what's around me.

Much of Suaq's wildlife
remains hidden from view.

Yet you have the uncanny
feeling you're being watched.

Thomas Leaf monkeys
peer down at us

as we slog our way
through the swamp.

In the distance,
the mating calls

of an argus pheasant
can be heard.

And somewhere in the forest,

sun bears seek out ripe fruit
high up in the canopy.

There are many more creatures

that simply don't want to
be seen.

Count yourself among
the lucky few

if you catch a glimpse of
a tiger.

But make no mistake,
they are here --

perhaps even watching us
as we pass by.

Many of Sumatra's
most charismatic animals

are threatened with extinction,

including the Sumatran elephant,
rhino, and tiger.

Even the seemingly common Thomas
leaf monkey are found only here,

in northern Sumatra.

And like the orangutan,

they, too, are threatened
with extinction.

As the day wears on,
it's easy to understand

why so much of the life here
prefers the trees.

The swamp is
a nasty place to be.

Every step you take
has to be carefully planned,

or you might --

Wow!

...get sucked
into the mud.

SCHUPPLI: Do you need a hand?

MORGAN: I'll just end up
pulling you in.

Oh, wow.

They call this place
orangutan heaven and human hell.

Actually, as soon as I arrived
on my first day,

one of the helpers
walking out back to the village

just shook my hand and quietly
said, "Welcome to hell."

It is miserable.

SCHUPPLI: The forest
is not an easy forest.

You fall, you get hurt,
you get stung,

you get stabbed by thorns.

But it's still --

what you see is so rewarding
that, at the end of the day,

you don't think about
how hard it is.

MORGAN: We set camp

on one of the few dry patches of
earth in the swamp,

and settle in for the evening.

Long before I wake up,

the peat swamp
is already bustling

with morning commuters --

thousands of critters
starting their day.

For Caroline, this is just
another day at the office.

Every morning she goes out
in search of her orangutans.

And for the past four years

she's been following about
30 different individuals.

SCHUPPLI: When we are
searching for orangutans,

every couple of hundred meters
we wait, listen.

That's interesting,
you wait and listen,

you don't
wait and watch.

It's easier to hear them?

It's so much easier
to hear them.

It's this --
[Whooshing]

And it's different from
other monkeys,

because other monkeys leap
and orangutans don't.

MORGAN: ToI'm hoping

to get a chance meet one of
Caroline's orangutans.

And then suddenly,
through the thick vegetation,

I hear that whooshing sound
Caroline described.

It's an orangutan!

Do you know them?

SCHUPPLI:
It looks like Friska.

Do you see the baby?

That's Friska's
two year old son --

that's Frankie.

He's a very curious boy.

MORGAN: I was only expecting
one orangutan,

but it looks like we've stumbled
across an entire family.

And it's not just Friska's
two year old infant,

but her adolescent son,
Freddy.

SCHUPPLI:
And Freddy actually spends

a lot of time
still with Friska

and his little brother.

And, interestingly,
the mom, Friska,

doesn't mind Freddy
to hang around.

In fact she often takes care
of both of them.

So, Freddy is allowed to
sleep in her nest

and she still bridges --

so, helps him to travel
between trees.

MORGAN: It was the most
surprising thing,

seeing my first
wild orangutan --

the way they moved
through the canopy.

There was nothing awkward
or clumsy about it

like the orangutans
back at quarantine.

They've got
so many characteristics

similar to gorillas, you know --

they've got that kind of
hunched shoulders

and that swagger
about them.

But then they have things
in common with chimpanzees,

and they can get around
in the treetops,

which gorillas can't.

And they do it
very, very gracefully.

Remember this is an animal

that weighs as much as
your average human being.

For an animal that size,
their agility

is very, very impressive.

She poured through the treetops
effortlessly.

Orangutans are as dependent
on the trees

as we are on the earth
beneath our feet.

It's where they sleep,
how they get around,

and it's their main
source of food.

And trees provide
something else, too...

Safety.

Avoiding predators
may be why orangutans

took to the trees
in the first place.

Unlike other great apes,

orangutans don't live in
strict social groups.

And the responsibility
for raising young

falls solely on mum.

With an adolescent son
and two year old infant,

Friska has her hands full --

especially at
the age of 65.

Although we don't really know

how long orangutans live
in the wild,

our best guess is somewhere
between 50 and 60 years.

And there's a surprising amount
we don't know

about wild orangutans,

which is why Caroline
meticulously documents

everything they do.

And she's particularly
interested in how

young orangutans learn.

SCHUPPLI: Frankie is now
trying to follow her.

She's waiting...

waiting...

and now he can catch up.

For a young orangutan,

the road to independence
is a long one.

SCHUPPLI: The orangutan
mother-infant bond

is one of the most intense
and intimate bonds

I've ever seen
in any animal.

They feed together,
they sleep in the same nest,

they are almost constantly
in body contact.

MORGAN: A female orangutan will
have a single offspring

once every eight
to nine years.

It's the longest birth interval
of any mammal.

And their entire world seems to
revolve around their babies --

they nurse them,

let them take food
from their mouth,

and help them travel
through the canopy.

A young orangutan won't be ready
to venture out on its own

until about
nine years of age.

And even after that
they pay regular visits to mum

until about
the age of 11 or 12.

It's the longest childhood
of any ape,

aside from us.

And this extended childhood
gives them time

to learn everything they need to
know to make it on their own.

And a young orangutan

has a lot to learn.

Termites are one of the few
sources of protein

in an orangutan's
mostly vegan diet,

so learning how to get at them
is a high priority.

But once this youngster
gets a hold of her own nest

she's got a new problem
on her hands.

How did mum do this?
What's the trick here?

Of course,

there's a technique
to everything.

First, you break it in half.

And then bang the nest into
the palm of your hands.

After watching mum a few times,

the youngster quickly
figures it out.

Ah, sweet success!

Orangutans use their body weight
to swing through the canopy,

but for the youngsters
this is a bit of a challenge.

They simply aren't heavy enough.

Fortunately mum is always
close by to help out,

using her body to form bridges
between trees.

The majority of an orangutan's
diet is fruit,

so knowing where

and when to find it
is pretty important.

And eating fruit is not
as simple as it looks --

orangutans use their lips
and teeth

to peel the skin off some fruit,

while extracting only
the seeds from another.

So, infants have to pay
particularly close attention

to everything mum does.

And learning all this
takes time --

in fact, it can take
up to 12 years

before an orangutan knows how to
find and process food

just like mum.

Because orangutans spend most of
their time in the canopy,

sleeping and resting comfortably

in the trees
means building a nest.

Sumatran Orangutans usually make
a couple of nests a day,

one for taking a siesta
in the midday heat,

and the other for sleeping
through the night.

And it takes a lot of practice
to build a nest.

SCHUPPLI: We often see
young orangutans investigating

old nests,
and also taking them apart,

and we think that's one way
to learn to build a good nest.

Sort of like
a reverse engineering.

MORGAN: And being a good
engineer is essential,

especially when your bed sits
50 feet above the forest floor

and you weigh
nearly 200 pounds.

I wanted to get a closer look
for myself,

so I've decided to investigate
one of Friska's old nests.

Oh, look at that!

It is like a giant
bird nest.

Here goes -- let's hope
it holds my weight.

[Laughing] Yes!

Yes!

It worked!

It's not like a bird's nest

where they, you know,
collect branches and twigs

and place them
into the nest.

The orangutan has actually
snapped them back --

can you see that
right there?

Broken the branch, pulled it,

and created a framework that
everything else sits on top of.

So, it actually feels
quite secure.

They create these nests

in places where they are
high but not --

[Animal calling]

I can hear a long call
over there.

It's amazing,
I'm sitting in an orangutan nest

and I can hear
an orangutan.

The orangutans that make that
noise are the big males

with these flanges that help
them direct the sound --

that's one theory,
anyway.

But they also have
an inflatable throat

that helps them really
project that sound.

Shall I reply?

"Ooh" -- oh, I don't know if
I can do it...

[Imitating call]

It's all gone
suspiciously quiet!

What are the chances of that?

Sitting in an orangutan nest

and hearing one call
while we're up here.

That really just
tells you something

about the density of
the orangutans in this forest.

And because there are

so many orangutans here,

these normally solitary apes
have learned to be social.

And all this social interaction
not only changes the way

young orangutans learn, but has
given rise to a unique culture.

SCHUPPLI: So, what we know from
orangutans in general

is that the infant learns
everything it has to learn

from its mother.

And what happens in Suaq is that
the infant has not just

the opportunity
to learn from mum,

but also from
other individuals.

MORGAN: And that's
what's different here,

that there are so many
packed in this area

that the infants
have an opportunity

to watch and learn
from others.

So, we call it vertical
versus horizontal transmission.

So, vertical if they learn from
their mothers,

and horizontal if they learn
from other individuals.

MORGAN: So, it makes these guys
perhaps extra smart,

or extra fast learners?

SCHUPPLI: That's exactly
what I'm looking at.

Because we are thinking
that it is

the opportunities
for social learning

that determine how smart
you will be as an adult.

MORGAN: If the orangutans of
Suaq really are that clever,

what exactly are they doing
with all those smarts?

One clue lies inside this odd
football shaped fruit.

It's called Neesia,
and when it's ripe,

orangutans will travel from
all over Suaq just to get it.

Inside the fruit's

tough outer shell are a cluster
ofatty seeds

surrounded by thousands of tiny,
sharp, fiberglass-like hairs.

It's not painful,

but apparently when this gets
under the skin

it can be a total nightmare --
it turns into a rash

and makes you swell up --
I'll have to take some tweezers

to get those out --
oh, I'm covered in them!

I'd make a lousy orangutan.

But the orangutans of Suaq

have worked out
an ingenious solution

to avoid getting stabbed by
the sharp hairs.

There he is!
Can you see that?

The vegetation is thick,

and it's difficult to get
a clear view.

But we can see a large
male orangutan,

and he's holding a stick
between his teeth.

Shaved clean of bark,
he's fashioned it into a tool.

He picks a Neesia fruit

and begins to jab the stick
into the fruit,

loosening the seeds inside.

You can see him working
the seeds loose with the stick.

Then he tilts the fruit,

dumping the seeds
into his mouth.

SCHUPPLI: They break apart
twigs, produce a tool,

they might peel the stick,

might chew the end of the stick

to make it look like
a little brush,

and then use it to get the seeds
out of the fruit.

MORGAN:
The orangutans of Suaq

are frequent tool users,

and they use stick tools
to solve a variety of problems.

Getting at tasty insects in
a tree hole can be a challenge,

especially if your fingers
aren't quite long enough.

And it's
no doubt frustrating.

But because he's watched others

use tools to solve
similar problems in the past,

he can now
draw upon this knowledge

to resolve his own dilemma

by producing a stick tool
that's just right for the job.

And it's not something he needed
to figure out on his own.

And this knowledge

is not just passed from
one individual to another,

but from one generation
to the next.

Do you feel like she's
looking over that way?

Yeah, all the time.

MORGAN: We spot Friska's son
Freddy in a nearby tree.

And it looks like he's got
a tool in his mouth.

It's clear he's been
watching others,

and he's determined to
master the skill.

But he hasn't quite
got the hang of it yet.

And Freddy's little brother
Frankie is watching

everything he does.

Although, if you want to learn
tool use,

Freddy might not be
the best example.

This vast repository
of knowledge

is all part of Suaq's
orangutan culture...

A culture that may have taken
thousands of years to evolve.

But the orangutans of Suaq

may be the last of
their kind.

Even as I sit
and talk with Caroline,

the forest around us
is under siege.

SCHUPPLI: Suaq is within
a national park,

but there is
illegal logging going on.

Yeah, it's just a very
complicated issue

because people
that cut down trees

come from the same village as,
for example,

the people that work for
our orangutans here.

So, it's all interconnected,

and there are family ties
maybe, even.

So, it's so complicated,
so complex.

MORGAN: If we lose
the orangutans of Suaq,

we would not only loose
a significant population,

but an entire culture.

My experience in Suaq
has shown me that

orangutans are far more curious
and innovative

than I had ever imagined.

If the orphans at quarantine

are as smart as their cousins
in Suaq,

then it's likely they can learn
new things with ease,

not only from the keepers here,
but from each other.

And a lot comes down to
the individual.

SINGLETON:
They're all fairly smart,

but a few of 'em just seem to be
more focused on

solving problems.

I think like people -- you get
people who are tinkerers.

And I think
some of these orangutans

are a bit like geeks
as well.

You know, they really like to

figure out problems
and solve them.

Mukhlis has been Udin's
surrogate mother from the start,

and Like a proud parent

he often refers to Udin
as a genius.

Early on Mukhlis began to
introduce Udin

to foods commonly found
in the forest,

and could see right away that
Udin was a quick study.

And the other orangutans
picked up on this as well,

and watched Udin closely.

But Mukhlis' days as Udin's
caretaker will soon be over.

Today Udin will be moved to
a protected forest,

and if all goes well,

released back into
the wild.

It's the last journey

these two will take together.

Udin is headed to
the Jantho Nature Reserve

at the very northern tip
of Sumatra.

It's a grueling 12 hour drive
to the reserve

on twisting coastal roads

that take us along the edge of
the Leuser Ecosystem.

As we approach Jantho the flat
coastal plains turn mountainous

and the road gets
much tougher.

The last portion of the journey

is the toughest.

The road into Jantho

is regularly washed away
by monsoon rains.

And this dirt track
is all that remains.

This is the worst
section of road,

so if we can just get past
this we'll be okay.

But that's easier said
than done.

Just look at it --

it's unbelievable what these
vehicles can get through.

But -- oh!
Crunch!

This vehicle was trying to tow
this other one out right now.

You can see it's just like
a thick, syrupy clay

that's just lethal.

No one in their right mind would
go down this road --

and that's the point.

It's Jantho's inaccessibility

that makes it the perfect place
for orangutans

to thrive.

And not just orangutans...

These tiger tracks are so fresh

water is still pooling
in the prints.

Jantho is only
64 square miles,

but it's directly connected to
the Leuser Ecosystem.

Unlike Suaq,
this is a mountainous region

with rolling hills
and lush meadows.

SINGLETON:
Before we started here,

there was no wild
orangutan population here,

none at all.

There are no orangutans
for about

150 kilometers south of here,

until you get to
the Leuser Ecosystem.

MORGAN: The very last obstacle
is the river.

Just on the other side
lies an orangutan Eden.

Orangutans don't swim,
so the river forms

a natural boundary between the
human camp and the orangutans.

It's been a long road
for Udin.

He's lost his forest home

along with everyone
he's ever known.

But he is
one of the lucky ones...

a refugee that has been given
a second chance in a new home.

Many of the other orangutans

have come to check out
the new arrival.

SINGLETON: When they travel up
to a place like Jantho,

they're traveling
with their buddies.

And when they're released
into the forests,

they can see orangutans
that were previously released,

who they already know
from the quarantine.

So, old mates.

MORGAN: Udin will have a chance

to sample the local fruits
and insects,

and get to know
his neighbors.

By the time Udin is released,

he will already be familiar
with the place.

But the jungle can be a pretty
tough place to make a living,

and I sure hope Udin
can survive it.

Will he know how to make
an umbrella out of leaves

Orangutans are tolerant
of each other,

How much does he really know
about being a wild orangutan?

The Jantho Nature Reserve

is now home to about
54 orangutans,

and all of them
were once orphans,

like Udin.

But If all goes well today,

Udin will become a member
of this new community.

Orangutans are tolerant
of each other,

and not territorial
like some primates --

and all of this makes them
good candidates

for release
and reintroduction.

SINGLETON: And as long as they
can keep themselves alive

for long enough, as long as they
can maintain adequate nutrition

for a few years,
they will develop

a map of the area
that they're released in

and have a really good
chance at survival.

You know, we were talking about
some orangutans

just seem to have
that little bit extra?

And Udin is one of those guys.

We've seen him using tools,

and he's always looking
at ways to get the padlocks

and get out of
different things.

The others probably
recognize that fact

and see him as
the smart guy.

MORGAN: It's going to stand him
in good stead

once he's out in the forest.

SINGLETON: Yeah, yeah,
it will do -- should do.

MORGAN: That adventurous spirit.

SINGLETON: I hope so, yeah.

MORGAN: I suppose you never can
tell until they are out there

doing what they're
supposed to be doing.

Oh, wow!
He knew how to open that!

Look at that!

Oh, look, look, look.

[Morgan laughing]

He's not feeling sociable.

Aww!
Priceless!

He's looking over his shoulder

and kind of not knowing exactly
what he can get away with,

but then straight back into
Mukhlis' arms.

Love it -- what a scene!

SINGLETON: Yeah, let's go
and take him in -- hello, mate!

MORGAN: Mukhlis cradles Udin
in his arms

as he takes him into
the forest.

He's seen Udin grow from
an awkward youngster

to confident adolescent.

Every parent eventually faces
this moment --

the inevitability
of growing up,

when you send your child out
into the world

hoping you've given them
the tools to survive it.

But we're not alone...

It looks like one of Udin's good
mates has come to see him off.

Yusniar was released
weeks earlier.

They spent time together
in quarantine

and became fast friends.

It's comforting to know
Udin is not alone.

Mukhlis is looking for
just the right tree

for Udin's release,

so he can begin foraging
right away.

SINGLETON:
I see a lot of flowers.

MORGAN:
There he goes.

SINGLETON: Oh, look at that,
straight up,

like he never left.

MORGAN: Oh, my goodness!

I can't believe how quickly
he's gotten up there!

If there was ever an example

of an animal being given
a second chance in life,

then this is it
right here.

Absolutely incredible
to watch.

You know, when he --
he was like this all the way!

He was like this, and I thought
he's never gonna let go.

And then he saw the tree,

and you gave him
some encouragement,

and, phew, he was gone.

[Cameraman gasps]
Whoa! Okay, yep.

-MORGAN: You okay, Joe?
-Nope, okay.

Think it's all right.

MORGAN: I think he's
looking for his mate.

Oh! Oh, my goodness,
that is priceless!

Little by little he is shedding
the shell of captivity

and soaking up
the forest around him.

It looks like Udin has spotted
his good friend Yusniar,

and he's heading up
to join her.

SINGLETON: But once they get out
into the forest here

and you see 'em up in the trees
and most of 'em seem to have

figured it out very quickly,

and they're behaving just like
wild orangutans do.

To see that

they've gone from

an animal with no future,

to an orangutan
who possibly has a future

as good as
a wild orangutan,

50 years in the wild...

And these guys will become
the founding fathers.

You know, the first guys
who settled here.

If they could write
and take notes, you know,

they would look back at these
guys as the Pilgrim fathers,

you know, the ones who --

"Oh, yeah, I'm related to Udin!

You know, he was my great-great-
great-great grandfather."

You know? These are real -- real
celebrities, these guys.

MORGAN: It's magic to see this.

It's hard to believe that

just a few minutes ago
he was in the cage down below,

and now he's swinging around
in the treetops

like an orangutan should,

and it was such a short leap
from the arms of Mukhlis

to that tree two feet away,

but a profound step
to freedom

and a whole 'nother world.

Exactly where these guys
should be...

Reunited again,

but this time in
the freedom of the forest.

Witnessing the birth

of a new
orangutan population

gives me hope for
the future of the species.

I've come to see that
orangutans are far more than

simple foragers --

they're intelligent,
innovative,

and capable of developing
a rich culture.

But if the pilgrims of this
new land are to thrive,

they will need our help.

Their forest home
will need to be protected --

not just today,
but for generations to come.

To learn more about what you've
seen on this "Nature" program,

visit pbs.org.