Original subtitles

[MONKEYS CALLING]

[HOOTING]

Patrick Aryee: PREPARE TO MEET \h\hA FEW MEMBERS OF THE CLAN.

[ORANGUTAN SCREECHING]

MISCHIEVOUS MONKEYS...

INTELLIGENT APES...

\h\h\h\hAND A CAST OF STRANGE AND ENCHANTING LITTLE COUSINS.

[MONKEY SCREECHES]

THIS IS THE STORY OF OUR CLOSEST RELATIVES ON EARTH.

FROM THE MIGHTY GORILLA

TO A PRIMATE SO SMALL IT COULD FIT IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND,

WE’RE ALL PART OF THE SAME \h\h\hAMAZING ANIMAL ORDER.

\h\h\h\h\hTODAY, THERE ARE OVER 400 DIFFERENT MEMBERS

OF OUR PRIMATE ORDER.

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHEY ARE UNRIVALED ACROBATS...

DOTING PARENTS...

\h\h\hAND SOME OF THE SMARTEST CREATURES IN THE NATURAL WORLD.

\hSO, HOW DID PRIMATES BECOME SO SUCCESSFUL?

[PRIMATES CALLING]

WE’RE ON A JOURNEY TO RETRACE THE ASTONISHING RISE TO POWER

\h\h\hOF OUR VERY OWN PRIMATE FAMILY TREE.

[SCREECHING]

\h\h\hWE’VE TRAVELED TO ASIA TO REVEAL THE SURPRISING WAYS

MONKEYS AND APES CONQUERED

THE BIGGEST CONTINENT \h\h\h\hON THE PLANET.

[GRUNTING]

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hPREPARE TO MEET SOME OF YOUR CLOSEST RELATIVES.

[CHATTERING]

[PRIMATES CALLING]

♪

OUR STORY STARTS HERE,

IN THE FORESTS OF ASIA,

MORE THAN 55 MILLION \h\h\h\h\hYEARS AGO.

[MONKEYS HOWLING]

\h\h\h\h\h\hAT SOME POINT, DEEP IN THE MIST OF TIME,

AN UNFAMILIAR CREATURE APPEARED

SOMEWHERE UP IN THE CANOPY.

AS THIS MYSTERIOUS ANIMAL

TOOK ITS FIRST STEPS,

LEAPING FROM BRANCH TO BRANCH,

IT MARKED THE BIRTH OF A NEW \hORDER OF ANIMALS IN ASIA,

THE PRIMATES.

[MONKEYS CALLING]

\hTODAY, ONE DESCENDANT OF THOSE EARLY PRIMATES

\h\h\h\h\hSTILL HANGS OUT IN THE TREETOPS OF ASIA--

THE GIBBON.

[GIBBONS WHOOPING]

FLYING THROUGH THE CANOPY \hAT ASTONISHING SPEED...

[WHOOPING]

THEY CAN CLEAR OVER 30 FEET \h\h\h\h\hBETWEEN BRANCHES.

[HOWLING]

THESE JUNGLE ACROBATS ARE PERFECTLY ADAPTED

FOR CANOPY LIFE.

\hNEVER HAS AN ANIMAL LOOKED SO COMFORTABLE IN THE TREES.

♪

\hLOOKING AT THIS GIBBON, THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE

IS JUST HOW LONG ITS LIMBS ARE, \h\h\h\h\hESPECIALLY ITS ARMS,

\h\h\hWHICH ARE ONE AND HALF TIMES LONGER THAN ITS LEGS.

BUT IT DOES LOOK PERFECTLY \h\h\hAT HOME IN THE TREES.

\h\h\h\h\hWITH THOSE LONG ARMS AND THEIR LIGHTWEIGHT BODIES...

\hGIBBONS APPEAR TO DEFY GRAVITY.

BUT THIS IS A FLYING TRAPEZE \h\h\h\hWITH NO SAFETY NET.

♪

\h\h\h\hLIVING IN THE CANOPY CAN BE A DANGEROUS BUSINESS,

AND SOMETIMES GIBBONS \h\h\hDO GET IT WRONG,

AND THEY’LL FALL FROM WHAT IS CLEARLY A GREAT HEIGHT,

\hAND IN THE PROCESS INJURE THEMSELVES OR BREAK BONES.

SO IMAGINE WHAT IT MUST \hBE LIKE RAISING YOUNG

UP THERE IN THE TREETOPS.

♪

[CALLING]

THIS LITTLE ONE SPENDS MOST OF HIS TIME CLINGING TO MUM,

\hBUT HE’S STARTING TO LEARN THE ROPES.

♪

\h\h\hLIKE ANY NOVICE, HE’S A LITTLE NERVOUS.

AND WHEN HE’S ACCIDENTALLY DROPPED FROM 65 FEET UP...

HE HAS TO LEARN FAST.

\h\h\h\h\hBUT HE SOON GETS INTO THE SWING OF THINGS.

♪

IT LOOKS LIKE HE’S PASSED \h\h\h\h\hHIS FIRST LESSON

IN JUNGLE SCHOOLING.

♪

LIVING HIGH IN THE TREETOPS \h\h\h\hMAY SEEM PRECARIOUS.

♪

\hBUT THERE’S A WEALTH OF FOOD IN THE CANOPY,

AND UP HERE, FEW PREDATORS \h\h\h\h\hCAN GET AT THEM.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT’S WHY EARLY PRIMATES FLOURISHED

IN THE TREETOPS OF ASIA

\h\h\h\hAND WHY GIBBONS STILL LIVE HERE TODAY.

[SQUEAKING AND WHISTLING]

THE GIBBON IS THE PERFECT \h\h\h\h\hJUNGLE ACROBAT,

BUT ONLY ONE OF OVER 400 \h\hEXTRAORDINARY MEMBERS

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT MAKE UP OUR AMAZING ANIMAL GROUP.

♪

THE PRIMATE FAMILY TREE \h\h\h\hBURST INTO LIFE

AROUND 55 MILLION YEARS AGO.

[SQUAWKING]

AS IT GREW, SEPARATE BRANCHES \h\h\h\hBEGAN TO BREAK AWAY,

\h\h\h\hAS NEW MEMBERS OF OUR ORDER EVOLVED.

[SHRIEKING]

IN THE OLDEST PART \h\h\hOF THE TREE,

THERE ARE INQUISITIVE LEMURS.

[HOWLING AND SQUAWKING]

\h\h\h\h\hNEXT TO THEM IS THE ODDEST BRANCH OF ALL,

HOME TO CURIOUS LITTLE \h\hNIGHTTIME HUNTERS.

\h\h\h\hTHE LARGEST AND BUSIEST BRANCHES

BELONG TO THE MONKEYS,

WITH MORE THAN 270 \h\hNOISY MEMBERS.

\h\h\h\hAND FINALLY THERE’S OUR BRANCH,

THE GREAT APES...

THE BIGGEST AND SMARTEST \h\h\h\hPRIMATES OF ALL.

TODAY, THE PRIMATE \h\h\hFAMILY TREE

\h\hIS ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE AND DAZZLING GROUPS OF ANIMALS

IN THE NATURAL WORLD.

[CHATTERING]

[THUNDER]

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\hOUR JOURNEY STARTS MORE THAN 55 MILLION YEARS AGO,

\hWHEN THE FIRST PRIMATES WERE ARISING IN THE JUNGLES OF ASIA.

I’VE COME TO THE ISLAND OF SULAWESI, INDONESIA,

\hIN SEARCH OF ONE OF THE MOST ANCIENT MEMBERS OF OUR FAMILY.

[WHISTLING]

THESE BIZARRE CREATURES \h\hARE PART OF A GROUP

\h\h\hTHAT HAS EXISTED SINCE LONG BEFORE MONKEYS AND APES.

DURING THE DAY, \hTHEY HIDE OUT

IN THE MOST IMPRESSIVE TREES \h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN THE JUNGLE.

THE SKYSCRAPERS \hOF THE FOREST.

\h\h\h\h\hTHIS MAGNIFICENT STRANGLER FIG TREE IS HOME

TO ONE OF THE WEIRDEST MEMBERS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF OUR FAMILY.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hHIDDEN DEEP IN THIS LIVING LABYRINTH

ARE A GROUP OF STRANGE, GREMLIN-LIKE PREDATORS.

TO SEE THESE TINY TERRORS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN ACTION,

I HAVE TO WAIT \hUNTIL SUNSET.

\hWE CAN OBSERVE THE JUNGLE AT NIGHT LIKE NEVER BEFORE.

A BRAND-NEW LOWLIGHT CAMERA \h\h\h\h\hALLOWS US TO FILM

IN NEAR TOTAL DARKNESS...

BUT MAKES IT LOOK \h\hLIKE DAYLIGHT.

THIS EXTRAORDINARY \h\hNEW TECHNOLOGY

REVEALS THE SECRET WORLD OF SOME OF OUR MOST DISTANT COUSINS...

THE TARSIERS.

THEY AREN’T MUCH BIGGER \h\hTHAN A TENNIS BALL.

[SQUEAKING]

BUT FOR THEIR SIZE,

THEY HAVE SOME OF THE BIGGEST \hATTRIBUTES OF ANY PRIMATE.

EACH EYEBALL IS BIGGER \h\h\hTHAN ITS BRAIN...

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

GIVING THESE LITTLE CREATURES

NIGHT VISION 100 TIMES \h\h\hBETTER THAN OURS,

AND LONG, FROG-LIKE LEGS ALLOW \hTHEM TO LAUNCH THEMSELVES...

\h\h\h\hUP TO 60 TIMES THEIR OWN BODY LENGTH.

THE LITTLE TARSIER’S \h\h\hSPRINGY LIMBS

AND INCREDIBLE NIGHT VISION...

\h\h\h\h\h\hMAKE THEM FORMIDABLE PREDATORS.

EACH NIGHT, THEY PING \h\hTHROUGH THE TREES,

POUNCING ON UNSUSPECTING \h\h\h\h\h\hINSECT PREY.

\hTHE TARSIER IS THE ONLY FULLY CARNIVOROUS PRIMATE.

\hIN THESE CURIOUS LITTLE CREATURES,

\hWE GET A GLIMPSE OF HOW THE PRIMATE STORY BEGAN.

40 MILLION YEARS, AND THESE GUYS HAVE HARDLY CHANGED AT ALL.

THEY ARE WONDERFULLY ADAPTED \h\h\hAS NIGHTTIME HUNTERS.

\h\hTHE DARKNESS IS THEIR REALM,

\h\h\h\h\hAND THEY HAVE MASTERED IT PERFECTLY.

[PRIMATES CALLING]

ON OUR PRIMATE FAMILY TREE,

\h\hTARSIERS SIT ON ONE OF THE OLDEST BRANCHES.

BUT AROUND 40 MILLION \h\h\h\h\h\hYEARS AGO,

A NEW BRANCH BROKE AWAY,

\hAS EARLY PRIMATES CONTINUED TO EVOLVE.

THIS GROUP HAD BIGGER BRAINS, \h\h\h\h\h\hBETTER EYESIGHT,

AND LIVED IN BIG, \h\hNOISY TROOPS.

THE MONKEYS HAD ARRIVED.

[CHATTERING AND SQUAWKING]

[WHISTLING]

\h\h\h\h\hTODAY, IN THE SAME SULAWESI JUNGLES OF INDONESIA

THE TARSIERS PATROL AT NIGHT...

MONKEYS HAVE TAKEN OVER \h\h\h\hTHE DAY SHIFT.

[SCREECHING]

BLACK-CRESTED MACAQUES...

MONKEYS WITH MOHAWKS.

THEY LIVE IN GIANT TROOPS,

\h\h\hWITH UP TO 100 MISCHIEVOUS MEMBERS.

I’VE COME TO MEET \h\h\hA WILD TROOP

TO FIND OUT WHAT ALLOWS THEM TO LIVE IN SUCH BIG GROUPS.

APPARENTLY, IT’S ALL DOWN

\h\hTO THEIR MASTERFUL COMMUNICATION SKILLS.

I’VE BEEN FOLLOWING THESE CHEEKY CHARACTERS FOR A WHILE NOW,

AND IT’S JUST LIKE FOLLOWING AN UNRULY FAMILY GATHERING.

\hTHERE’S CONSTANT NOISE, AND TO THE UNTRAINED EAR,

THIS MIGHT SOUND \h\h\hLIKE CHAOS,

BUT EVERY TINY YIP, YELP,

\h\hEVERY BARK HAS A SPECIFIC MEANING.

[GRUNTING AND CHATTERING]

\h\h\h\h\h\hWHEN YOUNG MONKEYS ARE TROUBLESOME, THIS GRUNT...

[GRUNTING]

IS WHAT IRRITATION \h\h\hSOUNDS LIKE.

[SCREECHING]

AND WHEN THERE’S \hDANGER, THIS...

[SCREECHING]

MEANS RUN FOR YOUR LIFE.

[GRUNTING]

\h\h\h\hINCREDIBLY, THESE MACAQUES HAVE

OVER A HUNDRED DIFFERENT WAYS \h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO COMMUNICATE.

[GRUNTING]

\h\hAND EVEN MORE REMARKABLE, THESE MONKEYS DO A LOT OF THIS

\h\hWITHOUT MAKING ANY SOUND AT ALL,

\h\h\h\h\hTHANKS TO THEIR HIGHLY EXPRESSIVE FACES.

TO DEMONSTRATE, I’M SETTING UP \h\h\h\hA JUNGLE PHOTO BOOTH.

\h\h\hIT’S THOUGHT THAT BLACK-CRESTED MACAQUES

ARE SOME OF THE FRIENDLIEST \h\h\h\h\hMONKEYS ON EARTH.

WHEN THEY SEE A STRANGER

\h\h\hOR AN INDIVIDUAL THEY DON’T RECOGNIZE,

\h\h\h\hTHEIR FACES LIGHT UP, AND THEY SWITCH ON THE CHARM.

\h\h\h\h\h\hAND TO SEE THIS CHARM OFFENSIVE,

\h\hI’VE BROUGHT ALONG AN UNUSUAL PIECE OF KIT

THAT THEY SHOULD FIND \h\h\h\hIRRESISTIBLE.

INSIDE THIS BOX IS A CAMERA.

IT’S HIDDEN BEHIND A ONE-WAY MIRROR.

WHEN THE MONKEYS \h\hPEER INSIDE,

\h\h\h\h\hALL THEY’LL SEE IS THEIR OWN REFLECTION,

\h\h\h\hAND THINKING IT’S ANOTHER MONKEY,

THEY SHOULD GREET THEM

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWITH A SERIES OF FRIENDLY FACIAL EXPRESSIONS.

[LAUGHING]

♪

THAT IS BRILLIANT.

BUT LOOK WHAT THEY’RE DOING \h\h\h\h\hWITH THEIR FACES,

ESPECIALLY THEIR MOUTHS.

♪

THEY’RE JUST LIP-SMACKING.

THIS IS THEIR WAY \hOF SAYING HELLO.

\h\hDIFFERENT EXPRESSIONS HAVE DIFFERENT MEANINGS.

♪

AN INNOCENT-LOOKING YAWN \h\hSHOWS OFF SHARP TEETH

AND IS, IN FACT, A THREAT.

♪

\hFOLDING THE EARS BACK IS A FRIENDLY GESTURE,

AN INVITATION TO PLAY.

♪

AND IT SEEMS THERE ARE \h\h\hA FEW EXPRESSIONS

THEY EVEN SHARE WITH US.

[CHATTERING]

\h\h\hSULAWESI MACAQUES HAVE UP TO 130 DIFFERENT ACTIONS

AND EXPRESSIONS.

BUT SADLY, WE ONLY \h\hCAPTURE A FEW

BEFORE OUR EXPERIMENT \h\h\h\hIS CUT SHORT.

[GRUNTING]

BEING ABLE TO COMMUNICATE \h\hIN SOPHISTICATED WAYS

HAS BEEN KEY TO THE SUCCESS \h\h\h\h\hOF THESE MACAQUES

AND ALL MONKEYS,

\h\h\hALLOWING THEM TO LIVE IN LARGE, TIGHT-KNIT GROUPS

AND WORK TOGETHER.

[SQUAWKING]

AND IT’S THIS IN COMBINATION WITH THEIR ABILITY TO EXPRESS

\h\h\hCOMPLEX EMOTIONS WITH JUST A SINGLE LOOK

THAT HAS TRANSFORMED THE WAY \h\hPRIMATES LIVE TOGETHER.

\h\hIT’S THE THING THAT SETS US APART

FROM EVERY OTHER ANIMAL \h\h\h\h\h\h\hON EARTH.

[ENGINE RUNNING]

\h\h\h\h\hAS EARLY PRIMATES VENTURED BEYOND THE JUNGLES,

THEY BEGAN TO COLONIZE \hIN UNUSUAL NEW LANDS.

♪

I’M HEADED TO A GROUP OF ISLANDS OFF SOUTHERN THAILAND

TO MEET SOME MONKEY CASTAWAYS

\hWHO’VE CONQUERED THIS IDYLLIC-LOOKING WORLD.

♪

\h\hAND TO DO THIS, THEY’VE FIGURED OUT A BRILLIANT WAY

TO HARVEST THE FRUITS \h\h\h\h\hOF THE SEA.

THIS PART OF THE THAI COASTLINE \h\hIS DOTTED WITH TINY ISLANDS

\h\h\hWHICH HAPPEN TO BE HOME TO TROOPS OF MAROONED MONKEYS.

NO ONE KNOWS EXACTLY HOW OR WHEN THEY BECAME MAROONED HERE,

BUT THEY’VE MANAGED TO THRIVE \hBECAUSE THEIR CURIOUS MINDS

HAVE UNLOCKED THE SECRET \hOF THESE ISLAND WORLDS.

THESE ARE LONG-TAILED MACAQUES.

[CHATTERING]

\h\h\h\hTHEY SPEND MUCH OF THEIR DAY

\h\h\h\h\h\hFROLICKING ON THE TROPICAL SANDS.

♪

[SCREECHING]

\h\h\hWHEN IT GETS TOO HOT, THEY TAKE A DIP TO COOL OFF.

♪

♪

\h\h\h\hBUT WHAT’S THE SECRET TO THEIR LEISURELY LIFESTYLES?

[SCREECHES]

[WAVES CRASHING]

ON THE SURFACE, IT LOOKS LIKE \hTHEY HAVE THE PERFECT LIFE,

BUT THIS ISLAND IS ISOLATED \h\h\h\h\hFROM THE MAINLAND,

AND FOOD IS SCARCE.

SO TO SURVIVE HERE, THEY’VE BEEN FORCED TO FIND THEIR MEALS

\h\h\h\hIN A WAY THAT’S REALLY QUITE INGENIOUS.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hEVERY DAY AS THE TIDE ROLLS OUT,

THE MONKEYS STOP PLAYING...

\h\h\h\hAND TURN THEIR MINDS TO THE TASK OF FINDING FOOD.

\hCLAMS AND OYSTERS THAT WERE SUBMERGED

\h\hARE NOW RIPE FOR THE PICKING.

BUT THE FLESHY TREATS \h\hARE LOCKED WITHIN

A THICK ARMOR-PLATED SHELL.

TO GET TO THEIR DINNER,

THEY FACE THE ULTIMATE \h\h\h\hMONKEY PUZZLE.

[CHATTERING]

AND THESE GUYS HAVE CRACKED IT.

♪

[BANG]

♪

♪

[BANG]

THESE MONKEYS HAVE FIGURED OUT

\h\h\h\hHOW TO CHISEL THEIR WAY INTO THE TOUGHEST OYSTER SHELLS.

[BANG]

♪

[BANG]

IT’S A POWERFUL REMINDER OF JUST HOW CLOSE WE ARE

TO OUR PRIMATE COUSINS.

♪

THESE LONG-TAILED MACAQUES HAVE USED THEIR BIG BRAINS

TO FIGURE OUT THE SECRET \h\hTO A LEISURELY LUNCH.

[SHELL CRACKING]

IT MIGHT SEEM SIMPLE TO US,

\h\h\h\hBUT THIS MONKEY HAS HAD TO SELECT THE RIGHT TOOL

FOR THE RIGHT JOB.

[BANGING]

\h\hSPECIFIC FOODS NEED A SPECIFIC STONE TOOL--

\h\h\h\h\hIN THIS CASE, A SHARP, POINTED ROCK,

WHICH IT CAN USE TO CHISEL AWAY \h\h\h\h\h\h\hAT THOSE OYSTERS.

♪

[BANG]

\h\hFINDING THE BEST STONE RELIES ON TRIAL AND ERROR.

AND LIKE ANY TASK USING TOOLS, IT CAN TAKE A WHILE TO MASTER.

\h\h\h\h\hFOR YOUNG MACAQUES, THE BEACH IS THEIR CLASSROOM.

♪

MACAQUES AREN’T BORN \h\hWITH THE ABILITY

TO MANIPULATE STONE TOOLS.

\h\h\h\h\hIT’S SOMETHING THAT THEY HAVE TO LEARN.

YOU COULD SAY IT’S A BIT \hLIKE AN APPRENTICESHIP.

THEY’LL SIT AND WATCH \h\h\hTHE OLDER ONES,

BUT THEY WON’T HAVE MASTERED \h\h\h\hTHEIR OWN TECHNIQUE

\h\h\h\h\hUNTIL THEY’RE AT LEAST TWO YEARS OLD.

[SQUEAKS]

IT’S A WORTHWHILE SKILL \h\h\h\h\h\hTO MASTER.

[BANG]

\h\h\h\hONCE A YOUNG MACAQUE HAS MASTERED THE TECHNIQUE,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIT CAN HARVEST THE PROTEIN-RICH SHELLFISH.

THIS FRESH SEAFOOD DIET GIVES GROWING MACAQUES

THE ENERGY THEY NEED.

[BANGING]

WATCHING THESE CLEVER MONKEYS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hHARD AT WORK,

\h\hIT’S CLEAR TO SEE THAT THERE’S FAR MORE

THAN JUST BRUTE FORCE \h\h\h\hAT PLAY HERE.

TO SUCCEED, THEY’VE APPLIED \h\h\hTHEIR BRILLIANT MINDS

AND WORKED OUT HOW TO ACCESS \hTHIS ABUNDANCE OF SEAFOOD,

AND IT’S THIS RESOURCEFULNESS \h\hTHAT’S LED TO THE MACAQUE

BECOMING THE MOST WIDESPREAD \h\hOF ALL MONKEYS ON EARTH.

WHETHER IT’S MOUNTAINS, \hFORESTS, OR BEACHES,

THEIR SHARP MINDS \hHAVE PUZZLED OUT

THE BEST WAY TO SURVIVE.

♪

[BANG]

\hAS EARLY MONKEYS SPREAD ACROSS ASIA,

THERE WERE SOME LANDSCAPES

\h\h\h\h\h\hEVEN BIG BRAINS COULDN’T HELP THEM CONQUER.

\hMONKEYS ALSO NEEDED TO ADAPT THEIR BODIES

TO EACH NEW ENVIRONMENT, WITH ASTONISHING RESULTS.

♪

IN THE REMOTE MANGROVE SWAMPS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF BORNEO,

THERE’S A RARE MONKEY

THAT’S BEEN TOTALLY SHAPED \h\h\hBY ITS SURROUNDINGS.

\h\hSO MUCH SO, IT’S PERHAPS THE STRANGEST-LOOKING MEMBER

OF OUR FAMILY.

THEY ALSO HAVE AN ODD NICKNAME.

LOCALS CALL THEM DUTCH MONKEYS.

SOME OF THE VERY FIRST \hEUROPEANS TO VENTURE

INTO THESE DENSE JUNGLES \h\hWERE DUTCH EXPLORERS.

NOW, FOR THE LOCALS ALREADY LIVING HERE,

THEY WOULD HAVE SEEMED \hVERY UNUSUAL INDEED.

WITH THEIR LIGHT-COLORED HAIR

\h\h\h\hAND PALE SKIN BURNT RED BY THE SUN,

THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN UNLIKE ANY PERSON THEY’D EVER MET BEFORE.

BUT THEY DID REMIND THEM \h\h\h\h\h\hOF SOMETHING.

♪

THEY REMINDED THEM \h\hOF THESE GUYS,

THE PROBOSCIS MONKEY.

THE MALES HAVE BY FAR

THE BIGGEST NOSES \hOF ANY PRIMATE.

♪

\hSO BIG...THEY EVEN MAKE EATING AWKWARD.

♪

\hCOMBINED WITH THEIR SWOLLEN POTBELLIES...

THEY’RE UNLIKELY TO WIN \hANY BEAUTY CONTESTS.

\h\hBUT THEIR PECULIAR LOOKS ARE A RESULT OF THEIR ABILITY

TO ADAPT TO THIS REMOTE \h\hPART OF THE PLANET.

[SQUAWKING]

♪

\h\h\h\hTHE JUNGLE MANGROVES IN WHICH THEY LIVE LOOK LUSH,

BUT LOOKS CAN BE DECEIVING.

\hTHE LEAVES ARE TOUGH AND TOXIC,

\h\h\hAND VERY FEW ANIMALS CAN ACTUALLY STOMACH THEM.

BUT THE PROBOSCIS MONKEY \h\hCAN HANDLE THIS DIET,

\h\h\h\h\hAND IT’S ALL THANKS TO THEIR WELL-ROUNDED BELLIES.

PROBOSCIS MONKEYS HAVE

SEVERAL BACTERIA-FILLED \h\h\hSTOMACH CHAMBERS

\hTHAT BREAK DOWN THE TOXIC LEAVES.

SO THEY CAN EASILY CHOMP AWAY ON FOOD

THAT OTHER MONKEYS JUST CAN’T STOMACH.

BUT WHY THE BIG NOSES?

TO DEMONSTRATE, I NEED \h\hTO LURE THEM CLOSE

WITH THE PROBOSCIS EQUIVALENT \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF A CATCALL.

I’VE GOT THE LOVE SONG \h\h\h\h\hOF THE MALE,

WHICH I’M GONNA PLAY USING THIS SPEAKER,

AND HOPEFULLY IT SHOULD ACT

AS AN IRRESISTIBLE DRAW \h\h\hFOR THE FEMALES,

BUT ALSO A BIT OF A THREAT \h\h\h\h\h\hFOR THE MALES.

\h\h\hEITHER WAY, IT SHOULD GET THEM

\h\h\h\hA BIT CLOSER TO THE WATER’S EDGE.

[BEEP]

[MONKEY BELLOWING ON SPEAKER]

IT’S NOT LONG BEFORE MY CALLING

ALERTS A RIVAL MALE \hTO THE RIVERBANK.

[MONKEY BELLOWING ON SPEAKER]

AND SOON, HE STARTS \h\h\hTO HONK BACK.

[BELLOWING]

IT MUST BE THE MALE MAKING THAT SOUND.

\hIT’S JUST GOING, "AUGH, AUGH, AUGH."

[BELLOWING]

THAT BIG THING SOUNDS SO WEIRD.

THE ONLY THING...

[MONKEY GRUNTING]

WEIRDER THAN HOW THEY LOOK \h\h\h\hIS HOW THEY SOUND.

[MONKEY BELLOWING ON SPEAKER]

\h\h\h\h\h\hBIZARRELY, IT’S THIS LOVE CALL...

[BELLOWING]

THAT’S THOUGHT TO BE THE SECRET \h\h\h\h\h\h\hBEHIND THAT NOSE.

[MONKEYS BELLOWING AND GRUNTING]

PROBOSCIS MONKEYS \hLIVE IN TROOPS,

\h\hWITH ONE MALE, A HAREM OF FEMALES,

AND THEIR YOUNG.

\h\h\h\h\h\hTO IMPRESS HIS FEMALE FOLLOWERS,

THE MALE TRIES TO PRODUCE

\h\h\h\hTHE DEEPEST, LOUDEST CALL HE CAN.

[LOW GRUMBLING]

[BELLOWING]

\h\h\h\hAND THEY CAN MAKE THOSE REVERBERATING CALLS

BECAUSE THEIR HUGE HONKERS ACT LIKE GIANT AMPLIFIERS.

[BELLOWING]

\h\h\h\hIT’S THOUGHT THAT THE BIG NOSE OF THE MALE

ACTS AS A RESONATING CHAMBER, \h\h\hSO THE BIGGER THE NOSE,

THE LOUDER THE CALL.

[BELLOWING]

\h\h\h\h\hAND THE SECRET BEHIND THE BIGGEST NOSE IN THE JUNGLE?

WELL, IT WAS ALWAYS GOING TO COME DOWN

\h\hTO IMPRESSING THE OPPOSITE SEX.

[SQUAWKING]

TO US, THEY MAY APPEAR COMICAL.

\h\hBUT THESE MONKEYS ARE PERFECTLY ADAPTED

FOR LIFE IN THE SWAMPS.

THEY’RE ONE OF THE ONLY \h\h\h\h\hLARGE MAMMALS

THAT CAN LIVE HERE.

[CHATTERING]

\h\hBY ADAPTING THEIR BODIES AND USING THEIR BIG BRAINS...

MONKEYS WERE ABLE TO REACH NEW FRONTIERS ACROSS ASIA.

AND TWO MILLION YEARS AGO,

THE MONKEY FAMILY \h\hWAS SPREADING.

\h\h\h\h\hWHILE MANY STUCK TO THE TROPICAL FORESTS...

A FEW PIONEERING \hLITTLE MONKEYS

BEGAN TO PUSH THEIR WAY \h\h\hFARTHER NORTH...

INTO THE MOUNTAINS OF CENTRAL CHINA...

WHERE HIGH ALTITUDE AND EXTREME WEATHER

\h\h\h\hCAN TODAY CAUSE TEMPERATURES TO PLUMMET

TOWARDS MINUS 4 DEGREES \h\h\h\h\h\hFAHRENHEIT.

[CHATTERING]

TO STAND ANY CHANCE OF SURVIVING HERE,

\h\h\hTHESE HARDY MONKEYS HAD TO PUSH THEIR BODIES

IN EXTREME WAYS.

♪

\h\hMEET THE GOLDEN SNUB-NOSED MONKEY.

♪

\h\h\h\hSO HOW DOES A PRIMATE THAT EVOLVED IN THE TROPICS...

SURVIVE FREEZING TEMPERATURES?

[SQUEAKING]

\h\h\h\hTHE ADULTS HAVE LONG GOLDEN MANES FOR INSULATION.

[SQUEAK]

EVEN THE BABIES HAVE THICK POLAR SUITS...

WITH FURRY EARS AND MITTENS \h\h\h\h\hTO KEEP THEM WARM.

[SQUEAKING]

\h\h\h\h\h\hBUT PERHAPS THEIR STRANGEST FEATURE

IS THEIR NOSE.

INSTEAD OF FLESHY SNOUTS,

\hTHEY HAVE OPEN NOSTRILS THAT WARM THE FREEZING AIR

AS THEY BREATHE IN.

♪

ANOTHER KEY TO THEIR SURVIVAL \h\h\hIN SUBZERO TEMPERATURES

HAS NOTHING TO DO \h\h\hWITH LOOKS.

[SQUAWKS]

IT’S ABOUT BEHAVIOR.

[SQUAWKS]

THESE MONKEYS LOVE TO HUG,

AND IT’S BY HUDDLING \h\h\h\h\hTOGETHER,

OFTEN WITH BABIES \h\hIN THE MIDDLE,

THAT THEY KEEP EACH OTHER WARM \h\h\h\h\hIN THE BITTER COLD.

\h\hTHEY LIVE IN GROUPS WITH UP TO 70 MEMBERS.

\h\h\h\h\h\hSO THERE’S NO SHORTAGE OF BODIES

\hTO HELP THEM THROUGH THE LONG WINTER MONTHS.

♪

THE GOLDEN SNUB-NOSED MONKEY \h\h\h\h\h\h\hIS LIVING PROOF

OF HOW BRILLIANTLY PRIMATES CAN ADAPT

TO DIFFERENT LANDSCAPES...

[CHATTERING]

\h\hAND WHY TODAY THERE ARE MORE THAN A HUNDRED DIFFERENT SPECIES

ACROSS ASIA.

[PRIMATES CALLING]

MONKEYS OCCUPY THE BUSIEST, \h\h\h\h\hNOISIEST BRANCHES

ON OUR PRIMATE FAMILY TREE.

[PRIMATES CALLING]

BUT AROUND 25 MILLION YEARS AGO, A NEW BRANCH GREW,

HOME TO A NEW TYPE \h\h\hOF PRIMATE.

THEY HAD LONGER, \hSTRONGER ARMS,

EVEN BIGGER BRAINS,

AND MOST LOST THEIR TAILS.

THIS IS OUR BRANCH, \h\hTHE GREAT APES.

TODAY, ONE OF OUR CLOSEST RELATIVES

STILL HANGS OUT IN THE JUNGLES \h\h\hOF BORNEO AND SUMATRA...

[SQUEAKING]

THE ORANGUTAN.

\h\h\h\hITS NAME MEANS "PERSON OF THE FOREST,"

AND IT’S NOT HARD TO SEE WHY.

♪

TO DISCOVER JUST HOW SIMILAR WE ARE TO THESE GREAT APES,

I’VE COME TO A JUNGLE \h\h\h\hRESCUE CENTER

\h\h\hTO MEET AN INQUISITIVE LITTLE ORANGUTAN CALLED OCTO.

HELLO.

[LAUGHS]

WHAT A COOL-LOOKING \h\h\h\hCHARACTER.

[SNIFFING]

AT FIRST, OCTO SEEMS A LITTLE SUSPICIOUS.

[SNORTING]

\h\hBUT IT’S NOT LONG BEFORE HE REVEALS HIS MISCHIEVOUS STREAK.

OOH! HA HA! HEY.

AND HE SEEMS DETERMINED \h\h\hTO INTERRUPT ME.

IT’S NEAR ENOUGH IMPOSSIBLE...

\h\hEVEN THE ONLOOKERS START TO HECKLE FROM THE SIDELINES.

NOW, WE TAKE HAVING THUMBS \h\h\h\hFOR GRANTED, BUT...

[ORANGUTAN RAZZING]

[LAUGHING]

♪

\hIT’S ONLY AFTER THEY SETTLE DOWN

\h\h\h\hTHAT I’M ABLE TO GET A PROPER LOOK AT YOUNG OCTO.

\h\h\hAT 2 YEARS OLD, THIS YOUNG ORANGUTAN

\h\h\hIS SUCH--HEY-- A BRILLIANT CLIMBER.

BY THE TIME HE’S AN ADULT,

HE’LL HAVE THE REACH OF ABOUT 6 1/2 FEET.

THOSE ARMS ARE SO LONG.

BUT IT’S NOT JUST HIS ARMS

\h\h\hTHAT ALLOW HIM TO MOVE THROUGH THE TREE WITH EASE,

IT’S ALSO DOWN \hTO HIS LEGS.

\h\hHIS HIPS ARE REALLY FLEXIBLE,

\h\h\h\h\hAND YOU CAN SEE THAT IN THE WAY THAT HE MOVES THEM.

\h\hSOMETIMES IT LOOKS LIKE HE’S DOING SPLITS

BETWEEN TWO BRANCHES.

\h\h\h\h\h\hBUT THE REAL SECRET TO THIS LITTLE GUY’S SUCCESS...

COMES DOWN TO A FEATURE \hHE SHARES WITH US...

HIS THUMBS.

WE TAKE IT FOR GRANTED--

OOH! HA HA! WATCH OUT.

BUT HAVING A THUMB GIVES US \hSUCH INCREDIBLE DEXTERITY.

\h\h\hJUST IMAGINE NOT HAVING A THUMB

AND TRYING TO DO \h\hA SIMPLE TASK

LIKE DOING THE BUTTONS UP \h\h\h\h\h\hON YOUR SHIRT

OR OPENING A DOOR.

\h\h\hIT WOULD BE NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE.

BUT HAVING A THUMB THAT PIVOTS AROUND,

THAT YOU CAN USE AND CLASP \hAND GRIP WITH YOUR HANDS,

\h\h\h\h\hMAKES THEM SUCH POWERFUL TOOLS,

ESPECIALLY FOR CLIMBING \h\h\hTREES LIKE THIS.

ORANGUTAN HANDS HAVE INCREDIBLY \h\h\h\hLONG FINGERS AND ARMS.

THAT’S WHAT ALLOWS THEM TO MOVE SO COMFORTABLY

THROUGH THE FOREST CANOPY.

♪

BUT HUMANS AND ORANGUTANS DO HAVE ONE STRIKING SIMILARITY.

\h\h\h\hIT’S IN THE WAY WE BRING UP OUR BABIES.

[SUCKING]

OTHER THAN HUMANS, \h\hORANGUTANS HAVE

THE LONGEST CHILDHOOD \h\h\hOF ANY PRIMATE,

\h\h\h\h\hAND THIS LITTLE ONE IS GONNA STICK WITH ITS MOTHER

UNTIL IT’S AROUND 8 YEARS OLD.

AND SHE IS ITS LIFELINE.

THE BOND BETWEEN ORANGUTAN \h\h\hMOTHER AND YOUNGSTER

\h\h\h\hIS SAID TO BE THE MOST INTENSE BOND

IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM.

♪

\hBEFORE THEY LEAVE THE NEST, MUMS DEDICATE ALMOST A DECADE

\h\hTEACHING THEIR OFFSPRING EVERYTHING THEY NEED TO KNOW

TO SURVIVE IN THE FOREST.

♪

\h\hBUT JUST LIKE OUR LITTLE ONES,

\h\h\h\hORANGUTANS EVENTUALLY GROW UP.

AND I GET TO SEE HOW BIG THEY GET

WHEN A WILD MALE ORANGUTAN \h\h\hPOPS IN FOR A SNACK.

♪

BOY, HE LOOKS SO IMPRESSIVE.

\hTHE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS MALE AND THE FEMALES

IS CLEARLY VISIBLE.

\h\hHE’S AT LEAST TWICE THEIR SIZE,

\hAND HIS HAIR JUST LOOKS LIKE A MAGNIFICENT CLOAK.

THEY ARE THE LARGEST

TREE-DWELLING ANIMAL \h\h\hIN THE WORLD.

AND LOOK AT THE SIZE \h\h\hOF HIS HANDS.

THEY ARE GIGANTIC.

\hBUT AS MUCH AS HE HAS THAT INCREDIBLE POWER,

ENOUGH TO LIFT HIS ENTIRE \hBODY WEIGHT UP A TREE,

HE ALSO HAS THE DEXTERITY \h\h\h\h\hAND THE ABILITY

TO GENTLY HANDLE THOSE BANANAS. \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hINCREDIBLE.

♪

WE HAVE SO MUCH IN COMMON \hWITH THESE GREAT APES--

OUR DEXTEROUS HANDS, BIG BRAINS, AND LONG CHILDHOODS.

[SCREECHING]

THESE FEATURES WERE PART \hOF A WINNING BLUEPRINT

THAT HELPED APES AND MONKEYS \h\h\h\hSPREAD ACROSS ASIA,

BUT ALSO BEYOND.

♪

THE EARLIEST PRIMATES LIKELY AROSE IN ASIA.

THEY ADAPTED THEIR BODIES \h\h\h\h\h\hAND BEHAVIORS

\h\h\h\h\h\hTO CONQUER THE FORESTS, BEACHES,

AND EVEN THE SNOWY LANDSCAPES \h\hOF THIS GIANT CONTINENT,

\hBUT THEIR STORY DIDN’T END HERE.

MILLIONS OF YEARS AGO, \hEARLY ASIAN PRIMATES

VENTURED INTO NEW LANDS,

\h\hWHERE THEY CONTINUE TO EVOLVE AND THRIVE...

[SHRIEKING]

[GRUMBLING]

♪

[CHATTERING]

CREATING BRILLIANT ADDITIONS TO OUR AMAZING FAMILY TREE.

♪

[GROWLING AND SHRIEKING]

♪

[SQUEAKING]

♪

[SQUEAKING]

[SCREECHING]

♪