Original subtitles

[MONKEYS CALLING]

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

[ORANGUTAN SCREECHING]

[CHATTERING]

MISCHIEVOUS MONKEYS...

INTELLIGENT APES...

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

[SCREECHES]

THIS IS THE STORY OF OUR CLOSEST RELATIVES ON EARTH.

[MONKEY SCREECHES]

FROM THE MIGHTY GORILLA

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

WE’RE ALL PART OF THE SAME \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.

[HOWLING]

\hIT’S A JOURNEY THAT TAKES US TO THE JUNGLES OF THE AMERICAS.

\hHERE THEY WOULD EVOLVE TO BE UNLIKE ANYWHERE ELSE ON EARTH.

[HOWLING]

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

♪

[PRIMATES CALLING]

♪

29 MILLION YEARS AGO,

ACROSS THE CONTINENTS \hOF AFRICA AND ASIA,

THE PRIMATE FAMILY \hWAS FLOURISHING.

♪

\h\h\h\hFROM MONKEY TROOPS THAT RULE THE MOUNTAINS...

[SCREECHING]

TO TINY FOREST HUNTERS THAT STALK THE NIGHT...

♪

THE PRIMATES HERE ADAPTED \hTHEIR BODIES AND MINDS

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO MASTER THE DIVERSE LANDSCAPES.

\h\h\h\hBUT ASIA AND AFRICA ARE ONLY PART OF THE STORY.

MONKEYS BEGAN TO EXPAND INTO A BRAND NEW WORLD.

THE FINAL CONTINENTS \h\h\hTO BE COLONIZED

BY OUR PRIMATE RELATIVES \h\h\hWERE THE AMERICAS.

\hWHEN THESE ANCESTORS FIRST STEPPED FOOT ON THESE SHORES,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHEY DISCOVERED AN UNEXPLORED JUNGLE PARADISE.

A LAND WHERE THEY \hCOULD RUN RIOT.

♪

THE VAST FORESTS OF THE AMERICAS

\h\hARE THE PERFECT MONKEY PLAYGROUND.

[MONKEYS SQUAWKING]

\h\h\h\h\hTODAY THERE ARE MORE MONKEY SPECIES HERE

THAN THE REST OF WORLD \h\h\h\h\hPUT TOGETHER.

IN THESE FORESTS THEY EVOLVED \h\h\h\h\hAMAZING ADAPTATIONS

\h\hTHAT CAN’T BE SEEN ANYWHERE ELSE ON EARTH.

[ROARING]

♪

OVER 150 DIFFERENT SPECIES \hLIVE IN THESE JUNGLES...

\h\h\hAND OF THEIR MANY WONDERFUL ADAPTATIONS,

\hTHERE’S ONE THAT TRULY SETS MONKEYS OF THE AMERICAS APART

FROM THEIR COUSINS.

♪

\h\h\hTHEY EVOLVED A RADICAL NEW WAY

TO MOVE THROUGH THE CANOPY.

♪

TO SEE THIS AMAZING ADAPTATION \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hFOR MYSELF,

I’VE COME TO A RESCUE CENTER \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN BELIZE

THAT’S HOME TO A PARTICULARLY \h\hCHEEKY LITTLE CHARACTER.

[SQUEAKING]

♪

[CHUCKLES]

\h\hTHIS LITTLE GUY IS A SPIDER MONKEY,

\h\hAND AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE WAY HE MOVES,

\h\h\h\h\h\hHE GETS HIS NAME BECAUSE OF THOSE LONG LIMBS.

HE LOOKS LIKE A SPIDER

THE WAY THAT HE CLAMBERS \h\h\hAROUND THESE TREES.

HE’S PERFECTLY AT HOME \h\h\h\h\hIN THE TREES,

AND THAT’S LARGELY THANKS \hTO ONE KEY ADAPTATION.

♪

\hTHE THING THAT MAKES THEM REALLY AMAZING IS THAT TAIL.

THESE SPIDER MONKEYS HAVE EVOLVED A TAIL

THAT PUTS MOST OTHER MONKEYS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO SHAME.

THEIR PREHENSILE TAIL \h\h\h\hIS SO FLEXIBLE

\h\h\h\hIT CAN WRAP AROUND THE THINNEST OF BRANCHES,

\hGIVING THEM A SECURE GRIP WHILE HIGH UP IN THE CANOPY.

BUT LOOK AT THAT CURLY TAIL.

IT GRABS ON TO EVERYTHING \h\h\h\h\h\hAS HE MOVES.

HE’S JUST AMAZING.

\h\h\hTHE END OF ITS TAIL IS PACKED FULL OF NERVES,

SO IT CAN CAREFULLY FEEL ITS WAY ALONG THE BRANCHES.

♪

HAVING SUCH AN AMAZINGLY SENSITIVE, GRIPPING TAIL

\h\h\h\h\hIS TOTALLY UNIQUE TO MONKEYS IN THE AMERICAS.

\h\hOUR LITTLE MONKEY’S REALLY QUITE TENTATIVE

AS HE MOVES ACROSS THE BRANCHES,

\h\hBUT HE’S REALLY ONLY JUST LEARNING THE ROPES.

\h\h\h\hIT’S ONLY WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ADULTS

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT YOU REALIZE HOW PERFECTLY ADAPTED THEY ARE

TO LIFE IN THE TREETOPS.

\h\h\hIT TAKES TIME TO LEARN HOW TO USE

SUCH AN IMPRESSIVE FIFTH LIMB,

BUT THE ADULTS HAVE MASTERED IT.

♪

THEY MAKE JUNGLE GYMNASTICS \h\h\h\h\h\h\hLOOK SO EASY.

♪

♪

\hTHEIR CURIOUS TAILS EVEN HAVE A BARE PATCH OF SKIN AT THE TIP,

MUCH LIKE THE PALM OF A HAND, \h\hFOR A MORE PRECISE GRIP.

♪

BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY OF ALL,

THE MONKEYS HERE EVOLVED TAILS

FAR STRONGER THAN ANYWHERE ELSE \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hON EARTH.

THEY’RE SO POWERFUL,

\h\h\h\h\hTHEY CAN SUPPORT THEIR ENTIRE BODY WEIGHT.

[CHATTERING]

IN THESE DENSE FORESTS,

\h\h\hTHE SPIDER MONKEYS USE THEIR TAIL AS AN EXTRA LIMB.

\h\h\hAND THIS MAKES SWINGING THROUGH THE BRANCHES LOOK EASY.

♪

\h\hBUT THESE MONKEYS HAVE ANOTHER SPECIAL ADAPTATION

FOR MOVING THROUGH THE JUNGLE.

\h\hUNLIKE VIRTUALLY EVERY OTHER PRIMATE,

\hTHEIR HANDS HAVE NO THUMBS AT ALL.

EARLY EXPLORERS THOUGHT \h\hTHEIR LACK OF THUMB

WAS A SIGN THAT THESE \h\h\hJUNGLE SWINGERS

WERE VERY PRIMITIVE MONKEYS.

BUT IN FACT, THIS COULDN’T BE \h\h\hFURTHER FROM THE TRUTH.

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHEIR HANDS HAVE CAREFULLY EVOLVED

TO ONLY HAVE FOUR LONG FINGERS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND NO THUMB,

WHICH COULD POTENTIALLY SNAG \h\h\h\h\h\hON THE BRANCHES.

THIS MAKES THE PERFECT HOOK \h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO SWING FROM.

♪

WITH THEIR UNUSUAL HANDS \hAND THAT POWERFUL TAIL,

THEY MAKE CANOPY ACROBATICS \h\h\h\h\h\hLOOK EFFORTLESS.

[SQUEAKING]

♪

IN THIS NEW JUNGLE WORLD,

MONKEYS BEGAN TO ADAPT IN OTHER UNUSUAL WAYS--

\hWAYS THAT WOULD ALTER THE PATH OF OUR FAMILY’S HISTORY FOREVER.

♪

THE PRIMATE FAMILY TREE

IS MADE UP OF A NUMBER \h\h\hOF KEY BRANCHES.

[SQUAWKING]

THERE ARE WEIRD LITTLE LEMURS,

SUPER SMART APES,

AND THE LARGEST GROUP OF ALL, \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE MONKEYS.

[YAWNING]

BUT AROUND 35 MILLION YEARS AGO,

\h\h\hTHE MONKEY BRANCH SPLIT INTO TWO VERY SEPARATE GROUPS,

WHEN A FEW PIONEERING CHARACTERS FROM AFRICA

VENTURED ACROSS TO THE JUNGLES \h\h\h\h\h\hOF SOUTH AMERICA.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTUCKED AWAY ON THIS DISTANT CONTINENT,

THE MONKEYS HERE BEGAN TO ADAPT \hIN WEIRD AND WONDERFUL WAYS.

[CROAKING]

\h\h\hTODAY, THEY’RE KNOWN AS THE NEW WORLD MONKEYS--

\h\h\h\h\hTHE MOST DIVERSE AND BIZARRE BRANCH OF ALL.

[ROARING]

♪

IN THESE RICH, DENSE FORESTS,

THE CHALLENGE OF TRAVELING \h\h\h\hTHROUGH THE JUNGLE

\h\h\h\h\hLED TO A NOVEL EVOLUTIONARY ADAPTATION.

BUT THE GRIPPING PREHENSILE TAIL WAS ONLY ONE OF THE SOLUTIONS.

[SQUEAKING]

\h\h\hTHERE’S A TROOP OF TREETOP DAREDEVILS

\h\h\h\h\hTHAT HAVE EVOLVED A PARTICULARLY EXPLOSIVE WAY

\h\h\h\h\h\hOF SPRINGING THROUGH THE THICK CANOPY.

♪

\h\h\h\h\hAT FIRST LIGHT, THE TROOP STARTS TO WAKE.

A FAMILY OF SLEEPY SQUIRREL MONKEYS.

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

[SQUEAKING]

\h\h\h\h\hONCE THEY’RE UP, IT’S MAYHEM IN THE CANOPY.

♪

THESE SQUIRREL MONKEYS \h\hLIVE IN BIG GROUPS

OF UP TO 75 STRONG.

\h\h\hMOVING THROUGH THE CANOPY EN MASSE,

THESE BRIGHT-EYED LITTLE SCAMPS \h\h\h\hHARDLY EVER SIT STILL.

[SQUEAKING]

SPENDING THEIR DAY TRYING \hTO SNATCH UP INSECTS...

♪

OR BATTLING WITH THEIR FRIENDS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hFOR FRUITS.

[SQUEAKING]

♪

FOR THEM, LEAPING FEARLESSLY \h\h\h\hAMONGST THE BRANCHES

OVER 130 FEET HIGH IS EASY.

♪

[SQUEAKING]

\h\h\h\hSO WHAT ALLOWS THESE LITTLE ACROBATS

\h\h\h\hTO JUMP WITH SUCH DEATH-DEFYING PRECISION?

FIRSTLY, THEIR FINGERS HAVE TINY FINGERPRINTS JUST LIKE OURS,

\h\h\h\hWHICH IS AN ADAPTATION TO PROVIDE A MORE PRECISE GRIP.

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

BUT THEIR IMPRESSIVE \h\hHIGH WIRE ANTICS

ARE MOSTLY THE PRODUCT \h\h\h\hOF THEIR LEGS.

[SQUEAKING]

\h\h\hSQUIRREL MONKEYS WERE BUILT TO BOUNCE.

♪

THEY HAVE SHORT, STRONG THIGHS, \h\h\hAND LONGER LOWER LIMBS...

AND THESE FROG-LIKE PROPORTIONS

GIVE THEM REMARKABLE \h\h\hJUMPING POWER.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHEY CAN LEAP OVER SIX AND A HALF FEET.

THAT’S MORE THAN SEVEN TIMES \h\h\h\h\hTHEIR BODY LENGTH.

WITH THESE LEAPING LEGS,

THEY’VE EVOLVED THE PERFECT WAY \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO BOUNCE UP

AND DOWN THE CANOPY...

[SQUEAKING]

IN A HEARTBEAT.

[BIRDS CALLING]

\hTHE NEW WORLD MONKEYS CAME UP WITH NOVEL WAYS

\h\hOF GETTING ABOUT THESE DENSE FORESTS.

BUT HAVING THE ABILITY TO MOVE \h\h\h\h\hTHROUGH THE BRANCHES

IS ONLY ONE OF THE TRIALS \h\h\h\h\hOF JUNGLE LIFE.

FOR MONKEYS LIVING HERE, THERE’S AN EVEN GREATER CHALLENGE--

\h\h\h\hA CHALLENGE THAT ONE BOISTEROUS CHARACTER

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hHAS SOLVED IN AN EAR-SPLITTING WAY.

[HOWLING]

THE HOWLER MONKEY.

[HOWLING]

[ROARING]

\h\h\h\h\h\hTO FIND OUT WHY THESE ROWDY HOWLER MONKEYS

MAKE SUCH A RACKET,

I’VE COME TO A SPECIAL RESERVE

\h\hIN THE JUNGLES OF CENTRAL AMERICA,

WHERE I CAN GET CLOSE \h\h\hTO A WILD TROOP.

AND THE FIRST THING I DISCOVER

\hIS THEY’RE NOT NEARLY AS SCARY AS THEY SOUND.

\h\h\h\hTHE NAME HOWLER MONKEY CONJURES UP IN THE IMAGINATION

TO PICTURE SOME SORT OF FEARSOME ANIMAL.

BUT THEY’RE SURPRISINGLY \h\h\h\hGENTLE-MANNERED.

HELLO!

♪

THESE CHILLED CHARACTERS SPEND MOST OF THEIR TIME

\h\h\h\hRELAXING AND SLOWLY EATING LEAVES,

THOUGH THEY DO MAKE \hTHE EXTRA EFFORT

TO PICK JUICY CASHEW FRUIT, \hWHICH THEY GET EVERYWHERE.

♪

SO WHY DO SUCH GENTLE SOULS \h\h\hCREATE SUCH A RACKET?

♪

THEY LIVE IN CLOSE-KNIT GROUPS.

THIS ONE HAS AN ALPHA MALE, \h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHREE FEMALES,

AND LUCKILY FOR ME,

I ALSO GET A GLIMPSE \hOF A NEW ARRIVAL.

SHE’S CARRYING A LITTLE BABY.

AW. [LAUGHS]

\h\hIT CAN’T BE MORE THAN TWO MONTHS OLD,

\h\hAND HOWLER MONKEY BABIES WILL STICK WITH THEIR MOTHERS

\h\h\hUNTIL THEY’RE AT LEAST A YEAR OLD,

STAY CLAMBERED ON FOR SAFETY,

\hAND THAT’S WHAT I CAN SEE THIS ONE’S DOING RIGHT NOW.

YEAH, IT’S TAKING A FEW STEPS \h\h\h\h\h\h\hAWAY FROM MUM.

[GASPS] OH, WOW.

♪

SO THIS IS JUST A RARE MOMENT \h\h\h\hWHERE THIS TINY BABY

WILL SLOWLY START TO TRY AND GET USED TO ITS SURROUNDINGS,

\h\hITS ENVIRONMENT, BUT MUM IS STILL CLOSE BY FOR SAFETY.

OF ALL THE MONKEYS I’VE MET,

\h\hHOWLERS SEEM TO LIVE THE MOST PEACEFUL LIVES.

WEIRDLY, THIS TRANQUILITY IS ALL THANKS TO THEIR MONSTER ROAR.

BECAUSE THEIR DEAFENING HOWL IS ACTUALLY A BRILLIANT WAY

OF AVOIDING CONFLICT WITH THE NEIGHBORS.

[HOWLING]

THERE’S SOMETHING ALMOST QUITE SCARY

ABOUT THE WAY THEY SOUND.

\h\h\h\hIF YOU DIDN’T KNOW WHAT A HOWLER LOOKED LIKE

AND YOU WERE IN THIS FOREST,

THAT WOULD DEFINITELY \h\h\h\hKEEP YOU AWAY!

[HOWLING]

ONCE THE BIG ALPHA MALE \h\h\h\h\h\h\hBEGINS...

[HOWLING]

THE REST OF THE GROUP JOIN IN.

[ALL HOWLING]

YOU CAN FEEL THE SOUND!

[HOWLING]

HOWLER MONKEYS BROADCAST \h\h\h\hTHE LOUDEST CALL

OF ANY LAND MAMMAL ON EARTH.

\h\h\h\hIT RADIATES FOR NEARLY THREE MILES ACROSS THE CANOPY.

[HOWLING]

\h\hTHIS RECORD-BREAKING HOWL IS LIKE A TERRITORIAL WAR CRY

THAT KEEPS RIVALS FAR AWAY \h\h\h\h\hFROM THE FAMILY.

[HOWLING]

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO CREATE THIS LONG-DISTANCE BELLOW,

THEIR VOCAL CORDS ARE NEARLY THREE TIMES LONGER THAN OURS,

GIVING THEM AN EXTRA LOW VOICE.

[HOWLING]

TO CONQUER THIS CONTINENT,

EVOLUTION PUSHED THE BODIES \h\h\h\hOF NEW WORLD MONKEYS

IN WAYS NEVER SEEN IN THEIR RELATIVES OF THE OLD WORLD.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHEY DEVELOPED SOME TOTALLY UNIQUE TRICKS.

TAILS THAT MOVE LIKE TENTACLES,

\h\h\h\h\hTHROATS THAT ACT AS LONG DISTANCE SPEAKERS

\h\hAND SUPER SPRINGY, ALMOST FROG-LIKE LEGS.

[HOWLING]

♪

\hIN TIME, THEY EVOLVED INTO A HUGE DIVERSITY OF SPECIES

THAT WOULD CONQUER EVERY NICHE \hTHROUGHOUT THE DENSE CANOPY.

[PRIMATES CALLING]

ON THE PRIMATE FAMILY TREE,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE BRANCH OF THE NEW WORLD MONKEYS

\h\h\h\hSPLIT INTO SOME VERY DIFFERENT GROUPS.

[PRIMATES CALLING]

THE HOWLER AND SPIDER MONKEYS \h\hOCCUPY THE SAME OFFSHOOT,

WHILE ON THE OTHER BRANCHES

LIVE MANY OF THE SMALLEST \hMEMBERS OF THE FAMILY.

[CHATTERING]

\h\h\hTHESE TINY CHARACTERS ARE ABLE TO REACH THE FRUITS

AMONGST THE SMALLEST TWIGS \h\h\h\h\h\hIN THE CANOPY.

BUT BEING SMALL IN THE JUNGLE CAN BE A DANGEROUS BUSINESS.

[MONKEYS CALLING]

AND ONE LITTLE REDHEAD

\h\h\h\h\h\hHAS COME UP WITH AN INGENIOUS SURVIVAL TACTIC.

♪

♪

THE GOLDEN LION TAMARIN.

THEY MAY BE TINY, BUT TAMARINS \hARE EXPERTS AT JUNGLE LIFE.

♪

[SQUEAKING]

THESE LIGHTWEIGHT \hLITTLE FUR BALLS

HAVE COME UP WITH CLEVER TRICKS

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hFOR DARTING THROUGH THEIR FOREST WORLD.

♪

PINGING THROUGH THE BRANCHES,

\h\h\hTHEY CAN EVEN LAND ON VERTICAL TREE TRUNKS.

UNLIKE MOST PRIMATES,

THEIR FINGERNAILS HAVE EVOLVED \h\h\hINTO SUPER SHARP CLAWS.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHIS ALLOWS THESE NIMBLE LITTLE MONKEYS

TO CLAMBER ABOUT WITH EASE.

[SQUEAKING]

♪

BUT THE DOWNSIDE TO BEING SMALL

IS YOU’RE THE PERFECT \h\h\hBITE-SIZE SNACK

FOR MANY A JUNGLE PREDATOR.

♪

[SQUEAKING]

♪

[THUNDER]

JUNGLE CATS STALK \hTHESE FORESTS...

AND TAMARIN FAMILIES ALWAYS NEED TO KEEP A WATCHFUL EYE.

[SQUEAK]

♪

[SQUEAKING]

BUT THESE LITTLE MONKEYS HAVE EVOLVED A CLEVER WAY

TO KEEP THEIR NUMBERS UP.

\hINSTEAD OF PRODUCING ONE YOUNGSTER AT A TIME

LIKE MOST OTHER PRIMATES,

THEY NEARLY ALWAYS GIVE BIRTH \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO TWINS.

♪

TINY TAMARIN TWINS.

♪

WITH TWO TO LOOK AFTER,

THE PARENTS EVEN SHARE \h\h\h\hTHE CHILDCARE.

♪

[SQUEAKING]

♪

HAVING TWO BABIES AT A TIME \h\h\h\hDOUBLES THE CHANCES

THAT AT LEAST ONE LITTLE ’UN

CAN BE KEPT SAFELY OUT OF HARM’S WAY.

♪

\h\h\h\h\hFOR A MONKEY WITH SO MANY PREDATORS,

IT MIGHT SEEM STRANGE THAT THEY \hHAVE SUCH BRIGHT ORANGE FUR.

TO OUR EYES, THEY STAND OUT LIKE A BEACON IN THE GREEN JUNGLE.

BUT THE BIG CATS THAT HUNT THEM \h\h\h\h\h\h\hARE COLOR BLIND.

SO THEY CAN’T EASILY DETECT \h\hTHE DIFFERENCE IN COLOR

BETWEEN SOMETHING THAT’S RED AND SOMETHING THAT’S GREEN.

♪

SO ALTHOUGH MUM CAN ALWAYS TELL \h\h\h\h\hWHERE THE FAMILY IS,

THEY’RE SURPRISINGLY \h\hWELL-CAMOUFLAGED

AMONGST THE LEAVES.

THE TAMARINS HAVE COME UP

WITH A CLEVER COMBINATION \h\h\h\h\h\hOF ADAPTATIONS

THAT HAVE MADE THEM MASTERS \h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF JUNGLE LIFE

AT THE SMALL SCALE.

♪

THE MONKEYS OF THE NEW WORLD

\hBECAME THE RULERS OF THE RAINFORESTS.

BUT AS THEY SPREAD FURTHER \h\hACROSS THIS CONTINENT,

\hTHE DENSE JUNGLE GAVE WAY TO MUCH DRIER, ROCKY FOREST.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIT’S HERE THAT I’M HOPING TO MEET

\h\h\h\h\hONE OF THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY CHARACTERS

ON THIS CONTINENT.

I’M IN NORTHEAST BRAZIL,

IN A REGION WHERE ROCKY CANYONS \h\h\h\h\h\hMEET ARID WOODLAND,

\h\h\hAND THIS PLACE IS JUST SPECTACULAR.

AND IT’S ALSO HOME TO A VERY SPECIAL MEMBER OF THE FAMILY,

A MONKEY THAT WHEN IT COMES \h\h\h\h\h\hTO INTELLIGENCE

IS RIGHT AT THE TOP \h\h\hOF THE CLASS.

TO THRIVE HERE, THEY’VE COME UP

WITH ONE OF THE MOST BRILLIANT \h\h\h\h\h\hTRICKS IN NATURE.

MEET THE BRIGHT SPARKS OF THE MONKEY FAMILY--

A TROOP OF BEARDED CAPUCHINS.

[SQUEAKING]

THEY USE THEIR CLEVER MINDS

TO FIND THEIR FAVORITE FOODS \h\h\hIN THIS DRY FOREST...

AND THIS TROOP HAS A REAL TASTE \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hFOR ONE THING--

PALM NUTS.

♪

BUT BEFORE THEY CAN ENJOY THEM, \h\hTHEY FACE A REAL CHALLENGE.

SO THIS IS ONE OF THE PALM NUTS \h\hTHAT THE MONKEYS ARE AFTER.

\h\h\h\h\hINSIDE IT IS A KERNEL THAT’S PACKED FULL OF CALORIES,

\h\hTHE ONLY PROBLEM IS THAT IT’S ENCASED

IN THIS HARD OUTER SHELL.

\h\h\h\h\h\hAND TO REACH THE PRIZE KERNEL INSIDE,

\h\h\hTHESE LITTLE CAPUCHINS HAVE ENGAGED THEIR BIG BRAINS

TO BECOME EXPERT NUT CRACKERS.

♪

BUT FIRST THEY NEED TO GATHER THE RIGHT TOOLS FOR THE JOB.

♪

\h\h\h\h\hGIVEN THE CHOICE, THEY’LL START WITH A STONE

THAT WEIGHS HALF AS MUCH \h\h\h\h\h\h\hAS THEY DO.

\h\h\hTHEY LOOK LIKE KIDS PICKING UP BOWLING BALLS

THAT ARE A BIT TOO BIG FOR THEM!

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHEY ARE REALLY QUITE FUNNY LITTLE THINGS.

♪

\h\hTHEY’LL TRY THEIR HARDEST TO CARRY IT TO A HARD, FLAT SURFACE

THAT ACTS AS AN ANVIL.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT’S WHERE THE REAL BUSINESS CAN BEGIN.

[SQUEAKING]

HERE COMES THE ALPHA MALE.

HE IS THE STAR OF THE SHOW.

THIS GUY IS THE BEST NUTCRACKER \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN THE TROOP.

\hBUT HOW MANY STRIKES WILL THIS EXPERT TAKE?

ONE STRIKE...

♪

TWO...

[CRASH]

♪

AND HE’S GOT INSIDE. \h\h\h\h\h\hPERFECT!

THESE PALM NUTS ARE 20 TIMES \h\hHARDER THAN A WALNUT...

AND CRACKING THEM TAKES SOME SKILL.

\hBUT SERIOUSLY... HOW HARD CAN IT BE?

OK, THE PRESSURE’S ON.

I DID SEE THE ALPHA MALE \h\hCRACK ONE OF THE NUTS

WITH ONLY TWO STRIKES.

WELL, YEAH.

[LAUGHS]

OH, MAN. YEAH!

HERE WE GO. \hUH...NO.

[LAUGHS]

OH, GOD. [LAUGHS]

I BEGIN TO DRAW A CROWD OF CURIOUS ONLOOKERS...

AND AT LAST...

YES!

FINALLY.

SO WHAT WAS THAT, ABOUT 20 HITS?

THE SPECTATORS HAVE BEEN KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON MY PROGRESS.

\h\h\hTHEY ARE TRYING TO GET HOLD OF THAT.

[SQUEAKING]

[LAUGHING]

IT’S MY NUT!

♪

BUT NOT FOR LONG.

[LAUGHS]

INCREDIBLY, THESE CAPUCHINS \hDON’T NEED TO CRACK NUTS.

\h\h\h\hTHERE’S PLENTY OF OTHER FOOD AROUND.

THEY JUST REALLY LIKE THEM.

♪

\hTHEY’LL COLLECT ANY SCRAPS THAT COME FLYING THEIR WAY...

AND CAREFULLY PICK THE SHELLS CLEAN.

♪

THESE HAMMER STONES WEIGH \h\h\hAT LEAST TWO POUNDS,

SO FOR THE SMALLER \h\hADULT FEMALES,

IT’S HARDER WORK.

♪

[THUD]

♪

[SNIFF]

[THUD]

LOOKING AT THE SIZE OF THAT ROCK AND THAT MONKEY,

\h\h\h\h\hIT’S JUST AMAZING THAT THEY HAVE THIS ABILITY,

\h\h\h\hNOT ONLY THE BRAINPOWER, BUT THEY ALSO THE BRAWN AS WELL.

♪

[THUD]

♪

[THUD]

THE MALES TEND TO BE BETTER \h\h\h\h\h\h\hAT NUTCRACKING

BECAUSE THEY ARE BIGGER \h\h\h\h\hAND STRONGER,

BUT IN THIS CASE WE’VE GOT \h\hA SIX-YEAR-OLD FEMALE,

\h\h\hAND SHE IS REALLY GIVING THE BOYS A RUN FOR THEIR MONEY,

\h\h\h\h\hBUT JUST IMAGINE, SHE’S PICKING UP THAT ROCK

WHICH IS ABOUT HALF \hHER BODY WEIGHT,

SO IT REALLY IS AN EFFORT \hFOR THESE LITTLE GUYS.

[THUD]

♪

THE YOUNGSTERS CAN’T SMASH \hTHESE NUTS FOR THEMSELVES

UNTIL THEY’RE STRONG ENOUGH \h\hTO LIFT THE BIG STONES,

BUT THEY WILL START LEARNING \h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND PRACTICING

\hTHE TRICKY NUT-SMASHING TECHNIQUE AT AN EARLY AGE.

[THUD]

♪

[THUD]

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE YOUNG LEARN BY HANGING AROUND THE ADULTS

AND CLOSELY WATCH \hWHAT’S GOING ON.

♪

THEY START BY PRACTICING \h\hWITH SMALLER STONES.

BUT IT’S A HIGHLY COMPLEX \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOPERATION

WITH MANY FIDDLY STAGES.

THE PALM NUT HAS TO BE CAREFULLY POSITIONED IN A DIP ON THE ANVIL

TO HELP KEEP IT IN PLACE,

\h\h\h\hOR ELSE EVERYTHING WILL GO FLYING ON IMPACT.

♪

[THUD]

♪

\hAND IF THE STONE ISN’T BIG ENOUGH...

♪

OR NOT DROPPED HARD ENOUGH...

THE NUT SIMPLY WON’T BREAK.

\h\h\h\hSUCCESS REQUIRES A TRULY MASTERFUL TOUCH.

♪

[CRASH]

♪

THIS LEVEL OF DEXTERITY IS ONE

THAT’S PREVIOUSLY NOT THOUGHT \h\h\h\hPOSSIBLE IN MONKEYS,

BUT HERE ARE THE CAPUCHINS \h\h\h\hDOING IT PERFECTLY,

AND IT’S JUST BRILLIANT \h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO WATCH.

♪

\hTHESE SKILLFUL CAPUCHINS HAVE USED THEIR SHARP MINDS

TO CONQUER PARTS OF THE AMERICAS

\h\h\h\h\hOTHER MONKEYS SIMPLY COULDN’T REACH.

[CRASH]

♪

\h\hTHE FIRST PRIMATES ARRIVED IN THE FORESTS OF THE AMERICAS

AROUND 29 MILLION YEARS AGO.

[HOWLING]

TODAY THEY ECHO WITH THE LOUDEST CALLS IN THE WORLD...

[HOWLING]

PLAY HOST TO THE MOST AGILE \h\h\h\h\hCANOPY GYMNASTS...

♪

AND THIS LAND HAS GIVEN RISE

TO THE SHARPEST MINDS \hOF ALL THE MONKEYS.

BUT THESE NEW WORLD MONKEYS \h\h\h\h\h\hWOULD, IN TIME,

RECEIVE A VERY DIFFERENT \h\h\h\h\h\h\hNEIGHBOR...

♪

THE BRIGHTEST PRIMATE OF ALL.

[CHATTERING]

FOR A LONG TIME, MONKEYS \h\hWERE THE ONLY PRIMATE

TO HAVE MADE IT HERE \h\h\h\hFROM AFRICA.

THEY HAD THIS LAND ALL TO THEMSELVES--

\h\h\h\hRIGHT UP UNTIL ABOUT 15,000 YEARS AGO,

AND THEN EVERYTHING CHANGED.

\h\hAN APE MANAGED TO MAKE THE JOURNEY

ACROSS FROM THE OLD WORLD \h\h\h\h\hTO THE AMERICAS.

HUMANS HAD ARRIVED.

♪

\h\h\h\h\hSOUTH AMERICA WAS THE LAST CONTINENT

TO BE COLONIZED BY HUMANS.

WHEN MANKIND FIRST STEPPED FOOT \h\h\hINTO THIS JUNGLE WORLD,

\hWE HAD FINALLY BECOME A TRULY GLOBAL SPECIES.

\hTODAY, WE HAVE OUTCOMPETED EVERY OTHER ANIMAL ON EARTH.

AND THAT PHENOMENAL SUCCESS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIS ROOTED

\h\h\h\hIN OUR AMAZING PRIMATE FAMILY TRAITS.

♪

FROM THE WAY WE MOVE...

[SCREECHING]

OUR AGILITY...

[SQUEAKING]

BALANCE...

♪

AND POWER.

♪

\h\h\hTO OUR DEXTEROUS HANDS THAT ENABLE US AND OUR FAMILY

TO USE COMPLEX TOOLS.

♪

[THUD]

[SCREECHING]

\h\hWE SHARE THE DRIVE TO FIGHT FOR RESOURCES.

THESE BASIC PRIMATE TRAITS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hDEFINE US

AND MAKE US WHO WE ARE.

[SCREECHING]

\h\h\h\h\hBUT WE HAVE ALSO GONE FAR BEYOND OUR PRIMATE COUSINS.

[HORSE NEIGHS]

USING OUR BIG BRAINS,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWE’VE SHAPED THE NATURAL WORLD AROUND US...

\h\hAND EVEN HARNESSED THE POWER OF ANIMALS...

\h\h\h\h\hALLOWING US TO CONQUER NEW LANDS.

WE HAVE PUSHED THE ABILITY \h\h\h\h\hTO WORK TOGETHER

IN TIGHT-KNIT GROUPS,

EVOLVING LANGUAGE

AND COMPLEX CULTURE.

WE’VE BUILT OUR OWN JUNGLES...

♪

WHERE WE CAN LIVE IN NUMBERS \hGREATER THAN EVER BEFORE.

\h\h\h\hWE ARE PERHAPS THE ULTIMATE PRIMATE...

IN THE FAMILY THAT HAS \h\h\hWALKED THE PLANET

FOR OVER 55 MILLION YEARS.

\hOUR PRIMATE FAMILY TREE FORMED FIVE KEY BRANCHES.

[PRIMATES CALLING]

THERE ARE ANCIENT LINEAGES, LIKE THE TINY CARNIVOROUS TARSIER...

[SHRIEKING]

AND THE LEMURS OF MADAGASCAR.

\h\h\h\hTHE MONKEYS THRIVE ON TWO SEPARATE BRANCHES--

\h\h\h\h\hONE DYNASTY IN AFRICA AND ASIA...

[CHATTERING]

WHILE THE NEW WORLD MONKEYS RULE THE JUNGLES OF THE AMERICAS.

[HOWLING]

\h\hTHE FINAL BRANCH IS HOME TO THE APES,

INCLUDING CHIMPS, GORILLAS, \h\h\h\h\h\h\hORANGUTANS...

AND THE MOST SUCCESSFUL \hGLOBAL PRIMATE EVER--

US.

[PRIMATES CALLING]

TODAY THERE ARE OVER 7 BILLION \h\h\h\hPEOPLE ON THIS PLANET.

BUT OUR METEORIC RISE \h\hHAS COME AT A COST

\h\h\h\hTO MANY MEMBERS OF THE PRIMATE FAMILY.

♪

OUR GROWTH IS THREATENING \h\h\h\h\h\hTHE SURVIVAL

OF MANY OF OUR WILD COUSINS.

♪

ACROSS THE WORLD, NEARLY HALF OF ALL PRIMATES ARE NOW ENDANGERED,

AS THEIR FOREST HOMES \h\h\h\hARE DESTROYED.

♪

ONLY 900 MOUNTAIN GORILLAS \h\h\h\hREMAIN IN THE WILD.

♪

\h\hAND LEMURS ARE THE MOST THREATENED GROUP OF MAMMALS

ON THE PLANET.

♪

BUT DESPITE THE DECLINE, \h\h\hTHERE’S STILL HOPE.

\h\h\h\hAROUND THE WORLD THERE ARE PEOPLE WORKING

TO HELP OUR CLOSEST RELATIVES,

AND THEY’RE MAKING A REAL DIFFERENCE.

♪

ON THE ISLAND OF BORNEO,

PROTECTED FORESTS \hHAVE BEEN SET UP

TO PROVIDE A NEW START \h\h\h\hFOR ORANGUTANS

THAT HAVE LOST THEIR HOMES.

♪

OVER THE PAST FOUR DECADES, \h\h\h40% OF THE JUNGLE HERE

\h\h\hHAS DISAPPEARED DUE TO DEFORESTATION.

FOR EACH AND EVERY ORANGUTAN,

THEIR FUTURE HANGS \h\hIN THE BALANCE.

♪

\h\hI’M LUCKY ENOUGH TO JOIN A DEDICATED TEAM ON A MISSION

\h\hTO RESCUE SOME OF OUR MOST THREATENED COUSINS.

THIS BABY AND HER MUM WERE FOUND IN A DEVASTATED FOREST

OVER 93 MILES FROM HERE.

WITH THEIR NATURAL HABITAT GONE,

THEIR CHANCES OF SURVIVAL \h\h\h\hWERE DOWN TO ZERO.

♪

TODAY, THE TEAM IS TRANSPORTING \h\h\hTHEM TO A NEW JUNGLE HOME

IN A PROTECTED PART \h\h\hOF THE ISLAND

WHERE THEY CAN START A NEW LIFE TOGETHER.

♪

THE JOURNEY TO REACH THIS POINT \h\hHAS TAKEN THREE LONG DAYS,

BUT FINALLY THE TIME HAS COME \h\hFOR THIS MOTHER AND BABY

TO STEP OUT INTO THEIR NEW HOME.

♪

♪

INSTANTLY HER INSTINCTS \h\h\h\h\h\hKICKED IN,

AND SHE JUST WENT UP THAT TREE,

AND I’VE COMPLETELY LOST SIGHT \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF HER, BUT...

[SQUEAKING]

I CAN HEAR HER!

[LAUGHS]

[SQUEAKING]

MANY PRIMATES ARE FIGHTING \h\h\h\h\h\h\hFOR SURVIVAL,

BUT AT THIS CRITICAL TIME, THERE ARE ALSO MANY PEOPLE

\h\h\h\hFIGHTING TO ENSURE THEY HAVE A SAFER FUTURE.

♪

WE LIKE TO THINK OF OURSELVES

AS THE MOST INTELLIGENT ANIMALS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hON EARTH--

\hBUT WITH THIS INTELLIGENCE SURELY COMES A RESPONSIBILITY

TO PROTECT OUR PLANET

\h\h\h\hAND THE ANIMALS THAT WE SHARE IT WITH.

\h\h\hTHERE’S NO DOUBT THAT OUR FAMILY MEMBERS

ARE SOME OF THE MOST CHARISMATIC AND PRECIOUS CHARACTERS

ON THE PLANET.

[COOING]

♪

[SQUEAKING]

[BARKING]

[WHOOPING]

[CHIRPING]

[GRUNTING]

♪

♪

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTOGETHER, ALONG WITH OUR COUSINS...

[WHOOPING]

WE ARE SOME AMAZING PRIMATES.

[GRUNTING]