Original subtitles

- [birds chirping] - [animal coos]

[narrator] The birth of a baby animal is always special.

- [birds chirping] - [purring]

But for those on the brink of extinction,

every new life…

- [exhales] - …brings hope.

[chirping]

Six endangered youngsters

raised in our world…

[meowing]

…are on the journey of a lifetime…

[man] Follow me.

[narrator] …back to theirs.

Are you inquisitive? Yeah.

[narrator] But they can't do it on their own.

He lost his mother.

- [elephant snorts] - [hisses]

[narrator] With human foster parents helping them on their way…

[man] You don't need to be scared, I'm here with you.

[bear whines]

[narrator] …can these little ones help save their species…

[woman] If you love something, you have to let it go.

[narrator] …and return to the wild?

[orchestral swell]

[woman vocalizing, music climaxes]

[dramatic drumroll]

[birds chirping]

[narrator] On the island of Madagascar,

is the world's only rescue center…

- [indistinct chatter] - [hooting, chirping]

- …for ring-tailed lemurs. - [lemurs murmuring]

[man] Come on, guys.

Feeding time.

[narrator] Famous for their cute looks…

and stripy tails…

[squeaks]

…these sociable little animals…

live in bustling groups.

[trills]

But in recent decades, their numbers have crashed,

as forests have been cut down and lemurs are illegally sold as pets.

There are now just a few thousand left in the wild.

[coos]

Today, at the center, there's new hope.

[coos]

Just a few hours old, this tiny baby…

is the size of a human finger.

[coos]

[coos]

For head Keeper, Onja,

this little one is a big deal.

[Onja] Every birth here is like a holiday.

Like a… a happy day.

[narrator] Onja's dream is to one day release this youngster,

with the rest of the group, into the wild.

- [squeaks] - [Onja whistles]

[squeaks]

Come on the box.

Come on. Your food is there.

[narrator] Ring-tailed lemurs rely on each other to spot threats and keep safe.

- Come eat. - [chirps]

[narrator] The trouble is, this isn't your average troop.

[birds chirping]

Normally, they live in extended families.

Brothers, sisters, aunts, and uncles.

These guys are unrelated.

Most rescued from the pet trade.

And brought together…

to form an unruly bunch of misfits.

[squawks]

[Onja] All of the lemurs have a different character.

He's Dillon. He's very big.

He's like, uh, the big boss. [chuckles]

His name is Pinky.

And this one is, uh… Fred.

Fred is my favorite lemur here.

He's very cute, and he's very funny.

So I love him.

This is Sammy.

He's aggressive and, he's sometimes… stressed.

Yeah, we have to be careful. [laughs]

- [shrieks] - [grunts]

[laughs]

- Okay, I'm done with feeding. - [both laugh]

[murmurs]

[narrator] To make it in the wild, this ragtag gang…

[whines]

…and their youngest member need to form a tight bond…

[chirps, screeches]

…and learn to watch each other's backs.

- [chirping] - [whines]

Like a true family.

Because the forest is full of dangers.

[chirping]

[coos]

For Onja and the other keepers…

[chattering, laughing]

[narrator] …the first thing they want to know when a new baby is born,

is if it's a boy… or a girl.

[Onja] Don't move.

[narrator] It's harder than you might think.

[Onja] Taking a photo is easy.

But finding the right angle, that's difficult.

[narrator] Male and female lemurs look almost identical.

Go back on the platform.

[squeaks]

[narrator] So, there's only one way to tell them apart.

I can't see it.

[camera shutter clicks]

Okay, one…

- [squeaks] - Don't move.

[camera shutter clicks]

Yes.

The baby is a girl.

We are gonna call her Asara.

It's a Malagasy name.

It means "summer."

[narrator] It's exciting news.

The first baby girl born this year.

Lemurs families are run by females,

so Asara could one day become the leader.

But first, she needs to learn some life lessons.

Like what to eat and how to climb.

So she can keep up with the troop…

in the wild.

[bird squawks]

- [cooing] - [soft footsteps]

Two weeks later, Asara's growing fast.

- She's almost doubled in weight. - [squeaks]

[squeaks]

And she's attracting attention from the rest of the troop…

[coos]

…because, just like humans,

lemurs love a new baby to coo over.

Showering the little one with affection…

should help these rescued lemurs bond together.

[squeaks]

- [background chatter] - [chuckles]

[Onja] It's very important and very awesome

to see this development.

[narrator] For Asara, all this pampering is getting a bit much.

[squeaks]

Time to take her first steps away from Mum.

[squeaks]

On a tight leash, at first.

[squawks]

[squeaks]

But soon, she's given more of a free rein.

[playful music playing]

[squeaks]

[coos]

[coos]

[squeaks]

When she's had enough…

[playful music concludes]

…it's back to her new extended family…

- [chirps] - …for a group hug.

[squeaks]

[scuffles]

[footsteps]

[narrator] Feeding all the rescued lemurs takes a lot of work.

The center has its own two-acre farm.

[man humming, singing in Malagasy]

[narrator] Like any parent, Onja's keen for the lemurs to get a healthy diet.

[Onja] There is carrots, there is, uh, the cucumber, and there is lettuce.

[narrator] But they also have a sweet tooth.

And for that…

[in Malagasy] Hello, Jary, how's it going?

[narrator] …he must head into the local town, Mangily.

Lemurs can eat 40 different types of fruit,

but mangos are one of their favorites.

[in Malagasy] Hello, Mamaliny.

[in Malagasy] Hello, Onja.

We are looking for mangoes and food for the lemurs.

[narrator] They can get through 70 pounds of them a week.

[in Malagasy] The lemurs are thanking you.

[both laugh]

I thank the lemurs for buying lots of fruit.

- [Onja laughs] - Makes me really happy.

Ooh.

This is so heavy!

You are very strong.

[laughs]

[Onja] Let's go.

[Mamaliny] Goodbye, Onja.

[Onja chuckles]

[narrator] Weekly shop complete, it's feeding time.

[Onja whistles]

[Onja, in English] This mango is good for the lemurs.

It is very healthy for them.

They are very hungry.

[chirping]

[narrator] There's a pecking order in lemur life.

[trilling]

And squabbles over food…

[chirping]

…help each one find their place.

[squawking]

[squawking]

Luckily for Asara, her mum is the leader of this gang.

[squeaking]

And being the boss's daughter means she gets all the fruit she can eat.

She won't get her first teeth until she's four weeks old.

But that doesn't stop her giving it a try.

[chuckles]

[man speaks Malagasy]

[squeaks]

[narrator] Now more confident on her feet…

time for something a bit more challenging.

It's a shaky start,

but lemurs spend half their lives in the trees.

[squeaks]

So climbing is the next skill she needs to crack.

[in Malagasy] Let's go, we are done.

[narrator] Looking after all the rescued lemurs is a full-time job.

New ones can be brought in at any time.

The latest arrival was rescued from a nearby town.

- Around two months old… - [coos]

…it's likely she was taken from her mum in the forest.

[in English] Seeing that there is still some people who take them as pets,

it's very sad.

She's tiny and still a baby.

So she still needs her mom's milk.

It's like a human.

[narrator] Lemurs kept as pets often become weak and sickly.

It's thought one in three don't live more than six months.

[squeaks]

And sadly, despite the team's best efforts,

this youngster passed away.

For Onja, it's an urgent reminder

of why his work to return rescued lemurs to the wild is so important.

Five weeks later,

and the ragtag troop are getting closer.

Every morning starts with sunbathing.

It's how lemurs warm themselves up.

Today, Asara has a huge hurdle to overcome.

Baby lemurs usually learn to climb by two months old.

[sawing]

[birds chirping]

So, like a handy dad, Onja's built Asara a jungle gym.

This is quite high for the baby to climb.

But it's important for me to see Asara reach the top.

[narrator] Like us, lemurs have opposable thumbs, helping them grip.

But they can also hold on with their feet.

[Onja] Come on, Asara.

Try again.

Try again.

[squeaks]

[narrator] Undeterred…

and using her tail to help balance…

eventually, she makes it.

- [chirps] - [Onja] Whoa.

It's very… cool to see that.

[squeaks]

[chittering]

[narrator] It's a big step on her journey…

into the wild.

[birds chirping]

[men speaking Malagasy]

[narrator] In the evenings…

[speaks Malagasy]

…Onja and the team get a bit of free time.

[Onja, in Malagasy] If you lose,

you have to clean the cage.

[all laugh]

[narrator] To do his work here,

he's had to move away from his family home.

[Onja, in English] I'm not from this part of Madagascar,

and my wife is far away.

[narrator] To see her is a two-day journey.

But recently, Onja's had some exciting news.

He's going to become a dad.

[all laugh]

[narrator] When the baby's born, his wife will join him at the center.

[speaking Malagasy, laughs]

Bye, bye! I'm out.

[narrator] Until then, his focus will be on his lemur family.

[man, in Malagasy] You are going to clean the cage tomorrow.

[laughing]

[animals chirping]

[narrator] Asara's now tripled in size and is growing more confident.

[shrieks]

[Onja, in English] She's very cheeky and curious.

[narrator] Now her teeth are through, she's wolfing down the fruit.

But in the wild, this will be a rare treat.

In the drier months, 60% of a lemur's diet is leaves and shrubs.

So Onja and the team gather a sample of what's on offer.

[in Malagasy] Let's see if Asara likes this.

Let's go, that is enough.

[vocalizes]

[in English] I've got a treat for you.

[narrator] Lemurs feed on over a hundred different types of plants.

[squawks]

[narrator] And Asara's not a fussy eater.

Look at Asara climbing and eating.

She loves it.

[narrator] She tries a bit of everything.

But the trickiest item on any lemur's lunch list

is the octopus tree.

A giant cactus-like plant

that can grow 30 feet tall, with needle-sharp thorns.

[squeaks]

[dramatic music playing]

[whines]

The problem is, the juiciest leaves are right at the top.

[Onja] Come on, Asara. You can do it.

[narrator] Tough pads on her hands and feet offer some protection.

She must master the lemur skill of only grasping the strongest spikes.

Get this wrong, and she could seriously injure herself.

[dramatic music continues]

[Onja] Look at this. She's doing it now.

[dramatic music ends]

She's a quick learner.

She's enjoying it.

It's really exciting to see.

She is a big girl now.

[squeaks]

[Onja laughs]

[narrator] For Onja, there's another promising sign.

The troop is now feeding together without squabbling.

Very nice to see that they share it, and everyone has their part.

[narrator] They're starting to get on like a proper family.

In the months ahead, that could mean the difference

between life and death.

[squeaking]

More than a year since she was born, Asara is almost the size of an adult.

But she's not the only one growing.

An older female, Margot, has given birth.

With a new baby around, the whole troop is more alert than usual.

[Onja, in Malagasy] Is it a male or a female?

[keeper, in Malagasy] It's a female.

- Do you want to bet? - [keeper] Huh?

- Want to bet? - [both laugh]

[in English] I will check it…

[lemurs squawking]

[narrator] One of the adults sounds an alarm call.

[lemurs squawking]

[Onja] Ah, there is some predator around.

Very near another cage.

[squawking]

[narrator] They're safe in their enclosure…

but spotting a bird of prey outside has spooked them.

[Onja] They are scared.

They have to be vigilant, and they are vigilant like you see now.

[lemurs calling]

- [caws] - [squeaks]

[Onja] It's a good thing for Asara, because she can learn the alarm call.

[squawking]

[chittering]

[Onja] The group is very solid.

It makes me happy to see them do that.

[narrator] Witnessing the troop warn each other of danger

is a sign they're ready to be released.

[cooing]

Soon, they'll be let out of their enclosure…

into Reniala Nature Reserve.

One hundred and fifty acres of forest, right on their doorstep.

[birds calling]

Here, they'll face other dangers,

like Madagascan harrier-hawks,

specialist lemur hunters.

[birds chirping]

[Onja] Today is a big day.

It is a big step for us and for the lemurs also.

[narrator] Onja's plan is to release the lemurs gradually,

letting them out for a little longer each day.

Until eventually, they spend all their time in the wild.

[Onja] We don't know what will happen exactly,

but we are so excited to… to see.

- [chirping] - [keeper whistling]

- [lemurs calling] - [keeper continues to whistle]

[narrator] The gates are opened to the troop for the first time.

[keeper whistles]

[narrator] And after a cautious start…

Asara's mum leads them out into the forest.

[caws]

[chuckles]

[in Malagasy] Doelson, how are they doing?

[Doelson, in Malagasy] Asara is here.

[narrator] Now, all Asara's climbing practice pays off.

[in Malagasy] There is another one over there, eating leaves.

Right over there.

[in English] We see now Asara, she's, uh, explored higher.

So, that's a good… uh, good thing.

[narrator] But their first taste of freedom is short-lived.

- [bird calling] - [alarmed squawking]

Birds of prey overhead.

- [birds cawing] - [alarmed calls]

[squawking]

[in Malagasy] Is that one coming back?

[counting quietly in French]

[Doelson speaking in Malagasy]

[Onja, in Malagasy] Is Sammy already in?

[in English] Nine, ten, eleven…

[latches click]

One, two, three, four, five, six,

seven, eight, nine, ten…

[counting in French]

Um…

[speaks Malagasy]

One of them is not there.

- [Doelson, in Malagasy] Which one? - [Onja] Wait a minute.

[speaking Malagasy]

- [Doelson] There is Margot. - [Onja] Where is her child?

[Margot whines]

[Onja] Is he not there?

[in English] We didn't find Margot's baby.

So we are searching now.

[in Malagasy] Go up there in case you find him up there.

[Doelson, in Malagasy] Maybe an animal ate him?

[eerie music playing]

- [sighs] - [Doelson speaks Malagasy]

- [Doelson speaks Malagasy] - [man responds in Malagasy]

- [Onja, in Malagasy] What? Where? - [Doelson responds in Malagasy]

- Is he there? - [man responds]

[grass rustling]

[man shouts]

- [man groans] - [men speaking Malagasy]

[Onja, in English] Oh, no.

[soft piano playing]

[Onja] I don't know exactly what's the cause,

but in the wild, uh, that will happen.

All of the team are very sad 'cause, uh, it is like, uh, we lose one family also.

[cries]

[narrator] Margot calls for her missing baby…

- [cries] - …believed to be a sign of grief.

[Doelson, in Malagasy] We have to bury him.

Rest in peace, our child.

[lemurs cry]

[narrator] It's a devastating blow for the whole troop.

[whines]

[piano music ends]

[cries continue]

[narrator] But Onja's determined they will make it back to the wild.

[uplifting music playing]

[whistling]

[continues whistling]

[narrator] Over the coming weeks…

[Onja whistling]

[narrator] …Asara and the troop spend

more and more time out of their enclosure…

venturing deeper into the forest.

[Onja, in Malagasy] They are really happy.

[animals chittering]

[Onja, in English] Asara is becoming more and more like wild lemur.

[narrator] The further they go,

the more threats they encounter.

[bird calls]

[narrator] Now, everyone's on the lookout.

[lemurs calling]

Including Asara.

[lemur whines]

- For the first time… - [calls]

…she sounds the alarm…

[lemurs calling]

…sending everyone rushing to safety.

- [calls] - [screeching]

- [lemur calls] - [bird cries]

A sign she's become a fully-fledged member of the gang.

After two months…

they're spending all day…

and all night out in the forest.

- [keeper, in Malagasy] Can you see one? - Mm-mm.

Onja, we see one here.

[in Malagasy] This is good because now we know where they sleep.

[narrator] It's the moment Onja's been waiting for.

The troop have finally found their home in the wild.

[distant call]

[birds chirping]

[animal hooting]

After more than two years of hard work…

today, there are some special visitors in the forest.

[in Malagasy] Where are the lemurs?

[narrator] Onja's wife and eight-month-old daughter.

[murmurs in Malagasy]

[in Malagasy] They are small, and they live in the forest.

Look!

[in Malagasy] It's the first time I've seen them in the forest.

[lemurs vocalizing]

It's so lovely to see them living in their natural habitat.

They look free!

[Onja, in English] I am very proud.

I think she is very proud also.

Papa did a good job.

[narrator] Of all the lemurs, there's one Onja will miss most.

[Onja] Asara, she was just a tiny baby.

Now she has her place inside the troop.

I will miss her…

but now she's free.

[narrator] Next time.

Can two tiny cheetah brothers…

It's amazing to see these guys.

[narrator] …learn to become top predators…

[woman] Beautiful.

[narrator] …so they can be released in a part of Africa

where cheetahs have been lost for generations?

[cheerful theme music playing]