All language subtitles for E8E621A629892C54AF7BE2BE01261CA7_eng

Living the high Life
in the jungle canopy,

Samar is preparing for
A momentous occasion.

He's spent his youth
Learning everything

He can from his
Remarkable family,

From spotting danger

To picking the
best Spots for lunch;

Knowing when to hang out,

And when to soar.

While the jungle's other
Primates rely on each other

For safety, samar
Will soon leave

The comfort of
his Close-knit clan.

It's a huge leap,
So has he mastered

The skills he needs
To make it on his own?

A march dawn.

It's a cold start to the morning

In the rainforests of
Assam, in northern india.

The jungle equivalent
Of a morning alarm clock

Pierces the mist.

It's the territorial song Of
a hoolock gibbon family.

They're announcing that
This one-mile square patch

Of jungle, and all
the Food in it, is taken!

By singing their declaration,

They hope to avoid
Confrontation with other gibbons.

It's a safer
Alternative to fighting.

Fortunately, there are no
Challengers this morning.

As the early fog begins to lift,

The family moves
from Its favorite sleeping

Tree to enjoy a
Bit of sunbathing,

Before starting
their Daily activities.

This is samar.

He's eight years old

And lives with his parents

And younger sister
in A tight family unit.

Gibbons are typically
Monogamous and his parents

Have been together
For many years.

His father, like all males,

Has black fur and
White eyebrows.

Females are a paler buff color,

Like samar's mother.

Clinging tightly
Around her waist

Is samar's one-month-old
Little sister, riya.

She still needs a
Lot of looking after.

As a baby, she's
Even paler in color.

Her fur won't get its
True adult coloring

For another five years.

At nearly three feet
Tall, samar is close

To fully-grown, and
Almost independent.

Today starts like any
Other day in the forest,

With a tour of their territory.

Patrol the borders

And find food along the way.

These gibbons live in
the Far northeast of india.

Their range, which also
Spreads into myanmar

And bangladesh, is bordered
To the north by the himalayas,

And encompasses part of the
Large brahmaputra river valley.

The tropical forest here is a
Stunning biodiversity hotspot,

Home to some of
india's Most iconic wildlife

And the richest primate
Diversity in the country.

The hot and humid
Tropical climate

Provides the perfect
conditions For plants to thrive,

And these produce
Much of the food

These primates need to survive.

The diversity of mature
Vegetation and variety

Of fruit-bearing trees

Makes samar's family
Territory so valuable.

They set out on the first of
Two territory patrols each day.

But, as it's still
Early morning,

It makes sense to
Start with breakfast.

A bauhinia tree
Is in full flower.

The tree provides
Something for everyone.

Dad likes the leaves,

While mom seems
to Prefer the flowers.

Samar's long, dexterous
Fingers allow him

To skillfully handle
His favorite part,

The tiny seed pods.

But it's his long,
Strong arms that give

Him a special ability.

A unique tendon and
Muscle structure forces

A gibbon's hand into
A hooked position when

The arm is straight.

So, for samar, holding
On to a branch like this

Actually requires
No effort at all!

He can easily just hang around,

Using his other limbs to
Reach and grasp for food.

But while leaves and
Shoots might be simple

To find, they aren't
Particularly nutritious,

Or easy to digest.

Gibbons are apes
and Belong to the same

Primate group as chimpanzees,
Gorillas and humans.

Unlike gorillas, they
Don't really have

The stomach for
An all-leaf diet.

It's potentially a problem
For samar's mother.

She needs to get
enough Nutrition to feed

Herself and produce milk
For her nursing daughter.

Gibbons must spend
more Than half their day

Searching for food
In the forest canopy.

So, with their leafy
Breakfast finished,

They continue on their patrol.

Next stop will be brunch.

The family takes a
Well-traveledtrail through the forest.

They follow each
Other in single file.

Mom, carrying riya, pursues dad,

With samar bringing up the rear.

Moving through the
Forest canopy requires

Incredible skill and dexterity.

Samar's father is a real expert.

His swinging motion is a
Technique known as brachiation.

Gibbons have evolved
Long, strong forearms.

Highly mobile joints
In their shoulders

And wrists enhance
Their fluid movement.

They can reach speeds
Of 35 miles per hour

And cover nearly 30
Feet between trees.

These graceful gibbons
Are the true specialists

Of the canopy.

But samar needs
a Bit more practice.

Close one!

For gibbons, the
occasional Fall is part of life.

The important thing is
To catch another branch

And keep on swinging.

The northern forests of assam

Are a stronghold for eight
Different species of primates,

Including capped langurs,
Stump-tailed macaques

And rhesus macaques.

This is a golden langur,
Named for its stunning color.

They're considered
sacred By the local people,

Yet due to deforestation
They're now

One of the most
endangered Primates in india.

Langurs don't have
the Same trouble eating

Leaves that the gibbons do.

They're part of a distinct group

Of monkeys that have
A sacculated stomach,

Which has numerous
Chambers to help digest

The fibrous plants.

With an abundance
of Leaves, this mother

Has no problem producing enough

Milk for her infant,
Which won't be fully

Weaned for at least
Another six months.

The baby often joins
Other youngsters

In the troop, and this
morning They're full of energy.

With an insatiable urge
To play and explore,

They're fast
Becoming independent.

But it's not wise to
Wander too far away

From mom's protection.

There are bullies around.

Rhesus macaques
move Through the area

On their morning prowl.

Unlike the gibbons, which
Live in small family groups,

A macaque troop
Can be 80 strong.

That's a lot of mouths to feed.

And these ruffians aren't
Afraid to take advantage

Of other species to
Get what they want.

The langurs' turf looks
Like prime real estate.

Equal in size, it's The
macaques' strength

In numbers that gives
Them the advantage.

The golden langurs
Beat a hasty retreat.

And the macaques get
The fruit they wanted.

Full-on fighting is rare

Between these
different Primate species.

Langurs, like gibbons,
Often search for food

In the high canopy,
Leaving the lower branches

And forest floor
To the macaques.

They do their best to stay

Out of each others'
Way, if possible.

But food and fighting
Isn't all there is to life.

Today, some of the
Female macaques have

Other things on their mind.

Grooming and mating.

Thick fur can harbor
A multitude of pests

And parasites, which
Must be removed.

And they need a bit
of Help to get to those

Hard-to-reach places.

It's a good way to keep clean,

And these females all
Want to look their best.

They have a very
Different mating strategy

To the mainly
Monogamous gibbons.

They're highly promiscuous.

But just because they're
Primped and primed,

Doesn't mean they aren't choosy.

With such a large troop
There's plenty of choice

For a fertile female.

In order to prove his worth,

A male must be in
a Position of power.

If he's not, he needs
To employ other tactics.

An extra spot of
Grooming often helps

To win a lady's heart.

With so many
couplings, It's difficult

To determine paternity.

And when it comes
to Raising the babies,

These libertine ladies do
All the work themselves.

For samar's mother,
Life is a little easier.

Monogamy comes
with Certain benefits.

And one of those is
Sharing the childcare

With her mate
and Older offspring.

As her infants grow
Up, having extra pairs

Of hands is quite useful.

As the family continues
Its territorial patrol,

It's not just other primates
They need to look out for.

Even the most
Unlikely competitors

Will take advantage if they can.

A malayan giant squirrel.

Its tail alone is
Nearly two feet long,

And it can jump between trees
Nearly as far as a gibbon can.

They feed on the same fruits,

Leaves and seeds that samar
And his family depend on,

So the gibbons simply won't
Tolerate these trespassers

In their territory.

With one pair of
squatter Squirrels evicted,

It's another, much
Smaller squirrel

That provides the
Family with a surprising

Opportunity for brunch.

This hoary-bellied
Squirrel has a nest nearby.

Called a drey, it's made up of
Dry, leafy twigs and grasses.

It's a haven for grubs,
Insects and parasites.

Sifting through
The nest material,

The gibbons pick
out These nutritious,

Protein-dense morsels.

Samar already knows about
This hidden source of food.

For his little sister
Riya, this is an important

New lesson in where
to Find essential proteins

Not found in the plants that
Make up most of their diet.

Unfortunately for the squirrel,

The gibbons aren't the
Tidiest of house cleaners.

So this poor squirrel is
Going to need another nest.

After an energetic morning,

The gibbons stop for lunch.

Dad brings samar and the family

To one of their favorite
A wild banana plant.

Gibbons have
excellent Color vision,

So these bright yellow
Fruits are easy to spot

In the overgrown
Forest environment.

Picking a ripe one is key.

Mom's even choosier.

A delicate twist Frees
the best bananas

From the bunch.

2/3 of their diet is fruit,

Rich in calories And
much more easily

Digestible than leaves.

It's the perfect
Treat for everyone.

But this feast doesn't appeal
To just the gibbon family.

Fruiting plants like
This attract a whole

Host of forest animals.

This sunbird isn't
Here for the bananas.

He's after a different
Sweet treat, the flower.

With his long, curved beak,

He can reach a
sweet Supply of nectar.

As he feeds, he
Inadvertently collects

Pollen on his head and beak.

Traveling from one
Flower to the next,

The sunbird
Pollinates the plants.

Which helps keep
this Delicacy fruiting

For everyone in the forest.

Peeling the bananas,
Samar makes the most

Of this nutritious meal.

Now the family has
Had a good feed,

It's time to relax and digest.

Nine months roll by
as The year progresses.

While the changing
Season brings shifting

Patterns in rainfall,
There's no let up

From the heat.

It's now december, the
midst Of the tropical winter,

But by midday the
Jungle temperatures

Still hit 90 degrees fahrenheit.

The morning routine
Stays much the same

For samar and his family.

Everyone grasps the
Chance for a siesta,

From the golden langurs,

To the macaques.

But for samar's family,
Something has changed.

His sister, riya, is
Now nearly a year old.

She's far more
Adventurous and energetic.

Even in the heat,
little Riya is determined

To play, not sleep.

But mom is not in the mood.

So riya heads off to
Find her big brother.

Samar's almost fully grown now,

And his company is a bit
More than she bargains for.

It might seem rough,
but This is a form of play.

It helps to strengthen
Her muscles and enhance

Her reflexes, vital skills
To survive in the forest.

Riya has soon had quite enough.

It's time for a bit of comfort.

And mom has the
Perfect solution.

Mutual grooming
Helps reduce stress,

Tension and aggression.

It provides a
Reassuring connection

And strengthens bonds
Between family members.

As the heat abates
In the afternoon,

The jungle is once
Again alive and busy.

Samar and his
parents Set out toward

A very special
place In their territory.

A fishtail palm tree.

It can grow up to 60 feet tall.

It flowers and fruits only once

In its entire 20-year lifespan.

Gibbons also live
For about 20 years,

So it's a once-in-a-
Lifetime opportunity.

Samar and his
family Take advantage

Of the banquet.

When the last flower
Has finished blooming,

The tree will die.

But there are other
Fishtail palms in the forest

That will flower and
Fruit in the future.

So, this meal provides a
Useful lesson for samar

And riya, who will one day
Leave their parents' territory.

Knowledge of this tree
and The rare bounty it offers

Will stay with them forever.

Now that riya's a little older,

She's starting to
Explore on her own.

By copying mom and
Dad, she's beginning

To understand what it takes
To be a grown-up gibbon.

Grasping vines,
Testing the fruit,

Observing which
foods Are safe to eat.

These are the skills
Samar has had to learn

And perfect during
His adolescence.

Right now his sister has
The best of both worlds.

She can experiment
And venture off alone,

But still return to mom
For reassurance and milk.

Whereas samar
is At a turning point.

Now 9 years old, he needs
His parents' protection

And guidance less every day.

He's venturing further
Away from the family,

And exploring on his own.

But there are still
Lessons to learn.

Today he's moved
Into a nearby tree,

One that will be just as
Memorable as the fishtail,

But for a very different reason.

Samar's tree is
Covered in weaver ants.

These formidable
insects Live their whole life

In the trees and are
Fiercely territorial.

Anything that enters
Their tree is seen

As an invader, including samar.

Aggressive, with a powerful bite

And the ability to
Spray formic acid,

They won't do
samar Any real harm,

But it will get annoying.

With half a million
Individuals in the colony,

There are plenty on hand
To repel any invaders.

Each day, the ants
Spread out along

The branches, searching
For any insect or grub

That might make a tasty morsel.

They are ruthlessly
Efficient in their hunt

For food, and prey on
Any species that might

Damage the tree
in Which they live.

They're the forest
Equivalent of pest control.

Anything they do
Catch is taken back

To the nest to feed the other
Ants and their growing brood.

Each weaver ant
Colony can have more

Than 100 separate nests,
High up in the canopy,

Spanning multiple trees.

With neighbors like these,

Their nests need to be sturdy.

So, the ants have
Evolved a remarkable

Construction method.

They create their nests
By using the tree itself.

Working as a team,
The ants pull each

Individual leaf into
The desired position.

Some of the ants then use silk,

Produced by their own larvae,

To stitch and weave
The joints together.

This strong, waterproof
Structure protects

The eggs and larvae inside.

Vital with samar
Still in their tree!

Now that he's older, he's
less Interested in family time.

But, as his parents and
Sibling set off to check

The borders of their territory,

He still follows along.

Samar now confidently jumps
And swings between the trees.

He's still not quite as
Graceful as his father.

There are a lot of
techniques Judging distances,

Balancing on branches,

Even the strength of
Trees needs to be tested.

But, now that samar's
Almost fully-grown,

His parents don't slow
Down or take easier routes

For his benefit.

He's capable of keeping up.

When it comes to making
The really big jumps,

His father has developed
A useful technique.

He uses his weight and
sways The tree back and forth,

Helping to propel
Him across the gap.

Jumping from so high
up Also helps him bridge

The large distance.

This is a huge
Leap for a rookie,

And samar hasn't quite
Grasped how to sway the tree.

Made it!

He may not be as elegant as dad,

But this is another
Useful technique samar

Can employ in the future,

Though it may be
Something he'll need

Sooner than he knows.

Deforestation is
Dramatically changing

The habitat he lives in.

Gibbons like samar depend
upon Continuous canopy to survive.

But with fewer trees
They must cross

Increasingly wide gaps
To move between them.

Every year in india alone,

Humans destroy an
Area of forest roughly

The size of connecticut.

Hoolock gibbons are
Exclusively adapted

For life in the trees,
So forest fragmentation

Causes them huge problems.

Some distinct populations
Havedeclined by a staggering 90%

In the last 30 years, making
Them among the most endangered

Primates in the world.

Gibbons aren't the only
Species to be affected

In this delicately
Balanced ecosystem.

Below samar, down
On the forest floor,

Other primates are
Looking for food.

Stump-tailed macaques
Weigh in at 20 pounds,

1/3 heavier than the gibbons.

They don't swing;
they Walk on all fours.

They're much more
suited To a life lower down.

As they forage in
The undergrowth

And on low-level
Vines and branches,

These monkeys have
A neat trick to make

The most of any food they find.

Large cheek pouches.

When full, these pouches can
Hold as much as their stomach.

They even aid digestion.

By stuffing all the food
They can into their mouths

When they find it,

Nothing goes to waste.

Even if they get disturbed,

They can retreat somewhere
Safe and enjoy it all later.

While the adults are
Distracted by food,

Their babies are
happy To explore alone.

Even the littlest ones are adept

And adventurous in the forest.

But as evening approaches,

The forest becomes a
much More dangerous place.

Predators are on the prowl.

The tropical jungles
Of india are home

To some of the most spectacular
Carnivores on the planet.

A clouded leopard
Emerges with the dusk.

Perfectly camouflaged,
This silent hunter

Stalks the undergrowth.

Weighing less than 50
pounds, It's just 1/10 the size

Of a tiger, but its
Canines are just as long.

At two inches they're
Formidable weapons

On such a small cat.

More than enough to
Take down a macaque.

But a large group
Is a tricky target.

There's always
someone On the lookout.

It's been spotted.

Alarm calls alert
The whole troop.

The trees aren't
Necessarily a haven.

Moving up doesn't
Guarantee safety.

The clouded leopard
Is a talented climber.

With its short, stout legs,

Large paws and sharp claws,

This cat is adept at
Following prey into the trees.

Special pads on its
paws Give it superior grip.

Chasing monkeys up
Here is almost too easy

For this feline.

But it's lost the
Element of surprise,

And some leaps are
just A bit too far to follow.

This time at least, the
Macaques are out of danger.

Despite their
Superior tree skills,

Even gibbons can be a
Target for clouded leopards.

It's youngsters like
Samar and his sister

Riya that are most at risk.

With predators
About, they must get

To the thinner branches
at The very tops of the trees

So they can spend
Their night in safety.

During these december
days, A reservoir to the north

Of samar's forest provides
A vital resting place

The amur falcon.

At less than 12 inches,

It's a small bird of
Prey on a big journey.

They breed in mongolia
But must leave before

The harsh siberian
Winter sets in.

These falcons embark
On one of the longest

Migrations of any raptor.

Flying more than 6,000
Miles in less than a week,

Their aim is to reach
South africa by january.

But en route, these
Exhausted birds need

To rest and refuel before
Continuing their journey.

So this remote
Indian valley becomes

A lifesaving pit stop.

As dusk begins to
Fall, they congregate

Into a swirling mass of
More than a million falcons.

It's the largest
Gathering of birds

Of prey on the planet.

Amur falcons hunt on the wing,

Catching thousands of
Termites that have also taken

To the air as the sun goes down.

These high calorie
insects Are the perfect fuel,

Allowing the birds to fatten up,

Ready for the next
stage In their migration.

As the birds come
Down to the trees,

Their large communal
Roosts provide safety

In numbers for the night ahead.

It's another misty start
To a new winter morning.

As the gibbons wake up,
they Begin their morning ritual,

Singing their territorial
Song to all their neighbors.

But samar isn't joining in.

He's deliberately distancing
Himself from his family.

While his little sister
Has eight more years

Learning from her parents,

He's venturing on a new path,

Away from the familiar
Territoryhe's known all his life.

After nine years under the
Protection of his parents,

He's learned all he can.

From finding food in the
Most surprising places,

To avoiding potential predators,

And the acrobatics that
Will ensure his survival.

But his family can't provide him

With the one thing he now needs.

Samar must find a mate
and Start a family of his own.

Today, he has decided
To take his first steps

Toward finding a territory
And starting a new life.

And it all begins
With one more jump.