Original subtitles

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.