Original subtitles

[THEME MUSIC PLAYING]

[NARRATOR] Meet Dora,

a baby muriqui.

For this youngster,

growing up wild is one giant adventure.

To survive in Brazil's Atlantic Forest,

Dora must learn to cope with life at the top.

[MONKEYS CHATTERING]

Born high in the trees,

clinging tightly to Mom is the only way to survive.

But in the canopy, Dora's greatest challenge

will be learning to let go.

All across South America,

baby animals are taking their first steps

and tackling their first challenges.

Their generations, are the future of their species.

They are, the New Kids in the Wild.

High above the ground,

a cold mist drifts through the canopy

of this Brazilian forest.

Curled up against the chill,

this ball of fur is Mimi,

a female southern muriqui,

one of the rarest monkeys on Earth.

And, she's a new mom.

This, is Dora.

She was born just a month ago

and has been clinging tightly to her mother's fur ever since.

Dora is a very special new kid in the wild.

Less than 1,300 of her species remain.

For the last four weeks,

these two precious monkeys

have been glued together like this,

in their unique forest home.

Blanketing the steep slopes of Brazil's Serra do Mar mountains.

This is the Atlantic Forest,

rivalling the mighty Amazon when it comes to biodiversity.

It's home to 26 species of monkey,

[HOWLING HOARSELY]

including muriqui,

the largest primates in South America.

[MONKEY CHITTERS]

Over 90% of the original forest has been lost to human activity,

but it still stretches right across Brazil's coastline,

into Argentina and Paraguay.

At its heart, is the Carlos Botelho Park.

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

Dora was born at the start of Brazil's winter,

And today, temperatures have dropped to just above freezing.

Surprisingly chilly for a tropical forest.

It's the coldest morning in her young life,

and she snuggles into her mom's woolly fur for warmth.

Fortunately, hugging is what her species does best.

Her whole troop are at it,

looking for a partner to embrace.

It's also what gave them their nickname,

the hippie monkeys.

The rising sun warms the forest,

but the love-in continues.

Dora's mom and the rest of the group hug for hours,

not just for warmth.

There's no real hierarchy in this troop,

cuddling maintains bonds

and builds close-knit relationships

throughout the group.

So even the biggest kids,

still find time for hugs with Mom.

At just a month old, Dora's only interest,

is clinging to her mother 24 hours a day

The canopy is a precarious place to grow up.

Dora's nursery, is 70 metres above the ground.

Her mom and the older muriqui

spend most of their lives casually hanging around,

20 stories up.

For now, instinctively,

Dora always keeps one hand

firmly locked on her mother's fur.

She was born with this strong grip,

the only thing keeping her on board

as Mimi moves through the trees.

If Dora were to fall,

her mom probably couldn't risk trying to save her

But Mimi is a careful mother,

and will gently transport her baby around like this

for the next two years.

The forest floor is far more dangerous for a monkey

than the treetops.

Dora's father, is also part of the group.

But he doesn't know it

With no hierarchy,

there is no conflict over breeding rights

So, Mimi and the other females

mate with all of the group's males.

The free-loving family dynamic,

is all part of Dora's hippie-monkey canopy community.

These monkeys, have a reputation for relaxing.

But by late morning, hunger always starts to call.

For Mimi, especially.

She must eat more than usual

to produce enough milk to feed Dora around the clock.

Today, Rosa, the oldest female, is taking the lead.

She often chooses where and when they'll eat

But this morning,

she's taking her time.

Finally, Rosa swings into action.

A hungry Mimi, doesn't waste any time following.

She must keep up with Rosa.

Dora, squeezes even tighter.

It's a wild ride for a baby monkey.

Dora's tiny fingers, are the only thing

between her and a fatal fall.

Driven by hunger, the usually slow-moving troop

appears to be fuelled by a more ferocious appetite

on these cold winter days.

They move at surprising speed through the canopy,

thanks to the anatomy of their hands.

They have no thumbs,

allowing them to hook onto the branches as they swing.

[MONKEYS CHITTERING]

Rosa knows the annual cycle of every tree of this forest,

and has led the others on a pre-planned route

to the best seasonal spot in town.

Lauraceae trees,

a favourite of the troop, and for good reason.

They fruit, even during the cold winter.

It's a tasty sugar injection,

great for a mom providing milk.

But Mimi also needs her greens.

And to get the freshest leaves,

Mimi and her acrobatic troop

rely on another extraordinary evolutionary gift,

their tails.

It can grip just like a hand, acting as an extra limb.

Coiled firmly around a branch,

it allows them to lean further out,

and go hands-free.

The leaves provide muscle-building amino acids,

giving the monkeys enough strength and endurance

to dangle like this, for hours.

Dora, has so far been clamped full-time to her mother,

and survives solely on milk.

But in a few weeks,

she'll begin to taste what the forest has to offer

Her tummy full of leaves and fruit,

Mimi takes a nap in the canopy.

But Dora is restless,

she decides now is the moment to loosen her grip,

reaching out from Mimi for the first time

Since birth, Dora has been permanently connected

to Mimi's furry coat

But now, Dora uses her strong grip

to swing from the branch,

if only for a moment.

Emboldened, she even decides to give tail-hanging a go,

twisting her tail around a branch

and then around Mom.

Dora discovers

it's as strong as an arm

Now, to try and hang from it.

Gradually, Dora goes for it.

She's hanging over nothing but air.

But she needs both her arms and her tail for safety.

It's still a momentous achievement for Dora,

while her mom was sleeping through it all

Dora didn't venture far,

but teetering above such a long drop,

was still a bit scary.

So, it's back to Mimi for a warm hug.

While Dora practices her new climbing skills,

the rest of the troop are still snacking.

And they're making quite a mess.

Way down below,

their leftovers are providing enough food

to quite literally, feed an army.

These leafcutter ants, will turn trash into treasure.

Many mouths make short work,

stripping the fruit to its seed pod.

The ants, gather these gifts from above,

alongside other leaves and shoots,

marching it all back to the nest in unison.

It's a royal feast.

But not all for the ants themselves.

Much of this haul, is for the ant colony's garden.

These leafcutter ants are cultivators,

having developed an extraordinary

symbiotic relationship with fungi.

The foraged leaves and fruits dropped by the muriqui,

are then fed to the fungus by the ants.

In return, the fungus is the primary food source

for the colony's larvae.

As the ants source more leaves to feed the garden,

their constant cutting encourages

new growth in the forest.

And their nest below, breaks down all the plant matter,

adding nutrients to the soil

Without knowing, the ants and Dora's troop above

are all working together as part of a web of life

that keeps their precious forest home, lush and healthy.

[BIRDS AND INSECTS CHIRPING]

Oblivious to the micro-kingdom below,

Dora is exhausted, and ready for bed.

[ANIMAL CHITTERING]

Rosa leads the troop back to their favourite sleeping trees,

to settle in for the night.

During the winter,

they will often find the biggest tree they can,

large enough for them all to rest.

[MONKEY CHITTERS]

But Mimi and Dora, are struggling

to find a cuddle buddy.

No luck here.

Rejected, again.

Wriggly babies, aren't the most popular sleeping companions.

Finally, persistence pays off.

It's been a long day, full of achievements for Dora.

Mimi has no problem getting this little monkey to settle.

As soon as the sun sets,

the chill returns to the Atlantic Forest.

[INSECTS CHIRPING]

These cold nights continue, for the next two months.

Winter, is now almost over.

The muriqui troop is waking to slightly warmer temperatures.

Dora is now three months old.

Her troop's usual morning hugging ritual...

[ANIMAL HOWLING HOARSELY]

...is interrupted.

By some noisy neighbours.

[HOWLING CONTINUES]

Intimidating territorial calls

is no way for Dora to start the day.

[HOWLING CONTINUES]

The cause of the ruckus?

Brown howler monkeys, living up to their name.

Each monkey's enlarged throat acts like a megaphone,

amplifying their howls up to 8 kilometres.

[HOWLING CONTINUES]

Dora is just a few trees away,

and the noise is unbearable

[HOWLING CONTINUES]

Though she has nothing to fear,

it's just male howlers showing off.

[HOWLING CONTINUES]

And Dora's laid-back troop, gets on with everyone.

Fights with other monkeys are almost unheard of.

The two species live in harmony.

And, like Dora's group,

these howlers have their own little ones to take care of.

The tiny howlers also have devoted moms,

just like Mimi.

[CHITTERS]

But these little babies only get one year of full child care.

Spoilt little Dora, will get twice as long.

After their early wake-up call,

the muriqui are now settling down for breakfast.

[MONKEYS CHITTERING]

But something below, sets off the nearby howlers once again.

[HOWLER MONKEYS HOWLING]

[MONKEYS CHITTERING]

Down on the forest floor, an irara is approaching.

A relative of the wolverine, he is an expert climber,

often hunting small monkeys, high up in the canopy.

[MONKEYS CHITTERING]

He may be at home in the trees,

but so, are the muriquis.

He needs to move quickly

if he wants to get close enough to pounce.

A full-grown muriqui, like Mimi, would be too strong.

But little Dora, is an easy target.

[CHITTERING CONTINUES]

[SNIFFING]

[CHITTERING]

But with the alarm raised,

Dora hangs on,

as Mimi heads off in full flight mode.

Without the element of surprise,

he won't be hunting monkeys today.

[HOWLER MONKEYS HOWLING]

The muriqui may sometimes be bothered by the noisy howlers,

but it was their warning calls that gave Mimi a chance

to move off to a safer part of the forest

After such a commotion,

the troop are in search of a drink.

70 metres up, there are no ponds or rivers.

So the troop must find an alternative.

The bromeliad plant.

Unlike most species,

these distinctive plants don't need soil to grow.

Their roots, wrap around trees.

They collect water,

in a small reservoir in their rosette.

The perfect cup.

The troop quenches their thirst in this tree-top water source.

And Dora has witnessed a useful new trick,

though she still gets all the liquid she needs,

from Mom's milk.

As the last days of winter linger on,

the troop still need to spend much of their time eating.

They need the energy to stay warm at night.

In her first three months, Dora has only ever tasted milk.

But today,

she's feeling experimental.

A cautious lick of these leaves,

delivers her first-ever taste of real food.

She likes it, so follows up with some lichen

She'll grow up to eat over 145 different kinds of plant.

By watching her mom,

and then having a nibble herself,

she's learning which ones are edible.

These first tastes of foliage,

mark the beginning of her weaning.

But she only wants to satisfy her curiosity, not her hunger.

She can still get milk whenever she needs it.

And even though she's growing up,

will continue to suckle for another two years

Dora, has already experimented with her taste buds today.

Now, she wants to test out her tail.

It should be strong enough.

But letting go with her feet, takes bravery.

Almost...

...There.

Free-hanging from her tail, just like her mom,

Dora is now the furthest she's ever been from Mimi.

But not too far.

Dora makes sure to stay within hugging distance.

If there's one thing Dora has learned,

it's that her family spend a lot of time eating.

So she continues her own culinary adventure.

It's these leaves that give her older relatives,

their distinctive pot bellies.

The tough, fibrous cuisine,

means they need extra-long intestines for digestion

As the foliage is low nutrition,

Dora's family have to eat all day long.

And without knowing it,

the little monkey's family are also acting as the farmersof this Atlantic Forest.

As they roam,

any seeds they swallow are then spread to the forest floor,

in their droppings.

Each one is a natural seed bomb.

[FLY BUZZES]

Without seed dispersers like the muriqui,

plant reproduction can shrink by as much as 90%.

There may be only a fraction of Atlantic Forest left,

but it still has a disproportionately

huge amount of plant life.

With over 20,000 varieties,

the lush habitat accounts for around 8%

of the world's plant species.

It's not just the muriqui

helping maintain this lush habitat.

Industrious hummingbirds,

buzzing around the forest feeding on nectar,

pollinate flowers as they go

Many other creatures also help cultivate

Dora's beautiful Atlantic Forest.

Babies like Dora, aren't only the future of their species,

she's also destined to play a role

in nurturing this precious habitat.

With a little help from her large family

and her wild neighbours.

It's been an eventful first winter for this little monkey.

She's already reached the key muriqui milestones,

learning to climb independently in the canopy.

And started tasting the flavors of her future diet

But as Dora begins to grow up,

her inseparable bond with Mimi will gradually begin to fade

[ANIMAL CHITTERING]

[WATER LAPPING]

Twelve months later,

Dora's has more than doubled in size.

She may be bigger,

but still wants to be a mommy's girl.

Mimi, meanwhile,

is encouraging Dora to become more independent.

It's a confusing time.

Being carried, is no longer an option for Dora.

But she's still got another year before being fully weaned.

Mimi tries to ignore Dora's attention-seeking.

It doesn't stop Dora trying.

Even when Mimi appears annoyed.

Maybe an aunt will oblige.

Hmph. She's not playing ball either.

Most muriqui females aren't interested in daycare.

So, it's back to her own mom.

Mimi, eventually submits.

And Dora gets what she was hoping for.

Over the next year,

Mimi will continue to reduce this one-on-one time,

until Dora is fully weaned,

off milk, and hugs.

This is Anita, Dora's 5-year-old cousin.

Anita's been independent of her mother for three years,

providing a glimpse into Dora's future

Muriqui adults are social animals,

but Anita is living away from the entire group.

She's approaching sexual maturity,

which means her life is no longer the same

There are too many females in the troop,

and so instinct has told Anita it's time to move out.

Exiled from the group,

the young monkey is on the hunt for a new family.

But with muriqui being so rare, it isn't proving easy.

Anita's found a stand-in family for now.

[HOWLING HOARSELY]

The howler monkey troop, living next door.

The noisy, but friendly neighbours.

It's hard for Anita, leaving her family behind,

but it ensures genetic diversity within the muriqui troop,

avoiding inbreeding.

Meaning, they stay healthy and strong.

[CHITTERING]

So important, for these incredibly rare monkeys.

[MONKEYS CHITTERING]

No longer stuck to her mom's side,

Dora is also looking to make new friends.

She needs playmates for company, as she becomes more independent.

The best way to bond, is to join them and hang out.

Literally.

Dora will also need new friends to cuddle up to,

now her mom seems less keen on a hug.

[MONKEYS CHITTERING]

Playtime is so much fun.

Even if it gets a bit rough.

Their favourite game is a bit scary.

Pull the tail, off the tree.

Above a 70 metre drop, it's a risky pursuit.

But Dora's acrobatic skills, have come a long way.

She gives as good as she gets.

Each of their tails is unique,

with a smooth underside sporting individual markings,

just like a fingerprint.

Dora enjoys all this mischievous fun with her friends.

No monkey's tail is safe in this game.

Dora clinging onto her mom all day long,

is a distant memory.

She's become a highly adept free-runner of the forest,

easily keeping pace with her new friends.

But Mimi and the other adults, don't seem that impressed.

They are sleeping, again.

When Dora is ready to have her own children,

like Anita,

she will be forced to leave these new friends behind, and join a new troop.

But right now, she's still breastfeeding,

albeit less and less frequently.

That's because she's no longer just tasting her food,

she's eating the leaves.

And lots of them.

This is actually her biggest stride yet

towards full independence.

When it comes,

it will be a welcome moment for Mimi.

Dora's weaning, will mean Mimi will be able to mate again.

As close as the bond is with her daughter,

she cannot afford for anyone to cramp her style.

As with all things muriqui,

courtship and mating, will be a calm and peaceful affair.

When ready, Mimi will mate with most of the males,

who are all patiently waiting, until Dora has left the scene.

And once love is in the air,

there will be no more suckling for Dora.

If all goes to plan,

seven months later,

Mimi will have another new kid in the wild

requiring all her attention.

[MONKEYS CHITTERING]

As the year goes on,

Dora's dependence on her mom is fading with every day.

But the two are still close.

They even enjoy hanging out together.

But as Dora continues her adventures

in the Atlantic Forest canopy,

Mimi gets more time to do what Mimi loves best.

Resting.

As Dora approaches her second birthday,

she's still not quite the finished article.

She still has the odd fall,

but always gets up again.

And for a few more weeks at least,

she still calls on her mom

to take advantage of their last hugs together.

Dora has come a long way.

From a tiny baby clinging to Mimi for dear life,

to learning the ways of the muriqui's extraordinary tail.

and getting a taste for the Atlantic Forest.

In the process, Dora and her troop play a key role

in maintaining the beautiful home they live in.

Along the way, she's met some noisy neighbours...

[HOWLING HOARSELY]

...and made some friends

in the ultimate, adventure playground.

She's learned from the best.

One day, she could have her own clingy monkey to take care of.

And with just over a thousand southern muriqui

left in the wild,

her species, and the entire forest,

are counting on her.