1 00:00:04,570 --> 00:00:07,289 So far in Life Story, 2 00:00:07,290 --> 00:00:10,942 we have seen animals face the challenges of childhood... 3 00:00:12,580 --> 00:00:14,173 "grow 4 00:00:16,280 --> 00:00:18,612 ..find their place in the adult world... 5 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:24,826 ..and win a mate. 6 00:00:27,200 --> 00:00:30,399 Now, in the final chapter of Life Story, 7 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:33,010 animals become parents. 8 00:00:33,011 --> 00:00:36,549 Their offspring will be their legacy to the future 9 00:00:36,550 --> 00:00:38,416 if they can raise them successfully. 10 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:01,329 There is no stronger bond in nature 11 00:01:01,330 --> 00:01:04,311 than that between some parents and their offspring. 12 00:01:08,600 --> 00:01:11,329 Bonobos in the Congo rainforest. 13 00:01:11,330 --> 00:01:13,389 They are our closest relatives. 14 00:01:16,930 --> 00:01:19,979 This mother's youngster is a lifelong commitment. 15 00:01:21,370 --> 00:01:24,783 He will be totally dependent on her until he's five years old. 16 00:01:26,820 --> 00:01:30,302 And she will continue to support him for the rest of her life. 17 00:01:39,450 --> 00:01:42,465 Their relationship may last 30 years. 18 00:01:48,470 --> 00:01:51,169 Although the length of her commitment is longer 19 00:01:51,170 --> 00:01:52,479 than for most animals, 20 00:01:52,480 --> 00:01:56,399 she shares with many other parents the same great challenge - 21 00:01:56,400 --> 00:01:59,392 keeping her offspring healthy and safe. 22 00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:11,299 The bond between parents and young will be tested in many ways, 23 00:02:11,300 --> 00:02:15,191 some minor, and some a matter of life or death. 24 00:02:20,530 --> 00:02:24,342 And a parent's commitment may begin long before birth. 25 00:02:27,021 --> 00:02:30,628 The remote northern tip of the Great Barrier Reef. 26 00:02:36,540 --> 00:02:38,649 After over three decades at sea, 27 00:02:38,650 --> 00:02:41,890 this female green turtle is returning to the island 28 00:02:41,891 --> 00:02:43,222 where she hatched. 29 00:02:45,190 --> 00:02:48,114 It's time for her to lay eggs... 30 00:02:50,090 --> 00:02:52,548 ..but they will only hatch on dry land. 31 00:02:56,011 --> 00:02:59,743 She must leave the cool sea and enter an alien world. 32 00:03:20,891 --> 00:03:22,969 Without the support of water, 33 00:03:22,970 --> 00:03:25,758 she feels the full force of gravity. 34 00:03:31,380 --> 00:03:34,239 Her flippers, so effective for swimming, 35 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:35,913 are almost useless on land. 36 00:03:40,050 --> 00:03:44,039 But, nonetheless, she has to haul her great weight up the beach 37 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:46,429 and get beyond the reach of the tide. 38 00:03:53,170 --> 00:03:55,199 Turtles time their arrival 39 00:03:55,200 --> 00:03:57,890 so that their laborious journey up the beach 40 00:03:57,891 --> 00:04:00,292 is made in the cool of darkness. 41 00:04:02,690 --> 00:04:04,249 On any one night, 42 00:04:04,250 --> 00:04:09,700 3,000 female turtles may crowd this island to dig their nests. 43 00:04:17,970 --> 00:04:22,862 Now her compulsion to leave offspring may cost her her life. 44 00:04:32,920 --> 00:04:38,302 The receding tide has exposed the reef, a wall of jagged rock. 45 00:04:56,330 --> 00:04:58,919 It looks an almost impassable barrier 46 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:01,264 for an already exhausted turtle. 47 00:05:04,891 --> 00:05:07,379 But she can't wait for the tide to return 48 00:05:07,380 --> 00:05:11,249 because soon the island, under the blazing tropical sun, 49 00:05:11,250 --> 00:05:13,150 will be intolerably hot. 50 00:05:30,090 --> 00:05:32,999 Unless she can get over this rocky wall, 51 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:35,264 she will be baked in her shell. 52 00:05:50,250 --> 00:05:55,859 This lethal obstacle course claims many victims every nesting season. 53 00:06:14,010 --> 00:06:16,502 Just one slip could bring disaster. 54 00:06:29,620 --> 00:06:30,781 She was so close. 55 00:06:49,810 --> 00:06:51,733 But all may not be lost. 56 00:06:59,690 --> 00:07:01,579 The tide is turning. 57 00:07:10,250 --> 00:07:13,299 If she is completely wedged, she will drown. 58 00:07:14,460 --> 00:07:18,067 But there is a chance that the rising water could lift her free. 59 00:08:15,641 --> 00:08:17,049 For this breeding season, 60 00:08:17,050 --> 00:08:20,020 her obligations as a mother are over. 61 00:08:23,930 --> 00:08:25,979 She will never see her babies. 62 00:08:25,980 --> 00:08:29,689 They won't hatch for another two months and, when they do, 63 00:08:29,690 --> 00:08:33,581 they will have to survive without any help from her. 64 00:08:40,930 --> 00:08:45,689 Other parents have to remain close to their young at all times 65 00:08:45,690 --> 00:08:48,022 to protect them from danger. 66 00:08:56,290 --> 00:08:58,873 A mother bison in Alberta, Canada. 67 00:09:01,360 --> 00:09:04,136 Her calf is little more than a week old. 68 00:09:40,901 --> 00:09:45,156 Wolves, sensibly, select the easiest targets. 69 00:09:47,340 --> 00:09:48,592 The calves. 70 00:09:51,130 --> 00:09:54,849 So bison mothers try to keep their young in the centre of the herd 71 00:09:54,850 --> 00:09:56,272 where they are safest. 72 00:10:04,010 --> 00:10:07,196 But that is not always possible when the herd is on the run. 73 00:10:15,490 --> 00:10:18,259 The chase may continue for 25km 74 00:10:18,260 --> 00:10:21,207 as the wolves try to run their targets to exhaustion. 75 00:10:40,330 --> 00:10:42,025 The wolves make their choice. 76 00:10:49,850 --> 00:10:53,559 She is on her own, but she's fearless in protecting her calf. 77 00:10:59,440 --> 00:11:01,059 By keeping her calf close, 78 00:11:01,060 --> 00:11:04,439 she manages to hold off both of her attackers. 79 00:11:10,651 --> 00:11:14,440 But another wolf joins in and she can't fight three. 80 00:11:23,160 --> 00:11:26,312 Now the wolves work together to wear her down. 81 00:11:45,700 --> 00:11:47,699 The forest is not far off. 82 00:11:47,700 --> 00:11:50,289 If mother and calf can reach the trees, 83 00:11:50,290 --> 00:11:54,352 they may be able to dodge the wolves for long enough to re-join the herd. 84 00:12:00,450 --> 00:12:02,359 But the attack is so unrelenting, 85 00:12:02,360 --> 00:12:04,271 they can't make a dash for cover. 86 00:12:16,220 --> 00:12:18,200 The wolves are beginning to tire. 87 00:12:21,090 --> 00:12:23,639 She sees an opportunity to make a break for it. 88 00:12:45,060 --> 00:12:47,882 Once again, she blocks the wolves' path. 89 00:12:56,290 --> 00:12:59,191 And the wolves lose them amongst the trees. 90 00:13:23,420 --> 00:13:26,879 But the wolves remain an ever-present threat. 91 00:13:28,730 --> 00:13:31,358 HOWLING 92 00:13:32,890 --> 00:13:35,629 And this is unlikely to be the last time 93 00:13:35,630 --> 00:13:38,190 that this mother will have to fight for her calf. 94 00:13:47,099 --> 00:13:50,938 The duties of parenthood may seem to be instinctive, 95 00:13:50,939 --> 00:13:53,840 but there are some skills that have to be learned. 96 00:14:02,939 --> 00:14:08,418 A troop of Hanuman langurs, 50 strong, living on a cliff in India. 97 00:14:08,419 --> 00:14:12,322 This is one huge family, with members of all ages. 98 00:14:14,740 --> 00:14:17,186 But there is only one adult male. 99 00:14:20,459 --> 00:14:24,305 His scarred face is evidence of his violent past. 100 00:14:26,379 --> 00:14:29,189 He is the father of all these youngsters. 101 00:14:33,249 --> 00:14:38,426 Fatherhood for Scarface has few duties and many perks. 102 00:14:45,059 --> 00:14:47,642 He gets plenty of attention from the females... 103 00:14:54,529 --> 00:14:58,966 ..and takes a somewhat hands-off approach to parenting. 104 00:15:05,819 --> 00:15:07,898 But his protection gives his family 105 00:15:07,899 --> 00:15:10,258 the safety and the space they need 106 00:15:10,259 --> 00:15:11,784 to grow and learn. 107 00:15:17,379 --> 00:15:19,120 The newest addition to the troop. 108 00:15:24,740 --> 00:15:29,962 The baby is totally dependent on his mother and she dotes on him. 109 00:15:45,740 --> 00:15:49,404 But becoming a good mother takes practice. 110 00:15:50,740 --> 00:15:53,658 And a young female, a future parent, 111 00:15:53,659 --> 00:15:57,197 is learning by playing mum with someone else's baby. 112 00:16:06,029 --> 00:16:07,997 She seems affectionate enough. 113 00:16:13,019 --> 00:16:15,681 This is valuable experience for the baby-sitter. 114 00:16:22,179 --> 00:16:24,477 But now she starts to play with it. 115 00:16:36,459 --> 00:16:38,951 And things get quickly out of hand. 116 00:16:40,620 --> 00:16:42,110 BABY SQUEALS 117 00:16:50,979 --> 00:16:53,630 She seems to want to shake off the baby. 118 00:17:06,099 --> 00:17:08,193 Rescue, it seems, is at hand. 119 00:17:21,490 --> 00:17:23,768 But this isn't the baby's mother, 120 00:17:23,769 --> 00:17:27,399 it's another learner with even less of a clue than the last. 121 00:17:35,569 --> 00:17:38,018 Eventually, the baby's real mother 122 00:17:38,019 --> 00:17:41,762 decides that this game has gone on long enough. 123 00:17:57,490 --> 00:18:01,199 She rescues her baby and gives it some proper motherly care. 124 00:18:05,329 --> 00:18:08,578 Perhaps she tolerates the behaviour of these would-be baby-sitters 125 00:18:08,579 --> 00:18:10,559 because they're close relatives. 126 00:18:22,849 --> 00:18:27,288 So many females gathered together on this cliff inevitably attract 127 00:18:27,289 --> 00:18:30,908 the attention of a rival adult male. 128 00:18:30,909 --> 00:18:35,551 His aim is to defeat Scarface and take over his females. 129 00:18:44,289 --> 00:18:47,600 He leads a group of outcast bachelors into battle. 130 00:18:56,099 --> 00:18:58,068 Scarface spots them. 131 00:18:58,069 --> 00:19:01,619 He has everything to lose because, if the bachelors defeat him, 132 00:19:01,620 --> 00:19:03,978 they won't just take his females, 133 00:19:03,979 --> 00:19:05,663 they will kill his babies. 134 00:19:10,269 --> 00:19:14,081 The bachelors try to reach the high ground to launch their attack. 135 00:19:22,569 --> 00:19:25,098 Scarface warns them to keep their distance, 136 00:19:25,099 --> 00:19:27,591 but the bachelors continue their advance. 137 00:19:30,219 --> 00:19:31,846 HARSH BARKS 138 00:19:56,299 --> 00:19:59,985 Scarface grinds his teeth to show he means business. 139 00:20:05,289 --> 00:20:08,338 But the bachelor leader reaches the cliff top 140 00:20:08,339 --> 00:20:10,205 and grinds his teeth in response. 141 00:20:19,109 --> 00:20:22,795 If Scarface loses this battle, he will lose his legacy. 142 00:20:44,189 --> 00:20:45,839 Time to strike. 143 00:21:00,419 --> 00:21:02,433 He targets the bachelor leader. 144 00:21:11,979 --> 00:21:14,471 SCREECHING 145 00:21:41,339 --> 00:21:44,081 Scarface has won. 146 00:21:49,419 --> 00:21:52,161 And he returns to a hero's welcome. 147 00:21:56,469 --> 00:21:58,642 But it's only a temporary respite. 148 00:22:09,289 --> 00:22:11,658 For a male langur like Scarface, 149 00:22:11,659 --> 00:22:14,572 parenthood is simple, but dangerous. 150 00:22:19,859 --> 00:22:23,728 He has banished the bachelors and saved his offspring, 151 00:22:23,729 --> 00:22:25,652 for now at least. 152 00:22:32,349 --> 00:22:36,832 Success for other parents requires total dedication. 153 00:22:39,979 --> 00:22:41,674 An African drongo. 154 00:22:45,339 --> 00:22:49,651 She has to shade her three eggs from the scorching heat of the sun. 155 00:22:53,579 --> 00:22:55,578 As soon as the chicks hatch, 156 00:22:55,579 --> 00:22:59,468 she will form an immediate bond with them that is unbreakable, 157 00:22:59,469 --> 00:23:01,039 whatever happens. 158 00:23:12,189 --> 00:23:17,116 After hundreds of hours of incubation...her first chick. 159 00:23:26,269 --> 00:23:28,458 Now the hard work really begins 160 00:23:28,459 --> 00:23:32,032 because the newly hatched chick needs food. 161 00:23:53,989 --> 00:23:58,348 It won't be long before one mouth is joined by two more 162 00:23:58,349 --> 00:24:02,115 and this chick will then have to share what the female brings back. 163 00:24:06,630 --> 00:24:07,927 Or will it? 164 00:24:25,269 --> 00:24:28,079 The chick is getting rid of any competition. 165 00:24:29,839 --> 00:24:32,604 It wants its mother's sole attention. 166 00:24:47,019 --> 00:24:48,566 Feeding time. 167 00:24:57,269 --> 00:25:00,409 Something has changed. But what? 168 00:25:10,229 --> 00:25:12,619 FRANTIC CHIRRUPING 169 00:25:12,620 --> 00:25:15,379 The sight of her chick's bright orange mouth 170 00:25:15,380 --> 00:25:18,042 demands that she brings more food. 171 00:25:28,669 --> 00:25:31,788 The egg weighs almost as much as the chick. 172 00:25:31,789 --> 00:25:33,837 It's like pushing a boulder uphill. 173 00:25:46,459 --> 00:25:51,010 The chick has a hollow in its back that helps it manoeuvre its load. 174 00:26:11,989 --> 00:26:16,268 The mother's brood has been reduced to just this one chick 175 00:26:16,269 --> 00:26:18,601 and it now has her total attention. 176 00:26:31,099 --> 00:26:35,297 When she's not away gathering food, she shades the chick. 177 00:26:40,299 --> 00:26:43,929 And she responds instantly whenever it demands to be fed. 178 00:26:54,269 --> 00:26:56,938 Every day for over three weeks, 179 00:26:56,939 --> 00:26:59,431 she brings it dozens of meals. 180 00:27:08,279 --> 00:27:12,250 Her chick never seems to stop eating, or stop growing. 181 00:27:41,949 --> 00:27:44,428 There is another drongo's nest nearby 182 00:27:44,429 --> 00:27:46,557 and that has three chicks in it. 183 00:27:47,819 --> 00:27:50,163 But they don't look quite the same as hers. 184 00:27:59,390 --> 00:28:03,828 That is because she is raising an alien... 185 00:28:03,829 --> 00:28:05,399 the chick of a cuckoo. 186 00:28:12,829 --> 00:28:15,528 Cuckoos lay their eggs in the nests of other birds 187 00:28:15,529 --> 00:28:19,557 and leave the hard labour of rearing the chick to someone else. 188 00:28:21,869 --> 00:28:25,018 The cuckoo's egg matched the drongo's egg so perfectly 189 00:28:25,019 --> 00:28:28,603 that this foster mother has been completely deceived. 190 00:28:30,749 --> 00:28:34,037 Over at the other drongo nest, the chicks are now fledging. 191 00:28:37,229 --> 00:28:39,148 Their parents have succeeded 192 00:28:39,149 --> 00:28:44,148 in producing their very own next generation, 193 00:28:44,149 --> 00:28:47,403 while she has raised a monster. 194 00:29:06,520 --> 00:29:08,727 Her love is blind. 195 00:29:33,219 --> 00:29:34,898 Back in the Congo, 196 00:29:34,899 --> 00:29:39,405 the mother bonobo's long-term commitment to her baby continues. 197 00:29:49,899 --> 00:29:51,509 Today, she's demonstrating 198 00:29:51,510 --> 00:29:55,718 the tricky art of making a bed 30 feet above the ground, 199 00:29:55,719 --> 00:29:57,881 in preparation for a midday siesta. 200 00:30:08,510 --> 00:30:11,559 Lesson over, she puts her handiwork to good use. 201 00:30:21,029 --> 00:30:24,727 For a busy mother, an extra nap is always welcome. 202 00:30:36,899 --> 00:30:39,254 But Baby seems bored. 203 00:30:50,869 --> 00:30:53,748 His mother is still the centre of his world 204 00:30:53,749 --> 00:30:55,558 and his favourite playmate. 205 00:31:12,109 --> 00:31:14,487 She tries to ignore him, but he won't be put off. 206 00:31:27,539 --> 00:31:29,724 Eventually, she gives in. 207 00:31:40,879 --> 00:31:42,927 The whole family is on the move. 208 00:31:55,549 --> 00:31:57,178 In bonobo society, 209 00:31:57,179 --> 00:32:01,116 knowledge is passed down from one generation to the next. 210 00:32:02,439 --> 00:32:05,188 The mothers are going to show their youngsters 211 00:32:05,189 --> 00:32:07,999 one of the most important places in the forest. 212 00:32:12,589 --> 00:32:15,991 A special pool where water lilies grow. 213 00:32:24,079 --> 00:32:28,259 Water lilies contain minerals important for health, 214 00:32:28,260 --> 00:32:31,605 and the bonobos can't get them anywhere else. 215 00:32:56,549 --> 00:32:59,689 Baby learns what to eat by watching Mum. 216 00:33:06,159 --> 00:33:09,003 And she shares the lily stalks with him. 217 00:33:22,349 --> 00:33:28,148 She's shown him where to get an important supplement to his diet 218 00:33:28,149 --> 00:33:31,403 and he didn't even have to get his feet wet. 219 00:33:36,079 --> 00:33:39,558 She will continue to help him to learn about the forest 220 00:33:39,559 --> 00:33:44,201 for another five years, within the protection of his family. 221 00:33:54,469 --> 00:33:59,088 But few youngsters are raised in such a secure environment. 222 00:34:21,149 --> 00:34:25,618 The land where this young zebra was born is drying out. 223 00:34:25,619 --> 00:34:30,682 Its mother must lead it across the river to reach fresh grazing. 224 00:34:35,599 --> 00:34:37,488 She faces a critical decision. 225 00:34:40,510 --> 00:34:42,365 Where to cross. 226 00:34:48,189 --> 00:34:52,092 The life of her six-week-old foal hangs on her decision. 227 00:35:04,189 --> 00:35:07,045 It's not just crocodiles that pose a threat. 228 00:35:41,520 --> 00:35:43,284 Crossing here is too dangerous. 229 00:35:52,599 --> 00:35:57,730 Further downstream, perhaps this is a better place to cross. 230 00:36:12,609 --> 00:36:15,638 There are fewer predators, but the river is fast 231 00:36:15,639 --> 00:36:17,289 and has treacherous rapids. 232 00:36:31,791 --> 00:36:33,452 It's a difficult decision. 233 00:36:57,830 --> 00:37:01,709 Once a mother commits herself, she commits her foal, 234 00:37:01,710 --> 00:37:04,247 and there will be nothing she can do to help it. 235 00:37:43,151 --> 00:37:46,270 The current is so strong, it carries them downstream 236 00:37:46,271 --> 00:37:49,138 through the territory of ill-tempered hippos... 237 00:37:57,210 --> 00:37:58,848 ..and towards the rapids. 238 00:39:29,520 --> 00:39:32,740 STACCATO BARKING 239 00:39:58,710 --> 00:40:03,349 The decision to cross here has proved to be a good one, 240 00:40:03,350 --> 00:40:05,091 but only just. 241 00:40:25,411 --> 00:40:27,609 This mother has led her foal 242 00:40:27,610 --> 00:40:31,569 through the most dangerous moment of its young life. 243 00:40:42,200 --> 00:40:44,359 By keeping her foal safe, 244 00:40:44,360 --> 00:40:47,933 she has passed this critical test of motherhood. 245 00:41:05,050 --> 00:41:08,020 Dawn in Amboseli, East Africa. 246 00:41:15,050 --> 00:41:16,700 A family of elephants. 247 00:41:27,330 --> 00:41:29,589 The young are sleeping peacefully, 248 00:41:29,590 --> 00:41:31,489 surrounded by a protective wall 249 00:41:31,490 --> 00:41:33,731 of mothers and grandmothers. 250 00:42:05,950 --> 00:42:10,524 Each morning brings the calves a little closer to independence. 251 00:42:33,570 --> 00:42:35,839 They may be successful parents, 252 00:42:35,840 --> 00:42:39,253 but they still have trouble getting the youngsters up in the morning. 253 00:43:05,411 --> 00:43:10,338 There are three generations in this herd, proof of the family's success. 254 00:43:25,130 --> 00:43:28,782 They have found the bones of an old female. 255 00:43:51,050 --> 00:43:56,227 Even the babies are intrigued by these relics of their ancestors. 256 00:44:11,920 --> 00:44:14,810 We can't, of course, know what they're thinking, 257 00:44:16,480 --> 00:44:20,319 but there is a delicacy in the way they touch these bones, 258 00:44:20,320 --> 00:44:23,870 which suggests that they have some special relevance. 259 00:44:28,050 --> 00:44:32,590 Perhaps elephants have a sense of a shared history. 260 00:45:05,640 --> 00:45:09,873 The experience seems to bring them even closer together. 261 00:45:19,640 --> 00:45:23,729 Every animal in the herd belongs to a family line 262 00:45:23,730 --> 00:45:27,223 that stretches back through numberless generations. 263 00:45:39,000 --> 00:45:40,759 And each is here 264 00:45:40,760 --> 00:45:46,620 because their ancestors were all winners in the game of life. 265 00:46:01,320 --> 00:46:04,849 An individual animal's chance of success 266 00:46:04,850 --> 00:46:08,669 varies according to its kind, 267 00:46:08,670 --> 00:46:12,254 and to the care lavished upon it by its parents. 268 00:46:19,880 --> 00:46:22,611 Most young bonobos survive childhood. 269 00:46:27,210 --> 00:46:30,794 But, eventually, each will have to find its own way in the world. 270 00:46:46,210 --> 00:46:49,771 It may need allies to face up to danger. 271 00:46:54,960 --> 00:46:58,612 It will have to find its own place in society. 272 00:47:09,720 --> 00:47:11,461 It will play the mating game... 273 00:47:16,930 --> 00:47:18,773 ..become a parent... 274 00:47:24,230 --> 00:47:27,719 ..and eventually achieve a form of immortality 275 00:47:27,720 --> 00:47:29,666 by leaving its own offspring. 276 00:47:40,130 --> 00:47:43,054 No two journeys through life are ever the same... 277 00:47:46,360 --> 00:47:49,227 ..each is as unique as a fingerprint. 278 00:47:59,570 --> 00:48:02,858 This mother's life has been a success. 279 00:48:04,490 --> 00:48:09,940 But for each new generation, the journey will begin all over again. 280 00:48:12,010 --> 00:48:14,092 It's life's great story. 281 00:48:31,120 --> 00:48:34,609 Bonobos live in the most impenetrable forest on Earth - 282 00:48:34,610 --> 00:48:36,135 the Congo. 283 00:48:37,390 --> 00:48:39,569 Cameraman, Rolf Steinmann, 284 00:48:39,570 --> 00:48:42,879 has worked in some of the world's great open landscapes, 285 00:48:42,880 --> 00:48:44,951 but never anywhere like this. 286 00:48:46,320 --> 00:48:49,929 His hope is to film scenes of the bonobos' lives 287 00:48:49,930 --> 00:48:52,219 that have never been captured before 288 00:48:52,220 --> 00:48:55,224 and perhaps gain a glimpse into our own past. 289 00:48:58,320 --> 00:49:01,089 Accompanied by camera assistant, Ed Anderson, 290 00:49:01,090 --> 00:49:03,980 they journey deep into the African rainforest. 291 00:49:06,480 --> 00:49:09,319 Despite a 16—mile walk to the research camp, 292 00:49:09,320 --> 00:49:12,089 Rolf's spirits are high. 293 00:49:12,090 --> 00:49:14,569 It's really exciting and I think... 294 00:49:14,570 --> 00:49:18,222 it's definitely the most remote location I have ever walked to. 295 00:49:21,930 --> 00:49:27,027 The LuiKotale research camp will be their home for the next seven weeks. 296 00:49:29,570 --> 00:49:31,369 They head out into the forest 297 00:49:31,370 --> 00:49:35,671 wearing facemasks to protect the bonobos from human diseases. 298 00:49:41,730 --> 00:49:45,209 They hike over 12 miles following the bonobos 299 00:49:45,210 --> 00:49:47,486 and, eventually, Rolf gets his first view. 300 00:49:49,680 --> 00:49:52,529 It was a pretty special day, I would say. 301 00:49:52,530 --> 00:49:54,419 That was my first bonobo day. 302 00:49:55,720 --> 00:49:57,929 It was absolutely breathtaking, 303 00:49:57,930 --> 00:49:59,290 looking into their faces, 304 00:49:59,291 --> 00:50:00,849 seeing the babies. 305 00:50:00,850 --> 00:50:04,569 I mean, you can really feel that they're close relatives to us. 306 00:50:04,570 --> 00:50:09,132 I mean, it feels like you are surrounded by very little humans. 307 00:50:12,210 --> 00:50:15,809 But he quickly discovers that such a good day isn't typical. 308 00:50:15,810 --> 00:50:17,649 HE SIGHS HEAVILY 309 00:50:17,650 --> 00:50:21,519 There is so much vegetation, I can't get a clear view, 310 00:50:21,520 --> 00:50:22,942 it's totally impossible. 311 00:50:32,960 --> 00:50:36,749 And the very density of this forest creates other filming problems. 312 00:50:37,760 --> 00:50:41,369 We're walking back to camp from the forest, 313 00:50:41,370 --> 00:50:47,290 it's 3.30pm, this is not a camera effect, it really is this dark. 314 00:50:47,291 --> 00:50:49,040 When the sun isn't out, 315 00:50:49,041 --> 00:50:51,829 it feels like the middle of the night sometimes. 316 00:50:58,370 --> 00:51:01,385 Ed and Rolf's difficulties just continue to mount. 317 00:51:03,840 --> 00:51:08,369 The bonobos went into the deepest, densest part of the forest, 318 00:51:08,370 --> 00:51:10,464 it's really hard to follow them. 319 00:51:14,181 --> 00:51:18,743 The 90% humidity is causing trouble for the camera. 320 00:51:20,041 --> 00:51:23,989 And worse, they soon encounter some of the other forest inhabitants. 321 00:51:25,200 --> 00:51:26,719 It's all full of ants here. 322 00:51:26,720 --> 00:51:29,303 I can't get through there with the big backpack. 323 00:51:37,840 --> 00:51:39,513 Ants are everywhere! 324 00:51:42,161 --> 00:51:44,141 Ah, they're biting me everywhere. 325 00:51:49,380 --> 00:51:51,382 They always want to get to the flesh. 326 00:51:52,940 --> 00:51:55,009 No, you don't get in there. 327 00:51:55,010 --> 00:51:57,239 BLEEP! They are biting everywhere! 328 00:51:57,240 --> 00:52:02,383 Ah, BLEEP! It's not really fun, it's really painful. Go away. Ah. Oh, God. 329 00:52:07,580 --> 00:52:09,184 I just have to get out of this. 330 00:52:11,370 --> 00:52:12,895 Wow. 331 00:52:17,840 --> 00:52:20,399 How should we get rid of all these termites? 332 00:52:20,400 --> 00:52:21,902 I mean, that is serious. 333 00:52:24,200 --> 00:52:26,099 The heat and humidity, 334 00:52:26,100 --> 00:52:29,569 the trekking and the insects are worse than Rolf had feared. 335 00:52:29,570 --> 00:52:31,459 But causing him most distress 336 00:52:31,460 --> 00:52:34,939 is hardly ever being able to film the bonobos. 337 00:52:34,940 --> 00:52:39,409 90% of the things you see you can't film. 338 00:52:39,410 --> 00:52:43,369 It's so dark, there's so much vegetation 339 00:52:43,370 --> 00:52:46,839 and the animals are always in the wrong spot. 340 00:52:46,840 --> 00:52:49,753 It is pretty much as frustrating as it gets, I think. 341 00:52:53,680 --> 00:52:56,939 You really have to learn to deal with all the frustration 342 00:52:56,940 --> 00:53:01,582 and become some kind of Zen master and suppress your emotions. 343 00:53:02,970 --> 00:53:06,249 Otherwise you face a high risk here to get insane. 344 00:53:06,250 --> 00:53:09,559 I am the lucky cameraman. I am the lucky cameraman. 345 00:53:09,560 --> 00:53:12,143 I am the lucky cameraman. 346 00:53:22,686 --> 00:53:23,905 Three weeks of trekking 347 00:53:23,906 --> 00:53:27,991 and finally the bonobo family appear, briefly, in the open. 348 00:53:35,768 --> 00:53:38,677 (There the bonobos are on a log, totally relaxed. 349 00:53:38,678 --> 00:53:41,227 (I've got my best shots so far, it's amazing!) 350 00:53:43,008 --> 00:53:45,168 But the bonobos soon disappear again 351 00:53:45,169 --> 00:53:48,025 and it's back to the daily grind of forest life. 352 00:53:55,088 --> 00:53:57,102 BUZZING 353 00:53:58,978 --> 00:54:00,935 Ah, these sweat bees make me crazy. 354 00:54:06,478 --> 00:54:10,745 The optimism with which they began this shoot is long gone. 355 00:54:12,398 --> 00:54:15,557 Today, we've already walked 25km 356 00:54:15,558 --> 00:54:19,904 through some of the densest, thickest jungle so far. 357 00:54:22,288 --> 00:54:24,757 We didn't get a single shot of the bonobos. 358 00:54:26,808 --> 00:54:29,425 Yeah, it sometimes feels like a boot camp here. 359 00:54:30,478 --> 00:54:32,663 Some days...you just want to forget. 360 00:54:38,248 --> 00:54:40,421 The experience is simply exhausting. 361 00:54:45,049 --> 00:54:47,381 Finally, the perfect moment. 362 00:54:53,039 --> 00:54:57,727 Right when we get our first nesting in the daytime, 363 00:54:57,728 --> 00:54:59,918 really beautiful angle, perfect position, 364 00:54:59,919 --> 00:55:02,557 the camera stopped working 365 00:55:02,558 --> 00:55:05,918 and now we have to go back to camp, leaving the bonobos, 366 00:55:05,919 --> 00:55:09,567 and hope that we can make the camera work again. 367 00:55:09,568 --> 00:55:11,639 Yeah, don't know really what to say. 368 00:55:12,838 --> 00:55:14,847 By the time they've got a new camera, 369 00:55:14,848 --> 00:55:18,287 the bonobos have completely disappeared. 370 00:55:18,288 --> 00:55:21,197 Paul, Paul, Paul, this is Ed. Paul, Paul, this is Ed. 371 00:55:21,198 --> 00:55:22,780 Come in, Paul. 372 00:55:24,088 --> 00:55:25,447 We can't hear them, 373 00:55:25,448 --> 00:55:27,847 we can't find any tracks, 374 00:55:27,848 --> 00:55:29,430 so it doesn't look very promising. 375 00:55:33,638 --> 00:55:35,837 Rolf is hardened to tough conditions, 376 00:55:35,838 --> 00:55:39,752 but not the frustration of so rarely getting a clear shot. 377 00:55:45,648 --> 00:55:46,817 Four days later, 378 00:55:46,818 --> 00:55:49,277 the bonobos have been located, 379 00:55:49,278 --> 00:55:50,655 but they're on the move. 380 00:55:53,179 --> 00:55:55,087 They're heading north 381 00:55:55,088 --> 00:55:57,847 so there's a good chance that they go into the swamps 382 00:55:57,848 --> 00:55:59,928 and so we just speculate 383 00:55:59,929 --> 00:56:01,557 and run towards the swamps 384 00:56:01,558 --> 00:56:03,469 and perhaps we find them there. 385 00:56:07,608 --> 00:56:09,117 After so much disappointment, 386 00:56:09,118 --> 00:56:12,713 Rolf and Ed are determined to find them. 387 00:56:22,258 --> 00:56:23,687 Quite against the odds, 388 00:56:23,688 --> 00:56:25,554 their determination pays off. 389 00:56:26,848 --> 00:56:29,837 Rolf captures the first-ever images 390 00:56:29,838 --> 00:56:32,864 of a family of bonobos harvesting lilies. 391 00:56:38,919 --> 00:56:42,071 A scene that feels much like a glimpse into our own past. 392 00:56:49,288 --> 00:56:51,302 It's everything Rolf had hoped for. 393 00:56:53,328 --> 00:56:57,477 In this terrain, it's ridiculous that we made it, that is ridiculous! 394 00:56:57,478 --> 00:56:59,137 It's impossible to film that, 395 00:56:59,138 --> 00:57:01,637 it's simply impossible and we filmed it! 396 00:57:01,638 --> 00:57:04,141 I can't believe it, it's so good! 397 00:57:12,616 --> 00:57:17,280 Our lives may seem very different from those of our closest relatives, 398 00:57:17,281 --> 00:57:21,200 but beneath the surface, we still share the same challenges 399 00:57:21,201 --> 00:57:25,820 that every animal faces in its own Life Story. 400 00:57:33,761 --> 00:57:37,120 For a free Open University interactive poster 401 00:57:37,121 --> 00:57:39,579 exploring animal life journeys, call... 402 00:57:44,561 --> 00:57:46,063 Or go to... 403 00:57:50,771 --> 00:57:52,944 ..and follow the links to The Open University.