Once, not long ago,
in deepest Africa,
a great rain forest,
a wild, magical land,
barely touched by humankind.
It's a special day in the dark
heart of this forest.
There's a new life,
a precious baby boy named Oscar.
What's so special
about this little guy?
Well, something truly amazing
will transform his life.
And that's what our
story is all about.
Beneath this rain forest canopy
is a world that you or I
may never set eyes on.
It's a world with few people,
but still, it's full of drama,
sadness, and joy.
About three months have passed
since little Oscar brought
light into his mother's life.
Isha couldn't be happier
with her new baby boy.
Oscar's world revolves around Mom,
but there are 35 other chimpanzees
in his group
that make a kind of extended family,
and they're never far away.
Perhaps one day Oscar will become
an old-timer like Grandpa,
who will turn 50 this year.
But there are other kids, too.
They'll become Oscar's playmates.
It's a rich society,
but in the heart of the jungle.
Now, Oscar won't be
in his prime until he's over 20,
but one day, he'll look like this big guy.
This is Freddy,
and he's large and in charge.
His white beard shows his years
of wisdom and experience.
Right now, Freddy is untouchable.
And like most alpha males,
he couldn't care less
about the young upstarts
who would just love
to take over his job someday.
Yeah, yeah. Seen it all before.
You need brains
to make a living in this forest.
The jungle toolbox can help,
but only if you're bright
enough to use it.
Sometimes it just takes
a little home-schooling
available from your friends and family.
See? Like this.
Right there.
Even Rufus catches on, eventually.
There you go. Bugs on a stick.
It's finally time for Oscar
to leave his mother's side.
For Isha 's little boy,
this is independence day,
and independence
comes one step at a time.
Well, that's enough
independence for one day.
Oscar's forest home is a prime
piece of chimpanzee real estate
that appears rich and lush,
but it's a hard place to make a living.
The jungle itself is a living,
breathing thing
that doesn't want to be eaten.
Finding food here is a full-time job
that involves the whole family,
including Oscar.
Now that he's grown up a little,
he can start to explore on his own.
But he's not above
catching a lift when he can.
Really, why walk
when you can hitch a ride?
Keep it moving, Mom.
Freddy leads the search for breakfast.
It helps to have someone who
knows where they're going,
especially when the restaurant
is never in the same place.
Today the diner isn't even
in the same neighborhood.
To find the fruit they'll need,
they will have to travel much further
and take a risk.
Freddy knows the only fruit
available now
is on the far side of their kingdom,
out of their safe zone.
This border has been
a battleground for generations.
Everyone is on maximum alert
and treads as quietly as possible.
Freddy is leading them close
to their greatest enemies.
This ridge marks the start of territory
owned by a group
of rival chimpanzees.
The forbidden fruit is finally in reach.
Shh, Oscar. Shh.
Freddy sees his team
are outnumbered two to one.
The enemy has a formidable leader,
Scar.
He and his team have had Freddy
in their sights for years.
Oscar clings to Isha.
They dare not make a move.
The rivals have caught their scent.
Oscar and the others
are in real danger.
Scar's drum is a threat.
For Isha, it's run or die.
Freddy leads the escape.
By running off Freddy's group,
their enemies have claimed
a small victory.
But that's just the beginning.
Scar and his troops are intent
on winning the war,
not just a single battle.
The prize,
a grove of nut trees
in the center of Freddy's land.
The grove is an oasis of food
in this difficult forest
and one that Scar's army
has to conquer
if they're going to survive and thrive.
Isha knows that Scar
is the greatest threat to little Oscar,
and the run-in
was too close for comfort.
She'll do everything possible
to keep her son safe.
Oscar will rely on his mother's
milk for a good while yet,
and to keep that milk flowing
Isha relies on the rich nuts
in Freddy's kingdom.
The magnificent nut groves,
so sought-after by Scar,
thrive here because of the rich soil,
and another magic ingredient,
life-giving water.
Beneath the waterfall,
in the heart of Freddy's territory,
the nuts are coming into season
and it's time for a feast.
They're delicious, nutritious,
and you can't eat just one.
It seems impossible to have too many.
But how do you carry them
without a bag?
You've got to be creative.
Hmm. Put them over in this hand.
Anybody watching this?
The ripest nuts can be sniffed out.
But these are also
the hardest to break into.
They require the right tool
for the right job.
It looks easier than it is,
and the technique takes these
guys many years to master.
Yeah, here we go. Yum, yum.
Sometimes the best tool
for getting nuts isn't a tool at all.
Yup, it's good old Mom.
It's a pretty sweet deal.
But Mom will only help out
for a couple of years.
Then they'll have to take
a shot at it themselves.
Really, how hard can it be?
Oscar is in nut preschool.
There's something wrong
with this hammer.
It won't hit the nut!
Yup, definitely the hammer.
Of course. A bigger one!
This is defective!
They just don't make logs
like they used to.
All right. It has to be the nut.
Whoa, whoa, hold on.
They're using rocks?
No one said anything about rocks.
Oh, I get it.
They must be harder than wood.
Mr. Nut, meet Mr. Rock.
Come to Papa.
Yes! Okay, that's one.
Now Oscar's out of nuts.
He'll have to leave
his hammer to stock up.
Rookie mistake.
I had an eye on that kid all day.
What an idiot.
After all those nuts,
nobody's swinging through the trees.
Yes, it's time to rest and digest.
Even our boy Oscar's knocked out.
It can take hours
to sleep off a big meal,
but the jungle never rests.
In the heat of day,
the parents just want a few
minutes of peace and quiet,
but the kids have other ideas.
Especially Oscar.
Come on up, guys!
A million trees in this forest
and you have to play over me.
I'm sleeping. I am still sleeping!
Poor Isha. Just look at her.
She really does have
her hands full with Oscar,
but her patience
never seems to run out.
Oscar's one lucky young chimp.
Scar and his thugs
are a growing threat.
Food is still scarce in their territory.
If nothing changes,
they'll be forced to make
a move on the nut groves.
If they succeed,
Freddy and his group will be exiled
from their homeland forever.
The aging Scar is under
constant pressure from within.
The males in his team are so powerful
that any one of them could
challenge him as leader,
and he knows it.
Grooming helps hold
this volatile team together
and reminds everyone who's boss.
Without it, there would be anarchy.
This hierarchy may hold
in the short term,
but how long can Scar
count on his men?
Far to the west,
a special fruit has come into
season beneath the waterfall.
Sacoglottis.
Trying saying that three times fast.
Freddy knows the fruit is a real bonus,
so it's best to make the most of it.
Isha collects a private stash
for herself and Oscar.
Remember to wash your food
before eating it.
Once washed,
the fruit is chewed to a pulp
so all the goodness can be sucked out.
You can do it without teeth.
No wonder Grandpa likes them!
That's a good look.
Not a lot of family photos
with Grandpa.
Very appetizing.
When the fruit is sucked dry,
rinse and repeat.
Wow, that is some good Sacoglottis!
Finally, this is something Oscar can
eat without his mother's help.
But it's anyone's guess where
the next meal is coming from.
With the fruit running low,
Freddy's family resorts
to another source of food.
Like us, they eat fruits,
vegetables, and meat.
But their choice in meat is something
that just might surprise you.
Monkeys.
The males take up the hunt.
They split up.
Fanning out through the forest,
they take up their places.
Freddy is at center stage.
Oscar and Isha watch
from the sidelines.
These colobus monkeys
are being hunted.
Smaller and lighter
than the chimpanzees,
they can run on thinner branches,
and this makes the hunt
much more challenging.
Freddy holds back.
This operation requires planning,
and everyone has a role to play.
One by one,
they silently take their positions.
The monkeys still haven't seen them.
Now, the blockers move up.
They're supposed to be seen,
and take a position in clear view.
Another blocker.
Another escape route closed.
Freddy climbs carefully.
He must not be seen.
As ambusher,
Freddy will stay hidden
until he makes the grab.
Perfect.
Now, for the driver.
He'll push the monkeys
towards the ambusher.
Ready,
steady,
go!
They've got one!
Freddy takes the best for himself.
After the initial scramble,
the group settles in for the feast.
For Oscar, it's time to try to
win a seat at the adult table.
Shares get dished out first to those
that helped in the hunt
or as payback for favors.
But no matter how hard you try,
there's always someone
who feels shortchanged.
The females couldn't care less.
When it comes
to guarding meat from the guys,
girl power usually wins.
Back up, big boy.
It's always good to add
a little fiber to your diet,
so don't forget the side salad.
As usual, Oscar was last in line,
so he missed the main course.
He'll have to settle
for his mother's milk.
He may not be the most popular
little boy with everyone,
but his mother's love
is something he can count on.
With dusk approaching, leopards will
soon prowl the forest floor.
If Isha and Oscar want to sleep safely,
the only way is up.
Young, flexible branches
can be woven into a platform.
And leaves from the same tree
will do for bedding.
Now, that's comfort.
Like most kids, Oscar hates bedtime.
Finally, Isha 's little rascal hits the sack.
Even if the kids let you sleep,
there's a good chance
the neighbors will keep you awake.
Ah, please...
Are you kidding me?
You know, frogs are edible.
Here we go.
Isha and Oscar go downstairs
the exciting way.
Early morning, just after breakfast,
is the best time of day to strengthen
friendships with a little grooming.
The bonds between Freddy's team
are more important than ever.
The group is far smaller
than Scar's rival army
and teamwork is their best chance
of protecting the nut groves
for the next generation.
Oscar's future is in all their hands.
Far to the east,
just inside Freddy's territory,
a fig tree comes into fruit,
and is an instant hit with everyone.
Figs are a lifeline in the forest,
often fruiting when
there is nothing else to eat.
Scar's gang is mounting a raid.
They've wiped out the fruit
in their own territory
and have crossed the border
to satisfy their hunger.
All other animals scatter.
Even these figs
won't keep them fed for long.
This is just a stepping stone.
When the moment is right,
they will try to take over the real prize,
the nut groves.
Scar's raid on the eastern border
goes unnoticed by Freddy's group.
A new kind of nut is ripening
in the nut groves.
These are far tougher
than the last ones.
It's time to bring in
the heavy equipment,
power tools!
Success with these nuts
is all about the quality of your hammer.
You can steal someone else's
while they're off collecting nuts.
And Freddy is an expert at this.
But, man, is he tough on his tools.
These things are
a community resource,
so can you please
try not to break them?
Safety first!
So please keep hands and feet
clear of rocks at all times.
Chimps have gathered here
to crack nuts for over 4, 000 years.
Nut-cracking is
part of the group's cultural heritage
and is passed through the generations,
especially from mother to child.
Learning, for Oscar,
will be a slow process.
It will be years before he could
even lift a rock like this.
Day after day,
it takes a committed mom to teach him
how to make a living in the jungle.
It will be many years
before Isha 's son can fend for himself.
A gathering storm
excites Scar's forces.
For Freddy's gang,
the rain is less welcome.
Chimps just hate getting wet.
Oscar gets all the warmth
he can from Isha.
Scar and his gang.
The storm is cover for a raid.
This time, they've got them cornered.
Isha and Oscar are in trouble.
Scar's army was overwhelming.
Oscar's group is in disarray
and badly shaken.
In all the chaos,
Oscar lost contact with his mom.
Isha is nowhere to be seen.
Isha has been injured and separated
from the group by Scar's gang.
She will struggle to get back safely.
This is no forest
to be alone in after dark.
Several of Isha 's friends
have been lost to leopards,
often when they have strayed
from the safety of the group.
Isha will never return to her family
or her son.
Oscar doesn't know
about his mother's death
and he searches for her everywhere.
With every hour that slips by,
he becomes more desperate.
Oscar's growing body
needs constant food.
He tries to remember
what his mom did to make their living.
But nothing comes easily without her.
Hours turn into days.
Oscar must spend less time searching
and more time focusing on his survival.
Hunger drives Oscar to a bees' nest.
Honey is good food, but he's always
relied on his mom to collect it.
The honey's too deep for small arms to
reach, and the bees are not happy.
Oscar's loss will be Freddy's gain.
The boss takes the biggest
piece of honeycomb,
but there's enough left
for everyone else,
except the little boy who found it.
The forest seems an
increasingly hostile place
for a young, hungry chimpanzee.
The razor-sharp jaws
of these army ants
can strip a frog or a lizard
to the bone in minutes.
Is it really a good idea to eat
something that can eat you back?
Oscar is the first to get bitten.
Without a mother, he'll need to learn
fast from the older chimps.
All right, step one,
make a miniature fishing rod
from a nearby branch.
Step two, cast it in and wait for a bite.
And finally, step three, ants on a stick!
Eat and enjoy!
Boy! That is spicy.
It's ingenious!
They will bite your lips,
but at least the rest of you is safe.
Oscar keeps his distance.
Maybe it's safer
just to pick up tips for another time.
Oscar is losing weight quickly,
and with no one to groom him,
it's becoming harder to keep ticks
and other bugs from his skin.
It's time to accept the simple truth.
Isha isn't coming back.
Oscar has to find a new mother.
But sadly for him, most of the
females have kids of their own
and are unable to help.
Again and again, Oscar is rejected.
Even finding a friend seems hard.
It's hopeless.
Scar and his men may have
taken more than one life that day.
The enemy has returned.
They have eaten all the food
in their own territory
and are now stealing from Freddy's
land to sustain their number.
For Scar, it's no more Mr. Nice Guy.
There is a growing impatience
among Scar's army.
They want to take the nut groves,
and more than one of them
would like to be leader.
Oscar has tried everything,
but he is still alone.
There's only one chimp
he hasn't approached.
Freddy.
By following the leader,
Oscar will at least find the best food
and work out what's safe to eat.
Right now, survival is all that matters.
Freddy is not known for his tolerance,
but Oscar isn't a challenger.
This will be
a new experience for them both.
A gentle acceptance is more than
Oscar could have hoped for.
Being at Freddy's side
should allow him to pick up some
tips on food preparation.
Maybe the big guy's table manners
don't set the best example,
but who's going to tell him off
or pick a fight
with the friend sitting next to him?
As the days pass, Freddy and Oscar's
relationship begins to change.
Until something
extraordinary happens.
Freddy allows Oscar
to ride on his back
as usually only a mother would.
It's a sign of something truly incredible.
Freddy will adopt Oscar.
Just being led to these nuts
would not help Oscar,
but now Freddy steps up
and gives his new friend first pick
of every one he cracks,
just as his mother once did.
The bond between them is growing.
It's Oscar's best meal
since Isha vanished.
The group is waiting for their leader,
but Freddy has a new project.
The learning that stopped short
when Oscar was orphaned
is starting again.
He's with a wise and skilled
chimpanzee who has much to offer.
Forest school is back in session.
Everywhere Freddy goes,
Oscar follows.
And everything Freddy does,
Oscar copies.
Our little boy is
on the fast track to forest knowledge.
Freddy's world may be richer,
thanks to his new friend,
but his commitment to Oscar has left
him no time to patrol his borders.
The change has been noticed.
Scar and his gang have now
crossed over the ridge.
They would not usually get this deep
into Freddy's land without opposition
and they intend to take full advantage.
The troops need to refuel
before they push on.
The grand fig tree is being pillaged.
This is the food
that Freddy's group were relying on,
but Scar has no interest
in the needs of his enemies.
Encouraged by the lack
of resistance at the border,
the intruders are now
deep inside Freddy's land.
But there is growing dissent
in the ranks.
The physical power of
this army is beyond question,
but the unity of a team can be fragile.
Scar needs to watch his back.
Freddy has become
completely devoted to Oscar.
The highest-ranking male
grooming the lowest.
It's an astonishing turn of events.
A few weeks ago, Oscar had nothing,
and now he is well fed
and completely adored,
and his savior is the last one
anyone could have expected.
The rivals are fed and rested.
Scar and his mob
are within reach of the nut groves.
The time for a full invasion has arrived.
Freddy grooms his allies.
He knows there is trouble approaching
and for the first time
in weeks, he appears nervous.
Friendships need investment,
and his attention has been elsewhere.
Oscar feels Freddy's focus
drift away from him.
Freddy must reassure his team
that he is still the boss
and has the strength
to unite them and lead them.
Oscar is confused.
He's lost one parent and
seems to be losing another.
The rivals are close.
Oscar and the group
sense that something is wrong.
Something catches Freddy's eye.
Scar attacks.
The final push has begun.
Freddy's team can't escape.
They have to fight.
But some of Scar's mob hold back.
Freddy leads the attack.
Freddy and Scar go head-to-head.
There can be only one victor.
Freddy's drum announces victory.
Scar will not be returning
anytime soon.
Teamwork has beaten brute force.
The group is now thriving,
unchallenged in their
ownership of the precious nut groves.
Cracking school continues,
but some students
never seem to catch on.
Grandpa has lived
to see Scar dealt a blow
from which he may never recover.
And Oscar is causing
as much trouble as ever,
but now he's fully
accepted by the group,
and seems to be
everyone's new friend.
Maybe quiet times are returning at last.
Oscar and Freddy
have been transformed
by the turmoil of the last few months.
For Oscar, the loss of his
mother could have meant the end.
Instead, it's a new beginning
with the most unlikely foster parent
in the forest.
And Freddy?
He's discovered a softer side
that must have been there all along.
Secure in Freddy's arms,
the future finally looks bright for Oscar.
When this big male decided
to carry this little orphan
and take care of him and give him food,
it literally took our breath away.
For sure, there's no doubt
he saved the life of the little one.
And that was really
very touching to see.
And when you see a
mother carrying its baby,
it's charming.
But when you see this huge,
King Kong-like figure
carrying this tiny, little,
male orphan around,
it was lovely.
Every single day
was an act of beauty
between the two of them.
And that's something
you can never forget.
Sometimes I imagine
the rest of the world waking up,
getting on busses,
or they may be getting on subways.
Our commute to work
is walking for an hour
through the jungle
to find chimpanzees.
Some of this stuff is just impenetrable
and really difficult to move through.
It really is a joy
to walk through this forest.
You see, it's not always that easy.
So, we're just walking...
They bite you
in the most remarkable places.
These sweat bees are driving me nuts.
Still, at least they're not honeybees.
Ahh! Ow! Ow! Ahh!
It's gotten intolerable.
I'm leaving.
Oh, my God. Ed!
If it bites you, you won't survive.
It's not a picnic, you know.
Yes!
There must be easier ways
to make a living,
but they're not as much fun.