Category
🐳
AnimalsTranscript
00:00 In a Borneo jungle, another extraordinary day is about to kick off for the students
00:05 in one of the world's most revolutionary conservation projects.
00:09 This lineup of orphan baby orangutans illustrates one of the reasons this project is so successful.
00:28 They have the instinct to support each other through the daily challenges of jungle school.
00:34 All aboard the school bus!
00:44 The biggies, aged one to two, and the littlies, under one year old,
00:53 are on their way to their respective forest classrooms.
00:58 (BIRDS CHIRP)
01:00 On the journey to class, these babies naturally comfort one another.
01:13 They are all orphans, having lost their mothers in tragic circumstances,
01:22 so to ensure their happiness and reach the ultimate goal to return to the wild,
01:28 they must learn as quickly as possible how to lean on each other.
01:45 These three orphan babies are the latest arrivals and are still adjusting to life here without their mothers.
01:53 Wine,
01:55 Jari,
01:58 and Neta were rescued by the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation team four weeks ago.
02:11 Like all newcomers, these three are initially separated from the others during a mandatory quarantine period.
02:19 This morning, Vet Marios has some good news.
02:31 Wine and Jari will be moving to a smaller group.
02:35 Neta will be moving to a bigger group because she is very active.
02:39 All three have a clean bill of health, so it's time for their first official day in class.
02:49 Like human children, meeting strangers can be scary.
03:00 New friends.
03:02 Jari and Wine are anxious.
03:09 It's always hard to be the new kid, and it's even stressful for the other littleies, like Nina.
03:18 Baby Bumi instinctively reaches out to Wine.
03:29 But she's just not ready to make friends yet.
03:33 Wine's been through a lot in her short life.
03:44 When she was rescued, she suffered from asthma as a result of breathing heavy smoke from a massive forest fire.
03:55 For months, she was treated with a nebuliser three times a day, just like some human children are.
04:03 Her health is improving, but Wine needs to find a friend to help her navigate jungle school.
04:22 At two years old, Neta was the confident big sister in the quarantine threesome.
04:28 But now she's joining a class of students her own age, and she's not so self-assured.
04:36 As soon as this class realises there's a new arrival, everyone wants to be Neta's friend.
04:48 Perhaps a one-on-one introduction might be safer.
04:52 It's a start, but Jelapat's manners could use some work.
05:12 [Jelapat's mother calls out to the children]
05:17 For the orphaned orangutans at Nyaru Menteng, making friends can be the difference between succeeding or failing at jungle school.
05:38 The older students have learned to rely on their peers for support.
05:43 But they still turn to their teachers for affection, when they can get it.
05:54 The surrogate mums work hard to wean the orphans away from relying on humans.
06:04 So when they return to the wild, they will be self-sufficient.
06:08 But orangutan friends, that's encouraged.
06:13 It's essential for learning and growth.
06:16 When Valentino, Utris and Madara arrived at jungle school, they became instant friends.
06:24 Three years later, they're practically inseparable.
06:29 [Valentino and Utris are playing]
06:54 This morning, class for the three amigos is in a riverside setting.
06:59 Utris has a new game to try out today.
07:05 Valentino is impressed.
07:09 And starts to copy.
07:19 [Valentino and Utris are playing]
07:23 Soon it's a splash off.
07:27 Mimicking each other is the foundation for all learning at this special school.
07:37 All this tomfoolery is thirsty work.
07:46 Utris and Madara demand drinks from babysitter Giuliani.
07:50 And as always, Valentino makes up the threesome.
07:58 There's real affection between these three little boys.
08:05 Orangutans, particularly males, don't generally socialize as much as other primates.
08:14 [Valentino and Utris are playing]
08:17 But the bond these brothers from other mothers have transcends all the rules.
08:41 In the seniors' class, the students grab a late breakfast.
08:45 Eight-year-old Penti, with her distinctive long, auburn locks, attempts to devour her cucumber in peace.
08:55 But she has a rather intrusive brunch date.
09:07 Scrawny little male Lima is the same age as Penti.
09:11 There's actually nothing wrong with him.
09:14 Like humans, orangutans come in all shapes and sizes.
09:33 In the wild, a mother would only share food with her child.
09:37 But these two have been friends for over six years.
09:44 So Penti would do anything for her bestie Lima.
09:57 Part of the magic of this place is that regular food for everyone eliminates the need to compete
10:03 and allows special relationships to blossom, to replace the mothers they've all lost.
10:12 As the seniors finish up their breakfast, they're unaware they're being watched
10:20 by a wild orangutan female and her youngster.
10:26 It's rare for wild orangutans to show up here, as there are many villages surrounding the sanctuary.
10:33 This particular pair, however, have been seen here before.
10:41 And Ketune seems to recognize them.
10:50 The youngsters rush to say hi.
10:52 Surprisingly, there's no hesitation or protest from mum.
11:04 During the rare times wild female orangutans socialize,
11:13 they usually only hang out with female relatives.
11:16 So allowing her daughter to play with these non-related preteens is very special.
11:24 It's as if these orphans want to include this wild kid in their unique jungle school bubble,
11:32 where friendship is everything.
11:38 Mum keeps a close eye on the shenanigans.
11:44 Mum keeps a close eye on the shenanigans.
11:48 [Birds chirping]
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