WEBVTT

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We continue sharing time with this wonderful orangutan mother and her baby

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in this phenomenal Sumatran rainforest.

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The baby is six months old now, a little female.

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And this here is her male child of eight years.

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They breed only every 7 or 8 years these creatures,

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so you can understand how once the population is down,

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it is very difficult to bring that population up again, they breed slowly.

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[chirping sounds in background]

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And the mother, like a great big Buddha, sitting, watching.

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[chirping sounds in background]

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And always close enough to this little one

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an absolute delight to watch.

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The archetypal personification of cute.

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[chirping sounds in background]

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Up and down he goes,

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just as far as he can and only as far as his mother permits.

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It is impossible for me to pull myself away from them,

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but then, there is no reason to

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because this is precisely what we came here to Sumatra for.

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[chirping sounds in background]

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[sound of orangutan's body thumping on log]

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There are so many behavioral nuances expressed here one has to look carefully.

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All designed to facilitate continuous growth in the little one

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and sustainability of the species.

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[chirping sounds in background]

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[sound of leaves rusting in background]

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The adolescent, he joins in whenever permitted for a short while

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but I see from his general demeanor that he already takes on the characteristics of the adult,

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the solitary disposition.

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And then down to the forest floor they go

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and I am presented then with an experience which completely blows me away.

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A smile like no other smile I have ever seen.