Orangutan Smile

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

in this phenomenal Sumatran rainforest.

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

And this here is her male child of eight years.

They breed only every 7 or 8 years these creatures,

so you can understand how once the population is down,

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

[chirping sounds in background]

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

[chirping sounds in background]

And always close enough to this little one

an absolute delight to watch.

The archetypal personification of cute.

[chirping sounds in background]

Up and down he goes,

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

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

but then, there is no reason to

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

[chirping sounds in background]

[sound of orangutan's body thumping on log]

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

All designed to facilitate continuous growth in the little one

and sustainability of the species.

[chirping sounds in background]

[sound of leaves rusting in background]

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

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

the solitary disposition.

And then down to the forest floor they go

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

A smile like no other smile I have ever seen.