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'Previously, we saw how animals

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'are smarter than
we ever thought possible.'

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'They use tools.

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'Solve puzzles.

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'And can even beat humans
in a numbers and memory test.'

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This is ridiculous.

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'I'm Liz Bonnin, a scientist
who's been travelling the world

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'meeting the greatest animal minds.

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'And their intellect
has astounded me.'

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This is spectacular.

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'But this time we're raising
the stakes.' Oh, look at this.

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This is so special. Ha ha ha!

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'Prepare to be entertained,
and amazed.'

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That totally blew me away.

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'Cutting-edge science
is now revealing how animals

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'communicate,

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'co-operate,

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'and even tell us
how they're feeling.'

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I want to chase and tickle
with you too!

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Right across the planet, the Earth
beats to the sound of animal song.

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A chorus sung in a million
different tongues.

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To live in harmony, animals need to
be able to talk to each other.

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And in a world this crowded,
that requires serious brainpower.

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The smartest animals on the planet
are also some of the most social,

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and to be successful in a social
world, communication is key.

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Now, imagine if we could communicate
with another species

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in its own language.

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We haven't quite mastered that yet,
but there is one animal

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that's been living right by our side
for centuries, that's learnt

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to understand a completely
different language to its own.

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Man's best friend,
in all its shapes and sizes,

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has played
an important part in our history,

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from war hero
to galactic explorer.

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In terms of a dog's intelligence,
it seems the sky's the limit.

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But how does being clever
help them in the field?

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HE WHISTLES

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Well, it's a dog's ability to
understand us that's key.

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WHISTLING

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When you combine
two champion sheepdogs,

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and a touch of creative genius,
anything's possible.

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WHISTLING

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HE WHISTLES AND CALLS

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But there's just one thing missing.

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Add a little bit of food...

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..and voila!

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So how does this
demonstrate intelligence?

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When you think about it,

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sheepdogs are essentially
learning a foreign language.

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"Come by to the left" in verbal
and transferred to
a whistle would be pppppshssh.

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The basic command "to the right"
would be phhhhewwww.

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"Stop" would be psssoutwit,

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and "walk on" would be
phew phew phew.

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The whistle allows the basics to
become surprisingly complex.

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If I wanted the dog to go left
and only a small left, it's like,

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psshh, it would be that,
if I wanted him a lot further

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and whatever, like, I would have to
emphasize it in terms

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phhhhewwwwww, would be
a lot longer and harder.

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The ability to decode this language
allows sheepdogs to

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understand the exact
direction, speed

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and level of urgency
required by their two-legged friend.

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That'll do, that'll do.

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Which enables one man and his dog
to work as a single unit.

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But with a lifetime of training,

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just how many words
can a sheepdog learn?

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Watch Miss Piggy.

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Watch Miss Piggy.

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Psychology Professor John Pilley
wanted to find out.

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Good girl, good girl.

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And seven years ago he found
the perfect student - Chaser.

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Using crateloads of toys,
John and his colleagues have devised

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a groundbreaking study of
canine intelligence.

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All the toys have names,
and John's picked eight at random.

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Chase, let's play some.

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Chase, find Punt, go get Punt.

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Right, P...P... Punt.

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Good, do it.
Yeah, in tub. Yeah, good girl.

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Chase, find Roach, find Roach.

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John never looks at the toys on the
mat, so to pick the right object,

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Chaser has to actually understand
what he's saying.

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Pop-Pop wants Wow.

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Yeah, there's Wow, in tub, in tub.

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Chaser already knows the names of
116 balls, 26 Frisbees,

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and over 800 cloth animals.

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But can she learn a new word
in just one go?

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We've put her to the test.

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On the mat are five items
Chaser knows,

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and one new one
that she's never seen.

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Chase, find Meow, find Meow,
find Meow, do it girl, do it,

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do it, do it, girl.

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Bring it to Pop-Pop.

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This task involves
highly complex logic.

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The new word isn't
in Chaser's vocabulary,

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so she has to understand that it
might refer to an unfamiliar object.

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00:06:47,920 --> 00:06:50,000
Do it, girl, do it.

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Chase, get Meow, I want Meow,
do it, girl, do it.

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Right now.

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00:06:54,600 --> 00:06:58,320
By a process of elimination
she has to work out which object

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she's never seen before.

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00:07:06,440 --> 00:07:07,840
Get Meow, do it, do it.

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00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:13,640
There's Meow - come here, come here,
that's good, good girl, good girl.

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00:07:13,640 --> 00:07:15,840
After only one trial,

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the new toy and the sound "meow"
are logged in her brain.

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00:07:23,160 --> 00:07:27,360
And it just goes to show, you can
teach an old dog new tricks.

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00:07:30,760 --> 00:07:35,200
In the wild, this mental dexterity
allows dogs to communicate with

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each other, which means
the problems of everyday life

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are solved together.

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And they're not alone.

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In the heat of Botswana's
dry season,

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every animal needs to find
enough food and water to survive.

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And the larger you are,
the further you have to travel.

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African elephants need to find
200 litres of water

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and 150 kilos of food every single
day, which out here is no mean feat.

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Ecologist Dr Mike Chase
has offered to show me

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the immensity of this challenge.

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It's only when you're up here
that you realise

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the scale of this landscape,

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and, yes, there is water
peppering it,

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but from up here you realise
how difficult it is to find

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not only water but certainly all the
other food that they need to find.

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It's a huge, huge landscape.

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So how can communication

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00:09:01,080 --> 00:09:05,800
and sheer brainpower
solve this mammoth problem?

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00:09:17,880 --> 00:09:22,440
For over a decade, Mike
has tracked scores of elephants

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on their epic journeys.

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His GPS data is revealing how herds
rely on memory to locate water

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and food sources that they may have
visited only once before,

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decades ago.

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And they're led by the oldest
and wisest female - the matriarch.

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Now, the older a matriarch gets

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the more information she gets to
store in that memory bank of hers,

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and because eles are social animals,

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that knowledge will benefit
her entire herd.

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But it's what herds do with this
knowledge that is truly phenomenal.

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On occasion, thousands of elephants
congregate at

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a single waterhole simultaneously.

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And Mike's data has revealed that
some have travelled

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00:10:22,080 --> 00:10:24,640
over 100 miles to get there.

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So, how does each herd know
when and where to meet?

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This is spectacular,

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Just watching a family
interacting...

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..and vocalising.

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There's so much mystery and still
intrigue surrounding these animals.

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Yeah.

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That we're only beginning to
understand the social complexity,
the communication.

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'Mike believes that by communicating
between family groups,

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00:11:03,160 --> 00:11:06,640
'elephants are able to
co-ordinate their arrival.'

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'And it seems that waterholes
act as a focal meeting point

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'where knowledge can be shared.'

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00:11:18,280 --> 00:11:22,480
What evidence is there for
this passing on of information

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00:11:22,480 --> 00:11:27,720
from herd to herd, like across,
you know, huge expanses of land?

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How do we think that works,
and have you seen that in action?

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00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:32,280
Oh, totally.

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When family herds in their hundreds
come together,

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inevitably there is communication.

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What they are saying to each other,
that is debatable,

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and that's exciting.

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We can only speculate that
this communication occurs through

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a combination of touch, smell,

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and even sound waves that humans
can't detect.

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And when herds disperse,

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this shared message can spread out
like a ripple.

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What's more is that elephants may
also be able to exchange information

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00:12:07,400 --> 00:12:12,080
across vast distances
in other, as yet undiscovered ways.

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It's already pretty incredible

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that these elephants can remember
places from decades ago,

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and then know exactly
when to revisit them.

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But what's really remarkable

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is that they
can then pass on that information,

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not only within the family group,
but from herd to herd,

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across this vast landscape.

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And it's this kind of
social intelligence

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that keeps them alive out here.

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Elephant communication and
their almost telepathic knowledge

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of food and water sources

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is clearly a complex phenomenon,

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something that science
can't fully explain yet.

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00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:55,320
But across the world
experts are trying to decipher

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the language of other species,

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sometimes in rather ingenious ways.

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YIPPING

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In the United States,
a team of scientists are studying

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00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:17,680
a small rodent with a big voice.

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00:13:20,400 --> 00:13:24,200
Prairie dogs live in communities
called "towns",

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some stretching for miles.

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And with a whole host of predators
on the lookout for a free meal,

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knowing what your neighbour is
saying can save your life.

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But how can science
test for this in the field?

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By dragging a stuffed animal
across the prairie!

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HIGH PITCHED YIPPING

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00:14:00,840 --> 00:14:01,880
YIPPING

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00:14:01,880 --> 00:14:04,600
This might not look like
an intelligent reaction,

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00:14:04,600 --> 00:14:07,600
but some believe that a lot
is going on here.

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00:14:07,600 --> 00:14:11,120
And by bringing a new predator
onto the scene

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00:14:11,120 --> 00:14:14,360
and recording the reaction,
they can prove it.

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00:14:17,800 --> 00:14:20,080
URGENT YIPPING CALLS

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00:14:28,240 --> 00:14:31,120
To the human ear
these calls might sound similar,

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but the graphs prove
they're different.

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00:14:33,200 --> 00:14:34,760
REPEATED YIPPING CALL

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00:14:38,080 --> 00:14:40,280
YIPPING CALL

200
00:14:40,280 --> 00:14:41,680
HIGHER PITCHED CALL

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00:14:48,560 --> 00:14:51,880
And it's clear that prairie dogs
actually understand

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00:14:51,880 --> 00:14:55,120
this difference
because of the way they react.

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00:14:56,320 --> 00:14:58,200
On hearing the coyote alarm,

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00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:02,160
every prairie dog in earshot
stands to attention,

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00:15:02,160 --> 00:15:04,240
advertising their position.

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00:15:04,240 --> 00:15:08,400
Because once a coyote realises
its cover is blown, it will give up.

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00:15:08,400 --> 00:15:11,840
But with a badger alarm,
prairie dogs hide

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00:15:11,840 --> 00:15:15,720
because when a badger spots
a prairie dog, it'll dig it out.

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00:15:15,720 --> 00:15:18,280
LOUD URGENT CALLS

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00:15:19,720 --> 00:15:23,680
It's this intelligence
that keeps the whole town alive.

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00:15:30,800 --> 00:15:33,840
But when exploring
animal intelligence,

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00:15:33,840 --> 00:15:36,560
we need to consider
other forms of communication.

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00:15:39,160 --> 00:15:42,240
Because not all animals
communicate with words.

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00:15:44,280 --> 00:15:47,720
Wherever you look, there are
conversations going on

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00:15:47,720 --> 00:15:50,960
in which a mere glance
can mean a thousand words.

216
00:15:54,640 --> 00:15:58,400
Animals communicate
not just through their voices,

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00:15:58,400 --> 00:16:00,480
but also through their bodies.

218
00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:05,960
By being mindful of the more
subtle aspects of body language

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00:16:05,960 --> 00:16:09,440
we can gain real insights into
just how smart some animals are.

220
00:16:24,800 --> 00:16:29,680
World-renowned horse whisperer
Monty Roberts has been unravelling

221
00:16:29,680 --> 00:16:32,200
the mystery of
wild mustang communication

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00:16:32,200 --> 00:16:34,440
for over half a century.

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00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:42,280
'And he's discovered
a complex, silent language,

224
00:16:42,280 --> 00:16:44,120
'which he calls "Equus".'

225
00:16:44,120 --> 00:16:46,560
What is it?
What is the language of Equus?

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00:16:46,560 --> 00:16:48,000
How would you describe it?

227
00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:50,520
A series of gestures
that means something,

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00:16:50,520 --> 00:16:51,880
like signing for the deaf.

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00:16:53,200 --> 00:16:58,160
It's so impressive that in many ways
the language of the mustang

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00:16:58,160 --> 00:17:00,600
is more beautiful than any.

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00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:06,280
OK, over here on
this side of the hill...

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00:17:06,280 --> 00:17:11,760
'The intricacies of this language
are so complex that getting close

233
00:17:11,760 --> 00:17:14,640
'is the only way to observe them
properly.'

234
00:17:15,880 --> 00:17:19,160
But when you get that kind of...

235
00:17:21,240 --> 00:17:23,920
So, if it's a silent language,
how is it used?

236
00:17:23,920 --> 00:17:26,240
What parts of their body
do they use?

237
00:17:26,240 --> 00:17:31,400
Ears, tongue, lips,
they use their shoulders,

238
00:17:31,400 --> 00:17:35,160
their neck is very important.

239
00:17:35,160 --> 00:17:40,480
You can read the neck very easily,
like snaking, for instance,

240
00:17:40,480 --> 00:17:43,200
where the neck comes down
and then the nose goes out

241
00:17:43,200 --> 00:17:44,960
and the ears come back,

242
00:17:44,960 --> 00:17:48,320
and they'll snake another horse
out of the herd and send them off.

243
00:17:52,040 --> 00:17:56,200
Every single part of the horse
appears to convey meaning,

244
00:17:56,200 --> 00:18:00,040
and they have the intelligence to
interpret the tiniest gestures

245
00:18:00,040 --> 00:18:02,920
in order to understand
another's intentions.

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00:18:06,480 --> 00:18:11,080
As we get closer, our posture is
under intense scrutiny.

247
00:18:13,080 --> 00:18:17,520
When you're walking around the herd
you'll notice that one ear

248
00:18:17,520 --> 00:18:20,800
will follow you,
you're important to them.

249
00:18:20,800 --> 00:18:22,800
It's subtle,
but extremely important.

250
00:18:22,800 --> 00:18:25,160
The ear goes where the eye goes.

251
00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:27,480
'When you get this close

252
00:18:27,480 --> 00:18:30,920
'you have to be aware of
every single muscle twitch.'

253
00:18:30,920 --> 00:18:34,400
Let's be really quiet now. Just,
don't, don't move your eyes quickly,

254
00:18:34,400 --> 00:18:37,160
OK. Don't move your head quickly,
just,

255
00:18:37,160 --> 00:18:39,880
just kind of move
like you're in heavy oil.

256
00:18:42,280 --> 00:18:47,200
Just relax and breathe
down in below your chest.

257
00:18:48,880 --> 00:18:52,160
Now look, see, as you, as you
relaxed, he takes another step.

258
00:18:52,160 --> 00:18:53,440
He's so attuned.

259
00:18:53,440 --> 00:18:55,760
Yeah, he's...
really wants to look us over.

260
00:18:55,760 --> 00:18:56,920
He really does.

261
00:18:59,120 --> 00:19:00,160
Wow.

262
00:19:03,880 --> 00:19:05,240
That totally blew me away.

263
00:19:05,240 --> 00:19:09,160
All I did was breathe a little bit
deeper into my belly and that horse

264
00:19:09,160 --> 00:19:13,200
completely sensed it and it
relaxed and it moved towards me.

265
00:19:13,200 --> 00:19:15,560
And it just goes to show
how incredibly complex

266
00:19:15,560 --> 00:19:18,920
this communication system is
because horses can sense

267
00:19:18,920 --> 00:19:22,840
the most subtle changes in
your physical and emotional state.

268
00:19:25,920 --> 00:19:30,880
Keen eyesight and a complex
body language allows mustangs to

269
00:19:30,880 --> 00:19:33,480
have conversations
in complete silence.

270
00:19:33,480 --> 00:19:37,920
This incredible experience
reveals that some animals are

271
00:19:37,920 --> 00:19:42,080
intelligent in ways that science may
have previously failed to consider.

272
00:19:44,920 --> 00:19:49,840
We've seen how animals are
smart enough to learn our language.

273
00:19:49,840 --> 00:19:52,240
There's Meow. Yeah, Good girl.

274
00:19:53,360 --> 00:19:56,040
But they also have their own.

275
00:19:56,040 --> 00:19:57,200
YIPPING

276
00:19:57,200 --> 00:20:01,480
They communicate in ways that we
still don't fully understand.

277
00:20:02,680 --> 00:20:05,320
And can even talk with their bodies.

278
00:20:11,480 --> 00:20:14,080
Once you communicate with
those around you,

279
00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:16,800
you can find out
what they're thinking.

280
00:20:21,440 --> 00:20:24,720
And complex mind games
become possible.

281
00:20:27,640 --> 00:20:31,240
On the island of St Kitts
in the Caribbean,

282
00:20:31,240 --> 00:20:34,400
thousands of holidaymakers
flock to sun-soaked beaches

283
00:20:34,400 --> 00:20:36,880
to relax and enjoy the view.

284
00:20:40,520 --> 00:20:44,960
But their every move is being
watched by a criminal mastermind.

285
00:20:47,920 --> 00:20:49,840
For a few rogue vervet monkeys,

286
00:20:49,840 --> 00:20:53,800
the bustling beach bars have become
a land of opportunity.

287
00:20:56,200 --> 00:21:01,160
But how do they steal from under
our noses without being spotted?

288
00:21:02,600 --> 00:21:05,360
It seems they know
when we take our eyes off the ball.

289
00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:13,640
Using their taste for fruit juice,
and a small board,

290
00:21:13,640 --> 00:21:17,360
we can see how they use
their intellect to outwit us.

291
00:21:19,040 --> 00:21:21,240
OK, here's how
this is going to work.

292
00:21:21,240 --> 00:21:24,880
If vervet monkeys can indeed
understand the direction of a gaze,

293
00:21:24,880 --> 00:21:27,720
they're going to behave
very differently depending on

294
00:21:27,720 --> 00:21:30,040
where I'm looking,
what I can and cannot see.

295
00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:32,920
So here, a fruit juice that
I can see in full view,

296
00:21:32,920 --> 00:21:35,520
and here, another one
blocked by this sign.

297
00:21:35,520 --> 00:21:37,960
Which one are they going to go for?

298
00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:46,120
'It doesn't take long.

299
00:21:46,120 --> 00:21:49,520
'Soon enough
I know I'm being watched.'

300
00:21:53,400 --> 00:21:56,480
'The monkey is paying
particular attention to

301
00:21:56,480 --> 00:21:58,920
'the geography of the puzzle
before him.'

302
00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:07,320
'But does he know that
I can see the juice in the open,

303
00:22:07,320 --> 00:22:09,200
'and not the one behind the board?'

304
00:22:15,040 --> 00:22:17,600
'When you're a juice-robbing
vervet monkey,

305
00:22:17,600 --> 00:22:20,680
'you need to reduce the chances
of being caught.'

306
00:22:22,880 --> 00:22:25,360
'After a quick analysis
of the situation,

307
00:22:25,360 --> 00:22:27,200
'there's only one drink to pick.'

308
00:22:36,600 --> 00:22:39,000
Oh. Did you see that?

309
00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:41,880
Having a little peek at me
over the barrier,

310
00:22:41,880 --> 00:22:45,040
but he went straight for the juice
that's hidden from my view.

311
00:22:46,760 --> 00:22:51,040
'Scientists are still debating
exactly what monkeys are thinking,

312
00:22:51,040 --> 00:22:54,560
'but it seems they can put
themselves in another's shoes

313
00:22:54,560 --> 00:22:58,560
'and work out their eye line
before making their move.'

314
00:22:58,560 --> 00:23:01,680
There's no doubt that monkeys can
use their intelligence to

315
00:23:01,680 --> 00:23:05,320
outwit their competitors and
because of the way that they do it,

316
00:23:05,320 --> 00:23:08,960
this opens up the possibility that
humans are not the only animals

317
00:23:08,960 --> 00:23:12,320
who can actually understand
what others are thinking.

318
00:23:14,360 --> 00:23:19,280
Seeing the world from another's
perspective is a real social skill.

319
00:23:21,040 --> 00:23:24,200
Allowing you to stay one step ahead
of your competitors.

320
00:23:27,080 --> 00:23:31,240
But in some cases, outright
deception is the name of the game.

321
00:23:34,440 --> 00:23:39,480
In Florida, a small bird is being
watched closely by science,

322
00:23:39,480 --> 00:23:42,720
because its life is
surprisingly complicated.

323
00:23:47,680 --> 00:23:51,720
Scrub jay survival
depends on acorns,

324
00:23:51,720 --> 00:23:54,840
but in winter there simply aren't
enough to go around.

325
00:23:59,160 --> 00:24:03,240
So how do they make sure
they have enough food to last them

326
00:24:03,240 --> 00:24:04,880
through the leanest times?

327
00:24:07,800 --> 00:24:11,920
The answer, of course, is to
stock their own larder with

328
00:24:11,920 --> 00:24:13,640
as many acorns as they can find.

329
00:24:17,280 --> 00:24:21,080
But in scrub jay society,
life isn't that simple

330
00:24:21,080 --> 00:24:24,000
because thieves are everywhere.

331
00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:33,960
So how can a bird keep its bounty
safe and sound?

332
00:24:36,000 --> 00:24:37,960
Here's where it gets interesting.

333
00:24:39,960 --> 00:24:42,720
Hank is on the lookout
for a free meal,

334
00:24:42,720 --> 00:24:45,080
and Bob on the ground knows it.

335
00:24:51,760 --> 00:24:53,880
Hank thinks he's got the upper hand.

336
00:24:53,880 --> 00:24:57,840
Bob acts as though he hasn't noticed
the covert surveillance,

337
00:24:57,840 --> 00:25:00,520
and stashes his acorn as usual.

338
00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:07,160
Once Hank has remembered
the location,

339
00:25:07,160 --> 00:25:09,840
as far as he's concerned
it's in the bag.

340
00:25:11,720 --> 00:25:13,800
But Bob outwits him.

341
00:25:15,280 --> 00:25:16,560
He's faked it.

342
00:25:16,560 --> 00:25:19,640
And, making sure no one's looking,
he digs up his treasure

343
00:25:19,640 --> 00:25:22,080
and buries it in secret elsewhere.

344
00:25:28,080 --> 00:25:31,240
Looks like Hank
is going to go hungry...again.

345
00:25:35,880 --> 00:25:39,080
The ability to predict
another's intentions

346
00:25:39,080 --> 00:25:42,640
and use this to deceive them
involves complex thought processes

347
00:25:42,640 --> 00:25:46,520
thought to be shared only by
humans and other great apes.

348
00:25:48,640 --> 00:25:51,520
Which, for a small bird,
is astounding.

349
00:25:58,400 --> 00:26:00,920
When you're surrounded
by potential deceivers,

350
00:26:00,920 --> 00:26:04,600
living together can definitely
have its downsides.

351
00:26:07,200 --> 00:26:09,760
For these white-faced capuchins
in Costa Rica,

352
00:26:09,760 --> 00:26:12,160
living in groups is
essential for survival.

353
00:26:18,360 --> 00:26:21,560
Capuchins are highly territorial,
defending their patch,

354
00:26:21,560 --> 00:26:23,680
often to the death.

355
00:26:23,680 --> 00:26:24,720
SNARLING

356
00:26:24,720 --> 00:26:26,200
SCREAMING

357
00:26:31,360 --> 00:26:34,200
More capuchins are killed by
their own species

358
00:26:34,200 --> 00:26:36,080
than by any other animal.

359
00:26:40,040 --> 00:26:43,400
So when team playing
is this important,

360
00:26:43,400 --> 00:26:45,280
how do you know who to trust,

361
00:26:45,280 --> 00:26:48,840
and how can you prove to your allies
that you're trustworthy yourself?

362
00:26:54,240 --> 00:26:58,920
The answer lies in quieter times
when team bonds are reinforced.

363
00:27:02,200 --> 00:27:04,120
Sometimes in rather unusual ways.

364
00:27:15,920 --> 00:27:19,120
Occasionally they even offer up
their eye sockets

365
00:27:19,120 --> 00:27:20,560
to another's finger.

366
00:27:20,560 --> 00:27:23,040
Communication at its most bizarre.

367
00:27:33,040 --> 00:27:37,200
These potentially painful rituals
might look extreme,

368
00:27:37,200 --> 00:27:40,320
but scientists believe that
it's a way of proving loyalty,

369
00:27:40,320 --> 00:27:43,600
similar to the human practice
of becoming blood brothers.

370
00:27:43,600 --> 00:27:46,880
If I let you
stick your finger in my eye,

371
00:27:46,880 --> 00:27:49,960
the theory goes, then surely
you'll trust me in battle.

372
00:27:54,200 --> 00:27:57,080
This seemingly strange behaviour
demonstrates

373
00:27:57,080 --> 00:28:02,400
the benefits of co-operation, which
in capuchin society can save lives.

374
00:28:11,560 --> 00:28:15,760
Successful teamwork
relies on a degree of co-operation

375
00:28:15,760 --> 00:28:17,880
between each and every individual.

376
00:28:23,040 --> 00:28:25,360
But how can you prove that animals

377
00:28:25,360 --> 00:28:28,320
aren't just co-operating
instinctively, and that they

378
00:28:28,320 --> 00:28:30,880
actually understand
how to work together?

379
00:28:34,840 --> 00:28:38,240
In Thailand, Dr Josh Plotnik
and his team

380
00:28:38,240 --> 00:28:40,880
have devised a unique challenge
to find out,

381
00:28:40,880 --> 00:28:45,440
using a sliding table, some rope,
and an irresistible reward.

382
00:28:50,760 --> 00:28:52,800
So here's the problem.

383
00:28:52,800 --> 00:28:57,400
The elephants need to be able to
pull the table closer to gain access

384
00:28:57,400 --> 00:29:02,120
to the sunflower seeds,
and they need the rope to do that.

385
00:29:02,120 --> 00:29:05,200
But if only one of them pulls
the rope, then they both go hungry.

386
00:29:08,600 --> 00:29:11,760
Can they work together
to solve a novel problem?

387
00:29:11,760 --> 00:29:13,600
And more importantly,

388
00:29:13,600 --> 00:29:19,000
do they actually understand
the concept behind it?

389
00:29:23,440 --> 00:29:26,440
The first time the elephants
are shown this task, they fail,

390
00:29:26,440 --> 00:29:30,720
but this is a necessary part
of the learning process.

391
00:29:32,480 --> 00:29:35,600
And something is definitely
going on in there,

392
00:29:35,600 --> 00:29:38,800
a four-kilogram brain
is working it out.

393
00:29:38,800 --> 00:29:42,920
The first thing I think
they learn, and there has to be
some learning involved,

394
00:29:42,920 --> 00:29:45,520
as this is a task they've
never experienced before,

395
00:29:45,520 --> 00:29:48,920
the first thing they learn is that
their partner needs to be there.

396
00:29:48,920 --> 00:29:52,400
And they've learned not only does
their partner need to be there,

397
00:29:52,400 --> 00:29:54,880
but their partner needs to be
doing something.

398
00:29:54,880 --> 00:29:57,000
It doesn't take them long
to figure it out.

399
00:30:13,080 --> 00:30:16,760
But Josh needs to prove
that their brainpower allows them

400
00:30:16,760 --> 00:30:20,360
to understand what's going on,
so he releases one elephant

401
00:30:20,360 --> 00:30:24,440
before the other in the hope
it'll wait for its partner.

402
00:30:27,200 --> 00:30:30,640
This moment of waiting is key.

403
00:30:52,480 --> 00:30:55,160
Josh gets the answer
he was looking for.

404
00:30:55,160 --> 00:30:58,960
The elephants are thinking about
co-operation, and that demonstrates

405
00:30:58,960 --> 00:31:02,440
how smart and how well-adapted
these animals are.

406
00:31:06,920 --> 00:31:10,520
It's all very well proving that
animals understand co-operation.

407
00:31:13,760 --> 00:31:16,920
But how does it help them
to survive in the wild?

408
00:31:27,440 --> 00:31:32,160
In South Africa, young meerkats
have a huge problem on their hands.

409
00:31:32,160 --> 00:31:36,600
They have to learn how to deal with
potentially lethal prey.

410
00:31:39,760 --> 00:31:43,840
Because a meal here literally has
a sting in its tail.

411
00:31:46,640 --> 00:31:49,800
Handling scorpions takes
months of practice.

412
00:31:52,880 --> 00:31:56,560
So how do pups ever learn the health
and safety rules of the desert menu?

413
00:32:00,120 --> 00:32:03,680
For all the meerkat pups to survive
out here, the adults must ensure

414
00:32:03,680 --> 00:32:07,320
that they can handle even the most
dangerous food items on the menu,

415
00:32:07,320 --> 00:32:09,200
and the pressure is on.

416
00:32:13,000 --> 00:32:16,240
In meerkat society,
all adults help feed the youngsters,

417
00:32:16,240 --> 00:32:19,160
responding to
the slightest begging call.

418
00:32:20,280 --> 00:32:23,680
And I can use this to show you
how the adults' behaviour

419
00:32:23,680 --> 00:32:26,880
speeds up
the pups' learning process.

420
00:32:26,880 --> 00:32:29,000
I'm going to carry out

421
00:32:29,000 --> 00:32:31,720
a little experiment with
the help of these speakers,

422
00:32:31,720 --> 00:32:34,480
which are going to play back
meerkat pup begging calls,

423
00:32:34,480 --> 00:32:37,120
and I am going to monitor
the response of the adults.

424
00:32:37,120 --> 00:32:40,040
Now, first up, I'm going to play
back the begging calls of

425
00:32:40,040 --> 00:32:42,200
three to four-week-old pups,

426
00:32:42,200 --> 00:32:44,480
so basically
it's their first day at school.

427
00:32:44,480 --> 00:32:46,200
RECORDING OF CALLS PLAYS

428
00:33:00,320 --> 00:33:02,000
It doesn't take them long.

429
00:33:02,000 --> 00:33:05,160
Something
is definitely going on down there.

430
00:33:07,240 --> 00:33:10,080
You can tell when they're close to
getting something

431
00:33:10,080 --> 00:33:11,880
because they really go for it.

432
00:33:15,600 --> 00:33:18,200
'Right on cue, an adult

433
00:33:18,200 --> 00:33:21,320
'brings me back
a harmless larva -

434
00:33:21,320 --> 00:33:25,160
'the perfect food
for an inexperienced pup.

435
00:33:25,160 --> 00:33:27,400
'And when the pup turns out to be
speakers,

436
00:33:27,400 --> 00:33:29,880
'there's an unexpected bonus.'

437
00:33:29,880 --> 00:33:31,800
Did you just eat that?

438
00:33:33,200 --> 00:33:35,200
Was that not supposed to be for me?

439
00:33:37,440 --> 00:33:40,000
This is the first part
of the teaching process,

440
00:33:40,000 --> 00:33:42,400
but it doesn't end there.

441
00:33:42,400 --> 00:33:45,680
Pups need to learn how to handle
more dangerous prey.

442
00:33:50,160 --> 00:33:52,520
Now I'm going to play back
the begging calls of

443
00:33:52,520 --> 00:33:55,240
slightly older pups,
10 to 11-week-olds,

444
00:33:55,240 --> 00:33:57,800
which means they're virtually
ready to graduate.

445
00:33:57,800 --> 00:34:00,080
And at this stage they should be
able to handle

446
00:34:00,080 --> 00:34:03,520
slightly more difficult prey,
so we're talking prey that's alive,

447
00:34:03,520 --> 00:34:05,240
prey that's possibly venomous,

448
00:34:05,240 --> 00:34:07,480
which is why I'm
a little bit apprehensive

449
00:34:07,480 --> 00:34:09,680
as to what the adults
might bring me back.

450
00:34:17,120 --> 00:34:18,840
RECORDING OF CALLS PLAYS

451
00:34:18,840 --> 00:34:23,480
'The calls sound the same to me,
but like those of prairie dogs,

452
00:34:23,480 --> 00:34:25,720
'there is a subtle difference.

453
00:34:25,720 --> 00:34:28,880
'Meerkats use their fantastic
sense of smell

454
00:34:28,880 --> 00:34:31,160
'to source the appropriate food.'

455
00:34:33,200 --> 00:34:37,880
And after a bit of searching,
an adult starts digging in earnest.

456
00:34:53,840 --> 00:34:56,480
That is a scorpion,
that is a scorpion and a half.

457
00:34:56,480 --> 00:35:00,680
Look at that,
and it's looking for the pup,

458
00:35:00,680 --> 00:35:05,480
but it's definitely brought
the most dangerous prey

459
00:35:05,480 --> 00:35:07,920
that a pup can handle -

460
00:35:07,920 --> 00:35:12,280
perfect for an older pup
of 10 to 11 weeks.

461
00:35:12,280 --> 00:35:14,800
He can't find the pup,
he's eating it himself,

462
00:35:14,800 --> 00:35:18,720
but brilliant, brilliant result,
just what we were looking for.

463
00:35:18,720 --> 00:35:20,200
Good man!

464
00:35:22,160 --> 00:35:24,360
This time,
the scorpion was barely alive.

465
00:35:25,800 --> 00:35:29,400
During the final stages of learning,
the adults still

466
00:35:29,400 --> 00:35:33,360
bite off the sting so the pups
can learn in relative safety.

467
00:35:35,520 --> 00:35:40,320
But eventually they'll bring
one back alive and fully armed.

468
00:35:42,200 --> 00:35:45,240
Scientists think
that by living in groups,

469
00:35:45,240 --> 00:35:48,800
meerkat pups can fast-track
their learning process.

470
00:35:53,120 --> 00:35:56,960
Which means they've got more time
on their hands

471
00:35:56,960 --> 00:35:59,000
to do what youngsters do best.

472
00:36:04,080 --> 00:36:07,120
Play is the perfect way to
learn about the world around you.

473
00:36:12,960 --> 00:36:15,960
By playing around,
animals get to try things out.

474
00:36:17,640 --> 00:36:20,240
Learn from their mistakes.

475
00:36:20,240 --> 00:36:22,400
And even find
their place in life.

476
00:36:28,440 --> 00:36:32,000
And some, like dolphins,
never seem to grow out of it.

477
00:36:38,760 --> 00:36:42,440
Play is an excellent way to learn
about how to deal with the world.

478
00:36:43,640 --> 00:36:46,520
It might look like the dolphins
are just fooling around,

479
00:36:46,520 --> 00:36:49,240
but all this play is
much more important than we think.

480
00:36:49,240 --> 00:36:50,840
It's making them smarter.

481
00:36:53,880 --> 00:36:55,960
Whales and dolphins are undeniably

482
00:36:55,960 --> 00:37:00,120
some of the most intelligent
creatures on our planet.

483
00:37:01,560 --> 00:37:05,400
And rumour has it that there's
one lagoon in Mexico where

484
00:37:05,400 --> 00:37:11,520
young grey whales actively engage
in play with another species - us!

485
00:37:13,520 --> 00:37:16,680
This lagoon is so incredibly
important to the grey whales,

486
00:37:16,680 --> 00:37:19,560
I mean, for thousands of years
they've come here to calve

487
00:37:19,560 --> 00:37:21,280
and to rear their young.

488
00:37:21,280 --> 00:37:24,960
It's really sort of a place
they know they can be safe,

489
00:37:24,960 --> 00:37:29,080
at peace, and play, I guess.

490
00:37:31,640 --> 00:37:34,600
The whales stay here for months
whilst the calves develop,

491
00:37:34,600 --> 00:37:36,200
both physically and mentally.

492
00:37:37,560 --> 00:37:39,720
And when you're young
and inquisitive,

493
00:37:39,720 --> 00:37:42,520
it's the perfect time to find
a new playmate.

494
00:37:42,520 --> 00:37:43,760
Oh, look!

495
00:37:48,000 --> 00:37:49,600
This is unbelievable.

496
00:37:50,800 --> 00:37:53,640
They have the whole lagoon
to swim in,

497
00:37:53,640 --> 00:37:57,680
and yet this inquisitive pair
are coming in for a closer look.

498
00:38:06,520 --> 00:38:08,960
Ha ha ha!

499
00:38:10,200 --> 00:38:13,000
The mother's right underneath,
supporting the calf.

500
00:38:14,480 --> 00:38:16,080
So what does that mean?

501
00:38:16,080 --> 00:38:18,560
What are they trying to tell me?

502
00:38:18,560 --> 00:38:23,480
And is this calf happy to get
patted, to get its nose scratched?

503
00:38:25,000 --> 00:38:28,640
Argh! I tell you what, I'm not happy
to be getting that blown in me face!

504
00:38:29,720 --> 00:38:34,040
It's just counterintuitive
that they should be near to us,

505
00:38:34,040 --> 00:38:37,920
that their mothers should allow them
to get so close to us. Instead...

506
00:38:40,240 --> 00:38:41,680
Hello!

507
00:38:41,680 --> 00:38:45,560
Look at this, this is so special.

508
00:38:45,560 --> 00:38:48,320
There's no question
that this means more than just

509
00:38:48,320 --> 00:38:52,160
"Oops, we just happened to bump
into you, we're going to swim off."

510
00:38:52,160 --> 00:38:55,800
They stay
and they like to get scratched.

511
00:38:58,560 --> 00:39:01,840
This is playful behaviour, is it
happy? Is it feeling happiness?

512
00:39:01,840 --> 00:39:06,680
Is it so ridiculous to even think
maybe do they feel emotions?

513
00:39:06,680 --> 00:39:08,080
Is that ridiculous now?

514
00:39:08,080 --> 00:39:10,400
We have a duty to at least
investigate it.

515
00:39:16,760 --> 00:39:18,720
This is important.

516
00:39:18,720 --> 00:39:22,720
This anecdotal meeting
is important in itself.

517
00:39:22,720 --> 00:39:27,280
It's not just me romanticising
this fabulous contact with

518
00:39:27,280 --> 00:39:30,720
this incredibly mystical creature.

519
00:39:30,720 --> 00:39:37,000
This feels and looks like something
else, like a form of communication.

520
00:39:40,000 --> 00:39:41,520
If you had to ask me now,

521
00:39:41,520 --> 00:39:46,440
do I think these animals are
feeling things, I would say yes.

522
00:39:46,440 --> 00:39:47,520
I would say yes!

523
00:39:51,400 --> 00:39:53,400
And I didn't think I'd say that.

524
00:39:53,400 --> 00:39:58,520
So, as a scientist, now I want to be
part of understanding this more.

525
00:40:00,320 --> 00:40:02,400
And as a human being,

526
00:40:02,400 --> 00:40:06,240
I'm completely overwhelmed with
these creatures right now.

527
00:40:08,480 --> 00:40:12,240
The notion of whales having emotions
might seem a bit far-fetched,

528
00:40:12,240 --> 00:40:14,080
but consider this.

529
00:40:17,120 --> 00:40:21,200
Only seven years ago,
scientists discovered spindle cells

530
00:40:21,200 --> 00:40:23,960
in the brains of
a few species of whales.

531
00:40:25,240 --> 00:40:27,680
Until that point, only humans

532
00:40:27,680 --> 00:40:30,200
and the other great apes
were known to have them.

533
00:40:31,680 --> 00:40:34,640
We know that it's
these types of cells that allow us

534
00:40:34,640 --> 00:40:37,320
to feel emotions like love
and empathy.

535
00:40:38,760 --> 00:40:42,040
And even accounting for the fact
that whale brains are larger

536
00:40:42,040 --> 00:40:46,160
than ours, early estimates
suggest that they could have

537
00:40:46,160 --> 00:40:49,440
three times as many spindle cells
as humans.

538
00:40:53,360 --> 00:40:56,200
Ha ha. I think that was the goodbye.

539
00:40:59,120 --> 00:41:02,040
'And one that I won't ever forget.'

540
00:41:06,400 --> 00:41:09,600
Feeling emotion requires
a highly developed brain,

541
00:41:09,600 --> 00:41:14,800
and if anecdotal evidence is
anything to go by, we're not alone.

542
00:41:20,920 --> 00:41:25,400
Being emotional actually increases
your chances for survival.

543
00:41:28,600 --> 00:41:31,120
Fear keeps danger at arm's length.

544
00:41:33,200 --> 00:41:36,040
Love means we protect our relatives.

545
00:41:42,320 --> 00:41:45,560
And grief shows us what happens
if we don't.

546
00:41:51,800 --> 00:41:55,400
So if emotions are this important,

547
00:41:55,400 --> 00:41:59,760
how can we actually prove that
animals can experience any of them?

548
00:41:59,760 --> 00:42:05,640
In Seattle, a big-brained social
bird is under intense scrutiny.

549
00:42:11,240 --> 00:42:15,960
Professor John Marzluff has
spent ten years studying how crows

550
00:42:15,960 --> 00:42:18,880
use their intelligence
to survive city life.

551
00:42:20,960 --> 00:42:24,600
And he thinks emotion may have
a hand in their success.

552
00:42:26,640 --> 00:42:29,480
Studying these clever corvids
is a military operation,

553
00:42:29,480 --> 00:42:32,800
because they've become
increasingly difficult to catch.

554
00:42:36,000 --> 00:42:40,200
And these masks have become
essential to John's research.

555
00:42:50,160 --> 00:42:52,680
Crows remember the face
that catches them and then

556
00:42:52,680 --> 00:42:54,920
avoid it like the plague
in the future.

557
00:42:54,920 --> 00:42:57,480
Looks in pretty good shape, though.

558
00:42:57,480 --> 00:43:00,760
So John and his colleagues have
altered their appearance to

559
00:43:00,760 --> 00:43:04,440
investigate a possible link
between emotion and memory.

560
00:43:04,440 --> 00:43:08,320
To show you how good these birds
are at recognising

561
00:43:08,320 --> 00:43:11,720
and remembering a face, I've got
one of John's caveman masks.

562
00:43:11,720 --> 00:43:14,600
Now, without it, I can
walk around here perfectly happily

563
00:43:14,600 --> 00:43:17,360
and the birds won't pay
any attention to me whatsoever,

564
00:43:17,360 --> 00:43:19,920
but watch what happens
when I put it on.

565
00:43:30,040 --> 00:43:32,080
BIRD CALLS OUT

566
00:43:35,240 --> 00:43:36,960
BIRD CALLS CONTINUE

567
00:43:40,040 --> 00:43:42,960
This scolding behaviour
lets me know I've been spotted,

568
00:43:42,960 --> 00:43:48,360
and it also transmits a message to
other crows that danger has arrived.

569
00:43:48,360 --> 00:43:53,520
What's amazing is that John
didn't catch these particular crows

570
00:43:53,520 --> 00:43:56,360
last week, last month,
or even last year.

571
00:43:57,720 --> 00:44:00,280
He caught them five years ago!

572
00:44:02,560 --> 00:44:06,800
So what is it that makes
their memory of the mask so vivid?

573
00:44:10,200 --> 00:44:13,960
To answer that question, you need
experts in brain physiology,

574
00:44:13,960 --> 00:44:17,040
and some cutting edge technology.

575
00:44:23,480 --> 00:44:26,760
After jogging the birds' memories
with the mask that caught them,

576
00:44:26,760 --> 00:44:30,080
the team can find out
what's going on in their brains

577
00:44:30,080 --> 00:44:33,040
by scanning them
while the birds are asleep.

578
00:44:35,280 --> 00:44:38,640
And after a touch of statistical
genius, the results are in.

579
00:44:38,640 --> 00:44:42,280
Right, John, what are
we looking at here, then?

580
00:44:42,280 --> 00:44:45,560
Sure, so in this case what we've
got are virtual slices through

581
00:44:45,560 --> 00:44:46,960
the brain of the bird.

582
00:44:46,960 --> 00:44:50,320
The colours are the areas
that were most active.

583
00:44:50,320 --> 00:44:52,240
Here we have the hippocampus...

584
00:44:52,240 --> 00:44:53,960
Hippocampus is all about?

585
00:44:53,960 --> 00:44:55,880
Spatial memory, short term memory.

586
00:44:55,880 --> 00:44:58,040
So the birds are recalling
stuff as they're

587
00:44:58,040 --> 00:45:00,400
looking at that dangerous mask.
Absolutely.

588
00:45:00,400 --> 00:45:03,840
'This in itself is interesting
but the next image

589
00:45:03,840 --> 00:45:05,640
'is truly groundbreaking.'

590
00:45:05,640 --> 00:45:07,800
What is that highly active area
here, then?

591
00:45:07,800 --> 00:45:09,040
It's the fear centre.

592
00:45:09,040 --> 00:45:12,040
It's basically the emotional centre
of the bird's brain,

593
00:45:12,040 --> 00:45:16,120
the amygdala, adding the context
of emotion to that memory

594
00:45:16,120 --> 00:45:18,880
and thought that was
going on in the brain.

595
00:45:18,880 --> 00:45:21,760
So does that mean that
these crows are feeling emotion,

596
00:45:21,760 --> 00:45:23,720
they're feeling fear like humans do?

597
00:45:23,720 --> 00:45:27,040
Absolutely, they're using
the same structures in the brain,

598
00:45:27,040 --> 00:45:31,560
we know they're probably
also using the same chemicals
in the brain to convey this feeling.

599
00:45:31,560 --> 00:45:35,200
I think there's no doubt these birds
feel the emotion of fear -
there it is.

600
00:45:37,600 --> 00:45:41,560
'This is unequivocal proof
that crows have basic emotions.'

601
00:45:45,600 --> 00:45:48,600
'And after such
a strong, memorable experience,

602
00:45:48,600 --> 00:45:52,560
'they're smart enough never to go
near anyone wearing the mask again.'

603
00:45:54,400 --> 00:45:58,920
Strong emotions can cement
the memory of important experiences

604
00:45:58,920 --> 00:46:02,080
into the brain, and that gives crows
an evolutionary edge,

605
00:46:02,080 --> 00:46:06,200
because if you can remember
what's dangerous and what's not,

606
00:46:06,200 --> 00:46:08,720
that's an incredible survival tool.

607
00:46:15,040 --> 00:46:18,600
But emotions can get
much more complex than fear.

608
00:46:22,960 --> 00:46:25,640
For instance, to feel pride,

609
00:46:25,640 --> 00:46:28,800
you have to be able to see yourself
as others do.

610
00:46:31,760 --> 00:46:34,360
You need a sense of identity.

611
00:46:36,520 --> 00:46:39,480
This is a truly advanced
social skill.

612
00:46:43,080 --> 00:46:46,600
But not one that many animals
appear to have mastered.

613
00:46:49,080 --> 00:46:53,520
When confronted with their
own image, most animals see only

614
00:46:53,520 --> 00:46:56,040
another individual
and a potential threat.

615
00:47:03,000 --> 00:47:06,160
It takes a quantum leap
in brainpower

616
00:47:06,160 --> 00:47:08,120
to recognise your own image.

617
00:47:11,640 --> 00:47:16,240
So, how would a bull elephant
called Pooki fare?

618
00:47:21,760 --> 00:47:24,400
Recognition isn't instantaneous,

619
00:47:24,400 --> 00:47:28,520
but something is definitely
going on in Pooki's brain.

620
00:47:30,600 --> 00:47:34,560
After working out that his
reflection isn't another elephant,

621
00:47:34,560 --> 00:47:38,920
he has to understand that
he's looking at himself, and this

622
00:47:38,920 --> 00:47:43,560
is something that very few species
on the planet are able to do.

623
00:47:46,360 --> 00:47:51,240
It's worth remembering that Pooki
would knock this mirror down

624
00:47:51,240 --> 00:47:53,240
if he saw it as a threat.

625
00:47:53,240 --> 00:47:56,240
But he has something else
on his mind -

626
00:47:56,240 --> 00:47:59,080
himself and
those rather fetching tusks.

627
00:48:13,120 --> 00:48:15,840
By inventing
bizarre trunk movements,

628
00:48:15,840 --> 00:48:17,760
Pooki is testing his own reflection,

629
00:48:17,760 --> 00:48:21,360
suggesting he really does know what
he's looking at.

630
00:48:22,720 --> 00:48:27,640
It's quite amazing how long a male
can look at his own reflection!

631
00:48:32,640 --> 00:48:35,880
And by examining
a freshly painted cross,

632
00:48:35,880 --> 00:48:40,640
elephants prove they understand that
they're looking at themselves.

633
00:48:42,240 --> 00:48:45,840
And this sense of self
is truly profound.

634
00:48:51,800 --> 00:48:55,920
Knowing how you might be seen
by others allows you to feel concern

635
00:48:55,920 --> 00:48:59,200
and have an understanding
of their feelings.

636
00:48:59,200 --> 00:49:02,600
This is essential in highly complex
social groups

637
00:49:02,600 --> 00:49:06,320
like those of elephants,
dolphins and the great apes.

638
00:49:09,960 --> 00:49:14,680
We're only just beginning to
learn about the full extent

639
00:49:14,680 --> 00:49:18,480
of animal intelligence, but what
we've already learnt is astounding.

640
00:49:18,480 --> 00:49:19,840
Did you see that?

641
00:49:21,320 --> 00:49:25,560
Our nearest neighbours are sentient
beings that use brainpower to

642
00:49:25,560 --> 00:49:27,640
succeed in the trials of life.

643
00:49:28,760 --> 00:49:32,400
Animals can learn from one another
to make life easier,

644
00:49:32,400 --> 00:49:35,400
they have
their own complex tongues,

645
00:49:35,400 --> 00:49:37,800
and can even understand
foreign languages.

646
00:49:37,800 --> 00:49:40,720
Here comes Einstein.
Do it, good girl.

647
00:49:42,560 --> 00:49:45,440
They communicate across
vast landscapes,

648
00:49:45,440 --> 00:49:48,760
can work together
for the greater good.

649
00:49:48,760 --> 00:49:52,840
And they outwit each other with
ingenious schemes.

650
00:49:54,240 --> 00:49:57,760
They have big brains, big hearts,

651
00:49:57,760 --> 00:50:02,000
and can even see themselves
as others do.

652
00:50:04,040 --> 00:50:06,160
Which begs the question,

653
00:50:06,160 --> 00:50:09,400
just how similar are
the smartest animals to you and I?

654
00:50:12,560 --> 00:50:16,760
To answer this question, we've got
one more conversation to have,

655
00:50:16,760 --> 00:50:19,200
and if rumours are anything
to go by,

656
00:50:19,200 --> 00:50:22,800
this one promises to be truly
out of this world.

657
00:50:25,080 --> 00:50:27,400
Science is showing us that animals

658
00:50:27,400 --> 00:50:31,680
are capable of many of the things we
once thought were unique to humans -

659
00:50:31,680 --> 00:50:35,200
tool use, language,
culture, even emotions.

660
00:50:35,200 --> 00:50:37,120
But would it ever be possible

661
00:50:37,120 --> 00:50:40,160
to have an actual meeting of minds
with another species?

662
00:50:40,160 --> 00:50:42,280
Well, if there's
anywhere in the world

663
00:50:42,280 --> 00:50:45,160
where that might just be possible,
it's here.

664
00:50:48,600 --> 00:50:52,120
This is the Great Ape Trust
in the United States,

665
00:50:52,120 --> 00:50:53,720
home to what many believe

666
00:50:53,720 --> 00:50:57,040
are the most intelligent animals
on the planet.

667
00:50:59,240 --> 00:51:02,920
Trusting her to give me
a decent haircut so I look OK!

668
00:51:02,920 --> 00:51:07,520
For 30 years, Dr Sue Savage-Rumbaugh
has been immersing bonobos

669
00:51:07,520 --> 00:51:11,680
in our culture, raising them
as you would any human child.

670
00:51:11,680 --> 00:51:15,240
And they have a relationship
that almost defies belief.

671
00:51:15,240 --> 00:51:17,760
She would like to be
a dentist as well.

672
00:51:19,280 --> 00:51:23,520
Sue is able to communicate
directly with two apes -

673
00:51:23,520 --> 00:51:28,720
31-year-old Kanzi, the world's
undisputed ape language superstar.

674
00:51:30,040 --> 00:51:34,480
And Panbanisha, his somewhat
more sophisticated half-sister.

675
00:51:37,200 --> 00:51:40,760
So how do you go about having
a conversation with an ape?

676
00:51:40,760 --> 00:51:43,360
Well, this is a collection
of abstract symbols

677
00:51:43,360 --> 00:51:46,640
and they represent English words,
and they're called lexigrams.

678
00:51:46,640 --> 00:51:50,560
And if I learn to speak to them
using these symbols

679
00:51:50,560 --> 00:51:52,920
it'll go a long way to sort of

680
00:51:52,920 --> 00:51:55,760
ingratiating myself
into their favour.

681
00:51:55,760 --> 00:51:59,480
So I'm going to try and learn
as many as I can before
I meet one of the bonobos,

682
00:51:59,480 --> 00:52:02,720
and I have to admit
it's a little bit daunting.

683
00:52:05,920 --> 00:52:10,400
What's really interesting about
these lexigrams is their complexity.

684
00:52:10,400 --> 00:52:14,360
You can ask an ape questions,
even talk about the future or past,

685
00:52:14,360 --> 00:52:18,640
but, most importantly,
it allows them to talk back,

686
00:52:18,640 --> 00:52:22,680
allowing an actual conversation
to occur.

687
00:52:23,960 --> 00:52:28,520
'So, after a crash course
in the absolute basics,

688
00:52:28,520 --> 00:52:31,880
'I'm told I'm ready to meet
the masters themselves.'

689
00:52:34,080 --> 00:52:37,000
'First up is Kanzi,
but I don't feel ready at all.'

690
00:52:37,000 --> 00:52:39,760
I'm not sure whether
I've learnt enough symbols

691
00:52:39,760 --> 00:52:41,800
so I'm just going to have to
wing it,

692
00:52:41,800 --> 00:52:44,240
and if all else fails
I'll just speak to him,

693
00:52:44,240 --> 00:52:47,080
because I've got a mic on
and he can hear me inside.

694
00:52:48,240 --> 00:52:49,680
Oh. Hi.

695
00:52:51,320 --> 00:52:55,000
Hi, Kanzi,
do you want to come and say hello?

696
00:52:59,000 --> 00:53:00,320
Well, hello there.

697
00:53:04,360 --> 00:53:05,600
Hello, young man.

698
00:53:09,040 --> 00:53:10,560
Kanzi?

699
00:53:10,560 --> 00:53:18,920
I...have...surprise...for...you.

700
00:53:20,720 --> 00:53:22,920
'But Kanzi has other things
on his mind.'

701
00:53:22,920 --> 00:53:27,120
To chase and tickle, he wants to
chase and tickle with you now.

702
00:53:27,120 --> 00:53:30,240
I want to chase and tickle
with you too!

703
00:53:30,240 --> 00:53:31,960
Go, go, I'll chase you.

704
00:53:31,960 --> 00:53:33,040
Go, I'll chase you.

705
00:53:38,080 --> 00:53:40,880
That's a good game,
I like tickling too.

706
00:53:40,880 --> 00:53:43,240
He's trying to involve
Simon in this.

707
00:53:43,240 --> 00:53:46,000
He wants the crew
to join in the chasing.

708
00:53:46,000 --> 00:53:48,680
He wants to see you all
chase each other.

709
00:53:48,680 --> 00:53:52,480
Ha ha ha!
That would be a good game.

710
00:53:54,440 --> 00:53:59,120
'It rapidly becomes obvious that
Kanzi has a mischievous personality.

711
00:53:59,120 --> 00:54:03,160
'He's more human than any other
animal I have ever come across,

712
00:54:03,160 --> 00:54:06,320
'and we're actually having
a conversation.'

713
00:54:08,760 --> 00:54:12,360
Water? You want water in here?

714
00:54:12,360 --> 00:54:13,640
Cos he's hot.

715
00:54:15,360 --> 00:54:16,840
Water, you.

716
00:54:16,840 --> 00:54:19,320
Yeah. With the hose?

717
00:54:20,880 --> 00:54:24,800
The hose water? The hose.

718
00:54:24,800 --> 00:54:27,200
The hose. Me?

719
00:54:28,760 --> 00:54:30,360
You.

720
00:54:30,360 --> 00:54:31,600
I'm coming round.

721
00:54:34,960 --> 00:54:38,320
Oh, my gosh, it seems like
the most normal thing in the world

722
00:54:38,320 --> 00:54:40,640
to have a conversation
with a bonobo,

723
00:54:40,640 --> 00:54:43,400
and I really feel
quite a connection with him.

724
00:54:43,400 --> 00:54:49,640
And he's lovely, his personality is
amazing, beautiful face, full of
beans, and we're having a chat.

725
00:54:49,640 --> 00:54:53,280
And it feels completely natural,
which is rather odd!

726
00:54:55,120 --> 00:54:58,120
How good does that feel!

727
00:54:58,120 --> 00:55:00,320
'Perhaps unsurprisingly,

728
00:55:00,320 --> 00:55:04,240
'Kanzi seems to be enjoying
this game just as much as I am.'

729
00:55:04,240 --> 00:55:08,360
Seriously, how adorable are you?
If you spit that out...

730
00:55:08,360 --> 00:55:11,600
'But Sue thinks that by meeting
Panbanisha we'll understand

731
00:55:11,600 --> 00:55:14,200
'just how complex an ape's thoughts
can be.'

732
00:55:14,200 --> 00:55:16,240
Can I come in?

733
00:55:16,240 --> 00:55:18,560
'And she's asked me
to bring a gift.'

734
00:55:18,560 --> 00:55:20,000
Hey, lovely.

735
00:55:20,000 --> 00:55:23,800
'I've been told Panbanisha's rather
partial to decaffeinated coffee.'

736
00:55:27,840 --> 00:55:29,600
'And it's done the trick.'

737
00:55:29,600 --> 00:55:30,760
She likes you.

738
00:55:30,760 --> 00:55:34,000
'I think I'm in her good books.'

739
00:55:36,280 --> 00:55:38,080
She's telling you collar.

740
00:55:39,680 --> 00:55:41,400
Collar, what's a collar?

741
00:55:41,400 --> 00:55:46,440
Well, we put our collar on
when we go outdoors.

742
00:55:46,440 --> 00:55:48,880
If... You hear that?

743
00:55:48,880 --> 00:55:52,920
When we go outdoors
we put our collar on,
if we're going to go in the car.

744
00:55:54,360 --> 00:55:58,720
'By knowing she has to wear the
collar when in the car, Panbanisha

745
00:55:58,720 --> 00:56:02,280
'is proving that she understands
the context of the situation.'

746
00:56:02,280 --> 00:56:07,880
Car, open...group room, collar.

747
00:56:07,880 --> 00:56:12,600
See, if you, if you open that
group room where you are out there,

748
00:56:12,600 --> 00:56:14,280
and go out that door,

749
00:56:14,280 --> 00:56:17,600
and she puts her collar on,
well, that's where the car is.

750
00:56:17,600 --> 00:56:19,200
We could do that.

751
00:56:22,080 --> 00:56:24,080
Now you can get in the back.

752
00:56:24,080 --> 00:56:25,360
OK.

753
00:56:25,360 --> 00:56:28,600
'Panbanisha has decided
we're all going for a picnic,

754
00:56:28,600 --> 00:56:32,000
'and there's only one way for
a 21st-century ape to travel.'

755
00:56:34,840 --> 00:56:38,880
It might seem bizarre,
but this is incredibly special.

756
00:56:40,920 --> 00:56:45,920
Panbanisha uses a complex tool
to speak to another species

757
00:56:45,920 --> 00:56:48,920
in a totally foreign language.

758
00:56:48,920 --> 00:56:53,200
She understands that there are rules
associated with visitors,

759
00:56:53,200 --> 00:56:56,880
and applies them
when she makes impromptu decisions.

760
00:56:58,920 --> 00:57:01,360
Oh, you want to?
She wants to go this way.

761
00:57:01,360 --> 00:57:04,920
'And she has the cognitive ability
to change her mind.'

762
00:57:04,920 --> 00:57:07,240
We're taking the scenic route,
of course.

763
00:57:09,520 --> 00:57:13,360
Whatever you make of this, there's
no doubt these apes have a level of

764
00:57:13,360 --> 00:57:18,680
intellect that completely redefines
old theories of animal intelligence.

765
00:57:18,680 --> 00:57:24,120
And communicating with an animal
that shares 98% of its DNA

766
00:57:24,120 --> 00:57:29,240
with humans seems like
a fitting end to our journey.

767
00:57:29,240 --> 00:57:31,920
The truth is there's
just so much more to discover.

768
00:57:33,720 --> 00:57:36,000
Wherever you look,

769
00:57:36,000 --> 00:57:37,720
right across our planet.

770
00:57:41,800 --> 00:57:45,880
For years, we've set ourselves
far apart from other animals.

771
00:57:45,880 --> 00:57:48,760
And, yes, humans are very special.

772
00:57:48,760 --> 00:57:52,800
But the boundary between human
and animal intelligence

773
00:57:52,800 --> 00:57:55,280
is much narrower than we thought.

774
00:57:55,280 --> 00:57:58,600
And what's become very clear is
it's not a question of

775
00:57:58,600 --> 00:58:02,920
comparing us to other species, or
even finding the smartest animal.

776
00:58:02,920 --> 00:58:07,520
Every animal is as intelligent as it
needs to be in its own environment.

777
00:58:07,520 --> 00:58:11,360
We've still got so much to learn,
but the more we learn,

778
00:58:11,360 --> 00:58:15,040
the more we're going to have to
redefine intelligence,

779
00:58:15,040 --> 00:58:18,480
what it means to be human,
and the more our relationship with

780
00:58:18,480 --> 00:58:22,200
other animals is inevitably
going to change.

781
00:58:45,600 --> 00:58:47,640
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