Nok Monkey School Animals at Work

Hi, and welcome to Animals At Work. Enjoy the show.

Around the world there are millions of animals that have jobs.

Arghh!

We bring you the most extraordinary, bizarre and unusual animals at work.

Coming up next on Animals... Arghhh!

Nok begins her training as a coconut collector.

Will Bingo and his truant teenager boss

get to the end of their training for service dogs?

And how will Sam the beach donkey

cope with his first day carrying kids?

Very, very, very bumpy.

Anyway, carry on with the monkey business.

What do you get if you pay peanuts?

Monkeys, of course.

Sometimes that's not all bad news because these kings of swing

are often the best animals when the job looks like a tall order.

Go bananas, because Animals At Work is going back to school.

But this time swapping classmates for primates

as we go back to Thailand for Monkey College.

Is that good?

First we're off to Surat Thani, in Thailand.

This cheeky monkey is Nok, a three-year-old pig-tailed macaque.

Her owner, Sri, is taking Nok to her first lesson at monkey school

to train as a coconut picker.

TRANSLATION: I've had Nok for some time and I'd like her trained

so she can collect coconuts at the end of my garden.

It's a cushy gig.

Nok will be collecting coconuts around a small garden

and will keep Sri company.

Nok will be a student at the school for three months -

a long time for a little monkey.

The Monkey School was founded by Somporn Saekhow.

He began training monkeys more than 50 years ago after he saw

how some monkeys were trained with force.

He wanted a training school

where monkeys were rewarded for their work with kindness.

His daughter Somjai is one of the teachers.

For over 100 years already the people in the south of Thailand

use monkeys to collect coconuts.

Over the three-month course,

Nok will learn to climb trees and pick coconuts for her owner,

as well as collecting them from the ground.

Monkeys need to wear leads so they don't run away.

But before lessons can start...

The first thing and the most important thing that we have to do

is try to make friends with the monkey.

You never hurt them, never punish them.

Monkey will accept you. Yes, we are friends.

There are ten monkey students at different stages of training.

Nok's first few days give her the chance

to learn from these more experienced monkeys.

The key to being a top coconut picker

is learning how to handle them with your hands and feet.

It can be a slippery business!

We try to teach monkey step by step and move from easy to difficult.

So we hope that it's not too complicated for them.

Every monkey can learn but the teacher has to be patient.

When they graduate some monkeys

will be offered work by many coconut plantations.

Monkeys pick coconut better than humans.

If it's a really high coconut tree people get tired quickly.

We'll find out later how Nok gets to grips with student life.

We pit man against monkey to prove monkeys are best

when it comes to harvesting coconuts.

Now it's off to Florida in America.

Bingo, leave him alone. Run.

This energetic golden retriever is called Bingo.

She's training to be a service dog

to make life easier for people with disabilities.

Bingo's part of the Kids And Canines Programme

getting truant teenagers back to school

by pairing them up with a dog they have to train.

'My life was rough cos I never liked to pay attention

'and I would want to do it my way instead of someone else's way.'

For Bingo and Noah, working together has helped him

get to grips with a daily routine

and the responsibility of training a dog for a difficult job.

Sometimes when I come in mad, like when I have a fight at home,

grooming helps me train and calm down and makes my training better.

I think she likes it very well.

I think it makes her feel good and makes her look pretty.

Noah isn't the only one who likes working together. Bingo's loving it!

It makes my bond really better and it makes me connect with her.

It's very impossible to be mad when you're grooming a dog.

The programme uses Labradors and golden retrievers

as their friendly temperament and desire to please

make them a natural for the job.

Noah and Bingo have been together now for 18 months.

He's had Bingo since she was eight weeks old.

He's done her entire training.

He's made life changes.

He's changed his school attitude, changed his home attitude.

He's learned anger management, he's learned patience.

He's come to school every day.

He hasn't missed a day of school since he began this programme.

He's set some goals for himself now.

He's ready to go on with his life.

I know he's really gonna miss his dog, but he's ready to move forward.

And he's gained a lot from being here.

Today is the last day of the year-long course

and Bingo's final evaluation.

Will Noah have done enough to make sure she passes?

The students train their dogs to respond to over 80 commands,

all designed to help make life easier. Like opening drawers.

Picking things up.

Turning on lights.

Opening doors and cupboards.

Tug.

Tug. Good girl.

And even answering the phone!

If Bingo masters all the commands and passes the test,

she'll go to work as a service dog.

Well, Bingo has been evaluated.

She met the criteria to be a really good service dog.

Bingo, who's helped Noah so much,

will now be a friend and helper to Nick.

Tonight Noah graduates from the Kids And Canines training programme.

Tonight's a big night.

It's gonna be very emotional. It'll be a night full of pride

I couldn't be more proud of him, more touched and more grateful

for everything he's learned through the programme.

Before, Noah had no goals. Tonight he'll go up on stage with goals,

which I never anticipated he had before.

I didn't think he had much future, to be quite honest.

People used to say to me, even then,

Noah would be one day in jail or worse and now I know it's not true.

Because he does have a future

and he does care about what happens to him and others.

It's amazing that a dog can change somebody's life

the way Bingo has changed Noah's life.

But there is a downside.

Tonight's probably gonna be a very sad night for me

because I really don't want to give her up.

But I know I have to and I know I'm gonna cry a lot.

..Plans to become a veterinarian someday. Noah?

APPLAUSE

So, tonight I give Bingo to Nick.

I know I will see Bingo sometimes

and I will always have my memories and pictures.

Thank you for your time

and have a nice life with Bingo, Nick, and keep in touch.

APPLAUSE

We've been surfing the net to see what animals do in their spare time.

Timber from Seattle in Washington open the family's mail.

# Oh yes, wait a minute, Mr Postman!

# Wait, Mr Postman!

# Please, Mr Postman, look and see

# Is there a letter in your bag for me?

Uh, thanks Timber.

Let's hope that one was a bill.

Back in Thailand...

..Nok's owner wants her to be a coconut collector

so she's brought her to the best monkey school in Thailand.

They believe the best way to train monkeys is with kindness.

A week into her three-month course,

Nok's getting on a treat with her trainer.

As the new girl, Nok isn't ready to join in with a class

of students just yet, but Somjai is impressed with her progress.

Nok still very new so you have to show that we're really friends.

I'm happy that Nok dare to accept the food direct from my hand.

That's a good, that's a good sign.

Once Nok is fully trained,

she could be as skilled as some of the best in the business.

Coconuts are in demand for products like soap and shampoo.

Collecting coconuts is very skilled work,

and monkeys do a much better job of it than humans.

Or do they?

Time for a demonstration to prove monkeys have the edge over humans.

Who can collect the most coconuts in the shortest time?

TRANSLATION: Compete with a monkey?

It's a piece of cake.

I can do it. I'm in top shape, so I think I can beat a monkey!

TRANSLATION: We're confident because

this is a professional monkey.

Monkeys are better because they can collect coconuts all day long.

Humans aren't really professional coconut pickers.

It's a race to the top.

Who will be king of the coconuts?

The monkey gets to the top first,

but will he choose the right coconuts?

This monkey graduate was taught how to choose ripe coconuts

and bite and spin the stem to release the fruit.

Ten minutes later, the winner is...

No great surprise - the monkey graduate.

TRANSLATION: I got five, the monkey got six, so the monkey wins.

TRANSLATION: He climbs up and comes down much faster than a human.

It'll be a while before Nok gets to graduate stage.

The key to getting monkeys to learn is fun.

Nok learns to fetch coconuts by swimming

before moving on to more complex skills

like spinning coconuts and choosing ripe fruit.

Coming up: Nok finally starts her lessons in the classroom

and gets a brand-new teacher.

Our next animal at work believes he has what it takes

to be beside the seaside.

It's donkey work at its best, so pack up your bucket and spade,

that's to clear up the poo and not to make a sandcastle

and join us for some fun in the sun. Come on, donkey!

We're headed to Skegness in England.

This is Sam, the trainee beach donkey.

He was hand picked for the job by boss John

who brought him over from Ireland six weeks ago.

If he comes up to scratch, he'll be carrying kids along the beach.

John's family have been running a beach donkey business

for almost 100 years.

Sam hopes to join the rest of John's beach donkeys, almost 50,

that work on the beaches of Skegness.

I've been brought up with donkeys from since I can remember.

They are pack animals from the Middle East.

They can stand the sand, the sun. Rain, they don't like.

He hasn't got a waterproof coat.

People think they're stupid but they are very intelligent.

It's their intelligence, calm and patient nature

that make donkeys perfect for working with people.

Before Sam sets foot on the beach, he has to pass a fitness test.

We have an annual inspection where the donkey sanctuary comes along to

check the general health of the donkey.

A donkey can have a working life of 15 years, a third of its life.

So it's important Sam's healthy and safe to do the job.

We'll just check his teeth to make sure everything's OK.

We'll just have a feel around in his mouth now. They're lovely!

I'll check his feet now.

Not going to hurt you, donkey.

We'll just clean them out.

I'm confident Sam will pass his test today.

An inspector from the Donkey Sanctuary does a top-to-toe check.

If Sam is passed today as a beach donkey,

he'll have an absolutely wonderful working life on the beach.

Lovely, bright alert eye.

Ah, you've got a little bit of marking here.

Now should he fail, he will then be just maybe in a field during the day

and he will get rather fat and very bored.

He'd prefer to work. Donkeys do love working with children.

Now, for a four-year-old donkey, Sam has got a good figure

but he doesn't need to put any more weight on.

So with teeth and hooves checked, Sam's medical is done.

It's a tense time for Sam. He and John are all ears to hear the news

of whether he's able to join his pals on the beach.

Well, John, he's got a few marks on his neck

which, I think, will clear up within time.

And you mustn't let him get any fatter.

But, I think you're a very lucky beach operator.

I think he's a lovely donkey.

He's been passed fit, clean bill of health.

The next test is, will he make it on the beach?

The big day has finally arrived.

At last Sam feels the sand under his hooves.

But the real test for Sam is if the kids like him.

We'll put a child on him and see how he takes to it, going down the beach.

Sophie is first to take the plunge and have a go on Sam.

I like donkeys cos I think they're very cute. I'm very excited.

John needn't have worried.

Sam is an instant hit.

I like riding on Sam.

He was very bumpy

and he was very good.

The queue to have a ride builds quickly.

They can't wait to climb aboard the new boy.

Is it good?

I would like to ride on a beach donkey

because I love them to pieces and I really, really like them.

Sam was very bumpy.

Very, very, very bumpy.

He's really settled into the job. I'm very pleased Sam has made the grade.

So with the kids' thumbs up,

Sam can look forward to a long career on the beach.

We've been looking at videos of what animals do on the weekend.

Check out these wiggly otters, from the Maritime Sanctuary in England.

# I like to move it, move it!

# I like to move it, move it!

# I like to move it, move it!

# I like to MOVE it!

# I like to move it, move it!

# I like to move it, move it!

# I like to move it, move it! #

These slippery characters are certain to win the cute awards.

Now we're off to Colorado in America and the heart of cowboy country.

Bonnie, a two-year-old Border collie, is a top cattle herder.

She works with her boss, Jeremy,

on an 80,000-acre ranch, one of the largest in the state.

Before sundown, Jeremy, Bonnie and their team have to work

together to herd 300 cattle eight kilometres to fresh pasture.

Fortunately, the herding instinct is second nature to Border collies.

They've done it for 300 years!

She's less expensive than a cowboy. She's better than some too.

Jeremy recruited Bonnie when she was just eight weeks old.

She got her name as she was the cutest little sweetheart.

She was the runt of the litter, that's why she's small.

She was tough cos she always had to fight for what she got being small.

That's why I picked her and she's sweet and she came up to me

and licked me on the toes the first time I met her, so I was hooked.

Bonnie and I spend most of our time together.

This is the kind of place where a dog's not only a helper,

but it's a companion and it's a pet.

I've told people she hates cattle and she loves people.

That's why she's so good. She likes taking control of cattle

and making them do what she wants them to do. Get her going!

It's that stubborn streak that sets Bonnie apart

from other working dogs on the ranch and makes her skills so valuable.

She'll help us get the cattle in a herd and then move them along

and Bonnie will work them back, back and forth.

If a cow stops to graze she'll stare at it

or if that cow really wants to graze and not move

she'll nip it in the heels or go in front of it and get its attention.

Every day, Bonnie needs to stand her ground

as cows are difficult animals to herd.

They'll kick at the dogs

and might turn around and try to get them with the horns.

Bonnie controls the herd by giving the cows what Jeremy calls the eye.

A wolf-like stare that means she can get the cattle to do what she wants.

They'll stop and maybe crouch down and look the cow in the face.

And Bonnie is facing down an animal

that weighs around 30 times her own bodyweight!

Herding is so instinctive, sometimes she doesn't know when to stop.

Like most Border collies she's is a workaholic.

They overwork themselves if you let them, don't know when to quit.

It's a demanding job. It's not just cows that cause problems.

The heat's a big concern. Last year we lost a dog to the heat.

To us it didn't seem like that hot so we try to be aware of that.

We make sure we're around places where there's water

or carry water with us so the dogs don't overheat.

Bonnie has bigger problems than the heat today.

A painful run-in with a cactus slows her down.

How are your feet, Bons?

I probably already pulled them all out.

When we reach our destination with the cattle there's a pool of water.

So first she'll do is jump in, splash around, take a long drink.

It's been a long, tough day but they've managed

to herd the cows to greener pastures.

She's hot and tired

but there's no doubt Bonnie's the best cowboy on the range.

Time to head back to Thailand.

Nok is at one of Thailand's top monkey training schools

and a month into her course to be a coconut collector.

She's made friends with her teacher

and her lessons have been going well.

Today, she finally moves up to lessons in a classroom.

This area we call the open classroom for the monkey student

so we use this place to teach monkey how to collect coconut.

This monkey's demonstrating how to spin a coconut

to weaken the vine so it's easier to pick.

When monkey come to school, the best time for them,

they like to learn in the morning and evening,

30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the afternoon.

But Nok doesn't just need to get used to learning in a classroom,

there's a new teacher as well.

I'm very happy that he work with me

because I've found he is a very wise teacher

and patient to the monkey.

Nang's been a teacher here for five years.

He'll start with something easier

than learning to spin a coconut in mid-air.

Lesson one goes back to basics and starts at ground level.

A more experienced monkey shows Nok how it's done.

It really is a case of monkey see, monkey do,

They learn by watching someone else do it first!

Nok will watch for several days before trying it.

TRANSLATION: This is Lisa. She's been training for two months.

She knows where to sit but can't spin a coconut herself. You hold her hand

and spin it until she remembers. Then she can spin herself.

You need lots of patience as the monkey doesn't know what to do.

You have to be very kind, then they'll work with you quite well.

Coconut turning lesson over, Somjai takes Nok out for a walk.

It's time to get Nok to climb some trees and do what monkeys do best!

# I wanna be just like you

# I wanna walk like you Talk like you too!

# You see it's true

# An ape like me

# Can learn to be human too! #

Now I'm very happy with Nok because she look very active.

The body and shape also looks strong.

I have a feeling that she'll be a very good monkey worker.

# Put the lime in the coconut

# Shake them all up! #

Well done, Nok. Your future as a coconut picker is looking good.

I've heard it through the ape vine that he's a little up and down

so I'm gonna tell some jokes to keep him up.

How did King Kong escape from his cage?

With a monkey wrench.

Monkey, monkey wrench, get it? Good one, huh?

Anyway carry on with the monkey business. I'm out of here.

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