0:00:03 > 0:00:06We're fascinated by animals that behave in ways
0:00:06 > 0:00:09we would never expect.
0:00:09 > 0:00:11Millions of us watch clips of different species
0:00:11 > 0:00:13that normally wouldn't come together,
0:00:13 > 0:00:19showing what looks like friendship, affection and even love towards each other.
0:00:19 > 0:00:22Kate took one look at her, "Thank you, I'll take over now."
0:00:22 > 0:00:26- Oh, stop it, that just melts your heart, doesn't it?- It did.
0:00:26 > 0:00:29But what lies at the heart of these behaviours?
0:00:29 > 0:00:33Can science explain why these unusual partnerships take place?
0:00:37 > 0:00:42'I'm Liz Bonnin and I'm going on a worldwide journey of discovery,
0:00:42 > 0:00:46'to find out why animals of different species make friends
0:00:46 > 0:00:47'with each other.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50'Why a cat would adopt ducklings...'
0:00:50 > 0:00:53I was blown away by what I was seeing. I just couldn't believe it.
0:00:53 > 0:00:57'..if an orang-utan could really keep a dog as a pet...
0:00:58 > 0:01:02'or if two animals of different species could even fall in love?'
0:01:02 > 0:01:05Oh, he's so handsome.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08'I'm on a mission to find the world's cutest
0:01:08 > 0:01:11'and weirdest animal friends.'
0:01:35 > 0:01:40This jaguar and Jack Russell are inseparable.
0:01:40 > 0:01:42When staff tried to move the jaguar to a bigger
0:01:42 > 0:01:47enclosure of its own as it grew up, they were having none of it.
0:01:47 > 0:01:52Both cried and whined incessantly until they were finally reunited.
0:01:52 > 0:01:58And - you know - this does beg the question, how on earth does this work?
0:01:59 > 0:02:04'Cats and dogs don't normally get along, but here in this wildlife
0:02:04 > 0:02:08'park in South Africa, Bullet the Jack Russell is best mates with
0:02:08 > 0:02:14'a predatory jaguar named Jag who could easily have him for dinner.
0:02:14 > 0:02:15'But instead, Bullet
0:02:15 > 0:02:20'and Jag spend as much time as they can together in this enclosure.
0:02:20 > 0:02:24'They eat together and sleep together and are always playing together.
0:02:24 > 0:02:26'So what's going on?'
0:02:26 > 0:02:31For a long time we've thought that most animals of different species
0:02:31 > 0:02:36have evolved to stick to their own kind and to generally not get along.
0:02:36 > 0:02:40But in recent years, the internet has been changing all that.
0:02:40 > 0:02:44Videos getting hits in their millions are showing different species
0:02:44 > 0:02:50interacting in ways that scientists didn't think were possible.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53'So how can we explain these relationships?
0:02:53 > 0:02:57'And what can they teach us about how the animal kingdom really works?
0:02:59 > 0:03:02'To find some answers, I'm going to start by meeting
0:03:02 > 0:03:08'a variety of animal odd couples that seem to be the best of friends.
0:03:08 > 0:03:10'And I'm beginning my weird
0:03:10 > 0:03:13'and wonderful journey in Atlanta, Georgia, in the South East
0:03:13 > 0:03:17'of America, because I've heard about an incredible example
0:03:17 > 0:03:20'of animal friendship, between the most unlikely of species.
0:03:23 > 0:03:28'They live here in this refuge with over 1,000 other injured,
0:03:28 > 0:03:30'orphaned and abandoned animals.'
0:03:35 > 0:03:37So this is Baloo, an American black bear.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40He's 12 years old and he's been at this wildlife sanctuary
0:03:40 > 0:03:42here in Atlanta ever since he was a little cub.
0:03:42 > 0:03:47And all through his life, even into adulthood, he's been keeping
0:03:47 > 0:03:51company with a couple of animals... well, you just wouldn't expect.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57And there's one of them now.
0:04:04 > 0:04:06That your friend?
0:04:09 > 0:04:13I have never seen a fully grown bear
0:04:13 > 0:04:16and tiger in the same enclosure before.
0:04:18 > 0:04:23'Shere Khan is a Bengal tiger who is also around 12 years old.'
0:04:26 > 0:04:28Asian black bears and tigers do share the same
0:04:28 > 0:04:32territory in the Far East, but when they meet, one of them ends up badly
0:04:32 > 0:04:38injured or killed. And so to see these two guys - they're around 12 years old -
0:04:38 > 0:04:43showing so much affection for each other, it's pretty amazing.
0:04:44 > 0:04:49'The third member of this unlikely friendship is a lion called Leo.'
0:04:51 > 0:04:55The bear's the boss, then Leo the lion falls in second
0:04:55 > 0:05:00and then Shere Khan's a little, he's a little wild child.
0:05:00 > 0:05:02And when they're sleeping in the club house,
0:05:02 > 0:05:06all three of them, they pile in together.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08They just know each other and they love each other.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14'Jama Hedgecoth is the founder of this sanctuary, and she's looked
0:05:14 > 0:05:19'after the three of them since they were just a couple of months old.
0:05:19 > 0:05:23'Kept illegally as pets, they were confiscated by the authorities
0:05:23 > 0:05:28'and brought to her wildlife sanctuary.'
0:05:28 > 0:05:32They had been in a dark basement, and they were all kept together
0:05:32 > 0:05:34and then the tiger and lion's noses
0:05:34 > 0:05:39were busted up and they're scarred to this day.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42What absolutely fascinates me
0:05:42 > 0:05:47is the fact that these are grown predators in their own right, who are displaying
0:05:47 > 0:05:51so much affection for each other - what do you think is going on here?
0:05:51 > 0:05:53Well, they're truly a family. They've never been separated.
0:05:53 > 0:05:57We tried twice when they first came in and they wouldn't eat,
0:05:57 > 0:06:00they cried all day, so after about eight or nine hours I said,
0:06:00 > 0:06:03Oh, well, they're just babies, let's put them back together.
0:06:06 > 0:06:10Would you describe these three as friends?
0:06:10 > 0:06:12Very close friends.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14I wished I had a friend as close as they are!
0:06:14 > 0:06:19- SHE CHUCKLES - It's difficult not to think that they are friends, that they
0:06:19 > 0:06:22care for each other, when you see how they behave with each other.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24- Oh!- That's correct.
0:06:24 > 0:06:26Except for that!
0:06:26 > 0:06:29- Oh, yeah, they get to going. - Is this play going on?
0:06:29 > 0:06:33Oh, yeah, this is play, Shere Khan is pushing Baloo and Baloo is
0:06:33 > 0:06:36ready to go to sleep and Shere Khan does this all the time.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39- He does it to Leo too. - I'm loving Shere Khan's personality.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41Yeah, I mean, Shere Khan is the one that...
0:06:41 > 0:06:46- Look at that, look at that, posture. - And he'll have to back down.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49- It's nice to have seen that kind of behaviour too.- Yes, yes.- For some reason
0:06:49 > 0:06:53it just makes me happy that they have those kind of barneys, you know?
0:06:53 > 0:06:57They have to, because they're not sedated, they're real,
0:06:57 > 0:06:59that is who they are!
0:07:00 > 0:07:04'I'm amazed by what I've seen, so to get a scientific view,
0:07:04 > 0:07:09'I've asked Clive Wynn, a psychology professor who studies animal behaviour
0:07:09 > 0:07:12'to have a look at this unlikely animal friendship.'
0:07:12 > 0:07:16- Well, what do you make of this situation, Clive?- It's beautiful, I really love it, I think
0:07:16 > 0:07:20it's marvellous to see animals that started out such difficult early
0:07:20 > 0:07:24lives being given such a beautiful home, being given true sanctuary.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26I think it's a wonderful thing to see.
0:07:26 > 0:07:31And what do you think about the nature of their relationship?
0:07:31 > 0:07:33You know, how they behave together and dare I say,
0:07:33 > 0:07:35how they might feel about each other?
0:07:35 > 0:07:38Yeah, well I've been watching them play for a
0:07:38 > 0:07:40while now, watching them interact with each other
0:07:40 > 0:07:44and I've been thinking, well, what's the best way to capture what I see?
0:07:44 > 0:07:47There are elements of rivalry, there is a pecking order here
0:07:47 > 0:07:51and I saw the tiger testing the bear a little bit,
0:07:51 > 0:07:55you get that with brothers so I would say it's a brotherhood.
0:07:55 > 0:07:59Do you think one of the big factors involved in this relationship,
0:07:59 > 0:08:01especially in the early years, was a certain type of bond
0:08:01 > 0:08:03to relieve the stress they were experiencing?
0:08:03 > 0:08:07Yeah, absolutely, absolutely. There's good research. Obviously not on lions, tigers
0:08:07 > 0:08:09and bears, but animals at all stages of life -
0:08:09 > 0:08:14including ourselves - get buffering of stress, it reduces your stress
0:08:14 > 0:08:19to have a companion with you, a friendly companion with you.
0:08:19 > 0:08:21And one feels it oneself right in your daily life.
0:08:21 > 0:08:26If you have to go and do something stressful, it's much nicer if you can bring a buddy along.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32'So it seems that the friendship these three
0:08:32 > 0:08:35found in each other helped them through the tough early days
0:08:35 > 0:08:40'and over time, it developed into a wonderfully close, lifelong bond.'
0:08:48 > 0:08:51'The need to find a friend, no matter who they are,
0:08:51 > 0:08:54'is clearly a very strong instinct.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02'You can see it in animals that have been brought
0:09:02 > 0:09:06'together by captivity, particularly if they are very young.
0:09:06 > 0:09:11'Just like this baby chimpanzee who has found a companion in a puma cub.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17'And there's one factor that always seems to be
0:09:17 > 0:09:20'involved in their everyday lives...
0:09:20 > 0:09:21'play.'
0:09:26 > 0:09:28'So why is that?
0:09:28 > 0:09:32'Is play a crucial part of what creates these cross-species bonds?
0:09:37 > 0:09:40'To find out, I've travelled to South Africa, just outside
0:09:40 > 0:09:44'the coastal town of Port Elizabeth,
0:09:44 > 0:09:49'to meet a couple of animal friends who just want to play all the time.
0:09:55 > 0:09:59'This is Hugo the bulldog
0:09:59 > 0:10:03'and his friend Igor, the lion cub.'
0:10:03 > 0:10:04Well, look at that.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07'Hand-raised in this safari park, they've formed a very close bond,
0:10:07 > 0:10:12'and their favourite activity is a bit of rough and tumble.'
0:10:35 > 0:10:38Hugo is classic. You are a happy dog.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44'To help me understand how play works between different species,
0:10:44 > 0:10:47'I talk to animal behaviour expert
0:10:47 > 0:10:51'Dr Lynda Sharpe from the University of Stellenbosch here in South Africa.'
0:10:53 > 0:10:58Play signals are fairly universal in that they tend to be all
0:10:58 > 0:11:02things like rolling on your back, making yourself vulnerable.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05They're very reversed of aggression. So, erm...
0:11:05 > 0:11:07So even if its two completely different species,
0:11:07 > 0:11:11they'll be able to read each other's body language.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14- If someone is rolling on their backs and wriggling. - You're kind of thinking...
0:11:14 > 0:11:18- They're not about to attack you. - Yeah.- I mean, you can see that.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21And so all these species tend to have play signals that
0:11:21 > 0:11:25initiate play, tend to be the absolute reverse of how
0:11:25 > 0:11:29they would behave when they were being aggressive.
0:11:29 > 0:11:33'This might help to explain an example of play between two
0:11:33 > 0:11:37'very different species that became an internet sensation,
0:11:37 > 0:11:40'with over 11 million hits.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43'In Canada, polar bears - one of the most fearsome
0:11:43 > 0:11:46'predators on earth - have been witnessed playing together
0:11:46 > 0:11:50'with huskies, in the most surprisingly affectionate way.
0:11:55 > 0:11:59'The huskies are tethered at their home base in Manitoba
0:11:59 > 0:12:02'and these wild polar bears are waiting for the winter ice
0:12:02 > 0:12:04'to return to this stretch of coastline.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09'The huskies should by all accounts be an easy snack,
0:12:09 > 0:12:13'but the polar bears are clearly not hungry, which frees them up to play.'
0:12:21 > 0:12:26'But that doesn't really explain why they would choose to do this.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29'So why does play seem so vitally important,
0:12:29 > 0:12:31'even when it's with a different species?'
0:12:33 > 0:12:36The unusual thing about play is that the behaviours
0:12:36 > 0:12:40that are incorporated into play are all flight and fight behaviours.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43You know, there's all excitement, there's things that really hype
0:12:43 > 0:12:47you up and so one theory is that play - you're activating, you're
0:12:47 > 0:12:50doing this exciting activity, that's just that little bit dangerous,
0:12:50 > 0:12:54you know? Just that little bit, you're pretending there's a predator
0:12:54 > 0:12:58after you or you're being overcome by this other animal that is
0:12:58 > 0:13:02fighting you so there's this little frisson of excitement and stress.
0:13:03 > 0:13:07'It's these little peaks of mild stress in safe circumstances
0:13:07 > 0:13:11'that Lynda believes help prepare animals for the challenges of life.
0:13:13 > 0:13:17'And playing with a different species adds to the thrill of the unknown.'
0:13:18 > 0:13:20'When a young animal is stressed,
0:13:20 > 0:13:24'it alters its sensitivity to stress, so next time it suffers'
0:13:24 > 0:13:27a trauma, it doesn't get as stressed, it doesn't respond
0:13:27 > 0:13:31so badly, it recovers quicker, it's not traumatised as much.
0:13:31 > 0:13:34Especially if it's a different species that normally you'd
0:13:34 > 0:13:37run from but you're playing with. You might get an added
0:13:37 > 0:13:40extra bit of stress that you then get habituated to
0:13:40 > 0:13:42and that helps you in future life.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47'So Lynda believes that these polar bears
0:13:47 > 0:13:50'and huskies are getting more of a thrill from playing together than
0:13:50 > 0:13:55'they might do playing with their own species and this potentially
0:13:55 > 0:13:59'helps their bodies to cope with more dangerous situations.'
0:14:05 > 0:14:08'Stress in small doses is clearly beneficial,
0:14:10 > 0:14:13'but too much can be dangerous.
0:14:16 > 0:14:21'I've travelled across South Africa to a secret location, to meet
0:14:21 > 0:14:23'an animal that's so reliant on its friends,
0:14:23 > 0:14:27'it will die without them.
0:14:27 > 0:14:31'This is a cross-species friendship that is not only saving lives,
0:14:31 > 0:14:34'it's helping to save an entire species.'
0:14:37 > 0:14:40Rhinos in Africa are in crisis.
0:14:40 > 0:14:45They're being slaughtered at an alarming rate for their horns,
0:14:45 > 0:14:48because they are prized by the Asian medicine trade, despite the
0:14:48 > 0:14:52fact that they have absolutely no medicinal value whatsoever.
0:14:52 > 0:14:59Now, in South Africa last year alone, 688 rhino were killed
0:14:59 > 0:15:02and that's tragic enough in itself but it gets worse because it's led to
0:15:02 > 0:15:07an unprecedented number of orphaned, traumatised calves, like these two.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11Now, if they are very, very lucky,
0:15:11 > 0:15:13they get to come to a place like this.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19'Heavily guarded, it's a relative safe haven where
0:15:19 > 0:15:23'rhinos are brought to help reduce the risk of poaching.
0:15:24 > 0:15:28'But they've also discovered that cross-species relationships
0:15:28 > 0:15:31'can help save the rhino orphans they receive.
0:15:33 > 0:15:37'This is all because young rhinos are surprisingly fragile.'
0:15:43 > 0:15:46The closest rhino relationship is the one between a calf
0:15:46 > 0:15:48and its mother.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51It's totally dependent on her for up to two years.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54So an orphaned calf needs a lot of care.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57Not only that, but they just don't do well if left alone.
0:16:01 > 0:16:06'Dr Jana Pretorius is a specialist wildlife vet who looks after
0:16:06 > 0:16:08'the little ones.'
0:16:08 > 0:16:10Jana, how old are these calves?
0:16:10 > 0:16:15Ella is about 15 months and Benjamin is about seven months.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18And are they both orphaned from poaching?
0:16:18 > 0:16:21Yes, they are, unfortunately.
0:16:21 > 0:16:23So you pair them together
0:16:23 > 0:16:26and this is everything they need to have a good chance of survival
0:16:26 > 0:16:29and then ultimately for re-release into the wild, right?
0:16:29 > 0:16:32Preferably when they are orphaned they need to have a companion,
0:16:32 > 0:16:36cos the stress of being alone will kill them.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39'Large doses of the stress hormone cortisol
0:16:39 > 0:16:42'can be a serious problem for rhinos.'
0:16:43 > 0:16:47The gland that produces cortisol produces so much cortisol
0:16:47 > 0:16:50it can't produce any more so the body can't cope with stress any more.
0:16:50 > 0:16:54Together with the stomach ulcers, then they normally do end up dying.
0:16:54 > 0:16:59So if the rhino calf can't be paired with another orphaned calf,
0:16:59 > 0:17:03then is it best for a human to take care of it?
0:17:03 > 0:17:06Or is that a bad idea? What can you do?
0:17:06 > 0:17:09It is, in a way, a bad idea because humans can't stay with them
0:17:09 > 0:17:11all of the time and the moment, for example,
0:17:11 > 0:17:15the human has to go away or is sick and you have to use - or somebody
0:17:15 > 0:17:19else needs to look after him - just that stress of somebody else being
0:17:19 > 0:17:23there is already quite bad, whereas with animals it's slightly different,
0:17:23 > 0:17:26you can always have the animal with them or maybe more than one.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29When you talk about putting them with other animals,
0:17:29 > 0:17:31what animals do you put them with and why?
0:17:33 > 0:17:37'The best would be something like a sheep or a foal
0:17:37 > 0:17:40'because they also graze and you want the rhinos
0:17:40 > 0:17:43'to learn how to graze from a young age.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53'If they're with humans and - for example - dogs,
0:17:53 > 0:17:55'they end up not wanting to graze.'
0:17:55 > 0:17:59And we have seen that where they actually will eat dog food,
0:17:59 > 0:18:01but won't eat grass.
0:18:01 > 0:18:06So you put them with a sheep and how close does this bond become?
0:18:06 > 0:18:09And what is it about that bond that makes these animals
0:18:09 > 0:18:12de-stress and give them a better chance of survival?
0:18:12 > 0:18:15It's purely the companionship of not being alone.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18When they are alone, they are uncertain, they can't see well.
0:18:18 > 0:18:22They are very insecure animals, the calves.
0:18:22 > 0:18:24- You wouldn't think of a rhino as being timid...- No.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27..but especially the white rhino, they're very timid.
0:18:28 > 0:18:32I find rhino bums amazing, they're just so fat and gorgeous!
0:18:32 > 0:18:33Did you get that?
0:18:33 > 0:18:37- With their little dinky tail, they're amazing, aren't they? - Please put that on.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41'With the careful introduction of a close companion,
0:18:41 > 0:18:45'precious rhino lives are being saved.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48'But could such a deep bond ever develop between different
0:18:48 > 0:18:51'species without our encouragement?
0:18:53 > 0:18:55'I've travelled to the west coast of Canada,
0:18:55 > 0:18:59'just outside the town of Courtenay on Vancouver Island,
0:18:59 > 0:19:03'because I've heard about the most endearing relationship between
0:19:03 > 0:19:07'two different species, that came about purely of their own choice.'
0:19:13 > 0:19:17Many companionships between different species develop because of
0:19:17 > 0:19:21captivity, circumstances essentially bringing animals together who
0:19:21 > 0:19:24normally wouldn't keep each other company.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27But here on this tiny little corner of Vancouver Island,
0:19:27 > 0:19:29two animals have been hanging out together
0:19:29 > 0:19:33for years and they are both free to come and go as they please.
0:19:50 > 0:19:54'Pippin is a wild black-tailed deer who has formed an incredibly
0:19:54 > 0:19:58'close bond with Kate, the Great Dane that lives in this house.
0:20:03 > 0:20:07'Pippin leads a wild existence, coming and going as she pleases.
0:20:08 > 0:20:12'So I've been told the only way she might approach the house
0:20:12 > 0:20:15'while I'm around, is if I hide inside.'
0:20:28 > 0:20:32'Five years ago Kate's owner, Isobel Springett, discovered
0:20:32 > 0:20:37'Pippin in the woods when she was just a tiny newborn fawn.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40'She left her there, hoping her mother would come back and find her,
0:20:40 > 0:20:43'but it didn't quite work out that way.'
0:20:43 > 0:20:46The next day I started hearing the crying
0:20:46 > 0:20:50and that went on for three days, and so that was it. I thought, this is crazy,
0:20:50 > 0:20:52I'm taking her in.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55And the only reason I put her on the dog's bed is because it was the
0:20:55 > 0:20:59only spot to put her and Kate took one look at her
0:20:59 > 0:21:01and that was it.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03It was "Thank you, I'll take over now."
0:21:03 > 0:21:07- Oh, stop it. That just melts your heart, doesn't it?- It did, yeah.
0:21:10 > 0:21:14'This is a film Isobel took of those early days together.'
0:21:14 > 0:21:19- There is this maternal behaviour going on with Kate?- Yes, definitely.
0:21:19 > 0:21:23She's never had puppies, but when it comes to little things, she's maternal.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25But did Kate ever suckle...?
0:21:25 > 0:21:28- No, she had nothing to suckle with, but she would try.- Really?
0:21:28 > 0:21:30- Oh, boy did she try. - Pippen tried to suckle?
0:21:30 > 0:21:33Yes, Kate would stand there and she'd be bunting and bunting
0:21:33 > 0:21:37- and bunting and Kate was so patient, she never told her off.- Really?
0:21:37 > 0:21:40No, and we'd be getting the bottle ready and she would be bunting
0:21:40 > 0:21:43and sucking on nothing, you know? Poor Kate.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46Oh, my gosh and Kate was like, it's OK, I'm just going to take it.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48She'd just hump her back and stand there.
0:21:51 > 0:21:56And so at what point did Pippen begin to sort of
0:21:56 > 0:21:58get back to the wild, would you say?
0:21:58 > 0:22:01Two weeks old. Yeah.
0:22:01 > 0:22:03- Two weeks old? - Two weeks old, yeah.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06At two weeks she insisted on sleeping in the woods on her own at night.
0:22:06 > 0:22:10Then we thought well, if something eats her, that's the way it's going to go.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12We can't interfere.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16Would Kate ever follow her into the woods at night?
0:22:16 > 0:22:18Oh, yeah, Kate would follow her.
0:22:18 > 0:22:20Sometimes she'd watch her go and be like, "Oh..."
0:22:28 > 0:22:30"..She's gone"
0:22:36 > 0:22:38But then she never left Kate, did she?
0:22:38 > 0:22:40I mean, she didn't disappear forever.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42- No, she'd come back every day, every day.- Every single day?
0:22:42 > 0:22:44Every single day.
0:22:57 > 0:23:01So how long did this maternal behaviour carry on?
0:23:01 > 0:23:04Probably until Pip was about six months old
0:23:04 > 0:23:08and then it turned into a friendship play time, buddy thing.
0:23:08 > 0:23:12The older Pip got, the more they would play like friends.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22It's nothing like I've ever seen before.
0:23:22 > 0:23:24It's not like a dog and a dog playing, it wasn't like a deer
0:23:24 > 0:23:26and a deer playing.
0:23:32 > 0:23:36Kate toned down the aggression a little bit with the play,
0:23:36 > 0:23:38she would be more aggressive playing with another dog
0:23:38 > 0:23:40but with Pippin she was more careful.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43And Pippin seemed to be a little more rough than I've seen a deer be.
0:23:43 > 0:23:47So it was two different species compromising.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52They would smack into each other and run and leap
0:23:52 > 0:23:56and do their neck twirls and lick.
0:23:56 > 0:23:58It was really funny to watch.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03How old are these two now? How long have they known each other?
0:24:03 > 0:24:08Five years and I think Pip has had...
0:24:08 > 0:24:10seven fawns now.
0:24:10 > 0:24:14'Pippin spends the majority of her time with the wild herd.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17But she returns to the area surrounding the house each
0:24:17 > 0:24:20'year to give birth to her fawns.'
0:24:20 > 0:24:23You know, the beginning of their relationship was
0:24:23 > 0:24:26a maternal nurturing sort of relationship.
0:24:26 > 0:24:27And now it's like old friends.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30And now it's like old friends. What makes you think that?
0:24:30 > 0:24:34The way they greet each other, they don't greet each other like, "Hey, whoa!"
0:24:34 > 0:24:38They greet each other like you would a really good old friend that
0:24:38 > 0:24:40you see quite often and you're just,
0:24:40 > 0:24:43"How you doing?" And just hang out.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46- You don't even have to talk. - Do they play still?
0:24:46 > 0:24:49No, they don't play, they're too mature for that now.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51Pip's a mum, she doesn't play.
0:24:51 > 0:24:55But all they do now is walk up, maybe do a little nuzzle.
0:24:55 > 0:24:56Kate will lick.
0:24:56 > 0:25:01Pip loves to lick Kate and they just hang for a few minutes
0:25:01 > 0:25:05and then they'll flop down in the shade together and just hang.
0:25:05 > 0:25:10And how long will Pippin stay with Kate at any one time?
0:25:10 > 0:25:13She can be here for three or four hours sometimes.
0:25:13 > 0:25:14She'll come in right into here
0:25:14 > 0:25:18and sleep on one of the dog beds with her sometimes.
0:25:18 > 0:25:22Even if we were gone for five years and came back, they would
0:25:22 > 0:25:25greet each other as old friends and it would be the same, yeah.
0:25:27 > 0:25:32'This is a lifelong bond, formed from a maternal instinct that developed
0:25:32 > 0:25:36'and was cemented by years of playing and spending time together.'
0:25:39 > 0:25:44The relationship between Kate and Pippin is remarkable.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47Two animals seeking each other out to spend time together
0:25:47 > 0:25:52without the constraints that are often made by man and to me,
0:25:52 > 0:25:57that makes this animal friendship far more compelling than in captive situations.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05'So far, I've met many different animal friends that have
0:26:05 > 0:26:08'found each other through their unusual circumstances.
0:26:08 > 0:26:12'Be they in captivity or in the wild.
0:26:12 > 0:26:16'And it's clear how important play and close interactions can be
0:26:16 > 0:26:21'for maintaining those bonds, and even for keeping an animal alive.
0:26:23 > 0:26:25'But hearing how Kate looked after Pippin
0:26:25 > 0:26:27'when she was a tiny fawn
0:26:27 > 0:26:29'introduces another important reason
0:26:29 > 0:26:35'for animals of different species to come together - the mothering instinct.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41'On the next step of my journey, I'm going to investigate
0:26:41 > 0:26:44'stories of misplaced mothering that defy belief.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49'Incidents of predators ignoring their hunting instincts
0:26:49 > 0:26:54'and instead caring for young animals that should be their prey.
0:26:58 > 0:27:02'But first I'm going to the south of the USA, to Mountain Home, Arkansas
0:27:02 > 0:27:07'and a wildlife refuge that is home to a remarkable super-mum.
0:27:11 > 0:27:15'This refuge takes on many abandoned animals in need
0:27:15 > 0:27:19'and it's run by a devoted carer named Janice.
0:27:25 > 0:27:29'But it's her capybara, Cheesecake, who is the star of the show.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34'She may be the world's largest species of rodent,
0:27:34 > 0:27:38'but she's also an excellent foster mum to a litter of puppies.'
0:27:47 > 0:27:53So how did this scenario arise, Janice? I mean, this capybara is
0:27:53 > 0:27:57surrounded by I don't know how many puppies, I've lost count!
0:27:57 > 0:28:01Yeah, it's just one day I had a litter of orphaned puppies
0:28:01 > 0:28:04that were ready to move out of the house and this was the most
0:28:04 > 0:28:08secure pen for a little puppy, and I knew she was social with
0:28:08 > 0:28:12other animals and she took right to it and she's had every litter since.
0:28:12 > 0:28:15- And erm... - So how many litters has she had?
0:28:15 > 0:28:17This year alone she's on number four
0:28:17 > 0:28:20and there's another one coming up soon, so...
0:28:20 > 0:28:23So you get - unfortunately - a lot of puppies
0:28:23 > 0:28:25given to you from abandoned litters?
0:28:25 > 0:28:29I rescue a lot of pregnant mamas or mamas that have just given birth
0:28:29 > 0:28:31that are in dire straits, with nowhere to go
0:28:31 > 0:28:34and one of the specialties I do, is special needs animals.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37So it's an unfortunate situation, but
0:28:37 > 0:28:41when you say the capybara mothers these pups, what do you mean?
0:28:41 > 0:28:44She sleeps with them, she eats with them,
0:28:44 > 0:28:46She'll...
0:28:46 > 0:28:50They'll play with her, they'll groom her and she seems to enjoy it.
0:28:53 > 0:28:57I think she just has kind of that aura around her that makes them
0:28:57 > 0:29:00feel safe and secure.
0:29:00 > 0:29:03'Cheesecake has never had her own young,
0:29:03 > 0:29:07'but being a capybara, she knows exactly what to do with this lot.
0:29:09 > 0:29:14'In the wild, capybara help to look after each other's young,
0:29:14 > 0:29:17sharing the parenting duties.
0:29:17 > 0:29:20'And what she's demonstrating is just how powerful
0:29:20 > 0:29:21'that mothering instinct is.'
0:29:24 > 0:29:28So perhaps Cheesecake here, in this captive situation,
0:29:28 > 0:29:32has become such an excellent foster mother because her natural
0:29:32 > 0:29:36instincts to take care of little ones have kicked in.
0:29:38 > 0:29:41And I'm taking that one home. you know that, don't you?
0:29:41 > 0:29:42- You can have that one.- Good stuff.
0:29:47 > 0:29:50'The mothering instinct may come easily to a plant-eating
0:29:50 > 0:29:52'super-mum like the capybara,
0:29:52 > 0:29:56'but can it explain why a predator would choose to mother
0:29:56 > 0:29:58'what would normally be its prey?
0:30:02 > 0:30:05'In Ireland, just outside the town of Clara, county Offaly,
0:30:05 > 0:30:09'lives a young couple with the most remarkable story to tell.
0:30:12 > 0:30:15'Ronan and Emma Lally own a small farm that they run
0:30:15 > 0:30:17'alongside their day jobs.
0:30:23 > 0:30:27'They have a lovely collection of animals, but wanted some ducks
0:30:27 > 0:30:31'to complete the picture, so they got in some fertilised eggs.
0:30:32 > 0:30:36'On the day they hatched, Ronan went to check on them
0:30:36 > 0:30:39'but couldn't find the ducklings in the barn.'
0:30:39 > 0:30:42Within seconds of that, a cat jumped down from a pigeon hole
0:30:42 > 0:30:46within the shed over there and I kind of put one and one together
0:30:46 > 0:30:51and just presumed that the cat had swallowed up the ducklings.
0:30:51 > 0:30:53At this stage they were missing for about six hours,
0:30:53 > 0:30:55so Ronan thought there was no hope at all.
0:30:55 > 0:30:59After searching round the farm they eventually found the ducklings,
0:30:59 > 0:31:03but unfortunately the cat, Della, had got there first.
0:31:03 > 0:31:08I ended up catching the cat with a duck in her mouth at this stage
0:31:08 > 0:31:11and it really looked... Ronan was like she's going to kill the duck.
0:31:11 > 0:31:14I was thinking, "Oh, no, we're only after getting them back
0:31:14 > 0:31:17"and now she's going to eat them right in front of us."
0:31:17 > 0:31:20'Then Emma noticed something unusual.'
0:31:20 > 0:31:23I was like "Ronan, she's not actually forcefully holding this duck."
0:31:23 > 0:31:28That's when the amazing thing happened. We put the cat down,
0:31:28 > 0:31:30put the ducklings down and then all of a sudden,
0:31:30 > 0:31:33the three little ducklings waddled straight underneath the cat,
0:31:33 > 0:31:37the cat lay down on her side, put her paw over one of the little
0:31:37 > 0:31:41ducklings and was kind of nursing the ducklings in towards her.
0:31:41 > 0:31:44So we were just absolutely blown away by this.
0:31:44 > 0:31:47Cos normally the cats would eat little small birds,
0:31:47 > 0:31:51but it was awesome, just incredible to see it.
0:31:51 > 0:31:54She was very content at this stage. She was purring
0:31:54 > 0:31:58and she was really loving towards the ducklings.
0:31:58 > 0:32:01When I was petting her down I noticed that she actually had
0:32:01 > 0:32:06given birth to three kittens, within an hour or so before hand.
0:32:08 > 0:32:11'It was a very lucky coincidence for the ducklings that the cat
0:32:11 > 0:32:15'found them just after giving birth herself.
0:32:15 > 0:32:19'For a narrow window of a couple of hours, mothering hormones will
0:32:19 > 0:32:22'have been coursing through her body, causing her to love
0:32:22 > 0:32:27'and nurture any small, warm, furry creature she found next to her.'
0:32:30 > 0:32:34I have no doubt whatsoever that the cat was thinking "dinner" if she had
0:32:34 > 0:32:38seen them maybe a couple of hours before or a couple of hours after.
0:32:38 > 0:32:41I have no doubt that she would have put the napkin round her neck,
0:32:41 > 0:32:44knife and fork, salt and pepper - the whole lot.
0:32:44 > 0:32:47'But it was when they came to move the unusual
0:32:47 > 0:32:51'family into a safer spot that they got an even greater surprise.
0:32:51 > 0:32:55As soon as we lifted up the cat, that's when we were totally amazed,
0:32:55 > 0:33:00cos the ducklings were actually latched on to the cat's nipple.
0:33:00 > 0:33:04They were hanging from her. Yeah, it was very bizarre.
0:33:04 > 0:33:08When we'd seen them breastfeeding, we just thought "My God, there's something very strange
0:33:08 > 0:33:10"happening here." Something very strange
0:33:10 > 0:33:12but also very unique, you know?
0:33:15 > 0:33:18'Duck mums don't produce milk and ducklings are born
0:33:18 > 0:33:23'ready to find their own food and water from their surroundings.
0:33:23 > 0:33:26'So to see them suckling a cat is extraordinary.
0:33:28 > 0:33:32'Experts can only guess that their natural foraging instinct
0:33:32 > 0:33:37'caused them to come upon the milk as an unexpected food source
0:33:37 > 0:33:39'and their desire for warmth and comfort
0:33:39 > 0:33:41'kept them close to their foster mother.
0:33:44 > 0:33:48'Ronan was keen to separate the ducks, fearful the cat's predatory
0:33:48 > 0:33:52'instincts might kick back in. But Emma,
0:33:52 > 0:33:57'being a midwife, recognised something that she regularly sees at work.
0:33:57 > 0:33:59There was just so much love there, you know?
0:33:59 > 0:34:03And, like, I see it every day in the labour ward,
0:34:03 > 0:34:06they just want to hold them babies so tight and close.
0:34:06 > 0:34:08It's a moment that just lasts forever
0:34:08 > 0:34:12and I could see that happening with the cat and the ducks.
0:34:12 > 0:34:16It just took me a while to convince Ronan, I just said, "Ronan, they're just so in love."
0:34:16 > 0:34:20They just love each other, you can't break this bond, it's amazing.
0:34:20 > 0:34:25'Before long, the ducklings started to outgrow the kittens and gain
0:34:25 > 0:34:28'their independence, something the cat wasn't so happy with.'
0:34:30 > 0:34:34These ducks - her yellow kittens were a lot more active
0:34:34 > 0:34:37and she found it hard to control them.
0:34:37 > 0:34:40She was trying to bring them back underneath her
0:34:40 > 0:34:42and say, "Now, be good like your brothers and sisters."
0:34:50 > 0:34:54'Several weeks later, the kittens are still small and the ducks -
0:34:54 > 0:34:59'although independent - still have an attachment to their surrogate mum.
0:35:04 > 0:35:07'So it would seem that this rare coincidence of a cat giving
0:35:07 > 0:35:12'birth just as the ducklings were making their first steps into the world
0:35:12 > 0:35:15'resulted in this remarkable situation.
0:35:15 > 0:35:18'Filled with an instinct to mother small furry creatures,
0:35:18 > 0:35:22'the cat ignored any natural urge to eat the ducklings,
0:35:22 > 0:35:24'and took them on as her own.'
0:35:31 > 0:35:36Now, it could be argued that all of this only happened because it was a
0:35:36 > 0:35:40domestic situation with animals that were unusually close to each other.
0:35:40 > 0:35:43But there are other examples that suggest the mothering
0:35:43 > 0:35:47instinct is so strong, this can even happen in the wild.
0:35:47 > 0:35:53A few years ago, the most surprising example of misplaced mothering took place in Kenya.
0:35:54 > 0:36:01'The story of this lioness and oryx has an unhappy ending, but not for the reason you might think.
0:36:03 > 0:36:07'A newborn oryx, surely just minutes from being this lion's next meal...
0:36:09 > 0:36:12'But to the complete amazement of the rangers who were
0:36:12 > 0:36:17'monitoring the situation, the lioness didn't try to eat it.
0:36:17 > 0:36:21'Instead, she cared for it as if it were her own young.
0:36:21 > 0:36:25'Just like the cat with her ducklings, a strong instinct to
0:36:25 > 0:36:31'protect and nurture was overriding the predatory instinct to kill it.'
0:36:31 > 0:36:33Many theories were put forward as to why
0:36:33 > 0:36:37she was behaving in this way and the consensus was that she was
0:36:37 > 0:36:41a young lioness who'd gone through some kind of traumatic experience
0:36:41 > 0:36:45involving being separated from her pride, and as a result, her
0:36:45 > 0:36:49mental state had led her to want to nurture this calf in some way.
0:36:51 > 0:36:56'But unfortunately, the relationship came to a sudden end.
0:36:56 > 0:37:01'When the lioness took her eye off the calf for just a few moments...
0:37:01 > 0:37:03'a male lion pounced and killed it.
0:37:09 > 0:37:13'Witnesses described her behaviour as exactly that
0:37:13 > 0:37:15'of a lioness who had lost her cubs.
0:37:17 > 0:37:18'Heartbreaking to watch.'
0:37:23 > 0:37:27Everyone thought that was the end of the story,
0:37:27 > 0:37:33but the lioness went on to adopt not one, but five more oryx calves.
0:37:33 > 0:37:36Now, none of the relationships lasted as long as the first one,
0:37:36 > 0:37:41but this continuing fixation points to a traumatised animal, desperate
0:37:41 > 0:37:45to nurture, even if the young in question isn't her own species.
0:37:47 > 0:37:51The lioness was always going to struggle to keep the calves alive,
0:37:51 > 0:37:54especially as she wasn't able to feed them.
0:37:54 > 0:37:58But there is an example of cross-species mothering
0:37:58 > 0:38:01I've read about that caused a real stir in the scientific community
0:38:01 > 0:38:05because not only was it in the wild, but it was long lasting.
0:38:07 > 0:38:12'I've travelled to Sao Paulo in Brazil to find out what happened.'
0:38:16 > 0:38:18Hey, come over here.
0:38:21 > 0:38:23Hello there.
0:38:27 > 0:38:30These little fellas are called marmosets.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33They are one of the world's smallest monkeys.
0:38:33 > 0:38:37I mean this is it, they get this big when they're fully grown.
0:38:37 > 0:38:41Is it even conceivable to think that one of these could be
0:38:41 > 0:38:45adopted by a completely different species out in the wild?
0:38:47 > 0:38:50They are so absurdly cute.
0:38:50 > 0:38:52I mean, what animal wouldn't want to adopt them?
0:38:54 > 0:38:58'And one group of scientists discovered exactly that.
0:39:02 > 0:39:06'It occurred in a forest reserve in the heart of Brazil,
0:39:06 > 0:39:10'between a baby marmoset and a group of capuchin monkeys.
0:39:17 > 0:39:21'I meet up with Professor Patricia Izar, one of the scientists
0:39:21 > 0:39:26'who witnessed this rare event - the only long-term cross-species mothering
0:39:26 > 0:39:30'that's ever been documented in the wild.'
0:39:30 > 0:39:34When the marmosets, they encounter the capuchins, usually they go away.
0:39:34 > 0:39:37They are afraid of the capuchins.
0:39:37 > 0:39:41They hunt for small mammals, small rodents and marsupials
0:39:41 > 0:39:43and even small primates.
0:39:43 > 0:39:45- So they've been known to eat a little marmoset or two.- Yeah.
0:39:45 > 0:39:49OK, which makes this entire episode
0:39:49 > 0:39:52- which you were privy to, even more unusual.- Yes.
0:39:52 > 0:39:56Suddenly one day, the female appeared with a very,
0:39:56 > 0:40:00very tiny marmoset, probably days old.
0:40:00 > 0:40:04She was carrying the marmoset as if she was carrying her own baby.
0:40:04 > 0:40:08'This in itself was extremely unusual,
0:40:08 > 0:40:12'but what happened next almost certainly saved the marmoset's life.
0:40:12 > 0:40:17'The capuchin allowed the baby marmoset to breastfeed.'
0:40:17 > 0:40:21She was here with her mouth and the capuchin's nipple.
0:40:21 > 0:40:25We couldn't tell for sure that she was suckling,
0:40:25 > 0:40:30but she was in that position several times a day as a baby capuchin,
0:40:30 > 0:40:33as she would do with a marmoset mother - and she survived.
0:40:33 > 0:40:35What did you think when you first saw that?
0:40:35 > 0:40:38That for us was really, really amazing.
0:40:38 > 0:40:41That's unheard of, it's completely unique, this case, isn't it?
0:40:41 > 0:40:43Completely unique, yes.
0:40:43 > 0:40:48'Over the coming months, the marmoset became very much part of the group.
0:40:48 > 0:40:52'But there were some differences in the way she was treated.'
0:40:52 > 0:40:56How does it manage to integrate into a group that is essentially
0:40:56 > 0:40:58very different in its behaviour, its ecology and everything?
0:40:58 > 0:41:00- Perfectly!- Did it work well?
0:41:00 > 0:41:03Yes, in fact the dominant male,
0:41:03 > 0:41:06sometimes we saw that he was treating her
0:41:06 > 0:41:09more or less like we treat our pets.
0:41:11 > 0:41:17'So is this possible? Can animals other than humans keep pets?
0:41:17 > 0:41:22'Patricia has some footage that sheds more light on the relationship.'
0:41:23 > 0:41:25She just looks like one of the pebbles
0:41:25 > 0:41:28they use to crack the nuts, she's that small.
0:41:28 > 0:41:33I'm surprised they didn't squash her by accident. She's so tiny.
0:41:33 > 0:41:35Cracking a nut.
0:41:35 > 0:41:38Is she going to go in for some? And is he going to allow her?
0:41:38 > 0:41:40Yes, see, see the proximity.
0:41:40 > 0:41:44He's fine with her. Why do you think he's so relaxed?
0:41:44 > 0:41:49Because I think she's so tiny, tiny, he doesn't see her as a competition.
0:41:53 > 0:41:55He's watched her take some of the nut...
0:41:55 > 0:41:57And that's OK.
0:41:57 > 0:42:01It's just adorable to watch in action, isn't it?
0:42:01 > 0:42:03And he let her, you know? He's not stupid.
0:42:03 > 0:42:05He wouldn't let her do it if he didn't want her to.
0:42:05 > 0:42:09- So is she like his little toy? She's so cute.- His little pet.
0:42:09 > 0:42:12He can't help but just let her get away with murder,
0:42:12 > 0:42:15compared to the other capuchins, you know?
0:42:15 > 0:42:19'A wild animal keeping another species as a pet
0:42:19 > 0:42:23'is unheard of and would be a hugely significant discovery.'
0:42:25 > 0:42:28And great tool use as well. By the by,
0:42:28 > 0:42:32these are very clever monkeys, there's no question.
0:42:32 > 0:42:38'Tool use was once considered a uniquely human activity, so could
0:42:38 > 0:42:42'pet keeping be another behaviour that we share with other animals?
0:42:44 > 0:42:47'We'll never know in this case as sadly, the marmoset
0:42:47 > 0:42:50'disappeared after 14 months.
0:42:50 > 0:42:52'Maybe a predator got her,
0:42:52 > 0:42:54'or perhaps she joined another group of marmosets.'
0:42:56 > 0:43:00But it does make me wonder if there are any other
0:43:00 > 0:43:04examples of animals that might keep pets and if this could be
0:43:04 > 0:43:07another reason for different species to hang out with each other.
0:43:17 > 0:43:19'I've tracked down another unusual friendship from a clip
0:43:19 > 0:43:22'I've seen on the internet.
0:43:22 > 0:43:25'It might just be an example of pet keeping in animals,
0:43:25 > 0:43:27'and one that I can visit for myself.
0:43:30 > 0:43:34'The animals in question live on the east coast of the US,
0:43:34 > 0:43:39'near the tourist resort of Myrtle Beach in South Carolina.
0:43:39 > 0:43:42'To track them down, I've headed away from the crowds to a quiet
0:43:42 > 0:43:45'suburb on the banks of an inland river system.
0:43:57 > 0:44:03'Here an animal trainer named Doc Antle runs a wildlife safari park
0:44:03 > 0:44:06'with an exotic collection of animals that includes
0:44:06 > 0:44:10'a hound named Roscoe and an orang-utan named Hanuman
0:44:10 > 0:44:13'that appears to be treating the dog like a pet.
0:44:16 > 0:44:20'Doc is currently training Hanuman to take Roscoe for a walk,
0:44:20 > 0:44:25'but Hanuman seems to be taking it a step further.'
0:44:25 > 0:44:28- He just kind of holds on to you for security.- I'm good with that.
0:44:28 > 0:44:30- You're the tree at the moment. - I can be a tree.
0:44:30 > 0:44:32BLOWS RASPBERRY
0:44:33 > 0:44:38How long have Hanuman and Roscoe been friends?
0:44:38 > 0:44:41They've known each other for the last seven years now.
0:44:41 > 0:44:44And how did it all begin? Because it is a bit of an odd couple, isn't it?
0:44:44 > 0:44:46They are an odd couple.
0:44:46 > 0:44:51They met each other by time that they spend down on the river.
0:44:51 > 0:44:55'Doc often takes his elephant and some of the orang-utans
0:44:55 > 0:44:58'down to the river to cool off and have some fun in the water.
0:44:58 > 0:45:02'But on one occasion back in 2006, they came across
0:45:02 > 0:45:05'a stray hound dog on their route.
0:45:05 > 0:45:10'One of the orangs - Suriya - jumped down and started playing with the hound
0:45:10 > 0:45:12'and they instantly hit it off.
0:45:12 > 0:45:15''Before long all the orangs were playing
0:45:15 > 0:45:18'and the dog had a new group of friends.'
0:45:18 > 0:45:20They then grab each other and play and pet
0:45:20 > 0:45:23and start being kids goofing around on the water.
0:45:23 > 0:45:26And it just engaged them
0:45:26 > 0:45:29and they thought that he was a fabulous guy.
0:45:29 > 0:45:32'At the end of the day Doc headed back,
0:45:32 > 0:45:35'hoping the stray dog would find its own way home.
0:45:35 > 0:45:39'But the hound, who they later named Roscoe, had other ideas.'
0:45:39 > 0:45:43The dog had made his way into the secure gated area
0:45:43 > 0:45:45and he was there with them.
0:45:45 > 0:45:49And they have a constant supply of food there and water.
0:45:49 > 0:45:50They put out the water for him
0:45:50 > 0:45:53and they also started taking monkey biscuits...
0:45:53 > 0:45:56- Oh, no, he likes my bracelet. - He's probably just going to look at it.
0:45:56 > 0:46:00They started taking monkey biscuits and handing him monkey biscuits.
0:46:00 > 0:46:03So they were like, "We want to hang out with Roscoe."
0:46:03 > 0:46:08And Roscoe was in that state of really, hunger and he ate everything
0:46:08 > 0:46:12they would give him until he looked like he'd swallowed a basketball.
0:46:14 > 0:46:17'Dogs have evolved to be excellent pets
0:46:17 > 0:46:21'and for the orangs to be feeding and caring for Roscoe, suggests
0:46:21 > 0:46:25'they may have been treating him like one, but can that really be the case?
0:46:25 > 0:46:29'If so, that is extraordinary.'
0:46:29 > 0:46:32Now, we still think to this day, I think, that humans are
0:46:32 > 0:46:36the only animals that keep pets,
0:46:36 > 0:46:40but, you know, these orang-utans are very closely related to us. They are great apes as well.
0:46:40 > 0:46:45Do you think it's even possible that they think of Roscoe as a pet?
0:46:45 > 0:46:49I think it's like a boy and his dog. He says, "I've got my pet dog,
0:46:49 > 0:46:52"we'll go out, we'll play fetch, we have an incredible time together.
0:46:52 > 0:46:56"I love my dog. Now I'm drifting off, I'm with my parents, it's time
0:46:56 > 0:47:00"for dinner, I'm going to go play baseball." And the dog becomes very secondary.
0:47:00 > 0:47:02I think it's more like that. They love him at the moment,
0:47:02 > 0:47:04I don't think they pine away for him
0:47:04 > 0:47:09or wonder where he is or miss him like you might see adult
0:47:09 > 0:47:13humans doing to a dog where they become really emotionally attached.
0:47:15 > 0:47:18'Pet keeping can be defined as looking after
0:47:18 > 0:47:21'an animal of another species with a level of care and affection,
0:47:21 > 0:47:25'primarily for reasons of pleasure.
0:47:25 > 0:47:29'And a very significant part of that care is of course, feeding them.
0:47:29 > 0:47:34Whose is this? What's that? Do you want that? You want it. You want another one?
0:47:34 > 0:47:36You want to give it to Roscoe?
0:47:36 > 0:47:38Oh my gosh, look at that.
0:47:38 > 0:47:41He wants it, you know he wants it. Yeah, you knew.
0:47:41 > 0:47:46See, he wanted to do it that way though.
0:47:46 > 0:47:50'Today Hanuman hangs out with Roscoe whenever he can,
0:47:50 > 0:47:53'and they seem to have a real level of affection for each other.
0:47:53 > 0:47:56'They even go swimming together.
0:47:58 > 0:48:00'Hanuman is one of only two apes in the whole world
0:48:00 > 0:48:02'that can swim like this.
0:48:04 > 0:48:07'Now, both animals are obviously trained,
0:48:07 > 0:48:11'So I wonder how much that affects what I'm seeing.
0:48:11 > 0:48:14'To get a scientific perspective on their relationship,
0:48:14 > 0:48:16'I've brought along Professor Hal Herzog,
0:48:16 > 0:48:19'an animal behaviourist who has been investigating pet
0:48:19 > 0:48:24'keeping in humans and other animals for many years.'
0:48:24 > 0:48:25Amazing.
0:48:25 > 0:48:28You see, eyes wide open, couple of bubbles out of the mouth,
0:48:28 > 0:48:31happily swimming in the pool. I've never seen that, have you?
0:48:31 > 0:48:35- Never!- Orang-utans in a swimming pool!- Never.
0:48:35 > 0:48:37Hal, what do you make of this relationship?
0:48:37 > 0:48:40You've watched the orang-utan and the dog - what do you make of it?
0:48:40 > 0:48:42There's a couple of relationships going on.
0:48:42 > 0:48:44The relationship with the orang and the dog is absolutely
0:48:44 > 0:48:48stunning and it's very clear that they have a deep relationship.
0:48:48 > 0:48:52The thing that impressed me the most was food sharing.
0:48:52 > 0:48:58Was the orang-utan being perfectly happy taking orang-utan chow,
0:48:58 > 0:49:00- you know, not dog food. - It was monkey chow.
0:49:00 > 0:49:04It was monkey chow for sure, and giving it to Roscoe.
0:49:04 > 0:49:06It was quite stunning.
0:49:06 > 0:49:10So what do you think that means that a great ape would share food
0:49:10 > 0:49:13with a completely different species? What do you think is going on in its head?
0:49:13 > 0:49:18I think to some extent, it means that the great ape is recognising
0:49:18 > 0:49:23the existence of the dog as a, in a way, a like-minded creature,
0:49:23 > 0:49:26it's treating it like a like-minded creature, just the way
0:49:26 > 0:49:30we would a dog or cat in our lives.
0:49:30 > 0:49:33Do you think we can call this pet keeping?
0:49:33 > 0:49:36- ROSCOE BARKS - I would...
0:49:36 > 0:49:39- Roscoe doesn't think so. - Roscoe thinks so.
0:49:39 > 0:49:42You say yes, you see I'm far too cynical in my old age.
0:49:42 > 0:49:44What do you think?
0:49:44 > 0:49:47I think the relationship that those guys have would
0:49:47 > 0:49:50- fall into my definition of pet keeping.- Really?- Yes.
0:49:50 > 0:49:53- For you to say that is a big deal. - It is a big deal, but the thing that's interesting for me
0:49:53 > 0:49:58is that these relationships don't seem to exist outside human agency.
0:49:58 > 0:50:02And maybe the biggest part of the human agency is having a full stomach.
0:50:03 > 0:50:07'Hal believes that in the wild, animals are too busy finding
0:50:07 > 0:50:11'food and avoiding predators to have the time to devote to another
0:50:11 > 0:50:14'animal in the way we might look after a pet.
0:50:15 > 0:50:19I argue that humans are the only animals that keep pets.
0:50:19 > 0:50:23Although you do see the rudiments of the motivation in other animals
0:50:23 > 0:50:27and to me what the orang-utan here is doing is exemplifying that.
0:50:27 > 0:50:32That the rudiments of the urge to keep pets are right here in South Carolina.
0:50:32 > 0:50:36This is the perfect storm here. You've got a human being,
0:50:36 > 0:50:40Doc, who understands animals at a very, very deep level.
0:50:40 > 0:50:43You've got this ideal situation where there's plenty of food
0:50:43 > 0:50:47and what this shows is that great apes
0:50:47 > 0:50:51and probably a lot of other animals are capable of deeply loving members
0:50:51 > 0:50:56of another species, but they don't seem to do it in the real world.
0:50:56 > 0:50:58As far as I know with one exception.
0:50:58 > 0:51:02It was a case in Brazil where a group of primatologists
0:51:02 > 0:51:05discovered a troop of capuchin monkeys,
0:51:05 > 0:51:11- and they adopted a two-month-old marmoset, a baby marmoset. - I know the case, we covered it.
0:51:11 > 0:51:13It's absolutely fascinating.
0:51:13 > 0:51:18To me this does have the elements that you see in human pet keeping.
0:51:18 > 0:51:21It's that the relationship is one of fondness,
0:51:21 > 0:51:23they are not getting anything out of it, they were feeding
0:51:23 > 0:51:26the creature, they liked it that much and protecting it.
0:51:26 > 0:51:29But the other thing is it was long lasting.
0:51:29 > 0:51:32To me it's the closest thing to what I would call human pet keeping.
0:51:32 > 0:51:37But, the thing is, it's one case of the millions of hours that
0:51:37 > 0:51:40primatologists have, you know...
0:51:40 > 0:51:44spent with their glasses looking at trees.
0:51:44 > 0:51:45It's the only case!
0:51:47 > 0:51:51The fact that the potential for pet keeping exists in animals
0:51:51 > 0:51:54other than ourselves is revolutionary.
0:51:54 > 0:51:57But it's also forcing scientists like Hal to rethink what
0:51:57 > 0:51:59they know about animal minds.
0:51:59 > 0:52:03And that's what is so fascinating about the journey I've been on.
0:52:05 > 0:52:09'By looking at some of the most extreme, unusual
0:52:09 > 0:52:14'and surprising animal friendships, we can gain a better understanding
0:52:14 > 0:52:19'of the powerful instincts and needs that motivate all animals.
0:52:19 > 0:52:24'Drives that are so strong they can sometimes cross the species divide.
0:52:30 > 0:52:34But there is one last pairing that truly challenges what science
0:52:34 > 0:52:36knows about animal relationships.
0:52:36 > 0:52:40And that's because it involves a question of animal attraction
0:52:40 > 0:52:41and possibly even love.
0:52:44 > 0:52:47'And to witness this odd couple,
0:52:47 > 0:52:52'I'm visiting a safari park in South Africa, not far from Pretoria,
0:52:52 > 0:52:58'to meet a kudu - a species of antelope - named Charles.'
0:52:58 > 0:53:00He's a fine specimen.
0:53:02 > 0:53:04Charles is a male kudu
0:53:04 > 0:53:08and he belongs to a wild herd here in this reserve in South Africa.
0:53:08 > 0:53:10Now, in a kudu herd,
0:53:10 > 0:53:13only the dominant male breeds at any one time and the rest
0:53:13 > 0:53:18of the males disperse into bachelor herds or they become solitary kudus
0:53:18 > 0:53:23until they get the chance to usurp the alpha male and grab the throne.
0:53:23 > 0:53:27And Charles is one of these solitary males, for now at least.
0:53:33 > 0:53:35He's by the fence.
0:53:35 > 0:53:39'However, this hasn't curbed Charles' desire to find a mate.
0:53:39 > 0:53:44'And in a neighbouring reserve lives a female he has taken a fancy to.'
0:53:44 > 0:53:48When Charles was almost a year old, he began keeping company with
0:53:48 > 0:53:51a female he probably shouldn't be seeking out in the first place.
0:53:51 > 0:53:56And the only way he could reach her was by jumping this fence.
0:54:00 > 0:54:01There he is!
0:54:04 > 0:54:09Now the fact that these animals can jump a fence this high
0:54:09 > 0:54:12without taking a running jump is pretty impressive,
0:54:12 > 0:54:17but it also does show quite a bit of commitment for his lady love.
0:54:17 > 0:54:19And he's definitely on a mission.
0:54:33 > 0:54:37Now, ever since he's followed her around.
0:54:37 > 0:54:38He's been hanging out with her
0:54:38 > 0:54:41and the rangers have called this female Camilla.
0:54:41 > 0:54:45Now, just last week, for the first time ever,
0:54:45 > 0:54:50Charles tried to mate with Camilla, and it wasn't successful
0:54:50 > 0:54:54to say the least, because Camilla happens to be
0:54:54 > 0:54:55a giraffe.
0:54:59 > 0:55:02'I've heard that Charles has jumped the fence into the reserve,
0:55:02 > 0:55:06'so if I'm lucky, I'll get to see them together.'
0:55:06 > 0:55:12There he is, there's Charles and he is coming down the hill...
0:55:12 > 0:55:15to Camilla.
0:55:19 > 0:55:22Gosh, he's so handsome.
0:55:22 > 0:55:26I can see why Camilla might be attracted to him.
0:55:45 > 0:55:47'When they meet, they do seem to prefer
0:55:47 > 0:55:52'spending time with each other rather than the other animals in the area.'
0:56:03 > 0:56:07'And it certainly looks like Charles and Camilla are more than just good friends.'
0:56:14 > 0:56:18Charles and Camilla started hanging out when they were juveniles,
0:56:18 > 0:56:23so that does point to a relationship based on attachment hormones, companionship.
0:56:23 > 0:56:28But then it did turn into something a lot more primal.
0:56:28 > 0:56:32Now in the wild, some animals have been known to be attracted to
0:56:32 > 0:56:37females from another species that resemble a fatter, healthier,
0:56:37 > 0:56:40more fecund version of their own species.
0:56:40 > 0:56:44But when you look at this kudu and this giraffe...
0:56:44 > 0:56:48it's kind of pushing that theory to the extremes, isn't it?
0:56:48 > 0:56:53So is this a rare anomaly?
0:56:53 > 0:56:54Or is it just that we haven't been able
0:56:54 > 0:56:57to understand this kind of behaviour yet?
0:56:57 > 0:57:01Either way, I love this story, because it just goes to show
0:57:01 > 0:57:04how much we still need to learn about the animal kingdom.
0:57:25 > 0:57:29She's following him, guys.
0:57:29 > 0:57:31She's actually following him.
0:57:34 > 0:57:37Aww, really nice end to the story.
0:57:42 > 0:57:46We've seen how different species are capable of remarkable,
0:57:46 > 0:57:50complex and meaningful relationships with each other.
0:57:50 > 0:57:51Oh, my gosh.
0:57:57 > 0:58:01'But on the next stage of my journey, I'm going to meet some people
0:58:01 > 0:58:06'who have extraordinary friendships with the most unlikely animals.
0:58:06 > 0:58:10'I'll be on the hunt for the most unusual partnerships
0:58:10 > 0:58:12'to try and find out why these animals have taken
0:58:12 > 0:58:16'these people into their hearts and not their mouths.'
0:58:17 > 0:58:21By studying these relationships, not only can we understand
0:58:21 > 0:58:25more about these weird and wonderful pairings, but we can also get
0:58:25 > 0:58:30an insight into the fascinating world of animal lives and minds.
0:58:48 > 0:58:51Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd