Nature

One family...

...countless faces.

Monkeys...

...lemurs...

apes.

A family that is found in almost every habitat on the planet.

Each has its own unique strategy for survival.

Meet the primates.

Virunga, Central Africa.

These volcanic slopes are home

to one of the planet's biggest primates.

A silverback mountain gorilla.

He's well over twice the weight of an average man...

...and over 4,000 times bigger than the smallest primate.

His displays of strength

keep intruders and challengers at bay...

and him at the top.

It's no surprise gorillas have a fearsome reputation.

The silverback's aggression maintains order

in gorilla family life.

This male has been very successful.

He's ruled his group of 14 for six years.

He's in the prime of his life.

But not everybody shows him the respect he deserves.

There really is no escape.

He's a climbing frame...

a drum...

...a trampoline.

He's a jungle gym.

But his tolerance could be a deliberate tactic.

The latest research shows that, for an alpha male,

there's more to success

than just aggressive displays of power.

He's strong...

...but also gentle.

Attentive...

...even playful.

The females seem to find his softer side irresistible.

Caring fathers raise up to five times as many infants.

For primates, family matters.

Across the world, there are over

500 different species of primates.

And we're constantly discovering more

about their diverse adaptations.

Spider monkeys are born for a life in the highest canopy,

with a tail that works like an extra arm.

Howler monkeys, the loudest primate.

In fact, one of the loudest animals on land.

The strange aye-aye

has a unique, bony middle finger

so sensitive it can locate grubs hidden in the tree trunks.

Colorful forest monkeys...

acrobatic urban residents.

Primates come in all shapes and sizes.

The canyons of Northeast Brazil.

Home to one of the world's smartest monkeys.

Bearded capuchins.

This large troop of 40 sleeps in the caves at the top,

safe from predators.

But that means they have a daily descent of over 600 feet

just to find anything to eat.

It's the peak of the dry season.

There's been no rainfall for 8 months.

There is some food here.

Lizards are a source of protein and water.

But to catch them, you need to be smart.

Capuchins have mastered a skill few other animals have.

They make and use tools...

...tailor-made for every job.

These sticks are perfect for hunting in crevices.

And capuchins will tackle pretty much anything edible,

stinger and all.

But they have an even more ingenious strategy

that gives them access to a superfood.

Wild cashews.

The nuts inside are rich in fats and minerals,

but the shells are almost impossible to break into...

unless you're a capuchin.

The adults make it look easy.

By age 5, this youngster has learned the basics.

But that hammer's too small.

That's a better size, but...

he's still got to get the angle just right.

Finally!

No capuchin is born with these abilities.

They have to be learned,

passed down from generation to generation.

We've recently discovered that capuchins have been

using stone tools here for at least 3,000 years.

And this is one of the key reasons why they can survive

in such an inhospitable environment.

By living together,

family groups can teach one another how to survive.

And when it really counts, they also back each other up.

A yellow baboon is on the run.

Somehow, he's escaped the leopard's first attack.

But the cat is still on his trail.

His hope is that he won't be discovered.

The game is up.

Baboons can elude most predators in the trees.

But not a leopard.

Fortunately, this baboon has got backup.

His family.

Yellow baboons are one of the few animals

that dare to challenge a leopard.

The boldest males try to distract the attacker.

But the leopard is relentless.

The fall leaves him injured and disoriented.

But he might just have a chance...

...if the leopard can be kept at bay.

His family is not backing down.

They'll hold the leopard here for as long as they can.

Remarkably, this baboon has survived his ordeal.

Thanks to his family's bravery.

The secret to baboon success is that they work together.

Primates are excellent collaborators,

but they will also turn to ruthless exploitation,

if it can give them an edge.

And there are few sneakier than these lion-tailed macaques.

Here in Southern India, monsoon rains bring on jackfruit season.

These enormous, 22-pound hulks

are the largest tree fruit in the world -- a feast.

But until they're ripe, they remain completely inedible.

The macaques, unfortunately,

find it hard to tell which ones are ready to eat.

Luckily, help is at hand.

These giant Malabar squirrels have a keen sense of smell,

which leads them to the ripest fruits.

The macaques watch the squirrels' every move.

Then they try to muscle in.

When the squirrels hold their ground...

the macaques have another trick

to get their ripe fruit to-go.

They know that the squirrels won't follow them down

to the ground.

This tactic gives the monkeys access to the pick of the bunch.

The squirrels do get their turn eventually.

Although, even then, the macaques can't seem

to let them enjoy their share in peace

Across the Indian Ocean is Madagascar...

...land of the lemurs.

They live nowhere else.

Isolated for millions of years,

they've evolved into more than a hundred different species,

making up a fifth of all primates.

In the northwest of the island,

soaring daytime temperatures mean it's siesta time...

...for a family of blue-eyed black lemurs.

Although, only the males are black.

The females are brown...

but still blue-eyed.

Every female is carrying an infant.

They're in the midst of their seasonal baby boom.

The adults snatch any opportunity for a rest.

But the infants have other ideas.

The males can slip away for peace and quiet.

But the females are left to deal with boisterous youngsters.

At a month old,

the infants still rely on their mothers for milk...

and their daily wash.

Like many primates,

lemurs are prone to ticks and other parasites.

But as well as grooming each other...

this group has developed a more ingenious means