Life on Earth: Life in the Trees
(1979)
The penultimate installment of the BBC's natural history blockbuster Life on Earth, Life in the Trees offers an intriguing exploration of the primate world. Examining species in Madagascar, Japan and Africa, David Attenborough discusses how their ancestors sought their fortunes in the treetops.
An unparalleled educational show, the series was made by renowned producer Chris Parsons and was seen by an estimated 500 million people around the world. In this twelfth episode, Attenborough delves into the behaviour and evolution of these intriguing mammals, exploring their bifocal vision and the increased manipulation their gripping hands offer. Featuring an extraordinary array of primate behaviour, lemurs are seen sparring as Japanese macaques wash their food, and squirrel monkeys unleash their piercing calls.
In the midst of all this action comes Attenborough's legendary encounter with a family of mountain gorillas in Rwanda. Filmed by award-winning cameraman Martin Saunders, this unforgettable moment was recently voted in the top three animal encounters of all time, in a poll to mark the intrepid naturalist's eightieth birthday.
Beautifully filmed, Life in the Trees is an informative and in-depth look at our mammalian relatives, offering an incredible insight into their history and development.
Life on Earth: The Infinite Variety (1979)
David Attenborough
