The Secret of the Apes - Narrowing the Gap

We are on the trail of an enigma: Do chimpanzees really pass on their knowledge and skills to other group members and offspring? Recent research has supported this theory, meaning that man and ape are more similar than we have previously thought. We journey into the forests of Uganda while accompanying primatologists that guide us through their behavioral research on great apes. We observe the creative ways chimpanzees use their tools, along with their understanding of communication skills while foraging and hunting. The researchers use spectacular field experiments to answer the question: Can a previously foreign cultural feature be implemented into a group of chimpanzees? Together with Jane Goodall, whose research and findings on chimpanzees triggered a scientific breakthrough in the 1960s, we set out to find the extent of similarities between man and ape. Using captivating film footage of chimpanzees living in the wild that come nearly face to face with researchers, we show what science has not yet been able to explain.