Orangutan Jungle School

It's 7AM in Borneo. For the students at one of the world's most unusual schools, that means class is in session. Under threat from poachers and deforestation, orangutans are on the brink of extinction. But thanks to the efforts of the teachers at Nyaru Menteng, these youngsters still have a chance in the wild. Follow a group of orphaned orangutans as they learn the skills they need to survive.

It's a big day at Nyaru Menteng: caretakers attempt to reunite two-week-old Clarita with her mother Clara following a traumatic separation. After days apart, there's concern that Clara might reject her. Meanwhile, two lucky orangutans on the pre-release islands are ready to begin their journey back to the wild, but pandemonium breaks loose when an aggressive male turns on the staff.

A team has spent two days working to capture 18 orangutans from a pre-release island so they can continue their journey back to the wild. It's not always an easy task. At 200 pounds, 16-year-old Kasper is the king of the island, and he's not willing to give up his crown without a fight. The stakes are high: with the strength of seven men, an irate orangutan is not a charge to be taken lightly.

It's a big day for the team when an extraordinary new arrival shows up. Five-year-old Alba is unlike any orangutan seen at Nyaru Menteng before. Snow white with blue eyes, Alba has albinism, making her one of the rarest orangutans in the world. She's suffered traumatic experiences in the wild, but here she seems willing to trust the humans who have her best interests at heart.

It's hard to predict how orangutans approaching adulthood will react to life on pre-release Bangamat Island. When four large males are set loose, chaos ensues, putting all the residents in danger. One agitated ape threatens to topple a boat, risking the safety of other orangutans on board. The staff must act fast to stave off disaster and think quickly to safely release the rest of the orangutans.

The wild jungles of Borneo can be treacherous. The island is home to nearly 160 species of snakes--many of them venomous. When a keeled pit viper unexpectedly appears in the compound, the staff leaps into action. After quickly capturing the intruder, they decide to give the orangutans a crash course in snake awareness. From the very first moment, it's clear this is no ordinary classroom lesson.