Termites, an important source of protein. But perhaps they are an acquired taste. He’s off to search for something he might prefer. It’s hard to know where to look. Or where it’s safe to clamber. Different levels in the forest contain different foods. And some of the most delicious are in the very highest parts of the canopy 50 meters above the ground. He’s a couple of years old and he’s already getting adventurous. His mother could climb right to the top in 10 minutes or so if she wanted to, but she lingers to keep an eye on him. A fall from this height could be fatal. Where the gaps between the branches are too wide for him, his mother lets him use her body as a bridge. Only 10 meters to go before the top. But it’s hard going for small hands. He’s had enough. Time for a rest with mother. And this is his reward — ripe mangoes, sweet and juicy. There’s so much he must learn. He will depend entirely on his mother until he’s seven. It’s the longest of all childhoods, except ours.
