0:00:05 > 0:00:08This is Blue Peter but mini.
0:00:08 > 0:00:13Expect epic adventures, makes, bakes, badges, pets,
0:00:13 > 0:00:15presenters and your post.
0:00:15 > 0:00:19We've only got five minutes, so get ready for your Blue Peter adventure.
0:00:21 > 0:00:23The British countryside is home to many wild animals
0:00:23 > 0:00:29including birds, mammals and a fair few reptiles.
0:00:29 > 0:00:31But, when wild animals become sick or injured,
0:00:31 > 0:00:33what can be done to help them?
0:00:33 > 0:00:36Well, I've come somewhere very special to find out.
0:00:39 > 0:00:43This is Tiggywinkles, one of the world's leading wildlife hospitals.
0:00:43 > 0:00:47It was set up almost 40 years ago by Sue and Les Stocker
0:00:47 > 0:00:53and so far it's treated over 250,000 animals.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56- Hi, Les, how are you? - Hiya, Lindsey.- Good to meet you.
0:00:56 > 0:00:57Thank you for having me here.
0:00:57 > 0:00:59This place is amazing, it seems huge.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02It just keeps growing and growing and growing. It's amazing.
0:01:02 > 0:01:05Now, tell me, how many animals have you got in at the moment?
0:01:05 > 0:01:07- We've got, well, 1,010 at the moment.- Wow.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10It's our busy time of the year and it's baby birds everywhere.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13Well, I'd love to have a look around if that's OK.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15- Yes, I'd like to show you some. - Let's go.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20So, Les, tell me, how do the animals end up here?
0:01:20 > 0:01:22Either the general public bring them in
0:01:22 > 0:01:23in cardboard boxes
0:01:23 > 0:01:27or the police will bring them in, the fire brigade, the RSPCA.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30Absolutely everybody brings animals in to us.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33All the animals that are brought in are treated by the experienced
0:01:33 > 0:01:37staff, with the aim of one day releasing them back into the wild.
0:01:39 > 0:01:40- Right.- So, what happens in here?
0:01:40 > 0:01:42Where are we?
0:01:42 > 0:01:45- This is the main hedgehog room. - There's loads! This is amazing.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48I'd like to introduce you to Sharon. This is Lindsey.
0:01:48 > 0:01:49Hi, Sharon, how you doing?
0:01:49 > 0:01:51So, who've we got in here, Sharon?
0:01:51 > 0:01:53So, I was going to show you this one. This guy was burned.
0:01:53 > 0:01:55- He was actually found in a bonfire. - Oh, no.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58So, obviously he made a nice house there, and... So this is him here,
0:01:58 > 0:02:01- you can actually...- Do you know, what's weird is that you can
0:02:01 > 0:02:04- actually smell bonfire a little bit, can't you?- Yep.
0:02:04 > 0:02:06Oh! And so will he recover fully?
0:02:06 > 0:02:09Yeah, as long as he gets a full set of spines back...
0:02:09 > 0:02:11- He'll be all right. - He can go back to the wild.
0:02:11 > 0:02:14As well as treating all sorts of different animals...
0:02:14 > 0:02:16I like this one. He's my favourite.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19..the team are also on call 24 hours a day
0:02:19 > 0:02:23in case an animal needs to be rescued.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26Today they're planning to release a male deer
0:02:26 > 0:02:27they've nursed back to health.
0:02:27 > 0:02:29PHONE RINGS
0:02:29 > 0:02:32But, before they can get ready, a call comes in about another deer
0:02:32 > 0:02:35that's been badly injured and needs help.
0:02:35 > 0:02:36- Let's go.- OK.
0:02:39 > 0:02:43We've been given a rough location of where the deer was spotted.
0:02:43 > 0:02:47But the final search needs to be done on foot.
0:02:47 > 0:02:49Do you know what, this is exciting but it's also a little bit
0:02:49 > 0:02:53nerve-racking, cos we don't really know what state we're going to find
0:02:53 > 0:02:54this deer in.
0:02:54 > 0:02:56Hopefully it's OK.
0:02:56 > 0:02:58And, hopefully, we'll be able to catch it,
0:02:58 > 0:03:02get it in the box and get it back to the centre really safely.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06Trying to find a well-camouflaged deer in thick undergrowth
0:03:06 > 0:03:08takes some doing.
0:03:08 > 0:03:09But, eventually...
0:03:09 > 0:03:11He's there, he's there, he's there.
0:03:11 > 0:03:13He's there, I've got him. He's there.
0:03:13 > 0:03:15I found him. I found him.
0:03:15 > 0:03:17He's just there.
0:03:17 > 0:03:22Sharon knows exactly what to do and she takes control of the situation.
0:03:24 > 0:03:25OK, we've got him.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30To stop the animal getting upset,
0:03:30 > 0:03:32we gently cover its head using a towel.
0:03:33 > 0:03:35- OK.- So, that'll calm him down now.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38- So, he's just really stressed, isn't he?- Yeah, and then, so...- OK.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41- ..you want to go and grab the box for us?- Yeah.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44The team realise the deer is very poorly indeed and rush it
0:03:44 > 0:03:47back to the vets at the centre as quickly as possible.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52They will do everything they can to try and save it.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59For now, there's nothing more the rescue team can do.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01So, we return to today's original task
0:04:01 > 0:04:04of releasing an adult male deer back into the wild.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08The deer is carefully transferred into
0:04:08 > 0:04:10a trailer to start its very special journey.
0:04:12 > 0:04:13Got it?
0:04:14 > 0:04:16It's time to lock this up, drive the van
0:04:16 > 0:04:18and get him back into the wild.
0:04:18 > 0:04:20We head to a nearby forest
0:04:20 > 0:04:23where the deer can settle in to its new surroundings.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28- We've had this deer with us for about two years now.- Wow.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30So, he's all ready to go back to the wild.
0:04:30 > 0:04:32Is this quite a big moment for you?
0:04:32 > 0:04:33- No, it is, bless him. - Saying goodbye.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36So, what we will do is drop these bits down in a minute.
0:04:36 > 0:04:38And then we'll open up the other doors and then we just stand
0:04:38 > 0:04:40- back out the way. Are you ready? - Yep.
0:04:40 > 0:04:41And then this door.
0:04:46 > 0:04:48- Like that.- He's off.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51- There he goes, he's just checking out which way he's going to go.- Yep.
0:04:51 > 0:04:53Off you go.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56Aw, he's gone off into the little bluebells.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00My time at the centre has been amazing.
0:05:00 > 0:05:02But it's also tinged with sadness
0:05:02 > 0:05:05when I hear the young deer we rescued earlier
0:05:05 > 0:05:07was simply too poorly to be saved.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11But being involved in the incredible work the team do,
0:05:11 > 0:05:16and seeing the animals they are able to help, has been so rewarding.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19I'm really proud to have played my part.
0:05:19 > 0:05:21Join in every Thursday on CBBC.