Episode 8 Dick 'N' Dom Go Wild

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This show features professionals working with unpredictable animals.

So, please, do not attempt to do anything

-you're about to see yourselves.

-Bosh.

Did you know that now, right now,

there are people all around the UK who are working their socks off

to help wounded wildlife and poorly pets?

And we've managed to get VIP passes for willing helpers to get stuck in

at the busiest vets, wildlife sanctuaries and rescue centres.

Rats!

It's tough and dirty work but somebody's got to do it.

On today's show, Daniel and Jordan run into heavy duty wildlife work.

Christy and Charlotte weigh in to help a baby bird of prey.

Lie it on its back, on the scales. Can you see the weight, there?

Erm, 1.1.

And a wild boar gets a little sore with Dom.

-Oh, oh, now you're talking.

-Go on.

You ready to get going?

Yes, but it better not be by bicycle again.

I need to travel in comfort and style.

Your tickets are in there.

Tickets? Love flying, me. Oh, big.

Bus ticket.

What happened to travelling in style?

Here you are. Anyway, you best get going.

Have a tiddle before you get on, it's a long journey.

Stupid hat.

Stupid hat.

Here at PACT, they've got animals of all shapes and sizes.

Horses, definitely big.

They've got hamsters, pretty much small.

And peacocks, I don't know, somewhere in the middle.

Their speciality is solving problem pets

that have had an awful upbringing through no fault of their own.

What I need are two helpers to help me out.

So, here they are.

Meet Daniel and pal Jordan.

-What do you think of British wildlife, boys?

-Boring!

Daniel doesn't care for kittens. But would love a little dog.

-How much, Daniel?

-100%. I'd want a dog 100%.

I'd like a Shiatsu dog.

What does he need to do then, Mum?

If he shows that he can clean up and look after animals,

well, then he's got a good chance of getting one then.

Jordan digs his dog.

But he's not keen on cleaning up after him.

If I want something, I'll clean the poo up.

But if I don't, I'll let my mum deal with that.

They've got something to prove.

Time to dive into

a busy-as-they-come animal help centre.

To PACT in Norfolk.

-How are you? All right?

-Fine.

-OK, good.

You two share one common thought which is British wildlife, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-What's your shared thought on that?

-It's boring.

-Boring?

-Yeah.

-What's the most boring animals?

-Birds.

-Mole.

Mole! You hate a mole?

-Cute, little thing, pink hands, pink nose. No?

-No.

I've got a very special treat for you guys.

Look, you're dressed nice and smart, snappy.

We're going to ruin that.

You're going to put that on. All right?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-Go and get ready. Chop, chop.

Come on, quick change, boys.

Wow, that was quick.

The People for Animal Care Trust.

It's all about helping unwanted pets and wildlife

that's had a bit of a rough time.

First up for our boys are baby swans. Cyril and Cheryl.

These poor, orphaned cygnets were found alone and underweight

two months ago. They have come on great since,

it's time to help move them to a bigger, better home.

Chris, is there any technique to picking up a cygnet?

Yes, cygnets are easier than adult swans.

But, basically, you go to hold the head down

and then wrap your arm around the wings.

-Sounds pretty straightforward, doesn't it, lads?

-Yeah.

Very few people get the chance to be this close to a cygnet.

Remember, though, Daniel's not into feathered things.

It's a cautious start.

What's the matter with you?

But these two don't give up easily.

Lift him up gently and hold him against your body.

Keep a hold of his neck. There you go.

First, Daniel gets to grips with the job.

You got him. There you go. Ready? Ha-ha-ha.

And then, Jordan's off to a flyer. They make it look easy, these lads.

-That's it.

-Well done.

-Got it?

-Yeah.

-Yey. You did it.

-Yeah, easy.

Well done.

And later, there's a stinker of a job in store for us.

Ah!

Oh, very funny lads, isn't it? Yeah, very funny.

But first, Dick's flying kites.

Today, I'm in the north-east of England,

hoping to get close to some big birds of prey

that were once on the verge of being completely wiped out.

So, where have they brought me to see these big birds of prey?

A secluded nature reserve? No.

A rugged mountain range? No.

I'm actually on a housing estate,

ten miles from Newcastle city centre.

And, apparently, so are my Go Wild team.

Ah.

Jump to it, Christy.

And Charlotte.

Charlotte would love a pet as long as it's not flappy or feathered.

I was in Cornwall and I was walking past this guy

who was just sat on a bench, he'd just got a pasty

and he'd just opened it

and he was taking a bite out of it and a seagull came down and took it.

-SEAGULLS SQUALL

-Ah, ah!

Pal Christy is also wary of winged things.

I don't like birds of prey really cos they scare me,

like eat things and stuff.

I see where you're coming from and I know where you're heading

to a north-east base for what should be the start

of a first-class wildlife experience.

-Ah! It's you. Christy, Charlotte, how are you?

-Fine.

-Welcome to Go Wild. Do you know what you're going to be doing today?

-No.

Let me explain a bit more.

You are in a privileged position where you can offer hands-on help

to a species of bird that was once almost extinct.

-Have you ever heard of a red kite?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

I know you're not bird lovers. Does it sound appealing?

-Just as long as they won't eat us.

-They won't eat you.

By the end of the day, I bet you are red kite lovers.

-Shall we go and meet them?

-Yeah.

-Let's go and do some red kite spotting.

-Right.

Red kites, awesome.

These birds were completely extinct in England and Scotland

at the end of the 19th century.

Only a single breeding female was left in Wales by the 1930s.

But hard work by a team of volunteers have saved them from disaster.

And this is one of the places where they've had real success.

Apparently, there's a high chance we could get a glimpse

of wild red kites right here.

Our girls are scouring the sky but, so far, not much luck.

-Christy, can you see anything?

-No.

-Charlotte?

-Nothing.

No, neither can I.

Judy, is this because we're in the middle of a housing estate

that we can't see any kites?

It's a strange place to spot birds of prey.

No, it's not strange at all because kites, they love people.

-Ah.

-They're very, very curious creatures.

They might be birds of prey

but red kites very rarely kill their own food.

They rely on finding dead animals like rabbits and birds,

very often on roads.

That's why they like living near people.

Today, though, the kites are keeping a low profile.

How many red kites are there, roughly, in this region?

There are about 70 in the region, at the moment.

And in the country, there are probably about 2,000 now.

70 birds across a 3,000 square mile range is not a lot to go at.

Not a kite in sight.

Then, things begin to look up.

So, Judy, we're not having much luck right now.

-There's one over there.

-Is there?

-Got it?

-Got it?

-Oh, yes, yes, got it, got it.

Amazing. Our girls have spotted their first ever red kite.

These beautiful birds have a whopping wing-span

approaching two metres.

Even from a distance, it's an impressive sight.

What do you think? Bigger or smaller than you thought?

-Erm, bigger.

-Bigger.

It's got some patterns on its wings on the bottom, like a white stripe.

Well spotted. Excellent.

And its tail looks like a fork.

Top spotting, you two.

And later, our girls get the wildlife opportunity of a lifetime.

-We're going to go and see a nest with chicks in.

-Aw!

-Aw!

In Norfolk, Daniel and Jordan are getting right into the role

as animal sanctuary helpers.

They didn't think too much of British animals when they arrived

but that hasn't stopped them getting busy with baby swans.

Well done, lads. Top work.

Cygnets Cyril and Cheryl are up for a move to a bigger enclosure.

But only if they can pass a health check.

So, first up, is vet nurse Anne.

Right, boys, would you mind holding him?

Just listen to his heart with the stethoscope. Can you hear this?

Tsd-tsd-tsd-tsd-tsd.

Pop him on the scales. That's it. Well done.

He weighs three kilos.

Top news.

Cyril and Cheryl are in great shape and they celebrate by...

Ah! ..pooing on my hand.

-Oh, it stinks.

-Oh, very funny lads, isn't it? Yeah, very funny.

But nothing stops these boys.

They've turned into superstar cygnet handlers

and soon, the birds are boxed and ready to go.

Danny boy, Jordan, well done, lads.

Nice, new house. Check out the swan-sized swimming pool.

That's it. Well done. Just keep going.

Keep a firm hold so you don't hurt him. That's it. Good boy.

Lovely work. Thanks to Daniel and Jordan,

the cygnets should be enjoying wild, open waters in no time.

Oh, no, oh. Oh! See what he's done.

Later, the boys face up to a right old mess

but will they turn their noses up at the big cack clear out.

-Jordan, it smells bad.

-How bad?

-Smelly.

Christy and Charlotte are on a mission to find and help red kites

in the north-east.

-What do you think? Bigger or smaller than you thought?

-Erm, bigger.

They've been invited to join a red kite conservation team

who are working at a secret location.

And there's a top level assignment for the girls today.

-We're going to go and see a nest with chicks in.

-Aw!

-Aw!

And you're going to help put the little rings on

-and put the tags on. That good?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

It's a massive job, this.

There are only around 70 red kites in this area

and every new-born chick discovered must be watched and guarded.

And our two new assistants are joining project leader Keith.

We're going to start getting the equipment up

to set up the ringing station

for this baby red kite that's in the nest.

How big do you think it's going to be?

An adult kite's wings are almost the same as my arm width

and that's about 1.7 metres.

If I pull my fingertips in like that, maybe a little bit more,

that's how big the baby kite's wings are going to be.

So, it's big. It's a big, big baby bird.

This job needs careful preparation.

That's a veterinary needle. What I want you to do

is to slide that through there.

And this little, plastic tag will lie on top of the kite's wing.

As we get our kit ready to tag the red kite chick,

a protective mum comes to investigate.

Red kite adults, like good mums and dads,

they always look out for their children

and their children's best welfare.

If something is potentially going to threaten the baby

in the nest they do a whistle.

And that's it. (Shh. Get down in the nest. Hide.)

So, that's what the baby will be doing now.

And that nest is a dangerous 23 metres off the ground.

We need experienced climber Bob for this job.

But we've got ourselves a bird's eye view.

The best thing about this is that Bob,

he's got a camera on himself and you are going to see him

climb in the tree and get the baby out of the nest.

How good is that? And you're going to be able to see it too.

Bob, go and do your thing.

And we have high hopes for our girls later, as a chick needs bagging.

-Is this the nest there?

-That's the nest.

-Oh, right.

-Aw!

-Aw!

But first, a pig of a fruity job.

You are a boar. A stuck in the mud boar. A pig.

No, actually, you're a big, daft, hairy grunter.

Bit harsh, isn't it?

Not you. Them.

It's a big job this.

We've been asked to feed and entertain these wild boar.

This is definitely a task for my old pal Dom.

Hang on a minute. I've been here before.

The awful apple jacket experience. Ah!

You don't have to wear the apple jacket.

-You're going to wear these pineapple pants.

-Brilliant.

I am not wearing these. You seen the size of their tusks?

They love a bit of pineapple. Don't you, my old tusky?

Yes. They'll love it. I'll love it. And you, well, you will just do it.

-Off you go.

-Is there nothing to protect myself?

Yes, that brings me to my next finest invention.

The auto-stikulator, anti-pinkelator or stick, for short.

How does the stick work?

If Walter and his mates get too near, you just prod them away like that.

Actually, it just needs a bit more doing to it first.

These wild boar are rare creatures that became all-but-extinct

in England over 700 years ago.

But if you do run into one, stay clear,

they have sharp tusks and teeth and can be dangerous.

Hold it, you're not actually going in. They'd rip you to bits.

You just told me to go in.

You're going to stand behind the safety of this fence and feed them.

Right, OK, I can't do both. You hold that and I'll do this.

Here we go. Pigs, come and get some pineapple.

This job isn't just filling up wild boar with fruit and veg,

it's about keeping them alert and active.

Our special kit will get them to work for their nosh,

which is what they love to do.

-He's got a stick.

-Ah, I've lost my apple.

-Oooh.

-Eh, now you're talking. Bad boy.

-Come on, yeah.

Frolicking in the mud helps get rid of nasty bugs

and protects them from sunburn.

It's a natural sunscreen.

-There we go, then. All the pineapple's gone.

-Great.

-What you doing?

-What?

-Throwing my trousers in there!

I've got to wear them for a wedding tomorrow.

-You best go in there and get them, then.

-Ah, ah!

That's just great. Pig dung.

-Ergh.

-Right, give us a hand.

-Oh, ooh.

-Ah, argh! Oh!

Err, err...

Argh!

Back in the north-east, Charlotte and Christy are working

with red kite protectors, hoping to find a healthy chick in this tree.

Expert climber Bob is on his way up to the 23-metre-high nest.

Carefully does it, Bob.

Remember, our man's a fully-trained, professional tree climber

and the team here have permission to handle these birds.

It's illegal to disturb red kite nests,

so don't even think about trying this yourselves.

-Quick, isn't he?

-Yeah.

Fingers crossed there's a healthy chick up there.

Are you certain there is one in this nest?

I'm as confident as I possibly could be

that there's a baby in this nest today.

Nearly at the nest.

-Is this the nest there?

-That's the nest.

-Oh, right.

-Aw!

-Aw!

Looks quite calm, doesn't it?

-I was expecting it to be all wriggly.

-Yeah, I did.

Bob's made it! He now needs to get himself above the nest

so he can reach down into it and safely remove the chick.

How are you feeling about this? Not many people get to see this.

-Really, really happy and excited about it.

-It's really cool.

Now, for the difficult bit.

-There you are. Can you see its little beak?

-Yeah.

Well, it's not that little. But, yeah.

First, our man settles the chick by covering it with a cloth.

He's lifted it up, look.

Red kite babies do something very unusual. They actually play dead.

So, if they think they're threatened, they will play dead.

They even stick their tongues out to make it look convincing.

Brill. Bob's bagged our baby kite.

We know you were scared of birds of prey before,

but how are you going to feel when this baby is brought down?

I don't think it will be as scary cos it's only little.

I think it's about time that we went over there

cos Bob's just about to start lowering the bird down.

So, Christy, you go over and you can collect it

and bring it back to the ringing station.

A chick needs an identity tag so it can be monitored

and protected in the future.

We need to work fast so we don't unsettle the young bird too much.

To the tag preparation area. Time to get busy.

So, if I can have the baby bird.

-It's going to be a bit of a reveal here.

-Here it is.

It's stuck.

Doesn't want to come out.

Aw! It's very fluffy.

Check this out. A huge, alive and kicking red kite chick.

And later, our girls have a touching experience with the young kite.

What's it feel like?

It's really soft.

Daniel and Jordan are working wonders

at an animal sanctuary in Norfolk.

Next, a real tough challenge

that could have them quaking in their boots.

Kittens!

Now, boys, I know cats are your favourite animal,

-isn't that right?

-No.

Well, you're in a room full of them. So, get to love them.

Look! Look at the kitten by my feet. Isn't that sweet?

There are nearly 200 cats and kittens here that need new homes.

Sadly, most of them were abandoned by their owners.

You might not be that keen on cats but do you agree

-it's pretty senseless just dumping them in a box?

-Yeah.

Your job, then, is to make them feel loved again.

You've got to clean them all out,

-but also stroke them, play with them. You can do all that?

-Yup.

Good for you. You just stay and watch.

Right, operation kitten clean up.

This is your big change to impress your mums, boys.

First, we're going to empty all the litter trays out, OK?

No! The dreaded litter trays are full to the brim of poo and wee.

They look bad. How do they smell, Daniel?

-Jordan, it smells bad.

-How bad?

-Smelly.

Enough to make your eyes water, eh.

Do your very best, lads, important work this.

So, how often do these need to be cleaned out a day?

They get cleaned out twice a day.

Neither of these lads are cat fans, but Daniel is proving to his mum

that he would be able to look after a pet.

Are you watching, Mum? Cos Jordan is.

Missed a spot there.

But it doesn't take long for Jordan to join in too.

How much do they need in one?

They just need one scoop in each and that will be lovely, thank you.

Now, it's breakfast time. Hmm, tuna and gravy juice.

As you can see, they're getting very hungry, OK.

So, if you pop them down on the floor just over there for me,

that would be lovely.

Most of these cats were abandoned, but they're safe here.

Are all these cats going to get a new home?

Yeah, hopefully, they'll go to nice homes. That's the idea.

How do you feel about cats now, chaps?

When I first came I didn't really like cats,

but now I've found out they don't just snap at you.

I think it's wrong that people abandon cats.

I don't like them, like, but still no need for it.

And later, we tackle some pet pigs who outgrew their home.

Ah! OK, OK!

But first, there's a sting in the tail for Dick.

-A death stalker scorpion. That tail holds one very nasty sting.

-Yeah.

-Absolutely terrifying.

-Yeah.

Fascinating. But I'm glad he's in there and not out here.

-Yup.

-I wouldn't want to get too close to one.

Yeah, I know what you mean.

I don't mean to alarm you or anything,

but there seems to be a scorpion sitting in your hand.

Don't worry. This is an emperor scorpion.

-Big, big boy, isn't it?

-Big.

Although they're one of the biggest scorpions,

they have less venom in their tail.

The bigger the pincers, the less venom they need.

But if death-chops, over there, got you with his stingy ender,

-you'd probably have to go to hospital.

-But he's tiny.

That's just it, you see,

the smaller the pincers, the bigger need for a venomous sting.

-Do you fancy a hold?

-Get off. Leave it.

Get out.

At the animal sanctuary in Norfolk,

Daniel and Jordan have turned their hand

to helping all things feathered and furred.

Now, it's time to meet some hairy porkers.

So, here we are at the pig pen.

These are pretty big pigs, aren't they?

-They are.

-What kind of breed are they?

-They're micro pigs.

When I think of the word micro,

I think of tiny, weenie. These aren't tiny weenie, are they?

Liam, Norman, Albert, Ray and David were actually bought

as house pets, but they grew into big pigs and ended up here.

Piggy!

Now, here's a tip.

Don't go into a pig pen at tea time without any tasty treats.

All right. Piggy-bars.

OK, OK, OK!

Nice piggies.

Thankfully, Daniel and Jordan saved my bacon with some pig pellets.

Excuse me, you're eating... Wait for it.

..like a pig.

Ha-ha, very good. And then apples for afters.

-Are pigs really dirty?

-No, pigs are one of the cleanest animals

you can get. They only get dirty because people let them get dirty.

Well, these two won't let that happen.

They haven't stopped all day. Fixing pigs.

Catching cygnets and caring for cats. Great go wilding, boys.

There we go, lads, it's the end of the day

and you arrived here and you couldn't give a hoot

or a stuff, could you? About British wildlife.

But now, you have been converted, haven't you?

-Yeah.

-It's good. You like it, it's all right?

-Yeah.

-You've had a good day. What's been the best bit?

-The cygnets.

-You liked that?

-Yeah.

-Releasing them into their pen.

-Yeah.

-Nice. What about you?

-The pigs.

-You liked the pigs best?

-Yeah.

-Remind everyone at home. What do those pigs remind you of?

-Dick.

Exactly. Dick the pig.

Charming

At a top secret location in the north-east,

Christy and Charlotte are working with wild red kites.

We've bagged a chick that now needs to have an identity tag attached

so experts can keep tabs on it in the future.

With the birds safely at ground level,

the first thing we need to do

is see if the young one is a male or a female.

The best way to do that is to pop it on the scales.

First, the bird is carefully secured in a pillowcase,

which will help calm it. Don't worry, it doesn't hurt.

So, that's the bird's back. Lie it on its back, on the scales

and you need to tell us what the weight is.

Make sure it's right in the middle of the scales

and put all that on top.

-Can you see the weight there?

-Erm, 1.1.

I can tell you straight away that this is a lady kite.

Cos no boy kite's that heavy.

Now, time for the important bit.

We need to put an identity ring on the chick's leg.

This ring has a unique number.

No other red kite in the world will have that ring number on.

If this red kite is ever found by somebody,

they will be able to read that ring number

and we'll know exactly where this red kite was ringed.

It'll be on for the whole of the red kite's life.

This red kite could live 12, 13, 14 years in the wild.

These birds were once nearly extinct in the UK,

but, thanks to people like Keith and his team,

they're in recovery but still need close monitoring.

I'm finding a little spot on its wing where it's just got skin,

essentially, where this sharp needle goes through very quickly.

To make sure the tag is comfortable,

Christy helps by attaching plastic washers

before Keith seals the ends so it doesn't fall off.

So, Keith, as well as having a number, do these birds have names?

We don't give them a name,

-but there's nothing to stop somebody else giving them a name.

-Da-da.

Erm, Bobby Nostrils.

-Bobby Nostrils.

-Yes.

-I best tell her.

Hello? The girls have named you Bobby Nostrils.

Yes, that's exactly what I thought. She's very happy.

Time for our pair to inspect their handiwork

and to get a closer look at Bobby Nostrils.

-What's it feel like?

-It's really soft.

If you look very carefully,

you can see her feathers are still growing.

See that waxy sheet, that's where it's growing.

You can see how much this has got to go yet.

This bird will grow quite a little bit.

When you got here this morning,

-you didn't think you'd be doing this?

-No.

-Being this close to a bird of prey?

-No.

-Because you don't like them.

-But what about this one?

-I like that one.

Brilliant work.

Now, Charlotte and Christy must say goodbye to Bobby Nostrils

and help her get back to her nest.

Our girls arrived here not fans of feathered things,

but they've really made the most of this wonderful wildlife access,

a brilliant all-round effort.

Good job, girls. So, at the beginning of today,

you didn't want to be anywhere near birds of prey.

-But you've done it. How do you feel?

-Feel really good.

-Chuffed.

-What's been your highlight?

-Seeing the baby bird up close.

Getting it from the nest and like stroking it and stuff.

Well, girls, I think I can officially say that you two have gone wild.

It was close earlier today, wasn't it?

That wild boar charging towards me.

I've told you. You should have used my special stare tactic.

It's guaranteed to stop any animal in its tracks.

Your stare tactic wouldn't even stop a kitten in its tracks.

-No, no, I've been perfecting it.

-Have you?

-Watch this.

-Go on, then.

Ha-umm.

I tell you what, it's very good. It's very good.

SQUEAK SQUEAK Argh!

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