Episode 9 Safari 8

This is Kruger National Park in South Africa,

home to some of the biggest, fastest and deadliest animals on the planet.

CBBC have brought four British and four South African children

to spend a month here training to be rookie game rangers.

Leading them on this amazing adventure

will be their mentors, trails ranger Rudi...

It's taken me years to learn to be a ranger.

They've only got one month to do it.

-..and guide Frankie.

-In the bush, danger can be around any corner.

The Safari 8 needs to be alert and has to be ready at any time.

Eight kids, two mentors and one massive challenge -

to lead two celebrity guests on a safari experience of a lifetime.

Last time, the Safari 8

had a taste of Zulu life...

The boys had to do basically nothing. We had to do all the work.

-..and got to learn some new moves.

-We've so won this.

On today's show, the team have

a close encounter with a cheetah...

Fantastic. I mean, I just touched a cheetah.

..get hands-on with a young orphan,

and there's trouble in camp.

Oh Ashleigh, you stupid mess!

Today, the mentors have brought the Safari 8 to the state vet

to find out what happens when a sick or injured animal

is found in Kruger Park.

-Guys, good morning.

-Morning.

Rangers went out on patrol yesterday,

and they found a couple of guinea fowl that looked very, very ill.

These guinea fowl had lost their ability to run.

'They brought them into here.

'Some of them unfortunately didn't make it.

'We did a postmortem to see what's wrong with them.'

And the rest are all in here.

The birds are ill with suspected lead poisoning.

Today, the rookie rangers will take these sick guinea fowl

to a rehabilitation centre where they'll be treated

before hopefully being released back into the wild.

Rudi and Frankie have chosen Caroline to be leader.

And you're going to help me put them in the boxes.

'I'm really happy that I've'

become the team leader today,

because I like working with animals

that are sick, because I want to be a vet.

Is that part of a ranger's job

to try and help save all the animals in the park?

We try and keep the Kruger National Park as natural as possible

and minimum interference.

So anything man-made, like snares, poisoning...

Anything like that, we interfere.

-There they are.

-Ja.

-Basically, just grab them by the wings.

-OK.

-OK, so one in.

-Then you just hold it tight like that?

-Yeah.

OK. That's one box.

'It's quite fun to catch the guinea fowl, cos you get to pick them up.'

It's interesting that they can't move.

'I'm used to seeing them run really fast.

'They're trying to get away but can't move anywhere.'

It must be quite scary for them as well. Got it!

WINGS RUSTLE

They won't stay still.

-OK.

-SHE LAUGHS

The guinea fowl are now ready

for their journey to the rehabilitation centre,

where many sick and injured animals end up.

-Guys, are you excited?

-Yeah, I'm so excited.

It's really cool. This is like our own little project.

We can't let these guinea fowl down cos it's humans who made them sick,

so we've got to try and show them that humans aren't that bad.

Honestly, before I came here, I had no idea what a ranger did,

how much he did. I knew it had to do with animals and conserving them,

but I had no idea it was everything to do with

helping little guinea fowl, taking them to vets.

It's... They have such a big job.

Waiting to meet them is Brian, who runs the centre.

Hello, you big game rangers. Good morning. Welcome to Moholoholo.

-Can I shake your hand?

-Oh yes.

-You are?

-Noma.

-Noma.

-And you are?

-Ashleigh.

-Well done.

-You go in and you go to the left there.

-OK.

-Thank you.

That's right. So all in three boxes, eh? That's pretty good.

Let's see how quickly we can do something with him now.

Put the box up there.

-How many are in here?

-Three in this box...

-Three.

We can't take all three at one time.

So we'll do the male first. OK.

When we get anything in that's...we don't know what's wrong with it,

first we give it fluids to flush it out, to get the kidneys functioning

and the bowels moving. We do suspect poisoning.

We stuck this long tube to inject some liquid

'into the guinea fowl's body, and we had to put it down its throat.

'I thought that would have hurt it, but it doesn't.

'It's amazing how different animals work.

'I think I've been given the perfect,'

absolutely best job in the whole world, so I am super super happy.

-OK.

-'Going in with the vet is really really cool,

'to be able to get to see the work that they do on sick guinea fowls'

and being able to take part

-'in what they do.'

-OK, go.

Put it back down. Close it up, please.

I felt really happy

that we were helping an animal

'that was sick and poorly, and I felt privileged to do this.

'Not many people get to do it.'

I really hope they all come through and be healthy afterwards.

OK. Grab his throat.

BRIAN WHISTLES

Since filming, all the guinea fowl made a full recovery

and were released back into the wild.

OK, let's go.

The rehab centre not only cares for sick animals,

it also runs conservation projects.

Cheetahs are an endangered species.

Brian works with the Cheetah Foundation

to help protect these beautiful creatures.

The cheetah is the world's fastest land mammal.

Running up to speeds of 120 kilometres per hour,

it can accelerate from 0 to 103 kilometres in just 3 seconds.

That's faster than most sports cars.

In Kruger Park,

there are only around 200 of these beautiful cats left in the wild.

Unfortunately, local farmers have been shooting cheetahs

when they've gone after their cattle.

This is Juba.

CHEETAH PURRS This is one of two cheetah we've got.

We were asked by the Cheetah Foundation to raise two cheetah

because the farmers are shooting them.

They have shot more than 200 in 2.5 years.

When a farmer comes and feels the ribs,

"Wow, he's beautiful. I'll never shoot another one."

That's why we've got this. We take them to schools,

we go to farmers' meetings and to the Kruger Park.

Aren't they beautiful? Yes! Come right up, feel these vibrations.

'When the cheetah was coming,'

I was actually really nervous.

'It felt exactly like buffalo's fur.'

It was absolutely amazing, and it started purring. I got scared,

'cos I didn't know if he was going to try and jump or anything.'

Feel him. So the moment he stops purring, get ready to run.

That means he's happy.

Today has been the best ever.

Now we see the rest of the cat family. It felt so nice

'actually holding it and touching and feeling its vibrations.'

While the other half of the group

-wait for their turn with the cheetah...

-It's not right.

..Ella and Caroline have a difference of opinion.

-That it's actually learned tricks.

-No, it hasn't learned tricks.

Yeah, but did you see it up there?

-Sitting, lying down...

-Why don't you just cooperate with them?

They were either going to shoot it or bring it up like this.

'When I saw it, it sort of set me off'

that it had a collar on

and a harness and a whole lead and...it was like a dog.

It's not a dog. It's a cheetah. It's a wild animal.

Ella is not the only one

who's unimpressed to see a cheetah on a lead.

I've just seen Ashleigh,

and she got to go up and get right close to the cheetah and touch it.

She looked like she couldn't be less bothered.

She was just standing there, and she did an odd nod. I thought,

"How could you be like that? It's a cheetah!"

But Ashleigh is not bored.

She's actually concerned about the cheetah.

Ashleigh went very quiet.

She didn't take part in anything.

'The harness on the cheetah upset her.'

I don't think they fully understand what Brian's work is all about.

Ashleigh has left the group for some alone time,

and she's struggling with the idea of cheetahs in captivity.

'I'm not feeling that good or impressed,'

because...

they're showing us this cheetah,

and they're saying "sit" to the cheetah, and it's just...

It's not cool, almost like we're using their lives

for our own entertainment.

They're cheetahs, they're built to run,

and where can they run to? It's not fair on the cheetahs.

I just... I can't be in a happy state and enjoy the moment

when they're actually staying in these enclosures.

I just... I don't like it at all.

It just doesn't feel right, you know?

It's just hard to see that it's in a limited space,

whereas with Kruger, it's the size of...

But don't you think that people that come to these places

can see the cheetah?

It's very important that you educate people, like Brian said,

that young people realise

-that one day, they must grow up and protect nature.

-Yeah.

-OK.

The remaining rookies now have their chance to meet the cheetah.

..and we do it accordingly to that.

For the sake of their little brothers. He's their ambassador now,

to speak on behalf of the other cheetah in the wild. You understand?

To tell everybody our plight, "Our habitat is gone."

'He felt very soft but very wiry at the same time.'

He was very warm.

'When I heard him purring, he reminded me very much of my cat.'

OK. He just wants to get back to the female at the back.

'I thought it was very good what they do

'to show the farmers why they shouldn't kill them.'

It's a really good idea so that people can see

'that they're amazing animals and there's no point in shooting them.'

I particularly found this experience fantastic. I mean,

I just touched a cheetah and, phwoar,

how many people do you know who can say that?

The cheetah isn't the only animal the rookies get to be hands-on with.

Brian has an orphan that needs bottle-feeding,

but he's keeping its identity a surprise.

Have you any idea what we're going to feed now? Any guess? What?

-Um... A cub.

-A cub. OK. Anyone else?

-A snake?

A snake. This little guy has got to get milk every four hours.

Now, I'm going to ask you to help me to make the milk mixture.

Put that into the top of it.

You know Caroline, she's really into animals,

and she's a really caring girl.

So I think today was actually a really good experience for Caroline.

Pour from here now into there.

It was very exciting being there,

making something,

'like food for some animals or some creature.

'So it was exciting. I enjoyed it.'

It would have to be a really big animal

to drink all that milk, wouldn't it?

The group are excited about feeding the mystery animal.

Ashleigh is still unhappy about seeing animals in enclosures.

Today, Ashleigh and Ella have had a bit of a problem

with the animals being in cages, but I think it's a really good idea,

'because it teaches more kids and adults about education.'

It's a big part of a child's life to learn more about animals.

Just remember, don't touch the teats with your hands

cos of the germs, you see?

They're eager to find out what animal they'll be bottle-feeding,

as they still have no idea.

SQUEALING

-All right, my sweeties. What is this?

-A rhino.

A rhino. And who's giving the first milk?

You. Come on.

Here. Here you are.

I would give anything to work with animals

'as close as I am now when I'm older.

'It would just be one of these dream-come-true things.'

This baby rhino is only five months old, and she's called Ntombi,

which means "girl" in Zulu.

Assist the bottle...

Sadly, the calf's mother was killed in a fight with another rhino.

Rudi and Frankie were part of the team that rescued the orphan

to bring her here.

Let's go, let's go!

'I've never done anything like this.'

I got quite emotional when I was stroking it,

'cos it's just the most incredible animal.'

She drinks a whopping 18 litres of milk every day.

-Cute, eh?

-She's so cute.

What's the percentage of the animals

that get released back into the wild?

We've done thousands.

For example, I've done over 400 hyraxes, rock rabbits.

I've done 170 servals. I've done over 30 leopards.

I've done quite a few spotted hyenas. I've done cheetah.

We've done quite a lot back to the wild.

Brian's answer has made Ashleigh feel more positive.

'We've been living in the Kruger,'

we've been seeing all these wild animals roaming and free.

I think I got a bit of a shock when I saw them in the cages.

'Right now, I'm feeling a bit better than I did before,'

because they told us that the animals...

A lot of them go back into the wild and...

'I kind of understand what they mean by'

when they're taming the cheetahs to show farmers and educate people.

So I'm glad for the rehabilitation centre and what they do,

and I just hope that more people can see

what's happening to these animals and just get the bigger picture.

Still to come - the rookie rangers witness a feeding frenzy.

You should see, they're fighting over the meat in their mouths.

And the mentors get tough.

Can I be honest with you? You guys did not work as a team.

This is truly disgusting.

Before the Safari 8 leave the rehabilitation centre,

Brian has one last job for them.

Now we have another project.

Sadly, we're having hundreds of vultures poisoned.

We're trying to mark the vultures with tags.

We're putting satellite harnesses on their back.

We firstly want to monitor how far these vultures are going.

We're going to put meat out for the vultures for our research programme.

Every afternoon, the students go with the chart.

They fill in the date, time, the type of vulture we're seeing,

the tag number and comments - bad condition or good condition.

Would you be keen to do this for me? ALL: Yeah.

This is some of the meat we're going to put, this is all beef.

-We buy this from the abattoirs.

-The smell was really strong.

Should I help lift it on as well?

'It really smelt this...strong stench. It was like,'

like dead zombies or something had woken up

'and just...were everywhere and stuff.'

OK.

The number of vultures in the area is falling

because they're scavengers that will eat any carcass they can find,

even if it's poisoned.

Come on, off-load, off-load.

Put that one on the right, my sweeties.

The rookie rangers lay down the meat and await the hungry vultures.

Within seconds, flocks of vultures swoop down to tuck in.

I've never seen anything like that.

Look at them coming in. Look at them at the top. Look at the top.

SIFISO LAUGHS

Look at them all, there's like a hundred of them.

The vultures are soon joined by hungry warthogs and storks.

You should see, they're fighting over the meat in their mouths,

like the ones eating and almost swallowed, and then...

Look, it's like a rugby scrum.

-There is one with a tag there.

-You must see the tag number.

Why exactly have the vultures been tagged?

To watch the vultures, see where they're going.

They've got transmitters so they can track them

and see how far they go. They go all over Africa,

and we need to do research on them to save the species.

Caroline? A02.

A white-backed vulture.

-A063, also white-backed vulture.

-OK.

Guys, can you see now how the vultures come in

as soon as they see a carcass? They're the cleaners of the park.

They see for miles away and look at each other when they go down.

They're still coming down. These ones that are coming down now

probably come from a far distance away.

Vultures have such incredible eyesight

that they can see a carcass from six kilometres away.

These vultures, how long will it take to finish this carcass?

It's already finished. That's why they're starting to fight now.

-They're very quick.

-What are the warthogs doing?

They're chasing the vultures, because they also want a bit of meat.

These white-backed vultures and marabou storks

both have bald heads and necks so they can dig deep into carcasses

without getting dirty.

The marabou stork is one of the world's largest flying birds

with an impressive three-metre wingspan.

I think the Safari 8 kids learned today

that it's not all about the Big Five and...

as rangers, you need to get involved in research,

helping guys doing the research, cos they need a lot of hands.

We're now doing the stuff that the rangers do and helping the animals.

Now, for the first time, we really feel like we are becoming rangers.

The Safari 8 are back in Kruger Park.

In the river bed, Rudi and Frankie are preparing a challenge

for the rookie rangers.

They want to test the team on their knowledge of dung,

as it's one of the best ways to track animals.

With the final challenge looming,

it's crucial the rookies impress their mentors.

You can put them on, and then I need you to listen up.

-FRANKIE LAUGHS:

-If that thing bursts now, Tomas...

Right, so the challenge is...whose poo?

OK. Do you understand? Whose poo?

There's ten pictures, nine pieces of poo.

And you need to allocate the correct poo to the correct animal.

OK? So you need to look carefully at the pictures,

you need to communicate to each other... All right?

Because this is a poo challenge,

the losing team will have the eventful job

-of cleaning the toilets.

-THEY GROAN

British team, that side. South African team, that side.

Run, run, run!

I really, really, really want to win this one.

It's our turn, for the first time ever,

for the British to win against the South Africans.

We have got to win this because the trip is nearly over,

so we've really got to pile it on for Britain.

Are you guys ready?

Like they say - ready, steady, go.

-Go.

-OK, start.

-Shush, shush...

That one's obviously elephant.

-Is this elephant, yeah?

-That's elephant, yeah.

This is buffalo.

-This is hyena.

-That's hyena. Where's that?

Let's do the easy ones first.

-That might be lion.

-Yeah, cos lion has slightly browner...

-This one's buffalo.

-This is buffalo.

Let me tell you something, I saw this near the river.

This is perfectly round.

With everyone speaking over each other,

Sifiso's suggestion is being ignored.

-Don't put it there!

-That's impala.

-Impala is bigger than that.

-OK, if you say so.

-This is kudu poo.

-That's what I said!

-That's not kudu poo.

Everyone's talking, but no-one is listening.

-I think it's actually monkey.

-It's fruit.

-Are we allowed to open it up?

-No.

No, it can't be from her, because they have small bums.

-OK, it's not a lion, and it's not this. It's that.

-It's that, yes.

Hippos eat algae and fish, don't they?

No, hippos are herbivores.

-Stop the clock.

-OK. Got it?

-Your time is stopped.

-Move away so I can mark your table.

The Safari 8 wait for Rudi and Frankie to score each team.

Will the UK finally come through victorious?

Or will they be defeated for the third time?

-How do you think you've done?

-Bad.

-OK.

We got the impala poo wrong.

-Kushal?

-All right?

I'm really really disappointed in you

for not working as a team, especially putting dung on a picture

and letting go before everybody had

a consensus about where the dung should go.

Kushal, you really took over. You talked everybody to death,

which I think is not appropriate. I said to you guys at the table,

"Listen to each other and talk as a team

"and then decide where the poo must go."

And you didn't do that.

So, South Africa, how do you think you did?

I think we worked as a team,

and we all had our input, and before we put it down,

we double-checked and made sure that everyone had their say.

The South African team seem pretty pleased with themselves.

But what does Frankie think?

Can I be honest with you? You guys did not work as a team.

Ashleigh, you took over.

Sifiso actually made a suggestion on one thing.

You overrode his suggestion, and his suggestion was actually quite right.

If this is how you think you'll lead the final challenge,

I've got a different story for you.

You need to start acting as rookie rangers

and start working as a team.

Even though the team work was lacking, I'm very surprised

and happy to announce that you got a smashing six out of nine.

To my team...

You did really well.

-You got seven out of nine.

-Yes! In your face!

-THEY CHEER

-You're cleaning the bathrooms.

Ha-ha-ha!

-This is the first time you won.

-All right, guys...

As the losing team, you know what to do.

So grab your implements and move back up to the top.

I want to see my face in that toilet seat.

-Quick number two before?

-For my team, some nice sunset photographs.

Thank you.

-Here you go.

-Aww...

ALL: Cheers!

Well done, guys. Enjoy.

-Everything clean, the mirror...

-Let's go.

How did that happen?

-Clean on top there.

-Even on the top?

-Everything clean.

This toilet must be sparkling when you guys leave.

Oh, good.

Put the brush in there and rub all the stuff out.

There's ants! It's just ants.

All clean!

This is the taste of success, guys. Well done.

We won, and that's all that matters.

I've never cleaned a toilet before.

I wouldn't want to clean a toilet.

I don't know who would.

We could have been cleaning the toilets right now.

I'm happy were not. They stink.

-Put this in!

-Wait, Ashleigh.

-It's got to go down with it.

You've got to check first if it's clean before you put it in.

There goes the teamwork out of the window again.

Our toilet is infested with ants.

Ashleigh, that toilet is not clean yet.

I can see from where I'm standing that it's not clean yet.

And I'm not even at the bowl.

Ashleigh might not admit it, but she always wants to be a leader.

We should try to work as a team.

We've got to turn this thing into positives.

-Come on, girls!

-Let's just go.

The Brits head over to the toilets,

as they can't resist checking up

on the South Africans' cleaning efforts.

-What's worse? The girls' or the boys'?

-Do you want to taste this?

It's not long

before tensions between Ashleigh and Tomas start to show.

Oh Ashleigh, you stupid mess!

Move.

Please borrow me this.

-Do you want to move?

-Please borrow me this.

Do you want to clean the toilets?

Cos I don't mind going to have some juice.

That's not fair!

While the rangers are busy with the rest of the team,

things flare up again.

Calm down!

-Ow! You actually...

-Yeah, but that's cos you did it to me.

You blooming hurt my gum. I'm sorry, Ashleigh, but...

Ashleigh and Tomas have had time

to calm down and reflect on their fall out.

Now they've cooled off, Tomas wants to speak to Ashleigh.

Well, I'm sorry because I think we were all agitated,

'and the Brits were bragging

'because it's our first win against the South Africans.

'We were all really hyped up.'

I'm sorry for being angry.

Thank you for coming to me and apologising.

I think that's really considered of you.

I'm sorry too for messing up your mug.

Let's be friends.

I think it shows a lot of team spirit.

They push each other to a certain limit,

and I think they've reached that point.

Now they know how far they can go.

That'll be good for the final challenge.

It is going to be tough for them, and they need to stand together.

Next time on Safari 8,

the rookies learn a hard lesson about tracking leopards.

If we hear talking, we're just going to leave.

I don't even want to hear a whisper.

There's chaos in the kitchen...

Just chuck it in the bin and start again.

And are the team cracking under the pressure?

I've mucked up on the baboon cos I went off the baboon too early.

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