Moyo & Robin Nature's Miracle Orphans


Moyo & Robin

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The first years of a young animal's life are the most crucial.

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So if they grow up without their mothers,

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these animals are going to need help.

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Good morning. Hello, darling.

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We're going to meet baby animals whose only hope of survival

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lies with some very dedicated people...

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What a clever girl.

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..and find out what it takes to get them back into the wild.

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This is about salvation for some little guys who have been

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through hell, who have been through trauma, who deserve a second chance.

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Hey, dude. Ah!

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'I'm biologist Patrick Aryee'

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and I'm in central America, home to exotic and rare wildlife.

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'Here, I'll be visiting centres where the wildlife

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'gets incredible specialist care.'

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That is remarkable.

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'And I'm zoologist Lucy Cooke'

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and I'm in southern Africa,

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home to some of the most iconic animals in the world.

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'I'll be helping out at rescue centres devoted to

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'rehabilitation and release.'

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You're going to become a wild cheetah one day, aren't you,

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if you carry on being this good?

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In this programme, I'll be meeting Moyo,

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who found sanctuary on a sofa after nearly drowning.

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He's got a terrible phobia of water,

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which is just the most dreadful thing.

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'And I'll be meeting Robin, an anteater from Costa Rica...'

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Hello.

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'..to see if he can master

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'the skills he'll need to return to his jungle home.'

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He's sniffing my armpits. Apparently...

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I've got ants in there.

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Join us as we follow these miracle orphans...

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..through their most crucial moments...

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..on their long journeys back to the wild.

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Zimbabwe is in southern Africa.

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Its diverse and breathtaking landscape

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is dotted with evergreen forests, mountains and savannas...

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..and it's home to some of the most recognisable animals on the planet.

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But many of these animals are now under threat,

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including Africa's elephants.

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This is 14-month-old Moyo,

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a baby elephant that lives here at Wild Is Life...

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Oh, you clever little so-and-so.

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..a rescue centre founded by Roxy Danckwerts.

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You're so clever.

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Yes, you are. You're so clever.

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Roxy's been helping sick and orphaned animals

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for nearly 20 years.

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She's rescued and rehabilitated many different species,

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from African cats...

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PURRING

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..to primates and birds.

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But Moyo is her biggest challenge yet.

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Oh, dear.

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On the veranda of the house at the moment

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and Moyo's just having a little quiet...

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quiet moment.

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This is his favourite sofa.

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But he's getting a little bit big for it now.

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I think it might break soon.

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Moyo came here when he was just a few days old.

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Thought to have been washed away

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whilst trying to cross a flooded river with his herd,

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he nearly drowned.

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Luckily, he was found by rangers and brought to Roxy.

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Oh, Moyo.

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She's become Moyo's surrogate mother

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and he follows her everywhere.

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He's very inquisitive, so he's just grabbed a teabag,

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and he doesn't like it. No, doesn't like that at all.

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Now he's just peed on my floor.

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With most animals, it's a little puddle.

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This is a very, very big puddle.

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So... Yeah... The wee's quite big to clean.

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Come, little Moyo. Come on. Let's go. Come along. Come, Moyo.

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CLATTERING

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This is not a good place for an elephant. Come.

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He's now outgrown the house but old habits die hard.

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In the beginning, I used to make Moyo's milk in the kitchen,

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so he used to follow me in here.

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Oh, he's found the salt.

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And so he's quite used to the kitchen. Strawberry?

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Come.

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No, he wants chocolate brownies.

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Come on. These are not good for you. All of these.

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He knows he's being naughty now.

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Come, Moyo. Come on. Let's go.

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Moyo, come on.

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He loves silver. It's really interesting.

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Talk about an elephant with a silver spoon in his mouth.

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CLATTERING

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You can bring your spoon. Come. Let's go. Come on.

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Come, Moyo. Come, Moyo.

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Good boy. Come on.

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Across Africa, wild elephant numbers have declined by over 60%...

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You... You are just a little mischief, aren't you?

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Such a mischief. Yes.

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..and if things carry on as they are,

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experts believe that in the next couple of decades,

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they could disappear from the wild completely.

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Roxy is determined to do what she can to help and, by the time

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he is nine years old, her plan is to return Moyo back to the wild.

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Elephants have been very much a huge interest

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and a huge passion for me since I was in my teens.

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I've always wanted to work with them

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so everything I've done up until this point

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has been like a preparation.

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Such a precious boy.

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Moyo's rehabilitation is her top priority

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and it's something that I'm hoping I can help with.

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It's not every day you get to meet a baby elephant, is it?

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But today is one of those days.

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-Hello. You must be Roxy and...

-Good morning.

-Oh, my word.

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-This must be... I'll say hello to you first. Hello.

-Hello.

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And now I'm going to say hello to you.

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I was a bit nervous about how we were going to get on,

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Mr Moyo, but it looks like we're going to get on famously.

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Just as long as I let you suck my fingers.

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According to surrogate mum Roxy,

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this means he's already warming to me.

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The sucking is all part of a comfort, greeting, trust whatever.

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I think a lot of ellies do that.

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The babies, they will often go and suck on aunties and sisters,

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just for the comfort and the bonding and the security.

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So that's really what he's trying to do, I think.

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Baby elephants will often put the trunk in their mouths

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and taste what they're eating,

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and they are also picking up a lot of probiotics.

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You see a lot of trunk interaction.

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He's really liking you, Lucy.

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-Really?

-Yeah, he's really liking you.

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It would've been really awkward if we hadn't got along.

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-No. He's found a new friend.

-He's getting a bit boisterous, isn't he?

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Yeah, Lucy, I think we'll take him out for a walk and go and see

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what there is to see out there and go and have a bit of a play.

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Come, Mr Moyo. Come on. Let's go.

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Moyo's rehabilitation is going well

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but there's one problem that's holding him back.

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Soon after his arrival, Roxy noticed that he was frightened around water.

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Nearly drowning as a newborn has left him with emotional scars.

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That whole experience of getting separated from your mother

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when you're that tiny, that must have been traumatic for him.

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I think it must have been the most awful, terrifying experience.

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I can't begin to imagine what that must have been like for him.

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I'm seeing quite unnatural behaviour from him.

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He's not excited about water.

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They need to play in it, drink it, they need to cool themselves.

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There's a lot going on there.

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It should be an integral part of their daily lives.

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Roxy has to get him over his fear of water if he's ever going to stand

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a chance of being a wild elephant, and I'm going to help with that.

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8,000 miles away is Costa Rica, in Central America,

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one of the most bio-diverse places on Earth.

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Over a quarter of the country is pristine national parks...

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..and its rich forests are home to extraordinary animals.

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But this wildlife is under threat.

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A growing human population is having a huge impact...

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..and I want to see for myself what dangers animals are facing.

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In the distance, we can see this lush tropical rainforest,

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which is a safe haven,

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however, right next door to it is this - human settlements.

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You can hear the cars on this busy road,

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there are electric cables above.

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So many different threats to these wild animals,

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it's easy to see why they get into trouble.

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I've come to a centre called Kids Saving The Rainforest,

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where a team is working tirelessly to rescue, rehabilitate

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and return Costa Rica's precious wildlife back to the wild.

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I've come to meet one of the centre's most challenging

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and demanding patients.

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This is Robin the tamandua,

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a type of anteater who has a highly specialised diet.

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He spends most of his life looking for ants and termites

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high up in the tree tops.

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-Ow.

-Just stand still and let me know if you need help.

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I love how he uses that nose, just sniffing nonstop.

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And if you can see, his tail is wrapped around my neck,

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but that's again to make sure he is secure so he...

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He's sniffing my armpit. Apparently...

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..I've got ants in there.

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Robin is an orphan.

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Found on the roadside, he came to the centre

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at just a few weeks old and was days away from starvation.

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At this age, baby tamanduas rely on their mothers

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for milk and protection.

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They have a close bond for their first 12 months.

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Robin was raised under the watchful eye

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'of biologist Pedro Montero,

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'who has years of experience with orphaned wildlife.'

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Hello.

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Robin is nearly a year old and is learning to hunt ants for himself.

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You can see how he's using those claws to rip apart that vegetation

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and then that allows that really long, sticky tongue to investigate

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to see if he can find any ants.

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Oh!

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What stage is he at? How much longer

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do you need to wait until you can release him out into the wild?

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Robin is pretty much at the final stage.

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I know that he has pretty much all the skills,

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the basic skills to survive

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and we just need to confirm that he has everything ready to be released.

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So you had to be mum for Robin

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and it looks like all your hard work is paying off right now.

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Yes, I'm hoping... I was hoping for a Mother's Day present,

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and that didn't pan out so I guess I'll settle for a happy release.

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With Robin being ready to be released,

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is there anything that might stop that?

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He's been having a little problem with his eye.

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He's had it a little cloudy.

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We think something got in there,

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like an ant or a piece of wood or something.

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We need to make sure that's not going to affect him.

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He's coming out by himself.

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He's brought Robin to see Pia Martin, the centre's vet.

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It looks like it's not cloudy at all any more. It looks very good.

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It's not swollen and it's not red.

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He has a good weight, he's old enough, he's big enough,

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and his eye is good, so health-wise he's excellent.

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Now we just have to make sure that behaviour-wise

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he has all the skills to be able to survive in the wild.

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With a clean bill of health, the next step for Robin will be

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a series of tests to ensure he can fend for himself in the wild.

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In Africa, Roxy has spent the last 14 months helping Moyo

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develop his survival instincts as part of his rehabilitation.

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Good morning. Hello, darling.

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In the wild, he would have learnt those skills from his herd.

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Elephants live in family groups led by the matriarch.

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Roxy has taken on that role.

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I have to think like an elephant, I have to taste like an elephant,

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I have to keep thinking ahead and planning to make sure that

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what we're doing is going to be right for his future.

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So what's going to happen now, you'll find, Lucy,

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is that he has a sense of social hierarchy.

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So what you might find that he does is that he'll let me

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-go forward but he'll keep you slightly back.

-Oh, OK.

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So what's going to be going on is his trunk will probably be

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-slapping you a little bit.

-Yeah.

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-He's just keeping you slightly to the back...

-Right.

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-..because you're a lesser mortal.

-OK. I accept that.

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In his presence, I do definitely feel like a lesser mortal.

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-All right, let's go and join him now.

-OK.

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Come, Moyo. Moyo, come. Let's go.

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Oh, yeah, sorry. Got to get back.

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Got to keep back.

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All right, no, OK, I'm keeping behind. I'm keeping behind.

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Mum's in front.

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As Moyo doesn't have any other elephants to hang out with,

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Roxy has also built Moyo his own unconventional herd.

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-It includes the family dog...

-Hi, Josephine. Hello.

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Are you full of prickles?

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..and Moyo's best buddy, Kimmy the sheep.

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It might seem like an odd pairing

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but years of experience had taught Roxy what her animals need.

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It's a combination of teaching and playing.

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Because they're such good herd animals,

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I used a sheep and a zebra foal once and it was a huge, huge success.

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Like most babies,

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Moyo currently does most of his learning through play

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and Roxy knows that something as simple as a sandpit can teach

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and entertain him at the same time.

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-Lucy, what I suggest you do is just climb on it.

-Yeah.

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And then he'll probably follow you up.

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You want me to climb up the sandpit?

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-Yeah, cos he'll probably follow you up.

-OK.

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You going to come up and join me? You going to come up and join me?

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Yes.

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-So this is playtime, really.

-Yeah.

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And you see elephants in the wild doing this a lot.

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It may be play but it's also really important for them

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to throw sand to control parasites and to help them with sunburn,

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and it's just a lot of fun.

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He absolutely loves it.

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He's practising digging.

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Roxy's rehab programme for Moyo has brought him on leaps and bounds.

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He's learning all the skills he needs to be a wild elephant,

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but when he gets near water, his confidence disappears completely.

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Elephants are famous for and never forgetting.

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You know, this little orphan baby elephant suffered a massive trauma

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at the start of his life involving water and he nearly drowned.

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And now he's got a terrible phobia of water,

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which is just the most dreadful thing for an elephant

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because they love water.

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In the wild, swimming is a vital part of an elephant's life.

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It's a way to socialise, avoid predators

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and to travel great distances

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to locate new feeding and breeding grounds.

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Moyo's lack of confidence

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could be a major setback in his development.

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Like any human that's suffered from trauma,

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Roxy's using therapy to try and get him over this fear.

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Roxy has specially dug out this shallow paddling pool

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and, over the last six months, she's been slowly getting him used to it.

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I'm guessing, as his herd, this is a shoes-and-socks-off situation.

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-Absolutely.

-This is a get in the water and show him...

-Absolutely.

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Yeah, we've just got to get a bit of energy up. Come, Mr Moyo.

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-A bit of energy. OK.

-Come, Mr Moyo. Come, come, come.

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He's not... He doesn't want to come in, though, does he?

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-He needs a lot of encouragement.

-Yeah, he needs some encouragement.

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It'll just take a bit of time, and we might put a bit of mud on him.

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Come on, Moyo. Come, Mr Moyo. Come on. Come, Mr Moyo.

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Look, it's lovely in here.

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It's really nice and cool, cos it's quite warm out there.

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It's really nice and cool in here.

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'Moyo isn't sure.

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'But with Roxy and I cheering him on...'

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Good boy. Good boy.

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'..he decides to dip his toes in.'

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That's it, you got your feet wet. Well done. Well done.

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He's going to come in. He's gone to come in, aren't you?

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You big, brave boy.

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Fantastic.

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There was a little bit of anxiety to start off with, wasn't there?

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And then little steps and then, boom,

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-and he had a good time, didn't he?

-Yeah.

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Oh, yes.

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So how long has it taken to get to this point?

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This has taken quite a few months, actually.

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You know, it's been one step at a time, really.

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Each one of these experiences is going to make him

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remember that water's good and forget that water's bad.

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Exactly. We want loads and loads of good memories, I think.

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And how does it make you feel to see him like this?

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I just love it. I mean, I just... You know,

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watching his expressions, and he just makes you laugh,

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he just behaves like a clown and... Oh, it's just... It's a really...

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It's a sense of achievement as well that we've got this far, you know?

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He's just a little boy growing up

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and learning little boy lessons and I really enjoy that.

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'Roxy believes that this pool will help him

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'to start conquering his fear of water.'

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He's come a really long way

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from a little elephant that nearly drowned to doing this.

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You are totally cool with this puddle, aren't you?

0:18:510:18:54

'But it is just a puddle, compared to what he might face in the wild,

0:18:540:18:59

'and his next challenge will be sink or swim.'

0:18:590:19:03

The next thing will be to try him on a bigger body of water,

0:19:030:19:06

that'll be the real test.

0:19:060:19:07

'Here in Costa Rica, I'm also helping with vital survival skills.

0:19:130:19:18

'I'm about to get first-hand experience of the lengths

0:19:180:19:21

'Pedro will go to to help Robin the tamandua.

0:19:210:19:25

'Whilst here at the centre, Pedro needs to provide Robin

0:19:250:19:28

'with everything he needs,

0:19:280:19:30

'and today I've been roped into helping find his dinner.

0:19:300:19:33

'Tamanduas have a highly specialised diet

0:19:330:19:36

'and in the wild can eat up to 9,000 ants in a day.

0:19:360:19:41

'Robin needs to hone his foraging skills

0:19:410:19:44

'and that means being able to track the scent of ants.'

0:19:440:19:46

-There.

-Yeah, that'll work.

0:19:460:19:50

'It's down to Pedro and I to collect some so we can give him

0:19:500:19:54

'an all-important life rehearsal.'

0:19:540:19:56

Unfortunately his food is bitey and moves very quick

0:19:560:20:00

and lives halfway up this tree.

0:20:000:20:02

There's a really big ants' nest up there.

0:20:020:20:04

OK, so I'm going to climb and I'm going to

0:20:040:20:07

put my machete like this and then push and then it's going to

0:20:070:20:11

fly directly into your bucket and it's going to be completely safe.

0:20:110:20:15

Just be... Just be really careful.

0:20:150:20:17

-There's an ants' nest right behind you.

-No, I know.

-OK, wait, wait.

0:20:170:20:21

Just take your time. OK.

0:20:210:20:23

I don't know if I'm going to be able to catch all of it but...

0:20:230:20:27

Oh, my... OK, got loads of ants here.

0:20:270:20:31

Ow, ow, ow, ow.

0:20:310:20:32

Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow.

0:20:320:20:34

Ah.

0:20:340:20:35

OK, these ants are going crazy.

0:20:350:20:37

What I need to do is get them into this jar real quick.

0:20:370:20:40

-That might be too big.

-Huh?

0:20:400:20:41

Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow.

0:20:430:20:45

-Ah! Perfect.

-Yes.

-I think I've managed to...

0:20:450:20:47

Ow!

0:20:470:20:49

Oh, man.

0:20:490:20:50

OK, here we go.

0:20:500:20:52

-Perfect.

-Yes.

0:20:520:20:53

That...

0:20:530:20:55

is how...

0:20:550:20:56

you catch...

0:20:560:20:58

a tamandua's dinner.

0:20:580:21:00

'When ants are under attack, they release a special pheromone,

0:21:000:21:04

'a chemical signal that acts as an alarm call to other ants

0:21:040:21:07

'to coordinate a strike on their attacker.

0:21:070:21:10

'In this case, that's us.'

0:21:100:21:12

It's so weird, you can't feel them at all, you don't

0:21:120:21:15

know where they are, then they just decide to bite you randomly.

0:21:150:21:17

Ah, ah.

0:21:170:21:19

-Have you just...? You've just put some on me, haven't you?

-I have not.

0:21:190:21:23

I have not.

0:21:230:21:24

Robin's made us work really hard for his dinner and, in my opinion,

0:21:240:21:28

these ants are worth their weight in gold.

0:21:280:21:31

So I'm not going to give them to him that easily.

0:21:310:21:34

Pedro and I have got a series of tests that we're going to

0:21:340:21:37

put him through to make sure that his eye is OK and that he's got

0:21:370:21:40

all the skills he'll need for when he's released into the rainforest.

0:21:400:21:43

Thank you.

0:21:430:21:44

'We put a couple of holes in the jar so Robin can smell the ants,

0:21:440:21:48

'and hide it, with the hope that he'll sniff them out.'

0:21:480:21:52

-We've got Robin. Shall we let him out and see what he does?

-Yes.

-OK.

0:21:520:21:56

'Anteaters have a sense of smell 40 times more powerful than ours,

0:21:560:22:00

'and he quickly picks up the scent of the ants.'

0:22:000:22:03

All right.

0:22:050:22:06

He's found those ants no problem.

0:22:060:22:09

'But this is just the start.

0:22:090:22:11

'Pedro wants to confirm that he has all the tools he'll need to

0:22:110:22:14

'fend for himself, and has some more tests for Robin that will

0:22:140:22:18

'determine how he'll cope in the wild.'

0:22:180:22:20

Ow, ow, ow.

0:22:200:22:21

OK, yes, they bite quite a lot.

0:22:210:22:23

'And a skilled tongue is essential for anteaters to catch their food.'

0:22:230:22:28

I got bit already so you'd better appreciate this. Smell that.

0:22:280:22:32

All right. Excellent.

0:22:350:22:36

Robin's tongue is over 40 centimetres long

0:22:380:22:41

and covered in spikes and sticky saliva.

0:22:410:22:44

He can move it in and out of his mouth at 150 times a minute...

0:22:440:22:49

..allowing him to eat ants and termites with astonishing speed.

0:22:510:22:55

The result of this test is encouraging for Pedro.

0:22:570:23:00

Their tongue is really amazing, the way that it works.

0:23:010:23:05

Also they have some more adaptations.

0:23:050:23:07

They have very strong claws that they use to destroy trunks

0:23:070:23:10

and get to the nest, and that's what we are going to test next.

0:23:100:23:14

So we've got this log that we might find some termites

0:23:180:23:20

hiding in or some ants,

0:23:200:23:22

so we can see how strong and how powerful those muscles are

0:23:220:23:25

and see if he can get his claws into there and tear it open.

0:23:250:23:29

Hello, Robin.

0:23:290:23:30

Hello.

0:23:330:23:34

You can see he's sniffing straight away.

0:23:340:23:37

He knows what he's doing.

0:23:390:23:40

Robin's secret weapons are his claws - really sharp.

0:23:420:23:47

And he has really powerful muscles which are helping him

0:23:470:23:50

to rip open that bark.

0:23:500:23:53

'Unlike us, Robin is adapted for ant foraging.

0:23:530:23:57

'His claws allow him to break and enter quickly

0:23:570:24:00

'and his thick, coarse hair acts like a suit of armour

0:24:000:24:03

'which protects him from biting ants.'

0:24:030:24:06

-Perfect.

-He's doing really well.

0:24:090:24:11

I think it's fantastic that he's able to tackle this log no problem.

0:24:110:24:15

'Robin has passed these foraging tests with flying colours,

0:24:150:24:19

'but he still looks for reassurance from Pedro,

0:24:190:24:22

'and this bond is cause for concern.'

0:24:220:24:25

-He really does enjoy your company, doesn't he?

-He...

0:24:250:24:27

Yes, he really likes me.

0:24:270:24:29

This is one of the things that I am most concerned about.

0:24:290:24:33

This kind of behaviour is unacceptable.

0:24:330:24:36

So he needs to lose that sense of attachment, not only to you

0:24:360:24:39

-but humans in general.

-Exactly.

0:24:390:24:41

It would be very dangerous for him to go out like this.

0:24:410:24:45

-We are not good news for a wild anteater.

-How do you prepare him,

0:24:450:24:49

then, for life in the wild and to lose his sense of attachment?

0:24:490:24:53

Whenever he goes into a tree that he really likes then

0:24:530:24:56

he switches into, like, wild tamandua mode and, yeah,

0:24:560:25:01

he behaves much better than right now.

0:25:010:25:03

So the key is to get him really interested in ants, termites,

0:25:030:25:08

foods that he'd be eating naturally in the wild and just let him

0:25:080:25:12

-basically go about his own business.

-Exactly.

-OK.

-That's the plan.

0:25:120:25:15

'I'm going to help Robin become less and had to Pedro.

0:25:170:25:20

'For his release to be a success,

0:25:200:25:22

'they must break their bond completely.'

0:25:220:25:25

Ah. Oh!

0:25:260:25:28

'At Wild Is Life,

0:25:350:25:36

'I'm getting to know Moyo's extended family a little better.'

0:25:360:25:41

This is Skye. Skye is another orphan here at Roxy's.

0:25:410:25:46

She's just five or six weeks old.

0:25:460:25:49

She'd been a bit poorly actually

0:25:490:25:50

cos she's had a bit of a brush with pneumonia.

0:25:500:25:54

'If she recovers, she'll return home, but some of these sick or

0:25:540:25:58

'abandoned animals have had to become long-term residents.'

0:25:580:26:03

Noodle's been here for nearly four years now.

0:26:030:26:06

Her mother died in childbirth.

0:26:060:26:09

So she's another survivor.

0:26:090:26:12

She's rather gentle for a wildebeest, aren't you?

0:26:120:26:14

But there's one long-term resident...

0:26:160:26:20

that really keeps Roxy on her toes.

0:26:200:26:23

So Pickles is a warthog, as you can probably tell.

0:26:230:26:26

Warthogs are really smart, social animals.

0:26:260:26:29

She uses this smart brain of hers to figure out where all the food is.

0:26:290:26:34

Come on, steady on. Pickles.

0:26:340:26:36

Pickles!

0:26:360:26:38

Pickles came to Roxy has an injured orphan

0:26:380:26:41

and, with no other warthogs to be with, she became part of the family.

0:26:410:26:46

She kind of thinks that she's a two-legged animal,

0:26:460:26:48

not a four-legged animal,

0:26:480:26:50

so unfortunately she'll never be able to go back into the wild.

0:26:500:26:55

She's going to remain Roxy's house guest.

0:26:550:26:57

But I don't think Pickles minds that, to be honest. Right, Pickles?

0:26:570:27:02

'These animal survivors have found sanctuary here.

0:27:020:27:07

'But Roxy is determined to make sure that Moyo's future is different,

0:27:070:27:11

'a life in the wild.'

0:27:110:27:13

Come along. Come, boy.

0:27:130:27:15

He's now outgrown her house so he'll become a temporary

0:27:150:27:19

resident in a purpose-built elephant orphanage...

0:27:190:27:22

..that she's constructing in her back yard.

0:27:240:27:27

It'll be the first of its kind in Zimbabwe.

0:27:270:27:30

This is about salvation for some little guys who've been

0:27:300:27:34

through hell, who've been through trauma, who need a second chance or

0:27:340:27:38

who deserve a second chance, who are going to go and be wild elephants.

0:27:380:27:42

It's his bedtime...

0:27:440:27:45

..and, like most babies, Moyo has a strict routine,

0:27:460:27:50

starting with his milk.

0:27:500:27:51

So Mr Moyo here, he drinks 22 litres of this stuff a day,

0:27:530:27:56

and they take a really long time to wean.

0:27:560:27:59

Up to ten years, even, there's been reports of babies

0:28:010:28:04

still suckling from their mums,

0:28:040:28:06

so Moyo's got a lot of milk drinking ahead of him, haven't you, Moyo?

0:28:060:28:11

Roxy has spent months researching and perfecting a winning formula.

0:28:110:28:16

I work really closely with my vets

0:28:160:28:19

and they've calculated out all the values of every single

0:28:190:28:22

thing that's going into that milk just to make sure

0:28:220:28:25

that our balances are correct

0:28:250:28:27

because if you throw out the phosphorus

0:28:270:28:29

or you throw out the calcium

0:28:290:28:30

then you're going to have a growth problem,

0:28:300:28:33

and that's why I like to do it myself,

0:28:330:28:35

just to make sure he's getting exactly the right amount.

0:28:350:28:37

I also add a bit of protein

0:28:370:28:40

because he is growing so fast at the moment,

0:28:400:28:44

and then I'm also adding a porridge.

0:28:440:28:46

And it's a porridge that's been developed

0:28:460:28:48

actually for patients with HIV,

0:28:480:28:51

children that are malnourished,

0:28:510:28:53

and I've found it works an absolute treat.

0:28:530:28:56

I use it in all my animals.

0:28:560:28:58

It's completely and utterly 24-hour care.

0:28:580:29:01

We cannot for a moment, you know...

0:29:010:29:04

Oh... Hello. Hi.

0:29:040:29:08

When he first came here, he was incredibly weak and he...

0:29:080:29:11

You know, because we put him on to a new formula,

0:29:110:29:14

he instantly got diarrhoea,

0:29:140:29:16

and it took weeks and weeks and weeks, actually, to get him stable.

0:29:160:29:22

But we've been really... Moyo.

0:29:220:29:25

We've been really lucky because we've never, ever

0:29:250:29:28

had to give him an antibiotic, which is remarkable.

0:29:280:29:31

We've managed to get his own immune system to kick in,

0:29:310:29:35

and I think that's come from really good nutrition as well.

0:29:350:29:39

It's a well-balanced diet but, like most babies,

0:29:390:29:42

he can't resist playing with his food.

0:29:420:29:45

Come out. Oh!

0:29:450:29:47

Moyo.

0:29:500:29:52

Come on, Moyo.

0:29:520:29:54

He's having a dust bath with the milk.

0:29:540:29:56

It's very, very expensive milk, this,

0:29:560:29:59

and he's having a little dust bath.

0:29:590:30:02

When I come and make milk, normally I shut the door, lock it,

0:30:020:30:05

cos otherwise we have this chaos and...and it is chaos.

0:30:050:30:10

Come on. Let's go.

0:30:100:30:13

Come along, now. You're just wasting...

0:30:130:30:15

This is unbelievably, ridiculously expensive milk. Come on. Let's go.

0:30:150:30:18

Come on. Oh. Oh, dear.

0:30:180:30:20

Due to his size, it's easy to forget that he's just a baby...

0:30:220:30:26

Come, Moyo. Come clean your trunk as well.

0:30:260:30:28

..and has a long way to go before becoming an adult.

0:30:280:30:32

Come on. Come, come clean your trunk. Come on.

0:30:320:30:35

Yeah, I know it's cold but you can't have milk all over your trunk.

0:30:350:30:39

That's going to be sticky all night.

0:30:390:30:41

Settling down for the night

0:30:420:30:44

gives Roxy time to reflect on how far Moyo has come.

0:30:440:30:48

What's driving me to face these challenges is quite simply love.

0:30:480:30:55

Come on, then. Come. Come on. Good boy. Come on, then.

0:30:550:30:59

I think most humans can relate to going through some level of trauma,

0:30:590:31:04

some level of pain, and coming out of that and rebuilding themselves.

0:31:040:31:11

The endgame is re-wilding,

0:31:120:31:16

and that is my goal, that's my vision.

0:31:160:31:18

There's some very, very big hurdles but I'm not giving up.

0:31:180:31:22

No, no, no. Moyo represents a brighter future.

0:31:220:31:26

I am extremely determined. I really am.

0:31:260:31:29

For Moyo, a good night's sleep

0:31:290:31:31

is essential so he can grow and develop.

0:31:310:31:34

But in Costa Rica, the night-time offers Robin the orphan anteater

0:31:340:31:39

a chance for more training in essential life skills.

0:31:390:31:42

I know it's late.

0:31:420:31:43

In the wild, tamanduas will forage not only during the daytime

0:31:430:31:47

but also at night,

0:31:470:31:48

so this next step is vital preparation.

0:31:480:31:52

So what I'm doing here today with Robin is trying to do

0:31:520:31:56

a little night practice and see how he performs at night.

0:31:560:32:01

It's a skill that he needs to develop

0:32:010:32:03

because some of these animals are completely nocturnal.

0:32:030:32:07

And, for Robin, this is an important milestone.

0:32:080:32:12

This will be the first time that I'm bringing him out

0:32:120:32:15

and it will be the first time that I'm actually following him

0:32:150:32:18

at night to see but he will do.

0:32:180:32:19

What I'm really concerned about, this test,

0:32:190:32:21

is that at night it's going to be harder to track him.

0:32:210:32:24

'We're going to be using infrared cameras.

0:32:240:32:26

'The idea is that it's going to be as natural as possible

0:32:260:32:29

'and our torches are not going to be

0:32:290:32:31

'interfering with his natural behaviour.'

0:32:310:32:34

This could work.

0:32:340:32:35

If this night walk is a success and Robin doesn't need

0:32:350:32:39

reassurance from Pedro then he will be one step closer to release.

0:32:390:32:44

Clearly he is navigating with his nose.

0:32:440:32:47

He's just sniffing where the ants are.

0:32:470:32:49

So, yeah, he seems to be doing great.

0:32:510:32:53

The most important part is that he is not interested in me at all.

0:32:550:32:59

I have put him in the trees and he moves away,

0:33:000:33:04

doesn't even look back, which is great.

0:33:040:33:06

Robin has taken a big leap forward in his development...

0:33:080:33:12

He doesn't even want to come to me.

0:33:120:33:15

..as well as breaking that bond with Pedro.

0:33:150:33:18

It's really nice to see his progression

0:33:180:33:22

from being a scared, little orphan to a wild anteater,

0:33:220:33:26

an animal that is ready to be released.

0:33:260:33:28

I'm really proud of him.

0:33:280:33:30

I'm sure that he's going to do great in the wild and I'm looking

0:33:300:33:33

forward to seeing him out there, but of course I'm going to miss him.

0:33:330:33:37

You're way past your bedtime so, yeah, we need to go back. Come on.

0:33:370:33:41

Robin is going for a well-deserved rest.

0:33:410:33:45

But, for Pedro, it's going to be a long night.

0:33:450:33:49

Wildlife rescue happens around the clock and some casualties

0:33:490:33:53

have been brought to the centre in need of some urgent treatment.

0:33:530:33:57

There's been a late-night call.

0:33:580:34:00

Two orphans have come in.

0:34:000:34:02

We don't know what they are or what's happening, really,

0:34:020:34:06

so I'm heading down to the clinic to find out what's going on.

0:34:060:34:10

So we just had a box brought into the centre

0:34:150:34:18

by the electricity company.

0:34:180:34:20

What they found was, unfortunately, a dead mother, dead possum.

0:34:220:34:26

But there are two really small babies.

0:34:260:34:29

Their eyes are barely open.

0:34:290:34:31

SQUEAKING

0:34:310:34:33

Listen to that. You can hear them squeaking.

0:34:330:34:35

You can see that tiny, tiny baby

0:34:350:34:38

still clutching on to its mother's body.

0:34:380:34:40

Luckily they've been brought in so the team here are going to see

0:34:400:34:44

what they can do and hopefully they can make sure that these

0:34:440:34:48

babies survive the night.

0:34:480:34:51

The centre gets 15 wildlife rescues a month.

0:34:510:34:55

'Pedro and rehabilitation manager Sam Trull have lots of experience

0:34:570:35:01

'with these woolly opossums and know exactly the kind of care they need.'

0:35:010:35:05

We just have to examine them, make sure that they're healthy,

0:35:050:35:08

cos they could have been electrocuted as well.

0:35:080:35:10

But mostly it's supportive care, so we need to rehydrate them

0:35:100:35:13

because babies like this have to eat very often.

0:35:130:35:15

Then we're going to set them up with a surrogate.

0:35:150:35:18

Luckily, we actually have one with a pouch.

0:35:180:35:20

Obviously, that's what they're used to.

0:35:200:35:23

Their new surrogate is a soft toy

0:35:230:35:25

which will provide warmth and comfort.

0:35:250:35:27

They're marsupials and so they are born, you know,

0:35:290:35:32

really teeny-tiny and they grow up in a pouch

0:35:320:35:35

and they kind of come out and experience the world that way.

0:35:350:35:37

-Right, so a bit like... a bit like kangaroos.

-Exactly.

0:35:370:35:40

And because of that, this pouch will make them

0:35:400:35:43

feel a little bit more at home.

0:35:430:35:45

I mean, their entire world has just changed.

0:35:450:35:47

Their mom was the entire world.

0:35:470:35:49

So anything we can do to make it

0:35:490:35:51

a little bit more comfortable for them will increase

0:35:510:35:53

their chance of survival.

0:35:530:35:56

Would you hold this one and keep it warm

0:35:560:35:59

while we give fluids to this one?

0:35:590:36:00

OK, so what am I doing? I'm holding him.

0:36:000:36:03

Just hold him really gently

0:36:030:36:04

but basically your body temperature is going to warm him up.

0:36:040:36:08

Because it's so small, it's going to lose body heat really rapidly.

0:36:100:36:13

Normally, it's got to be really close to its mother

0:36:130:36:17

and it's going to be able to maintain its body temperature.

0:36:170:36:20

We're doing all that we can to keep them warm, keep them stable,

0:36:200:36:24

and then we'll put them into this incubator.

0:36:240:36:26

-Let's see...

-My God, he's moving so fast!

0:36:290:36:32

Another boy.

0:36:320:36:34

-A little bit warm, too. Nice job, Patrick.

-Yeah? Good.

0:36:350:36:39

We've taken their temperature,

0:36:390:36:42

we've checked how much they weigh, given them fluids,

0:36:420:36:44

what's the next step?

0:36:440:36:46

OK, well, it seems like they are pretty healthy

0:36:460:36:48

so what we need to do now is put them in the pouch

0:36:480:36:52

and then we're going to put them in the incubator.

0:36:520:36:56

Oh, they are so small.

0:36:560:36:57

But it's, you know, it's really good that they are in

0:36:580:37:02

this incubator and they look really relaxed and calm.

0:37:020:37:05

The future for these woolly opossums is looking good.

0:37:050:37:09

In the wild, they're capable of fending for themselves

0:37:090:37:11

at a young age, and so in a matter of weeks, will be ready to be

0:37:110:37:15

released back into their jungle home.

0:37:150:37:18

I've witnessed that every animal at this centre is proof that incredible

0:37:220:37:27

care for struggling wildlife is the best way to ensure its survival.

0:37:270:37:32

But with that level of emotional investment,

0:37:360:37:39

when things go wrong, it can be devastating.

0:37:390:37:42

It's early morning in Africa

0:37:440:37:45

and Moyo is about to have a medical appointment that could

0:37:450:37:49

affect his future rehabilitation and his ability to swim.

0:37:490:37:53

Good boy.

0:37:550:37:57

The vet's coming today to do a mobilisation of Moyo,

0:37:570:38:00

because we need to get really good x-rays of his back legs.

0:38:000:38:03

Baby elephants can suffer from irregular bone development.

0:38:050:38:09

Come on, Moyo, come on.

0:38:090:38:10

And Moyo's legs are giving her cause for concern.

0:38:100:38:14

I was worried because he was tripping a little bit and I just

0:38:140:38:17

noticed there was a slight growth deformity going on in the back legs.

0:38:170:38:21

And you can see here that the angle of this bone is not vertical enough.

0:38:210:38:28

Over the last 12 months, Roxy has tried everything, from fitting

0:38:280:38:33

a supported boot to being meticulous about Moyo's nutrition.

0:38:330:38:37

Today she wants to find out if his bones are absorbing enough calcium.

0:38:380:38:43

The problem is that as he gets older, if he grows into a

0:38:430:38:46

four- or five-ton elephant, he has got to be able to have those legs which hold him,

0:38:460:38:51

so they've got to be very, very dense and very strong.

0:38:510:38:55

If there's no improvement,

0:38:550:38:57

Roxy's dream of returning Moyo to the wild might be over.

0:38:570:39:01

If we don't sort out his leg, there's a very, very poor

0:39:010:39:04

prognosis for his life. We would have to euthanize him.

0:39:040:39:08

And that, for me, is out of the question, we will fix this leg.

0:39:080:39:12

When a baby elephant has a medical appointment,

0:39:150:39:18

the hospital comes to the patient.

0:39:180:39:21

Wildlife vets Keith and Lisa will need to sedate Moyo

0:39:230:39:26

to carry out the X-ray procedure.

0:39:260:39:28

They have both been part of Moyo's journey from the very beginning.

0:39:300:39:34

Keith went up and rescued Moyo, and travelled back with him

0:39:340:39:38

and they've been here constantly and they're completely not only

0:39:380:39:42

scientifically, but also emotionally involved in him as well.

0:39:420:39:46

Come on, Moyo.

0:39:460:39:47

We've got pictures of him at about that high, at the knees.

0:39:470:39:51

He's considerably bigger.

0:39:510:39:53

Giving an anaesthetic to an elephant this young

0:39:530:39:56

always carries risks,

0:39:560:39:58

and Roxy is naturally anxious.

0:39:580:40:01

Everyone wants the best for their children and it's that close a bond.

0:40:010:40:05

It really is that close, you want the best for your children.

0:40:050:40:10

I'm a very neurotic, very, very neurotic mummy. Very.

0:40:100:40:14

Keith uses a pole syringe to inject Moyo with the sedative.

0:40:140:40:19

It's OK.

0:40:190:40:20

It's OK, good boy.

0:40:200:40:22

And it's vital that he's given the correct dose.

0:40:220:40:25

Sorry, my boy, it's OK.

0:40:250:40:26

Roxy notices that something isn't right.

0:40:270:40:31

Notice he's gone down quickly.

0:40:310:40:33

The sedative isn't supposed to send Moyo to sleep,

0:40:340:40:37

but be just enough to make him stand still long enough for the team

0:40:370:40:42

to take an X-ray.

0:40:420:40:44

-Stand there, so that he doesn't fall over.

-OK.

0:40:440:40:47

To get an accurate picture, Moyo's legs need to be holding his weight.

0:40:480:40:53

Turning it on.

0:40:530:40:54

MACHINE BLEEPS

0:40:540:40:56

And vet Lisa isn't sure how the results will go.

0:40:560:40:59

I haven't seen Moyo now for about two months

0:41:010:41:03

and I'm a little bit concerned.

0:41:030:41:06

I thought his legs might be a bit straighter than they were. So, you know,

0:41:060:41:09

he's not out of the woods yet, by any stretch of the imagination.

0:41:090:41:13

With the procedure over, all Roxy can do is wait.

0:41:130:41:17

Her dream of returning Moyo to the wild relies on

0:41:190:41:23

a good result from today's X-rays.

0:41:230:41:26

There's a lot that... I'm worried about his future

0:41:260:41:29

and you know, that he grows up to be a big elephant, a big wild elephant

0:41:290:41:33

and there's a lot to think about and it's a big, big responsibility,

0:41:330:41:37

it's a lifetime responsibility,

0:41:370:41:39

is not just one animal that's, you know, growing up

0:41:390:41:43

and then he'll go into the paddock, this is like...

0:41:430:41:45

It is a lifetime.

0:41:450:41:46

-OK, so, which are from today?

-The top two are from today.

-Yeah.

0:41:530:41:57

So the joint spaces are slightly narrower, you can kind of see

0:41:570:42:02

-there's more calcification around the edges of that bone there.

-Mm-hm.

0:42:020:42:06

And subjectively, the bone looks denser

0:42:060:42:08

than it did back then.

0:42:080:42:11

But your gut feeling is that we are on the right track?

0:42:110:42:14

-He's better than he was six months ago, when his foot was like this.

-Yeah.

0:42:140:42:18

I mean, it's straightened considerably in three months,

0:42:180:42:22

but in the last two months, it's not...

0:42:220:42:24

-I'd hoped to put them perfectly straight.

-OK.

0:42:240:42:27

-But I'm not as worried as I was six months ago.

-OK.

0:42:270:42:30

Hearing this news is a huge relief

0:42:300:42:33

and allows Roxy to be optimistic about Moyo's future rehabilitation.

0:42:330:42:38

I had a look at those X-rays and I'm not a scientist,

0:42:380:42:41

but I could see a difference.

0:42:410:42:43

And the bone density looked better.

0:42:430:42:46

We've certainly halted the problem, but the job is not over yet.

0:42:460:42:50

We've got a long, long way to go.

0:42:500:42:52

Because if he's going to be a wild elephant,

0:42:520:42:54

he's got to have the best...

0:42:540:42:56

Be in the best physical condition possible.

0:42:560:42:59

There's just no, no way at all that Moyo can be a captive elephant.

0:42:590:43:04

That's not his destiny.

0:43:040:43:06

His destiny is for the wild.

0:43:060:43:08

In Costa Rica, Robin the tamandua's release is now just days away.

0:43:190:43:24

At KSTR, he hasn't had much contact with other tamanduas

0:43:240:43:28

but that's all about change.

0:43:280:43:30

-Hey, Pedro.

-Hey.

-Who have we got here?

0:43:310:43:33

This is Peligroso, which means dangerous in Spanish

0:43:330:43:37

and he's our new tamandua.

0:43:370:43:39

He is really small!

0:43:390:43:40

How old was he when he first came to the centre?

0:43:400:43:43

He came here... He was about two weeks old, he was really tiny.

0:43:430:43:48

Sadly, it's a very similar story to Robin's.

0:43:480:43:51

He was found on the street, apparently the mom was

0:43:510:43:55

killed by a car and he was found by himself, scared and crying.

0:43:550:44:00

Pedro wants to build Peligroso's confidence.

0:44:030:44:07

He thinks that introducing him to older tamandua, Robin,

0:44:070:44:10

will help him develop his wild skills.

0:44:100:44:13

No, stay there!

0:44:130:44:15

And it should help Robin get used to interacting with his own kind.

0:44:150:44:18

Robin, hopefully, is going to stop being so attached to me.

0:44:220:44:25

So, what I'm trying to do is get them together

0:44:250:44:28

so that Robin will hang out with Peligroso and forget about me.

0:44:280:44:32

'Tamanduas are typically solitary animals,

0:44:320:44:35

'but will come into contact with others in the wild.'

0:44:350:44:39

Go on. Be friends.

0:44:390:44:41

'Pedro isn't quite sure how they'll get along.'

0:44:410:44:44

Love each other!

0:44:440:44:46

'But little Peligroso isn't up for making friends.'

0:44:460:44:49

Peligroso!

0:44:510:44:53

I did not raise you like that.

0:44:530:44:55

'Tamanduas are naturally gentle animals.

0:44:550:44:58

'But when they feel threatened, they stand up on their hind legs,

0:44:580:45:02

'using their tail for balance.

0:45:020:45:04

'And with their arms outstretched and claws exposed,

0:45:040:45:08

'take a swipe at their perceived attacker.'

0:45:080:45:10

'In this case, an unsuspecting Robin.'

0:45:110:45:14

For now, it looks like a fight between brothers.

0:45:140:45:17

So, I'm not going to intervene yet.

0:45:170:45:19

I'm going to let them figure it out.

0:45:190:45:21

If it gets worse, I might have to stop them.

0:45:210:45:24

'This natural defence mechanism is part of the reason

0:45:240:45:27

'why so many tamanduas are hit by cars.

0:45:270:45:31

'Instead of running from oncoming traffic, they'll stand up

0:45:310:45:35

'and try and defend themselves.'

0:45:350:45:36

Robin is approaching Peligroso, so, that is going to be interesting.

0:45:380:45:42

'After a shaky start...'

0:45:440:45:45

Don't fall. Don't fall!

0:45:450:45:47

'Robin and Peligroso eventually find some common ground.

0:45:470:45:51

'A mutual love of trees and ants.

0:45:510:45:54

'And, for Robin, it's the last step in his rehabilitation.'

0:45:540:45:58

I think this was a very positive experience for Robin.

0:45:590:46:02

He was great.

0:46:020:46:03

He was following Peligroso.

0:46:030:46:05

This shows that he can interact in a natural way with other tamanduas.

0:46:050:46:09

And, most importantly, he completely forgot about me.

0:46:090:46:12

So, good job, man.

0:46:120:46:14

'In a few days, he'll be returning to the wild.'

0:46:140:46:17

'In Africa, Moyo has fully recovered from his anaesthetic.'

0:46:220:46:26

Moyo coming through! Come, Moyo.

0:46:260:46:28

Let's go.

0:46:310:46:32

Yeah, come on.

0:46:320:46:33

'Roxy now needs to get his rehabilitation back on schedule.'

0:46:330:46:38

Yes, yes, yes, I know you want to play.

0:46:380:46:40

But it's serious time now.

0:46:400:46:42

Come on.

0:46:420:46:43

Let's go, let's go.

0:46:430:46:44

Come on, boy.

0:46:440:46:46

'Today, I'm joining them on a bush walk with a difference.

0:46:460:46:51

'Moyo's legs are going to be put to the test.'

0:46:510:46:54

The physio's really important for Moyo, because he needs to be

0:46:540:46:57

able to use muscles that he doesn't really use on the flat ground.

0:46:570:47:00

He needs to be able to stretch and strengthen those muscles

0:47:000:47:03

just to hold the... Hold the legs nice and firm,

0:47:030:47:05

and to hold the tendons and the bones together, basically.

0:47:050:47:08

-He has to spend a lot of time out here.

-OK.

0:47:080:47:11

Let's see you do your elephant obstacle course

0:47:110:47:14

this morning then, Mr Moyo.

0:47:140:47:17

'In the wild, elephants cover great distances

0:47:170:47:20

'and cross challenging terrain to find food.

0:47:200:47:23

'It's crucial for Moyo to be exposed to these real-life situations.'

0:47:230:47:29

-The pads of the feet are completely smooth.

-Yeah.

0:47:300:47:33

So, they have to be incredibly careful

0:47:330:47:35

when they're climbing on rocks that they don't slip.

0:47:350:47:37

And if he does, he'll really do some damage to his bones.

0:47:370:47:40

It doesn't look like much,

0:47:400:47:41

but it's a steep slope and he's got to work with his feet

0:47:410:47:45

and use all those muscles.

0:47:450:47:47

And, really, it's all about his confidence.

0:47:470:47:51

So, do you see he's using his trunk to check, check, check.

0:47:510:47:54

-He's checking the distance.

-Yeah.

0:47:540:47:56

He's checking the terrain.

0:47:560:47:58

Well done! That was very, very clever.

0:47:580:48:01

He's turning into a real little boy.

0:48:020:48:04

Yeah! Aw.

0:48:040:48:06

'And Roxy decides to push Moyo a bit harder.'

0:48:090:48:13

I'm going to try and get him to climb over this log.

0:48:130:48:15

So, I'm just not sure where...

0:48:150:48:18

I don't know how it's going to work,

0:48:180:48:20

but we'll give it a try and see how strong he is.

0:48:200:48:23

Come on. Come.

0:48:230:48:25

Good boy.

0:48:250:48:26

Good boy!

0:48:260:48:28

Well done.

0:48:280:48:29

So, he's really thinking now.

0:48:290:48:31

You can see how hard he's thinking.

0:48:310:48:33

And this is quite a big challenge for him, because it's quite high.

0:48:330:48:36

He hasn't negotiated this sort of situation before.

0:48:360:48:40

We're not teaching him tricks.

0:48:400:48:41

This is just showing him his limitations,

0:48:410:48:44

but also his capabilities,

0:48:440:48:46

that he can actually do it if he works it out and he thinks about it,

0:48:460:48:49

he might be able to do it.

0:48:490:48:51

Come on. Good boy.

0:48:520:48:54

So, he's got his weight on his front legs now.

0:48:540:48:56

But he's now got to really push those back legs

0:48:560:48:58

to get himself across.

0:48:580:49:00

Come on. Come, boy.

0:49:000:49:02

Good boy, well done!

0:49:020:49:04

Clever boy.

0:49:040:49:06

Yes, you're very clever too, Josephine.

0:49:060:49:08

Well done.

0:49:080:49:09

That was really cool, cos it's quite a big manipulation of the back leg.

0:49:090:49:13

It's getting movement and looseness in there.

0:49:130:49:16

I'm really happy with that.

0:49:160:49:18

'For Moyo, this is another small step on a journey back to the wild

0:49:180:49:22

'that'll take many years to complete.'

0:49:220:49:25

'But, over in Costa Rica, it's a very different story.'

0:49:290:49:34

'Robin the tamandua has completed his rehabilitation

0:49:370:49:40

'and is finally ready for release.'

0:49:400:49:42

'I'm joining Pedro,

0:49:470:49:49

'who's taken a great deal of time to find the ideal spot.'

0:49:490:49:52

So, why is it important to take Robin deep into the jungle?

0:49:570:50:00

Why can't you just release him here?

0:50:000:50:02

We know that car accidents are the main cause of death

0:50:020:50:05

for these animals.

0:50:050:50:07

So, we want to get him as far away as possible from roads.

0:50:070:50:10

So, getting him deep into the jungle is the best bet for Robin?

0:50:100:50:15

Exactly, yes.

0:50:150:50:16

The deeper the better.

0:50:160:50:18

'On the long drive into the rainforest,

0:50:210:50:24

'it begins to live up to its name.'

0:50:240:50:26

'We arrive and head out on foot into the jungle.'

0:50:340:50:37

'And there's no sign that the rain is about to give up.'

0:50:440:50:48

THUNDER RUMBLES

0:50:480:50:49

As you can hear, the heavens have opened,

0:50:540:50:57

and we're getting drenched!

0:50:570:50:59

But nothing's going to stop Robin from being released.

0:50:590:51:02

This is his big day.

0:51:020:51:04

It might be uncomfortable for us,

0:51:040:51:06

but it's going to be perfect for Robin.

0:51:060:51:08

Well, Pedro, you couldn't have picked a more idyllic spot.

0:51:100:51:13

This looks beautiful.

0:51:130:51:14

How are you feeling?

0:51:140:51:15

I'm a bit nervous. Now, it's like on.

0:51:150:51:18

Cos, before, I was trying to find the best place.

0:51:180:51:21

But now it's real, he's going to go.

0:51:210:51:24

And that's scary.

0:51:240:51:25

The fact that the rain has stopped, the sun has come out...

0:51:250:51:28

It's time to let Robin...

0:51:280:51:30

-It's a sign.

-..out and explore.

0:51:300:51:32

Let's do it, I guess.

0:51:330:51:34

Wish him luck.

0:51:380:51:39

Oh, there he goes.

0:51:450:51:46

'Robin is finally returning to his jungle home.'

0:51:480:51:52

He's doing his thing.

0:51:520:51:53

I was a little concerned he was going to just run back to me.

0:51:530:51:57

But he seems to be going good.

0:51:570:51:59

He seems all grown-up.

0:51:590:52:01

'And he takes to the tree tops just like a wild tamandua.'

0:52:010:52:06

It's amazing seeing him climbing the tree

0:52:060:52:10

and getting used to this habitat, his natural habitat.

0:52:100:52:13

He is doing great.

0:52:130:52:15

It's a success. This is what we worked for.

0:52:210:52:24

This is what I wanted for him and he performed admirably.

0:52:240:52:28

So, yeah, I'm proud of him.

0:52:280:52:30

Good job.

0:52:300:52:31

This is where he's meant to be, out in the rainforest.

0:52:400:52:42

And it makes all the sleepless nights,

0:52:420:52:45

all the times that Pedro's been bitten by ants,

0:52:450:52:48

covered in mud looking for termites, totally worth it.

0:52:480:52:51

It's incredible seeing him up there,

0:52:510:52:53

and to know that he's one of nature's survivors.

0:52:530:52:56

'On the other side of the world,

0:53:050:53:07

'Roxy and I want to help Moyo reach an important milestone, too.'

0:53:070:53:12

Hello!

0:53:120:53:14

'As we've seen, Moyo has a deep rooted fear of water,

0:53:140:53:19

'and months of therapy have rebuilt his confidence.'

0:53:190:53:23

'Today will be a big challenge.'

0:53:230:53:27

Mr Moy! Here, Moy.

0:53:270:53:29

'All of his herd are coming, too - including Kimmy the sheep.'

0:53:290:53:32

That's it, Kim.

0:53:340:53:35

That's it, keep up with the herd.

0:53:350:53:37

This is the lake on Roxy's farm,

0:53:390:53:42

and we're going to try and see if we can get Moyo

0:53:420:53:46

to come for a swim in this.

0:53:460:53:48

This is a big step because although he's been doing really well

0:53:510:53:55

in his mud pond, this is...

0:53:550:53:59

This is very different.

0:53:590:54:00

This is a big, wild body of water.

0:54:000:54:03

And this probably looks a lot like the place

0:54:030:54:06

where he nearly drowned as a baby.

0:54:060:54:08

Do you think he's going to be all right?

0:54:110:54:13

It's just a lot bigger than he's used to.

0:54:130:54:16

Hopefully he'll... We'll just do it slowly, slowly.

0:54:160:54:20

And he'll slowly get his confidence.

0:54:200:54:22

Come on, Mr Moyo, you're going to be a big, brave elephant today.

0:54:220:54:26

Are you going to go in any further?

0:54:270:54:29

Or is this far enough for you?

0:54:320:54:34

Come on, boy. Come.

0:54:340:54:35

He's using his trunk,

0:54:350:54:38

it's quite amazing,

0:54:380:54:39

to measure the depth of the water in front of him.

0:54:390:54:42

And he seems to be happy to go in as far as a depth

0:54:420:54:46

that he recognises, about the depth of his muddy pool, basically.

0:54:460:54:50

He's not... He's a bit... He's definitely...

0:54:500:54:54

He's nervous, for sure.

0:54:540:54:56

So, he doesn't want to come in any further, does he?

0:54:570:55:00

He doesn't like it.

0:55:000:55:01

He comes in, and then...

0:55:010:55:03

His ears go out and he looks anxious, doesn't he?

0:55:030:55:07

So, this really is quite a big deal for him.

0:55:070:55:09

You know, all this grass and things,

0:55:090:55:10

he doesn't really know what's going on and he is very nervous.

0:55:100:55:13

He's like a little frightened little baby elephant.

0:55:130:55:16

He needs mum to help him, calm him down.

0:55:160:55:19

'After some gentle reassurance, we try again.

0:55:210:55:25

'And Moyo surprises us all.'

0:55:250:55:27

Has he been... This is deep for him, isn't it?

0:55:360:55:38

This is deepest he's ever been. He's never been this deep.

0:55:380:55:41

-Never been this deep?

-Never.

0:55:410:55:42

Oh, you are one clever elephant!

0:55:450:55:48

'And as his confidence builds, he begins to enjoy the experience.'

0:55:480:55:53

Look at him! He's swimming.

0:55:530:55:55

This is amazing.

0:55:570:55:59

Absolutely amazing.

0:55:590:56:00

You're a swimming elephant!

0:56:000:56:02

This is so important that he learns to swim.

0:56:020:56:05

I mean, it's one thing that he's not afraid of water

0:56:050:56:07

and he can go up to it and drink and play.

0:56:070:56:10

But as a wild elephant,

0:56:100:56:12

being able to swim is going to be one of his vital survival skills,

0:56:120:56:16

because elephant migratory routes go across major rivers

0:56:160:56:20

and they need to be able to cross them.

0:56:200:56:21

He's got to learn to swim

0:56:210:56:24

and be comfortable with being out of his depth

0:56:240:56:26

if he's going to survive in the wild.

0:56:260:56:28

It's as simple as that.

0:56:280:56:29

Now he's experiencing it like an elephant really should.

0:56:290:56:34

He knows how wonderful it is.

0:56:340:56:36

That was just the most extraordinary experience.

0:56:410:56:45

When you think what Moyo's been through,

0:56:450:56:47

and where he's come from,

0:56:470:56:49

to see him today just totally embracing it and loving it,

0:56:490:56:54

just like an elephant should.

0:56:540:56:57

It means that his chances of survival are looking really good.

0:56:570:57:03

'I'll be breaking a sweat...'

0:57:100:57:11

Go for the inner cowboy.

0:57:110:57:13

'..in sloth boot camp,

0:57:130:57:15

'with Monster, an orphan in training for a life in the wild.'

0:57:150:57:19

She looks really good up there.

0:57:210:57:23

'And I'm meeting two of Africa's precious cats,

0:57:230:57:26

'who are being given a second chance to lead independent lives.'

0:57:260:57:30

Well done!

0:57:300:57:32

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