0:00:02 > 0:00:06The first years of a young animal's life are the most crucial.
0:00:07 > 0:00:10So, if they grow up without their mothers,
0:00:10 > 0:00:12these animals are going to need help.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15Good morning, hello, darling.
0:00:15 > 0:00:20We're going to meet baby animals whose only hope of survival
0:00:20 > 0:00:23lies with some very dedicated people...
0:00:23 > 0:00:25What a clever girl.
0:00:25 > 0:00:29..and find out what it takes to get them back into the wild.
0:00:29 > 0:00:32This is about salvation for some little guys
0:00:32 > 0:00:35who've been through hell, who've been through trauma,
0:00:35 > 0:00:37who deserve a second chance.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39Hey, dude. Ahh.
0:00:39 > 0:00:43'I'm biologist Patrick Aryee and I'm in Central America,'
0:00:43 > 0:00:47home to exotic and rare wildlife.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50'Here, I'll be visiting centres where the wildlife
0:00:50 > 0:00:52'gets incredible specialist care.'
0:00:52 > 0:00:55That is remarkable.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58'And I'm zoologist Lucy Cooke'
0:00:58 > 0:01:00and I'm in Southern Africa,
0:01:00 > 0:01:03home to some of the most iconic animals in the world.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07'I'll be helping out at rescue centres
0:01:07 > 0:01:11'devoted to rehabilitation and release.'
0:01:11 > 0:01:13You're going to become a wild cheetah one day, aren't you,
0:01:13 > 0:01:15if you carry on being this good?
0:01:15 > 0:01:17MONKEY COOS
0:01:17 > 0:01:20'In this programme, I'm meeting Santino,
0:01:20 > 0:01:22'an orphaned howler monkey...'
0:01:22 > 0:01:24- You going to jump off?- Muy bien.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28'..who must find his place in a troop...'
0:01:28 > 0:01:30I've got myself a little friend already.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33'..to stand a chance of making it back to his jungle home.'
0:01:35 > 0:01:37Oh, she's up straightaway.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40'And I'll be helping Shelley the cheetah
0:01:40 > 0:01:43'learn to hunt at high speed...'
0:01:43 > 0:01:46She's like an athlete scoping the course before the big race
0:01:46 > 0:01:49'..so she can be released into the wild.'
0:01:51 > 0:01:55Join us as we follow these miracle orphans...
0:01:55 > 0:01:58..through their most crucial moments.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01..on their long journeys back to the wild.
0:02:11 > 0:02:15Costa Rica in Central America lies between the Pacific Ocean
0:02:15 > 0:02:17and the Caribbean Sea.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22The interior is covered in rich jungles,
0:02:22 > 0:02:24bustling with exotic species of wildlife.
0:02:30 > 0:02:31I've come to the Caribbean coast,
0:02:31 > 0:02:35where rainforest meets white sand beaches.
0:02:35 > 0:02:37It attracts surfers and holiday-makers
0:02:37 > 0:02:41from across the globe, but even here in paradise,
0:02:41 > 0:02:42some of Costa Rica's
0:02:42 > 0:02:44most iconic animals still need help.
0:02:47 > 0:02:52This is Santino, an orphaned baby howler monkey.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57They get their name from having one of the loudest calls
0:02:57 > 0:02:59in the animal kingdom...
0:02:59 > 0:03:02SANTINO COOS SOFTLY ..when they're fully grown that is.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07Santino is being cared for at the Jaguar Rescue Center
0:03:08 > 0:03:13Named after the rare big cat, this wildlife project
0:03:13 > 0:03:17cares for around 180 injured mammals, reptiles and birds.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26In charge of Santino's rehabilitation,
0:03:26 > 0:03:28is dedicated Costa Rican Dexter Miller.
0:03:30 > 0:03:34He spent the last five years providing specialist care
0:03:34 > 0:03:35to orphaned monkeys.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40'The feeling is that we help them to have'
0:03:40 > 0:03:42that chance to go back out into the wild
0:03:42 > 0:03:44and live as wildlife.
0:03:45 > 0:03:47- Hey, Dexter. - Hey, man, how are you, Patrick?
0:03:47 > 0:03:49How you doing, you all right? I'm good.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52Where was Santino found before he came to the centre?
0:03:52 > 0:03:56He came here to the Jaguar Rescue Center last December.
0:03:57 > 0:04:01Santino was found with some kids, they had him as a pet.
0:04:01 > 0:04:02When he was about a week old,
0:04:02 > 0:04:04maybe a couple days old... Yeah, he was really...
0:04:04 > 0:04:07- So, he must have been tiny. - Tiny little guy, yeah.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10Just with the eyes, a tiny bit open.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15It's not known what happened to Santino's mum.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18It was a very big challenge because normally whenever they come in
0:04:18 > 0:04:23as such a small baby, a very small percentage of them would survive.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28They get sick very quickly, you know, their immune system
0:04:28 > 0:04:30is not that strong.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33'But after seven months of intensive care,
0:04:33 > 0:04:38'Santino is now ready to begin his journey back to the wild.'
0:04:42 > 0:04:44What's the next step for him?
0:04:44 > 0:04:47The next step for Santino is to start to learn
0:04:47 > 0:04:49to become an independent little boy.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52Start growing up and climbing on trees
0:04:52 > 0:04:54and moving around with other monkeys,
0:04:54 > 0:04:55learning to be in the jungle.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58So, it's like he's kind of graduating to high school...
0:04:58 > 0:05:00- Right, exactly.- ..and you're going to help him, you know,
0:05:00 > 0:05:04in his first couple of days or weeks to be a monkey.
0:05:04 > 0:05:06- Exactly. - SANTINO COOS
0:05:07 > 0:05:12'The most important skill for any monkey to master is climbing.'
0:05:14 > 0:05:18Now, just watch Santino...jumping and balancing.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21Now, just in the same way that human babies need to learn
0:05:21 > 0:05:24how to walk, Santino here needs to learn how to climb.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27Now, you wouldn't really think that of monkeys,
0:05:27 > 0:05:29you would've thought they'd be able to do this naturally,
0:05:29 > 0:05:32but they have to learn, they have to learn their limits,
0:05:32 > 0:05:34test out their bodies and find out what they can do.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36You going to jump off?
0:05:36 > 0:05:38Muy bien.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44If you watch him carefully, everything that he does,
0:05:44 > 0:05:46every move he makes, look at that tail,
0:05:46 > 0:05:49it's always wrapped around something,
0:05:49 > 0:05:53either around Dexter's hand or around one of the branches
0:05:53 > 0:05:56and that is really important for howler monkeys.
0:05:56 > 0:06:00It acts as a fifth limb, it allows him to hang from the branches
0:06:00 > 0:06:02and either play or search for fruit.
0:06:03 > 0:06:08Hello, hello, you going to jump on me? Hey-hey-hey. Watch him jump.
0:06:08 > 0:06:12Look at his tail wrapped round my neck, whilst he's stretching out,
0:06:12 > 0:06:17he's testing his limits. And that tail, look, perfect example.
0:06:17 > 0:06:22It acts as a balancing aid, but also acts like a safety rope.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24Santino, corre.
0:06:25 > 0:06:29And it's really incredible to think that Santino's just at the start
0:06:29 > 0:06:32of his journey and with any luck,
0:06:32 > 0:06:34he's going to be released into the wild...
0:06:34 > 0:06:35MONKEYS HOWL LOUDLY
0:06:35 > 0:06:38..doing exactly what those wild howler monkeys are doing.
0:06:40 > 0:06:42HOWLER MONKEY HOWLS
0:06:42 > 0:06:45'This wild troop lives in the jungle around the centre
0:06:45 > 0:06:49'and their calls keep rival troops off their patch.'
0:06:51 > 0:06:52I can see one over there.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55HOWLER MONKEYS HOWL LOUDLY
0:06:55 > 0:06:58It's really funny that really loud noise
0:06:58 > 0:07:01comes from such a small monkey,
0:07:01 > 0:07:04but the key to the way they make that sound...
0:07:04 > 0:07:07HOWLER MONKEYS HOWL LOUDLY
0:07:07 > 0:07:10..comes from a very special bone in their voice box
0:07:10 > 0:07:13and that allows them to make a really deep sounding howl,
0:07:13 > 0:07:16but also one that resonates at really low frequency,
0:07:16 > 0:07:19so it travels really long distances, up to three miles.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23HOWLER MONKEY HOWLS
0:07:23 > 0:07:25'If Santino is going to survive when he's released,
0:07:25 > 0:07:28'he must become part of a troop like this one.
0:07:28 > 0:07:33'These tight-knit families offer knowledge and protection.
0:07:33 > 0:07:35'But first, orphan and hand-raised,
0:07:35 > 0:07:39'Santino needs to learn how to interact with other monkeys.'
0:07:41 > 0:07:43Check out Maky.
0:07:43 > 0:07:44Hola, Maky?
0:07:44 > 0:07:47Dexter hopes this pair of rescued adults
0:07:47 > 0:07:49could be a gentle introduction.
0:07:49 > 0:07:54The reason why they're so good with babies is Maky's totally blind.
0:07:54 > 0:07:55He's very gentle.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58His attitude or behaviour or personality
0:07:58 > 0:08:01mainly is being very gentle with the babies.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04And Leggings, she's really good with babies because she was a mum.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08She's a completely wild monkey that came here to the centre
0:08:08 > 0:08:09about almost a year ago.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12And then one of the trees that they jump on, a branch,
0:08:12 > 0:08:14it break down and she fall down.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17Leggings had her leg broken in three pieces.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20We managed to be able to do a surgery for her,
0:08:20 > 0:08:23but it got infected, so we had to amputate her leg.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27At the moment that she fall, she had a baby with her,
0:08:27 > 0:08:30the baby got all the impact when it fall and the baby died.
0:08:35 > 0:08:39The pair can't survive on their own, but they play an important role
0:08:39 > 0:08:43helping babies like Santino on their journey back to the wild.
0:08:47 > 0:08:52This is the first time Santino will have met fully-grown howler monkeys.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56Adults are territorial and there is a risk they may not accept him.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02MONKEYS COO
0:09:02 > 0:09:04See, that little noise right there, that was interaction noise.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07That was talking to each other, saying hello.
0:09:11 > 0:09:12Maky.
0:09:14 > 0:09:18If Maky would be more territorial or didn't like Santino,
0:09:18 > 0:09:21he would be pushing him away or attacking him,
0:09:21 > 0:09:24which mean he would be biting him most of the times.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27But Santino has to learn that in a troop,
0:09:27 > 0:09:30he needs to know his place and wait his turn,
0:09:30 > 0:09:33especially when it comes to food.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38SANTINO COOS
0:09:38 > 0:09:41You see that little move right there?
0:09:42 > 0:09:45Maky is the alpha male right now inside here.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48So, the little baby has to know how to approach his food as well.
0:09:48 > 0:09:50He has to know when to approach him and when he finished eating,
0:09:50 > 0:09:52they can go and eat.
0:09:52 > 0:09:57Santino doesn't want to get on the wrong side of alpha male Maky.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00HE CALLS OUT TO MONKEY
0:10:00 > 0:10:02Aqui. Subete.
0:10:02 > 0:10:06Primates have complex relationships and like us,
0:10:06 > 0:10:08they make bitter enemies...
0:10:08 > 0:10:10MONKEYS COO
0:10:12 > 0:10:15..but also form friendships.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17- It's a happy noise. - MONKEYS COO
0:10:19 > 0:10:22Maky is welcoming Santino.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24This is the first time that they've been together,
0:10:24 > 0:10:29first time that they have had so much contact with each other.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32Santino, he needs to learn how to interact with other monkeys
0:10:32 > 0:10:33to learn different little noises,
0:10:33 > 0:10:36to get accepted by other monkeys in the wild,
0:10:36 > 0:10:40and just start a wild life in the best and safest way.
0:10:41 > 0:10:46Santino's first contact with adult howlers has been a success.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50Look at him, hanging around, looking happy today.
0:10:50 > 0:10:54They've given Santino the confidence to move to the next challenge.
0:10:56 > 0:10:58Santini.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01Dexter's going to introduce him to the centre's big troop.
0:11:01 > 0:11:05They're an unconventional mix of different species,
0:11:05 > 0:11:10all rescued, but they're much wilder than Maky and Leggings.
0:11:10 > 0:11:12They're very big and powerful, they're teenagers,
0:11:12 > 0:11:14so they play very rough.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19These monkeys will teach Santino how to be a part
0:11:19 > 0:11:22of a fully functioning troop,
0:11:22 > 0:11:23but as the youngest and smallest,
0:11:23 > 0:11:27Dexter's not sure if Santino will be able to hold his own.
0:11:31 > 0:11:36Over 7,500 miles to the east, I'm in Africa.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42The southern tip
0:11:42 > 0:11:43of this vast continent
0:11:43 > 0:11:45is home to dramatic scenery,
0:11:45 > 0:11:50populated by the planet's most recognisable beasts.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53But as humans encroach into these wild spaces,
0:11:53 > 0:11:58some of these animals are being pushed to the edge of existence.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03Now I'm in South Africa to meet the world's fastest land animal
0:12:03 > 0:12:05and the people that are working hard
0:12:05 > 0:12:08to ensure its future is filled with hope.
0:12:10 > 0:12:14'Cheetahs are the most endangered big cat in all of Africa.
0:12:17 > 0:12:21'I've come to Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre or HESC'
0:12:21 > 0:12:23'to meet Christo Schreiber.'
0:12:25 > 0:12:28He's passionate about saving cheetahs
0:12:28 > 0:12:32and runs a project breeding them for reintroduction to the wild.
0:12:35 > 0:12:39Cheetahs, in general, are quite a fragile species.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42If cheetahs were one day to be wiped off the face of the earth,
0:12:42 > 0:12:44that would be the greatest shame it could ever be.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49And that's why it's our goal to make sure it doesn't happen.
0:12:50 > 0:12:51Wow.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58Look at that, getting chased by cheetahs.
0:12:59 > 0:13:01Come on, keep up.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05'In this 40 hectare park,
0:13:05 > 0:13:08'Christo cares for 78 cheetahs.'
0:13:09 > 0:13:10Kom, Mick, kom.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13'Many of the older cheetahs were hand-raised,
0:13:13 > 0:13:17'so they're used to human contact, but now the experts here believe
0:13:17 > 0:13:20'it's better to leave the babies with their mums.'
0:13:22 > 0:13:24The cubs are just a bit hesitant, because they're not too used
0:13:24 > 0:13:26to people, because they're parent-raised,
0:13:26 > 0:13:29- so it's going to take them some while just to get comfortable.- OK.
0:13:37 > 0:13:38So, how old are these guys?
0:13:38 > 0:13:40These ones are about two months old now.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43They're quite nervous, aren't they? They're nervous of us.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45So, that's that natural instinct, once again,
0:13:45 > 0:13:49anything that's strange is a threat at this young age.
0:13:49 > 0:13:53'Cubs are vulnerable to predators like lions and hyenas,
0:13:53 > 0:13:58'From the moment they're born, it's a fight for survival.'
0:13:58 > 0:14:01Even when they call their mother, it sounds like a bird chirping
0:14:01 > 0:14:05and it's just to avoid any attention drawn to them by bigger predators.
0:14:05 > 0:14:07So that it doesn't sound like a baby cub, yeah.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10'It's not just the way they communicate that keeps them safe.'
0:14:10 > 0:14:13CUBS TWEET
0:14:13 > 0:14:15So, that silver hair they've got on their back,
0:14:15 > 0:14:17that will fall off eventually.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20Now, the theory behind that is to mimic a honey badger.
0:14:20 > 0:14:21Oh, really?!
0:14:21 > 0:14:24Because most predators and animals are afraid of honey badgers
0:14:24 > 0:14:27just because they're so tough, so if they run in the grass,
0:14:27 > 0:14:29you'll just see that white patch on their back
0:14:29 > 0:14:32and in theory that would mimic a honey badger.
0:14:33 > 0:14:35Honey badgers are no bigger than a small dog
0:14:35 > 0:14:40but make it into the record books as the world's most fearless animal.
0:14:40 > 0:14:44Even lions have been known to give them a wide berth.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48I love the fact that that adaptation
0:14:48 > 0:14:52that makes them look so cute to us, actually makes them look really hard
0:14:52 > 0:14:55and dangerous to other animals.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58- And everything's got a purpose. - Yeah.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04But no adaptation can save cheetahs from their biggest threat...
0:15:05 > 0:15:06..humans.
0:15:11 > 0:15:15At the end of the last century, there were 100,000 cheetahs.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18They thrived on the African plains,
0:15:18 > 0:15:22but as wild grassland has been turned into farmland,
0:15:22 > 0:15:26all of Africa's predators have been squeezed into smaller spaces
0:15:26 > 0:15:29and become easy targets for poachers.
0:15:31 > 0:15:35Cheetahs also can't compete with larger hunters like lions and hyenas
0:15:35 > 0:15:39for food, so their numbers have crashed by 90%.
0:15:40 > 0:15:44Most cubs never make it to their second birthday.
0:15:44 > 0:15:48It's why this breeding project is so important.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55- SHE WHISPERS:- Oh, there she is. Wow!
0:15:56 > 0:16:00I've come to meet Shelley, Christo's biggest hope for the future -
0:16:00 > 0:16:05a female cheetah who could soon be released back to the wild.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09So, this is Shelley.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12Wow! She's so beautiful!
0:16:12 > 0:16:15- How old is she?- She's now three years old.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18Three years old? So, in cheetah years that's what?
0:16:18 > 0:16:22Well, she's on the borderline of fully mature and still teenager.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25- OK, she's a sort of young adolescent.- Young adolescent, yeah.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27SHE PURRS
0:16:27 > 0:16:31'Shelley was hand-raised after being rejected by her mum.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34'Her bond with Christo is very strong.'
0:16:34 > 0:16:37She's a lot more placid than I thought she'd be.
0:16:37 > 0:16:39I didn't think I'd be able to get this close to her.
0:16:39 > 0:16:41At the end of the day, it's still a wild animal
0:16:41 > 0:16:43and even though you can take them from the wild,
0:16:43 > 0:16:45you'll never be able to take the wild from them.
0:16:45 > 0:16:47I think people sometimes forget
0:16:47 > 0:16:50that you still need to respect that wildness in them.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53- And what are your hopes for Shelley? - Well, for Shelley,
0:16:53 > 0:16:57my hopes would be that she returns back to the wild where she belongs.
0:16:57 > 0:16:59'But before Shelley can be released,
0:16:59 > 0:17:03'she has one very important skill to master...
0:17:03 > 0:17:04'hunting.'
0:17:05 > 0:17:08Seeing Shelley so relaxed like this around me,
0:17:08 > 0:17:12it's easy to forget that she's got wild instincts.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15But Christo assures me she definitely has
0:17:15 > 0:17:19and he's got quite a fun way to demonstrate that behaviour.
0:17:22 > 0:17:24So, what have you got in there?
0:17:24 > 0:17:26A few footballs for Shelley.
0:17:26 > 0:17:27A-ha.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30- She likes a game of football, does she?- She does.
0:17:30 > 0:17:31I'm guessing that it's not a very long game.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34- No, the ball doesn't last that long. - SHE LAUGHS
0:17:34 > 0:17:36As soon as she sees us fiddling around here,
0:17:36 > 0:17:39she'll come and investigate.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42She looks like she couldn't be more relaxed, so let's see whether...
0:17:44 > 0:17:45..she fancies a game of football.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51Oh, she's up, straightaway. Oh, my word!
0:17:56 > 0:18:00'Play in predators is an important way to develop hunting skills.'
0:18:02 > 0:18:04She's definitely interested in it.
0:18:04 > 0:18:05Trying to figure out why it's not moving.
0:18:05 > 0:18:09She sort of whacked it, got it down as if it was her prey
0:18:09 > 0:18:13- and now she's trying to work out how to suffocate it.- Yeah.
0:18:13 > 0:18:15Can't seem to find a neck.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20Looks like fun, doesn't it, throwing a football to a cheetah,
0:18:20 > 0:18:21but why is this important?
0:18:21 > 0:18:23Well, you can see as the ball was running down,
0:18:23 > 0:18:25she immediately started swiping at it.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31Cheetahs have a unique hunting strategy.
0:18:31 > 0:18:35To avoid competition with the other big cats that stalk at night,
0:18:35 > 0:18:38they hunt almost exclusively during the day.
0:18:38 > 0:18:43Their prey can see them coming, so it's a flat-out race,
0:18:43 > 0:18:45only the fastest will survive.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49She instinctively knows if she wants to grab it,
0:18:49 > 0:18:52- she needs to use her dewclaw to... - Right.- ..get hold of it.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56The dewclaw is a cheetahs secret weapon.
0:18:57 > 0:18:58They don't have brute strength,
0:18:58 > 0:19:03so they snag running prey to execute a perfectly-timed trip.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09So, that's her tool, tool of the trade.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12And then she goes in, locks them down and goes for the jugular.
0:19:12 > 0:19:14Goes for the jugular, yeah.
0:19:14 > 0:19:15Ooh!
0:19:17 > 0:19:19'In the wild, it takes a young cheetah over a year
0:19:19 > 0:19:23'watching their mum to master the timing and precision
0:19:23 > 0:19:25'of a high-speed hunt.'
0:19:25 > 0:19:28So, you can see that Shelley's got all the right instincts,
0:19:28 > 0:19:31but she's going to need to hunt more than just footballs
0:19:31 > 0:19:33if she's going to survive in the wild.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37To hone Shelley's hunting skills,
0:19:37 > 0:19:42Christo is designing a challenge to test her speed and acceleration.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45It will be the most important indication yet
0:19:45 > 0:19:47of whether she's on course to be released.
0:19:53 > 0:19:58Costa Rica is in the tropics and the wet season is just starting.
0:20:14 > 0:20:18But rain or shine, work at the centre must continue.
0:20:21 > 0:20:26With all this rain, Santino has started feeling under the weather.
0:20:29 > 0:20:31We think he have a cold.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36In some ways, it's really good for him to start exploring
0:20:36 > 0:20:37and getting a little bit wet.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40In the jungle, it's going to rain on him all the time.
0:20:40 > 0:20:44They don't really like the rain, known of the howler monkeys,
0:20:44 > 0:20:48they don't like the rain, they just try to hide as much as they can.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50SANTINO MURMURS
0:20:53 > 0:20:56Even a common cold in a monkey as young as Santino,
0:20:56 > 0:21:00who may have a weak immune system, could turn serious.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07Dexter is taking Santino for a checkup with the centre's vet,
0:21:07 > 0:21:09Fernando Alegre.
0:21:10 > 0:21:12SANTINO SNEEZES
0:21:14 > 0:21:17- I will try to listen to his lungs. - OK.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20I hope he will be calm with you and he will not notice.
0:21:22 > 0:21:24Santini.
0:21:26 > 0:21:30Like most youngsters, Santino doesn't like visiting the doctor.
0:21:30 > 0:21:32SANTINO CHATTERS SOFTLY
0:21:32 > 0:21:35SANTINO CHATTERS ANIMATEDLY
0:21:37 > 0:21:42Right now a little bit scared, a little bit nervous.
0:21:42 > 0:21:44So just trying to calm him down a bit now.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46Me, in particular, that I always go with injections,
0:21:46 > 0:21:48so they all hate me, the babies!
0:21:48 > 0:21:50In nature, it's different, but...
0:21:50 > 0:21:53It's important Santino takes his medicine.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58That's it. You know he hates us, he hates that.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00- HE CHATTERS ANXIOUSLY - I know that you don't like it.
0:22:00 > 0:22:01IN SPANISH:
0:22:03 > 0:22:05This medicine was like a syrup for the lungs
0:22:05 > 0:22:07and the coughing, to improve it.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10It's OK. He's not even in pain or anything,
0:22:10 > 0:22:13he's just complaining about whatever we do.
0:22:13 > 0:22:15In addition to cough medicine...
0:22:15 > 0:22:18HE CHATTERS ..Fernando has prescribed rest.
0:22:26 > 0:22:29While Santino takes some quiet time to recover,
0:22:29 > 0:22:32'I'm taking the opportunity to meet the troop
0:22:32 > 0:22:34'that could soon be his new family.'
0:22:35 > 0:22:38I've heard, however, that things can get a little bit hectic
0:22:38 > 0:22:42inside this enclosure, so I'm going in with some treats
0:22:42 > 0:22:44to try and keep them happy and occupied.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51'Dexter's been preparing some natural snacks,
0:22:51 > 0:22:54'not only to feed the monkeys but also to develop
0:22:54 > 0:22:57'problem-solving skills for their return to the wild.'
0:22:57 > 0:22:58Now, we're going to tie this up.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01So, what we're going to try to do is make this big box
0:23:01 > 0:23:02of a lot of candy, pretty much.
0:23:02 > 0:23:06So, it will make their imagination go further.
0:23:06 > 0:23:08'We've sealed the treats in a box,
0:23:08 > 0:23:11'so the monkeys first challenge will be breaking in.'
0:23:11 > 0:23:12Let's go meet the monkeys.
0:23:18 > 0:23:20Welcome to the monkey home.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23This is where all the craziness happens, right here.
0:23:29 > 0:23:33Hello! I've got myself a little friend already.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35'All of the rescued monkeys in this troop
0:23:35 > 0:23:38'are recovering from a traumatic start in life.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42'In the wild, different species wouldn't normally mix
0:23:42 > 0:23:46'but here they pull together to form a troop similar to any other.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51'They're so inquisitive...
0:23:51 > 0:23:52'and really social.
0:23:54 > 0:23:57'And they're soon working together to get the treats.'
0:23:59 > 0:24:05It's exactly what you might expect to see, you know, out in the wild.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07They've got to forage for food,
0:24:07 > 0:24:10they've got to know their place with the other monkeys.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13Again, like learning different social dynamics.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16'Santino's biggest challenge will be finding his place
0:24:16 > 0:24:18'in the complicated hierarchy.'
0:24:18 > 0:24:22Now, one of the spider monkeys has found one of our stuffed bananas.
0:24:22 > 0:24:23This is Nerea.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26Nerea is the biggest spider monkey we have here in the centre.
0:24:26 > 0:24:28Pretty much full grown right now, as you can see
0:24:28 > 0:24:31and a really, really clever monkey and very smart as well.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34'Nerea is the troop's alpha monkey.
0:24:34 > 0:24:38'In the wild, an alpha protects and rules over the others.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41'In many species, it's the strongest male
0:24:41 > 0:24:46'but in this unusual troop, female Nerea has taken on the role.'
0:24:46 > 0:24:48There's no other big monkeys, no alpha males around here
0:24:48 > 0:24:52that control her, so she's the one that makes sure
0:24:52 > 0:24:54she gets the first share.
0:24:55 > 0:24:59'Next in the hierarchy are the white-faced capuchins.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02'They have one of the largest brains relative to their size
0:25:02 > 0:25:03'of any monkey.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06'In the wild, they use their intelligence to hunt insects
0:25:06 > 0:25:08'and even small mammals.'
0:25:08 > 0:25:09Hey!
0:25:09 > 0:25:12Ah! Don't put your fingers in my mouth! No!
0:25:12 > 0:25:16'At the bottom of the pecking order are the howler monkeys,
0:25:16 > 0:25:18'like Santino.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21'These gentle leaf-eaters have a low-energy diet
0:25:21 > 0:25:23'and live life at a slower pace.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28'But they could be Santino's greatest allies.
0:25:31 > 0:25:35'Whatever the species, it's important to keep them stimulated
0:25:35 > 0:25:37'and we have a special treat in store.'
0:25:47 > 0:25:51You know, it's this curiosity that makes monkeys so intelligent.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53They always want to find out what's going on
0:25:53 > 0:25:54and that allows them to learn.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14Aww! Look at that!
0:26:17 > 0:26:19They're so curious, just like children.
0:26:32 > 0:26:34There you go.
0:26:36 > 0:26:37HE LAUGHS
0:26:37 > 0:26:41This is a really inquisitive and boisterous troop
0:26:41 > 0:26:44and they are going to be Santino's new family.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46And just like any family, they're going to have their ups,
0:26:46 > 0:26:47they're going to have their downs
0:26:47 > 0:26:50but ultimately, they look out for each other
0:26:50 > 0:26:52and that's exactly what they're going to do for Santino.
0:26:54 > 0:26:57Little Santino will need to be feeling 100%
0:26:57 > 0:27:00before he can hold his own in the troop.
0:27:00 > 0:27:02But thankfully, he's in the right place
0:27:02 > 0:27:05being given incredible specialist care.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08In a few days, he should be strong again.
0:27:10 > 0:27:14Almost every day, animals in need of help arrive at the centre.
0:27:18 > 0:27:22This morning, a very unexpected patient has been brought in
0:27:22 > 0:27:24by the coastguard.
0:27:25 > 0:27:29This is a green sea turtle, a male, that just came in -
0:27:29 > 0:27:32harpooned by some hunters.
0:27:33 > 0:27:37This is the first time a green turtle has ever arrived
0:27:37 > 0:27:38at the centre.
0:27:42 > 0:27:46But by chance, Fernando's an expert in caring for them.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49For many years before coming here, it was my former job.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51I've been working with sea turtles many years.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56Green turtles are hunted for their meat
0:27:56 > 0:27:59and this one was tied up in the boot of a poacher's car.
0:28:02 > 0:28:06They did these knots on the flippers not to allow the movement.
0:28:07 > 0:28:09They want them alive for a while until they kill them.
0:28:09 > 0:28:14Fortunately, the police and the coastguards got them in time
0:28:14 > 0:28:15and brought here.
0:28:16 > 0:28:20But it's suffered a potentially fatal injury from a harpoon.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24The wound is pretty deep in this direction
0:28:24 > 0:28:27and the lungs, they are over the animal.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30Now, I am waiting a minute for him to breathe
0:28:30 > 0:28:34and see if there could be perforation through the lungs.
0:28:35 > 0:28:37Feel him very, very weak...
0:28:37 > 0:28:39very weak.
0:28:39 > 0:28:44For now, the turtle must stay at the centre in a makeshift pool.
0:28:44 > 0:28:48Harpoon wounds need to be sealed to keep out dirt and water
0:28:48 > 0:28:50that could cause infection.
0:28:51 > 0:28:54We have to do what we can with the materials we have here.
0:28:54 > 0:28:58It's not possible to get anything you wish
0:28:58 > 0:29:00and this product is perfect for it.
0:29:00 > 0:29:03A temporary solution is bathroom sealant.
0:29:03 > 0:29:06Basically, we are improvising.
0:29:06 > 0:29:09Once we've finished sealing that, you see how he floats,
0:29:09 > 0:29:14try to guess if the lungs are more or less affected
0:29:14 > 0:29:18and we will see if maybe we are able to release him in the sea or not.
0:29:18 > 0:29:22We have to keep him until he will be much more healthy inside.
0:29:23 > 0:29:27Fernando will keep this turtle under close observation.
0:29:27 > 0:29:31It's an experimental procedure but if the seal holds,
0:29:31 > 0:29:33there's a good chance the turtle can be released.
0:29:35 > 0:29:38The next few days will be critical.
0:29:49 > 0:29:52'In South Africa, I'm en route to see Shelley.
0:29:52 > 0:29:56'Today, Christo is going to put her through her paces.'
0:29:57 > 0:29:59Of all of the cheetahs here at HESC,
0:29:59 > 0:30:03Christo tells me that Shelley is actually the fastest,
0:30:03 > 0:30:07but if she's going to be a wild cheetah one day,
0:30:07 > 0:30:09she needs to still hone those hunting skills
0:30:09 > 0:30:12and that's what we're off to do this morning.
0:30:19 > 0:30:23So, what is this strange contraption, Christo?
0:30:23 > 0:30:26This is the lure that we use for the cheetahs just to get some exercise
0:30:26 > 0:30:30and just to help them develop their natural hunting skills, basically.
0:30:30 > 0:30:33- This is like a portable cheetah gym? - Yeah.
0:30:33 > 0:30:35THEY LAUGH
0:30:35 > 0:30:37Make sure this thing is bolted down...
0:30:39 > 0:30:42..cos if she catches it, the whole thing might fly away.
0:30:44 > 0:30:46Good?
0:30:46 > 0:30:50'This electric lure will test Shelley's speed and acceleration.'
0:30:52 > 0:30:54And what kind of a speed is she going to reach?
0:30:54 > 0:30:57She goes up to about 60, 70kph.
0:30:57 > 0:31:00Whoa! That's pretty fast.
0:31:01 > 0:31:06So, this is a really important part of her learning
0:31:06 > 0:31:07how to be a wild cheetah then?
0:31:07 > 0:31:10In this way, she exercises reaching full speed
0:31:10 > 0:31:12sticking close to the prey.
0:31:12 > 0:31:15So, this is the best way that we can teach her
0:31:15 > 0:31:17how to be as wild as possible.
0:31:17 > 0:31:21'Cheetahs are hard-wired to react to movement.
0:31:21 > 0:31:24'As soon as the lure goes, Shelley will give chase.'
0:31:24 > 0:31:27Right, and then this... Do you want me to test it?
0:31:27 > 0:31:28You can test it if you want to.
0:31:28 > 0:31:31- Ooh! - MOTOR WHIRS
0:31:31 > 0:31:34- She's never going to go that fast, is she?- Slow down. Slow down.
0:31:34 > 0:31:38In a way, this is just a very elaborate version
0:31:38 > 0:31:40- of when you play with your kitten at home...- Yes.
0:31:40 > 0:31:43..and you drag along something and it goes along like that.
0:31:43 > 0:31:47- This is just a sort of... - A faster...- ..a faster version.
0:31:49 > 0:31:51This is the most enrichment that she would be able to get
0:31:51 > 0:31:53- in this environment.- Yeah.
0:31:55 > 0:32:00It's taken Christo three years of unwavering dedication
0:32:00 > 0:32:02to get Shelley to this point.
0:32:02 > 0:32:07Not every cheetah here develops good enough wild skills to be released,
0:32:07 > 0:32:09but Christo has high hopes for her.
0:32:10 > 0:32:14She's the best runner that we've got here at the facility.
0:32:14 > 0:32:16Even though she was hand-raised,
0:32:16 > 0:32:20she's still got so much wildness left in her
0:32:20 > 0:32:23that you can especially see when it comes to the lure,
0:32:23 > 0:32:25when she just immediately focuses in on that
0:32:25 > 0:32:27and goes into hunting mode almost.
0:32:27 > 0:32:30To see that excitement...
0:32:30 > 0:32:32She can't wait for that to happen
0:32:32 > 0:32:34and you don't see that with all the cheetahs.
0:32:35 > 0:32:38A lot rides on how she performs.
0:32:44 > 0:32:46- SHE PURRS - That purr that she's making
0:32:46 > 0:32:48right now, is that pleasure? Is that anticipation?
0:32:48 > 0:32:51Yeah, it's the same as your house cat, that contentment.
0:32:51 > 0:32:54So, we can know that she's relaxed and content and happy.
0:32:54 > 0:32:58Cos she knows she's about to play her favourite game and get a treat.
0:32:58 > 0:33:00Yeah, she's ready to rock and roll, isn't she?
0:33:01 > 0:33:03- OK.- Good.
0:33:05 > 0:33:08'Cheetahs can accelerate from zero to 60mph
0:33:08 > 0:33:10'in less than three seconds...'
0:33:11 > 0:33:13She's so fast!
0:33:15 > 0:33:17'..rivalling the fastest sports car.
0:33:21 > 0:33:24'Propelling Shelley forward are fast-twitch muscle fibres,
0:33:24 > 0:33:28'generating four times more explosive power than a human's.
0:33:32 > 0:33:36'A flexible spine and long, spindly legs produce a stride
0:33:36 > 0:33:41'of up to 8m, half of which is spent in the air.'
0:33:43 > 0:33:48Amazing. It is just incredible that they can reach that speed so fast.
0:33:54 > 0:33:56If you would like to give her a reward afterwards,
0:33:56 > 0:33:58- you can just put it down right... - And this is to simulate
0:33:58 > 0:34:01what would happen in the wild cos if she was chasing an animal
0:34:01 > 0:34:03- in the wild, she'd get to eat afterwards?- Precisely, yes.
0:34:03 > 0:34:06There you go. You deserve that, madam.
0:34:09 > 0:34:13'But this incredible physical feat takes its toll.'
0:34:13 > 0:34:15- SHELLEY PANTS HEAVILY - You can hear
0:34:15 > 0:34:18from that heavy breathing that she's tired.
0:34:18 > 0:34:21'Shelley's breathing and heart rate has more than doubled
0:34:21 > 0:34:23'as she tries to recover.'
0:34:23 > 0:34:25Cheetahs are in danger of overheating,
0:34:25 > 0:34:26that's the big problem for them.
0:34:26 > 0:34:32They can't run at that massive speed for very long distances.
0:34:32 > 0:34:35Most of the hunts last less than a minute.
0:34:36 > 0:34:38'To get the hunt right when it counts,
0:34:38 > 0:34:42'Shelley needs to master more than a straight drag race.'
0:34:42 > 0:34:48To catch a zigzagging antelope, she will have to corner at high speed.
0:34:49 > 0:34:53And tomorrow, that's exactly what Christo has in store.
0:34:55 > 0:34:57OK.
0:35:09 > 0:35:11At the Jaguar Rescue Center,
0:35:11 > 0:35:14Santino hasn't quite got over his cold.
0:35:17 > 0:35:20And he's not up to hanging out with the big troop.
0:35:22 > 0:35:24To build his immune system,
0:35:24 > 0:35:27Dexter is making sure he's getting a perfectly-balanced diet...
0:35:31 > 0:35:33..which needs to include wild food.
0:35:33 > 0:35:35So, whereabouts are we going, Dexter?
0:35:35 > 0:35:38- We'll go straight up front.- Up that way?- Yeah.- OK.
0:35:39 > 0:35:43'Leaves make up over half a howler monkey's diet,
0:35:43 > 0:35:48'so I've joined Dexter to forage in the forest just outside the centre.'
0:35:49 > 0:35:52I'm going to see if I can help you out.
0:35:52 > 0:35:55- There we go then.- This is a gancho. - Gancho?
0:35:55 > 0:35:57Gancho, yeah.
0:35:57 > 0:35:59'Dexter has a special tool for collecting leaves
0:35:59 > 0:36:02'only monkeys could normally reach.'
0:36:02 > 0:36:05So, kind of, either...
0:36:05 > 0:36:07Hit it or either hook it and pull it down.
0:36:07 > 0:36:10- Hit it or hook it? OK. Gosh, wow. - Then pull it down.
0:36:10 > 0:36:13'This isn't quite as easy as it looks.'
0:36:13 > 0:36:16How often do you have to come out looking for...
0:36:17 > 0:36:20- ..for leaves for the monkeys? - Every day.
0:36:23 > 0:36:25Every day, my friend.
0:36:37 > 0:36:39That's totally easy.
0:36:39 > 0:36:41Every morning just go out, have a little walk,
0:36:41 > 0:36:44go and find some leaves, no problem.
0:36:46 > 0:36:48What we're doing here is really important for Santino
0:36:48 > 0:36:52because howler monkeys will eat over 50 types of leaves out in the wild.
0:36:53 > 0:36:56They also supplement that with fruit, as well.
0:36:56 > 0:36:58But... HE LAUGHS
0:36:58 > 0:37:00..I think the hook's stuck.
0:37:00 > 0:37:02Dexter!
0:37:02 > 0:37:03You've got to push up hard again.
0:37:04 > 0:37:07'To get all the vitamins and minerals a growing monkey needs,
0:37:07 > 0:37:11'it's important Santino gets a varied selection.'
0:37:13 > 0:37:14- There you go.- Perfect.
0:37:16 > 0:37:18- Right.- That's quite a job right there, huh?
0:37:18 > 0:37:20PATRICK LAUGHS
0:37:20 > 0:37:22- Yeah, man.- Perfect!
0:37:24 > 0:37:28- Nice.- Very good! Very good! - Well, I'll take these.
0:37:28 > 0:37:31- And I'll take this.- You can take the hook, I'm done with that.
0:37:35 > 0:37:36'Back at the centre,
0:37:36 > 0:37:39'Santino is waiting for his lunch in the nursery
0:37:39 > 0:37:42'but convincing a baby monkey to eat his greens
0:37:42 > 0:37:44'takes all of Dexter's experience.'
0:37:45 > 0:37:48Dexter, other than giving Santino the right kind of leaves,
0:37:48 > 0:37:52how else can you encourage him to eat the right type of food?
0:37:52 > 0:37:55One of the ways is that we pretend to be eating the same thing.
0:37:55 > 0:37:57- Pretend to eat leaves?- Exactly.
0:37:57 > 0:37:59It's a kind of fun way to do it.
0:37:59 > 0:38:01Santino tries to do the same.
0:38:01 > 0:38:05Santino, mmmm!
0:38:05 > 0:38:07- There you go, you see.- There we go.
0:38:07 > 0:38:10- Monkey see, monkey do.- Exactly.
0:38:13 > 0:38:17'With his new superfood diet, Santino should be back on schedule
0:38:17 > 0:38:20'to spend time with the big troop in just a day or two.
0:38:21 > 0:38:23They're also eating their lunch.
0:38:25 > 0:38:29Howler monkeys can sleep up to 15 hours a day.
0:38:32 > 0:38:36And all the troop are trying to take a siesta with Encar,
0:38:36 > 0:38:37the centre's owner.
0:38:45 > 0:38:48TELEPHONE RINGS
0:38:48 > 0:38:49Hello?
0:38:50 > 0:38:53IN SPANISH:
0:39:03 > 0:39:06We got a call.
0:39:06 > 0:39:09A woman say that on the beach...in front of the beach in Playa Grande
0:39:09 > 0:39:12there is a monkey that is not able to climb in the tree
0:39:12 > 0:39:14because one leg looks broken.
0:39:16 > 0:39:19With a monkey in trouble, a rescue team heads out,
0:39:19 > 0:39:23- led by Fernando the vet and Dexter. - OK, let's go.
0:39:30 > 0:39:33The monkey's been spotted by locals on the edge of the beach.
0:39:41 > 0:39:46It's an adult howler, but it's too high up in the canopy to reach.
0:39:46 > 0:39:48Fernando decides to use a tranquillising dart,
0:39:48 > 0:39:51so it will fall asleep and drop out of the tree.
0:39:54 > 0:39:58We see that the monkey has a broken leg and he cannot move very fast,
0:39:58 > 0:40:02so hopefully it will not be very difficult.
0:40:09 > 0:40:12But Fernando's confidence doesn't last long.
0:40:12 > 0:40:17He may be a monkey expert, but he's not an expert climber.
0:40:17 > 0:40:19IN SPANISH:
0:40:24 > 0:40:26That's better for him.
0:40:26 > 0:40:30Dexter, on the other hand, grew up playing and climbing trees,
0:40:30 > 0:40:33so he's confident he can get within a few metres,
0:40:33 > 0:40:34close enough to take a shot.
0:40:48 > 0:40:52Sure enough, Dexter shins up the 6m climb with ease.
0:40:59 > 0:41:03In spite of its injury, the monkey's climbed even higher.
0:41:04 > 0:41:07Dexter needs to take his shot quickly.
0:41:13 > 0:41:15HE BLOWS DART
0:41:20 > 0:41:22He managed to put the dart in.
0:41:22 > 0:41:26We're going to wait until he will fall down and be ready for that.
0:41:28 > 0:41:30It's now a waiting game.
0:41:30 > 0:41:31When the monkey falls,
0:41:31 > 0:41:36Fernando needs to catch it in a blanket or the fall could be fatal.
0:41:46 > 0:41:49The monkey is falling asleep...
0:41:51 > 0:41:54..but one hand is locked tight around a branch.
0:42:04 > 0:42:05Wow!
0:42:13 > 0:42:15I cannot see exactly the problem yet,
0:42:15 > 0:42:18we have to examine further at the centre,
0:42:18 > 0:42:21but for sure this leg has a problem, probably in the hip.
0:42:24 > 0:42:26Fernando heads back to the clinic.
0:42:26 > 0:42:29If this howler monkey will ever climb again,
0:42:29 > 0:42:31he needs to fix her leg.
0:42:33 > 0:42:35He's just starting to wake up.
0:42:37 > 0:42:39It doesn't have anything broken, fortunately,
0:42:39 > 0:42:42but it has probably muscle damage
0:42:42 > 0:42:46and maybe something else going on in the right leg.
0:42:49 > 0:42:52'Now she's used to her surroundings,
0:42:52 > 0:42:56'Fernando has allowed me to see how the patient is recovering.'
0:42:58 > 0:43:02How are you going to help her leg get better?
0:43:02 > 0:43:04Are you going to do any physiotherapy on her?
0:43:04 > 0:43:06Basically, stabilise the animal
0:43:06 > 0:43:09to make sure that she has everything that the body needs.
0:43:09 > 0:43:13And later, if we see that it's not totally recovered,
0:43:13 > 0:43:17then we can think in some other treatments like physiotherapy
0:43:17 > 0:43:18and so on.
0:43:18 > 0:43:20With baby monkeys that are rescued,
0:43:20 > 0:43:22they need a lot of time, care and dedication
0:43:22 > 0:43:25to gain all the skills they need to survive in the wild,
0:43:25 > 0:43:27whereas with adults, they already have this.
0:43:27 > 0:43:31So, the main thing is to get them fed and strong and healthy again
0:43:31 > 0:43:33and back out into the wild as quickly as possible.
0:43:35 > 0:43:37'With a good prognosis for her leg,
0:43:37 > 0:43:40'Fernando will hopefully release this female
0:43:40 > 0:43:43'to a safe patch of forest in about two months.'
0:43:54 > 0:43:57At the endangered species centre in Africa,
0:43:57 > 0:44:00Christo is putting the finishing touches to the lure
0:44:00 > 0:44:03that will test Shelley's true hunting skills.
0:44:04 > 0:44:08So, what's special about today's course?
0:44:08 > 0:44:10Today, we're going to change the course
0:44:10 > 0:44:13so that she'll have to make four sharp corners...
0:44:13 > 0:44:16- A-ha.- ..instead of just running up and down in a straight line.
0:44:16 > 0:44:19And also there's some obstacles that will be in her way
0:44:19 > 0:44:23and she'll have to adjust herself to keep on track with...
0:44:23 > 0:44:25..of the prey, basically.
0:44:25 > 0:44:28Because, obviously, an antelope's not going to be running
0:44:28 > 0:44:32in a nice, neat, straight line, it's going to be dodging and weaving
0:44:32 > 0:44:33trying to get away from her.
0:44:33 > 0:44:36Then she'll have to be able to adapt to every situation.
0:44:36 > 0:44:41Is there a time that we need her to make in order to...?
0:44:41 > 0:44:44Well, I'm hoping for between ten and 15 seconds.
0:44:44 > 0:44:46So, if she makes it then it means that she's keeping up
0:44:46 > 0:44:49and overtaking an antelope?
0:44:49 > 0:44:51- Hopefully, yeah.- Yeah, OK. All right, then.
0:44:51 > 0:44:54Well, that's a bit of a challenge for Shelley, isn't it? OK.
0:44:56 > 0:45:01Are we measuring out a specific length for this course?
0:45:01 > 0:45:04- Well, the course length would be about 180m...- Yeah.
0:45:04 > 0:45:07..and the average hunt is about 190m.
0:45:07 > 0:45:11OK. Gosh, it's quick, isn't it?
0:45:11 > 0:45:17'180m in 15 seconds and Shelley will be navigating 90-degree turns,
0:45:17 > 0:45:22'uneven ground and keeping the lure locked in her sights.
0:45:22 > 0:45:24'Getting this right will be the difference
0:45:24 > 0:45:28'between survival and starvation in the wild.'
0:45:31 > 0:45:33She's so focused the moment she comes out,
0:45:33 > 0:45:38she's like an athlete scoping the course before the big race.
0:45:40 > 0:45:44Cheetahs favour hunting during the cool morning hours
0:45:44 > 0:45:46when visibility is at its best.
0:45:48 > 0:45:50The black teardrops beneath their eyes
0:45:50 > 0:45:52may help absorb glare from the sun,
0:45:52 > 0:45:56whilst the back of their eye is packed with nerve cells
0:45:56 > 0:46:00that allow super sharp wide-angle vision.
0:46:08 > 0:46:14No pressure, Shelley, but we're expecting this in ten to 15 seconds.
0:46:15 > 0:46:18Three, two, one...
0:46:22 > 0:46:25'Shelley's claws are like the spikes on a running shoe,
0:46:25 > 0:46:27'digging into the ground to give traction.'
0:46:31 > 0:46:33I like the way she's using that tail.
0:46:35 > 0:46:37Second corner perfect.
0:46:40 > 0:46:42In a hot pursuit in the wild,
0:46:42 > 0:46:46their long muscular tail acts as a counterbalance
0:46:46 > 0:46:50so cheetahs don't spin out when making sharp turns at high speed.
0:46:52 > 0:46:55'Shelley's cornering brilliantly...'
0:46:55 > 0:46:57Yeah, she's totally on it.
0:46:57 > 0:46:59'..but has she kept up with an antelope?'
0:47:05 > 0:47:10That's amazing! 15.5 and that's the first time she's done this course
0:47:10 > 0:47:13and she's managed to do it in such a fast time.
0:47:13 > 0:47:16That is a really good sign.
0:47:16 > 0:47:19- Star pupil.- She is.
0:47:19 > 0:47:23'Shelley can still go faster, but she's on course.'
0:47:23 > 0:47:24We need to build that stamina up as well,
0:47:24 > 0:47:27so the more she does it the more stamina she's got and the more...
0:47:27 > 0:47:30the longer she can go out on a hunt.
0:47:30 > 0:47:34- In terms of her path to the wild... - One step closer to rehabilitation.
0:47:34 > 0:47:37- Yeah.- I will keep doing this until she's the correct age
0:47:37 > 0:47:38to be released.
0:47:38 > 0:47:42Before that, obviously, we'll minimise human contact,
0:47:42 > 0:47:45put her in a big enclosure where there would be live prey available
0:47:45 > 0:47:47and then take it from there.
0:47:47 > 0:47:48And minimising human contact,
0:47:48 > 0:47:51that means less of you interacting with her.
0:47:51 > 0:47:53How do you feel about that?
0:47:53 > 0:47:57Well, I feel good about it and to see them in a natural habitat
0:47:57 > 0:48:01- as they should be is more fulfilling at the end of the day.- Yeah.
0:48:04 > 0:48:07'She may have started life as a hand-raised cheetah,
0:48:07 > 0:48:11'but with Christo's help she is destined for much more.'
0:48:12 > 0:48:15You're going to become a wild cheetah one day, aren't you,
0:48:15 > 0:48:16if you carry on being this good.
0:48:20 > 0:48:22'She could be the latest of over
0:48:22 > 0:48:24'40 cheetahs HESC have raised
0:48:24 > 0:48:28'and successfully released back on to the African plains.'
0:48:31 > 0:48:36It's so fantastic that Shelley performed so well today
0:48:36 > 0:48:40because each one of these hurdles brings her one step closer
0:48:40 > 0:48:43to a life in the wild.
0:48:43 > 0:48:46And that is not just good news for her,
0:48:46 > 0:48:49but for the future of her entire species.
0:49:02 > 0:49:06In Costa Rica, it's a big day for little Santino.
0:49:08 > 0:49:12Santino! Corre! Corre!
0:49:12 > 0:49:16His cold has gone and he'll be spending time with the big troop.
0:49:16 > 0:49:20I do get worried because sometimes he can either be really good...
0:49:21 > 0:49:22..or really bad.
0:49:22 > 0:49:24Some of the monkeys, the bigger ones,
0:49:24 > 0:49:27they would bully the little one for a very long time and very strong,
0:49:27 > 0:49:30so something that can be a worry.
0:49:32 > 0:49:36Dexter's decided that Santino will join them on their daily excursion
0:49:36 > 0:49:38out into the forest.
0:49:40 > 0:49:44Here he can gradually get to know them in their natural habitat.
0:49:44 > 0:49:46HOWLER MONKEYS CALL OUT
0:49:52 > 0:49:56Another patient is also making an important journey.
0:49:57 > 0:50:00The harpooned green turtle is heading to the sea
0:50:00 > 0:50:04where Fernando will find out how it swims with its newly-sealed shell.
0:50:12 > 0:50:14The seal worked very good.
0:50:14 > 0:50:18It's totally waterproof and, yeah, this part is very good.
0:50:20 > 0:50:22But there's a problem.
0:50:22 > 0:50:27The turtle is too buoyant and is stuck bobbing on the surface.
0:50:27 > 0:50:29It's a case of trapped wind
0:50:29 > 0:50:33caused by an infection or blockage in its gut.
0:50:33 > 0:50:34We're trying to...
0:50:34 > 0:50:40I'm pushing him down, so the air he has in the back of the body
0:50:40 > 0:50:42moves a little bit.
0:50:42 > 0:50:46Fortunately, there seems to be a simple solution.
0:50:46 > 0:50:48Yeah, he just needs to fart.
0:50:50 > 0:50:52This obstruction should clear with time
0:50:52 > 0:50:55and once the shell is given a permanent seal,
0:50:55 > 0:50:58the turtle can return to the deep ocean
0:50:58 > 0:51:01where it could live to over 80 years old.
0:51:01 > 0:51:06It's very important to save every one of these individuals
0:51:06 > 0:51:08because unfortunately, they are very in danger.
0:51:08 > 0:51:10There are just a few left in the world
0:51:10 > 0:51:12and we're very lucky to be in one of the places
0:51:12 > 0:51:13where they naturally nest.
0:51:22 > 0:51:26'I've joined Dexter and Santino in the forest
0:51:26 > 0:51:28'a kilometre from the centre.'
0:51:31 > 0:51:34This is a really important time for Santino,
0:51:34 > 0:51:37it could be a really major step on his journey into the wild
0:51:37 > 0:51:42because with any luck, he is going to be accepted into the big troop.
0:51:45 > 0:51:48'Every day, this wild patch of forest becomes
0:51:48 > 0:51:50the troop's playground.
0:51:51 > 0:51:53'There are no fences or cages here,
0:51:53 > 0:51:56'they can learn and socialise freely
0:51:56 > 0:51:58'under the watchful eye of their baby-sitters.'
0:52:00 > 0:52:02We're completely surrounded.
0:52:03 > 0:52:06It takes a while to notice where they all are.
0:52:07 > 0:52:11We've got one over there. One, two, three...four.
0:52:11 > 0:52:12Hello!
0:52:15 > 0:52:18You know what, it's really nice seeing this troop
0:52:18 > 0:52:22out in the wild just like normal monkeys.
0:52:23 > 0:52:27'Dexter finds a quiet spot for Santino to explore.'
0:52:28 > 0:52:32So, Dexter, this is Santino's big moment,
0:52:32 > 0:52:36he's finally away from the centre, in the forest.
0:52:36 > 0:52:40How do you think he's going to get along with the rest of the troop?
0:52:40 > 0:52:42Well, my friend, right now for Santino...
0:52:43 > 0:52:46..I think he's going to be pretty well, you know.
0:52:46 > 0:52:48They've seen him around a little bit.
0:52:48 > 0:52:52'It's not long before Nerea, the troop's alpha monkey,
0:52:52 > 0:52:54'comes to check out Santino.'
0:52:54 > 0:52:56Here we go, the first one coming around.
0:52:56 > 0:52:57This is Nerea.
0:52:57 > 0:53:00- Nerea?- Yeah. Nerea the spider monkey,
0:53:00 > 0:53:03they're the most biggest monkey we have in the country.
0:53:03 > 0:53:06She's the bully one, she's watching Santino right now
0:53:06 > 0:53:08to try to go and pull him by the tail, try to pick him up
0:53:08 > 0:53:11and do all kinds of crazy things with him.
0:53:11 > 0:53:16'For these initial meetings, Dexter needs to protect Santino
0:53:16 > 0:53:17'just like his mum would have
0:53:17 > 0:53:21'and make sure he doesn't become totally overwhelmed by the troop.'
0:53:23 > 0:53:26He needs to be close to them and he needs to learn from them
0:53:26 > 0:53:28and be very safe into the jungle with them,
0:53:28 > 0:53:31so I try to let them know, "Don't bother him."
0:53:31 > 0:53:33But for now he still needs me to protect him
0:53:33 > 0:53:36from these bully monkeys that we have here.
0:53:38 > 0:53:41'And with the confidence Dexter has instilled in him,
0:53:41 > 0:53:44'Santino is taking everything in his stride.'
0:53:44 > 0:53:46Look at him going higher and higher.
0:53:46 > 0:53:49How do you feel when you see him acting like this?
0:53:50 > 0:53:52It's an amazing feeling, I can't really explain,
0:53:52 > 0:53:54there's no words to explain this.
0:53:54 > 0:53:57Later, we're going to start spending more time into the jungle
0:53:57 > 0:54:02and then eventually and hopefully, he will be going back out
0:54:02 > 0:54:03into the forest on his own.
0:54:03 > 0:54:06One day, he will just decide to take off and, you know what,
0:54:06 > 0:54:09I need to start my family and that's when he will decide to go
0:54:09 > 0:54:12and that will be the point of being ready to go back into the forest.
0:54:18 > 0:54:21'But for Santino to succeed out here,
0:54:21 > 0:54:24'he needs to find an ally in the troop -
0:54:24 > 0:54:26'one of his own kind to learn from.'
0:54:29 > 0:54:33This is amazing, the howler monkeys are coming to say hello.
0:54:33 > 0:54:37You can see that the troop are taking it really nice and slow.
0:54:37 > 0:54:39They're just kind of getting to know each other.
0:54:40 > 0:54:42And the more time that Santino spends with the troop,
0:54:42 > 0:54:45the more confident he's going to be and the more relaxed he'll be
0:54:45 > 0:54:49and the more likely he's going to be able to bond with the troop.
0:54:49 > 0:54:55Dexter, how important is this type of interaction for Santino?
0:54:55 > 0:54:59He never had it before and the only way for him to socialise
0:54:59 > 0:55:02with these monkeys is to have this kind of interaction with them.
0:55:02 > 0:55:06So, it's a very important step for him to learn to be a monkey.
0:55:06 > 0:55:09There you go, you can see him getting closer to the little baby
0:55:09 > 0:55:10as well, right here.
0:55:10 > 0:55:13So, he's going to make them friends.
0:55:13 > 0:55:15Acting like a real howler monkey.
0:55:16 > 0:55:18It's a very happy feeling, my friend.
0:55:18 > 0:55:21It's a really, really good feeling, a very joyous feeling
0:55:21 > 0:55:24because you know he's doing what a monkey is supposed to do.
0:55:24 > 0:55:26MONKEYS CHATTER LOUDLY
0:55:27 > 0:55:29Hello! HE LAUGHS
0:55:31 > 0:55:34- Hello.- We humans cannot teach them.
0:55:34 > 0:55:37We try to do it the best way we can, but then it's up to Santino.
0:55:39 > 0:55:42'When Santino has learned everything he needs,
0:55:42 > 0:55:43'he'll remain in this forest
0:55:43 > 0:55:47'and could one day lead his own wild troop.'
0:55:48 > 0:55:51And we can see right here Santino beginning to be more independent,
0:55:51 > 0:55:55trying out trees and leaves and he wants to go further.
0:55:56 > 0:55:58So, the work...
0:55:58 > 0:56:00well done, I think.
0:56:15 > 0:56:17'Until Santino decides to leave,
0:56:17 > 0:56:22'he can take comfort knowing Dexter will be there to keep him safe.'
0:56:24 > 0:56:27It's an incredible story that's only possible
0:56:27 > 0:56:29because of all the people here that give up their lives
0:56:29 > 0:56:32to give Santino back his.
0:56:44 > 0:56:49Since I last saw Santino, he now goes into the forest every day
0:56:49 > 0:56:51and has been accepted as part of the troop.
0:56:54 > 0:56:55Shelley is getting faster
0:56:55 > 0:56:59and working at improving her personal best.
0:56:59 > 0:57:03And the turtle's embarrassing problem worked itself out
0:57:03 > 0:57:05and he's back swimming in the ocean.
0:57:07 > 0:57:10'Next time, I'll be with Mangee, the baby rhino,
0:57:10 > 0:57:14'who after a traumatic start to life has to master the skills
0:57:14 > 0:57:17'he will need to return to the African savanna.'
0:57:17 > 0:57:19Look at these guys!
0:57:19 > 0:57:21They are ready to be wild rhinos.
0:57:22 > 0:57:26'And I'll be helping Mandy, the orphaned tapir,
0:57:26 > 0:57:28'to rediscover her wild side,
0:57:28 > 0:57:30'so she can be introduced to her own kind.'