0:00:13 > 0:00:20BIRDSONG OUTSIDE
0:00:29 > 0:00:34In a tin shed in the desert, in the heart of Australia,
0:00:34 > 0:00:38it's the start of another day for an extraordinary family.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49This little kangaroo I have here is William.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52His mother was killed out on the highway.
0:00:52 > 0:00:57Now, a little one like this needs someone who is going to give him 24 hour care,
0:00:57 > 0:01:00because if he doesn't have a caring person
0:01:00 > 0:01:03to look after him, he will most likely die.
0:01:06 > 0:01:08Meet Brolga.
0:01:08 > 0:01:12A six foot seven Aussie and a very unlikely mum.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20Some people think I'm a bit of a wacko living out here
0:01:20 > 0:01:25in the bush by myself and looking after kangaroos, but I love it.
0:01:27 > 0:01:31The kangaroos that are living here have accepted me as one of them,
0:01:31 > 0:01:35and that gives me a great insight into the way they behave.
0:01:38 > 0:01:40HE CALLS OUT
0:01:40 > 0:01:42Brolga has sacrificed everything
0:01:42 > 0:01:47so he can live out in the bush with his mob of kangaroos.
0:01:50 > 0:01:55His wild life, living among them, is an Australian fairytale.
0:01:59 > 0:02:01I grew up in the city when I was a kid.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04I didn't get a chance to see kangaroos other than a show called Skippy,
0:02:04 > 0:02:07where a little boy had a pet kangaroo.
0:02:07 > 0:02:09I wanted that, I wanted to be that kid.
0:02:11 > 0:02:17It's a childhood dream, to have a kangaroo, now I've got my own mob.
0:02:21 > 0:02:26Like any family, life is full of heartbreak and joy.
0:02:30 > 0:02:34Funny enough, I was Roger's mum about six years ago.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37Triumph and tragedy.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51They are the outback. They are the sign of freedom.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54A big kangaroo bouncing off into the sunset.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58And if you can ever get a chance to rescue one like I do,
0:02:58 > 0:03:01it is the greatest feeling that you can get.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04BIRDS SQUAWK IN THE TREES
0:03:18 > 0:03:20Come on!
0:03:20 > 0:03:24People ask me, "Are kangaroos intelligent?"
0:03:24 > 0:03:26Of course they are, they're Australian!
0:03:26 > 0:03:28Come on!
0:03:28 > 0:03:30Come on!
0:03:30 > 0:03:35Brolga and his roos live right in the middle of Australia,
0:03:35 > 0:03:39up a dirt track, not far from a town called Alice Springs.
0:03:43 > 0:03:4725 red kangaroos make up Brolga's mob.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49He knows them all by name
0:03:49 > 0:03:52and has known them all since they were babies.
0:03:55 > 0:04:01When Roger first arrived six years ago, he was a tiny, hairless pinkie.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05Now he's head of the mob.
0:04:07 > 0:04:08As alpha male,
0:04:08 > 0:04:12Roger has fathered all of the joeys born in Brolga's reserve.
0:04:14 > 0:04:16KANGAROO MAKES TUTTING SOUND
0:04:16 > 0:04:22The kangaroo that Brolga knows best is Ella, who, like Roger,
0:04:22 > 0:04:26has been with Brolga since the early days of founding his sanctuary.
0:04:30 > 0:04:34This is Ella, I rescued Ella about six years ago.
0:04:34 > 0:04:37Ella and I have built up a great relationship over the years
0:04:37 > 0:04:41and I hope there's a lot of trust between us, I'm sure there is.
0:04:42 > 0:04:46It's all very exciting for me now because I've just noticed
0:04:46 > 0:04:50in Ella's pouch there's a little bump at the bottom of the pouch.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53Now, I've just got Ella eating a little bit of carrot
0:04:53 > 0:04:58just to allow her to be a little bit occupied.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01And I'm just going to have a look, is that all right?
0:05:04 > 0:05:08Oh, wow, there's a beautiful little baby in there.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11Are you having a look at your baby too?
0:05:11 > 0:05:13Well done! Yes, here, here you go.
0:05:22 > 0:05:26It's a boy, I can see it's a boy because I can see testicles.
0:05:26 > 0:05:28This is a fantastic environment,
0:05:28 > 0:05:32it's the perfect environment to raise a baby.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38The baby is rocked by Ella's pulse.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41Her blood runs through the walls of the pouch,
0:05:41 > 0:05:43keeping the temperature just right.
0:05:45 > 0:05:49Her milk constantly changes as the joey develops.
0:05:49 > 0:05:53First feeding the immune system, then the body and brain.
0:05:58 > 0:06:04At the moment the baby looks to me to be the size of my little finger.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08That would mean to me it's about a month of age.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11It doesn't even resemble a baby kangaroo at all.
0:06:20 > 0:06:25This little baby is 24 hours a day attached to a teat,
0:06:25 > 0:06:27and that baby must stay on that teat,
0:06:27 > 0:06:28it can't afford to come off.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31If it comes off, the baby will die.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44This is an absolute privilege to see.
0:06:44 > 0:06:46This is such a sensitive area for the animal,
0:06:46 > 0:06:49and she wouldn't allow any of the other kangaroos to get this close,
0:06:49 > 0:06:51so the fact that I can get this close is amazing.
0:06:55 > 0:06:59Yes, hello, well done, you've done very well.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01Thank you for letting us have a look.
0:07:07 > 0:07:11Joeys like Ella's remain in the protection of the mother's pouch
0:07:11 > 0:07:15until they are ready to leave at about 180 days of age.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22But not all baby kangaroos are so lucky.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34The desert is brutal.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40Thousands of kangaroos are killed every year
0:07:40 > 0:07:41on the roads of the outback.
0:07:47 > 0:07:51Although they are extremely timid, the grass by the highway
0:07:51 > 0:07:54is much greener than in the arid surrounds of the desert.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02The roos are drawn in like moths to a flame.
0:08:10 > 0:08:14It's just like a murder scene.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17It hits you. The scene hits you.
0:08:17 > 0:08:21Of the remoteness of the outback and these dead animals.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27FLY BUZZES
0:08:41 > 0:08:44It's amazing that a tiny, little baby kangaroo,
0:08:44 > 0:08:48a little joey that's fragile, can survive the impact.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55People wouldn't understand that a dead animal could actually
0:08:55 > 0:08:57have something still alive in it,
0:08:57 > 0:09:00totally uninjured, nothing wrong with it at all.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08They just see death and drive straight past,
0:09:08 > 0:09:12not knowing they could be driving past a little orphan
0:09:12 > 0:09:14hiding away in Mum's pouch.
0:09:20 > 0:09:26I often say to the mum who's lying there, "I'll look after your baby."
0:09:40 > 0:09:46To me it's like resurrecting life from death.
0:09:49 > 0:09:50ENGINE STARTS
0:09:50 > 0:09:57MUSIC: "Pledging My Time" by Bob Dylan
0:10:02 > 0:10:06# Well, early in the morning
0:10:06 > 0:10:08# Till late at night
0:10:10 > 0:10:13# I got a poison headache
0:10:13 > 0:10:15# But I feel all right
0:10:17 > 0:10:19# I'm pledging my time
0:10:21 > 0:10:23# To you
0:10:23 > 0:10:25# Hopin' you'll come through too... #
0:10:25 > 0:10:32HARMONICA STRAINS
0:10:40 > 0:10:42The first 48 hours are critical.
0:10:44 > 0:10:48For a premature baby to have any chance of survival,
0:10:48 > 0:10:51Brolga must re-create the warmth and security
0:10:51 > 0:10:54they would have had in their mother's pouch.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03The baby is extremely stressed.
0:11:03 > 0:11:08It's lost its mum and it's lost the nurturing environment of the pouch.
0:11:12 > 0:11:16It's extremely important for me with a newly rescued baby
0:11:16 > 0:11:20to take it to bed, just to help it settle into the first few days.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26It's got the breathing and the warmth of my body
0:11:26 > 0:11:27and it just settles right down.
0:11:49 > 0:11:56Brolga's latest arrival, William, has been handed a lifeline.
0:11:57 > 0:11:59A chance to return to the wild.
0:12:03 > 0:12:07This is the beginning of a six-month journey.
0:12:12 > 0:12:16I'm going to raise him up and hopefully return him
0:12:16 > 0:12:18back to the bush when he's older.
0:12:20 > 0:12:23This is what I do.
0:12:23 > 0:12:29I'm a kangaroo mum, a full-time kangaroo mum and proud of it.
0:12:34 > 0:12:38Just because I'm a man, some people call me a kangaroo dad.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40I'm not, I'm a kangaroo mum.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48Little William is not out of the woods yet.
0:12:48 > 0:12:52He's very sad and he has good days and bad days.
0:12:53 > 0:12:59But I'm hoping I'll be able to get him out of that sadness,
0:12:59 > 0:13:03and grow him up to be a big, healthy, strong kangaroo,
0:13:03 > 0:13:07and return him back to the bush where he belongs.
0:13:08 > 0:13:13BIRD CAWS LOUDLY
0:13:19 > 0:13:21Over the past 20 years,
0:13:21 > 0:13:25Brolga's used what he's learnt from his unique relationship
0:13:25 > 0:13:30to raise and release over 200 orphan joeys back to the wild.
0:13:33 > 0:13:39He's achieved this remarkable feat by becoming the mother they've lost.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42KANGAROO CLUCKS
0:13:42 > 0:13:45Mother kangaroos are one of the best mothers
0:13:45 > 0:13:47that you'll see out there in the nature.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50It's a really caring one-to-one relationship with their baby,
0:13:50 > 0:13:52a real emblem of the outback.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57When I look at a kangaroo mum and her baby I take notes,
0:13:57 > 0:13:59I'm really looking at it.
0:13:59 > 0:14:03Seeing how I can be like the kangaroo mum.
0:14:05 > 0:14:09Kangaroos are marsupials, mammals with pouches.
0:14:12 > 0:14:13Hop in. Good boy.
0:14:13 > 0:14:18And observing how a mother raises her baby is Brolga's inspiration
0:14:18 > 0:14:21for the way he fosters his own orphaned kangaroos.
0:14:21 > 0:14:26Kangaroos are the animal that carries its baby around
0:14:26 > 0:14:29in a pillowcase on its lower stomach.
0:14:29 > 0:14:34Watching Mum carry her baby safely in the security of her pouch.
0:14:34 > 0:14:36That's an amazing sight,
0:14:36 > 0:14:40and it looks up to its mother with such love.
0:14:46 > 0:14:51You can often see the mother and the baby licking each other's lips.
0:14:51 > 0:14:55And mum is actually giving the baby saliva.
0:14:55 > 0:14:59But this is also bonding, bonding between mother and baby.
0:14:59 > 0:15:04So when I hold a baby up to me I often let it lick my tongue
0:15:04 > 0:15:07and actually get a bit of saliva so it can drink from my mouth.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13Nice and safe, yes.
0:15:13 > 0:15:17I want the baby, the little joey, to accept me as mum.
0:15:20 > 0:15:24And this really cements our relationship of the mother and child.
0:15:28 > 0:15:33It's the little things that I do with the joeys that helps them
0:15:33 > 0:15:36settle down after the trauma of losing their mum.
0:15:38 > 0:15:42The strength of bond that Brolga forms with William is crucial
0:15:42 > 0:15:45to his chances of survival.
0:15:45 > 0:15:47When he's ready,
0:15:47 > 0:15:50he'll be introduced to the kangaroos in Brolga's sanctuary,
0:15:50 > 0:15:55a key stepping stone on his long journey back to freedom of the wild.
0:16:04 > 0:16:09When William joins Brolga's mob he'll need to fight for his position
0:16:09 > 0:16:12in the hierarchy by sparring with other young males.
0:16:19 > 0:16:21Kangaroo males are kickboxers.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24And, like Aussie men, they'll fight over anything.
0:16:26 > 0:16:32Water, girls, sleeping holes, food... Girls.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39Sometimes it looks like they're just doing it for the heck of it,
0:16:39 > 0:16:41and they'll all pile in like a drunken brawl.
0:16:43 > 0:16:47GRUNTING AND PANTING
0:16:47 > 0:16:53Brolga used to be a kick boxer too, and that sometimes comes in handy.
0:16:53 > 0:16:59KANGAROO TUTS
0:16:59 > 0:17:03As head of the mob, Roger is the alpha male.
0:17:03 > 0:17:07He weighs 150lbs and stands over six foot tall.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13Roger is a formidable opponent.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17The undisputed champion of the mob.
0:17:17 > 0:17:22If Brolga bumps into Roger on his daily rounds of the sanctuary
0:17:22 > 0:17:24he needs to stand his ground.
0:17:28 > 0:17:34When I'm out here in my sanctuary, I'm always looking out for Roger.
0:17:37 > 0:17:42Roger is the main threat out here for me,
0:17:42 > 0:17:46because Roger sees me as competition for his harem of wives.
0:17:46 > 0:17:51CLICKS AND TUTS
0:17:54 > 0:17:58HE TUTS BACK
0:17:58 > 0:18:03As soon as I stand upright, Roger will see that as a threat.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05And he's ready.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07I've got to be very careful
0:18:07 > 0:18:12because Roger has got the power in a kick to rip a testicle off.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19This is why you're not allowed a pet kangaroo.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22Roger's an expert kick boxer.
0:18:26 > 0:18:30Now, Roger stands my height, six foot seven tall.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33Later on he's going to grow up to eight or nine feet
0:18:33 > 0:18:35when he sits back on his tail.
0:18:37 > 0:18:43Now funny enough, I was Roger's mum about six years ago.
0:18:43 > 0:18:44Mad as a cut snake.
0:18:46 > 0:18:50HE PANTS
0:18:56 > 0:18:59I've got to watch Roger all the time.
0:18:59 > 0:19:04A big kick from Roger, if he grabs me, I'll be in a world of trouble.
0:19:05 > 0:19:10He's really trying to pronounce the muscle that he's got
0:19:10 > 0:19:11and the strength that he's got.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13What he'll do is he'll grab me
0:19:13 > 0:19:17with his massive upper body strength, like this.
0:19:17 > 0:19:19HE GRUNTS
0:19:19 > 0:19:20And go for it.
0:19:24 > 0:19:28This dude's got extreme power, make no doubt about it.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30Whoa! I am scared of him.
0:19:32 > 0:19:36I've been ripped open before by a big kangaroo.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39I've got eight stitches in my stomach from one good kick
0:19:39 > 0:19:41when I was about 20.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44That's why you've got to be really careful.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47And what he's trying to do is drive me out of his territory.
0:19:47 > 0:19:48Whoa!
0:19:56 > 0:20:01After playing with Roger, I don't think I came out all too bad.
0:20:01 > 0:20:03Yet I did cop a bit of punishment.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06I can feel on my face here I've got a couple of deep cuts.
0:20:06 > 0:20:08And also on my back.
0:20:09 > 0:20:13That's Roger's big hands, big hands, strong muscle,
0:20:13 > 0:20:16trying to swipe me like a boxer.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19No, as agro as Roger is, I love him.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23I have absolute respect and admiration for him,
0:20:23 > 0:20:25I understand what he's doing,
0:20:25 > 0:20:29he's just being a kangaroo male who is protecting his mob.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32One of my most prized possessions is a photo of Roger
0:20:32 > 0:20:36when he was a baby and I always have it near, by my bed.
0:20:36 > 0:20:38So, to me, he's a very important animal.
0:20:40 > 0:20:45It's hard to imagine that Roger was once a tiny orphan like William.
0:20:45 > 0:20:49He's been a key part of Brolga's mob from the very beginning.
0:20:52 > 0:20:59I had three kangaroos, Roger, Ella and Abigail at home.
0:20:59 > 0:21:00They couldn't go back to the bush.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03They were all injured, all slight injuries, all fixed up now,
0:21:03 > 0:21:05but at the time they were on death row.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08The government said you've got a few months to find them a home
0:21:08 > 0:21:10or they'll be shot.
0:21:10 > 0:21:15So I had a burning ambition to make sure Roger, Ella and Abi would not
0:21:15 > 0:21:18be destroyed and they could actually live a happy life somewhere.
0:21:22 > 0:21:27I'm not a rich man, never have been, I'm a worker.
0:21:28 > 0:21:34So I decided to go out door-knocking around to see what I could to,
0:21:34 > 0:21:36raise a bit of money here and there, work two jobs.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41I used to work stacking shelves in the supermarket,
0:21:41 > 0:21:45and then during the day I was out washing buses for a bus company.
0:21:54 > 0:21:58It took me two-and-a-half years to build it, seven days a week.
0:22:00 > 0:22:05I bent 450 poles, dug 450 holes,
0:22:06 > 0:22:11I put up 2.5 miles of chain mesh fencing, 10ft high.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15At 9am it's red hot, it's 45 degrees.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20I dug a trench 2.5 miles long
0:22:20 > 0:22:23to sink in mesh to stop the dingos digging under.
0:22:26 > 0:22:30I put in the shed here, it's a great place.
0:22:30 > 0:22:35There's no power, there's no toilet, I don't need that stuff.
0:22:35 > 0:22:39I got running water, I got a gas bottle to do my cooking.
0:22:39 > 0:22:44If I want I go outside have a fire in the fire pit, that's all I want.
0:22:44 > 0:22:48The most important thing I've got is my kangaroos and that they're safe.
0:22:53 > 0:22:57To live out here and be a part of the outback
0:22:57 > 0:23:02is what's important to me, not a beautiful house.
0:23:07 > 0:23:12I feel really privileged now because my new shack has got four walls.
0:23:12 > 0:23:18The last one only had three, so I think it's a bit posh.
0:23:20 > 0:23:25BIRDS SQUAWK
0:23:25 > 0:23:28SNEEZES
0:23:28 > 0:23:29SNEEZES AGAIN
0:23:29 > 0:23:33Dust has got right up Roger's nose.
0:23:33 > 0:23:34SNEEZES
0:23:38 > 0:23:42After months without rain, the desert is dry as a bone.
0:23:44 > 0:23:49But kangaroos are beautifully adapted to cope with the harsh climate.
0:23:51 > 0:23:55In the heat of the day they take to the shade of a witchetty bush
0:23:55 > 0:23:57and sleep to conserve energy.
0:23:57 > 0:24:01MUSIC: "Saturday Sun" by Nick Drake
0:24:01 > 0:24:05# Saturday sun
0:24:05 > 0:24:08# Came early one morning
0:24:11 > 0:24:19# In a sky so clear and blue
0:24:24 > 0:24:28# Saturday sun
0:24:28 > 0:24:32# Came without warning
0:24:34 > 0:24:41# So no-one knew what to do
0:24:42 > 0:24:46SNORTS SLEEPILY
0:24:46 > 0:24:51# Saturday sun
0:24:51 > 0:24:57# Brought people and faces
0:24:57 > 0:25:04# That didn't seem much in their day... #
0:25:08 > 0:25:11When a mother kangaroo wakes from her slumbers,
0:25:11 > 0:25:15the first thing she does is attend to the joey in her pouch.
0:25:19 > 0:25:23A marsupial mother's pouch is like a child's nursery.
0:25:23 > 0:25:27Inside, the joey is kept clean, warm and comforted.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36But orphans like William who've been wrenched from the security
0:25:36 > 0:25:40of their dead mother's pouch are incredibly vulnerable.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48Little William's got a bit of a problem.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52When I rescued him I noticed he's lost a bit of hair on his hands
0:25:52 > 0:25:54and on the end of his nose in particular.
0:25:54 > 0:25:58To stop that spreading any further, I need to give him a bath,
0:25:58 > 0:26:03but there lies a bit of a problem, baby kangaroos hate having a wash.
0:26:08 > 0:26:10It's all right. It's all right.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14It's all right.
0:26:14 > 0:26:19It's possibly mites and we can't see it with our naked eye,
0:26:19 > 0:26:22so that's why I've got to give him a medicated shampoo,
0:26:22 > 0:26:25so we can prevent any further hair loss.
0:26:25 > 0:26:29This is going to get rid of all those nasty little things that are biting you.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37The problem with losing hair and allowing it to happen
0:26:37 > 0:26:41and not treating possible microscopic insect infection
0:26:41 > 0:26:44is the babies spending a lot of time scratching.
0:26:46 > 0:26:50As you can imagine, that means the baby is wasting energy
0:26:50 > 0:26:55so it's not getting enough sleep and could lead to further sickness,
0:26:55 > 0:26:58and, if we don't get on top of it, possible death.
0:27:02 > 0:27:04Good boy.
0:27:04 > 0:27:06That's a good little mate.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12Yes, mate, you're doing great - look at that.
0:27:12 > 0:27:16As a carer, someone who looks after orphaned wildlife,
0:27:16 > 0:27:19I've found we have a much better success rate
0:27:19 > 0:27:22if we give the babies a lot of love.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24There you go.
0:27:24 > 0:27:26Wrap you up nice and warm.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29Good boy. That wasn't so bad, was it?
0:27:29 > 0:27:33CRICKETS CHIRP
0:27:49 > 0:27:53Like many human mums Brolga gets little sleep.
0:27:55 > 0:27:59Until William is weaned at about one year of age,
0:27:59 > 0:28:03Brolga's life, 24/7, revolves around the joey's needs.
0:28:04 > 0:28:08JOEY COUGHS
0:28:08 > 0:28:11I often wake up to the sound of a baby crying at the end of the bed.
0:28:13 > 0:28:15COUGHING
0:28:15 > 0:28:17That's when you feel your heart just sinks
0:28:17 > 0:28:20because the thing's obviously crying out for its mum.
0:28:31 > 0:28:37William, at the moment, he's quite young, he's on six feeds a day
0:28:37 > 0:28:40so every four hours he needs a bottle.
0:28:42 > 0:28:48He gets a feed at midnight, and another feed at, say, 4am.
0:28:48 > 0:28:50As kangaroos are a nocturnal animal,
0:28:50 > 0:28:53I've got to become a bit nocturnal as well.
0:28:55 > 0:28:57SUCKS NOISILY
0:29:00 > 0:29:03So to be a good kangaroo mum you've got to try and donate time,
0:29:03 > 0:29:06often in the early hours of the morning,
0:29:06 > 0:29:08when regular people would be asleep.
0:29:11 > 0:29:14At about 2am I'll go outside,
0:29:14 > 0:29:18and I love that time because everything is dead still,
0:29:18 > 0:29:23it's the coolest part of the day, and the stars are amazing.
0:29:23 > 0:29:26ACOUSTIC GUITAR PLAYS
0:29:31 > 0:29:35When I go out early hours of the morning to give William a run,
0:29:35 > 0:29:37it's the best time of the day for me.
0:29:37 > 0:29:42In a 24-hour period it's my highlight, that's my time.
0:29:44 > 0:29:49There's no light pollution out here, it's just pitch black.
0:29:51 > 0:29:55You get to look up at millions of stars.
0:29:57 > 0:29:59It's a beautiful time.
0:29:59 > 0:30:00MUSIC: "Road" by Nick Drake
0:30:00 > 0:30:04# You can say the sun is shining if you really want to
0:30:04 > 0:30:07# I can see the moon and it seems so clear
0:30:07 > 0:30:10# You can take the road that takes you to the stars now
0:30:10 > 0:30:13# I can take the road that'll see me through
0:30:13 > 0:30:16# I can take the road that'll see me through... #
0:30:16 > 0:30:24GENTLE FOLK GUITAR PLAYS
0:30:37 > 0:30:40Brolga's not the only one stargazing,
0:30:40 > 0:30:44as red kangaroos are most active when night falls,
0:30:44 > 0:30:48using the cool of night to graze on grass, roots, shrubs and trees.
0:30:52 > 0:30:55Kangaroos have exceptional night vision.
0:30:58 > 0:31:03Their big ears rotate independently and they can hear a pin drop.
0:31:03 > 0:31:06Essential for detecting the presence of predators.
0:31:09 > 0:31:13While the mob feeds there's always one keeping a look out.
0:31:14 > 0:31:17ANIMAL NOISE IN THE BUSH
0:31:17 > 0:31:21Sometimes during the night I wake to the sound of dogs.
0:31:21 > 0:31:23And that's a nightmare.
0:31:25 > 0:31:28As soon as I hear that I'm straight out of bed.
0:31:28 > 0:31:31In the car, in the old girl, and we're off.
0:31:31 > 0:31:34CAR ENGINE REVS
0:31:41 > 0:31:45You can't underestimate these dogs. As a pack, they're dangerous.
0:31:52 > 0:31:54If a pack of dogs gets under the fence,
0:31:54 > 0:31:58they'd tear every one of Brolga's kangaroos limb from limb.
0:31:58 > 0:32:02BARKING AND GROWLING
0:32:04 > 0:32:07Just a couple of years ago, two grown men were ravaged
0:32:07 > 0:32:10and killed by feral dogs.
0:32:12 > 0:32:15A lone dog can take a joey quite easily.
0:32:15 > 0:32:20Yet a pack of dogs can bring down someone as big as Roger.
0:32:25 > 0:32:28Just them being on the outside of the sanctuary,
0:32:28 > 0:32:30the kangaroos freak out.
0:32:30 > 0:32:34It's that panic that the kangaroos go into that's really dangerous
0:32:34 > 0:32:37and they could smash themselves up against the fence.
0:32:41 > 0:32:44The first thing people say is, "Hey, get a shotgun."
0:32:44 > 0:32:49"You want to borrow my gun?" It's like, no. I don't kill animals.
0:32:55 > 0:32:58The dogs are only doing what they are designed to do.
0:33:00 > 0:33:02The fact that they've gone wild
0:33:02 > 0:33:05and returned to their natural instincts, I can understand that.
0:33:21 > 0:33:24I have dog traps that are set. No harm comes to them.
0:33:27 > 0:33:30If I ever trap a dog,
0:33:33 > 0:33:36I take that dog into Alice Springs to the dog shelter,
0:33:36 > 0:33:40and hopefully they'll be able to re-unite it with its original owner.
0:33:40 > 0:33:45ENGINE REVS
0:33:52 > 0:33:58In the wild up to 200 kangaroos, jacks, jills and joeys,
0:33:58 > 0:33:59can live as a mob.
0:34:01 > 0:34:05Strength in these numbers provide an early warning alarm call,
0:34:05 > 0:34:08alerting the mob to the threat of predators.
0:34:15 > 0:34:18Their long, hopping limbs give them the edge.
0:34:30 > 0:34:32Kangaroos need company.
0:34:33 > 0:34:38But at the moment William is lonely and not very well.
0:34:38 > 0:34:42Since I bathed William he's not getting any better.
0:34:42 > 0:34:49He's got a skin irritation and he's losing hair, I'm quite concerned.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52Stress is the one thing that could possibly kill William,
0:34:52 > 0:34:55because he's just not getting enough sleep.
0:34:55 > 0:35:01Maybe the hair loss could be associated with stress of losing his mum,
0:35:01 > 0:35:04and he still does call out during the night sometimes,
0:35:04 > 0:35:06and he still is a sad little baby.
0:35:08 > 0:35:12Sometimes you don't pick up on the stress levels,
0:35:12 > 0:35:15you think everything's going great.
0:35:15 > 0:35:19And then you wake up in the morning to make the milk
0:35:19 > 0:35:23and you find one of the little babies dead in its pillowcase.
0:35:28 > 0:35:33Living isolated, way out in the bush, with only very basic supplies,
0:35:33 > 0:35:36there's little more Brolga can do for William.
0:35:40 > 0:35:44He needs stronger medicine but, more than anything,
0:35:44 > 0:35:48Brolga reckons William needs the comfort of kangaroo company.
0:35:58 > 0:36:03Fortunately though, Brolga's not the only kangaroo mum in the outback.
0:36:03 > 0:36:06- Come on, baby girl.- OK, come on, you little ratbag.
0:36:06 > 0:36:08I need to change these bandages again.
0:36:08 > 0:36:13In the nearby city of Alice Springs live his mates, Cynthia and Anne Marie,
0:36:13 > 0:36:17who are on the frontline of kangaroo intensive care.
0:36:19 > 0:36:20And her dressing.
0:36:20 > 0:36:23She's probably not going to have the most beautiful tail
0:36:23 > 0:36:27but I'm sure when she goes back to the wild the boys won't mind.
0:36:27 > 0:36:29No, they're not going to worry too much.
0:36:29 > 0:36:31Between them, Cynthia and Anne Marie
0:36:31 > 0:36:33have patched up thousands of orphan roos.
0:36:33 > 0:36:36Because it's so small it probably doesn't need the...
0:36:36 > 0:36:38Oh, you're going to go to sleep, little darling.
0:36:38 > 0:36:40I should hope you are, you madam.
0:36:40 > 0:36:41Off you go.
0:36:41 > 0:36:44You want to come in and have your bottle?
0:36:44 > 0:36:47Oh, don't look so sad about it.
0:36:47 > 0:36:49You're still eating other food, are you? OK.
0:36:57 > 0:37:03There's just something about them, I've become... What's the word?
0:37:03 > 0:37:07I don't know, addicted's the word I'm looking for.
0:37:07 > 0:37:10Yes, totally addicted to them, yes. I think they're great.
0:37:10 > 0:37:11Come on, guys.
0:37:15 > 0:37:17Oh, golly. I don't know.
0:37:17 > 0:37:20How many have I got at the moment?
0:37:20 > 0:37:22I think it's about 12... But I'm not...
0:37:22 > 0:37:24Oh, no, I just got another one in today, so that makes number 13.
0:37:24 > 0:37:26So 13 at the moment.
0:37:37 > 0:37:41Ah, ah, ah, ah, aaah!
0:37:41 > 0:37:44Ouch! That wasn't very nice.
0:37:46 > 0:37:48Some people just think that we're a bit eccentric,
0:37:48 > 0:37:49I suppose you'd call it,
0:37:49 > 0:37:53not that I really know what eccentric is.
0:37:53 > 0:37:54I suppose having them in my house
0:37:54 > 0:37:55with nappies on,
0:37:55 > 0:37:57I am a bit eccentric.
0:37:59 > 0:38:01There we go.
0:38:01 > 0:38:03Put your tail in.
0:38:03 > 0:38:06Nappies I think are more for hygiene,
0:38:06 > 0:38:09more than having anything else, to have them in the house.
0:38:09 > 0:38:10Good boy.
0:38:10 > 0:38:13Just normal nappies from the supermarket that you'd buy for your kids,
0:38:13 > 0:38:16you just cut a little hole in them.
0:38:16 > 0:38:23Otherwise your house would be totalled with kangaroo poop and wee everywhere.
0:38:25 > 0:38:30I just think that they're the most beautiful little creatures,
0:38:30 > 0:38:34and I just like the thought that you can get them back to the wild.
0:38:34 > 0:38:37There you go. Come on, Stu.
0:38:37 > 0:38:38There you are.
0:38:43 > 0:38:45Brolga has come to see
0:38:45 > 0:38:48if Cynthia can find a way of making William get better.
0:38:50 > 0:38:52Cynthia is a retired nurse
0:38:52 > 0:38:56and now her skills are in demand for a new breed of patient.
0:38:56 > 0:38:59- Have you used any ointments of any kind?- Nothing.
0:38:59 > 0:39:01There's two here. Both anti-fungals.
0:39:01 > 0:39:03This one's got a bit of cortisone in it as well.
0:39:03 > 0:39:06- It's probably fungal. - Just put it in their milk?
0:39:06 > 0:39:10- Yes, put it in their milk or give it to them three times a day. - All right, thanks.
0:39:10 > 0:39:12William has new medicine to try,
0:39:12 > 0:39:15but Cynthia and Brolga both know what he really needs.
0:39:18 > 0:39:21In the last few weeks there's been carnage on the roads
0:39:21 > 0:39:23and Cynthia is swamped.
0:39:23 > 0:39:25It's good news for William though,
0:39:25 > 0:39:29as Cynthia is giving Brolga two more babies to look after.
0:39:29 > 0:39:32- OK, guys. There we are. - Beautiful little girls.
0:39:32 > 0:39:34They're girls. Do they have names yet?
0:39:34 > 0:39:37This one's Amy and you've got Daisy.
0:39:37 > 0:39:39Cool. I'll give them a good home.
0:39:39 > 0:39:40You never get sick of it.
0:39:40 > 0:39:4350 years later, I'm still as silly as I was.
0:39:43 > 0:39:4450 years?!
0:39:44 > 0:39:46I think I'll be doing it till the day I die.
0:39:51 > 0:39:53Back at the sanctuary,
0:39:53 > 0:39:57William is being introduced to the company of some new friends.
0:40:02 > 0:40:05I now have three little orphans.
0:40:05 > 0:40:11William on my left here, is now joined by Daisy in the middle
0:40:11 > 0:40:15and Amy on my right, little grey coloured one.
0:40:16 > 0:40:20Amy's mother was hunted and eaten...
0:40:21 > 0:40:25..while Daisy's mum was roadkill, out there on the highway.
0:40:27 > 0:40:31I'm wrapped, I'm wrapped for William that he's got...
0:40:31 > 0:40:34some girlfriends, he's got a mob.
0:40:35 > 0:40:39That's important to help out with his loneliness.
0:40:39 > 0:40:42I can be with him there as much as I can,
0:40:42 > 0:40:44but I want to grow him up as a kangaroo
0:40:44 > 0:40:48and I only ever release kangaroos back to the bush as a group.
0:40:48 > 0:40:51It would be extremely unfair to release one animal.
0:40:51 > 0:40:54Many eyes and ears look out for danger in the bush,
0:40:54 > 0:41:01so to have a mob be released at the end, that's my ultimate goal.
0:41:04 > 0:41:08But this means triple the amount of work for me.
0:41:08 > 0:41:13# Daddy worked so hard
0:41:13 > 0:41:17# While Momma give us all her love
0:41:17 > 0:41:22# She made the food fill the table
0:41:22 > 0:41:27# And we all thanked the God above
0:41:27 > 0:41:29# If I could be What my daddy was to me
0:41:29 > 0:41:32# I'd pretend nearly every day I'm as happy as could be
0:41:32 > 0:41:35# If my wife was even half as loving as my mother... #
0:41:35 > 0:41:38A lot more pouches to wash.
0:41:40 > 0:41:42A lot more milk to prepare.
0:41:44 > 0:41:46It'll be a lot of work, a lot of work.
0:41:46 > 0:41:51# Let me hear everybody sing after me
0:41:51 > 0:41:53# Momma, I love you
0:41:53 > 0:41:55# And, Daddy, I love you
0:41:56 > 0:41:59# I hope my children sing to me
0:42:00 > 0:42:02# Daddy, I love you
0:42:02 > 0:42:04# Momma, I love you... #
0:42:07 > 0:42:10There's a saying of looking after baby kangaroos -
0:42:10 > 0:42:15don't step backwards, because they're always at the back of your heels.
0:42:25 > 0:42:27You never get a spare moment to relax.
0:42:27 > 0:42:30The babies are following you everywhere,
0:42:30 > 0:42:32just like they would their mum.
0:42:32 > 0:42:36The only time we can get a bit of a relax is when we all sleep.
0:42:39 > 0:42:44It's only been a couple of days since Daisy and Amy joined William
0:42:44 > 0:42:48and they've already bonded like brothers and sisters.
0:42:48 > 0:42:52William's "kangaroo medicine" is clearly working
0:42:52 > 0:42:55and his skin condition is on the mend.
0:42:57 > 0:43:02# Daddy worked so hard
0:43:02 > 0:43:06# While Momma gave us all her love.
0:43:06 > 0:43:11# She made the food fill the table
0:43:11 > 0:43:15# And we all thanked the God above. #
0:43:23 > 0:43:26It's not just Brolga's babies that are growing up fast.
0:43:35 > 0:43:38Ella's baby's about four and a half months old now.
0:43:40 > 0:43:43This is a really great time
0:43:43 > 0:43:46as far as being able to look in on the baby
0:43:46 > 0:43:49because the baby has really changed.
0:43:49 > 0:43:52It's gone from what looked like an alien,
0:43:52 > 0:43:56something that didn't even resemble a kangaroo
0:43:56 > 0:43:58to now a few months later,
0:43:58 > 0:44:02something that's slowly turning into a kangaroo.
0:44:10 > 0:44:12I haven't seen Ella's baby for a while,
0:44:12 > 0:44:15but I found her out there in the bush,
0:44:15 > 0:44:17so decided to take up some carrots
0:44:17 > 0:44:22and have a look in the pouch, and man, that baby's changed.
0:44:32 > 0:44:34It's got dramatically bigger.
0:44:39 > 0:44:43Its eyes are very close to opening, they're just little black slits
0:44:43 > 0:44:46but you can see they're bulging, just ready to open.
0:44:48 > 0:44:52Whiskers have grown, eyelashes are starting to come on.
0:44:56 > 0:45:01Looking into Ella's pouch is like looking into a child's bedroom.
0:45:02 > 0:45:06That baby is cosy, wrapped up in bed.
0:45:09 > 0:45:12Over the progressing weeks and months,
0:45:12 > 0:45:14this baby's going to get bigger and bigger.
0:45:16 > 0:45:21He's going to outgrow this space that he's known as his mum's pouch
0:45:21 > 0:45:23and he's going to have to venture out.
0:45:23 > 0:45:25Mum can't keep carrying him forever.
0:45:27 > 0:45:29So that's the future for him.
0:45:34 > 0:45:38Now he looks like a kangaroo, Brolga's given him a name...
0:45:40 > 0:45:41Nigel.
0:45:44 > 0:45:49Like all the joeys born in Brolga's sanctuary, Nigel is Roger's son.
0:45:52 > 0:45:57And as alpha male, Roger lives up to his name.
0:46:01 > 0:46:06If you see Roger in action checking up on his girls,
0:46:06 > 0:46:08the first thing he does is go to their cloaca,
0:46:08 > 0:46:10which is right near the tail,
0:46:10 > 0:46:12that's the private parts for the kangaroo.
0:46:16 > 0:46:21Roger licks that area, it stimulates the girl to urinate.
0:46:22 > 0:46:27He then tastes it. He sort of... "Mmmm."
0:46:28 > 0:46:32What he's doing, he's seeing whether she's in season,
0:46:32 > 0:46:33that she's ready to breed.
0:46:38 > 0:46:42If she is in season, courtship happens.
0:46:42 > 0:46:45It's not straight into sex - wham, bam, thank you, ma'am.
0:46:45 > 0:46:47It's a bit of a courtship going on.
0:46:51 > 0:46:53When you see Roger out in the bush
0:46:53 > 0:46:56and he's courting one of the girls in the mob,
0:46:56 > 0:46:59he's actually really gentle.
0:46:59 > 0:47:03He's such a big dude, he's strong, he's massive!
0:47:03 > 0:47:06I've seen him in fights, kick the butt out of a bigger bloke,
0:47:06 > 0:47:10but he doesn't take that persona into his courtship,
0:47:10 > 0:47:12he's gentle, which is fantastic.
0:47:20 > 0:47:23He pats her on the bottom to say, "Are you ready yet?"
0:47:23 > 0:47:27She goes, "No, not yet" and moves a bit forward.
0:47:27 > 0:47:30Then he'll touch again, "You ready yet?" "No, not yet."
0:47:30 > 0:47:33And this goes on, often for several hours.
0:47:33 > 0:47:37If it's in the morning, it can go all the way through to sunset.
0:47:41 > 0:47:44And then there comes a time he pats her on the bottom
0:47:44 > 0:47:45and she doesn't move on.
0:47:47 > 0:47:51And to him, that's like, "Yes, I'm ready."
0:48:03 > 0:48:07He's now at the top, he's got his prize,
0:48:07 > 0:48:09for years and years of fights.
0:48:09 > 0:48:12That's what he's fought for his whole life.
0:48:16 > 0:48:21It's amazing to think that William is going to be Roger's size one day.
0:48:25 > 0:48:29When he's older, William will kickbox for the right to father
0:48:29 > 0:48:33his own joeys, but that's a very long way off.
0:48:36 > 0:48:37Time to go to bed.
0:48:40 > 0:48:42In the wild, in the heat of the day,
0:48:42 > 0:48:46these kids would be tucked up asleep in the security of mum's pouch,
0:48:46 > 0:48:49growing bigger and stronger on her milk.
0:48:50 > 0:48:52You girls want to go to bed?
0:48:52 > 0:48:55Brolga's training his joeys to improve their skills
0:48:55 > 0:48:59in the tricky art of getting into old pillow cases,
0:48:59 > 0:49:00the next best thing.
0:49:04 > 0:49:06Amy and William are pretty good at it...
0:49:08 > 0:49:10..but Daisy needs a little more practice.
0:49:19 > 0:49:22All is looking good on the home front
0:49:22 > 0:49:25and the odds of returning all three joeys back to the wild
0:49:25 > 0:49:28become more favourable with every passing day.
0:49:36 > 0:49:38Since the orphans arrived,
0:49:38 > 0:49:41it's been clear skies in the outback.
0:49:48 > 0:49:52But now, barrel clouds roll over Brolga's shack.
0:49:53 > 0:49:56This bizarre weather pattern is rarely seen.
0:49:57 > 0:50:00A warning of stormy times ahead.
0:50:15 > 0:50:18A lightning strike could set the desert on fire,
0:50:18 > 0:50:21so Brolga's in a desperate rush
0:50:21 > 0:50:24to cut fire breaks throughout his sanctuary.
0:50:28 > 0:50:30THUNDER RUMBLES
0:50:38 > 0:50:41What's really concerning me
0:50:41 > 0:50:45is that there's a few bolts of lightning out there on the horizon...
0:50:47 > 0:50:50And if one of them hits the ground, it will set this dry bush on fire.
0:50:53 > 0:50:58Get a strong wind that might be associated with a bit of rain...
0:50:58 > 0:51:00we are going to be in a lot of trouble.
0:51:03 > 0:51:07This place is so tinder dry at the moment, it will go off like a bomb.
0:51:07 > 0:51:10LIGHTNING CRACKS
0:51:11 > 0:51:14Lightning has set the desert ablaze.
0:51:31 > 0:51:34A fire like this is an uncontrollable monster.
0:51:36 > 0:51:38No life stands a chance.
0:51:41 > 0:51:45Wind whips the fire into a tornado over 30 metres tall.
0:51:52 > 0:51:55It's no wonder people call this inferno a "fire devil."
0:52:01 > 0:52:05With fires like this, Brolga and his kangaroos' fate
0:52:05 > 0:52:07lies with the whim of the wind.
0:52:28 > 0:52:32A big bush fire is the closest thing to hell
0:52:32 > 0:52:34that you'll ever experience.
0:52:40 > 0:52:44If a fire did get into the sanctuary, it'd be all over.
0:52:46 > 0:52:49The animals would be trapped up against the fences,
0:52:49 > 0:52:55burnt alive, Ella and Roger, the joeys...
0:52:56 > 0:53:00That would be, that would be the worst thing I could ever imagine.
0:53:07 > 0:53:12After days on the rampage, the fire slowly burns itself out.
0:53:16 > 0:53:20For now, he and his mob have escaped unscathed.
0:53:26 > 0:53:28In a worst case scenario,
0:53:28 > 0:53:31if one day that fire comes to the sanctuary,
0:53:31 > 0:53:36that big fire, that uncontrollable demon
0:53:36 > 0:53:39that's just ravishing the bush and he's coming my way,
0:53:39 > 0:53:41I will take him on. I will fight him.
0:53:42 > 0:53:46He's Goliath and I'm David and I will take you on,
0:53:46 > 0:53:50because you're going to take my family away from me.
0:53:50 > 0:53:53And I'll go down with them if I have to, fighting you all the way.
0:54:10 > 0:54:12This fire may have passed,
0:54:12 > 0:54:16but windy conditions from the storm have spooked the roos.
0:54:19 > 0:54:21They've been on edge all day
0:54:21 > 0:54:25and a single strong gust has proven an ill wind for Daisy.
0:54:29 > 0:54:30Daisy's had an accident.
0:54:32 > 0:54:34I was out in the garden with the joeys,
0:54:34 > 0:54:36three of them at my feet...
0:54:38 > 0:54:42..and all of a sudden, it's been a windy day,
0:54:42 > 0:54:45but a strong gust of wind came through
0:54:45 > 0:54:48and that freaked out all three of them
0:54:48 > 0:54:51and they were all running around madly.
0:54:52 > 0:54:58Daisy was the worst though, she tried to push through that fence
0:54:58 > 0:55:00that was in your way, wasn't it?
0:55:00 > 0:55:05And she ended up hanging upside down by her leg and...
0:55:07 > 0:55:08..now she's left with...
0:55:10 > 0:55:12..what appears to be a serious injury,
0:55:12 > 0:55:14she can't put any weight down on that leg at all.
0:55:19 > 0:55:21Good girl, you're doing well.
0:55:25 > 0:55:27I'm gutted now.
0:55:31 > 0:55:33(It's all right, it's all right.)
0:55:33 > 0:55:35(It's all right, it's all right.)
0:55:38 > 0:55:40If it's serious though, you know,
0:55:40 > 0:55:44the animal's probably got to be put to sleep.
0:55:53 > 0:55:59A little orphan like Daisy and William and Amy...
0:56:01 > 0:56:02I raised them as a group
0:56:02 > 0:56:06so they can all go back to the bush together and...
0:56:08 > 0:56:11..I don't want to send two back and not three.
0:56:15 > 0:56:19Daisy will have to be 100% fit as all three of them will be
0:56:19 > 0:56:22to be able to survive in the wild
0:56:22 > 0:56:24and be able to outrun their predators.
0:56:26 > 0:56:30If she's not capable of being 100% fit...
0:56:33 > 0:56:35..she can't go back to the bush.
0:56:41 > 0:56:45And that's what I work for, to get the animals back to the bush.
0:57:05 > 0:57:08Brolga's reached the limits of what he can do for Daisy.
0:57:10 > 0:57:12She needs urgent expert help.
0:57:23 > 0:57:25So...is it positive?
0:57:25 > 0:57:28- Look, it's a severe injury.- Mm.
0:57:31 > 0:57:34It's... Well, I'll talk you through it.
0:57:36 > 0:57:40- It looks like this whole joint is completely crushed.- Yeah.
0:57:40 > 0:57:42She's just got so many injuries.
0:57:42 > 0:57:44I know, what can we do?
0:57:47 > 0:57:49Daisy's life hangs in the balance.
0:57:52 > 0:57:56Join us in the final episode to see if she makes it.
0:58:33 > 0:58:36Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd