0:00:15 > 0:00:17A dedicated team is heading deep
0:00:17 > 0:00:20into the Central American rainforest.
0:00:22 > 0:00:27Their cargo is precious, a troop of orphaned spider monkeys.
0:00:28 > 0:00:32Their mission is simple - to return the monkeys to where they belong.
0:00:39 > 0:00:43It's all in a day's work for the staff at the jungle animal hospital.
0:00:46 > 0:00:50Here the wards are full of rescued animals,
0:00:50 > 0:00:52all hoping for a chance of freedom.
0:00:55 > 0:00:57The day-to-day tasks are endless,
0:00:57 > 0:01:03the highs and lows exhausting and the unexpected never surprising.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05We try to do our best.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08We need to make sure that these animals have a second chance
0:01:08 > 0:01:09because they do deserve it.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14What is certain is that the hospital's vets and their team
0:01:14 > 0:01:17will work tirelessly to help every patient
0:01:17 > 0:01:18that comes through their doors.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23It takes a lot of time and effort to do it
0:01:23 > 0:01:26but that's what we're here for
0:01:26 > 0:01:29because that one little animal needs help.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34This is animal rehab, jungle style.
0:01:36 > 0:01:38A daily battle to save lives in
0:01:38 > 0:01:41Guatemala's busiest Rescue Centre.
0:02:00 > 0:02:04There's a special delivery for the vets at ARCAS Rescue Centre.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10Animals find their way here from all over Guatemala,
0:02:10 > 0:02:13most of them victims of the illegal pet trade.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19With over 700 animals of all shapes and sizes,
0:02:19 > 0:02:23the centre is already at full capacity,
0:02:23 > 0:02:25but they try to turn no-one away.
0:02:28 > 0:02:30- Can you give me a hand?- Yep.
0:02:32 > 0:02:36The latest arrival is just one month old.
0:02:41 > 0:02:43We've got a baby spider monkey here,
0:02:43 > 0:02:46given up to the authorities in Guatemala City.
0:02:46 > 0:02:48They sent her up to us.
0:02:51 > 0:02:53People keeping monkeys as pets is sadly quite common.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56MONKEY SCREECHES
0:02:56 > 0:02:59The only way to get a baby monkey like her is to kill the mother
0:02:59 > 0:03:04and then keep this little baby orphan in a human environment.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06MONKEY SCREECHES
0:03:06 > 0:03:10Alejandro Morales has dedicated his life to saving animals
0:03:10 > 0:03:14and trained as a vet so that he could make a difference.
0:03:14 > 0:03:16MONKEY SCREECHES
0:03:16 > 0:03:17Right, yeah, bring him in.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21His partner Anna Bryant is a zoologist from New Zealand
0:03:21 > 0:03:23and takes care of all the young orphaned animals
0:03:23 > 0:03:26that come through the door.
0:03:26 > 0:03:27There's a very traumatic time for them.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30They've been ripped away from their mother and they've been
0:03:30 > 0:03:32stuck in a box or in a car
0:03:32 > 0:03:35for God knows how long so it's for the best that she's here now.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44The baby monkey is now at the start of a five-year journey through the
0:03:44 > 0:03:49Rescue Centre which will culminate with her release back into the wild.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54After a period in quarantine, she will join up with other
0:03:54 > 0:03:57rescued spider monkeys to form their own troop.
0:04:00 > 0:04:04Here she will hopefully find a mate and go on to rear her own young.
0:04:10 > 0:04:15Eventually her troop will be moved into a much larger enclosure
0:04:15 > 0:04:16within the forest.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19This will be the final stage of their rehabilitation.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30This troop has been living here for over a year
0:04:30 > 0:04:34and all being well, is due for release in just three months' time.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40They should now have learned to recognise their natural food
0:04:40 > 0:04:43and develop the climbing skills they need to move around the canopy.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52It's now crunch time for these monkeys.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57Anna is carrying out a final study to see if they're ready.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04There's one monkey that Anna is most worried about,
0:05:04 > 0:05:07an adult male called Bruce.
0:05:07 > 0:05:10He separates himself away from the group
0:05:10 > 0:05:13and doesn't interact as well as the other ones do.
0:05:14 > 0:05:19Unfortunately, he's the underdog of the group, really, which does
0:05:19 > 0:05:22make you feel a bit more attached to him in some respects
0:05:22 > 0:05:24because he is such a distinctive looking monkey as well as
0:05:24 > 0:05:27we've obviously had a lot of focus on him.
0:05:29 > 0:05:34Bruce is now seven years old and this is his only chance for release,
0:05:34 > 0:05:37but he must learn to socialise more if he is to survive in the wild.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42Over the coming weeks, Anna will be keeping a close eye on his progress.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50The jungles of Central America
0:05:50 > 0:05:53are among the most important in the world.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56Once the centre of a lost civilisation,
0:05:56 > 0:06:01this vast tract of wilderness is known as the Maya Forest,
0:06:01 > 0:06:05stretching from Guatemala through Belize into Mexico.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11It's home to over 4,000 species,
0:06:11 > 0:06:14including some of the jungle's most celebrated animals.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26It's one of the largest tropical rainforests
0:06:26 > 0:06:29that are left in the world.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32When you get on top of the canopy, it's just this green carpet
0:06:32 > 0:06:34that extends for kilometres and kilometres
0:06:34 > 0:06:37and there's nothing around you but forest.
0:06:37 > 0:06:42It's immense but it's also so frail and so threatened.
0:06:46 > 0:06:50In the last 30 years, huge areas of land across
0:06:50 > 0:06:53Central and South America have been cleared for agriculture.
0:06:57 > 0:07:00As a result, some of the region's most precious wildlife
0:07:00 > 0:07:02is now under threat.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08And one of the most iconic species is the scarlet macaw.
0:07:17 > 0:07:21These magnificent birds were once a common sight
0:07:21 > 0:07:25but the subspecies found here in Guatemala is rapidly disappearing.
0:07:29 > 0:07:31Scientists believe there are now fewer than
0:07:31 > 0:07:34300 individuals left in the wild.
0:07:41 > 0:07:46This year the team at the Rescue Centre are planning to make history
0:07:46 > 0:07:50by releasing a group of their own captive-bred macaws
0:07:50 > 0:07:52to boost the wild population.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05With these birds in such danger,
0:08:05 > 0:08:08each new chick is extremely precious.
0:08:20 > 0:08:24We're looking at a two, three-day baby...
0:08:24 > 0:08:27It's this little beautiful thing
0:08:27 > 0:08:29and it's got a full crop
0:08:29 > 0:08:31so that means the parents are feeding him.
0:08:31 > 0:08:35It looks a very, very healthy three-day-old baby.
0:08:35 > 0:08:37There's no words to describe how important
0:08:37 > 0:08:39each one of these animals is.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41And this is how it all begins.
0:08:43 > 0:08:47Once it's fledged, this chick will eventually join those waiting
0:08:47 > 0:08:48to be released into the forest.
0:08:57 > 0:09:01At the Mammal Quarantine Department, the centre's newest spider monkey
0:09:01 > 0:09:02is settling in well.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07She's just starting to feed from a bottle.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15Anna needs to form a bond so she can care for her
0:09:15 > 0:09:18but she also has to be careful not to get too attached.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23We obviously want them to trust us enough
0:09:23 > 0:09:25for us to be able to feed them
0:09:25 > 0:09:27and for us to help them develop and for them to gain weight
0:09:27 > 0:09:29and to not be too stressed
0:09:29 > 0:09:32but we also don't want them to be too used to us.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34If she was with her mother, she'd have a lot more contact.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37Her mother would carry her constantly with it.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40If we were to do that, we probably wouldn't be able to release her
0:09:40 > 0:09:44in the long-run, so it's a fine line that we have to tread.
0:09:44 > 0:09:46But it's a very...
0:09:47 > 0:09:51..very heart-warming moment when they do look at you like that.
0:09:53 > 0:09:54It's very cool.
0:09:57 > 0:10:01The baby monkey has been given a teddy bear as a surrogate mother.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04She will remain in quarantine for the next three months.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18With so many mouths to feed, the work at the centre goes on
0:10:18 > 0:10:20seven days a week, all year round.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27Most of the feeding and cleaning is done by local staff
0:10:27 > 0:10:30and volunteers from all over the world,
0:10:30 > 0:10:33while the vets deal with the emergencies and the clinic.
0:10:35 > 0:10:39It's a never-ending conveyor belt of rescued animals of all shapes
0:10:39 > 0:10:43and sizes, revealing the richness of the Guatemalan jungle...
0:10:45 > 0:10:47..but also the shocking extent of the pet trade.
0:10:50 > 0:10:54The animals are treated by the vets then nursed back to full health
0:10:54 > 0:10:57before hopefully being returned to the wild.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13THEY SPEAK SPANISH
0:11:21 > 0:11:25Some patients are deemed fit for immediate release...
0:11:26 > 0:11:28..and come in and go out the door on the same day.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39The centre also attracts wild visitors
0:11:39 > 0:11:43from all over the forest, drawn in by the prospect of a free meal.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47A flock of black vultures are
0:11:47 > 0:11:50regular diners at the crocodile pool,
0:11:50 > 0:11:53risking life and limb for a piece of fresh chicken.
0:11:59 > 0:12:01VULTURE SQUAWKS
0:12:06 > 0:12:07Even the ants are on the take,
0:12:07 > 0:12:09making sure nothing goes to waste.
0:12:18 > 0:12:24Occasionally, some of these wild animals come to the vet's attention.
0:12:24 > 0:12:29MONKEY GROWLS
0:12:29 > 0:12:32A family of howler monkeys visits the centre every day,
0:12:32 > 0:12:34helping themselves to leftovers.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42Alejandro has noticed the baby has a large growth on its neck,
0:12:42 > 0:12:45which could become serious unless treated.
0:12:49 > 0:12:51He wouldn't normally interfere
0:12:51 > 0:12:53but it's impossible for him to ignore it.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59It's a good thing that we caught him at the time that we did
0:12:59 > 0:13:03cos the bigger that injury gets, the more of a threat it is to him.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08He could get a big infection, he could get like a big
0:13:08 > 0:13:12mass on his neck and that can put some pressure on his spine
0:13:12 > 0:13:15and then his nerves and you don't want a monkey with problems
0:13:15 > 0:13:18with their nerves because it could fall down from the tree.
0:13:24 > 0:13:26MONKEY SCREECHES
0:13:30 > 0:13:32This is a botfly larva.
0:13:34 > 0:13:36They're fairly common in wild monkeys
0:13:36 > 0:13:38but could be fatal for a baby.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43They become very, very dangerous when they are very, very big
0:13:43 > 0:13:44so that's why we intervene.
0:13:44 > 0:13:46We usually don't intervene in this kind of things.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49MONKEY SQUEALS
0:13:49 > 0:13:52We'll have to make sure that the wound is cleansed
0:13:52 > 0:13:53so that he can go back out...
0:13:55 > 0:13:58..and that there is no secondary infection.
0:13:58 > 0:14:03MONKEY SQUEALS
0:14:05 > 0:14:10THEY SPEAK SPANISH
0:14:11 > 0:14:14The baby howler monkey is finally reunited with his mother...
0:14:15 > 0:14:17..and should make a speedy recovery.
0:14:24 > 0:14:26MONKEY CHATTERS
0:14:34 > 0:14:38The spider monkey troop now has just six weeks left
0:14:38 > 0:14:39before their planned release.
0:14:49 > 0:14:50It's breakfast time,
0:14:50 > 0:14:53a raucous occasion which brings them all together.
0:14:59 > 0:15:01All except Bruce.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09Bruce is still not mixing with the rest of the troop
0:15:09 > 0:15:12but that's not the only problem.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18He's also spending too much time on the ground,
0:15:18 > 0:15:20picking up any food that falls from above.
0:15:26 > 0:15:30And more worrying still, having spent his early life as a pet,
0:15:30 > 0:15:33Bruce has never developed a fear of humans.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39He's very used to people.
0:15:39 > 0:15:43He'll come close to the fence, he'll sit beside us.
0:15:43 > 0:15:47He doesn't want to be afraid of us and so it's very, very difficult
0:15:47 > 0:15:51to be able to try and get him to understand that he needs to be.
0:15:51 > 0:15:56He also has taken to sleeping on the ground, under the bushes.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59I do feel a little bit sorry for him because he's come so far
0:15:59 > 0:16:02and he's been given this chance to be able to go back into the wild.
0:16:02 > 0:16:06And so, it's very, very difficult to see a monkey that's almost there,
0:16:06 > 0:16:10that's got the chance to almost be free, to not being able to
0:16:10 > 0:16:12exhibit the right behaviour.
0:16:21 > 0:16:22Out in the wild,
0:16:22 > 0:16:26spider monkeys have to watch out for a wide range of predators.
0:16:28 > 0:16:30So they're naturally very cautious.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38They spend over 90% of their life in the canopy
0:16:38 > 0:16:41and rarely go down to the forest floor.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44If they do, it's for the shortest possible time.
0:16:55 > 0:16:59One of their greatest enemies is the jaguar, the jungle's top predator.
0:17:08 > 0:17:10To survive in the wild,
0:17:10 > 0:17:13spider monkeys need to be on their guard at all times.
0:17:18 > 0:17:20Bruce must spend more time up in the trees,
0:17:20 > 0:17:23if he is to stand a chance of being released.
0:17:26 > 0:17:31Having tried everything to help him, Anna is now taking extreme measures.
0:17:43 > 0:17:45FIRECRACKER BANGS
0:17:45 > 0:17:48She's using firecrackers to scare Bruce off the ground.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53It's a very loud noise, a very sharp noise
0:17:53 > 0:17:55and they get scared and they will therefore associate
0:17:55 > 0:17:58being on the ground with bad things, with negative things.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03FIRECRACKER BANGS
0:18:05 > 0:18:07We want to give them the best possible chance and in order
0:18:07 > 0:18:10to do that, they need to be up in the trees for the majority
0:18:10 > 0:18:11of their time.
0:18:14 > 0:18:17Bruce won't be set free with the rest of the troop
0:18:17 > 0:18:19unless he can change his behaviour.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31At the clinic, an unusual patient has been brought in
0:18:31 > 0:18:32with a nasty fracture.
0:18:35 > 0:18:40We received a baby northern potoo, which is a very, very rare bird.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45Potoos are secretive nocturnal birds,
0:18:45 > 0:18:47closely related to nightjars.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50This is the only one they've ever seen in the clinic.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55He has a broken leg so we are going to anaesthetise him
0:18:55 > 0:18:56and see if we can repair his leg.
0:18:58 > 0:19:00With so many different shaped animals to treat,
0:19:00 > 0:19:03the vets often have to improvise on the spot.
0:19:09 > 0:19:14No-one makes standard gas masks for baby northern potoos.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17We have a makeshift one that we use with recycled materials.
0:19:19 > 0:19:21He's quite young.
0:19:21 > 0:19:23This species don't really do well in captivity
0:19:23 > 0:19:27so we'll do as little intervention, as little time with us as possible.
0:19:35 > 0:19:36Push him, push him.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42The potoo will not survive in the wild with a broken leg
0:19:42 > 0:19:44as he can't forage for his own food.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48His only chance is immediate surgery.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56This is the first time Alejandro has ever had to operate
0:19:56 > 0:19:59on a potoo and it will require all his skill as a vet.
0:20:08 > 0:20:10This is very, very painful.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13Once the potoo is safely asleep,
0:20:13 > 0:20:17Alejandro's first job is to try to straighten the broken bone.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28Right now it's in line and it's in a good position.
0:20:34 > 0:20:36Keep the leg at that height.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56Can you turn off the light, please?
0:20:56 > 0:20:57Thank you.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02The operation has worked
0:21:02 > 0:21:06but the potoo can't be released until he's fully healed.
0:21:08 > 0:21:10It's not the most stable of fractures
0:21:10 > 0:21:14but it will hold, it will hold and
0:21:14 > 0:21:18now all we need to do is find out what we're meant to feed him.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23Alejandro is mixing up a cocktail of fruit and flies
0:21:23 > 0:21:24to tempt the potoo into eating.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30If you touch their beak, they open.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39They're very, very big-mouthed.
0:21:46 > 0:21:50Up to now I don't think that he's liking what we're feeding him
0:21:50 > 0:21:53because he's not swallowing completely.
0:21:53 > 0:21:55So we're going to keep trying
0:21:55 > 0:21:59because there's really not much we can do but try.
0:22:01 > 0:22:02We need to make him eat.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05He has to eat because if he doesn't eat, he's not going to get better
0:22:05 > 0:22:08from his fracture and we're not going to be able to release him.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13The next 24 hours will be critical for the potoo.
0:22:19 > 0:22:23And it's also a very important day for the scarlet macaws.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28They're taking a major step closer to freedom.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34THEY SPEAK SPANISH
0:22:34 > 0:22:38Today, nine of these birds are being selected for release.
0:22:39 > 0:22:43BIRDS SQUAWK
0:22:43 > 0:22:48The vets need to take a close look at each individual
0:22:48 > 0:22:50but they have to catch them first.
0:22:50 > 0:22:56BIRDS SQUAWK
0:22:58 > 0:23:02It's a stressful time for both staff and macaws
0:23:02 > 0:23:06but it's unavoidable if they're to move onto the next phase.
0:23:06 > 0:23:11BIRDS SQUAWK
0:23:11 > 0:23:13It is our job to catch them
0:23:13 > 0:23:16right now in order to get a good health assessment and to get
0:23:16 > 0:23:18everything that we need in order for this process
0:23:18 > 0:23:20to actually move forward.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26To avoid any risk to the wild population,
0:23:26 > 0:23:28the birds must first be screened for diseases.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32As each individual is so precious,
0:23:32 > 0:23:35they must be handled with extreme care.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40They are actually quite dangerous animals.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42We need to be very careful, especially about the beak,
0:23:42 > 0:23:45because these guys break nuts for a living.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48They can break a nut about the size of our fist
0:23:48 > 0:23:52so it has to be restrained with enough technique to make sure
0:23:52 > 0:23:56that the animal is not injured and you don't get injured as well.
0:23:56 > 0:23:59The driving force behind the macaw project
0:23:59 > 0:24:01is senior vet Fernando Martinez,
0:24:01 > 0:24:03Director of the Rescue Centre.
0:24:04 > 0:24:09IN SPANISH:
0:24:14 > 0:24:17For Fernando, the release is the fulfilment
0:24:17 > 0:24:18of his lifetime's ambition.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34BIRDS SQUAWK
0:24:37 > 0:24:42The nine chosen macaws are now going to live in a much larger enclosure.
0:24:42 > 0:24:47Their new home is 40 metres long and will give them space to fly.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51This is the macaws' final cage before they're set free.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08It's really cool to be able to see them fly out
0:25:08 > 0:25:10and be in a cage that has trees in it.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15It's really, really important for them
0:25:15 > 0:25:17at this stage to build up their muscle development.
0:25:19 > 0:25:21We need to give them power of flight.
0:25:21 > 0:25:23They know how to fly but we need to give them
0:25:23 > 0:25:28that capacity to fly long distances, having their wings completely
0:25:28 > 0:25:31spread out and being able to just have that exercise.
0:25:34 > 0:25:35If all goes well,
0:25:35 > 0:25:39in a matter of weeks these will be the first captive-bred
0:25:39 > 0:25:44scarlet macaws ever to be released into the Guatemalan rainforest.
0:25:55 > 0:25:57It's 6am on a Sunday morning and
0:25:57 > 0:26:00Alejandro is worried about the potoo,
0:26:00 > 0:26:01so he's heading into the clinic.
0:26:10 > 0:26:11Today is my day off but the potoo
0:26:11 > 0:26:15needs to be fed and he's very weak so I'm not having anyone else
0:26:15 > 0:26:16feed him so I'm coming in
0:26:16 > 0:26:19in the morning and the afternoon to feed him.
0:26:21 > 0:26:25Even after ten years' experience and hundreds of patients,
0:26:25 > 0:26:26some animals hit a soft spot.
0:26:28 > 0:26:31And Alejandro has started having dreams about the potoo.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36Early this morning, I dreamt about him being dead.
0:26:36 > 0:26:41So the first thing I do, which is grab my bicycle
0:26:41 > 0:26:44and rode to work to make sure that he was OK...
0:26:45 > 0:26:47..as it was quite a hideous dream,
0:26:47 > 0:26:49I actually haven't had that for a while.
0:27:04 > 0:27:07As the hours pass, Alejandro stays in the clinic
0:27:07 > 0:27:09by the potoo's side to keep watch.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53The potoo still hasn't gained any weight
0:27:53 > 0:27:55and Alejandro is taking it personally.
0:27:57 > 0:28:01Right now it's just give him some fluids...
0:28:04 > 0:28:08..and I hope that he can actually have a bit of fight in him.
0:28:08 > 0:28:12And I can give him a hand in getting back to full strength,
0:28:12 > 0:28:14the way he was a few days ago.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24You could just see him fade little by little
0:28:24 > 0:28:32and some animals do get to you for the most unexpected reasons...
0:28:33 > 0:28:35..and it was just heartbreaking.
0:28:43 > 0:28:47Despite all Alejandro's efforts, the potoo doesn't make it.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00Life in the forest is fragile
0:29:00 > 0:29:03and fresh casualties arrive every day.
0:29:07 > 0:29:10The staff here fight for every life
0:29:10 > 0:29:14but the battle against the illegal pet trade is never-ending.
0:29:18 > 0:29:21Wildlife trafficking often takes place under the cover of darkness.
0:29:25 > 0:29:28One of the most common methods for smuggling animals out
0:29:28 > 0:29:30of the forest is by public transport.
0:29:34 > 0:29:38The vets from the Rescue Centre are trying to combat the trade
0:29:38 > 0:29:40by working with the authorities at checkpoints
0:29:40 > 0:29:42on the main routes out of the jungle.
0:29:52 > 0:29:55It is breeding season for all the parrots and some other
0:29:55 > 0:29:59mammals as well, so there is a very high chance that a lot of little
0:29:59 > 0:30:02baby orphans that have been taken away from their mothers or
0:30:02 > 0:30:04away from their nests are going to be found
0:30:04 > 0:30:06in one of these vehicles tonight.
0:30:10 > 0:30:13As the operation goes on, the officers found more
0:30:13 > 0:30:15and more baby parrots.
0:30:16 > 0:30:19This batch were hidden in the hold of the bus.
0:30:21 > 0:30:25A young couple is apprehended and taken into custody.
0:30:26 > 0:30:29This kind of scenario is quite common for someone to get
0:30:29 > 0:30:32a bird into their bag and try to transport it in a bus
0:30:32 > 0:30:35because that's easy money for them, illegal easy money.
0:30:38 > 0:30:40It's our job to protect the animal.
0:30:40 > 0:30:42The animal now becomes evidence
0:30:42 > 0:30:43and that evidence is under our care.
0:30:47 > 0:30:50These baby parrots are the lucky ones.
0:30:52 > 0:30:55They'll be given the best possible chance to be free again.
0:31:01 > 0:31:04Whenever new patients arrive at the Rescue Centre,
0:31:04 > 0:31:06the first job is to get them checked in.
0:31:10 > 0:31:13THEY SPEAK SPANISH
0:31:13 > 0:31:17The priority for now is to rehydrate and feed these baby parrots
0:31:17 > 0:31:19after their traumatic journey out of the jungle.
0:31:21 > 0:31:25As long as we can undo their malnutrition,
0:31:25 > 0:31:28we will have a very good chance of success with these guys.
0:31:28 > 0:31:32We can still teach them how to be proper parrots
0:31:32 > 0:31:34and not have to depend on humans.
0:31:35 > 0:31:40In one month alone, the centre can receive over 100 baby parrots.
0:31:43 > 0:31:45We do tend to get a lot of baby parrots in. It's the season
0:31:45 > 0:31:47when they start hatching
0:31:47 > 0:31:51and that's a time when it's very easy for people to grab them.
0:31:51 > 0:31:54It's really, really sad and it's unfortunately quite common.
0:31:55 > 0:31:59Most baby parrots never even make it to market.
0:31:59 > 0:32:01The vast majority die en route.
0:32:03 > 0:32:05The way the people carry these animals is completely inhumane.
0:32:05 > 0:32:07They're wrapped up in plastic bags.
0:32:07 > 0:32:09They usually can't breathe and that is why
0:32:09 > 0:32:11there's a lot of fatalities.
0:32:11 > 0:32:16Up to 70%, 80% of the animals die in transit in order for people
0:32:16 > 0:32:18to please themselves and that is...
0:32:21 > 0:32:23..that's just, it just makes you angry.
0:32:26 > 0:32:30If all goes well, in two years' time these baby parrots will be
0:32:30 > 0:32:31returned to the forest.
0:32:31 > 0:32:35THEY HONK QUIETLY
0:32:35 > 0:32:42THEY CONTINUE HONKING
0:32:42 > 0:32:46But not every rescued animal has the chance to go back to the wild.
0:32:49 > 0:32:53A pet puma has just been confiscated from a family home
0:32:53 > 0:32:58and he will now stay here for the rest of his life.
0:32:58 > 0:33:00Unfortunately we won't be able to release him.
0:33:00 > 0:33:03He would normally be taught by his mother how to hunt properly
0:33:03 > 0:33:06and that's been taken away from him.
0:33:07 > 0:33:11Also, very, very sadly, a lot of people's first response
0:33:11 > 0:33:13on seeing a puma is to shoot them.
0:33:13 > 0:33:16We can't put him back into a situation like that, it's not fair.
0:33:22 > 0:33:26The Rescue Centre is also home to two orphaned jaguars.
0:33:30 > 0:33:32They were confiscated as pet cubs
0:33:32 > 0:33:34and never learned to hunt from their mother.
0:33:37 > 0:33:40They would not survive in the forest.
0:33:40 > 0:33:44All the vets can do is give them food
0:33:44 > 0:33:47and a safe place to live out their days.
0:34:07 > 0:34:11Anna's Mammal Quarantine Department is filling up quickly.
0:34:14 > 0:34:18Her latest patient is a baby grey fox found alone in the jungle.
0:34:21 > 0:34:25He'll now stay under Anna's care for the next six months
0:34:25 > 0:34:27until he's old enough to fend for himself.
0:34:29 > 0:34:32He's eating incredibly well, which is great.
0:34:32 > 0:34:35I just gave him a little bit of a run round, obviously he needs a bit
0:34:35 > 0:34:36of exercise as well.
0:34:36 > 0:34:39But the less handling that we do of him, the better
0:34:39 > 0:34:42and he's still quite aggressive and still a little bit scared
0:34:42 > 0:34:46so it looks good for him being able to be released in the future.
0:34:48 > 0:34:52Working with baby spider monkeys brings its own challenges.
0:34:53 > 0:34:57They're highly social animals in constant need of attention.
0:34:58 > 0:35:02Their cages are quite close together and she's wanting to grab
0:35:02 > 0:35:03and so what spider monkeys do is
0:35:03 > 0:35:06when they can't reach with their hands,
0:35:06 > 0:35:08they'll use their tail, which is what she's doing quite well.
0:35:14 > 0:35:17No matter how hard Anna tries not to get attached,
0:35:17 > 0:35:21the spider monkeys sometimes prove impossible to ignore.
0:35:30 > 0:35:33The troop of spider monkeys due for release is
0:35:33 > 0:35:35now on the final countdown to freedom.
0:35:37 > 0:35:41Bruce has started to mend his ways.
0:35:41 > 0:35:43He's spending more time up in the trees
0:35:43 > 0:35:45interacting with the rest of the troop.
0:35:47 > 0:35:50Today, his fate will be decided.
0:35:51 > 0:35:55Over the last month or so he's definitely shown some improvements,
0:35:55 > 0:35:58interacting with the young babies as well as with the males.
0:35:58 > 0:36:02It's still unsure as to whether or not he will be able to be released.
0:36:02 > 0:36:04Luckily, it's not my decision.
0:36:04 > 0:36:08But we'll see how it goes and we'll be able to hopefully release him.
0:36:09 > 0:36:12The only alternative for Bruce is to spend the rest of his life
0:36:12 > 0:36:14alone in captivity.
0:36:15 > 0:36:19So after much deliberation, the vets finally give Bruce
0:36:19 > 0:36:20the go-ahead for release.
0:36:24 > 0:36:27The next challenge is to capture the whole troop
0:36:27 > 0:36:31and attach radio collars so they can be tracked in the wild.
0:36:32 > 0:36:36Now that they've been trained to avoid people, this won't be easy.
0:36:38 > 0:36:41Alejandro needs to set a trap.
0:36:41 > 0:36:44THEY SPEAK SPANISH
0:36:48 > 0:36:50They're going to have some food inside.
0:36:50 > 0:36:54And, ideally, that will lure them in.
0:36:54 > 0:36:57And when they try to get out, they're going to pull this rope
0:36:57 > 0:36:59and that rope will close the door.
0:36:59 > 0:37:02The last thing that they'll remember from people is that
0:37:02 > 0:37:05if people feed them, they get trapped.
0:37:05 > 0:37:08That is the last image of people that they will have
0:37:08 > 0:37:12and it's a good thing because they're meant to stay away from us.
0:37:23 > 0:37:27The spider monkeys seem to know something is not quite right.
0:37:28 > 0:37:30But the food is irresistible.
0:37:31 > 0:37:33The alpha male is the first to try it.
0:37:35 > 0:37:36He gets away scot-free.
0:37:40 > 0:37:42Now the others follow his lead.
0:37:54 > 0:37:58The trap has sprung and a young mother and her baby are caught.
0:38:00 > 0:38:03She instantly starts searching for the way out.
0:38:10 > 0:38:12It's not long before she finds it.
0:38:19 > 0:38:23Alejandro's trap has failed.
0:38:23 > 0:38:25They're very smart, they're problem solvers.
0:38:25 > 0:38:29They have found one of the weak spots of the enclosure already.
0:38:29 > 0:38:31We've been training them for years to outsmart us
0:38:31 > 0:38:33and now we need to outsmart them again.
0:38:42 > 0:38:46THEY CHATTER
0:38:46 > 0:38:50This time the trap works and the first two monkeys are captured.
0:38:52 > 0:38:55Alejandro now has to enter the cage to administer a sedative.
0:38:57 > 0:39:01This is something no-one on the team enjoys but it has to be done
0:39:01 > 0:39:06so the monkeys can be given a full health check before release.
0:39:10 > 0:39:14The final captures are tough psychologically on them and on us
0:39:14 > 0:39:18because as much as we know that it's the right thing to do,
0:39:18 > 0:39:21it's very stressful for them and you can see the suffering
0:39:21 > 0:39:23and their fear in their eyes.
0:39:23 > 0:39:26The toughest bit is for them to
0:39:26 > 0:39:29not understand how much we love them.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40As the remaining members of the troop get caught,
0:39:40 > 0:39:43there is one monkey who is refusing to cooperate.
0:39:45 > 0:39:47Bruce.
0:39:48 > 0:39:52Having finally learned to stay up in the trees away from people,
0:39:52 > 0:39:54he's now in no rush to come down.
0:40:00 > 0:40:04Eventually, Bruce also succumbs to temptation.
0:40:14 > 0:40:16MONKEY CHATTERS
0:40:31 > 0:40:34The troop are leaving their enclosure for the last time.
0:40:37 > 0:40:40After the health check, they are fitted with radio collars
0:40:40 > 0:40:42so they can be monitored post-release.
0:40:45 > 0:40:48The decision to let Bruce go was a difficult one
0:40:48 > 0:40:52as there are still doubts over whether he's ready.
0:40:53 > 0:40:56He has been interacting with the juveniles
0:40:56 > 0:41:00and doing a lot of positive things but there's still a slight concern.
0:41:00 > 0:41:04We do everything we can to give them a fighting shot but
0:41:04 > 0:41:08it's entirely up to them once those cages are no more in their life.
0:41:19 > 0:41:21It's D-Day for Bruce and the rest of the troop.
0:41:23 > 0:41:26Though they don't yet know it, they're on their way
0:41:26 > 0:41:27back to the wild.
0:41:37 > 0:41:40They're heading into Rio Azul National Park
0:41:40 > 0:41:42as far away from people as possible.
0:41:44 > 0:41:47But it's a 15-hour drive through challenging terrain.
0:42:18 > 0:42:21Across their range, spider monkeys have declined
0:42:21 > 0:42:24by over 50% in the last 45 years.
0:42:26 > 0:42:30This is now the eighth troop to be released by the Rescue Centre
0:42:30 > 0:42:32and will help boost the wild population.
0:42:37 > 0:42:41It's been a very long journey with them, with various ups and downs.
0:42:43 > 0:42:46These are monkeys that have had an awful start to life.
0:42:46 > 0:42:49They've been ripped away from their mothers, from their families and now
0:42:49 > 0:42:53here they all are, so you couldn't ask for anything really better.
0:42:54 > 0:42:56They don't know what's going on.
0:42:56 > 0:42:59They're just looking through what they can see through the cages.
0:43:00 > 0:43:04But it's finally sinking in now that we're only minutes
0:43:04 > 0:43:05away from letting them out.
0:43:06 > 0:43:09It's the last minutes that they're going to be in a cage
0:43:09 > 0:43:10for the rest of their lives.
0:43:17 > 0:43:23We've done pretty much everything we can and this is the culmination
0:43:23 > 0:43:28of it and there's not much more than Godspeed and good luck monkeys.
0:44:25 > 0:44:28As the troop starts to explore their new world,
0:44:28 > 0:44:32there's one monkeys who's refusing to come out.
0:44:32 > 0:44:33Bruce.
0:44:35 > 0:44:38He's not quite ready to head into the wild
0:44:38 > 0:44:41and needs a bit of encouragement to leave the safety of his cage.
0:45:30 > 0:45:33Seeing them up there, that's where they're meant to be.
0:45:33 > 0:45:36So it couldn't be a nicer feeling, to be honest.
0:45:42 > 0:45:45It's one of those things that you kind of dream about that you
0:45:45 > 0:45:48never actually think is going to happen and it's...
0:45:48 > 0:45:53SHE SOBS
0:45:53 > 0:45:57..it's really heavy. It doesn't look like it's heavy.
0:45:57 > 0:46:01It's just incredible. I can't stop smiling.
0:46:01 > 0:46:03HE SIGHS
0:46:05 > 0:46:09Over the next few months, some of the team will stay in the forest
0:46:09 > 0:46:11to follow the monkeys' progress.
0:46:11 > 0:46:14After that, they're on their own.
0:46:40 > 0:46:41At the Rescue Centre,
0:46:41 > 0:46:44there are still hundreds of hungry mouths to feed.
0:46:46 > 0:46:48And there are more arriving every day.
0:46:53 > 0:46:57The latest inpatients are a family of baby toucans who have
0:46:57 > 0:46:59fallen from their nest.
0:46:59 > 0:47:03These prehistoric-looking creatures would never have survived
0:47:03 > 0:47:04alone in the jungle.
0:47:05 > 0:47:09But now they will be hand-reared and eventually set free.
0:47:12 > 0:47:16In the Mammal Quarantine Department, the centre's youngest spider monkey
0:47:16 > 0:47:19is starting on the first stage of her training -
0:47:19 > 0:47:21learning how to climb.
0:47:21 > 0:47:26It's very important that she learns her coordination
0:47:26 > 0:47:30and learns how to hold on to trees.
0:47:30 > 0:47:33She doesn't quite know what to do with all her arms and legs
0:47:33 > 0:47:35and that she has a tail to use,
0:47:35 > 0:47:37but she'll develop and in no time
0:47:37 > 0:47:39she'll be playing on this all the time
0:47:39 > 0:47:42and it will be a lot more difficult to get her off it.
0:47:44 > 0:47:46MONKEY SQUEAKS
0:47:59 > 0:48:01The staff at the Rescue Centre don't just deal with
0:48:01 > 0:48:03the victims of the pet trade.
0:48:04 > 0:48:07They also try to tackle its causes.
0:48:08 > 0:48:10- ALL: Hola!- Hola.
0:48:10 > 0:48:12Bienvenidos.
0:48:13 > 0:48:16Groups of local schoolchildren are brought into the centre to
0:48:16 > 0:48:17meet the animals
0:48:17 > 0:48:21and to see the impacts of the illegal trade for themselves.
0:48:23 > 0:48:27IN SPANISH:
0:48:37 > 0:48:40Carlos grew up in this area and wants the next generation to
0:48:40 > 0:48:43learn to value the unique wildlife around them.
0:49:10 > 0:49:13The hope is that if the children understand the suffering
0:49:13 > 0:49:17caused by the pet trade, then demand may eventually dry up.
0:49:34 > 0:49:37The future of Guatemala's wildlife depends on changing the
0:49:37 > 0:49:40hearts and minds of the next generation.
0:49:44 > 0:49:46It may be a gradual process,
0:49:46 > 0:49:49but Alejandro believes it's beginning to work.
0:49:52 > 0:49:53There's a lot of awareness.
0:49:53 > 0:49:57There's a lot of good humans trying to fight the fight.
0:49:57 > 0:50:02We're just hoping that what we do is enough to
0:50:02 > 0:50:04inspire other people to do what they can.
0:50:12 > 0:50:16Six weeks after the spider monkey release, the radio tracking team
0:50:16 > 0:50:18bring the first reports from the forest
0:50:18 > 0:50:20with news of the monkeys' progress.
0:50:23 > 0:50:25We've got good news and we've got bad news.
0:50:25 > 0:50:29Good news is that 11 monkeys actually have made it.
0:50:29 > 0:50:32It's over a month now and they're doing fantastically well.
0:50:32 > 0:50:37Sadly, two collars were retrieved next to two dead monkeys.
0:50:39 > 0:50:42One of the monkeys that died was Bruce.
0:50:44 > 0:50:47They're not sure how he died, they just found him on the floor.
0:50:47 > 0:50:50That it could have just been another monkey group attacked him
0:50:50 > 0:50:53and he didn't have the protection of the rest of the group.
0:50:57 > 0:51:00At least he did have those several weeks of freedom
0:51:00 > 0:51:03and he did have the chance to be wild
0:51:03 > 0:51:05and to do what he was meant to do
0:51:05 > 0:51:09and unfortunately, he just couldn't adapt as well as we'd hoped.
0:51:22 > 0:51:25There's better news from the macaw breeding enclosure.
0:51:26 > 0:51:30The chick that was born three months ago has finally fledged.
0:51:35 > 0:51:36MACAW SQUAWKS
0:51:38 > 0:51:42With her brand-new plumage, she is now Scarlet Macaw Number 91.
0:51:44 > 0:51:46In two years' time, she'll be ready for release.
0:51:48 > 0:51:50It's a fantastic sight.
0:51:50 > 0:51:53This little thing that you saw when they were born
0:51:53 > 0:51:56coming out of the nest fully feathered and flying,
0:51:56 > 0:51:58it just draws a big smile on your face.
0:51:58 > 0:52:00It gives you hope.
0:52:03 > 0:52:06The scarlet macaws' flight enclosure is empty.
0:52:06 > 0:52:09The birds are being prepared for their journey to the forest.
0:52:13 > 0:52:15Five of them are having satellite collars fitted
0:52:15 > 0:52:17so they can be tracked in the wild.
0:52:21 > 0:52:24It's time for them to head upriver and into the jungle.
0:52:32 > 0:52:36The macaws are heading into the Sierra Lacandon National Park
0:52:36 > 0:52:38on the border with Mexico.
0:52:38 > 0:52:41THEY SPEAK SPANISH
0:52:46 > 0:52:49The location has been specially selected because
0:52:49 > 0:52:50there have been several sightings
0:52:50 > 0:52:52of wild macaws here at this time of year.
0:53:19 > 0:53:24For the centre's director, Fernando, this is the culmination of
0:53:24 > 0:53:2820 years' work and is one of the most important days of his life.
0:53:29 > 0:53:33IN SPANISH:
0:53:54 > 0:53:58From the river bank, it's roughly a 5km hike to the release site,
0:53:58 > 0:54:00mostly uphill.
0:54:06 > 0:54:09MACAW SQUAWKS
0:54:16 > 0:54:20This is the last time these macaws will ever see
0:54:20 > 0:54:21the bars of a cage.
0:54:32 > 0:54:35The macaws are being released from the top of a hill
0:54:35 > 0:54:39overlooking the forest canopy with plenty of fruiting trees.
0:54:41 > 0:54:44The hope is that they'll find food straightaway
0:54:44 > 0:54:47and soon encounter members of the wild population.
0:54:50 > 0:54:52MACAWS SQUAWK
0:55:16 > 0:55:18The team are making history.
0:55:20 > 0:55:23This is the first time in Guatemala that captive-bred
0:55:23 > 0:55:26scarlet macaws have been released into the wild.
0:55:38 > 0:55:40With these new individuals,
0:55:40 > 0:55:44the wild population has just increased by around 5%.
0:56:38 > 0:56:41- SOBS:- They're not meant to be in cages and to be able to see them...
0:56:43 > 0:56:46..see them go back, it's...
0:56:47 > 0:56:49..it's just indescribable.
0:56:53 > 0:56:54HE SOBS
0:56:54 > 0:56:57THEY LAUGH
0:56:59 > 0:57:01But this is just the beginning.
0:57:02 > 0:57:05The plan is to release 40 individuals
0:57:05 > 0:57:10over the next five years and gradually bring these majestic birds
0:57:10 > 0:57:12back from the edge of extinction.
0:57:22 > 0:57:25At the Rescue Centre, life goes on as before.
0:57:27 > 0:57:31The next batch of macaws must now start to be prepared for release.
0:57:31 > 0:57:34And there's good news for the baby spider monkey.
0:57:34 > 0:57:38After four months on her own, she has a new friend.
0:57:38 > 0:57:43He's a male spider monkey, also rescued from the pet trade.
0:57:43 > 0:57:46Together, these two will form a new troop.
0:57:46 > 0:57:48Over time, others will join them
0:57:48 > 0:57:51and when they're ready, they'll be returned to the jungle.
0:57:54 > 0:57:58Illegal traffic is still happening and animals are still coming in.
0:58:00 > 0:58:03We will still be here fighting the battle for the animals.
0:58:06 > 0:58:08What keeps you going is making sure that you
0:58:08 > 0:58:10win small battles every time.
0:58:13 > 0:58:16There is hope at the end and we are part of the hope.
0:58:20 > 0:58:22MONKEY SQUEAKS