0:00:03 > 0:00:06The first few months of a baby animal's life are the most crucial.
0:00:09 > 0:00:13So, if they lose their mothers, they're going to need help.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18We are going to be meeting the wild orphans who are getting
0:00:18 > 0:00:20a second chance.
0:00:21 > 0:00:25And the dedicated people who devote their lives to saving them.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30They need the love and the attention because they don't have parents,
0:00:30 > 0:00:33their parents are taken away from them.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36In this series, we'll be witnessing the incredible
0:00:36 > 0:00:42stories of animal orphans from two very different locations.
0:00:42 > 0:00:44I am in Australia where
0:00:44 > 0:00:45I'll be meeting Danny,
0:00:45 > 0:00:49the baby koala in need of round-the-clock care.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51There is a real art to it, isn't there?
0:00:51 > 0:00:53And I haven't mastered it.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55'And Neil, a baby wallaby,
0:00:55 > 0:00:58'struggling to stand on his own two feet.'
0:00:58 > 0:01:00It's genuinely exciting, isn't it?
0:01:01 > 0:01:04And wildlife cameraman Max Hug Williams steps
0:01:04 > 0:01:06out from behind the lens to bring us
0:01:06 > 0:01:11the stories of orphaned wildlife from the rainforests of Costa Rica.
0:01:11 > 0:01:15He'll be meeting Newbie the charismatic baby three-toed sloth.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18This is definitely the first time
0:01:18 > 0:01:21I've offered a bunch of flowers to a sloth.
0:01:21 > 0:01:23And seeing if she can win her battle with pneumonia.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26So, we've just got to all keep our fingers crossed that this
0:01:26 > 0:01:28new medication works.
0:01:28 > 0:01:32Saving these wild orphans can be tough.
0:01:33 > 0:01:38- There'll be ups...- Good boy!
0:01:38 > 0:01:40..And downs.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43We'll follow their stories through the most critical,
0:01:43 > 0:01:51make-or-break months, on their long journeys back to the wild.
0:01:58 > 0:02:04I've come to Australia,
0:02:04 > 0:02:07physically isolated from the rest of the world for
0:02:07 > 0:02:0935 million years.
0:02:13 > 0:02:18The animals here are found nowhere else on Earth
0:02:18 > 0:02:21and the care they need is as unique as they are.
0:02:22 > 0:02:28I'm on my way south to Cape Otway to meet up with a very special orphan.
0:02:32 > 0:02:36Here at a local conservation centre, staff and volunteers are dedicated
0:02:36 > 0:02:41to rescuing koalas and getting these iconic animals back to the wild.
0:02:45 > 0:02:49They currently have two 19-month-old females, Tilly and Puddles,
0:02:49 > 0:02:52living in a large outdoor enclosure.
0:02:53 > 0:02:57Both are thriving and just months away from release.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00But I'm here to see the youngest and most vulnerable orphan.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10Danny, the koala, should be inseparable from his mother.
0:03:12 > 0:03:17Instead, he lives inside the centre with carer, Simone.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20Her mission is to build up Danny's weight and strength,
0:03:20 > 0:03:23so he can join the other koalas outside.
0:03:23 > 0:03:29So, we've got him in here in his little makeshift laundry bundle.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31That's the little man in question.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33He's so lush!
0:03:33 > 0:03:37- Do you want to try and feed him?- Yes, I really do!
0:03:37 > 0:03:41So, if you just support him in the nook of your arm, so he feels safe.
0:03:41 > 0:03:45That's ridiculously lovely. Hello, buddy!
0:03:47 > 0:03:51Danny was found on the side of the road, weak and underweight.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54The man who actually found him saw him on the road
0:03:54 > 0:03:57and Danny just came running up and crawled up his leg immediately.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00So, he was obviously waiting for someone to rescue him!
0:04:02 > 0:04:06Although he's known as a koala bear, he's a marsupial and they need very
0:04:06 > 0:04:11long-term care. So, Danny is going to be looked after until a year old.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15Baby marsupials are known as joeys.
0:04:16 > 0:04:18They spend the first six months or
0:04:18 > 0:04:22so of their lives developing within their mother's pouch.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26This is unique to marsupials and gives the mother
0:04:26 > 0:04:28and infant an incredibly deep bond.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34'A joey's need for close contact is so strong that Simone has had
0:04:34 > 0:04:38'to give Danny a teddy to help avoid stress.'
0:04:38 > 0:04:42They have this instinct to cling on to things and having that surrogate
0:04:42 > 0:04:46koala mother there means he's more comfortable and is relaxed and
0:04:46 > 0:04:49we are able to leave him throughout
0:04:49 > 0:04:51the day with the teddy to hold on to.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55'In his mother's pouch, Danny would have continuous access to her milk,
0:04:55 > 0:05:00'so Simone feeds him every two hours, around the clock.'
0:05:01 > 0:05:03What do I need to do?
0:05:03 > 0:05:06So, if you just hold the teat and offer it to him,
0:05:06 > 0:05:08leaning his head back.
0:05:08 > 0:05:09- So, leaning his head back...- Yeah.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12- ..And then just offer a little bit of this.- Yeah.
0:05:12 > 0:05:16Not in the nose, Danny, sorry!
0:05:16 > 0:05:18Just aim for the teat in the mouth.
0:05:18 > 0:05:22'This marsupial milk substitute is specially formulated to be
0:05:22 > 0:05:25'high in fat but lactose-free.'
0:05:25 > 0:05:27- Oh, squeeze, OK.- That's perfect.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29'Just like the real thing.'
0:05:31 > 0:05:36- Ooh!- Oh, yeah, that all right, we can just give him a clean.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39He's a very messy eater, so we're used to washing him.
0:05:39 > 0:05:40- You're pretty used to that?- Yeah.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43'But feeding Danny is not straightforward.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47'Marsupial mouths are very delicate, so the teats on the bottles
0:05:47 > 0:05:52'have to be made of very soft rubber and the milk has to be lapped.'
0:05:52 > 0:05:58- That's all good!- There is a real art to it and I haven't mastered it!
0:06:00 > 0:06:03Not the most successful feeding session
0:06:03 > 0:06:06but that's partly because Danny is nocturnal.
0:06:06 > 0:06:11Koalas spend up to 20 hours a day snoozing and digesting
0:06:11 > 0:06:14their food and are most active in the middle of the night.
0:06:21 > 0:06:25'I've stayed over to see if Danny is a different character
0:06:25 > 0:06:26'when the lights go out.'
0:06:30 > 0:06:32He's coming outside.
0:06:32 > 0:06:36When he's awake he makes shuffling noises in the basket.
0:06:36 > 0:06:43He's planned his grand escape! Hey, little man, let go, let go!
0:06:43 > 0:06:46Oh, he's very wakeful, isn't he?
0:06:46 > 0:06:49'If Danny's going to be strong enough to join the bigger females outside,
0:06:49 > 0:06:53'he has to build enough strength in his muscles to climb trees safely.
0:06:56 > 0:07:02'Simone's solution... energetic nightly games of chase with his teddy.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07'In the wild, his mother would tip him out of the pouch...
0:07:07 > 0:07:09Danny, Danny, oi, oi, oi...
0:07:09 > 0:07:12'..And encourage him to climb and explore the trees.'
0:07:12 > 0:07:14Do you want a game!
0:07:18 > 0:07:23'Exercise over, he finally gets his prize possession back.'
0:07:23 > 0:07:25And he relaxes pretty quickly.
0:07:27 > 0:07:31'Now he's nice and relaxed, it's time for another feed.'
0:07:33 > 0:07:35Look how alert he is!
0:07:35 > 0:07:38'Simone has been doing this regime of feeding and exercise
0:07:38 > 0:07:42'24 hours a day for the last six weeks!'
0:07:42 > 0:07:45I bet you feel more forgiving in the morning, don't you?
0:07:45 > 0:07:47In the night-time it's no mercy!
0:07:47 > 0:07:50Frustration levels get very high during the night.
0:07:50 > 0:07:52Then you wake up and see him in the morning
0:07:52 > 0:07:55and see his face and it's all forgiven!
0:07:55 > 0:07:57'If Simone can keep up this demanding schedule,
0:07:57 > 0:08:01'Danny should be on target for the next big step on his journey
0:08:01 > 0:08:05'back to the wild, joining the other two koalas outside.'
0:08:07 > 0:08:12It will be a happy day when he goes out into the enclosure then, won't it?
0:08:12 > 0:08:15Yeah, I mean obviously it's a huge moment in his development
0:08:15 > 0:08:18but also it's a huge moment for us getting our nights back.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23'But moving outside will be tough.
0:08:26 > 0:08:30'No more night feeds, no more teddy and no more Simone.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35'He needs to be resilient enough, both physically and mentally,
0:08:35 > 0:08:39'to cope. It's going to be a huge challenge.'
0:08:43 > 0:08:47This same resilience is needed by orphaned animals on the other
0:08:47 > 0:08:49side of the world.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53Costa Rica forms part of the land bridge
0:08:53 > 0:09:00connecting North and South America. It's a biodiversity hot spot with
0:09:00 > 0:09:04lush jungles and abundant wildlife.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06But despite strict protection,
0:09:06 > 0:09:10Costa Rica still has its fair share of orphaned wildlife.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13Max Hug Williams is following their stories.
0:09:15 > 0:09:19Costa Rica is a haven for wildlife with some of the most incredible
0:09:19 > 0:09:21species on the planet.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23But, like anywhere where animals are living
0:09:23 > 0:09:27so close to humans, there are always going to be problems.
0:09:27 > 0:09:31'Roads bisect its vast forests...but wildlife
0:09:31 > 0:09:34'and cars are not good neighbours.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37'As a wildlife cameraman I've occasionally witnessed
0:09:37 > 0:09:40'the heartbreak of youngsters losing their mothers.
0:09:40 > 0:09:45'I want to find out what happens to the lucky few who get rescued.
0:09:47 > 0:09:49'Here on Costa Rica's Pacific coast,
0:09:49 > 0:09:53'KSTR provides a sanctuary for orphaned wildlife.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58'Wildlife manager Sam's main responsibility is
0:09:58 > 0:10:02'caring for the centre's numerous baby sloths.'
0:10:02 > 0:10:04Brushing my teeth, I have sloths on me,
0:10:04 > 0:10:06washing my face, I have sloths on me.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09I have literally changed clothes with sloths on me.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12You name it, I've probably done it with a sloth on me.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17'Sam's small apartment has been taken over by these enigmatic
0:10:17 > 0:10:22'characters who demand round-the-clock care.'
0:10:22 > 0:10:25Just dropping in on Sam's place to see what life's like living
0:10:25 > 0:10:26with six sloths.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33- Hey, Sam.- Hi.- It's complete carnage in here!
0:10:33 > 0:10:36It's like the morning after a big sloth party.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39It's a disaster...and I wish I could say that this was rare,
0:10:39 > 0:10:42but this is pretty much a daily occurrence.
0:10:42 > 0:10:46They climb the curtains, they climb the chairs.
0:10:46 > 0:10:48They love their climbing apparatus
0:10:48 > 0:10:51but there's nothing that will stop them from exploring.
0:10:51 > 0:10:55So, it even went a little too far last night.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57Do you want to see where they are?
0:10:57 > 0:10:59- What's happened?- Come here.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04- All right.- What?- Yeah!
0:11:04 > 0:11:08They're asleep in the bottom of your La-Z-Boy.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10- Yeah!- It's ridiculous!
0:11:10 > 0:11:15'This is Pelota and Kermie, the nocturnal two-toed sloths.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19'Both lost their mothers and are living with Sam
0:11:19 > 0:11:21'till they are old enough to go back to the wild.
0:11:21 > 0:11:25'Every night they spend their time foraging for food,
0:11:25 > 0:11:29'and wrecking Sam's flat, until the day shift takes over.
0:11:29 > 0:11:33'That's when Minnie and Newbie the three-toed sloths wake up,
0:11:33 > 0:11:36'and need Sam's undivided attention.'
0:11:36 > 0:11:38- I can't get them out. - You can't get them out?
0:11:38 > 0:11:40No, there's literally no way to pull them out,
0:11:40 > 0:11:41they have to come out on their own.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44You've got to make sure you don't give her any more food in there,
0:11:44 > 0:11:46- cos she's pretty big already!- I know!
0:11:46 > 0:11:49If she ate a lot in there, she definitely wouldn't come out.
0:11:49 > 0:11:54I think the only reason she fit in is cos she recently went to the loo.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59'But of all her sloths, five-month-old Newbie
0:11:59 > 0:12:02'is the one causing the most worry for Sam.
0:12:04 > 0:12:09'Newbie has been battling with pneumonia since she was rescued.
0:12:09 > 0:12:13'Sam thinks it was triggered by the stress of losing her mother.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18'Not wanting to tempt fate by giving her a proper name,
0:12:18 > 0:12:21'Sam simply calls her Newbie
0:12:21 > 0:12:24'and the two have formed a very strong bond.'
0:12:31 > 0:12:34Any baby needs someone to take care of them when they're younger.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36Certain species need more than others.
0:12:36 > 0:12:41Humans need a lot of maternal investment and sloths are similar.
0:12:46 > 0:12:51So, for an orphan that we receive, they need a surrogate mother.
0:12:51 > 0:12:56For Newbie, at the moment, she is with me pretty much all the time.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59In the wild Newbie would have clung on to her mother
0:12:59 > 0:13:02until about nine months old, feeding on her milk
0:13:02 > 0:13:06and learning what to eat. Now that job falls to Sam.
0:13:10 > 0:13:12I'm going to give her some hibiscus flowers now.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15This is one her favourite natural snacks,
0:13:15 > 0:13:18I usually get her to drink her milk first.
0:13:18 > 0:13:22It's kind of like eating your vegetables before you get desert.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25And then give her some flowers.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28She loves them.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31Like many herbivores, sloths have
0:13:31 > 0:13:34enzymes in their saliva that help break down plant matter.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40They basically dissolve in her mouth like chocolate.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45Even for the experts like Sam,
0:13:45 > 0:13:48raising sloths is notoriously difficult.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53There is a very good chance that she won't make it
0:13:53 > 0:13:56and that's why we're doing everything we can to increase her
0:13:56 > 0:14:00chances of surviving to adulthood and one day going back to the wild.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06'Sam's fears come from painful experience,
0:14:06 > 0:14:09'and in Newbie's case, several courses of antibiotics
0:14:09 > 0:14:12'have so far failed to cure the infection.'
0:14:14 > 0:14:16Nothing here is simple.
0:14:16 > 0:14:21When an animal comes in completely vulnerable, only a few days old,
0:14:21 > 0:14:26and often with some disease or illness, it's literally
0:14:26 > 0:14:28a battle to fight to keep them alive.
0:14:30 > 0:14:32And it's only once you get them
0:14:32 > 0:14:35through those hard first few weeks that you can even start
0:14:35 > 0:14:39the long, long journey of teaching them how to be wild again
0:14:39 > 0:14:43and giving them any hope of getting back out in these forests.
0:14:45 > 0:14:49'Despite her ongoing treatment, Sam thinks Newbie might just be
0:14:49 > 0:14:53'well enough to begin learning some basic skills.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57'She's building her a baby climbing frame.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06Even though she's not 100% out of the woods,
0:15:06 > 0:15:08it's time for me and for her to start thinking about
0:15:08 > 0:15:10getting ready to be in the wild,
0:15:10 > 0:15:12so she needs to start practising climbing.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21For Newbie this is a new and vital test.
0:15:29 > 0:15:31Wow, she didn't waste any time!
0:15:34 > 0:15:36She likes it!
0:15:38 > 0:15:42She actually likes it. I mean she's a sloth,
0:15:42 > 0:15:46so it's not like she's going to zoom from one side to the other
0:15:46 > 0:15:51really quickly but she's definitely on it, she doesn't want to get off.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55People think that sloths are just really slow and really lazy
0:15:55 > 0:15:59and sleep all the time but what they don't realise is
0:15:59 > 0:16:03their body isn't made up of the type of muscle structure that would allow
0:16:03 > 0:16:05them to move quickly.
0:16:05 > 0:16:07That's not what they need to do, they're more about
0:16:07 > 0:16:09moving deliberately.
0:16:11 > 0:16:16I can't help but be a little proud of her, she's been through
0:16:16 > 0:16:20so much and she's still a little bit sick but she's not giving up.
0:16:21 > 0:16:25She's very interested in learning, she loves exploring and I think that
0:16:25 > 0:16:30those characteristics show that she wants to live,
0:16:30 > 0:16:32that she wants to go back to the wild.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37It's real progress and the next step will be to see
0:16:37 > 0:16:40if she can cope with a real tree.
0:16:40 > 0:16:45If Newbie makes it to release as an adult wild sloth she will have
0:16:45 > 0:16:49to contend with all the dangers that got her here in the first place.
0:16:55 > 0:16:59Like so many sloths in Costa Rica, Newbie's mother came
0:16:59 > 0:17:03to the ground to cross a road and that's when Newbie was orphaned.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09Roads and human developments are a major issue
0:17:09 > 0:17:15for wildlife the world over and 9,000 miles away,
0:17:15 > 0:17:18Ellie is about to meet another tiny casualty.
0:17:24 > 0:17:28In Australia, tens of thousands of animals are killed on the road
0:17:28 > 0:17:33every single year but astonishingly, because they are protected
0:17:33 > 0:17:37by their mother's pouch, many of the joeys still survive.
0:17:44 > 0:17:5025 years ago, Stella Reid gave up her career as an air stewardess
0:17:50 > 0:17:52to rescue some of these vulnerable joeys.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58Right now she has 20 living with her.
0:18:00 > 0:18:05Sharing my life with animals and living so close to them, for me,
0:18:05 > 0:18:09is probably the closest thing to being in heaven.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12Most of Stella's orphans are kangaroos and wallabies and belong
0:18:12 > 0:18:18to the family known as macropodiae, which is Latin for "long foot".
0:18:18 > 0:18:21The main thing that separates the two is size -
0:18:21 > 0:18:24wallabies tend to be smaller.
0:18:29 > 0:18:34But what unites them is that as orphans they need specialist care.
0:18:34 > 0:18:38'Stella has devoted half her life to perfecting
0:18:38 > 0:18:40'the techniques for raising them.'
0:18:40 > 0:18:44Stella is so dedicated to rearing kangaroos
0:18:44 > 0:18:47and wallabies that's she had her whole housed adapted
0:18:47 > 0:18:50so she can do it. This is actually her bedroom, as you can see,
0:18:50 > 0:18:53and it's called "the baby nursery" because the teeny tiny ones will
0:18:53 > 0:18:57go in there, so that if they get distressed in the night and need to
0:18:57 > 0:19:00hear a heartbeat she can pick them up and put them on her chest.
0:19:00 > 0:19:04If we carry on out here, this floor is made out of recycled tyres,
0:19:04 > 0:19:06so that it doesn't hurt their feet when they bounce
0:19:06 > 0:19:09and they don't skid like they would on tiles.
0:19:10 > 0:19:14This is the inside nursery... Hello, Stella. Just over there
0:19:14 > 0:19:18we've got a wallaby on a throne over there.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21These windows have been placed deliberately high up so that if they
0:19:21 > 0:19:24hop around they don't potentially jump through them
0:19:24 > 0:19:25and injure themselves.
0:19:25 > 0:19:29This is Harry, hello, mate. He's a kangaroo
0:19:29 > 0:19:32and not a wallaby, making himself at home.
0:19:32 > 0:19:34So, through to the main part
0:19:34 > 0:19:39of the house, and the last room is the outside nursery.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41If we come on in,
0:19:41 > 0:19:44it's a bit like a sixth form common room.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47They're all slightly older and in their pouches,
0:19:47 > 0:19:50just hanging out, making the most of things, all these different pouches.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52Let's see if Harry will go into a pouch!
0:19:52 > 0:19:55Harry, are you going to go into a nice snugly pouch?
0:19:55 > 0:19:57Here you go, mate, do you want to go in there?
0:19:57 > 0:20:00Oh, look at this...he's a big boy!
0:20:00 > 0:20:02This instinct for going into the pouch is so strong,
0:20:02 > 0:20:05he just climbs straight in there...tumbling around.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07I'll show you how it works...
0:20:07 > 0:20:11They go into those pouch and then into one of these pouches
0:20:11 > 0:20:16on the wall just like this. There you go, Harry, look.
0:20:16 > 0:20:17There he is, snug!
0:20:17 > 0:20:21The amazing thing about this room is there's also this
0:20:21 > 0:20:23specially designed "roo door",
0:20:23 > 0:20:27so that they can get in and out if they want to, any time.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29Ooh, I can barely squeeze through!
0:20:29 > 0:20:32Slightly undignified...I'm out!
0:20:32 > 0:20:36So, they've got pretty much everything they need right here.
0:20:39 > 0:20:44But although Stella is inundated with roos and wallabies,
0:20:44 > 0:20:50none of them take up as much of her time as young wallaby, Neil.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11He's an orphan from a car accident where his mum was killed
0:21:11 > 0:21:14and Neil's been with us one week.
0:21:14 > 0:21:18Neil is just 1½ months old. In the wild
0:21:18 > 0:21:22he would be around nine months before he left his mother's pouch.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25He doesn't have a second coat,
0:21:25 > 0:21:28he's just got the light top coat that
0:21:28 > 0:21:31he has while he's in his mum's pouch.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33We do call them little velvets.
0:21:38 > 0:21:42I'm covering his eyes a little bit,
0:21:42 > 0:21:46in Mum's pouch, it's darker than here.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48He's getting a bit used to it,
0:21:48 > 0:21:51so it's not too stressful.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54In the first three days here,
0:21:54 > 0:21:58he cried out at night-time for his mum.
0:21:58 > 0:22:03It's heartbreaking to listen to him call out for his mum.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06What we do then is pick him up and put him
0:22:06 > 0:22:09in the bed with me so he can felt my heartbeat.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15The moment I picked him up and cuddled him...
0:22:17 > 0:22:21..and held him next to my heart the crying stopped.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26Because they develop for so long in her pouch, the beating
0:22:26 > 0:22:31of their mother's heart is deeply comforting for baby marsupials.
0:22:33 > 0:22:38Research shows that maternal nurture physically changes brain chemistry
0:22:38 > 0:22:41and alters the way a youngster's body responds to stress.
0:22:44 > 0:22:50Without this closeness and reassurance orphans have been known to die of anxiety.
0:22:54 > 0:22:58But with new animals arriving all the time, Stella can't always
0:22:58 > 0:23:02be there for Neil, and he urgently needs a companion
0:23:02 > 0:23:05the same size and age who he can hang out with.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19But for now, Stella is filling the role of both companion
0:23:19 > 0:23:23and foster mother and she thinks he might be ready to hit
0:23:23 > 0:23:27the biggest developmental milestone in his life so far.
0:23:27 > 0:23:28Leaving the pouch
0:23:28 > 0:23:32and standing on his own two feet for the first time ever.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36It is a copy of what Mum does in the wild.
0:23:36 > 0:23:40They tip the baby out for a split second
0:23:40 > 0:23:43and then they let them hop back in again.
0:23:43 > 0:23:46Get your balance...there you go.
0:23:55 > 0:24:00So, he's using his little hands for balance.
0:24:21 > 0:24:25Once fully grown, Neil will be able to hop at a top speed
0:24:25 > 0:24:28of 30mph.
0:24:28 > 0:24:32For now, just staying upright is tricky.
0:24:41 > 0:24:46Oh, wow, it's beautiful. He did really, really well!
0:24:46 > 0:24:51I think his little mind would have been saying, "What's going on?"
0:24:51 > 0:24:57And the next time when I let him out it'll be a few seconds longer
0:24:57 > 0:25:01and the time after that, a few seconds longer.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04Within a week, he'll be out of the pouch
0:25:04 > 0:25:07for about 30 seconds, at the most.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11He might have taken his first few steps
0:25:11 > 0:25:14but he's still very weak and vulnerable.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16What's Mummy doing?
0:25:18 > 0:25:23The need to find him a companion is growing increasingly urgent.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26He's too small and fragile to join the older wallabies,
0:25:26 > 0:25:30but he simply won't develop and thrive if he stays on his own.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37Stella's long-term goal is for him
0:25:37 > 0:25:42to establish a territory among the wild population of wallabies.
0:25:42 > 0:25:45Over the years, she's helped return over 1,000 orphans
0:25:45 > 0:25:47back to the wild.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54But Neil's release is a long way off.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58Like all our orphans,
0:25:58 > 0:26:02the journey back to the wild has to be taken one step at a time.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12Staying in Australia, Danny the koala is about to take
0:26:12 > 0:26:15another step on his journey,
0:26:15 > 0:26:17graduating to the outdoor enclosure.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20Until now he's spent his time indoors, being fed,
0:26:20 > 0:26:23exercised and pampered.
0:26:29 > 0:26:34Lizzie, the rescue centre manager is on hand to oversee events.
0:26:34 > 0:26:36She needs to be sure Danny is ready
0:26:36 > 0:26:40for this big step towards independence.
0:26:40 > 0:26:44And if he weighs in at a kilo or more,
0:26:44 > 0:26:46then he will get the green light.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51Simone is hoping all her hard work has paid off!
0:26:52 > 0:26:55He's over a kilo!
0:26:55 > 0:26:59Good job, little man, well done, that's fabulous!
0:27:01 > 0:27:04The plan is to take Danny outside for short training sessions,
0:27:04 > 0:27:08gradually building his confidence over a few weeks
0:27:08 > 0:27:13until he is able to let go of his teddy and move out completely.
0:27:13 > 0:27:15It's pretty nerve-racking bringing him
0:27:15 > 0:27:17out here for the first time.
0:27:17 > 0:27:19Koalas do have a very innate
0:27:19 > 0:27:24sense of what they should be doing but you still always worry.
0:27:24 > 0:27:26There you go!
0:27:26 > 0:27:27Good boy, that's it!
0:27:29 > 0:27:32What a brave baby!
0:27:35 > 0:27:38This is the first tree Danny has ever encountered!
0:27:41 > 0:27:44He was so young when he was rescued,
0:27:44 > 0:27:47he had only ever been in his mum's pouch.
0:27:48 > 0:27:50Good boy!
0:27:52 > 0:27:54He's not sure what to do!
0:27:55 > 0:28:00Koalas have sharp claws designed for gripping bark.
0:28:01 > 0:28:04Do you want to climb up to the leaves? Come on!
0:28:05 > 0:28:08Which Danny is putting to the test.
0:28:10 > 0:28:12SHE LAUGHS
0:28:20 > 0:28:22Good muscles, Danny!
0:28:22 > 0:28:24OK, getting a bit upset now.
0:28:24 > 0:28:26You just need a warm pouch.
0:28:26 > 0:28:31It's a great first step but he's got a lot more work to do.
0:28:31 > 0:28:33Well done!
0:28:41 > 0:28:43Over the next few weeks,
0:28:43 > 0:28:46Danny is put on a boot camp regime of feeding and
0:28:46 > 0:28:52climbing on branches in preparation for his future life outdoors.
0:29:10 > 0:29:12Slowly his confidence begins to build.
0:29:14 > 0:29:16Hey, Danny!
0:29:20 > 0:29:26But learning to climb trees requires complete concentration.
0:29:26 > 0:29:29Oh, Danny! He's OK, he's OK, he's learning.
0:29:32 > 0:29:34He has to learn!
0:29:35 > 0:29:40Luckily, Danny is superbly adapted to a life in the trees.
0:29:40 > 0:29:42We're going up!
0:29:42 > 0:29:44Apart from those sharp claws,
0:29:44 > 0:29:47he also has a bony plate in his lower back
0:29:47 > 0:29:51which acts like a built in chair for resting in the fork of trees.
0:29:53 > 0:29:59By week three, he's started to look and behave like a wild koala.
0:29:59 > 0:30:02Danny has advanced a lot since the last time we took him outside.
0:30:02 > 0:30:04He's climbing and eating and generally
0:30:04 > 0:30:08more comfortable in the enclosure.
0:30:08 > 0:30:12After a month in training the team decide he's ready to make
0:30:12 > 0:30:14the move outside full-time.
0:30:17 > 0:30:20So tonight will be his last night indoors with Simone.
0:30:22 > 0:30:27Tomorrow he'll be introduced to the two older female koalas.
0:30:27 > 0:30:29But letting go of the security of his teddy
0:30:29 > 0:30:32and the closeness of Simone will be tough.
0:30:32 > 0:30:39# Oh, Danny Boy... #
0:30:39 > 0:30:43Everyone is hoping that one of the two older koalas will take
0:30:43 > 0:30:45young Danny into her care.
0:30:48 > 0:30:52On the other side of the world in Costa Rica, another little
0:30:52 > 0:30:54orphan has a lot to cope with.
0:30:56 > 0:31:00Newbie, the three-toed sloth, has been battling with
0:31:00 > 0:31:02pneumonia for over eight weeks.
0:31:02 > 0:31:06But every day she is getting stronger,
0:31:06 > 0:31:09and Sam is hopeful that she may be beating this bacterial
0:31:09 > 0:31:15infection in her lungs at last, but Sam isn't taking any chances.
0:31:17 > 0:31:22Every morning and evening, Newbie is given a cocktail of medicines,
0:31:22 > 0:31:24delivered to her in a mist with pure oxygen.
0:31:28 > 0:31:31She tolerates it really well. Part of me wonders whether it feels
0:31:31 > 0:31:34good, especially the bronchodilator because it helps her to breathe.
0:31:34 > 0:31:39But Sam believes that there's more to treating Newbie than just medicine.
0:31:40 > 0:31:44As anthropomorphic as it sounds, they really need what we call love.
0:31:45 > 0:31:51With baby animals, and especially sloths, they need a lot of attention,
0:31:51 > 0:31:55a lot of reassurance, they need to feel safe, I think that
0:31:55 > 0:32:00because stress has such an effect on their body, without that
0:32:00 > 0:32:07comfort and safety they just don't thrive and their body shuts down.
0:32:09 > 0:32:12Sam believes that without this close care,
0:32:12 > 0:32:14no amount of antibiotic would save her.
0:32:17 > 0:32:20I'm hopeful. She's responding well to treatment,
0:32:20 > 0:32:25it's just a case of nipping this pneumonia in the bud
0:32:25 > 0:32:30so that way we don't have to worry it will come creeping up and silently kill her one day.
0:32:38 > 0:32:42I just don't want to name her yet. Once she gets through this
0:32:42 > 0:32:45and we're confident she's doing well then we'll reassess the naming
0:32:45 > 0:32:51situation, and hopefully pick something more dignified than "Newbie".
0:32:54 > 0:32:57If Newbie is ever to go back to the wild,
0:32:57 > 0:33:00her preparation for release has to continue.
0:33:02 > 0:33:06'So Sam is keen to keep building her confidence in climbing,
0:33:06 > 0:33:09'and thinks she's ready for a real tree.'
0:33:09 > 0:33:11- Good day!- Yup.
0:33:15 > 0:33:16Newbie, first tree!
0:33:16 > 0:33:21I'm just going to try and get her close to the tree.
0:33:21 > 0:33:24This is basically the beginning of her getting back to the wild
0:33:24 > 0:33:27- something more natural.- Being a sloth again.- Exactly.
0:33:27 > 0:33:32So this is very typical - she has one hand on the new spot and one hand on the mom.
0:33:32 > 0:33:35She's not going to leave me totally at first.
0:33:35 > 0:33:40'Like Danny the koala, Newbie is a little hesitant at first
0:33:40 > 0:33:44'but soon she's off at her own pace.'
0:33:49 > 0:33:51It certainly looks like she's ready to explore.
0:33:54 > 0:33:57You've got to be patient, lots of baby steps,
0:33:57 > 0:33:59lots of milestones to reach.
0:33:59 > 0:34:01You definitely have to be patient with sloths.
0:34:04 > 0:34:07Everything happens at a little bit slower speed.
0:34:07 > 0:34:10'Despite their reputation for laziness,
0:34:10 > 0:34:14'sloths only sleep for around nine hours a day.
0:34:14 > 0:34:17'Their slow movements are a way of conserving energy,
0:34:17 > 0:34:20'a neat survival strategy, allowing them to eat
0:34:20 > 0:34:24'nutrient-poor leaves that won't sustain other animals.
0:34:25 > 0:34:30'Sloths have the slowest digestion of any mammal. It can take them
0:34:30 > 0:34:33'two weeks to process a single meal.
0:34:33 > 0:34:39'Their entire lifestyle is all about expending as little energy as possible.'
0:34:39 > 0:34:42Look at that, she's climbing, feeding...
0:34:42 > 0:34:45You're obviously a pretty good sloth mum.
0:34:45 > 0:34:49I think she's doing really well, I'm very proud of her.
0:34:51 > 0:34:56'This has been a big step for Newbie, but at just five months old,
0:34:56 > 0:35:01'it's not long before she needs the reassurance of her surrogate mother.'
0:35:01 > 0:35:03I think she might be coming to me now.
0:35:03 > 0:35:09- On the move, had enough.- Mm-hm. - That was a pretty good effort for day one.
0:35:09 > 0:35:12They're not adapted to moving on the ground, are they?
0:35:12 > 0:35:15A sitting duck for any predator.
0:35:15 > 0:35:17I know, that's why it's so sad.
0:35:17 > 0:35:20That's why her mom was attacked by a dog, because
0:35:20 > 0:35:25as soon as they come to the ground she has no defences against a dog.
0:35:25 > 0:35:29'Sloths have a top speed of just 30cm-per-minute,
0:35:29 > 0:35:32'which means that when they do come to the ground,
0:35:32 > 0:35:34'they are completely vulnerable.
0:35:37 > 0:35:41'For Newbie, Sam represents safety and security, as well as her only
0:35:41 > 0:35:46'chance of beating her illness and getting back to the wild.
0:35:49 > 0:35:53'There is still a long road ahead for both of them.
0:35:53 > 0:35:57'And one that will inevitably be travelled at a very leisurely pace.'
0:36:08 > 0:36:12It's a different story here in Australia.
0:36:12 > 0:36:18Macropods, like kangaroos, can cover seven metres in a single hop.
0:36:21 > 0:36:25'But every journey starts with the first steps.
0:36:25 > 0:36:30'And for Neil, the orphaned wallaby, they are very tentative ones.'
0:36:33 > 0:36:35A little bundle in there!
0:36:36 > 0:36:39Oh, wow!
0:36:39 > 0:36:42'With Stella's careful attention to his diet,
0:36:42 > 0:36:46'he is growing and gaining in strength, and she is getting to know
0:36:46 > 0:36:51'the intimate workings of his digestive system.'
0:36:51 > 0:36:55Little Neil was under 800g when he came in.
0:36:55 > 0:36:59He's on three bottles a day at the moment, he goes to the toilet
0:36:59 > 0:37:05very well, he's got solid droppings, but they fart, and they can clear
0:37:05 > 0:37:08a room, and quite often people will all look at each other,
0:37:08 > 0:37:10it is so bad.
0:37:10 > 0:37:12Accusingly! Accusingly.
0:37:12 > 0:37:15It can't be the sweet one!
0:37:15 > 0:37:18He's actually the sweet one.
0:37:18 > 0:37:20He's actually a wallaby.
0:37:20 > 0:37:24His true name is black wallaby or swamp wallaby.
0:37:24 > 0:37:30But his original name was stinky wallaby, and the aborigines rarely
0:37:30 > 0:37:36ate them because they smelt, they farted, which saved their lives.
0:37:36 > 0:37:39That's a really good...
0:37:39 > 0:37:42If you fart, it can save your life - it's a good evolutionary mechanism.
0:37:45 > 0:37:49'But if Neil is to survive, he needs to learn to hop.'
0:37:53 > 0:37:55Put your hands under his chest here, that's it.
0:37:55 > 0:37:59A balance rather than a lift.
0:37:59 > 0:38:03Hold just his tail...that's it. Well done.
0:38:03 > 0:38:07Oh, so wobbly! Oh, look!
0:38:11 > 0:38:14Just bring his pouch back in front.
0:38:14 > 0:38:16Get it ready, just in case.
0:38:16 > 0:38:20You hold his hands now and you can just balance him there,
0:38:20 > 0:38:23and let him get his balance. Beautiful.
0:38:23 > 0:38:27It's genuinely exciting, that sense that he's taken these initial steps,
0:38:27 > 0:38:29it's so meaningful.
0:38:29 > 0:38:33Wow, there's a hop! That's fantastic! So sweet.
0:38:33 > 0:38:37- Back to the pouch.- That's it.
0:38:37 > 0:38:40What an adventure!
0:38:40 > 0:38:42Now you're a wallaby mum.
0:38:42 > 0:38:46I feel proud, proud of those steps.
0:38:46 > 0:38:49'But there is something even more important for Neil than
0:38:49 > 0:38:53'developing his walking skills - he needs a companion.'
0:38:55 > 0:38:59In the wallaby world, his mum's with him 24 hours a day,
0:38:59 > 0:39:05seven days a week, but I have to do other things, I have to look after other animals and go outside,
0:39:05 > 0:39:10and although I do carry him with me, he can't be with me 24 hours,
0:39:10 > 0:39:13whereas a little friend can be.
0:39:13 > 0:39:15So we need to find a little friend for Neil, then.
0:39:15 > 0:39:20Yes, we do. But they come in all the time, because the cars are getting faster
0:39:20 > 0:39:23and the little creatures are crossing the roads.
0:39:23 > 0:39:27So we're getting more and more than we've ever had before.
0:39:36 > 0:39:41For sensitive baby marsupials like Neil, finding a suitable
0:39:41 > 0:39:45companion could make the difference between life or death.
0:39:45 > 0:39:48Fortunately, Stella has a plan.
0:39:51 > 0:39:53Until an orphan the same age
0:39:53 > 0:39:56and size is brought to Stella, she's going to see
0:39:56 > 0:39:58if Neil is strong enough to try hanging out with a small
0:39:58 > 0:40:02band of older wallabies nicknamed the Three Amigos.
0:40:02 > 0:40:07Like Neil, all three of them lost their mothers in car accidents.
0:40:08 > 0:40:13This is Paddy. He's curious but quiet.
0:40:13 > 0:40:18Mitchell is quite small but he likes to bounce around,
0:40:18 > 0:40:23and he jumps on everybody and makes everybody hide in their pouch.
0:40:23 > 0:40:28Max just likes to be adventurous and he hides under the furniture.
0:40:30 > 0:40:33Three great little characters.
0:40:33 > 0:40:37The only problem is that they are a whole month older than Neil.
0:40:38 > 0:40:40But if he's strong enough to hold his own,
0:40:40 > 0:40:44he may just be able to join the gang.
0:40:59 > 0:41:04But they are just that little bit bigger and bouncier than Neil.
0:41:07 > 0:41:09He simply isn't mobile enough to join the fun,
0:41:09 > 0:41:13and could accidentally get hurt.
0:41:21 > 0:41:24Maybe the pouch is the safest place after all.
0:41:27 > 0:41:31For Neil and Stella, it's going to be a waiting game,
0:41:31 > 0:41:33till the right wallaby comes along.
0:41:44 > 0:41:48Here in Costa Rica, there's an altogether different waiting game going on.
0:41:50 > 0:41:56Newbie, the orphaned three-toed sloth, is under close observation.
0:41:56 > 0:42:01Sloths only go to the toilet once or twice a week, so sloth carer, Sam,
0:42:01 > 0:42:06has to try and predict it and get her to the right place at the right time.
0:42:06 > 0:42:11She feels like a beach ball, so she better be ready. After she goes all this shrinks back in.
0:42:13 > 0:42:17Sloths can lose around 30% of their body weight in one poop
0:42:17 > 0:42:21and pee, so that's a lot, I wish humans could do that sometimes.
0:42:21 > 0:42:25Wild sloths spend all of their time in the tops of trees,
0:42:25 > 0:42:29only coming to the ground every few days when nature calls.
0:42:29 > 0:42:34And, despite living with Sam, Newbie is following the same pattern.
0:42:34 > 0:42:37Can you imagine not going to the bathroom for four whole days?
0:42:37 > 0:42:40So basically they can store a lot, for a long period of time.
0:42:40 > 0:42:43It's really important to know how their biology works
0:42:43 > 0:42:47because if we didn't know sloths are only supposed to poop and pee every
0:42:47 > 0:42:51four days, or every week, then we'd worry, like, "What's wrong with them?! They're not going today!"
0:42:52 > 0:42:54So, now we're going to stick her at
0:42:54 > 0:42:57the base of the tree, this is her pooping tree.
0:42:57 > 0:43:01We have to be very quiet because she gets distracted easily.
0:43:02 > 0:43:06No-one knows why sloths stick to the same latrine spot,
0:43:06 > 0:43:11but one theory is that they could be fertilising their favourite tree.
0:43:11 > 0:43:15(It's just a waiting game.
0:43:15 > 0:43:17(See how she's looking at me?
0:43:17 > 0:43:20(She's like, "Why did you leave me on this tree? Come and get me.
0:43:27 > 0:43:31(This could be good. But you have to look for the flick of the tail.
0:43:31 > 0:43:34(If it goes like this, then she's going!
0:43:35 > 0:43:38(But I'm not sure yet.)
0:43:40 > 0:43:44If you know that they really need to go, but they just don't feel comfortable enough to go,
0:43:44 > 0:43:49then it can be kind of stressful, cos you're like, "Please poop!"
0:43:49 > 0:43:51This is a bad sign.
0:43:52 > 0:43:54She might not be quite ready.
0:43:57 > 0:44:02I think we might have to try later, she's not ready.
0:44:02 > 0:44:04I give up, you win.
0:44:06 > 0:44:09All Sam can do is bring Newbie back later for another try.
0:44:12 > 0:44:17It's a guessing game, and the ball is firmly in Newbie's court.
0:44:21 > 0:44:26Three hours later, and Sam and Newbie are ready to try again.
0:44:46 > 0:44:51Her climbing right now is not exactly a good sign.
0:44:52 > 0:44:56She may still not be ready, even though she's like a beach ball.
0:44:56 > 0:45:00Newbie's stomach has four separate chambers, storing leafy food
0:45:00 > 0:45:05at different stages of digestion, a system unique to sloths.
0:45:05 > 0:45:09And part of the reason why the whole process requires a great deal of patience.
0:45:12 > 0:45:15It's a bit like potty training a toddler - it's all in the timing.
0:45:15 > 0:45:19I really wanted her to go!
0:45:19 > 0:45:23Two hours later and the heavens have opened.
0:45:23 > 0:45:27Sam is hoping that Newbie's bowels will follow suit.
0:45:27 > 0:45:29I'll try putting my hand on her a bit and see
0:45:29 > 0:45:32if it makes her feel a bit more secure.
0:45:40 > 0:45:43Oh, it's happening it's happening! See the tail, that flip?
0:45:44 > 0:45:46I'm happy!
0:45:47 > 0:45:49And Sam's not the only one.
0:45:52 > 0:45:55It must be such a relief to pee after four days. I think
0:45:55 > 0:45:57I would close my eyes too!
0:46:11 > 0:46:16Understandably, post-poo is the only time Sam is able to get
0:46:16 > 0:46:20an accurate measure of how much Newbie weighs.
0:46:20 > 0:46:23And establish how fit and healthy she is.
0:46:38 > 0:46:40Nice! 1,000, even.
0:46:41 > 0:46:45So in two weeks she's gained about 75 grams,
0:46:45 > 0:46:49so that's really good. I'm very happy that she's doing well today.
0:46:49 > 0:46:51We have to take it one day at a time.
0:46:52 > 0:46:55It's a promising sign, but there's a still a long way to
0:46:55 > 0:47:00go before Sam might feel confident enough to give Newbie a proper name.
0:47:06 > 0:47:10In Southern Australia, at Cape Otway's Koala Rescue Centre,
0:47:10 > 0:47:14confidence is exactly what Danny needs.
0:47:14 > 0:47:18It's his first day out in the enclosure full-time.
0:47:21 > 0:47:26This is a huge milestone. From now on there will be no more teddy
0:47:26 > 0:47:31and no more nights in the comfort and security of the indoors.
0:47:32 > 0:47:34Would you like to go up there, would that be fun?
0:47:36 > 0:47:41At six months old, a wild koala would be riding around with his mum
0:47:41 > 0:47:46outside of her pouch full-time, so Danny should be physically
0:47:46 > 0:47:48ready for his new challenge.
0:47:48 > 0:47:51He's climbing really beautifully, he's really agile and strong
0:47:51 > 0:47:55and really comfortable about navigating his way through
0:47:55 > 0:47:58the branches. He's really good. I'm very pleased with that.
0:47:58 > 0:48:04But living without his human carers is about more than just climbing.
0:48:07 > 0:48:11Danny's buddies in the enclosure are Puddles and Tilly.
0:48:11 > 0:48:13These two rescued females have been here a year
0:48:13 > 0:48:16and are the equivalent of young teenagers.
0:48:18 > 0:48:21If one of them takes a shine to Danny, then he'll have a
0:48:21 > 0:48:24companion to make him feel safe and secure.
0:48:28 > 0:48:32Within minutes, Danny starts trying to get close to Tilly.
0:48:36 > 0:48:41Just like Danny, she was found on the side of the road underweight and dehydrated.
0:48:44 > 0:48:47But adult koalas are largely solitary in the wild
0:48:47 > 0:48:50and Tilly is not interested.
0:48:58 > 0:49:00But Danny isn't giving up just yet.
0:49:07 > 0:49:09He goes in to get some attention.
0:49:16 > 0:49:19But Tilly makes her feelings clear.
0:49:27 > 0:49:30Danny decides to try his luck with Puddles.
0:49:35 > 0:49:38She has been through a lot in her young life,
0:49:38 > 0:49:42from being found without her mother by the road, to battling
0:49:42 > 0:49:47an infection that meant she lost most of her ears and several claws.
0:49:47 > 0:49:51Now fit and well, she seems to have a more laid-back approach to life.
0:49:59 > 0:50:02The early signs are promising.
0:50:02 > 0:50:04But Puddles is still so young herself,
0:50:04 > 0:50:08Danny will have to hope that he can quietly win her over.
0:50:19 > 0:50:22Over at Stella's place, Neil the wallaby needs
0:50:22 > 0:50:25a companion just as badly.
0:50:26 > 0:50:29Since his unsuccessful introduction to the Three Amigos
0:50:29 > 0:50:31he's been on his own.
0:50:32 > 0:50:36But word has got out.
0:50:37 > 0:50:42There's another very young wallaby who is in as much need of a companion as Neil.
0:50:43 > 0:50:46Hello, Stella, I've got a little friend for you here.
0:50:46 > 0:50:51- Is it a little boy or girl?- A little boy, his mum was hit by a car.
0:50:51 > 0:50:54Aw, he's gorgeous, what do you call him?
0:50:54 > 0:50:57I think Jasper, I think that's what the person who found him
0:50:57 > 0:51:00- would have named...- Jasper, it is. Hi, Jasper.
0:51:00 > 0:51:03- Welcome! Thanks very much. - All right.
0:51:03 > 0:51:06- Thanks.- Bye!- Come in, Harry. Come in!
0:51:10 > 0:51:14Jasper has just come in and we have to weigh him
0:51:14 > 0:51:20to check on the weight, to compare him with Neil to see if he is a good size.
0:51:20 > 0:51:24Jasper has to be just the right weight for the match to work.
0:51:24 > 0:51:29Neil weighs a kilo, so Jasper has to weigh a kilo, too.
0:51:31 > 0:51:36And he's one kilo, he's the perfect weight for Neil. When they hop
0:51:36 > 0:51:40into the same pouch they won't smother each other, and the chance
0:51:40 > 0:51:46of survival is much, much greater for both of them, so that's perfect.
0:51:46 > 0:51:49He's a little bit anxious because everything's new to him.
0:51:49 > 0:51:57He's actually doing very well for such a brand-new little baby.
0:52:09 > 0:52:12Look at that! There's somebody here to meet you.
0:52:35 > 0:52:40The gentleness of the two little creatures that have never
0:52:40 > 0:52:43met before is quite special.
0:52:52 > 0:52:56Oh, there you go.
0:52:58 > 0:53:02It's not long before the pair are confirming their bond.
0:53:05 > 0:53:07Very sweet.
0:53:11 > 0:53:16Watching them, when you see things like that, it's why you do
0:53:16 > 0:53:20what you do, why you become a wildlife carer.
0:53:25 > 0:53:29Having spent a bit of time with Stella, it has genuinely surprised me
0:53:29 > 0:53:34the amount of work that goes into raising these animals.
0:53:34 > 0:53:40It really gives you a sense of just how incredible the mothering in the wild really is.
0:53:42 > 0:53:47'And it also shows how incredible the urge is to find a substitute
0:53:47 > 0:53:50'to fill the void left when they lose that crucial relationship.
0:53:53 > 0:53:57'For Danny the koala, persuading Puddles to give him that
0:53:57 > 0:54:02'close contact was critical to making his new life outside successful.'
0:54:08 > 0:54:11Luckily his persistence has paid off,
0:54:11 > 0:54:13and she's taken him under her wing.
0:54:16 > 0:54:20The two of them snuggle up together day and night, and she even
0:54:20 > 0:54:25lets him ride around on her back, just like his real mother would.
0:54:27 > 0:54:31It's a great result for Danny.
0:54:31 > 0:54:33Having this close contact with another koala will give his
0:54:33 > 0:54:38chances of making it back to the wild a huge boost.
0:54:38 > 0:54:42Both he and wallaby, Neil, have benefitted from dedicated
0:54:42 > 0:54:48and experienced carers and the company of their own species.
0:54:48 > 0:54:50Their futures are looking bright.
0:54:54 > 0:54:57'Unfortunately it's a very different story in Costa Rica.
0:55:01 > 0:55:04'Newbie's pneumonia has returned with a vengeance.'
0:55:12 > 0:55:14Hey, Sam, how's she doing?
0:55:14 > 0:55:16She sounds bad and she doesn't feel good.
0:55:19 > 0:55:21She struggles to breathe.
0:55:21 > 0:55:23I can see her chest move in and out.
0:55:32 > 0:55:37What's next for Newbie, how do you get to the bottom of this problem?
0:55:37 > 0:55:41We've started her on a different medication for the second
0:55:41 > 0:55:43round of the disease,
0:55:43 > 0:55:47and if that doesn't work, it's pretty serious.
0:55:47 > 0:55:50That's why I'm so concerned,
0:55:50 > 0:55:52because even though she's still hanging in there,
0:55:52 > 0:55:57if we can't cure her she'll never make it back to the wild,
0:55:57 > 0:56:02she probably won't even survive. It's tough.
0:56:02 > 0:56:04I just want her to get better.
0:56:19 > 0:56:23I don't think I've ever seen Newbie looking quite so sorry for herself,
0:56:23 > 0:56:27and it's tough, because just as everyone was thinking she was getting better,
0:56:27 > 0:56:32Sam was even think about giving her a proper name for the first time...
0:56:32 > 0:56:37And now she's back on medication and the pneumonia is worse than ever.
0:56:38 > 0:56:42We've all got to just keep our fingers crossed that this new
0:56:42 > 0:56:48medication starts to work, and hopefully shakes off this pneumonia for good.
0:56:49 > 0:56:53'It's a waiting game once more for Sam and her orphaned sloth.
0:56:55 > 0:57:01'But she has made it this far, so there has to be hope that Newbie will pull through.'
0:57:05 > 0:57:11Next time, Al the ant eater has to be taught how to do what should come naturally.
0:57:11 > 0:57:15I'm afraid there's no termites in there, fella.
0:57:15 > 0:57:18Stacey, an orphaned wombat, hits a potentially devastating
0:57:18 > 0:57:21problem on her journey back to the wild.
0:57:21 > 0:57:22As you can hear in my voice,
0:57:22 > 0:57:25it is hard not to be attached to these guys.
0:57:25 > 0:57:28And Newbie continues her brave battle with pneumonia.