0:00:03 > 0:00:06The first few months of a baby animal's life
0:00:06 > 0:00:08are often the most crucial.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12So if they lose their mothers,
0:00:12 > 0:00:14they're going to need help.
0:00:16 > 0:00:20We're going to meet the wild orphans who are getting a second chance.
0:00:21 > 0:00:24- And the dedicated people... - Are you going to have a play?
0:00:24 > 0:00:27..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 > 0:00:37In this series, we'll be witnessing the incredible stories
0:00:37 > 0:00:40of animal orphans from two very different locations.
0:00:43 > 0:00:48I'm in Australia, where I'll be meeting Stacey, a rescued wombat,
0:00:48 > 0:00:51struggling to come to terms with her new life.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54When an animal that is so dependent on its mother
0:00:54 > 0:00:58in the wild for so long becomes orphaned, it is pretty tough.
0:00:58 > 0:01:03Wildlife cameraman Max Hug Williams is in Costa Rica.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05He's spent years filming animals in the wild,
0:01:05 > 0:01:09but now he's stepping out from behind the lens to see what happens
0:01:09 > 0:01:12when orphans need rescuing and rehabilitating.
0:01:12 > 0:01:16I mean, he's a little fighter. I can barely hold him in one place.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19He'll be catching up with Newbie, the three-toed sloth,
0:01:19 > 0:01:21who's been battling with pneumonia.
0:01:21 > 0:01:26All hopes of a recovery are resting on her new course of medication.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29And Al the anteater
0:01:29 > 0:01:32struggles to work out how to tackle his specialist diet.
0:01:32 > 0:01:36Look, see? As soon as he sees ear, he's in.
0:01:36 > 0:01:40Raising these vulnerable orphans can be tough.
0:01:40 > 0:01:41Oh...
0:01:41 > 0:01:43There will be highs...
0:01:43 > 0:01:45Good boy!
0:01:46 > 0:01:48..and lows.
0:01:48 > 0:01:49SHE GASPS
0:01:49 > 0:01:51We will follow their stories
0:01:51 > 0:01:54through their most critical make-or-break months
0:01:54 > 0:01:57on their difficult journeys back to the wild.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12I've come to Australia -
0:02:12 > 0:02:16a vast island isolated from the rest of the world
0:02:16 > 0:02:18for 35 million years.
0:02:18 > 0:02:22Much of its unique wildlife is found nowhere else on the planet
0:02:22 > 0:02:27and has evolved in distinctive ways, none more so than the marsupials.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31These iconic mammals make devoted mothers,
0:02:31 > 0:02:33rearing their young in pouches
0:02:33 > 0:02:35and raising them for up to a year and a half.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39This means the orphans here need close physical contact
0:02:39 > 0:02:41if they're to survive.
0:02:42 > 0:02:46Here in Australia, the animals that get rescued need care,
0:02:46 > 0:02:48not just around the clock
0:02:48 > 0:02:50but for months and even years.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53So instead of being looked after in specialist wildlife centres,
0:02:53 > 0:02:58these wild animals become part of the family in people's homes.
0:03:00 > 0:03:04In the small town of Mount Evelyn in the south of Australia,
0:03:04 > 0:03:07Sue Samphier has dedicated her life and her home
0:03:07 > 0:03:11to caring for one of Australia's lesser-known marsupials...
0:03:13 > 0:03:15..the wombat.
0:03:19 > 0:03:24Over the years, Sue has raised ten orphaned wombats.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29Her newest arrival is Stacey...
0:03:32 > 0:03:34..a five-month-old, bare-nosed wombat
0:03:34 > 0:03:37who's been with Sue for four weeks.
0:03:38 > 0:03:42Oh, yes, don't you bite. Don't you bite me.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45Stacey was rescued after her mother was run over.
0:03:49 > 0:03:50Let's wrap you up.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55You know what's coming, don't you? Hey? There you go.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58Wombats tend to often graze beside the road at night
0:03:58 > 0:04:01and, unfortunately the next morning when we often go out,
0:04:01 > 0:04:03there'll be roadkill beside the road.
0:04:05 > 0:04:09Stacey was just four-and-a-half months old when she was rescued
0:04:09 > 0:04:12and still living in her mother's pouch.
0:04:14 > 0:04:18Despite her tough start, she's responding well to Sue's care
0:04:18 > 0:04:22and developing quite a strong personality.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25Some wombats are not so sweet,
0:04:25 > 0:04:27but she certainly is
0:04:27 > 0:04:29and I love the way that she's just full of life,
0:04:29 > 0:04:31running around and everything, you know.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37Butting stuff and bulldozing through things
0:04:37 > 0:04:39is all typical wombat behaviour, which is great,
0:04:39 > 0:04:41because that's what we want to see.
0:04:41 > 0:04:45In the wild, Stacey would be living in a burrow with her mother.
0:04:49 > 0:04:53Her long, shovel-like claws are perfect for digging.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57And her strong teeth are designed for chewing roots,
0:04:57 > 0:05:02bark and vegetation - well adapted for a life in the bush.
0:05:02 > 0:05:06Although perhaps not best suited to Sue's living room!
0:05:06 > 0:05:10She's certainly not as easy to look after in the house.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13If you don't watch her, she can start chewing all the woodwork.
0:05:16 > 0:05:17I've always got to be very careful
0:05:17 > 0:05:19to keep an eye on her when she's out.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22She tends to chew the curtains as well.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25Wombats are notoriously stubborn creatures
0:05:25 > 0:05:28and become quite territorial when they mature.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35But for Stacey that's still a long way off -
0:05:35 > 0:05:38it'll be over a year before she can be released.
0:05:40 > 0:05:42So in the meantime, Sue must do everything she can
0:05:42 > 0:05:46to prepare her for her return to the wild.
0:05:49 > 0:05:53Today, I'm joining them for Stacey's first trip outside in Sue's garden.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57Let's get the last bit of this fence up
0:05:57 > 0:06:00so that Stacey doesn't do a runner.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09Stacey's been living inside until now. At about this age,
0:06:09 > 0:06:11they would start to emerge from the pouch.
0:06:11 > 0:06:15It's important that she gets used to the outside world and to the ground.
0:06:15 > 0:06:19- There she is!- How are you going? All set up?- She's ready.
0:06:19 > 0:06:21- OK, I'll pass her over to you.- Thanks.
0:06:21 > 0:06:25- Just pass that over.- Hello. Hee...
0:06:25 > 0:06:30So this is going to be great - a bit of exploring on the grass.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33- Shall I just put her down gently? - Yeah, just put her down. Yeah.
0:06:33 > 0:06:37Check it out, Stacey! What do you think?
0:06:40 > 0:06:42She's not quite used to grass yet.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57In the wild, Stacey would be leaving the burrow
0:06:57 > 0:06:59for short exploratory trips...
0:07:02 > 0:07:05..but always staying close to her mother.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08So this is actually typical behaviour.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13She sees me as mum.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21Sue, why do they need to come outside when they're so young?
0:07:21 > 0:07:26Learning sight, smells, sounds - very important from a young age.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29If we kept her inside right through until
0:07:29 > 0:07:32she was almost ready to go outside - at 12 to 14 months old -
0:07:32 > 0:07:34it would be such a shock and set her back.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37These excursions will help build Stacey's confidence.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40Hello! Look at my tunnel.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43And already she's overcome her initial nerves.
0:07:43 > 0:07:45Come on!
0:07:47 > 0:07:50- She's pretty fast, isn't she? - She is. They can do up to 40km/h
0:07:50 > 0:07:54when they're adults, so it's quite fast.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57Sometimes they don't particularly look where they're going
0:07:57 > 0:07:59- and bulldoze into things.- Yeah.
0:07:59 > 0:08:03- She thinks that's her pouch. - Oh, I'm sorry. It's a trick.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05You're out.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09How can you not love one of these?
0:08:15 > 0:08:18Stacey is progressing well
0:08:18 > 0:08:20and she's developed a strong bond with Sue.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23But if her eventual release is going to be successful,
0:08:23 > 0:08:26she really needs the company of another wombat.
0:08:27 > 0:08:30It's really important to pair them up,
0:08:30 > 0:08:33just establishing the fact that they're not a human,
0:08:33 > 0:08:34that they're wombat.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37Stacey has been alone for over two months
0:08:37 > 0:08:41but at last Sue thinks she may have found the answer to Stacey's needs.
0:08:41 > 0:08:43One of my carers has little Heidi,
0:08:43 > 0:08:45who's a little bit bigger than Stacey
0:08:45 > 0:08:47but is going to be a really good weight for her
0:08:47 > 0:08:50and so we're hoping to pair them up.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53If Stacey gets along with Heidi the wombat,
0:08:53 > 0:08:55the plan is that they eventually
0:08:55 > 0:08:56live together with Sue
0:08:56 > 0:09:00and then continue their journey back to the wild together,
0:09:00 > 0:09:01so the stakes are high.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05But Sue is concerned.
0:09:05 > 0:09:10Stacey was paired up before but it didn't work out and she was bullied.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15I'm feeling a little apprehensive.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18Stacey didn't get on with her last pen mate.
0:09:18 > 0:09:22He was boisterous and they tend to bite - nip them on the ears.
0:09:22 > 0:09:24Because she'd had such a stressful time
0:09:24 > 0:09:27she actually did lose a bit of weight.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31She's been on her own ever since,
0:09:31 > 0:09:34so Sue is determined to find her a companion.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47All marsupials are raised in pouches.
0:09:47 > 0:09:49If they are orphaned, this close physical bond
0:09:49 > 0:09:55has to be replicated somehow, or they may not survive the stress.
0:09:58 > 0:10:019,000 miles away in the Central American
0:10:01 > 0:10:05country of Costa Rica, Max Hug Williams is finding out
0:10:05 > 0:10:08how they care for the orphans from the country's rainforests.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16It's one of the most biodiverse countries on the planet,
0:10:16 > 0:10:20with more than a quarter of it made up of protected rainforests
0:10:20 > 0:10:23and national parks.
0:10:23 > 0:10:24Costa Rica is a haven for wildlife
0:10:24 > 0:10:26with some of the most incredible
0:10:26 > 0:10:28species on the planet.
0:10:28 > 0:10:29But like anywhere where wildlife
0:10:29 > 0:10:32lives alongside humans, there are problems.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36And when animals and humans collide,
0:10:36 > 0:10:39it's often the wildlife that pays the price.
0:10:40 > 0:10:44I've come to wildlife sanctuary Kids Saving The Rainforest,
0:10:44 > 0:10:47a haven on Costa Rica's Pacific coast...
0:10:49 > 0:10:51..dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating
0:10:51 > 0:10:56orphaned and injured animals and returning them back to the wild.
0:10:58 > 0:11:02Wildlife manager Sam Trull's main responsibility
0:11:02 > 0:11:05is caring for the centre's many orphaned sloths.
0:11:06 > 0:11:11She shares her tiny apartment with six of these extraordinary animals
0:11:11 > 0:11:14which, in spite of their laidback reputations,
0:11:14 > 0:11:16are notoriously difficult to raise.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19Sloths are NOT easy to take care of.
0:11:19 > 0:11:21Sloths are probably the most time-intensive orphan
0:11:21 > 0:11:24you could possibly ask for.
0:11:25 > 0:11:30But the one who Sam and I have been worrying about the most is Newbie.
0:11:32 > 0:11:36Four-month-old Newbie, a three-toed sloth,
0:11:36 > 0:11:40was rescued when her mum was killed by a dog.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42Not wanting to tempt fate,
0:11:42 > 0:11:47Sam has refused to give her a proper name until she's sure she'll make it.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50But Newbie has been suffering from pneumonia.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53And after a recent dramatic relapse
0:11:53 > 0:11:56it looked as though she might not pull through.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59Even though she's still hanging in there, if we can't cure her,
0:11:59 > 0:12:01then she'll never make it back to the wild
0:12:01 > 0:12:03and she probably won't survive.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05But to everyone's relief,
0:12:05 > 0:12:07she's started to respond to the new medicine.
0:12:13 > 0:12:15Now I'm keen to find out how she's getting on.
0:12:17 > 0:12:19She's come a long, long way.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22I mean, the reason you called her Newbie is cos you thought
0:12:22 > 0:12:23she wasn't going to make it.
0:12:23 > 0:12:27She still actually has pneumonia but she's doing a lot better.
0:12:27 > 0:12:31We've been nebulising her with oxygen and antibiotics twice a day.
0:12:31 > 0:12:35She also gets an antibiotic injected
0:12:35 > 0:12:37and she's on supplements including vitamins.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39Basically, anything and everything
0:12:39 > 0:12:41we can think of that might be helpful.
0:12:41 > 0:12:42Fingers crossed, I think it's working,
0:12:42 > 0:12:46but I still don't want to name her anything official just yet.
0:12:46 > 0:12:50- There's a lot of noises coming from her stomach.- Yes!
0:12:50 > 0:12:51She's getting full.
0:12:51 > 0:12:52Her stomach gurgles a lot.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58I think we're all out, I'm afraid, Newbie.
0:12:58 > 0:13:02- Lunch is over.- That was pretty good for your first time feeding a sloth.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05Sat here with Newbie,
0:13:05 > 0:13:09it's so easy to forget she's already been through so much.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12She lost her mother, she's come in with pneumonia
0:13:12 > 0:13:16and it's still a long, long way before she'll be back in the wild.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22If she's EVER to complete that journey,
0:13:22 > 0:13:25Sam has to make sure Newbie knows how to climb.
0:13:27 > 0:13:31I like this tree because it's got a bunch of different sized branches,
0:13:31 > 0:13:34but they're all pretty small, so it should be a good tree to use.
0:13:34 > 0:13:36Hopefully she doesn't try and go too high,
0:13:36 > 0:13:38then I might get a little nervous.
0:13:40 > 0:13:44It is so nice to see her climbing around given that she's not
0:13:44 > 0:13:47- been feeling like doing anything in the last few days.- Yeah.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50She wouldn't be climbing and sniffing and exploring
0:13:50 > 0:13:51if she didn't feel good.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53She is having fun.
0:13:56 > 0:13:57They're so dexterous.
0:13:57 > 0:14:00You can see how they're just completely designed for the trees,
0:14:00 > 0:14:01- aren't they?- They are.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03She looks so natural up there.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08Sloths are slow but expert climbers
0:14:08 > 0:14:11and can even sleep hanging from branches.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16To cope with this upside-down lifestyle,
0:14:16 > 0:14:18their skeleton is different to that
0:14:18 > 0:14:21of any other animal on Earth with extra vertebrae
0:14:21 > 0:14:25in their necks so they can look around while they're upside down.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30Even their hair grows in the opposite direction,
0:14:30 > 0:14:32which helps the rainwater run off.
0:14:33 > 0:14:35SNAP Whoa!
0:14:35 > 0:14:38She looked a bit shocked when that little branch broke off then,
0:14:38 > 0:14:41but they have to learn not to climb dead branches,
0:14:41 > 0:14:43otherwise they're going to be in a lot of trouble.
0:14:43 > 0:14:47They definitely have to learn what's safe to touch and what's not.
0:14:49 > 0:14:53In the wild, sloths use their excellent sense of smell
0:14:53 > 0:14:55to detect dangerous, decaying branches.
0:15:01 > 0:15:03I think Newbie's got herself in a bit of a pickle here.
0:15:03 > 0:15:07She's sort of spread-eagled between two branches
0:15:07 > 0:15:08and she's sniffing at this one
0:15:08 > 0:15:12and almost seems to know that it's dead, but she hasn't got much option.
0:15:12 > 0:15:16She's only got two tiny little twigs in front of her
0:15:16 > 0:15:19and I think we're moving in just in case we need to catch.
0:15:19 > 0:15:20She's stuck.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26She's only got this tiny little... CRACKING
0:15:26 > 0:15:28Whoa! Did you...
0:15:30 > 0:15:34- Newbie!- Whoa! That was close!
0:15:35 > 0:15:37She definitely wasn't wanting to go to that branch,
0:15:37 > 0:15:39so she was just like,
0:15:39 > 0:15:40"I guess I have no choice."
0:15:40 > 0:15:43But that's one reason why their mums are still supposed to be there.
0:15:43 > 0:15:44I suppose that's a good lesson to learn.
0:15:44 > 0:15:48Newbs! You scared Mummy.
0:15:50 > 0:15:54Despite a few stumbles, Newbie is making steady progress,
0:15:54 > 0:15:58but pneumonia in sloths is notoriously hard to cure,
0:15:58 > 0:16:02so Sam will remain apprehensive about Newbie's future
0:16:02 > 0:16:04until the vet gives her the all clear.
0:16:08 > 0:16:09Here in the south of Australia,
0:16:09 > 0:16:12carer Sue is also feeling apprehensive.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16Her six-month-old orphaned wombat Stacey
0:16:16 > 0:16:19is about to meet a potential companion.
0:16:20 > 0:16:24Elise is part of a local network of volunteer wildlife carers
0:16:24 > 0:16:29and they hope that Heidi, her seven-month-old
0:16:29 > 0:16:33orphaned wombat, will prove the perfect match for Stacey.
0:16:34 > 0:16:36Look, here's a buddy for you.
0:16:36 > 0:16:40Sue is worried that Stacey's experience of being
0:16:40 > 0:16:45bullied by the last wombat she was paired up with, might put her off...
0:16:45 > 0:16:46She's not too sure.
0:16:48 > 0:16:51It's a little bit like leaving a creche for the first time.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54She says, "Don't leave, Mum."
0:16:54 > 0:16:56STACEY HISSES
0:16:56 > 0:16:58Yeah.
0:16:58 > 0:16:59STACEY HISSES
0:16:59 > 0:17:00Despite Stacey's alarm calls...
0:17:00 > 0:17:04- Yeah, it's OK. - ..Sue can't interfere.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07Both Stacey and Heidi's chances of being released successfully
0:17:07 > 0:17:11will be much higher if Sue can raise them together.
0:17:11 > 0:17:13She's not adverse to her, she's just not too sure.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19Come on. Say hello.
0:17:19 > 0:17:22She just wants a bit of reassurance, don't you? It's all right.
0:17:22 > 0:17:23Yeah, it's all right.
0:17:25 > 0:17:26THEY LAUGH
0:17:26 > 0:17:28A bit of shoving.
0:17:28 > 0:17:29And you can see already
0:17:29 > 0:17:31she's starting to gain a bit of confidence.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34- It's harmless shoving though. - Go on, Stacey.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38Stacey's confidence may have improved
0:17:38 > 0:17:40but she's still not comfortable around Heidi.
0:17:40 > 0:17:43STACEY HISSES
0:17:43 > 0:17:45I think Stacey's not quite ready yet.
0:17:45 > 0:17:46Slowly but surely,
0:17:46 > 0:17:48a slow introduction is going to be what's best for her.
0:17:48 > 0:17:50If I were really, really confident,
0:17:50 > 0:17:52then I might have been tempted to try and match them up sooner,
0:17:52 > 0:17:56but this has just shown that, for Stacey,
0:17:56 > 0:18:00she needs a little bit more time to grow up on her own.
0:18:00 > 0:18:01Come on.
0:18:01 > 0:18:06The plan is to continue to introduce Stacey to Heidi with short visits
0:18:06 > 0:18:11so the two gradually bond, but for now it's all too much too soon.
0:18:11 > 0:18:13I know.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16Fortunately time is on their side
0:18:16 > 0:18:20and Sue can afford to take things at Stacey's pace.
0:18:20 > 0:18:23Patience and perseverance are essential qualities
0:18:23 > 0:18:26for anyone looking after rescued wildlife.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32Here in Costa Rica, Newbie the orphaned sloth
0:18:32 > 0:18:36has been testing both of these traits in carer Sam to the limit.
0:18:37 > 0:18:42Her battle with pneumonia has been a long ordeal for both of them.
0:18:42 > 0:18:43If she can't beat this infection,
0:18:43 > 0:18:46Newbie will never go back to the wild.
0:18:47 > 0:18:49Today she has an appointment with the vet
0:18:49 > 0:18:52to see if all of that perseverance has paid off.
0:18:52 > 0:18:56- How is she?- Well, she's kind of back and forth.
0:18:56 > 0:18:58Personality wise I think she's doing really well,
0:18:58 > 0:19:00I just want to see how you think her lungs sound.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06- And are you doing nebulisations too? - Mm-hm.- Twice a day.- Mm-hm.
0:19:12 > 0:19:13Her eyes look bright.
0:19:13 > 0:19:17I don't see any secretion, I don't see any decolouration either.
0:19:17 > 0:19:19So she doesn't look dehydrated.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22Her colour, I think it's better than before.
0:19:25 > 0:19:29- She's strong. She's very active. - She is very active.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39Sam thinks the stress of being orphaned triggered the disease,
0:19:39 > 0:19:41so she has done all that she can to nurture
0:19:41 > 0:19:44and reassure this baby sloth ever since.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56- Good?- She sounds very good.
0:19:58 > 0:20:00I can definitely hear both lungs very clear.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04I think that since last time her lungs are clear.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10- Sam, you are doing a good job. - Thank you.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13It's the best possible news.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16With Sam's help, Newbie has finally beaten the pneumonia.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19Some days you feel like you're just always losing
0:20:19 > 0:20:23and why are you even doing this to begin with? But today is a good day
0:20:23 > 0:20:25because Newbie sounds good.
0:20:25 > 0:20:30This news changes everything, and at last Sam feels confident enough
0:20:30 > 0:20:32to give Newbie a proper name.
0:20:35 > 0:20:38- I know you only gave her the temporary name Newbie...- Mm-hm.
0:20:38 > 0:20:42..originally because you were too scared to name her properly
0:20:42 > 0:20:45because it didn't look like she was going to make it.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48I couldn't bring myself to actually pick a proper name for her
0:20:48 > 0:20:50because I just was worried it would jinx her.
0:20:50 > 0:20:54- She needs a proper name now. Look at her!- She deserves a proper name.
0:20:54 > 0:20:55- Top of the tree.- I know.
0:20:58 > 0:21:00She is, she's ready for a name.
0:21:03 > 0:21:07Do you know the name Modoc? M-O-D-O-C.
0:21:07 > 0:21:09This is the story behind it.
0:21:09 > 0:21:13When I was a little girl, I wrote a book about an elephant named Modoc.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16It's a good story of overcoming obstacles
0:21:16 > 0:21:21and it's also the story of why you shouldn't give up.
0:21:21 > 0:21:23Oh, it sounds perfect for her.
0:21:23 > 0:21:27What more fitting name than Modoc for Newbie here,
0:21:27 > 0:21:31because she's well on the way to fighting through what seemed
0:21:31 > 0:21:35an impossible task and now, one day,
0:21:35 > 0:21:38she's going to be back out in the wild where she belongs.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46Modoc the sloth, like most of the animals at KSTR,
0:21:46 > 0:21:51would not have survived without Sam and the team's incredible dedication.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02But she can't celebrate for long.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05New orphans arrive almost every week
0:22:05 > 0:22:08and it's not long before there's another emergency.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10It's crazy, you really can't plan anything around here.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12We've just had a call from the fire department
0:22:12 > 0:22:14saying they've found a baby sloth.
0:22:14 > 0:22:18- Hey, Sam.- Hey, Max. They say it's a newborn baby sloth.
0:22:18 > 0:22:20I don't know if it's two-toed or three-toed.
0:22:20 > 0:22:22I don't know anything other than we have to go and meet them now.
0:22:22 > 0:22:24Let's jump in.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28Luckily it's only a 20-minute drive to the fire station
0:22:28 > 0:22:31in the nearby town of Quepos.
0:22:31 > 0:22:33It's crazy. I mean, sometimes it's such a whirlwind.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35But when a new animal comes in,
0:22:35 > 0:22:37especially something like a baby sloth,
0:22:37 > 0:22:40you have to react really quickly, go right away,
0:22:40 > 0:22:43because every day, every hour, every minute can make a difference
0:22:43 > 0:22:45in whether they survive or not.
0:22:45 > 0:22:46You'd better give me some directions,
0:22:46 > 0:22:48I've no idea where the fire station is.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51Just keep going. You're going the right way.
0:22:56 > 0:22:57Wow!
0:22:57 > 0:23:01- Aw...- It's barely got any hair! - It's right there.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06Aw! It's a two-toed.
0:23:06 > 0:23:12- It looks brand-new.- It's absolutely tiny, isn't it?- Is it OK if I...?
0:23:12 > 0:23:17- Hi!- How many days old do you think this little guy could be?
0:23:17 > 0:23:20I'll do a better exam once we get to the clinic, but mere days old.
0:23:23 > 0:23:24Thank you.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26OK.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34What did the guy say? Where did they find him?
0:23:34 > 0:23:35Apparently there was a couple
0:23:35 > 0:23:38walking along the beach this morning and they heard him crying.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41They make a really loud crying noise when they're not with their mothers.
0:23:41 > 0:23:43So they found him and they looked everywhere for the mum
0:23:43 > 0:23:47but they couldn't find her anywhere, and that's when they called 911.
0:23:47 > 0:23:48This is definitely a newborn
0:23:48 > 0:23:51that we're dealing with here. This is going to be tricky.
0:24:00 > 0:24:04The first stop is the centre's clinic for a thorough check over.
0:24:05 > 0:24:09So I'm just going to look over his body a little bit and see
0:24:09 > 0:24:13if we see any kind of wounds or anything that's abnormal.
0:24:15 > 0:24:19He looks good. I don't see any wounds at all, so that's good.
0:24:19 > 0:24:20Let's turn him over and look at his belly.
0:24:20 > 0:24:22So his belly button -
0:24:22 > 0:24:25the umbilical cord is gone but it's still inflamed.
0:24:25 > 0:24:29So it looks like the umbilical cord came off very recently.
0:24:29 > 0:24:34- He's really gripping on though.- The last thing that goes is their grip.
0:24:34 > 0:24:36The fact that he still has an extremely strong grip,
0:24:36 > 0:24:38that's really, really good.
0:24:40 > 0:24:44He's actually 275 grams - very small -
0:24:44 > 0:24:48and he's at the bottom of the normal weight range for two-toed sloths.
0:24:48 > 0:24:52Honestly, he's just so tiny that before we give him a proper name,
0:24:52 > 0:24:54I think we'll just call him Tiny.
0:24:56 > 0:25:00Tiny is the smallest sloth that Sam has ever looked after.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04And at this age, one of the biggest risks is dehydration.
0:25:04 > 0:25:06All right, bud, here we go.
0:25:06 > 0:25:10It's critical that Sam can get fluids into him fast.
0:25:14 > 0:25:15Oh, my gosh! Look!
0:25:16 > 0:25:18Good job, bud.
0:25:21 > 0:25:23That's amazing.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26This is...like the best result that we could possible hope for,
0:25:26 > 0:25:29because not only does he want to drink,
0:25:29 > 0:25:31but he clearly knows what he's doing.
0:25:31 > 0:25:33He's just so ridiculously tiny.
0:25:33 > 0:25:35How much fluid do you need to get inside him?
0:25:35 > 0:25:38If I could get 5ml in him,
0:25:38 > 0:25:40then I think that that would be a pretty good place to start
0:25:40 > 0:25:43for now. And at the next feeding in a couple of hours I'll try again
0:25:43 > 0:25:45and just keep going like that throughout the day.
0:25:51 > 0:25:52Tiny is just so small.
0:25:53 > 0:25:57I don't think I've ever seen a baby animal this vulnerable.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00And now, for Sam, it's going to be a massive commitment.
0:26:00 > 0:26:04She's got to look after him 24/7, feeding him every few hours
0:26:04 > 0:26:07and she's probably not going to get much sleep.
0:26:08 > 0:26:10Sam has finally got him stabilised.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14Now Tiny just needs warmth and comfort.
0:26:17 > 0:26:21So is he just going to rest now? He's had fluids, so he just needs to...
0:26:21 > 0:26:23He just needs to cling onto you
0:26:23 > 0:26:27- and be warm and feel safe. - Hello, little fella.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30Just keep him like that and hold him kind of tight so he doesn't start
0:26:30 > 0:26:33climbing all over you, cos that actually means he's kind of scared.
0:26:33 > 0:26:37He's tiny but he's strong. You'll be OK. I'll be back soon.
0:26:37 > 0:26:38Are you on the radio if anything...
0:26:38 > 0:26:40I am on the radio if anything happens. Thank you.
0:26:47 > 0:26:49He's half the size of my hand
0:26:49 > 0:26:51but he's got an awful lot of fight in him and I just hope
0:26:51 > 0:26:54he keeps that up and gets through these first few difficult days.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00After such a traumatic start to his young life,
0:27:00 > 0:27:03the odds of survival are stacked against him.
0:27:05 > 0:27:07For now, Tiny will join Modoc
0:27:07 > 0:27:10and the rest of the small band of orphaned sloths.
0:27:10 > 0:27:14And Sam will need to draw on all of her experience
0:27:14 > 0:27:15if she's to keep him going.
0:27:18 > 0:27:21Tiny is the latest arrival here,
0:27:21 > 0:27:26but the team cares for a HUGE variety of Costa Rican wildlife.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28Each animal needing specialised care.
0:27:30 > 0:27:34In 15 years they have raised over 300 orphans,
0:27:34 > 0:27:37but they are still faced with new challenges.
0:27:39 > 0:27:43Al is a 10-month-old northern tamandua.
0:27:43 > 0:27:45He's a type of tree-climbing anteater
0:27:45 > 0:27:50and the first of his species that KSTR have ever raised.
0:27:50 > 0:27:52I've met a lot of different animals over the years,
0:27:52 > 0:27:54but there's something about anteaters.
0:27:54 > 0:27:58They're just such quirky, amazing creatures,
0:27:58 > 0:28:02but I had no idea how much character they had.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05It's a natural instinct to just explore, I think,
0:28:05 > 0:28:09and just tap into everything. Start sticking your nose into anything.
0:28:09 > 0:28:13Look, see. As soon as he sees ear, he's in.
0:28:13 > 0:28:15I'm afraid there's no termites in there, fella.
0:28:15 > 0:28:16HE LAUGHS
0:28:16 > 0:28:19Al was rescued when he was just four weeks old
0:28:19 > 0:28:22after his mother was run over.
0:28:22 > 0:28:28Now, nine months on, he's being raised by KSTR wildlife carer Hannah.
0:28:30 > 0:28:32But caring for Al is a huge challenge.
0:28:32 > 0:28:36He has a highly specialised diet, which requires Hannah to collect
0:28:36 > 0:28:39thousands of termites for him every day.
0:28:43 > 0:28:45Here you go. Breakfast in bed.
0:28:51 > 0:28:54Al is well adapted to this fast moving meal,
0:28:54 > 0:28:58with powerful claws to break open the nest.
0:28:58 > 0:29:01His mouth only opens to the size of a pencil
0:29:01 > 0:29:05but inside is one of the longest tongues in the animal kingdom...
0:29:06 > 0:29:11..up to 40cm long and covered with tiny spines and sticky saliva -
0:29:11 > 0:29:15it's perfect for hoovering up ants and termites.
0:29:18 > 0:29:21Despite the challenges, Hannah has a strong bond with Al.
0:29:21 > 0:29:23Al is one of a kind
0:29:23 > 0:29:26and so is the relationship that I have with him.
0:29:26 > 0:29:28It's a very tricky business
0:29:28 > 0:29:31here with these orphans - they need the love
0:29:31 > 0:29:33and the attention because they don't have parents.
0:29:33 > 0:29:35Their parents are taken away from them
0:29:35 > 0:29:38and we try and step in and fill that role.
0:29:38 > 0:29:43It's really very difficult raising and rehabbing orphans
0:29:43 > 0:29:45to try and get them back to the wild.
0:29:45 > 0:29:49And with Al, Hannah's main problem is the amount of food he needs.
0:29:49 > 0:29:53There is no way she can collect the 8,000 termites
0:29:53 > 0:29:55he must eat every day,
0:29:55 > 0:29:58so instead, she supplements his diet with goats milk.
0:29:59 > 0:30:01At the age Al is at right now,
0:30:01 > 0:30:05he actually wouldn't be getting milk from his mother in the wild,
0:30:05 > 0:30:09but to sustain not only his weight, but also growth,
0:30:09 > 0:30:11he needs to be given milk on a daily basis.
0:30:11 > 0:30:13You like your milk, Al?
0:30:13 > 0:30:15SLURPING
0:30:15 > 0:30:16Looks like it.
0:30:17 > 0:30:21When I put termites and milk in his cage at the same time,
0:30:21 > 0:30:23he always goes for the milk first,
0:30:23 > 0:30:27so it's definitely his favourite and I think he's going to miss it.
0:30:30 > 0:30:33Al is growing well, and he's getting to an age where he could be
0:30:33 > 0:30:38released back into the wild, but Hannah has a serious concern.
0:30:39 > 0:30:45I don't think he really knows how much he has to forage in order
0:30:45 > 0:30:48to keep weight on him and continue to grow,
0:30:48 > 0:30:51so he's got a lot to learn.
0:30:51 > 0:30:55If Al's going to make it back to the wild, she will have to get him
0:30:55 > 0:30:59off the milk and learning to forage in earnest.
0:31:02 > 0:31:06Feeding is critical for successfully raising wild orphans.
0:31:10 > 0:31:13But every animal has a specific diet
0:31:13 > 0:31:16and it's often one of the hardest things to get right.
0:31:22 > 0:31:25Al's appetite for milk may be holding him back,
0:31:25 > 0:31:28but it's a very different story in Australia.
0:31:31 > 0:31:34Here on the outskirts of Melbourne, Stacey the wombat
0:31:34 > 0:31:37has been with carer Sue for five months now,
0:31:37 > 0:31:40but a major problem has developed -
0:31:40 > 0:31:43Stacey has been flatly refusing to drink her milk
0:31:43 > 0:31:45and Sue fears the worst.
0:31:45 > 0:31:49Come on. You can see what's going on. Refusing.
0:31:50 > 0:31:52A wombat that can't eat can't be released.
0:31:52 > 0:31:55In Victoria the laws are quite strict. So, unfortunately,
0:31:55 > 0:31:59if they are compromised at all, they can't be kept in captivity.
0:31:59 > 0:32:03And personally I think a life in captivity for an animal
0:32:03 > 0:32:04like this is not fair.
0:32:06 > 0:32:07As you can hear in my voice,
0:32:07 > 0:32:10it is hard not to be attached to these guys
0:32:10 > 0:32:14and, um, hopefully the outcome will be good.
0:32:15 > 0:32:18I'm not a vet so I can't make that call.
0:32:20 > 0:32:25Turning down her milk could indicate a serious underlying problem
0:32:25 > 0:32:28so Stacey's off to the local wildlife hospital.
0:32:28 > 0:32:31- What have you brought in for us today?- I've got Stacey.
0:32:31 > 0:32:33I noticed that in the last week or so
0:32:33 > 0:32:36she's been fiddling with the bottle,
0:32:36 > 0:32:40not drinking very well, sometimes not drinking at all.
0:32:40 > 0:32:43It'll be easier for us to get a good look if we knock her out.
0:32:43 > 0:32:45- We'll let you know what we find. - Yeah.
0:32:49 > 0:32:53In order to thoroughly examine her, head vet Paul Eden
0:32:53 > 0:32:55will need to anaesthetise Stacey.
0:32:57 > 0:32:59- All right. How's she going, Kelly? - Good.
0:32:59 > 0:33:02I think we're deep enough to have a good look.
0:33:02 > 0:33:05The first place to check is Stacey's mouth, in case there is
0:33:05 > 0:33:08something physical preventing her drinking.
0:33:08 > 0:33:10If they are not able to get that food into their mouth
0:33:10 > 0:33:13normally or to chew their food normally, they'll essentially
0:33:13 > 0:33:16just waste away and die and it tends to be a bit of
0:33:16 > 0:33:20a slow kind of death, which is pretty horrible.
0:33:26 > 0:33:29Yeah, there's certainly no signs of ulceration there.
0:33:30 > 0:33:34Hey, little girl, let's have a look inside your other teeth.
0:33:37 > 0:33:40- They're actually quite normal.- Yeah.
0:33:46 > 0:33:50So I think that all looks normal. There's no ulceration there,
0:33:50 > 0:33:52the teeth look like they are in good condition
0:33:52 > 0:33:56and so, yeah, I don't think it's anything to be too concerned about.
0:33:58 > 0:34:00It's good news, for a groggy Stacey.
0:34:02 > 0:34:06They've given her a good health check all over, checked her bones
0:34:06 > 0:34:08and everything and everything looks really good
0:34:08 > 0:34:12so I'm really pleased. I'm very relieved, I have to say!
0:34:14 > 0:34:17There may be nothing medically wrong with Stacey,
0:34:17 > 0:34:19but the fact remains that she is off her milk.
0:34:20 > 0:34:23She's refusing to drink no matter what.
0:34:23 > 0:34:25When I give her the bottle
0:34:25 > 0:34:27she's just spitting it out most of the time.
0:34:27 > 0:34:31Wombats are very stubborn and Stacey probably is a very typical wombat.
0:34:31 > 0:34:36Despite Stacey's reluctance, she is only nine months old
0:34:36 > 0:34:40and needs the high fat content in the milk to grow.
0:34:40 > 0:34:42In the wild, joeys drink their mothers milk for up to
0:34:42 > 0:34:4715 months, so Sue has decided to try a new technique.
0:34:49 > 0:34:50Come on.
0:34:51 > 0:34:54Try that. Yeah, there's some there on the plate.
0:34:54 > 0:34:55Come on.
0:35:01 > 0:35:02Oops!
0:35:02 > 0:35:06True to form, Stacey is as stubborn as ever.
0:35:06 > 0:35:08Now you've tipped it all out.
0:35:12 > 0:35:14Time for a clean up.
0:35:17 > 0:35:19You don't want milk around their mouth
0:35:19 > 0:35:21because the fur comes away.
0:35:21 > 0:35:23So you have to keep them quite clean.
0:35:23 > 0:35:24She's been having baths
0:35:24 > 0:35:26since she was quite young.
0:35:27 > 0:35:30In the wild, mum would lick her and keep her clean.
0:35:30 > 0:35:32Hygiene is even important out in the wild
0:35:32 > 0:35:35and mums naturally would lick them,
0:35:35 > 0:35:36but I'm not going to lick her!
0:35:36 > 0:35:40So this is the way that we would do it.
0:35:40 > 0:35:42And she doesn't mind a bath.
0:35:42 > 0:35:44She quite likes having a bath, don't you?
0:35:53 > 0:35:56She just thinks this is a time that she can play. Yes!
0:36:02 > 0:36:04OK. All clean?
0:36:06 > 0:36:11All Sue can do is try and maintain Stacey's weight on vegetables alone.
0:36:11 > 0:36:15If she can do this, then Stacey can start having regular play dates
0:36:15 > 0:36:19with Heidi, the potential new companion Sue has lined up for her.
0:36:29 > 0:36:33Here in Costa Rica, Sam is also fighting a battle over food.
0:36:34 > 0:36:37Tiny, the rescued newborn sloth, must start feeding
0:36:37 > 0:36:39if he's going to survive.
0:36:40 > 0:36:43He definitely has been acting hungry ever since he came,
0:36:43 > 0:36:46and, um, acts like he wants to nurse,
0:36:46 > 0:36:50but he still is having some issues kind of getting the hang of it
0:36:50 > 0:36:53and really kind of learning how to feed.
0:36:53 > 0:36:56Without milk he has no chance of living.
0:36:59 > 0:37:03I mean, he is a newborn, and even a newborn with his actual mum
0:37:03 > 0:37:05can sometimes have an adjustment period
0:37:05 > 0:37:08in learning how to feed properly.
0:37:10 > 0:37:13In the wild, Tiny would lie on his mother's chest to feed
0:37:13 > 0:37:17while she hangs upside down from the branches.
0:37:18 > 0:37:21So Sam is doing her best to simulate that same effect.
0:37:25 > 0:37:28Basically he has to drink this if he wants to survive.
0:37:30 > 0:37:32Even in the right position,
0:37:32 > 0:37:35Tiny is still reluctant to feed from the plastic tube.
0:37:39 > 0:37:41Wakey wakey.
0:37:41 > 0:37:42Yeah. Come on.
0:37:45 > 0:37:49There's just kind of something about rubbing skin in front of his face
0:37:49 > 0:37:51that seems to make him want to suckle.
0:37:53 > 0:37:56Wow! Look at that.
0:37:58 > 0:37:59He's sucking pretty quickly.
0:38:09 > 0:38:10There you go.
0:38:19 > 0:38:23Getting any newborn wild animal to accept substitute milk
0:38:23 > 0:38:25can be difficult.
0:38:27 > 0:38:31I mean, he's a newborn, he falls asleep at the drop of a hat.
0:38:31 > 0:38:34He's only managed to drink a few millilitres of milk,
0:38:34 > 0:38:35but it's a start.
0:38:37 > 0:38:41If he continues to feed, there is a chance he could survive.
0:38:46 > 0:38:50Tiny isn't the only resident at KSTR who's having trouble feeding.
0:38:53 > 0:38:56I'm back with Al, who lives a charmed life with termites
0:38:56 > 0:38:59and milk delivered daily.
0:38:59 > 0:39:03But to survive in the wild he'll have to learn how to feed himself.
0:39:05 > 0:39:11He's got to use these claws and that tongue to get 8,000 ants a day.
0:39:13 > 0:39:17He's got a lot to learn before he's a proper wild anteater again,
0:39:17 > 0:39:19and that's not going to be easy.
0:39:19 > 0:39:21I think he's going to get a bit of a shock.
0:39:23 > 0:39:26To help him learn to forage for himself, Hannah takes him
0:39:26 > 0:39:30out to the trees around the centre every day.
0:39:30 > 0:39:31Go on, Al.
0:39:32 > 0:39:36He is learning how to eat as much as he needs to
0:39:36 > 0:39:38to continue gaining weight,
0:39:38 > 0:39:40because he's not full size right now.
0:39:40 > 0:39:42He should be about three times this size
0:39:42 > 0:39:44when he's completely full-grown.
0:39:47 > 0:39:48Without his mother to teach him,
0:39:48 > 0:39:52young Al has to pick up his climbing technique through trial...
0:39:54 > 0:39:55..and error!
0:39:58 > 0:40:01Fortunately he's well adapted to life in the trees,
0:40:01 > 0:40:05with a strong prehensile tail that can EASILY support his body weight.
0:40:09 > 0:40:11A wild adult tamandua would have to find
0:40:11 > 0:40:14up to 80 ant and termite nests every day!
0:40:14 > 0:40:17So Al really has his work cut out.
0:40:19 > 0:40:25He can't figure out how to get enough nutrition
0:40:25 > 0:40:30from being outside and foraging himself.
0:40:30 > 0:40:32He's going to have a serious problem.
0:40:32 > 0:40:36Until now, Hannah has only brought Al termites,
0:40:36 > 0:40:40but to get sufficient food he'll also need to eat ants -
0:40:40 > 0:40:44which in Costa Rica tend to come with a rather painful bite.
0:40:48 > 0:40:52Hannah has brought him to one of the biggest ant nests in the forest.
0:40:55 > 0:40:58In the wild, tamanduas only spend a short time
0:40:58 > 0:41:02feeding at an individual ant nest before moving on.
0:41:02 > 0:41:06It's a behaviour which allows the nest to regenerate,
0:41:06 > 0:41:08and ensures a constant supply of food.
0:41:10 > 0:41:14And a quick visit also means you can get out of there
0:41:14 > 0:41:16before the ants overwhelm you.
0:41:18 > 0:41:20But Al has left it far too late.
0:41:32 > 0:41:34If he's ever going to survive in the wild,
0:41:34 > 0:41:39Al will have to learn the knack for tackling this feisty food.
0:41:44 > 0:41:49Al may need encouragement to feed, but here in Southern Australia
0:41:49 > 0:41:53Stacey the bare-nosed wombat has given up on milk altogether.
0:41:55 > 0:41:57Sue has been feeding her vegetables
0:41:57 > 0:42:00and it's vital that she monitors Stacey's weight regularly.
0:42:00 > 0:42:02For some home carers,
0:42:02 > 0:42:05weigh day means a trip to the local post office!
0:42:07 > 0:42:09Come on.
0:42:09 > 0:42:12- Look at you!- She's getting too hard to weigh at home now,
0:42:12 > 0:42:14so let's try one more time.
0:42:14 > 0:42:19- 4.3. Good girl.- Good girl.
0:42:19 > 0:42:20Whoops! Good girl.
0:42:20 > 0:42:22Good girl.
0:42:22 > 0:42:26That's good, isn't it? Hey?
0:42:26 > 0:42:29Since last time I weighed her, which is a few weeks,
0:42:29 > 0:42:32she's put on about 300 grams, so that's good.
0:42:32 > 0:42:33With Sue's fears allayed,
0:42:33 > 0:42:36the much needed play dates with Heidi can resume.
0:42:38 > 0:42:42And a few weeks later, Sue has got them both living with her.
0:42:45 > 0:42:48Oh, she's so GORGEOUS.
0:42:48 > 0:42:50Look at this.
0:42:50 > 0:42:53- She's really grown well, hasn't she? - She has, she's doing really well.
0:42:53 > 0:42:55Hello, hello.
0:42:55 > 0:42:58And so now she's joined by Heidi. How's that going?
0:42:58 > 0:43:00Well, I wouldn't say they love each other yet,
0:43:00 > 0:43:01but they're certainly showing signs,
0:43:01 > 0:43:04they're not aggressive towards each other so that's good.
0:43:04 > 0:43:06These two don't need to get along brilliantly,
0:43:06 > 0:43:09but they do need the company of their own species.
0:43:09 > 0:43:11What's the next step for Stacey?
0:43:11 > 0:43:13What we're hoping to do is take them for a walk,
0:43:13 > 0:43:16and so this is just to get them used to each other.
0:43:16 > 0:43:18And is there a risk that these two are just going to scarper?
0:43:18 > 0:43:20Definitely. That's the biggest worry,
0:43:20 > 0:43:22so I hope you've got your running shoes on.
0:43:22 > 0:43:25- We're going to have to keep our wits about us, aren't we?- Yes.
0:43:25 > 0:43:27Let's put you to work. This is such a ruse, isn't it?
0:43:27 > 0:43:31Stacey's looking really sleepy, but she's just going to go, I know it.
0:43:31 > 0:43:34- That's right!- So whereabouts, here? - Yeah, just here.- All right, ready?
0:43:34 > 0:43:36Ooh...
0:43:36 > 0:43:39THEY LAUGH
0:43:39 > 0:43:42Hey, that's not what you're supposed to do.
0:43:42 > 0:43:43Let's just get her before she...
0:43:43 > 0:43:45I'm going to do a bit of a quick rescue here.
0:43:47 > 0:43:50Let's go again. This way. Stacey? Come on.
0:43:52 > 0:43:55Come on. Stacey, what's this?
0:43:55 > 0:43:56SHE LAUGHS
0:43:56 > 0:43:58Stacey, come back!
0:44:01 > 0:44:04There's an awful lot to interest them in this garden.
0:44:04 > 0:44:05But they haven't gone too far.
0:44:05 > 0:44:07We haven't lost them to the neighbours, have we?
0:44:07 > 0:44:09Not yet.
0:44:09 > 0:44:10Optimist.
0:44:12 > 0:44:16Stacey's confidence and energy are testimony to Sue's hard work.
0:44:16 > 0:44:21In the wild, wombats can travel up to two miles a day looking for food.
0:44:21 > 0:44:25So it's vital that these two youngsters build up their stamina.
0:44:25 > 0:44:27When she puts on a turn of speed,
0:44:27 > 0:44:30it's quite incredible how quickly she catches up with you.
0:44:36 > 0:44:39Come on. Come on, Heidi.
0:44:39 > 0:44:41Come on, Heidi. Come on.
0:44:41 > 0:44:43Come on.
0:44:43 > 0:44:45Aw.
0:44:45 > 0:44:46Come on.
0:44:46 > 0:44:49Tired! Tired Stacey.
0:44:50 > 0:44:54- She's not very tired, is she?- She's still going.- She's still going.
0:44:54 > 0:44:57- Was that a success?- We didn't lose them so that's a bonus!
0:44:57 > 0:44:59- They're not in the neighbour's garden.- No, that's right.
0:44:59 > 0:45:00Look how tired she is.
0:45:00 > 0:45:02- Time to go back for a rest. - Yes, I think so.
0:45:02 > 0:45:04All right, Stacey, you've done a good job.
0:45:04 > 0:45:07Now that the two of them are comfortable with each other,
0:45:07 > 0:45:11Sue can start preparing for the next stage of their journey
0:45:11 > 0:45:13back to the wild.
0:45:13 > 0:45:16Soon they will leave the comfort of their cot
0:45:16 > 0:45:18and move outdoors permanently,
0:45:18 > 0:45:22and that's when their developing bond will come into its own.
0:45:32 > 0:45:35At the wildlife sanctuary here on Costa Rica's Pacific coast,
0:45:35 > 0:45:38staff are also planning for the future
0:45:38 > 0:45:42as preparations for Al's release gather pace.
0:45:43 > 0:45:46But after his painful encounter at the giant ants' nest,
0:45:46 > 0:45:49Hannah still feels that there's work to be done.
0:45:50 > 0:45:52Al eats two things - termites and ants -
0:45:52 > 0:45:54and ants are definitely the more aggressive of the two.
0:45:54 > 0:45:59He is not going to be able to be picky and choosy in the wild,
0:45:59 > 0:46:01so we need to make sure that he can handle
0:46:01 > 0:46:03all his possible food sources.
0:46:04 > 0:46:08To help him gain vital experience, Hannah has been exposing Al
0:46:08 > 0:46:12to more manageable sized ants' nests every day.
0:46:16 > 0:46:19The secret is to quit while you're ahead.
0:46:22 > 0:46:25Something Al is learning the hard way!
0:46:37 > 0:46:41Let's check out your foraging skills today, Al.
0:46:41 > 0:46:43For Hannah, it's vital that she can be sure
0:46:43 > 0:46:45that Al has learnt his lesson.
0:46:45 > 0:46:49So today, she's taking him back to the big ants' nest.
0:46:50 > 0:46:54We want to expose him to the most severe stuff he's going to encounter
0:46:54 > 0:46:59in the wild and see if he can still overcome it and keep eating.
0:47:32 > 0:47:35Obviously some of the ants are getting to him.
0:47:35 > 0:47:38I mean, there's a million swarming everywhere,
0:47:38 > 0:47:42but he looks like he's getting some good ants,
0:47:42 > 0:47:46and, um... keeping pretty ant-free himself.
0:47:46 > 0:47:49But will Al leave the nest in time?
0:47:58 > 0:48:01Al just wandered off from the ants' nest.
0:48:01 > 0:48:04He's taken a little break to clean off the ants
0:48:04 > 0:48:07and stop them from biting him so he can go back,
0:48:07 > 0:48:10which is actually really encouraging to me
0:48:10 > 0:48:12because a lot of times what he'd do before,
0:48:12 > 0:48:15is he would just charge right out of the tree and leave it.
0:48:15 > 0:48:17And for him to staying in the tree to clean himself off
0:48:17 > 0:48:19and going to come back to it, that's a big step for him.
0:48:21 > 0:48:24Al has proved to Hannah that he is ready to live independently.
0:48:25 > 0:48:29It is fantastic news and means the team can now make
0:48:29 > 0:48:32final preparations to return Al to the wild.
0:48:35 > 0:48:38But not everyone at KSTR is celebrating.
0:48:40 > 0:48:42Tiny's fight for survival has taken a sudden
0:48:42 > 0:48:44and dramatic turn for the worse.
0:48:46 > 0:48:47How's he doing, Sam?
0:48:47 > 0:48:49Not good.
0:48:49 > 0:48:51I mean it was literally like one minute he was fine
0:48:51 > 0:48:55and the next minute he was just completely limp and not hanging on.
0:48:59 > 0:49:02- He just wasn't clinging on to you at all?- Mm-mm.
0:49:02 > 0:49:06Tiny's complete lack of strength is an extremely bad sign
0:49:06 > 0:49:09and could indicate a life-threatening condition.
0:49:09 > 0:49:11So what are you doing now?
0:49:11 > 0:49:13We've got him on oxygen and we've started fluids,
0:49:13 > 0:49:16and we're going to start antibiotics.
0:49:16 > 0:49:18Could you hold this, actually?
0:49:21 > 0:49:23- Good boy. Good boy. - TINY WHINES
0:49:23 > 0:49:29I know. I've never seen a baby sloth do this before. I don't know what...
0:49:29 > 0:49:32I don't know what's going on.
0:49:33 > 0:49:35- TINY WHINES - Oh, bud.
0:49:41 > 0:49:43This guy yesterday looked really good,
0:49:43 > 0:49:47he was climbing all over Sam, and now, completely out of the blue,
0:49:47 > 0:49:50he's gone downhill and he's in a real bad way now.
0:50:06 > 0:50:08Sometimes, in situations like this,
0:50:08 > 0:50:12all that's left to do is just hold him
0:50:12 > 0:50:18and if and when he goes, he at least isn't alone and is comfortable.
0:50:20 > 0:50:22Losing his mother so early in life,
0:50:22 > 0:50:26the odds were always stacked against him.
0:50:26 > 0:50:28The way Tiny has gone downhill like this,
0:50:28 > 0:50:31it just brings it home what these guys are up against
0:50:31 > 0:50:35every single day because he looked like he was a real fighter.
0:50:35 > 0:50:39He looked like he was pulling through and now, suddenly overnight,
0:50:39 > 0:50:42everything has changed and that must be so tough.
0:50:45 > 0:50:48Sadly Tiny has given up the fight.
0:50:58 > 0:51:02Looking after wild orphans is not for the faint hearted,
0:51:02 > 0:51:06but what makes the tragedies bearable for the carers
0:51:06 > 0:51:09are the days when you are able to make a difference.
0:51:13 > 0:51:16Here in Australia, it's a much more positive story.
0:51:16 > 0:51:20Thanks to Sue's hard work, Stacey and Heidi are now ready to take
0:51:20 > 0:51:24the biggest step so far on their journey back to the wild.
0:51:24 > 0:51:26Time for a new home.
0:51:26 > 0:51:29They are moving permanently into the outdoor enclosure.
0:51:31 > 0:51:36- We'll just have a last hold before they go in.- Yeah, baby's growing up.
0:51:36 > 0:51:39Up until now, Stacey has been living in the house full-time
0:51:39 > 0:51:42with Sue acting as her foster mum.
0:51:43 > 0:51:45So this is the dehumanising stage,
0:51:45 > 0:51:48so they're getting big enough to be fending for themselves now.
0:51:48 > 0:51:50So...
0:51:50 > 0:51:52So you won't have as much contact.
0:51:52 > 0:51:55So I won't have as much, so it's a bit bittersweet, actually.
0:51:55 > 0:51:59- Oh, yeah, it is.- This is the time when they become independent.
0:52:00 > 0:52:02It's been a commitment of many months for you so far.
0:52:02 > 0:52:04Oh, yeah, it's been a long time.
0:52:04 > 0:52:07And from now on, they'll still be here for a while longer.
0:52:07 > 0:52:10- Yeah, probably another 10 to 12 months.- What a long journey.- It is.
0:52:10 > 0:52:12It certainly is.
0:52:14 > 0:52:15I feel sad about letting Stacey go.
0:52:15 > 0:52:17But you've got to go, haven't you, Stacey?
0:52:17 > 0:52:19- So we just pop them down? - Yeah.- Will do.
0:52:21 > 0:52:23There you go.
0:52:26 > 0:52:27New home.
0:52:32 > 0:52:34- You've done a fabulous job with them.- Oh, look, I love doing it.
0:52:34 > 0:52:38You've got to be passionate about this to keep doing it.
0:52:38 > 0:52:40I can't believe that she was that little, insecure wombat.
0:52:40 > 0:52:43The first time she met Heidi she, you know, Heidi ignored her
0:52:43 > 0:52:47and Stacey was quite scared, but now nothing should go wrong.
0:52:53 > 0:52:54Over the next ten months,
0:52:54 > 0:52:58Stacey and Heidi will break their bond with Sue.
0:52:58 > 0:53:01A safe release site will be found for both of them
0:53:01 > 0:53:03and her job will be done.
0:53:08 > 0:53:11Until the next wild orphan comes her way.
0:53:16 > 0:53:20On the other side of the world, the carers here at the Costa Rica
0:53:20 > 0:53:24sanctuary are sharing the same hopes for their orphans as Sue.
0:53:26 > 0:53:30Al the tamandua is one of the longest residents at KSTR
0:53:30 > 0:53:33and has been with them since he was a tiny four-week-old orphan.
0:53:35 > 0:53:39That was a year ago, and now they hope that all the hard work
0:53:39 > 0:53:42will pay off when he goes back to the wild.
0:53:43 > 0:53:44Hi, Al.
0:53:46 > 0:53:50In preparation, he has been marked with non-toxic paint,
0:53:50 > 0:53:53so that the team can identify him out in the forest.
0:53:56 > 0:53:59Last time you're ever going to be in that cage.
0:54:02 > 0:54:05Every morning I take him out of his cage and I come
0:54:05 > 0:54:08and sit on these steps with him and this is the last time.
0:54:13 > 0:54:17I've done everything I could to prepare him to get out there.
0:54:17 > 0:54:22I hope that there's nothing I could have done better.
0:54:22 > 0:54:25Animals want to be wild and that's what's best for them.
0:54:31 > 0:54:34The site the team has chosen for Al's release
0:54:34 > 0:54:39is a remote forest in the Central Pacific side of Costa Rica,
0:54:39 > 0:54:43miles away from any roads or human settlements.
0:55:03 > 0:55:06If ever there is a place that is ideal to let Al
0:55:06 > 0:55:09become an anteater in the wild again, this is it.
0:55:09 > 0:55:12It's absolutely pristine. He's going to be safe here.
0:55:12 > 0:55:15This is what's it's about, getting these orphans back out in the wild,
0:55:15 > 0:55:17but it's definitely mixed emotions.
0:55:17 > 0:55:20Once we open the door there is no way
0:55:20 > 0:55:24we can control his future any more, which is the scariest part.
0:55:24 > 0:55:26But if he stayed in the sanctuary
0:55:26 > 0:55:29he'd live in a cage his whole life and what kind of life is that?
0:55:29 > 0:55:32Al will be left with his familiar sleeping box,
0:55:32 > 0:55:35in case he needs a safe retreat.
0:55:35 > 0:55:36So this is it.
0:55:36 > 0:55:38Yeah, this is it. This is the moment
0:55:38 > 0:55:41we've been waiting for for such a long time
0:55:41 > 0:55:44and it's really surreal to think that it's finally here.
0:55:44 > 0:55:45So what are you going to do,
0:55:45 > 0:55:48put him straight in the box and then just step back?
0:55:48 > 0:55:50And then he can do whatever he wants and we won't stop him.
0:55:50 > 0:55:54This is a big, big world, Al, you be careful.
0:56:06 > 0:56:09- Oh, amazing!- Oh, my God!
0:56:24 > 0:56:26His first foraging as a free anteater!
0:56:27 > 0:56:29Look at him - he's already hoovering up ants.
0:56:34 > 0:56:36Look at him, he looks great.
0:56:38 > 0:56:40This is what it's all about.
0:56:40 > 0:56:42He's halfway up the biggest tree in the forest
0:56:42 > 0:56:46and he's foraging away like a wild anteater again.
0:56:46 > 0:56:47Amazing!
0:56:51 > 0:56:52- Good job, Hannah.- Thank you.
0:56:57 > 0:57:00It does make the hairs on the back of your neck really tingle
0:57:00 > 0:57:05because these guys have put in so much to get Al to this stage
0:57:05 > 0:57:08and so many of these orphans don't make it.
0:57:08 > 0:57:12I don't know if I could keep going the way that they do,
0:57:12 > 0:57:16but it's moments like this that you can see it makes it all worthwhile
0:57:16 > 0:57:20because he's now a wild anteater again.
0:57:20 > 0:57:21And it doesn't get any better than that.