Episode 2 Nature's Miracle Orphans


Episode 2

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The first few months of a baby animal's life

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are often the most crucial.

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So if they lose their mothers,

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they're going to need help.

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We're going to meet the wild orphans who are getting a second chance.

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-And the dedicated people...

-Are you going to have a play?

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..who devote their lives to saving them.

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They need the love and the attention because they don't have parents.

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Their parents are taken away from them.

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In this series, we'll be witnessing the incredible stories

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of animal orphans from two very different locations.

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I'm in Australia, where I'll be meeting Stacey, a rescued wombat,

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struggling to come to terms with her new life.

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When an animal that is so dependent on its mother

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in the wild for so long becomes orphaned, it is pretty tough.

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Wildlife cameraman Max Hug Williams is in Costa Rica.

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He's spent years filming animals in the wild,

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but now he's stepping out from behind the lens to see what happens

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when orphans need rescuing and rehabilitating.

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I mean, he's a little fighter. I can barely hold him in one place.

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He'll be catching up with Newbie, the three-toed sloth,

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who's been battling with pneumonia.

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All hopes of a recovery are resting on her new course of medication.

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And Al the anteater

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struggles to work out how to tackle his specialist diet.

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Look, see? As soon as he sees ear, he's in.

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Raising these vulnerable orphans can be tough.

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Oh...

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There will be highs...

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Good boy!

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..and lows.

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SHE GASPS

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We will follow their stories

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through their most critical make-or-break months

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on their difficult journeys back to the wild.

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I've come to Australia -

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a vast island isolated from the rest of the world

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for 35 million years.

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Much of its unique wildlife is found nowhere else on the planet

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and has evolved in distinctive ways, none more so than the marsupials.

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These iconic mammals make devoted mothers,

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rearing their young in pouches

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and raising them for up to a year and a half.

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This means the orphans here need close physical contact

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if they're to survive.

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Here in Australia, the animals that get rescued need care,

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not just around the clock

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but for months and even years.

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So instead of being looked after in specialist wildlife centres,

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these wild animals become part of the family in people's homes.

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In the small town of Mount Evelyn in the south of Australia,

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Sue Samphier has dedicated her life and her home

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to caring for one of Australia's lesser-known marsupials...

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..the wombat.

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Over the years, Sue has raised ten orphaned wombats.

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Her newest arrival is Stacey...

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..a five-month-old, bare-nosed wombat

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who's been with Sue for four weeks.

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Oh, yes, don't you bite. Don't you bite me.

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Stacey was rescued after her mother was run over.

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Let's wrap you up.

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You know what's coming, don't you? Hey? There you go.

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Wombats tend to often graze beside the road at night

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and, unfortunately the next morning when we often go out,

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there'll be roadkill beside the road.

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Stacey was just four-and-a-half months old when she was rescued

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and still living in her mother's pouch.

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Despite her tough start, she's responding well to Sue's care

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and developing quite a strong personality.

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Some wombats are not so sweet,

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but she certainly is

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and I love the way that she's just full of life,

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running around and everything, you know.

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Butting stuff and bulldozing through things

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is all typical wombat behaviour, which is great,

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because that's what we want to see.

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In the wild, Stacey would be living in a burrow with her mother.

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Her long, shovel-like claws are perfect for digging.

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And her strong teeth are designed for chewing roots,

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bark and vegetation - well adapted for a life in the bush.

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Although perhaps not best suited to Sue's living room!

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She's certainly not as easy to look after in the house.

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If you don't watch her, she can start chewing all the woodwork.

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I've always got to be very careful

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to keep an eye on her when she's out.

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She tends to chew the curtains as well.

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Wombats are notoriously stubborn creatures

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and become quite territorial when they mature.

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But for Stacey that's still a long way off -

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it'll be over a year before she can be released.

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So in the meantime, Sue must do everything she can

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to prepare her for her return to the wild.

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Today, I'm joining them for Stacey's first trip outside in Sue's garden.

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Let's get the last bit of this fence up

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so that Stacey doesn't do a runner.

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Stacey's been living inside until now. At about this age,

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they would start to emerge from the pouch.

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It's important that she gets used to the outside world and to the ground.

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-There she is!

-How are you going? All set up?

-She's ready.

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-OK, I'll pass her over to you.

-Thanks.

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-Just pass that over.

-Hello. Hee...

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So this is going to be great - a bit of exploring on the grass.

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-Shall I just put her down gently?

-Yeah, just put her down. Yeah.

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Check it out, Stacey! What do you think?

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She's not quite used to grass yet.

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In the wild, Stacey would be leaving the burrow

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for short exploratory trips...

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..but always staying close to her mother.

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So this is actually typical behaviour.

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She sees me as mum.

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Sue, why do they need to come outside when they're so young?

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Learning sight, smells, sounds - very important from a young age.

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If we kept her inside right through until

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she was almost ready to go outside - at 12 to 14 months old -

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it would be such a shock and set her back.

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These excursions will help build Stacey's confidence.

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Hello! Look at my tunnel.

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And already she's overcome her initial nerves.

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Come on!

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-She's pretty fast, isn't she?

-She is. They can do up to 40km/h

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when they're adults, so it's quite fast.

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Sometimes they don't particularly look where they're going

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-and bulldoze into things.

-Yeah.

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-She thinks that's her pouch.

-Oh, I'm sorry. It's a trick.

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You're out.

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How can you not love one of these?

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Stacey is progressing well

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and she's developed a strong bond with Sue.

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But if her eventual release is going to be successful,

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she really needs the company of another wombat.

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It's really important to pair them up,

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just establishing the fact that they're not a human,

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that they're wombat.

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Stacey has been alone for over two months

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but at last Sue thinks she may have found the answer to Stacey's needs.

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One of my carers has little Heidi,

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who's a little bit bigger than Stacey

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but is going to be a really good weight for her

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and so we're hoping to pair them up.

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If Stacey gets along with Heidi the wombat,

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the plan is that they eventually

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live together with Sue

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and then continue their journey back to the wild together,

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so the stakes are high.

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But Sue is concerned.

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Stacey was paired up before but it didn't work out and she was bullied.

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I'm feeling a little apprehensive.

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Stacey didn't get on with her last pen mate.

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He was boisterous and they tend to bite - nip them on the ears.

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Because she'd had such a stressful time

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she actually did lose a bit of weight.

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She's been on her own ever since,

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so Sue is determined to find her a companion.

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All marsupials are raised in pouches.

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If they are orphaned, this close physical bond

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has to be replicated somehow, or they may not survive the stress.

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9,000 miles away in the Central American

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country of Costa Rica, Max Hug Williams is finding out

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how they care for the orphans from the country's rainforests.

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It's one of the most biodiverse countries on the planet,

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with more than a quarter of it made up of protected rainforests

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and national parks.

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Costa Rica is a haven for wildlife

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with some of the most incredible

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species on the planet.

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But like anywhere where wildlife

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lives alongside humans, there are problems.

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And when animals and humans collide,

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it's often the wildlife that pays the price.

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I've come to wildlife sanctuary Kids Saving The Rainforest,

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a haven on Costa Rica's Pacific coast...

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..dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating

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orphaned and injured animals and returning them back to the wild.

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Wildlife manager Sam Trull's main responsibility

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is caring for the centre's many orphaned sloths.

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She shares her tiny apartment with six of these extraordinary animals

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which, in spite of their laidback reputations,

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are notoriously difficult to raise.

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Sloths are NOT easy to take care of.

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Sloths are probably the most time-intensive orphan

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you could possibly ask for.

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But the one who Sam and I have been worrying about the most is Newbie.

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Four-month-old Newbie, a three-toed sloth,

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was rescued when her mum was killed by a dog.

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Not wanting to tempt fate,

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Sam has refused to give her a proper name until she's sure she'll make it.

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But Newbie has been suffering from pneumonia.

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And after a recent dramatic relapse

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it looked as though she might not pull through.

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Even though she's still hanging in there, if we can't cure her,

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then she'll never make it back to the wild

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and she probably won't survive.

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But to everyone's relief,

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she's started to respond to the new medicine.

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Now I'm keen to find out how she's getting on.

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She's come a long, long way.

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I mean, the reason you called her Newbie is cos you thought

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she wasn't going to make it.

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She still actually has pneumonia but she's doing a lot better.

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We've been nebulising her with oxygen and antibiotics twice a day.

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She also gets an antibiotic injected

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and she's on supplements including vitamins.

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Basically, anything and everything

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we can think of that might be helpful.

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Fingers crossed, I think it's working,

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but I still don't want to name her anything official just yet.

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-There's a lot of noises coming from her stomach.

-Yes!

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She's getting full.

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Her stomach gurgles a lot.

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I think we're all out, I'm afraid, Newbie.

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-Lunch is over.

-That was pretty good for your first time feeding a sloth.

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Sat here with Newbie,

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it's so easy to forget she's already been through so much.

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She lost her mother, she's come in with pneumonia

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and it's still a long, long way before she'll be back in the wild.

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If she's EVER to complete that journey,

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Sam has to make sure Newbie knows how to climb.

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I like this tree because it's got a bunch of different sized branches,

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but they're all pretty small, so it should be a good tree to use.

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Hopefully she doesn't try and go too high,

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then I might get a little nervous.

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It is so nice to see her climbing around given that she's not

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-been feeling like doing anything in the last few days.

-Yeah.

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She wouldn't be climbing and sniffing and exploring

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if she didn't feel good.

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She is having fun.

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They're so dexterous.

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You can see how they're just completely designed for the trees,

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-aren't they?

-They are.

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She looks so natural up there.

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Sloths are slow but expert climbers

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and can even sleep hanging from branches.

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To cope with this upside-down lifestyle,

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their skeleton is different to that

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of any other animal on Earth with extra vertebrae

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in their necks so they can look around while they're upside down.

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Even their hair grows in the opposite direction,

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which helps the rainwater run off.

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SNAP Whoa!

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She looked a bit shocked when that little branch broke off then,

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but they have to learn not to climb dead branches,

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otherwise they're going to be in a lot of trouble.

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They definitely have to learn what's safe to touch and what's not.

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In the wild, sloths use their excellent sense of smell

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to detect dangerous, decaying branches.

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I think Newbie's got herself in a bit of a pickle here.

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She's sort of spread-eagled between two branches

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and she's sniffing at this one

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and almost seems to know that it's dead, but she hasn't got much option.

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She's only got two tiny little twigs in front of her

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and I think we're moving in just in case we need to catch.

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She's stuck.

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She's only got this tiny little... CRACKING

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Whoa! Did you...

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-Newbie!

-Whoa! That was close!

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She definitely wasn't wanting to go to that branch,

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so she was just like,

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"I guess I have no choice."

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But that's one reason why their mums are still supposed to be there.

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I suppose that's a good lesson to learn.

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Newbs! You scared Mummy.

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Despite a few stumbles, Newbie is making steady progress,

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but pneumonia in sloths is notoriously hard to cure,

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so Sam will remain apprehensive about Newbie's future

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until the vet gives her the all clear.

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Here in the south of Australia,

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carer Sue is also feeling apprehensive.

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Her six-month-old orphaned wombat Stacey

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is about to meet a potential companion.

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Elise is part of a local network of volunteer wildlife carers

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and they hope that Heidi, her seven-month-old

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orphaned wombat, will prove the perfect match for Stacey.

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Look, here's a buddy for you.

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Sue is worried that Stacey's experience of being

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bullied by the last wombat she was paired up with, might put her off...

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She's not too sure.

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It's a little bit like leaving a creche for the first time.

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She says, "Don't leave, Mum."

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STACEY HISSES

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Yeah.

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STACEY HISSES

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Despite Stacey's alarm calls...

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-Yeah, it's OK.

-..Sue can't interfere.

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Both Stacey and Heidi's chances of being released successfully

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will be much higher if Sue can raise them together.

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She's not adverse to her, she's just not too sure.

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Come on. Say hello.

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She just wants a bit of reassurance, don't you? It's all right.

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Yeah, it's all right.

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THEY LAUGH

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A bit of shoving.

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And you can see already

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she's starting to gain a bit of confidence.

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-It's harmless shoving though.

-Go on, Stacey.

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Stacey's confidence may have improved

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but she's still not comfortable around Heidi.

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STACEY HISSES

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I think Stacey's not quite ready yet.

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Slowly but surely,

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a slow introduction is going to be what's best for her.

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If I were really, really confident,

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then I might have been tempted to try and match them up sooner,

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but this has just shown that, for Stacey,

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she needs a little bit more time to grow up on her own.

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Come on.

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The plan is to continue to introduce Stacey to Heidi with short visits

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so the two gradually bond, but for now it's all too much too soon.

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I know.

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Fortunately time is on their side

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and Sue can afford to take things at Stacey's pace.

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Patience and perseverance are essential qualities

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for anyone looking after rescued wildlife.

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Here in Costa Rica, Newbie the orphaned sloth

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has been testing both of these traits in carer Sam to the limit.

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Her battle with pneumonia has been a long ordeal for both of them.

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If she can't beat this infection,

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Newbie will never go back to the wild.

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Today she has an appointment with the vet

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to see if all of that perseverance has paid off.

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-How is she?

-Well, she's kind of back and forth.

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Personality wise I think she's doing really well,

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I just want to see how you think her lungs sound.

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-And are you doing nebulisations too?

-Mm-hm.

-Twice a day.

-Mm-hm.

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Her eyes look bright.

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I don't see any secretion, I don't see any decolouration either.

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So she doesn't look dehydrated.

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Her colour, I think it's better than before.

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-She's strong. She's very active.

-She is very active.

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Sam thinks the stress of being orphaned triggered the disease,

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so she has done all that she can to nurture

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and reassure this baby sloth ever since.

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-Good?

-She sounds very good.

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I can definitely hear both lungs very clear.

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I think that since last time her lungs are clear.

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-Sam, you are doing a good job.

-Thank you.

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It's the best possible news.

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With Sam's help, Newbie has finally beaten the pneumonia.

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Some days you feel like you're just always losing

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and why are you even doing this to begin with? But today is a good day

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because Newbie sounds good.

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This news changes everything, and at last Sam feels confident enough

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to give Newbie a proper name.

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-I know you only gave her the temporary name Newbie...

-Mm-hm.

0:20:350:20:38

..originally because you were too scared to name her properly

0:20:380:20:42

because it didn't look like she was going to make it.

0:20:420:20:45

I couldn't bring myself to actually pick a proper name for her

0:20:450:20:48

because I just was worried it would jinx her.

0:20:480:20:50

-She needs a proper name now. Look at her!

-She deserves a proper name.

0:20:500:20:54

-Top of the tree.

-I know.

0:20:540:20:55

She is, she's ready for a name.

0:20:580:21:00

Do you know the name Modoc? M-O-D-O-C.

0:21:030:21:07

This is the story behind it.

0:21:070:21:09

When I was a little girl, I wrote a book about an elephant named Modoc.

0:21:090:21:13

It's a good story of overcoming obstacles

0:21:130:21:16

and it's also the story of why you shouldn't give up.

0:21:160:21:21

Oh, it sounds perfect for her.

0:21:210:21:23

What more fitting name than Modoc for Newbie here,

0:21:230:21:27

because she's well on the way to fighting through what seemed

0:21:270:21:31

an impossible task and now, one day,

0:21:310:21:35

she's going to be back out in the wild where she belongs.

0:21:350:21:38

Modoc the sloth, like most of the animals at KSTR,

0:21:430:21:46

would not have survived without Sam and the team's incredible dedication.

0:21:460:21:51

But she can't celebrate for long.

0:22:000:22:02

New orphans arrive almost every week

0:22:020:22:05

and it's not long before there's another emergency.

0:22:050:22:08

It's crazy, you really can't plan anything around here.

0:22:080:22:10

We've just had a call from the fire department

0:22:100:22:12

saying they've found a baby sloth.

0:22:120:22:14

-Hey, Sam.

-Hey, Max. They say it's a newborn baby sloth.

0:22:140:22:18

I don't know if it's two-toed or three-toed.

0:22:180:22:20

I don't know anything other than we have to go and meet them now.

0:22:200:22:22

Let's jump in.

0:22:220:22:24

Luckily it's only a 20-minute drive to the fire station

0:22:250:22:28

in the nearby town of Quepos.

0:22:280:22:31

It's crazy. I mean, sometimes it's such a whirlwind.

0:22:310:22:33

But when a new animal comes in,

0:22:330:22:35

especially something like a baby sloth,

0:22:350:22:37

you have to react really quickly, go right away,

0:22:370:22:40

because every day, every hour, every minute can make a difference

0:22:400:22:43

in whether they survive or not.

0:22:430:22:45

You'd better give me some directions,

0:22:450:22:46

I've no idea where the fire station is.

0:22:460:22:48

Just keep going. You're going the right way.

0:22:480:22:51

Wow!

0:22:560:22:57

-Aw...

-It's barely got any hair!

-It's right there.

0:22:570:23:01

Aw! It's a two-toed.

0:23:030:23:06

-It looks brand-new.

-It's absolutely tiny, isn't it?

-Is it OK if I...?

0:23:060:23:12

-Hi!

-How many days old do you think this little guy could be?

0:23:120:23:17

I'll do a better exam once we get to the clinic, but mere days old.

0:23:170:23:20

Thank you.

0:23:230:23:24

OK.

0:23:240:23:26

What did the guy say? Where did they find him?

0:23:310:23:34

Apparently there was a couple

0:23:340:23:35

walking along the beach this morning and they heard him crying.

0:23:350:23:38

They make a really loud crying noise when they're not with their mothers.

0:23:380:23:41

So they found him and they looked everywhere for the mum

0:23:410:23:43

but they couldn't find her anywhere, and that's when they called 911.

0:23:430:23:47

This is definitely a newborn

0:23:470:23:48

that we're dealing with here. This is going to be tricky.

0:23:480:23:51

The first stop is the centre's clinic for a thorough check over.

0:24:000:24:04

So I'm just going to look over his body a little bit and see

0:24:050:24:09

if we see any kind of wounds or anything that's abnormal.

0:24:090:24:13

He looks good. I don't see any wounds at all, so that's good.

0:24:150:24:19

Let's turn him over and look at his belly.

0:24:190:24:20

So his belly button -

0:24:200:24:22

the umbilical cord is gone but it's still inflamed.

0:24:220:24:25

So it looks like the umbilical cord came off very recently.

0:24:250:24:29

-He's really gripping on though.

-The last thing that goes is their grip.

0:24:290:24:34

The fact that he still has an extremely strong grip,

0:24:340:24:36

that's really, really good.

0:24:360:24:38

He's actually 275 grams - very small -

0:24:400:24:44

and he's at the bottom of the normal weight range for two-toed sloths.

0:24:440:24:48

Honestly, he's just so tiny that before we give him a proper name,

0:24:480:24:52

I think we'll just call him Tiny.

0:24:520:24:54

Tiny is the smallest sloth that Sam has ever looked after.

0:24:560:25:00

And at this age, one of the biggest risks is dehydration.

0:25:000:25:04

All right, bud, here we go.

0:25:040:25:06

It's critical that Sam can get fluids into him fast.

0:25:060:25:10

Oh, my gosh! Look!

0:25:140:25:15

Good job, bud.

0:25:160:25:18

That's amazing.

0:25:210:25:23

This is...like the best result that we could possible hope for,

0:25:230:25:26

because not only does he want to drink,

0:25:260:25:29

but he clearly knows what he's doing.

0:25:290:25:31

He's just so ridiculously tiny.

0:25:310:25:33

How much fluid do you need to get inside him?

0:25:330:25:35

If I could get 5ml in him,

0:25:350:25:38

then I think that that would be a pretty good place to start

0:25:380:25:40

for now. And at the next feeding in a couple of hours I'll try again

0:25:400:25:43

and just keep going like that throughout the day.

0:25:430:25:45

Tiny is just so small.

0:25:510:25:52

I don't think I've ever seen a baby animal this vulnerable.

0:25:530:25:57

And now, for Sam, it's going to be a massive commitment.

0:25:570:26:00

She's got to look after him 24/7, feeding him every few hours

0:26:000:26:04

and she's probably not going to get much sleep.

0:26:040:26:07

Sam has finally got him stabilised.

0:26:080:26:10

Now Tiny just needs warmth and comfort.

0:26:110:26:14

So is he just going to rest now? He's had fluids, so he just needs to...

0:26:170:26:21

He just needs to cling onto you

0:26:210:26:23

-and be warm and feel safe.

-Hello, little fella.

0:26:230:26:27

Just keep him like that and hold him kind of tight so he doesn't start

0:26:270:26:30

climbing all over you, cos that actually means he's kind of scared.

0:26:300:26:33

He's tiny but he's strong. You'll be OK. I'll be back soon.

0:26:330:26:37

Are you on the radio if anything...

0:26:370:26:38

I am on the radio if anything happens. Thank you.

0:26:380:26:40

He's half the size of my hand

0:26:470:26:49

but he's got an awful lot of fight in him and I just hope

0:26:490:26:51

he keeps that up and gets through these first few difficult days.

0:26:510:26:54

After such a traumatic start to his young life,

0:26:570:27:00

the odds of survival are stacked against him.

0:27:000:27:03

For now, Tiny will join Modoc

0:27:050:27:07

and the rest of the small band of orphaned sloths.

0:27:070:27:10

And Sam will need to draw on all of her experience

0:27:100:27:14

if she's to keep him going.

0:27:140:27:15

Tiny is the latest arrival here,

0:27:180:27:21

but the team cares for a HUGE variety of Costa Rican wildlife.

0:27:210:27:26

Each animal needing specialised care.

0:27:260:27:28

In 15 years they have raised over 300 orphans,

0:27:300:27:34

but they are still faced with new challenges.

0:27:340:27:37

Al is a 10-month-old northern tamandua.

0:27:390:27:43

He's a type of tree-climbing anteater

0:27:430:27:45

and the first of his species that KSTR have ever raised.

0:27:450:27:50

I've met a lot of different animals over the years,

0:27:500:27:52

but there's something about anteaters.

0:27:520:27:54

They're just such quirky, amazing creatures,

0:27:540:27:58

but I had no idea how much character they had.

0:27:580:28:02

It's a natural instinct to just explore, I think,

0:28:020:28:05

and just tap into everything. Start sticking your nose into anything.

0:28:050:28:09

Look, see. As soon as he sees ear, he's in.

0:28:090:28:13

I'm afraid there's no termites in there, fella.

0:28:130:28:15

HE LAUGHS

0:28:150:28:16

Al was rescued when he was just four weeks old

0:28:160:28:19

after his mother was run over.

0:28:190:28:22

Now, nine months on, he's being raised by KSTR wildlife carer Hannah.

0:28:220:28:28

But caring for Al is a huge challenge.

0:28:300:28:32

He has a highly specialised diet, which requires Hannah to collect

0:28:320:28:36

thousands of termites for him every day.

0:28:360:28:39

Here you go. Breakfast in bed.

0:28:430:28:45

Al is well adapted to this fast moving meal,

0:28:510:28:54

with powerful claws to break open the nest.

0:28:540:28:58

His mouth only opens to the size of a pencil

0:28:580:29:01

but inside is one of the longest tongues in the animal kingdom...

0:29:010:29:05

..up to 40cm long and covered with tiny spines and sticky saliva -

0:29:060:29:11

it's perfect for hoovering up ants and termites.

0:29:110:29:15

Despite the challenges, Hannah has a strong bond with Al.

0:29:180:29:21

Al is one of a kind

0:29:210:29:23

and so is the relationship that I have with him.

0:29:230:29:26

It's a very tricky business

0:29:260:29:28

here with these orphans - they need the love

0:29:280:29:31

and the attention because they don't have parents.

0:29:310:29:33

Their parents are taken away from them

0:29:330:29:35

and we try and step in and fill that role.

0:29:350:29:38

It's really very difficult raising and rehabbing orphans

0:29:380:29:43

to try and get them back to the wild.

0:29:430:29:45

And with Al, Hannah's main problem is the amount of food he needs.

0:29:450:29:49

There is no way she can collect the 8,000 termites

0:29:490:29:53

he must eat every day,

0:29:530:29:55

so instead, she supplements his diet with goats milk.

0:29:550:29:58

At the age Al is at right now,

0:29:590:30:01

he actually wouldn't be getting milk from his mother in the wild,

0:30:010:30:05

but to sustain not only his weight, but also growth,

0:30:050:30:09

he needs to be given milk on a daily basis.

0:30:090:30:11

You like your milk, Al?

0:30:110:30:13

SLURPING

0:30:130:30:15

Looks like it.

0:30:150:30:16

When I put termites and milk in his cage at the same time,

0:30:170:30:21

he always goes for the milk first,

0:30:210:30:23

so it's definitely his favourite and I think he's going to miss it.

0:30:230:30:27

Al is growing well, and he's getting to an age where he could be

0:30:300:30:33

released back into the wild, but Hannah has a serious concern.

0:30:330:30:38

I don't think he really knows how much he has to forage in order

0:30:390:30:45

to keep weight on him and continue to grow,

0:30:450:30:48

so he's got a lot to learn.

0:30:480:30:51

If Al's going to make it back to the wild, she will have to get him

0:30:510:30:55

off the milk and learning to forage in earnest.

0:30:550:30:59

Feeding is critical for successfully raising wild orphans.

0:31:020:31:06

But every animal has a specific diet

0:31:100:31:13

and it's often one of the hardest things to get right.

0:31:130:31:16

Al's appetite for milk may be holding him back,

0:31:220:31:25

but it's a very different story in Australia.

0:31:250:31:28

Here on the outskirts of Melbourne, Stacey the wombat

0:31:310:31:34

has been with carer Sue for five months now,

0:31:340:31:37

but a major problem has developed -

0:31:370:31:40

Stacey has been flatly refusing to drink her milk

0:31:400:31:43

and Sue fears the worst.

0:31:430:31:45

Come on. You can see what's going on. Refusing.

0:31:450:31:49

A wombat that can't eat can't be released.

0:31:500:31:52

In Victoria the laws are quite strict. So, unfortunately,

0:31:520:31:55

if they are compromised at all, they can't be kept in captivity.

0:31:550:31:59

And personally I think a life in captivity for an animal

0:31:590:32:03

like this is not fair.

0:32:030:32:04

As you can hear in my voice,

0:32:060:32:07

it is hard not to be attached to these guys

0:32:070:32:10

and, um, hopefully the outcome will be good.

0:32:100:32:14

I'm not a vet so I can't make that call.

0:32:150:32:18

Turning down her milk could indicate a serious underlying problem

0:32:200:32:25

so Stacey's off to the local wildlife hospital.

0:32:250:32:28

-What have you brought in for us today?

-I've got Stacey.

0:32:280:32:31

I noticed that in the last week or so

0:32:310:32:33

she's been fiddling with the bottle,

0:32:330:32:36

not drinking very well, sometimes not drinking at all.

0:32:360:32:40

It'll be easier for us to get a good look if we knock her out.

0:32:400:32:43

-We'll let you know what we find.

-Yeah.

0:32:430:32:45

In order to thoroughly examine her, head vet Paul Eden

0:32:490:32:53

will need to anaesthetise Stacey.

0:32:530:32:55

-All right. How's she going, Kelly?

-Good.

0:32:570:32:59

I think we're deep enough to have a good look.

0:32:590:33:02

The first place to check is Stacey's mouth, in case there is

0:33:020:33:05

something physical preventing her drinking.

0:33:050:33:08

If they are not able to get that food into their mouth

0:33:080:33:10

normally or to chew their food normally, they'll essentially

0:33:100:33:13

just waste away and die and it tends to be a bit of

0:33:130:33:16

a slow kind of death, which is pretty horrible.

0:33:160:33:20

Yeah, there's certainly no signs of ulceration there.

0:33:260:33:29

Hey, little girl, let's have a look inside your other teeth.

0:33:300:33:34

-They're actually quite normal.

-Yeah.

0:33:370:33:40

So I think that all looks normal. There's no ulceration there,

0:33:460:33:50

the teeth look like they are in good condition

0:33:500:33:52

and so, yeah, I don't think it's anything to be too concerned about.

0:33:520:33:56

It's good news, for a groggy Stacey.

0:33:580:34:00

They've given her a good health check all over, checked her bones

0:34:020:34:06

and everything and everything looks really good

0:34:060:34:08

so I'm really pleased. I'm very relieved, I have to say!

0:34:080:34:12

There may be nothing medically wrong with Stacey,

0:34:140:34:17

but the fact remains that she is off her milk.

0:34:170:34:19

She's refusing to drink no matter what.

0:34:200:34:23

When I give her the bottle

0:34:230:34:25

she's just spitting it out most of the time.

0:34:250:34:27

Wombats are very stubborn and Stacey probably is a very typical wombat.

0:34:270:34:31

Despite Stacey's reluctance, she is only nine months old

0:34:310:34:36

and needs the high fat content in the milk to grow.

0:34:360:34:40

In the wild, joeys drink their mothers milk for up to

0:34:400:34:42

15 months, so Sue has decided to try a new technique.

0:34:420:34:47

Come on.

0:34:490:34:50

Try that. Yeah, there's some there on the plate.

0:34:510:34:54

Come on.

0:34:540:34:55

Oops!

0:35:010:35:02

True to form, Stacey is as stubborn as ever.

0:35:020:35:06

Now you've tipped it all out.

0:35:060:35:08

Time for a clean up.

0:35:120:35:14

You don't want milk around their mouth

0:35:170:35:19

because the fur comes away.

0:35:190:35:21

So you have to keep them quite clean.

0:35:210:35:23

She's been having baths

0:35:230:35:24

since she was quite young.

0:35:240:35:26

In the wild, mum would lick her and keep her clean.

0:35:270:35:30

Hygiene is even important out in the wild

0:35:300:35:32

and mums naturally would lick them,

0:35:320:35:35

but I'm not going to lick her!

0:35:350:35:36

So this is the way that we would do it.

0:35:360:35:40

And she doesn't mind a bath.

0:35:400:35:42

She quite likes having a bath, don't you?

0:35:420:35:44

She just thinks this is a time that she can play. Yes!

0:35:530:35:56

OK. All clean?

0:36:020:36:04

All Sue can do is try and maintain Stacey's weight on vegetables alone.

0:36:060:36:11

If she can do this, then Stacey can start having regular play dates

0:36:110:36:15

with Heidi, the potential new companion Sue has lined up for her.

0:36:150:36:19

Here in Costa Rica, Sam is also fighting a battle over food.

0:36:290:36:33

Tiny, the rescued newborn sloth, must start feeding

0:36:340:36:37

if he's going to survive.

0:36:370:36:39

He definitely has been acting hungry ever since he came,

0:36:400:36:43

and, um, acts like he wants to nurse,

0:36:430:36:46

but he still is having some issues kind of getting the hang of it

0:36:460:36:50

and really kind of learning how to feed.

0:36:500:36:53

Without milk he has no chance of living.

0:36:530:36:56

I mean, he is a newborn, and even a newborn with his actual mum

0:36:590:37:03

can sometimes have an adjustment period

0:37:030:37:05

in learning how to feed properly.

0:37:050:37:08

In the wild, Tiny would lie on his mother's chest to feed

0:37:100:37:13

while she hangs upside down from the branches.

0:37:130:37:17

So Sam is doing her best to simulate that same effect.

0:37:180:37:21

Basically he has to drink this if he wants to survive.

0:37:250:37:28

Even in the right position,

0:37:300:37:32

Tiny is still reluctant to feed from the plastic tube.

0:37:320:37:35

Wakey wakey.

0:37:390:37:41

Yeah. Come on.

0:37:410:37:42

There's just kind of something about rubbing skin in front of his face

0:37:450:37:49

that seems to make him want to suckle.

0:37:490:37:51

Wow! Look at that.

0:37:530:37:56

He's sucking pretty quickly.

0:37:580:37:59

There you go.

0:38:090:38:10

Getting any newborn wild animal to accept substitute milk

0:38:190:38:23

can be difficult.

0:38:230:38:25

I mean, he's a newborn, he falls asleep at the drop of a hat.

0:38:270:38:31

He's only managed to drink a few millilitres of milk,

0:38:310:38:34

but it's a start.

0:38:340:38:35

If he continues to feed, there is a chance he could survive.

0:38:370:38:41

Tiny isn't the only resident at KSTR who's having trouble feeding.

0:38:460:38:50

I'm back with Al, who lives a charmed life with termites

0:38:530:38:56

and milk delivered daily.

0:38:560:38:59

But to survive in the wild he'll have to learn how to feed himself.

0:38:590:39:03

He's got to use these claws and that tongue to get 8,000 ants a day.

0:39:050:39:11

He's got a lot to learn before he's a proper wild anteater again,

0:39:130:39:17

and that's not going to be easy.

0:39:170:39:19

I think he's going to get a bit of a shock.

0:39:190:39:21

To help him learn to forage for himself, Hannah takes him

0:39:230:39:26

out to the trees around the centre every day.

0:39:260:39:30

Go on, Al.

0:39:300:39:31

He is learning how to eat as much as he needs to

0:39:320:39:36

to continue gaining weight,

0:39:360:39:38

because he's not full size right now.

0:39:380:39:40

He should be about three times this size

0:39:400:39:42

when he's completely full-grown.

0:39:420:39:44

Without his mother to teach him,

0:39:470:39:48

young Al has to pick up his climbing technique through trial...

0:39:480:39:52

..and error!

0:39:540:39:55

Fortunately he's well adapted to life in the trees,

0:39:580:40:01

with a strong prehensile tail that can EASILY support his body weight.

0:40:010:40:05

A wild adult tamandua would have to find

0:40:090:40:11

up to 80 ant and termite nests every day!

0:40:110:40:14

So Al really has his work cut out.

0:40:140:40:17

He can't figure out how to get enough nutrition

0:40:190:40:25

from being outside and foraging himself.

0:40:250:40:30

He's going to have a serious problem.

0:40:300:40:32

Until now, Hannah has only brought Al termites,

0:40:320:40:36

but to get sufficient food he'll also need to eat ants -

0:40:360:40:40

which in Costa Rica tend to come with a rather painful bite.

0:40:400:40:44

Hannah has brought him to one of the biggest ant nests in the forest.

0:40:480:40:52

In the wild, tamanduas only spend a short time

0:40:550:40:58

feeding at an individual ant nest before moving on.

0:40:580:41:02

It's a behaviour which allows the nest to regenerate,

0:41:020:41:06

and ensures a constant supply of food.

0:41:060:41:08

And a quick visit also means you can get out of there

0:41:100:41:14

before the ants overwhelm you.

0:41:140:41:16

But Al has left it far too late.

0:41:180:41:20

If he's ever going to survive in the wild,

0:41:320:41:34

Al will have to learn the knack for tackling this feisty food.

0:41:340:41:39

Al may need encouragement to feed, but here in Southern Australia

0:41:440:41:49

Stacey the bare-nosed wombat has given up on milk altogether.

0:41:490:41:53

Sue has been feeding her vegetables

0:41:550:41:57

and it's vital that she monitors Stacey's weight regularly.

0:41:570:42:00

For some home carers,

0:42:000:42:02

weigh day means a trip to the local post office!

0:42:020:42:05

Come on.

0:42:070:42:09

-Look at you!

-She's getting too hard to weigh at home now,

0:42:090:42:12

so let's try one more time.

0:42:120:42:14

-4.3. Good girl.

-Good girl.

0:42:140:42:19

Whoops! Good girl.

0:42:190:42:20

Good girl.

0:42:200:42:22

That's good, isn't it? Hey?

0:42:220:42:26

Since last time I weighed her, which is a few weeks,

0:42:260:42:29

she's put on about 300 grams, so that's good.

0:42:290:42:32

With Sue's fears allayed,

0:42:320:42:33

the much needed play dates with Heidi can resume.

0:42:330:42:36

And a few weeks later, Sue has got them both living with her.

0:42:380:42:42

Oh, she's so GORGEOUS.

0:42:450:42:48

Look at this.

0:42:480:42:50

-She's really grown well, hasn't she?

-She has, she's doing really well.

0:42:500:42:53

Hello, hello.

0:42:530:42:55

And so now she's joined by Heidi. How's that going?

0:42:550:42:58

Well, I wouldn't say they love each other yet,

0:42:580:43:00

but they're certainly showing signs,

0:43:000:43:01

they're not aggressive towards each other so that's good.

0:43:010:43:04

These two don't need to get along brilliantly,

0:43:040:43:06

but they do need the company of their own species.

0:43:060:43:09

What's the next step for Stacey?

0:43:090:43:11

What we're hoping to do is take them for a walk,

0:43:110:43:13

and so this is just to get them used to each other.

0:43:130:43:16

And is there a risk that these two are just going to scarper?

0:43:160:43:18

Definitely. That's the biggest worry,

0:43:180:43:20

so I hope you've got your running shoes on.

0:43:200:43:22

-We're going to have to keep our wits about us, aren't we?

-Yes.

0:43:220:43:25

Let's put you to work. This is such a ruse, isn't it?

0:43:250:43:27

Stacey's looking really sleepy, but she's just going to go, I know it.

0:43:270:43:31

-That's right!

-So whereabouts, here?

-Yeah, just here.

-All right, ready?

0:43:310:43:34

Ooh...

0:43:340:43:36

THEY LAUGH

0:43:360:43:39

Hey, that's not what you're supposed to do.

0:43:390:43:42

Let's just get her before she...

0:43:420:43:43

I'm going to do a bit of a quick rescue here.

0:43:430:43:45

Let's go again. This way. Stacey? Come on.

0:43:470:43:50

Come on. Stacey, what's this?

0:43:520:43:55

SHE LAUGHS

0:43:550:43:56

Stacey, come back!

0:43:560:43:58

There's an awful lot to interest them in this garden.

0:44:010:44:04

But they haven't gone too far.

0:44:040:44:05

We haven't lost them to the neighbours, have we?

0:44:050:44:07

Not yet.

0:44:070:44:09

Optimist.

0:44:090:44:10

Stacey's confidence and energy are testimony to Sue's hard work.

0:44:120:44:16

In the wild, wombats can travel up to two miles a day looking for food.

0:44:160:44:21

So it's vital that these two youngsters build up their stamina.

0:44:210:44:25

When she puts on a turn of speed,

0:44:250:44:27

it's quite incredible how quickly she catches up with you.

0:44:270:44:30

Come on. Come on, Heidi.

0:44:360:44:39

Come on, Heidi. Come on.

0:44:390:44:41

Come on.

0:44:410:44:43

Aw.

0:44:430:44:45

Come on.

0:44:450:44:46

Tired! Tired Stacey.

0:44:460:44:49

-She's not very tired, is she?

-She's still going.

-She's still going.

0:44:500:44:54

-Was that a success?

-We didn't lose them so that's a bonus!

0:44:540:44:57

-They're not in the neighbour's garden.

-No, that's right.

0:44:570:44:59

Look how tired she is.

0:44:590:45:00

-Time to go back for a rest.

-Yes, I think so.

0:45:000:45:02

All right, Stacey, you've done a good job.

0:45:020:45:04

Now that the two of them are comfortable with each other,

0:45:040:45:07

Sue can start preparing for the next stage of their journey

0:45:070:45:11

back to the wild.

0:45:110:45:13

Soon they will leave the comfort of their cot

0:45:130:45:16

and move outdoors permanently,

0:45:160:45:18

and that's when their developing bond will come into its own.

0:45:180:45:22

At the wildlife sanctuary here on Costa Rica's Pacific coast,

0:45:320:45:35

staff are also planning for the future

0:45:350:45:38

as preparations for Al's release gather pace.

0:45:380:45:42

But after his painful encounter at the giant ants' nest,

0:45:430:45:46

Hannah still feels that there's work to be done.

0:45:460:45:49

Al eats two things - termites and ants -

0:45:500:45:52

and ants are definitely the more aggressive of the two.

0:45:520:45:54

He is not going to be able to be picky and choosy in the wild,

0:45:540:45:59

so we need to make sure that he can handle

0:45:590:46:01

all his possible food sources.

0:46:010:46:03

To help him gain vital experience, Hannah has been exposing Al

0:46:040:46:08

to more manageable sized ants' nests every day.

0:46:080:46:12

The secret is to quit while you're ahead.

0:46:160:46:19

Something Al is learning the hard way!

0:46:220:46:25

Let's check out your foraging skills today, Al.

0:46:370:46:41

For Hannah, it's vital that she can be sure

0:46:410:46:43

that Al has learnt his lesson.

0:46:430:46:45

So today, she's taking him back to the big ants' nest.

0:46:450:46:49

We want to expose him to the most severe stuff he's going to encounter

0:46:500:46:54

in the wild and see if he can still overcome it and keep eating.

0:46:540:46:59

Obviously some of the ants are getting to him.

0:47:320:47:35

I mean, there's a million swarming everywhere,

0:47:350:47:38

but he looks like he's getting some good ants,

0:47:380:47:42

and, um... keeping pretty ant-free himself.

0:47:420:47:46

But will Al leave the nest in time?

0:47:460:47:49

Al just wandered off from the ants' nest.

0:47:580:48:01

He's taken a little break to clean off the ants

0:48:010:48:04

and stop them from biting him so he can go back,

0:48:040:48:07

which is actually really encouraging to me

0:48:070:48:10

because a lot of times what he'd do before,

0:48:100:48:12

is he would just charge right out of the tree and leave it.

0:48:120:48:15

And for him to staying in the tree to clean himself off

0:48:150:48:17

and going to come back to it, that's a big step for him.

0:48:170:48:19

Al has proved to Hannah that he is ready to live independently.

0:48:210:48:24

It is fantastic news and means the team can now make

0:48:250:48:29

final preparations to return Al to the wild.

0:48:290:48:32

But not everyone at KSTR is celebrating.

0:48:350:48:38

Tiny's fight for survival has taken a sudden

0:48:400:48:42

and dramatic turn for the worse.

0:48:420:48:44

How's he doing, Sam?

0:48:460:48:47

Not good.

0:48:470:48:49

I mean it was literally like one minute he was fine

0:48:490:48:51

and the next minute he was just completely limp and not hanging on.

0:48:510:48:55

-He just wasn't clinging on to you at all?

-Mm-mm.

0:48:590:49:02

Tiny's complete lack of strength is an extremely bad sign

0:49:020:49:06

and could indicate a life-threatening condition.

0:49:060:49:09

So what are you doing now?

0:49:090:49:11

We've got him on oxygen and we've started fluids,

0:49:110:49:13

and we're going to start antibiotics.

0:49:130:49:16

Could you hold this, actually?

0:49:160:49:18

-Good boy. Good boy.

-TINY WHINES

0:49:210:49:23

I know. I've never seen a baby sloth do this before. I don't know what...

0:49:230:49:29

I don't know what's going on.

0:49:290:49:32

-TINY WHINES

-Oh, bud.

0:49:330:49:35

This guy yesterday looked really good,

0:49:410:49:43

he was climbing all over Sam, and now, completely out of the blue,

0:49:430:49:47

he's gone downhill and he's in a real bad way now.

0:49:470:49:50

Sometimes, in situations like this,

0:50:060:50:08

all that's left to do is just hold him

0:50:080:50:12

and if and when he goes, he at least isn't alone and is comfortable.

0:50:120:50:18

Losing his mother so early in life,

0:50:200:50:22

the odds were always stacked against him.

0:50:220:50:26

The way Tiny has gone downhill like this,

0:50:260:50:28

it just brings it home what these guys are up against

0:50:280:50:31

every single day because he looked like he was a real fighter.

0:50:310:50:35

He looked like he was pulling through and now, suddenly overnight,

0:50:350:50:39

everything has changed and that must be so tough.

0:50:390:50:42

Sadly Tiny has given up the fight.

0:50:450:50:48

Looking after wild orphans is not for the faint hearted,

0:50:580:51:02

but what makes the tragedies bearable for the carers

0:51:020:51:06

are the days when you are able to make a difference.

0:51:060:51:09

Here in Australia, it's a much more positive story.

0:51:130:51:16

Thanks to Sue's hard work, Stacey and Heidi are now ready to take

0:51:160:51:20

the biggest step so far on their journey back to the wild.

0:51:200:51:24

Time for a new home.

0:51:240:51:26

They are moving permanently into the outdoor enclosure.

0:51:260:51:29

-We'll just have a last hold before they go in.

-Yeah, baby's growing up.

0:51:310:51:36

Up until now, Stacey has been living in the house full-time

0:51:360:51:39

with Sue acting as her foster mum.

0:51:390:51:42

So this is the dehumanising stage,

0:51:430:51:45

so they're getting big enough to be fending for themselves now.

0:51:450:51:48

So...

0:51:480:51:50

So you won't have as much contact.

0:51:500:51:52

So I won't have as much, so it's a bit bittersweet, actually.

0:51:520:51:55

-Oh, yeah, it is.

-This is the time when they become independent.

0:51:550:51:59

It's been a commitment of many months for you so far.

0:52:000:52:02

Oh, yeah, it's been a long time.

0:52:020:52:04

And from now on, they'll still be here for a while longer.

0:52:040:52:07

-Yeah, probably another 10 to 12 months.

-What a long journey.

-It is.

0:52:070:52:10

It certainly is.

0:52:100:52:12

I feel sad about letting Stacey go.

0:52:140:52:15

But you've got to go, haven't you, Stacey?

0:52:150:52:17

-So we just pop them down?

-Yeah.

-Will do.

0:52:170:52:19

There you go.

0:52:210:52:23

New home.

0:52:260:52:27

-You've done a fabulous job with them.

-Oh, look, I love doing it.

0:52:320:52:34

You've got to be passionate about this to keep doing it.

0:52:340:52:38

I can't believe that she was that little, insecure wombat.

0:52:380:52:40

The first time she met Heidi she, you know, Heidi ignored her

0:52:400:52:43

and Stacey was quite scared, but now nothing should go wrong.

0:52:430:52:47

Over the next ten months,

0:52:530:52:54

Stacey and Heidi will break their bond with Sue.

0:52:540:52:58

A safe release site will be found for both of them

0:52:580:53:01

and her job will be done.

0:53:010:53:03

Until the next wild orphan comes her way.

0:53:080:53:11

On the other side of the world, the carers here at the Costa Rica

0:53:160:53:20

sanctuary are sharing the same hopes for their orphans as Sue.

0:53:200:53:24

Al the tamandua is one of the longest residents at KSTR

0:53:260:53:30

and has been with them since he was a tiny four-week-old orphan.

0:53:300:53:33

That was a year ago, and now they hope that all the hard work

0:53:350:53:39

will pay off when he goes back to the wild.

0:53:390:53:42

Hi, Al.

0:53:430:53:44

In preparation, he has been marked with non-toxic paint,

0:53:460:53:50

so that the team can identify him out in the forest.

0:53:500:53:53

Last time you're ever going to be in that cage.

0:53:560:53:59

Every morning I take him out of his cage and I come

0:54:020:54:05

and sit on these steps with him and this is the last time.

0:54:050:54:08

I've done everything I could to prepare him to get out there.

0:54:130:54:17

I hope that there's nothing I could have done better.

0:54:170:54:22

Animals want to be wild and that's what's best for them.

0:54:220:54:25

The site the team has chosen for Al's release

0:54:310:54:34

is a remote forest in the Central Pacific side of Costa Rica,

0:54:340:54:39

miles away from any roads or human settlements.

0:54:390:54:43

If ever there is a place that is ideal to let Al

0:55:030:55:06

become an anteater in the wild again, this is it.

0:55:060:55:09

It's absolutely pristine. He's going to be safe here.

0:55:090:55:12

This is what's it's about, getting these orphans back out in the wild,

0:55:120:55:15

but it's definitely mixed emotions.

0:55:150:55:17

Once we open the door there is no way

0:55:170:55:20

we can control his future any more, which is the scariest part.

0:55:200:55:24

But if he stayed in the sanctuary

0:55:240:55:26

he'd live in a cage his whole life and what kind of life is that?

0:55:260:55:29

Al will be left with his familiar sleeping box,

0:55:290:55:32

in case he needs a safe retreat.

0:55:320:55:35

So this is it.

0:55:350:55:36

Yeah, this is it. This is the moment

0:55:360:55:38

we've been waiting for for such a long time

0:55:380:55:41

and it's really surreal to think that it's finally here.

0:55:410:55:44

So what are you going to do,

0:55:440:55:45

put him straight in the box and then just step back?

0:55:450:55:48

And then he can do whatever he wants and we won't stop him.

0:55:480:55:50

This is a big, big world, Al, you be careful.

0:55:500:55:54

-Oh, amazing!

-Oh, my God!

0:56:060:56:09

His first foraging as a free anteater!

0:56:240:56:26

Look at him - he's already hoovering up ants.

0:56:270:56:29

Look at him, he looks great.

0:56:340:56:36

This is what it's all about.

0:56:380:56:40

He's halfway up the biggest tree in the forest

0:56:400:56:42

and he's foraging away like a wild anteater again.

0:56:420:56:46

Amazing!

0:56:460:56:47

-Good job, Hannah.

-Thank you.

0:56:510:56:52

It does make the hairs on the back of your neck really tingle

0:56:570:57:00

because these guys have put in so much to get Al to this stage

0:57:000:57:05

and so many of these orphans don't make it.

0:57:050:57:08

I don't know if I could keep going the way that they do,

0:57:080:57:12

but it's moments like this that you can see it makes it all worthwhile

0:57:120:57:16

because he's now a wild anteater again.

0:57:160:57:20

And it doesn't get any better than that.

0:57:200:57:21

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