72 Cutest Animals (2016–…): Season 1, Episode 2 - Bouncing buddies - full transcript

NARRATOR: Cute is in the eye
of the beholder.

Revealing 72 of the world's cutest animals
is an eclectic list.

They're unique, possibly eccentric
with a touch of the unusual

and of course, totally adorable.

We explore a broad range
of the cutest animals across the world,

and in the process,

define just how cute even the quirkiest
of animals can be.

Up first in our quest to find
the cutest animal in the world

is a much-loved Australian marsupial
once thought to be a rat.

TEAGAN GOOLMEER: They just love to nap.

It'll be one of two ways.



They'll be stretched out, lying flat out,
like they're exhausted from the sun.

Or they'll actually roll up
in a little ball

and have their tail out
between their legs,

and they actually use it like a little
cushion and pop their head on that.

NARRATOR: You wouldn't know it,
but this little marsupial

is quite stressed out.

They were once a common sight all over
the south-western corner of Australia,

but the loss of habitat
and the introduction of predators

has made life very difficult for them.

So why are these guys so chilled out?

GOOLMEER: They're little fur balls
and they're also a very friendly animal.

I think here on Rottnest in particular
because they're so used to humans,

they're very friendly and curious

and they'll come right up to you
and give you a big smile



while they're eating their leaves.

NARRATOR: Welcome to Rottnest Island,

a popular holiday destination

and nature reserve off the coast
of western Australia.

Surrounded by ocean,

it has provided 19 square kilometres
of safe sanctuary

for this particular colony of quokkas,

a species of wallaby,
to survive relatively stress-free.

Most guests on the island are here
to relax and it seems the quokkas,

who are very sociable by nature,

have adopted a very
similar approach to life.

GOOLMEER: Our settlement population
is a bit more used to humans.

And we'll often see them having
some clever adaptations.

So, instead of using a bush to hide,

we have one little guy at the bakery
who favours a chair,

and he'll hide out underneath there
with his little joey.

He's a regular visitor to the bakery.

In terms of management for the island,

it is something that we are
actively working with,

and you'll notice some signage
around, particularly at the general store

and some of our other businesses
saying "no quokkas".

Obviously, quokkas can't read,

but it's so that our guests ensure that

they don't let any of their furry
little friends in there with them.

NARRATOR: This 12,000-strong colony
has made the island their own

and it's fair enough.

Rottnest Island
was actually named after them.

When a Dutch explorer first saw them
hopping around the island

in the late 17th century,
he mistook them for large rats.

The name Rottnest is Dutch
for "rat's nest".

Hardly the tourism draw card
quokkas have since become.

I think they're so cute

'cause they're little fluffy things,
and they're all over the island.

It's pretty iconic to Rottnest Island.

I like the way they, like,
when you see them,

-they're like...
-(CHUCKLES)

GOOLMEER: And it's also been voted
the happiest animal in the world.

It's always smiling.

So you'll see a lot of photos of it,

particularly when it's eating,

and it'll have a big old smile
on its face.

I love them. (CHUCKLES)

We love quokkas!

NARRATOR: Visitors go gaga
over the quokkas,

and these days,
no one can leave the island

-without at least one quokka selfie.
-(CAMERA CLICKS)

There is more to being cute
than just having a pretty face.

Some animals instantly make us smile,

and while others may not be so attractive,

their quirkiness and relationship
with humans can be incredibly charming.

We explore the characteristics

that allows each animal
to claim the title of cute.

Who will be the cutest?

In the end,
it's more than just good looks.

From the smiling holiday makers

of western Australia's
beloved Rottnest Island,

we travel across the globe

to one of the most loved families
in the world.

(ELEPHANT TRUMPETING)

KYM ILLMAN: We were in Zimbabwe at sunset,

and two herds of elephants, small herds,
came from left and right,

and the lead elephant in each group
walked in front,

and it met in the middle of this causeway,

and they touched their heads together.

But the interesting thing was that
their trunks entwined.

It was almost like a handshake.

I'd never seen that before and
it was a really lovely moment to watch,

in beautiful light.

NARRATOR: Lumbering through the grasslands
of the African continent,

the elephant has always cast a spell over
visitors like photographer Kym Illman,

beguiling and bewitching all
with experiences like this.

DR BOB HUMPHRIES:
African elephants are amazing animals

and they have the very well-organised
and civil society.

You know, the young
are really well looked after.

They even assist sick individuals,

so they're really quite extraordinary.

NARRATOR: Wildlife adventure traveller

Dr Bob Humphries'
enormous admiration for this,

mostly, gentle giant of the jungle

is one that seems to grow
with each encounter.

Last time we were in Kruger Park,

we were watching
from the top of a river bank,

a group of about 30
who rushed into the water

and drank quite fast.

And some of them were
splashing around and getting wet

and then the whole herd moved off,

but by accident they'd left
a really quite young baby.

And the water was deep enough

so that all it had was its trunk sticking
out and it was clearly panicking.

And one of the half-grown members
of the herd, not its parent,

suddenly realised it was missing
and went wheeling around

and got behind the baby and pushed it out
of the pen with its trunk.

It was absolutely just
amazing thing to see.

NARRATOR: One reason we're drawn
to this magnificent creature

is because of its devotion
to its offspring.

It's an emotional bond
that we identify with so readily.

A mother was escorting its youngster

across this plain,
and then they got a scent of us,

and they came towards us, and Mum
let the younger one mock charge us,

because they need
to hone their skills, I guess,

and this was this marvellous opportunity

to be one-on-one with this baby elephant.

It mock charged us, gave us the warning
and then retreated.

NARRATOR: The elephant's magnetism
has a lot to do

with its incredibly perceptive behaviour.

But that requires maturity
and until that arrives,

it's just adorable watching baby elephants
navigate life's new challenges.

DR HUMPHRIES: I think the very new-born
babies are absolutely the cutest thing.

I mean, they fit underneath
their mum's tummies.

The females are just...
They're obviously protecting them

and allowing them to drink.

And also the babies are amazingly playful.

(ELEPHANT TRUMPETING)

We've watched one which was
only probably three-months old,

on the edge of a river bank

where African buffalos
were trying to come down to drink,

ambushing the buffalos
and charging them and trumpeting at them,

and the buffalos backing off
from this tiny little elephant.

I mean, it was just hilarious to watch

and probably the cutest thing
I've seen in years.

If you go to Zimbabwe
and you go to Mana Pools,

you're almost guaranteed to see elephants
standing on their hind legs to eat.

And at beggars belief that an animal

that weighs, what is it,
seven, eight tons,

can stand on those two back legs,
reach up into a tree

to get the most succulent leaves
off that tree.

I love them because they're so smart.

They're probably more intelligent

than probably a quarter
of the human population, I reckon.

A great animal. I love them.

(ELEPHANT TRUMPETING)

NARRATOR: Endearing, loveable,

the elephant family, without doubt,

is always going to win a place
in your heart.

So much so it's going to bump
the sleepy little quokka

from number one
and claim that place for itself.

But up for the challenge for top spot
is a beach lover,

already donning a crown.

No matter what species,
if it's born with wings,

almost every hatchling is irresistible.

But more often than not,
the arrival of feathers

is the cue for that baby appeal
to make its departure.

Then a chick simply becomes
another bird, and let's face it,

there are billions of those.

So how can an adult bird
find that x-factor

to stand out from the crowd?

The answer is all in the headwear.

(BIRDS SQUAWKING)

ERIN CLITHEROE:
These guys are called crested terns

'cause of those very funky hairstyles
that they have,

so really cool crests on the top
of their heads.

NARRATOR: During the breeding season,

you'll find crested terns raising
their young along the coastlines

around the Indian and Pacific Oceans
before they all spread far and wide.

-What's cuter than a crested tern?
-(BIRDS SQUAWKING)

Hundreds of nested crested terns.

These are colonial nesters
and they'll nest in a big group

and lay their eggs all about
the same time.

And then their chicks all hatch
about the same time as well,

and that's the safety in numbers.

When the chicks do hatch,
they're the cutest little fluff balls,

really tiny and sort of like
a brownie little colour

and that's so they can be quite
camouflaged in the vegetation here.

NARRATOR: That volume of charm
is off the chart.

A beach full of crested tern chicks.

Can you have too much delightfulness
in one place?

CLITHEROE: The parents
will look after those chicks

until they're about two-weeks old,

and then they take them
all down onto the beach.

And that way, they're in a big
day-care centre on the beach,

or what we call a crèche.

(SQUAWKING)

CLITHEROE: They'll crèche their young
on the beach,

and all the chicks
will look after each other.

There'll are also be a few adults
that'll look after the group as well.

NARRATOR: Really, these birds are
big winners in the lottery of good looks.

Gorgeous little fluff balls,

on their way to becoming
fully grown crested terns.

And in the bird world, crest is best.

Already sporting the quaintest of crowns

isn't going to be enough
for the crested tern.

It's coming in at number three,

leaving the majestic elephant at the top
and the quokka sleeping at second.

But entering the spotlight
is a rather unusual,

kangaroo of the trees.

The kangaroo,

that spring-heeled Australian icon,

propelling its way
across spinifex-dotted deserts

using those incredibly powerful hind legs.

But not this kangaroo,
who is more at home off the ground,

up in the rainforest canopies
of Papua New Guinea.

These guys are like kangaroos.

So they're still designed like them,
so they'll actually hop,

but more or less in a tree.

So unlike, say, your primates,

that will jump from tree to tree,
these guys can't do it

so they have to climb and jump,

and they've also got
incredibly long claws.

And they're designed for great grip
for climbing up the trees.

Their tail's designed more for balance.
It's quite thick and strong.

You'll notice it actually isn't designed
to grip hold of any branches.

It's more or less there
to keep them upright.

Very powerful tail.

NARRATOR: The whole package is covered
in a boldly-coloured coat that is thick,

not so much for warmth, but to stay dry.

They are found in a climate
that's quite tropical,

so they get a lot of rain.

So it has to be waterproof.

NARRATOR: This one
and its breeding partner

live at the National Zoo and Aquarium
in the Australian capital Canberra.

A much more reliable means
for animal lovers

to actually see a good fellow's
tree kangaroo in the flesh.

SHEEAN: In the wild they are
a secretive animal that is rarely seen.

Luckily, here at our zoo,
we've got Kaboo who's quite friendly.

So he'll come down, he loves the attention

and he also loves to get a few pats
and a few scratches under the belly.

NARRATOR: Which is very much against type.

These tree kangaroos
are so committed to the solo life

that they don't even hang out together.

SHEEAN: Tree kangaroos
aren't social at all.

They're naturally a solitary species,
only really coming together for breeding.

And they will have their own territories,

and most male's and female's territories
will actually overlap,

and that's how they come in contact
with each other.

NARRATOR: It's quite a challenge
for a species

to maintain a viable population

when spending time together
seems to be quite low

on a tree kangaroo's priority list.

But Brendan and his colleagues
have been playing cupid recently,

and they might just have succeeded.

SHEEAN: Her name is Oumak.

We recently put them in together,
so we think she has got a joey.

We'll find out
in the next couple of months.

So if she does have a joey,

it's actually the size of a jellybean
at the moment, so it's very tiny.

NARRATOR: Yes, these are exciting times,
not just for these potential parents,

but for the team who takes care of them.

SHEEAN: They know us pretty well.

They do have their own
individual personalities.

So our boy will come down,
he's very friendly,

very outgoing and very curious.

While our girl,
she's a little bit more shy

and she also... A bit more moody.

She has her cranky days, which is okay.

I have my cranky days, too.

We give these guys fruit, vegetables,

but also their main diet consists
of leafy greens and branches

that we cut from the wild.

But their favourite is
scrambled eggs and avocado.

NARRATOR: An extraordinary
gourmet diet perhaps.

But in Brendan's opinion,
these two are no ordinary kangaroos.

Incredibly agile, beautiful animals.

Unfortunately in Australia,
we've only got two species left,

and they are classified vulnerable,

while the ones in Papua New Guinea
are highly endangered.

So, quite a unique animal
that is disappearing quite fast.

NARRATOR: The sweetness
of the tree kangaroo

is going to bump
both the quirky little quokka

and the stylish crested tern
down the pecking order.

And it'll hop into number two
behind the elephant,

who's happily basking in
the sunshine of number one.

But hoping to stir up the list
is a mischievous acrobat.

HOLLY THOMPSON: What makes them cute is
not only their looks, which are gorgeous,

but they actually do a gibbon walk.

They walk with their little hands up
in the air and along the ground,

and I think that's something
that everyone goes goo-ga for.

They're really inquisitive
and really loving

and their family bonds that they form
are priceless.

As soon as I locked eyes,
it was just love at first sight.

In turn, came the conservation
plight for this species,

which is habitat destruction,
but also the illegal pet trade.

NARRATOR: Critically endangered,

the white-cheeked gibbon
is a rare find in the wild.

But thanks to a tribe
of devoted followers,

this small ape is on track to survive
and delight future generations.

They're just so charismatic,

the way that they move through the trees
and swing through a canopy.

NARRATOR: Holly Thompson has been
working with white-cheeked gibbons

at Perth Zoo in Australia
for over 12 years.

The zoo is one of many around the world

participating in vital breeding programmes
to save these gibbons.

For Holly, this is her passion.

THOMPSON: Ten years ago,
I went into one of their range states,

for the javan gibbon,
and saw them in the wild,

as well as in Sumatra, the Siamang,

and that was it for me.

To see them out there,
in their family groups,

and the calls that they make
to mark their territory,

I was just fascinated.

I can do the gibbon call.
I've perfected it.

The male and female have
different parts, so mine,

my call's a little bit of a mish-mash
of everybody's role.

Um, but I'll give it a shot.

(MIMICKING GIBBON CALL)

They do a little trill at the end.

So the female will do the trill

and then the male
will start back up the call,

and then the female will continue.

NARRATOR: Gibbons produce a single
offspring every two or three years,

so repopulating this species
is a slow process.

For 40-year-old Phillip
and 22-year-old Viann,

Perth Zoo is home and in this love nest,
they've produced several offspring.

Nakai is almost four years old,

but life didn't get off
to the usual start.

THOMPSON: He was actually hand-raised
for four months here at the zoo.

Viann showed a few
mis-mothering behaviours.

Just wasn't quite sure what to do.

Mum does want to take him back,

but she wasn't then producing any milk.

NARRATOR: When hand-raising
the young gibbons,

the keepers wear a facemask.

So while the gibbons are being nurtured,

they're not getting too humanised
from the keeper's expressions.

During this time, the baby gibbons are
continually exposed to their family unit,

so their connections are maintained
for when they're reunited.

They are adorable,
and they need their little teddy bears,

so we don't want them holding on to us,
they do hold on to their teddy bear

or their sheepskin,
and they cling on really tight

like they would with their mother.

And feeding them the little bottle
is really, really sweet.

Another aspect that's really,
really gorgeous

is when they're clinging
onto their little sheepskin

and they've got to learn to cling.

So we'll swing them around

and so they're swinging around on their

little teddy or sheepskin
and learning how to cling.

NARRATOR: When it comes to fashion,
these gibbons like to mix it up a little.

They're all born with fur
in a shade of light honey,

but by the time they're two,
they've swapped this out for basic black,

contrasting of course
with the stylish white cheek patches.

At around five to seven years,
when the female reaches sexual maturity,

she ditches the black

and returns to the totally on-trend
selection of luscious rich caramel.

Holly has formed an amazing bond
with these gibbons

and they allow her get incredibly close.

It helps of course
when she arrives with food.

Gibbons are extremely strong
with long limbs

that reach up to a three-metre span
as they swing through the trees.

They are considered to be the most agile
of the primate acrobats.

THOMPSON: On a personal level for me,

what makes them so cute
is just the bond that we have

and that I can just look into their eyes

and know that my role here
is appreciated and that

I just... I just love them

and I feel that maybe they love me,

and the fact that they love each other
is just adorable.

NARRATOR: Stylish, fashionable

and, oh, so popular
is the white-cheeked gibbon

that it's going to swing its way
into the number-one spot,

while the rest of the pack
tumbles down a notch.

But ready to put its best hoof forward
is a quirky creature

with a great balancing act.

Tough, yet sensitive, curious and playful,

goats are some of the most delightful
animals you'll come across.

(BLEATING)

Highly intelligent and very social,

these quirky fellas have the character
and skill set to make best friends.

Especially this one.

Meet Fenton.

He's just like a dog really,
but more independent.

NARRATOR: Fenton is not your average pet.

Swap a paddock for some sand,

the farm for the sea and he
and his owner Emma are right at home.

And, yeah, we go to the beach

and people give us double looks
and be like, "Is that a dog?"

"Oh. No, it isn't a dog, it's a goat."

We have a lot of people
get their camera out, taking photos.

A lot of people come over
and just give him a pat.

NARRATOR: Rescued at a young age,

Fenton slipped easily
into the smart family.

SMART: About nine weeks now,

so we got him about
four or five weeks old.

He'll try and give you cuddles
and everything.

NARRATOR: Trips to the beach,
the supermarket,

nowhere is off limits

when you're an inquisitive goat
out on an adventure.

SMART: You can just leave him
and he'll go roaming.

At the start though,
he was just like having a child.

He'd always be following you everywhere
and you'd have to be giving him a bottle.

Dad actually made a song up
on the guitar. (CHUCKLES)

"Emmy had a little goat.
Followed her everywhere."

NARRATOR: And everywhere that Emma went,
the goat was sure to go.

Even to the ocean.

SMART: He's got excellent balance skills.

So he's just focused there,
just standing on the canoe.

Now he's gotten a bit bigger
he's definitely more chilled out.

NARRATOR: Super chilled.

In fact, other than cute,

the word that probably
best describes Fenton is "cool".

The gene pool has definitely
helped Fenton in this case.

Goats are known
for having incredible balance

and excellent coordination.

Just check out his relatives.

They can navigate their way
through the harshest of terrains,

climb trees, and perform
astonishing balancing acts.

Their coordination probably
makes them better equipped

to ride the surf than anyone else.

Hanging out is so much easier
when you both share the same interests.

Communication isn't a problem either.

-(BLEATS)
-(IMITATES BLEATING)

SMART: I baby-talk him,

I don't try and speak to him
in the same language.

(HIGH-PITCHED) Like, Fenton,
how you going, mate?

What are you up to?

(NORMAL VOICE) I'm gonna be
crazy goat lady, aren't I?

NARRATOR: Yes, Emma.

But who cares when you've got
the ultimate sidekick.

There's just the hours of fun

and adorable play that goes
with having a friend like Fenton.

SMART: We have this game when I was doing,
like, push-ups and exercise,

he'll jump on my back
and literally try to do back flips.

(SMART CHUCKLES)

NARRATOR: It's fair to say Fenton comes
from a long line of impressive ancestors.

But there's no denying
that at the end of the day,

he's just absolutely gorgeous.

He's definitely still cute in my eyes.

A mother's love, I suppose, isn't it?

NARRATOR: As charming
as Fenton the goat is,

he's not going to make much
of a difference to our cutest list,

but he is going to squeeze
his way into fifth spot,

knocking the crested tern to six.

Everyone else is staying put,

leaving the gibbon to claim
the crown at number one.

NARRATOR: So the countdown begins.

We've previously featured six
of our 72 cutest animals

already claiming their spots
in the top-10 state of play.

However, not all of them
will maintain their line-up.

There are now 12 animals vying
for these 10 key positions.

The koala, with its big fluffy ears
and adorable nose,

takes centre stage.
And how can we go past an animal

that does what we would all like to do,
sleep for most of the day.

The koala holds tight to number one,
but the lemur is a close second.

Whether they are babies or fully grown,

they don't seem to lose
that cheeky streak.

Who can ignore the suave charm
of the king penguins,

or indeed the craziness
of their chicks in a flap?

This majestic bird ain't moving
from third spot for anyone.

But it's time to mix it up.

The white-cheeked gibbon,

well known as the acrobat
of the ape family,

is going to swing its way
into fourth spot, but only just.

The endearing human-like qualities
of the gorilla are hard to resist

and it's a close call,
but the gorilla is going down to fifth

with the pack tumbling behind.

However, the octopus and the rat
need to keep on sliding,

as sauntering into the arena
is the family minded elephant.

These loveable giants, with their
long memory and a trunk to match,

are a crowd favourite
and thus a popular choice for the top 10.

Also hopping into the top 10
is the tree kangaroo.

Clumsy and cute on the ground,
but incredibly agile in the trees.

This marsupial claims spot number seven,

and again the octopus
and rat flip further down the list.

Still a little sleepy
is the Australian quokka.

It's just going to meander its way
into eighth position

and probably have another little snooze.

But this manoeuvre is going to take
the sociable octopus to nine

where it's finally going to stay put.

However, the frisky goat
is going to bounce into number 10,

seeing the rat twitching its whiskers
and leaving the arena.

An adorable list of cute animals,

but our next programme
will introduce six more players

to the arena and change the state of play
in the search for the cutest.

Everyone's idea of cute is different

and we're going to find it hard
to rank the quirky,

fluffy and adorable in our list
of 72 cutest animals.

But no matter what spot they take,

they'll all win a special place
in your heart.