Magic of Disney's Animal Kingdom (2020–…): Season 1, Episode 4 - Meet the Mandrills - full transcript
Keepers bring a male mandrill into the mix, and hyenas have a spa day.
NARRATOR: This time
on Magic of Disney's Animal Kingdom...
a hunky new arrival
makes a big impression.
-He is quite handsome.
-He's gorgeous.
NARRATOR: One nosy bird...
MEL: He pokes his beak into everything.
NARRATOR:
...hopes for a clean bill of health.
And a pair with a spotty reputation
cleans up their act.
NICOLE: Why are you so adorable?
-(MUSIC PLAYING)
-(BIRD SQUAWKING)
NARRATOR: A new day.
And peace reigns
on the Harambe Wildlife Reserve.
The 34 species
that call the savanna home,
-get along just fine.
-(ROARS)
NARRATOR: All except... for one family.
(MONKEY SQUEALS)
NARRATOR: Meet the mandrills.
A feisty gang who just can't stop
picking on each other.
-(MONKEY SQUEALS)
-ERIN: You know, like all families,
there's certain squabbles
from time to time.
But we can tell that there's a really
strong bond between all three females.
(MUNCHES)
ERIN: They spend a lot of time grooming
and being affectionate.
(MUNCHES)
NARRATOR: Every day, Erin and the team
look for ways to keep the peace.
We have some wire mesh boxes here
that I've stuffed with some hay
and some popcorn.
Because it's National Popcorn Day
coming up.
Just wanna put a little bit of popcorn
into these cans.
They feel like they wanna go hide
in the bush with it then... That's fine.
-(CHUCKLES)
-(WALKIE-TALKIE BEEPS)
Ten-four, Carrie, you are good
to send out the mandrills.
They're out. (CHUCKLING)
And it's always nice
to do something a little special,
something a little extra for the animals,
uh, that we don't get to do every day.
Hazel is Scarlett's daughter.
And then Snow over here,
she's actually Scarlett's mother.
So all three of these guys here
are related.
Grandma, mom, daughter.
Oh! And there's Hazel.
Isn't she gorgeous?
Whoa. (EXHALES) It makes me nervous.
NARRATOR:
Manager Beth helps oversee this family.
BETH:
They're really, really fun to work with.
But they're having some disputes.
And we're seeing some injuries
that are occurring occasionally.
(SQUEALS)
BETH: Definitely a behavior
we would prefer not to see.
NARRATOR: To stop the squabbling,
the team decides to throw
a little testosterone into the mix.
In their natural habitat,
a dominant male usually rules
a mandrill group.
He helps provide the babies,
and keeps the peace.
BETH: When you have a male present,
he does a good job
of defusing some of the tension.
Taking some of the focus away
from the females
and just kind of smoothing
out the behavior.
NARRATOR:
Time for some urgent primate pairing.
ERIN: We have been looking
for a suitable male
that would be able to join this group.
It has taken a while, and fortunately,
we have found a male.
And we think he's gonna be a perfect fit.
NARRATOR: And the girls have no idea
he's already here.
Meet Linus.
Seventy-three pounds of pure hunky monkey.
Linus puts the man in mandrill.
(SCREECHES)
KERRI: He is quite handsome.
I will say he's got an impressive coat.
He's so fluffy.
-ERIN: Yeah.
-BETH: He's gorgeous.
ERIN: I don't think the pictures
-they sent us of him did him justice.
-BETH: Yeah.
ERIN: 'Cause he had kind of a goofy look
on his face.
And I don't think they showed
how great his hair was.
-BETH: Oh!
-KERRI: Look at that.
-Wow. That was impressive.
-I can't even do that.
ERIN: I would be impressed,
if you could do that.
-(LAUGHS)
-(LAUGHS)
BETH: Oh my God. He's in the basket.
-ERIN: He's in the basket.
-BETH: Oh my God.
-KERRI: Oh, my God.
-I don't think he meant to...
He knows how to get out the basket.
ERIN: "I don't know
how I'm in the basket." (CHUCKLING)
He's really pretty flexible and spry.
NARRATOR: But just as Linus
struts his monkey stuff...
ERIN: Hmm.
BETH: Okay. So look at...
look at that body posture
-for the foraging.
-Uh-huh.
-KERRI: What're you saying?
-ERIN: Well, he might...
When he forages, he puts his face
really close to the ground
like he doesn't have very good...
-Ah!
-When we had put some worms...
-...visual acuity for the small items...
-...on the ground for him...
-...for bigger items...
-Yeah.
...he doesn't do that.
But for small things,
he gets very, very close.
So I really wonder
if he's got some issues with eyesight.
ERIN: Hmm.
He's awfully young to have vision issues,
but who knows?
-KERRI: Oh. You're right. Every time.
-BETH: Yeah. Yeah.
ERIN: We've noticed
that he's really putting his face
really close to the ground
when he's picking up,
especially the smaller items.
So we're starting to think
maybe he might have
some sort of visual challenges.
Worst case scenario, this could be
something that would hold him back
from joining our female group.
So we wanna make sure a vet
takes a good look at him
before we do our introductions
because we don't want to put him
or anybody else in a dangerous situation.
(MUNCHES)
NARRATOR: One of the world's most
critically endangered animals
lives over in the land of Asia.
(BIRDS CHIRPING)
NARRATOR: Tiger Temple provides
a tranquil home
for Sumatran tiger, Sohni.
Only around 500
of these rare tigers survive
in their natural habitat.
Sohni is our eight-year-old female.
Hi.
I'm gonna throw her a piece of meat.
She's calm, pretty relaxed,
doesn't get startled.
She's like, "Okay. Well,
I'm gonna take my time.
"I'm not in any hurry.
I'll get to everything."
NARRATOR: Sohni may be a chill cat,
but she needs stimulation
to keep her senses sharp.
-SUSAN: What are you saying?
-(MUNCHES)
-(CHUCKLES) What?
-(ROARS)
We try to think of different things
that will make their life fun and better.
I mean, that's fun for me to do that.
NARRATOR: So with Sohni safely inside
for the night...
Susan prepares a little something special.
Sometimes we like to give them
additional things to smell.
And then maybe just a couple more...
-MALE VOICE: Yeah.
-...around here.
-And that's real fun for the cats.
-MALE VOICE: Yeah.
NARRATOR:
The park's horticultural team helps Susan
with a treat grown
right on Disney property.
SUSAN: We're looking at areas
to put the lemongrass
so the cats will really like it.
What's really cool about the lemongrass
is they have that
in their natural habitat.
It's like a little grassy forest.
-MALE VOICE: Right over there.
-It looks really nice.
Uh, they love to chew the ends of it,
and roll in it.
So it's gonna be
really super fun for them.
So now that we've got
all these great grasses,
we're gonna put
a little something special in there.
These guys love perfumes and scents.
It's really interesting
how they react to them.
I guess it's kind of like catnip
for house cats.
Sohni, she loves the older perfume.
The stinkier the better.
So with that lemongrass,
and all the other good scents,
she's gonna love it.
NARRATOR: Tigers may love their treats,
but today, backstage,
Sohni faces a challenge.
-FEMALE VOICE 1: Are you ready?
-FEMALE VOICE 2: Yeah.
NARRATOR: One that even the tamest kitty
would struggle with.
SUSAN: Okay. I am ready for Sohni.
NARRATOR: Voluntary blood draw training...
SUSAN: Sohni. Crate.
NARRATOR:
...takes hard work to master.
SUSAN:
Anything that we can train them to do...
FEMALE VOICE: Down.
SUSAN: ...prevents us from having
-to do an immobilization...
-(BLOWS WHISTLE)
-FEMALE VOICE: Good job.
-SUSAN: ...to get routine blood work done.
SUSAN: That's a good spot there.
-You good if I open?
-FEMALE VOICE: Yup.
SUSAN: Okay. Opening.
SUSAN: What we've been doing
is called baiting, when you take the food
and you actually keep moving them
with food.
SUSAN: I have her tail,
-you can back her up when you're ready.
-FEMALE VOICE: All right. Sohni, back.
NARRATOR: Sohni must allow keepers
to handle her highly sensitive
three-foot-long tail.
-FEMALE VOICE: All right. Sohni, back.
-SUSAN: Good. Back her up.
FEMALE VOICE: Sohni... (BLOWS WHISTLE)
...there you go. Good girl!
SUSAN:
Okay. Feeling for the vein.
Tigers are very independent animals.
Those of us that have cats know
they are difficult to train.
It is a challenging behavior.
FEMALE VOICE: Poking.
SUSAN: But we definitely want her
to trust us, so the more we work on that,
the better she's gonna be.
FEMALE VOICE: Off.
So, applying lots
of pressure to the base of the tail
as if we did just get the blood.
There we go.
Much better. Good job, Sohni.
Move up.
-(BLOWS WHISTLE)
-Good job. So cute.
-I think it went really well.
-FEMALE VOICE: Yeah.
All right. Perfect.
NARRATOR:
Tigers in training deserve treats,
and Sohni is no exception.
Back onstage...
-(WALKIE-TALKIE BEEPS)
-Okay. We're ready at the temple.
NARRATOR: ...the lemongrass garden
is officially open.
(BELL RINGING)
SUSAN: Hi, what a good girl. Good girl!
(GROWLS)
SUSAN: You don't ever know
when you put new things in here,
how they'll feel about them.
We want them to enjoy them,
and sometimes they do,
and sometimes they ignore them.
So she's sniffing around,
knows that the dirt's been moved around.
What a good girl. Good girl!
It's like a picture out of nature.
You like your new grasses?
-(ROARS)
-SUSAN: (CHUCKLING) Yeah?
You like your grasses?
(CHUCKLING) They're pretty good. Oh, boy.
Delicious.
They like to rub their face on the grasses
and just roll over all of it...
(GIGGLING) ...like it's a bed.
You are so cute.
Aw! (CHUCKLING)
It's very fun for them.
That's the best part
of taking care of them
is to making sure
they're having the best life.
You can't really get any better than that.
And it makes me feel good.
I think we did good. Sign of approval.
NARRATOR: Out on the Harambe Reserve
in the land of Africa.
Mandrill family monkeys around as usual
with no idea there's a new man in town.
But behind the scenes,
Dr. Natalie needs to get to the bottom
of Linus's puzzling behavior.
Linus has had some concerns
with some vision.
They've been noticing
that he's really looking at his food
really up close,
and so we're gonna do the best we can
with an eye exam.
-DR. NATALIE: Okay if I listen to him?
-FEMALE VOICE: Yeah.
DR. NATALIE: The challenge is
that we're under anesthesia.
So I can't get all of the same cues
that I might
with an animal that's awake.
Vision problems can be a serious concern.
This can cause a problem with integration.
We're really not sure how the females
are gonna respond to him
if he has vision issues.
This may affect Linus's opportunities
for breeding.
We really need to figure out
what's going on.
-DR. NATALIE: Okay. We're good?
-FEMALE VOICE: Yup.
(BREATHES DEEPLY)
DR. NATALIE: Heart rate's 96 to a 100.
He's in a really good plane of anesthesia.
Just keep checking his eyes.
Make sure the pupils
are same level of dilation.
If they get too big or too small,
let me know.
(LINUS BREATHES DEEPLY)
NARRATOR: They need to move quickly
as the anesthetic only lasts an hour.
DR. NATALIE: I'm gonna grab blood.
-NARRATOR: The countdown begins.
-(LINUS BREATHING DEEPLY)
NARRATOR: First, Dr. Natalie gives Linus
a once-over and checks his teeth,
a task too perilous to try
while he's awake.
-FEMALE VOICE: It's been 30 minutes.
-DR. NATALIE: It's been 30 minutes?
-FEMALE VOICE: It's been 30 minutes.
-DR. NATALIE: Okay.
-FEMALE VOICE: Believe it or not.
-DR. NATALIE: Wow.
DR. NATALIE: Can you just be ready to grab
his head and look at his eyes
-if they start moving?
-FEMALE VOICE: Uh-huh.
NARRATOR: Now, Dr. Natalie must get close
to examine his eyes.
DR. NATALIE: His eyes are starting to
react to the light.
So if I scream "Out",
I need you to leave quickly.
We're gonna have to get ready
to grab all this stuff.
FEMALE VOICE: Yup.
-His arm's moving.
-DR. NATALIE: All right.
Do you guys wanna...
-I don't wanna sedate him any further...
-FEMALE VOICE: Yeah.
DR. NATALIE: ...but I do wanna do this
if we have an opportunity.
NARRATOR:
Natalie and the team race to finish
before the anesthetic wears off.
DR. NATALIE: Now, I'm just trying to get
his ocular pressures...
-FEMALE VOICE: Yeah.
-DR. NATALIE: ...on the left eye.
Twenty-three.
Struggling with the right eye.
It's not right.
Twenty-one. So, they're fairly similar.
FEMALE VOICE 1: Okay.
-FEMALE VOICE 2: He's moving his head.
-DR. NATALIE: Okay. Everything's out?
-FEMALE VOICE 1: Yes.
-FEMALE VOICE 2: Yup.
DR. NATALIE: He'll be a little bit groggy.
NARRATOR: Linus's future now rests
on the results of the tests.
DR. NATALIE: This will help us understand
if it's behavioral
or if there's a problem with his sight.
If there's a problem with his sight,
is there an underlying health issue
that we need to be concerned about?
That may be a stumbling block for us.
DR. NATALIE: Now we wait. (EXHALES)
NARRATOR: Over on the other side
of the Wildlife Reserve
live some of the savanna's
more provocative residents.
The spotted hyena.
A species with a notorious reputation.
NICOLE: They like stinky things.
They like the stuff
that smells really bad.
If you've ever had a dog at home that has,
you know, gone out
and then come back
from the woods smelling terrible,
it's sort of the same thing.
They like to roll in poop. (CHUCKLING)
NARRATOR: And hyena table manners
leave a lot to be desired.
-(HYENA WHINES)
-They've got one of the strongest
bite pressure of any mammal.
So they can consume bone
and extract nutrients from it
instead of just leaving it there
and... and that animal going to waste.
NARRATOR: But Nicole knows hyenas are more
than just stinky scavengers.
NICOLE: Why are you so adorable?
What are we supposed to do with you?
NARRATOR: The park has two spotted hyenas.
Female Scooter and male Zawadi.
Oh, my goodness. Zawadi is so cute.
He's so sweet.
And he is, he's a very calm,
very sensitive animal.
So it's really, really easy
to fall for him.
And Scooter is so smart
and so inquisitive.
Those wheels are always turning.
NARRATOR:
Nicole is their number one admirer.
But it's a pretty small fan club.
NICOLE: And they're actually very sweet
and incredibly intelligent.
And not as bad
as they've been made out to be.
We want people to see what we see.
NARRATOR: So every day,
Nicole shows these guys
the love they deserve.
NICOLE: Hyenas are definitely not king
of the jungle,
but we treat them like royalty.
NARRATOR: It starts with food.
The menu is interesting.
NICOLE: They both really like goat's milk
mixed with peanut butter.
We've tried a bunch
of different combinations to see,
you know, what their preferred items were.
Good girl, Scooter.
We've also done liver smoothie,
which sounds pretty disgusting
and it smells just as disgusting
as it sounds,
but they enjoy it.
NARRATOR: Taste buds satisfied.
Next up, another sensory delight.
NICOLE: This is one of the things
that we get to do with them
that makes us fall in love
with them. (CHUCKLING)
It's a social behavior
between clan members.
They enjoy grooming each other,
and this is sort of a way for us
to be able to groom them as well.
You know, who doesn't wanna scratch
a hyena every day?
NARRATOR: And there's no better way
to end a tough day.
I am putting some bubble bath
in Scooter and Zawadi's favorite pool.
We picked something that's safe
and non-toxic just like something
you would give your kids a bubble bath in.
The bubble bath is scented,
the hyena really do enjoy scent.
This is, I think, lavender.
But this is just a little bit
something different in their day
that they really seem to enjoy.
Hopefully, she'll get in there.
NARRATOR: These misunderstood animals
are the focus of Disney Education Programs
across Africa.
But here at the park,
Nicole's working to improve
one hyena life at a time.
NICOLE: I look at them and I see
one of the most adorable,
charismatic animals
I've ever seen in my life.
You've gotta take the time
to really get to know them,
and that just blossoms
into such an amazing relationship.
That bond is just that much more special
because you really had to work for it.
-(SNIFFS)
-NICOLE: Scooter and Zawadi have really
-changed my life for the better.
-(SNIFFS)
NICOLE:
So I've made it my mission to make sure
that they get the best care possible
living here.
(YELPS)
NARRATOR: Over a mile away,
Animal Kingdom Lodge hosts
some incredible residents of its own.
Most of the 200 animals living here
just keep to themselves.
(DUCKS QUACKING)
NARRATOR: But one inquisitive creature
sticks his nose into everything.
Abyssinian ground hornbill, Cassanova.
Cassanova, come on, buddy.
Cassanova's a great bird.
I love working with him
but he is always in my business.
He's super curious and nosy.
He pokes his beak into everything.
Hey, buddy, you want some more bugs?
Cassanova's a very unique bird.
A lot of birds don't like human company,
but he wants it all day long.
Hi.
NARRATOR: Cassanova's friendliness
is a big hit with guests.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
MEL:
Cassanova is definitely a fan-favorite.
He spends all day
flirting with our guests.
-(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
-(LAUGHS)
MEL: All of the guests know him.
If he's not out, they go,
"Where is Cassanova?"
One of our young guests decided
that he absolutely loves Cassanova,
he actually named him Dynamite.
And he sends videos.
Hi, Dynamite. (CHUCKLES)
I love you more than anything
in the world.
MEL: Dynamite may have made him
a little video to send back.
I showed Dynamite your video,
and he wanted you to know
that you are his very best friend
in the whole wide world.
Right, Dynamite?
NARRATOR: In their natural habitat,
hornbills use their eight-inch-long beaks
to nose around for food.
What looks like a second broken beak,
called a casque, helps amplify
-their loud calls.
-(HOOTING)
NARRATOR: And with eyes like these,
no wonder Cassanova has admirers.
They're beautiful.
I wish my eyelashes looked like that.
NARRATOR:
But now, keepers notice some signs
that all might not be well.
MEL: We're starting to see
that Cassanova's losing
some of his feathers.
They're getting dry and crackly.
His skin is also dry
and starting to flake off,
and we're a little concerned.
He's 23 now,
which is starting to get older
for a ground hornbill.
And this could be a sign that he has
an underlying health condition.
We're gonna send Cassanova to see a vet.
And hopefully,
they can do some detective work
and find out what's going on.
NARRATOR:
In the veterinary treatment room...
-MEL: Hello.
-DR. DAN: Hi.
FEMALE VOICE: Hello.
NARRATOR: ...Dr. Dan gets ready
to solve the mystery.
Cassanova is a big character,
everybody loves him.
And so, we're really trying to make sure
that we get to the bottom
of what's wrong with him today.
Okay. So Cassanova will definitely
have the anesthesia.
MEL: Okay. Yup.
DR. DAN: Feather loss can sometimes
be very simple to fix,
but we need to rule out something
that could be more serious
and that's what our goal is today.
So, I'm gonna have you hold this wing,
and I'm gonna take this one.
NARRATOR: They can now search for clues.
DR. DAN:
I don't see any evidence of parasites
or little mites that would be crawling
on the skin and the feathers
that we would worry
about with something like this.
So, that's good.
But we are seeing a lot of this dry,
flaky stuff.
Okay. Let's go ahead
and get that blood taken.
NARRATOR:
Blood test results will take time.
But Dr. Dan has a hunch.
Vitamin A can play a pretty big role
in just normal development
of skin cells...
-FEMALE VOICE: Mm-hmm.
-...and feathers.
So, we're gonna just put him
on a supplement in his diet.
Basically,
a little bit of a vitamin powder
put into the animal diet
that he already gets.
MEL: Wakey-wakey.
-(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
-MEL: Here he goes.
He's still getting his legs a little bit,
but he's definitely more his spicy self.
DR. DAN: So we need to wait for
the results of the vitamin A levels
to determine if in fact they are low,
and could be the cause of the skin issues
or whether it's something more serious.
We need to see how he responds
to these vitamin supplements
and whether it improves his skin.
So, right now,
it's kind of a waiting game.
(ROARS)
NARRATOR: Over in the mandrill habitat,
a big day begins.
The family has no idea
that this may be their last day
as an all-girl group.
(MUNCHES)
NARRATOR: But whether the big mandrill
matchmaking can safely go ahead
hangs on the results
of Linus's medical tests.
And the verdict is in.
DR. NATALIE: So we did a full exam on him,
and spent a lot of time
checking his eyes.
And all the tests came back
with no issues.
I'm happy to give Linus
a clean bill of health,
so that he can go out there
and meet his new lady friends.
ERIN:
As far as the close-up foraging behavior,
it might have just been something
he picked up
when he was a baby mandrill,
or just a habit that he has.
We all have our own quirks
and ways we do things.
We're just very happy that he's all okay.
NARRATOR: This hunky monkey is good to go.
The mandrill ladies can meet Linus.
FEMALE VOICE: One of you on this side,
one of you on that side?
BETH: Ten-four, we copy. Thank you.
FEMALE VOICE:
It's very exciting, isn't it, Linus?
BETH:
I get really excited during introductions
because it's kind of the unknown.
We get really good at predicting
the animal's behavior,
so we don't get surprised all that often
but when you do an introduction,
you have no idea what's gonna happen,
so you get kind of a little bit
of excitement,
a little bit of adrenaline going
potentially when you open those doors.
ERIN:
Okay. Opening up to Linus.
BETH: Pay attention.
(FEMALE VOICE LAUGHING)
FEMALE VOICE: Snow's grooming, Linus.
BETH:
FEMALE VOICE: Right. (CHUCKLING)
BETH:
That's a great sign of social bonding.
ERIN:
And this is looking pretty good, huh?
BETH: Yeah.
-BETH: Linus is chasing Hazel.
-ERIN: Yeah. He's... Oh, my God.
-(BETH LAUGHS)
-Came back and hit him. (LAUGHS)
(ALL LAUGH)
NARRATOR:
And now, Linus sets his eyes on Scarlett.
FEMALE VOICE:
Scarlett's smiling at Linus.
He's smiling.
FEMALE VOICE: She seems pretty
comfortable already with him.
BETH: It's good.
ERIN: He's smiling and following.
We've got a copulation
from Linus to Scarlett.
So far so good.
BETH: He didn't have very much experience,
uh, managing a group of females,
so we weren't sure how
he was going to handle the stress.
But he has been super smooth
and really competent so far.
So we're very, very pleased with how
this is going.
(MUNCHES)
ERIN: It's a great new start
to our new family group of mandrills.
Hopefully with Linus leading the group,
we're going to have a more stable,
less argumentative family.
And hopefully,
even some babies in the future.
-(MUSIC PLAYING)
-(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
NARRATOR: Early morning,
the new blended mandrill family
ventures onto the savanna together
-for the very first time.
-(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
NARRATOR: Their habitat forms part
of a wilderness trail
called the Kilimanjaro Safaris.
Here, dozens of species, predator
and prey, seemingly live together.
But what the guests don't see is this.
A hidden network of barriers
that makes this savanna vista possible
and keeps each animal safe.
(WARTHOG SNORTING)
Moats are a pretty effective way
to separate areas provided
you have the space to do it in.
NARRATOR: Executive creative designer,
Joe, visualizes a landscape
as close to Africa as possible.
If you were to make a fence
to keep an animal in,
that fence would be so profound
that you wouldn't be able
to see the animal.
So the only way you could keep
the animal in
and still be able to see it
is with a moat.
This moat system allows you to stack
these views
so that you can look across moat
after moat
and see all these animals adjacent
to each other.
There's a moat between me
and those cheetahs,
but I just can't see it at all.
I see an earthen wall facing me,
but I don't see the moat
that keeps all the other animals
from the cheetahs and vice versa.
NARRATOR: Today, one of the moats needs
an inspection.
Only when the guests depart
can work begin.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
NARRATOR: One hundred sixty-four thousand
gallons of water
border the black rhino habitat.
This moat takes five hours to drain.
And now, engineers can finally start
their inspection and examine
a submerged fence.
The in-water fence is there
to keep certain animals
on certain sides of this water feature,
and it's time for a replacement.
You know, it's gonna be slippery,
so we'll all end up in the drain.
That was close. (CHUCKLES)
NARRATOR:
Foreman Mike measures for a new fence.
I've been working here 15 years.
So I've been in every bush,
moat, building.
There's another 20 feet,
that's 40 feet there.
Working at Animal Kingdom
is unique in itself.
This is a new challenge for us.
You can let go of the tape.
We have so many
different animals out here.
And then for the protection
of the animals,
there's different equipment
we have to use for different jobs.
So, it's a challenge every day,
but it's a fun job.
NARRATOR: Mike's team finally finishes
the inspection.
PATRICK: TJ, will you give me hand?
Yeah, absolutely.
-MIKE: (LAUGHS) No.
-PATRICK: I'm stuck here.
-We're gonna leave you there.
-(PATRICK LAUGHING)
(MIKE LAUGHS)
-NARRATOR: And now...
-PATRICK: (GRUNTS) Thanks.
...they race to refill the moat.
PATRICK:
I'm hoping it's filled before daylight,
before animals are introduced
back into the forest.
Before guests start riding
on the safari ride.
If the public ever saw
what we do in the night,
and then the time the park opens,
the amount of work that goes on,
they'd be like,
"How do you get this done?"
NARRATOR: As the sun rises...
-(MONKEY SCREECHING)
-(YAWNS)
NARRATOR:
...and the animals awaken...
the moat returns to full capacity.
And the guests who'll arrive soon
won't know any different.
Back at the Lodge, friendly hornbill,
-Cassanova...
-Hi.
NARRATOR: ...nears the end
of a three-month course of vitamins.
Today, Dr. Dan checks to see
if they've solved the problem.
DR. DAN: We did some blood work
and basically found
that he was a little bit low
in his vitamin A levels.
I'm really anxious and hoping
that his skin and feathers
look a lot better, because if they don't,
it's gonna mean that he's gonna require
more trips to the hospital
and more diagnostic testing,
which nobody wants to have happen.
My fingers are crossed today.
MEL: Good boy. (EXHALES)
DR. DAN:
You've done this before, haven't you?
A little bit of practice.
DR. DAN: If we ever have the opportunity
where we can avoid doing
a full anesthetic procedure,
-we would rather do that awake...
-MEL: Shh.
DR. DAN: ...than have to anesthetize them.
Shh. It's okay.
-Um, let's try to get a look... (EXHALES)
-All right. Need to do a wing?
DR. DAN:
Yeah, maybe I'll just take this one.
MEL: Are you able to lift it?
-DR. DAN: Mm-hmm.
-MEL: Thank you.
DR. DAN: Okay. Got it?
I know, buddy. You're a good boy.
-DR. DAN: This was all...
-MEL: All chunky.
...really flaky and I mean,
it looks a ton better.
MEL: Does it?
DR. DAN: There's a scant amount
of skin flaking still,
but compared to what it was,
where you would just run your hand
across his feathers
and there would be like...
-MEL: Yeah.
-...a blizzard of dandruff.
Yeah. The inside is a lot better too.
And you were commenting that you felt like
his feather quality has improved.
MEL: The quality...
He's back to being shiny
-and pretty again. (CHUCKLES)
-DR. DAN: Awesome.
-MEL: Handsome
-Handsome. Yeah, handsome.
-(LAUGHS)
-Come on.
You're a very handsome man, Cassanova.
Cassanova did awesome today.
He was really patient.
MEL: Good job, buddy. (CHUCKLES)
Everything that we were trying to fix
seems to be resolving
or completely resolved.
He's a really, really cool bird,
and I'm happy to see that.
NARRATOR:
And now, with a clean bill of health,
Cassanova gets back to doing
what he does best.
Flashing those lashes,
and charming the guests.
I'll probably bring him some extra
super worms
and maybe some puzzle feeders,
something to play with
since he did such a great job.
MEL: (CHUCKLES) Yeah. Good boy.
He makes me smile, I love spending
my day with him.
He makes work fun.
He's the best. I love him.
NARRATOR: A month and a half has passed
since new male Linus
joined the mandrill family.
He's managed to create harmony.
And Linus may also have helped
create something else.
Linus has proven to be a pretty good
cohesive leader of this group,
and now, we're thinking that Scarlett
might be pregnant at this time.
NARRATOR: If so, it will be Linus's first.
But to be sure,
Scarlett needs an ultrasound.
ERIN:
All right, mama, are you ready to go?
Where's that belly? All the way up.
All the way up.
NARRATOR:
Erin, Beth, and the whole expert team
who care for this family,
gather in anticipation.
DR. DAN: Okay.
So you're definitely in the right zone.
I lost contact...
-with whatever you did.
-ERIN: -Okay.
-Put more gel on there, good job.
-DR. DAN: Yeah.
ERIN: You're being very patient.
Can you sit?
I know, that's a great butt.
Can you sit? Good girl.
-(CHUCKLES)
-ERIN: Come on, mama.
DR. DAN: It's a little complex
because a keeper has to hold
one part of the ultrasound,
I'm looking at the screen
trying to help her put it
in the right position.
Okay. You're close.
Oh. You're right there, I think.
Slightly furth... Yup.
Slightly further down again.
ERIN: Is that anywhere where I need to be?
DR. DAN: You're close.
Yeah, it's actually towards the tail...
Up a little bit more. Right there.
-DR. DAN: That's awesome.
-ERIN: She's pregnant?
Yeah. She is.
-You're a rock star.
-(SCREECHES)
-She says, "I'm pregnant."
-Your baby.
-You're gonna have a baby.
-DR. DAN: That was awesome.
This is Scarlett's uterus.
Uh, this right here is her baby.
-ERIN: You're doing so well.
-It's just a little bean right now.
It's pretty early on,
but there is a little motion,
which is probably the fetus' heartbeat.
ERIN: Linus is a first time dad.
We think she's probably between
five to six weeks along,
and we are very excited.
Good girl, Scarlett. Here you go.
There's your banana.
DR. DAN: This is a big deal.
Uh, it's always a big deal
when we have an animal that's pregnant.
We wanna see these animals create
cute little baby animals.
That's part of the reason we're here.
And to see one of them be pregnant
and potentially have a baby
in the future is a huge rush.
(MONKEY CHATTERING)
NARRATOR: Mandrill numbers are in decline.
So a new arrival would be great news
for the species.
But most of all,
it'll bring this new family together.
A firstborn for Linus.
And for these once fraught females,
a hopeful, exciting future.
ERIN: For me, this is really a very happy,
great moment for the mandrills.
For all of us as a team, too.
I think we're beyond thrilled about this.
(MUNCHES)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
on Magic of Disney's Animal Kingdom...
a hunky new arrival
makes a big impression.
-He is quite handsome.
-He's gorgeous.
NARRATOR: One nosy bird...
MEL: He pokes his beak into everything.
NARRATOR:
...hopes for a clean bill of health.
And a pair with a spotty reputation
cleans up their act.
NICOLE: Why are you so adorable?
-(MUSIC PLAYING)
-(BIRD SQUAWKING)
NARRATOR: A new day.
And peace reigns
on the Harambe Wildlife Reserve.
The 34 species
that call the savanna home,
-get along just fine.
-(ROARS)
NARRATOR: All except... for one family.
(MONKEY SQUEALS)
NARRATOR: Meet the mandrills.
A feisty gang who just can't stop
picking on each other.
-(MONKEY SQUEALS)
-ERIN: You know, like all families,
there's certain squabbles
from time to time.
But we can tell that there's a really
strong bond between all three females.
(MUNCHES)
ERIN: They spend a lot of time grooming
and being affectionate.
(MUNCHES)
NARRATOR: Every day, Erin and the team
look for ways to keep the peace.
We have some wire mesh boxes here
that I've stuffed with some hay
and some popcorn.
Because it's National Popcorn Day
coming up.
Just wanna put a little bit of popcorn
into these cans.
They feel like they wanna go hide
in the bush with it then... That's fine.
-(CHUCKLES)
-(WALKIE-TALKIE BEEPS)
Ten-four, Carrie, you are good
to send out the mandrills.
They're out. (CHUCKLING)
And it's always nice
to do something a little special,
something a little extra for the animals,
uh, that we don't get to do every day.
Hazel is Scarlett's daughter.
And then Snow over here,
she's actually Scarlett's mother.
So all three of these guys here
are related.
Grandma, mom, daughter.
Oh! And there's Hazel.
Isn't she gorgeous?
Whoa. (EXHALES) It makes me nervous.
NARRATOR:
Manager Beth helps oversee this family.
BETH:
They're really, really fun to work with.
But they're having some disputes.
And we're seeing some injuries
that are occurring occasionally.
(SQUEALS)
BETH: Definitely a behavior
we would prefer not to see.
NARRATOR: To stop the squabbling,
the team decides to throw
a little testosterone into the mix.
In their natural habitat,
a dominant male usually rules
a mandrill group.
He helps provide the babies,
and keeps the peace.
BETH: When you have a male present,
he does a good job
of defusing some of the tension.
Taking some of the focus away
from the females
and just kind of smoothing
out the behavior.
NARRATOR:
Time for some urgent primate pairing.
ERIN: We have been looking
for a suitable male
that would be able to join this group.
It has taken a while, and fortunately,
we have found a male.
And we think he's gonna be a perfect fit.
NARRATOR: And the girls have no idea
he's already here.
Meet Linus.
Seventy-three pounds of pure hunky monkey.
Linus puts the man in mandrill.
(SCREECHES)
KERRI: He is quite handsome.
I will say he's got an impressive coat.
He's so fluffy.
-ERIN: Yeah.
-BETH: He's gorgeous.
ERIN: I don't think the pictures
-they sent us of him did him justice.
-BETH: Yeah.
ERIN: 'Cause he had kind of a goofy look
on his face.
And I don't think they showed
how great his hair was.
-BETH: Oh!
-KERRI: Look at that.
-Wow. That was impressive.
-I can't even do that.
ERIN: I would be impressed,
if you could do that.
-(LAUGHS)
-(LAUGHS)
BETH: Oh my God. He's in the basket.
-ERIN: He's in the basket.
-BETH: Oh my God.
-KERRI: Oh, my God.
-I don't think he meant to...
He knows how to get out the basket.
ERIN: "I don't know
how I'm in the basket." (CHUCKLING)
He's really pretty flexible and spry.
NARRATOR: But just as Linus
struts his monkey stuff...
ERIN: Hmm.
BETH: Okay. So look at...
look at that body posture
-for the foraging.
-Uh-huh.
-KERRI: What're you saying?
-ERIN: Well, he might...
When he forages, he puts his face
really close to the ground
like he doesn't have very good...
-Ah!
-When we had put some worms...
-...visual acuity for the small items...
-...on the ground for him...
-...for bigger items...
-Yeah.
...he doesn't do that.
But for small things,
he gets very, very close.
So I really wonder
if he's got some issues with eyesight.
ERIN: Hmm.
He's awfully young to have vision issues,
but who knows?
-KERRI: Oh. You're right. Every time.
-BETH: Yeah. Yeah.
ERIN: We've noticed
that he's really putting his face
really close to the ground
when he's picking up,
especially the smaller items.
So we're starting to think
maybe he might have
some sort of visual challenges.
Worst case scenario, this could be
something that would hold him back
from joining our female group.
So we wanna make sure a vet
takes a good look at him
before we do our introductions
because we don't want to put him
or anybody else in a dangerous situation.
(MUNCHES)
NARRATOR: One of the world's most
critically endangered animals
lives over in the land of Asia.
(BIRDS CHIRPING)
NARRATOR: Tiger Temple provides
a tranquil home
for Sumatran tiger, Sohni.
Only around 500
of these rare tigers survive
in their natural habitat.
Sohni is our eight-year-old female.
Hi.
I'm gonna throw her a piece of meat.
She's calm, pretty relaxed,
doesn't get startled.
She's like, "Okay. Well,
I'm gonna take my time.
"I'm not in any hurry.
I'll get to everything."
NARRATOR: Sohni may be a chill cat,
but she needs stimulation
to keep her senses sharp.
-SUSAN: What are you saying?
-(MUNCHES)
-(CHUCKLES) What?
-(ROARS)
We try to think of different things
that will make their life fun and better.
I mean, that's fun for me to do that.
NARRATOR: So with Sohni safely inside
for the night...
Susan prepares a little something special.
Sometimes we like to give them
additional things to smell.
And then maybe just a couple more...
-MALE VOICE: Yeah.
-...around here.
-And that's real fun for the cats.
-MALE VOICE: Yeah.
NARRATOR:
The park's horticultural team helps Susan
with a treat grown
right on Disney property.
SUSAN: We're looking at areas
to put the lemongrass
so the cats will really like it.
What's really cool about the lemongrass
is they have that
in their natural habitat.
It's like a little grassy forest.
-MALE VOICE: Right over there.
-It looks really nice.
Uh, they love to chew the ends of it,
and roll in it.
So it's gonna be
really super fun for them.
So now that we've got
all these great grasses,
we're gonna put
a little something special in there.
These guys love perfumes and scents.
It's really interesting
how they react to them.
I guess it's kind of like catnip
for house cats.
Sohni, she loves the older perfume.
The stinkier the better.
So with that lemongrass,
and all the other good scents,
she's gonna love it.
NARRATOR: Tigers may love their treats,
but today, backstage,
Sohni faces a challenge.
-FEMALE VOICE 1: Are you ready?
-FEMALE VOICE 2: Yeah.
NARRATOR: One that even the tamest kitty
would struggle with.
SUSAN: Okay. I am ready for Sohni.
NARRATOR: Voluntary blood draw training...
SUSAN: Sohni. Crate.
NARRATOR:
...takes hard work to master.
SUSAN:
Anything that we can train them to do...
FEMALE VOICE: Down.
SUSAN: ...prevents us from having
-to do an immobilization...
-(BLOWS WHISTLE)
-FEMALE VOICE: Good job.
-SUSAN: ...to get routine blood work done.
SUSAN: That's a good spot there.
-You good if I open?
-FEMALE VOICE: Yup.
SUSAN: Okay. Opening.
SUSAN: What we've been doing
is called baiting, when you take the food
and you actually keep moving them
with food.
SUSAN: I have her tail,
-you can back her up when you're ready.
-FEMALE VOICE: All right. Sohni, back.
NARRATOR: Sohni must allow keepers
to handle her highly sensitive
three-foot-long tail.
-FEMALE VOICE: All right. Sohni, back.
-SUSAN: Good. Back her up.
FEMALE VOICE: Sohni... (BLOWS WHISTLE)
...there you go. Good girl!
SUSAN:
Okay. Feeling for the vein.
Tigers are very independent animals.
Those of us that have cats know
they are difficult to train.
It is a challenging behavior.
FEMALE VOICE: Poking.
SUSAN: But we definitely want her
to trust us, so the more we work on that,
the better she's gonna be.
FEMALE VOICE: Off.
So, applying lots
of pressure to the base of the tail
as if we did just get the blood.
There we go.
Much better. Good job, Sohni.
Move up.
-(BLOWS WHISTLE)
-Good job. So cute.
-I think it went really well.
-FEMALE VOICE: Yeah.
All right. Perfect.
NARRATOR:
Tigers in training deserve treats,
and Sohni is no exception.
Back onstage...
-(WALKIE-TALKIE BEEPS)
-Okay. We're ready at the temple.
NARRATOR: ...the lemongrass garden
is officially open.
(BELL RINGING)
SUSAN: Hi, what a good girl. Good girl!
(GROWLS)
SUSAN: You don't ever know
when you put new things in here,
how they'll feel about them.
We want them to enjoy them,
and sometimes they do,
and sometimes they ignore them.
So she's sniffing around,
knows that the dirt's been moved around.
What a good girl. Good girl!
It's like a picture out of nature.
You like your new grasses?
-(ROARS)
-SUSAN: (CHUCKLING) Yeah?
You like your grasses?
(CHUCKLING) They're pretty good. Oh, boy.
Delicious.
They like to rub their face on the grasses
and just roll over all of it...
(GIGGLING) ...like it's a bed.
You are so cute.
Aw! (CHUCKLING)
It's very fun for them.
That's the best part
of taking care of them
is to making sure
they're having the best life.
You can't really get any better than that.
And it makes me feel good.
I think we did good. Sign of approval.
NARRATOR: Out on the Harambe Reserve
in the land of Africa.
Mandrill family monkeys around as usual
with no idea there's a new man in town.
But behind the scenes,
Dr. Natalie needs to get to the bottom
of Linus's puzzling behavior.
Linus has had some concerns
with some vision.
They've been noticing
that he's really looking at his food
really up close,
and so we're gonna do the best we can
with an eye exam.
-DR. NATALIE: Okay if I listen to him?
-FEMALE VOICE: Yeah.
DR. NATALIE: The challenge is
that we're under anesthesia.
So I can't get all of the same cues
that I might
with an animal that's awake.
Vision problems can be a serious concern.
This can cause a problem with integration.
We're really not sure how the females
are gonna respond to him
if he has vision issues.
This may affect Linus's opportunities
for breeding.
We really need to figure out
what's going on.
-DR. NATALIE: Okay. We're good?
-FEMALE VOICE: Yup.
(BREATHES DEEPLY)
DR. NATALIE: Heart rate's 96 to a 100.
He's in a really good plane of anesthesia.
Just keep checking his eyes.
Make sure the pupils
are same level of dilation.
If they get too big or too small,
let me know.
(LINUS BREATHES DEEPLY)
NARRATOR: They need to move quickly
as the anesthetic only lasts an hour.
DR. NATALIE: I'm gonna grab blood.
-NARRATOR: The countdown begins.
-(LINUS BREATHING DEEPLY)
NARRATOR: First, Dr. Natalie gives Linus
a once-over and checks his teeth,
a task too perilous to try
while he's awake.
-FEMALE VOICE: It's been 30 minutes.
-DR. NATALIE: It's been 30 minutes?
-FEMALE VOICE: It's been 30 minutes.
-DR. NATALIE: Okay.
-FEMALE VOICE: Believe it or not.
-DR. NATALIE: Wow.
DR. NATALIE: Can you just be ready to grab
his head and look at his eyes
-if they start moving?
-FEMALE VOICE: Uh-huh.
NARRATOR: Now, Dr. Natalie must get close
to examine his eyes.
DR. NATALIE: His eyes are starting to
react to the light.
So if I scream "Out",
I need you to leave quickly.
We're gonna have to get ready
to grab all this stuff.
FEMALE VOICE: Yup.
-His arm's moving.
-DR. NATALIE: All right.
Do you guys wanna...
-I don't wanna sedate him any further...
-FEMALE VOICE: Yeah.
DR. NATALIE: ...but I do wanna do this
if we have an opportunity.
NARRATOR:
Natalie and the team race to finish
before the anesthetic wears off.
DR. NATALIE: Now, I'm just trying to get
his ocular pressures...
-FEMALE VOICE: Yeah.
-DR. NATALIE: ...on the left eye.
Twenty-three.
Struggling with the right eye.
It's not right.
Twenty-one. So, they're fairly similar.
FEMALE VOICE 1: Okay.
-FEMALE VOICE 2: He's moving his head.
-DR. NATALIE: Okay. Everything's out?
-FEMALE VOICE 1: Yes.
-FEMALE VOICE 2: Yup.
DR. NATALIE: He'll be a little bit groggy.
NARRATOR: Linus's future now rests
on the results of the tests.
DR. NATALIE: This will help us understand
if it's behavioral
or if there's a problem with his sight.
If there's a problem with his sight,
is there an underlying health issue
that we need to be concerned about?
That may be a stumbling block for us.
DR. NATALIE: Now we wait. (EXHALES)
NARRATOR: Over on the other side
of the Wildlife Reserve
live some of the savanna's
more provocative residents.
The spotted hyena.
A species with a notorious reputation.
NICOLE: They like stinky things.
They like the stuff
that smells really bad.
If you've ever had a dog at home that has,
you know, gone out
and then come back
from the woods smelling terrible,
it's sort of the same thing.
They like to roll in poop. (CHUCKLING)
NARRATOR: And hyena table manners
leave a lot to be desired.
-(HYENA WHINES)
-They've got one of the strongest
bite pressure of any mammal.
So they can consume bone
and extract nutrients from it
instead of just leaving it there
and... and that animal going to waste.
NARRATOR: But Nicole knows hyenas are more
than just stinky scavengers.
NICOLE: Why are you so adorable?
What are we supposed to do with you?
NARRATOR: The park has two spotted hyenas.
Female Scooter and male Zawadi.
Oh, my goodness. Zawadi is so cute.
He's so sweet.
And he is, he's a very calm,
very sensitive animal.
So it's really, really easy
to fall for him.
And Scooter is so smart
and so inquisitive.
Those wheels are always turning.
NARRATOR:
Nicole is their number one admirer.
But it's a pretty small fan club.
NICOLE: And they're actually very sweet
and incredibly intelligent.
And not as bad
as they've been made out to be.
We want people to see what we see.
NARRATOR: So every day,
Nicole shows these guys
the love they deserve.
NICOLE: Hyenas are definitely not king
of the jungle,
but we treat them like royalty.
NARRATOR: It starts with food.
The menu is interesting.
NICOLE: They both really like goat's milk
mixed with peanut butter.
We've tried a bunch
of different combinations to see,
you know, what their preferred items were.
Good girl, Scooter.
We've also done liver smoothie,
which sounds pretty disgusting
and it smells just as disgusting
as it sounds,
but they enjoy it.
NARRATOR: Taste buds satisfied.
Next up, another sensory delight.
NICOLE: This is one of the things
that we get to do with them
that makes us fall in love
with them. (CHUCKLING)
It's a social behavior
between clan members.
They enjoy grooming each other,
and this is sort of a way for us
to be able to groom them as well.
You know, who doesn't wanna scratch
a hyena every day?
NARRATOR: And there's no better way
to end a tough day.
I am putting some bubble bath
in Scooter and Zawadi's favorite pool.
We picked something that's safe
and non-toxic just like something
you would give your kids a bubble bath in.
The bubble bath is scented,
the hyena really do enjoy scent.
This is, I think, lavender.
But this is just a little bit
something different in their day
that they really seem to enjoy.
Hopefully, she'll get in there.
NARRATOR: These misunderstood animals
are the focus of Disney Education Programs
across Africa.
But here at the park,
Nicole's working to improve
one hyena life at a time.
NICOLE: I look at them and I see
one of the most adorable,
charismatic animals
I've ever seen in my life.
You've gotta take the time
to really get to know them,
and that just blossoms
into such an amazing relationship.
That bond is just that much more special
because you really had to work for it.
-(SNIFFS)
-NICOLE: Scooter and Zawadi have really
-changed my life for the better.
-(SNIFFS)
NICOLE:
So I've made it my mission to make sure
that they get the best care possible
living here.
(YELPS)
NARRATOR: Over a mile away,
Animal Kingdom Lodge hosts
some incredible residents of its own.
Most of the 200 animals living here
just keep to themselves.
(DUCKS QUACKING)
NARRATOR: But one inquisitive creature
sticks his nose into everything.
Abyssinian ground hornbill, Cassanova.
Cassanova, come on, buddy.
Cassanova's a great bird.
I love working with him
but he is always in my business.
He's super curious and nosy.
He pokes his beak into everything.
Hey, buddy, you want some more bugs?
Cassanova's a very unique bird.
A lot of birds don't like human company,
but he wants it all day long.
Hi.
NARRATOR: Cassanova's friendliness
is a big hit with guests.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
MEL:
Cassanova is definitely a fan-favorite.
He spends all day
flirting with our guests.
-(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
-(LAUGHS)
MEL: All of the guests know him.
If he's not out, they go,
"Where is Cassanova?"
One of our young guests decided
that he absolutely loves Cassanova,
he actually named him Dynamite.
And he sends videos.
Hi, Dynamite. (CHUCKLES)
I love you more than anything
in the world.
MEL: Dynamite may have made him
a little video to send back.
I showed Dynamite your video,
and he wanted you to know
that you are his very best friend
in the whole wide world.
Right, Dynamite?
NARRATOR: In their natural habitat,
hornbills use their eight-inch-long beaks
to nose around for food.
What looks like a second broken beak,
called a casque, helps amplify
-their loud calls.
-(HOOTING)
NARRATOR: And with eyes like these,
no wonder Cassanova has admirers.
They're beautiful.
I wish my eyelashes looked like that.
NARRATOR:
But now, keepers notice some signs
that all might not be well.
MEL: We're starting to see
that Cassanova's losing
some of his feathers.
They're getting dry and crackly.
His skin is also dry
and starting to flake off,
and we're a little concerned.
He's 23 now,
which is starting to get older
for a ground hornbill.
And this could be a sign that he has
an underlying health condition.
We're gonna send Cassanova to see a vet.
And hopefully,
they can do some detective work
and find out what's going on.
NARRATOR:
In the veterinary treatment room...
-MEL: Hello.
-DR. DAN: Hi.
FEMALE VOICE: Hello.
NARRATOR: ...Dr. Dan gets ready
to solve the mystery.
Cassanova is a big character,
everybody loves him.
And so, we're really trying to make sure
that we get to the bottom
of what's wrong with him today.
Okay. So Cassanova will definitely
have the anesthesia.
MEL: Okay. Yup.
DR. DAN: Feather loss can sometimes
be very simple to fix,
but we need to rule out something
that could be more serious
and that's what our goal is today.
So, I'm gonna have you hold this wing,
and I'm gonna take this one.
NARRATOR: They can now search for clues.
DR. DAN:
I don't see any evidence of parasites
or little mites that would be crawling
on the skin and the feathers
that we would worry
about with something like this.
So, that's good.
But we are seeing a lot of this dry,
flaky stuff.
Okay. Let's go ahead
and get that blood taken.
NARRATOR:
Blood test results will take time.
But Dr. Dan has a hunch.
Vitamin A can play a pretty big role
in just normal development
of skin cells...
-FEMALE VOICE: Mm-hmm.
-...and feathers.
So, we're gonna just put him
on a supplement in his diet.
Basically,
a little bit of a vitamin powder
put into the animal diet
that he already gets.
MEL: Wakey-wakey.
-(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
-MEL: Here he goes.
He's still getting his legs a little bit,
but he's definitely more his spicy self.
DR. DAN: So we need to wait for
the results of the vitamin A levels
to determine if in fact they are low,
and could be the cause of the skin issues
or whether it's something more serious.
We need to see how he responds
to these vitamin supplements
and whether it improves his skin.
So, right now,
it's kind of a waiting game.
(ROARS)
NARRATOR: Over in the mandrill habitat,
a big day begins.
The family has no idea
that this may be their last day
as an all-girl group.
(MUNCHES)
NARRATOR: But whether the big mandrill
matchmaking can safely go ahead
hangs on the results
of Linus's medical tests.
And the verdict is in.
DR. NATALIE: So we did a full exam on him,
and spent a lot of time
checking his eyes.
And all the tests came back
with no issues.
I'm happy to give Linus
a clean bill of health,
so that he can go out there
and meet his new lady friends.
ERIN:
As far as the close-up foraging behavior,
it might have just been something
he picked up
when he was a baby mandrill,
or just a habit that he has.
We all have our own quirks
and ways we do things.
We're just very happy that he's all okay.
NARRATOR: This hunky monkey is good to go.
The mandrill ladies can meet Linus.
FEMALE VOICE: One of you on this side,
one of you on that side?
BETH: Ten-four, we copy. Thank you.
FEMALE VOICE:
It's very exciting, isn't it, Linus?
BETH:
I get really excited during introductions
because it's kind of the unknown.
We get really good at predicting
the animal's behavior,
so we don't get surprised all that often
but when you do an introduction,
you have no idea what's gonna happen,
so you get kind of a little bit
of excitement,
a little bit of adrenaline going
potentially when you open those doors.
ERIN:
Okay. Opening up to Linus.
BETH: Pay attention.
(FEMALE VOICE LAUGHING)
FEMALE VOICE: Snow's grooming, Linus.
BETH:
FEMALE VOICE: Right. (CHUCKLING)
BETH:
That's a great sign of social bonding.
ERIN:
And this is looking pretty good, huh?
BETH: Yeah.
-BETH: Linus is chasing Hazel.
-ERIN: Yeah. He's... Oh, my God.
-(BETH LAUGHS)
-Came back and hit him. (LAUGHS)
(ALL LAUGH)
NARRATOR:
And now, Linus sets his eyes on Scarlett.
FEMALE VOICE:
Scarlett's smiling at Linus.
He's smiling.
FEMALE VOICE: She seems pretty
comfortable already with him.
BETH: It's good.
ERIN: He's smiling and following.
We've got a copulation
from Linus to Scarlett.
So far so good.
BETH: He didn't have very much experience,
uh, managing a group of females,
so we weren't sure how
he was going to handle the stress.
But he has been super smooth
and really competent so far.
So we're very, very pleased with how
this is going.
(MUNCHES)
ERIN: It's a great new start
to our new family group of mandrills.
Hopefully with Linus leading the group,
we're going to have a more stable,
less argumentative family.
And hopefully,
even some babies in the future.
-(MUSIC PLAYING)
-(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
NARRATOR: Early morning,
the new blended mandrill family
ventures onto the savanna together
-for the very first time.
-(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
NARRATOR: Their habitat forms part
of a wilderness trail
called the Kilimanjaro Safaris.
Here, dozens of species, predator
and prey, seemingly live together.
But what the guests don't see is this.
A hidden network of barriers
that makes this savanna vista possible
and keeps each animal safe.
(WARTHOG SNORTING)
Moats are a pretty effective way
to separate areas provided
you have the space to do it in.
NARRATOR: Executive creative designer,
Joe, visualizes a landscape
as close to Africa as possible.
If you were to make a fence
to keep an animal in,
that fence would be so profound
that you wouldn't be able
to see the animal.
So the only way you could keep
the animal in
and still be able to see it
is with a moat.
This moat system allows you to stack
these views
so that you can look across moat
after moat
and see all these animals adjacent
to each other.
There's a moat between me
and those cheetahs,
but I just can't see it at all.
I see an earthen wall facing me,
but I don't see the moat
that keeps all the other animals
from the cheetahs and vice versa.
NARRATOR: Today, one of the moats needs
an inspection.
Only when the guests depart
can work begin.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
NARRATOR: One hundred sixty-four thousand
gallons of water
border the black rhino habitat.
This moat takes five hours to drain.
And now, engineers can finally start
their inspection and examine
a submerged fence.
The in-water fence is there
to keep certain animals
on certain sides of this water feature,
and it's time for a replacement.
You know, it's gonna be slippery,
so we'll all end up in the drain.
That was close. (CHUCKLES)
NARRATOR:
Foreman Mike measures for a new fence.
I've been working here 15 years.
So I've been in every bush,
moat, building.
There's another 20 feet,
that's 40 feet there.
Working at Animal Kingdom
is unique in itself.
This is a new challenge for us.
You can let go of the tape.
We have so many
different animals out here.
And then for the protection
of the animals,
there's different equipment
we have to use for different jobs.
So, it's a challenge every day,
but it's a fun job.
NARRATOR: Mike's team finally finishes
the inspection.
PATRICK: TJ, will you give me hand?
Yeah, absolutely.
-MIKE: (LAUGHS) No.
-PATRICK: I'm stuck here.
-We're gonna leave you there.
-(PATRICK LAUGHING)
(MIKE LAUGHS)
-NARRATOR: And now...
-PATRICK: (GRUNTS) Thanks.
...they race to refill the moat.
PATRICK:
I'm hoping it's filled before daylight,
before animals are introduced
back into the forest.
Before guests start riding
on the safari ride.
If the public ever saw
what we do in the night,
and then the time the park opens,
the amount of work that goes on,
they'd be like,
"How do you get this done?"
NARRATOR: As the sun rises...
-(MONKEY SCREECHING)
-(YAWNS)
NARRATOR:
...and the animals awaken...
the moat returns to full capacity.
And the guests who'll arrive soon
won't know any different.
Back at the Lodge, friendly hornbill,
-Cassanova...
-Hi.
NARRATOR: ...nears the end
of a three-month course of vitamins.
Today, Dr. Dan checks to see
if they've solved the problem.
DR. DAN: We did some blood work
and basically found
that he was a little bit low
in his vitamin A levels.
I'm really anxious and hoping
that his skin and feathers
look a lot better, because if they don't,
it's gonna mean that he's gonna require
more trips to the hospital
and more diagnostic testing,
which nobody wants to have happen.
My fingers are crossed today.
MEL: Good boy. (EXHALES)
DR. DAN:
You've done this before, haven't you?
A little bit of practice.
DR. DAN: If we ever have the opportunity
where we can avoid doing
a full anesthetic procedure,
-we would rather do that awake...
-MEL: Shh.
DR. DAN: ...than have to anesthetize them.
Shh. It's okay.
-Um, let's try to get a look... (EXHALES)
-All right. Need to do a wing?
DR. DAN:
Yeah, maybe I'll just take this one.
MEL: Are you able to lift it?
-DR. DAN: Mm-hmm.
-MEL: Thank you.
DR. DAN: Okay. Got it?
I know, buddy. You're a good boy.
-DR. DAN: This was all...
-MEL: All chunky.
...really flaky and I mean,
it looks a ton better.
MEL: Does it?
DR. DAN: There's a scant amount
of skin flaking still,
but compared to what it was,
where you would just run your hand
across his feathers
and there would be like...
-MEL: Yeah.
-...a blizzard of dandruff.
Yeah. The inside is a lot better too.
And you were commenting that you felt like
his feather quality has improved.
MEL: The quality...
He's back to being shiny
-and pretty again. (CHUCKLES)
-DR. DAN: Awesome.
-MEL: Handsome
-Handsome. Yeah, handsome.
-(LAUGHS)
-Come on.
You're a very handsome man, Cassanova.
Cassanova did awesome today.
He was really patient.
MEL: Good job, buddy. (CHUCKLES)
Everything that we were trying to fix
seems to be resolving
or completely resolved.
He's a really, really cool bird,
and I'm happy to see that.
NARRATOR:
And now, with a clean bill of health,
Cassanova gets back to doing
what he does best.
Flashing those lashes,
and charming the guests.
I'll probably bring him some extra
super worms
and maybe some puzzle feeders,
something to play with
since he did such a great job.
MEL: (CHUCKLES) Yeah. Good boy.
He makes me smile, I love spending
my day with him.
He makes work fun.
He's the best. I love him.
NARRATOR: A month and a half has passed
since new male Linus
joined the mandrill family.
He's managed to create harmony.
And Linus may also have helped
create something else.
Linus has proven to be a pretty good
cohesive leader of this group,
and now, we're thinking that Scarlett
might be pregnant at this time.
NARRATOR: If so, it will be Linus's first.
But to be sure,
Scarlett needs an ultrasound.
ERIN:
All right, mama, are you ready to go?
Where's that belly? All the way up.
All the way up.
NARRATOR:
Erin, Beth, and the whole expert team
who care for this family,
gather in anticipation.
DR. DAN: Okay.
So you're definitely in the right zone.
I lost contact...
-with whatever you did.
-ERIN: -Okay.
-Put more gel on there, good job.
-DR. DAN: Yeah.
ERIN: You're being very patient.
Can you sit?
I know, that's a great butt.
Can you sit? Good girl.
-(CHUCKLES)
-ERIN: Come on, mama.
DR. DAN: It's a little complex
because a keeper has to hold
one part of the ultrasound,
I'm looking at the screen
trying to help her put it
in the right position.
Okay. You're close.
Oh. You're right there, I think.
Slightly furth... Yup.
Slightly further down again.
ERIN: Is that anywhere where I need to be?
DR. DAN: You're close.
Yeah, it's actually towards the tail...
Up a little bit more. Right there.
-DR. DAN: That's awesome.
-ERIN: She's pregnant?
Yeah. She is.
-You're a rock star.
-(SCREECHES)
-She says, "I'm pregnant."
-Your baby.
-You're gonna have a baby.
-DR. DAN: That was awesome.
This is Scarlett's uterus.
Uh, this right here is her baby.
-ERIN: You're doing so well.
-It's just a little bean right now.
It's pretty early on,
but there is a little motion,
which is probably the fetus' heartbeat.
ERIN: Linus is a first time dad.
We think she's probably between
five to six weeks along,
and we are very excited.
Good girl, Scarlett. Here you go.
There's your banana.
DR. DAN: This is a big deal.
Uh, it's always a big deal
when we have an animal that's pregnant.
We wanna see these animals create
cute little baby animals.
That's part of the reason we're here.
And to see one of them be pregnant
and potentially have a baby
in the future is a huge rush.
(MONKEY CHATTERING)
NARRATOR: Mandrill numbers are in decline.
So a new arrival would be great news
for the species.
But most of all,
it'll bring this new family together.
A firstborn for Linus.
And for these once fraught females,
a hopeful, exciting future.
ERIN: For me, this is really a very happy,
great moment for the mandrills.
For all of us as a team, too.
I think we're beyond thrilled about this.
(MUNCHES)
(MUSIC PLAYING)