Operation Wild (2010–…): Season 1, Episode 1 - Lobster Fever - full transcript

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

[HELICOPTER WHIRRING]

[ROARS]

NARRATOR: WE SHARE OUR PLANET
WITH SOME AMAZING ANIMALS,

AND SOMETIMES
THEY NEED OUR HELP.

WHEN WILD ANIMALS GET SICK,

IT TAKES RADICAL THINKING,

EXTRAORDINARY MEDICAL SKILLS...

[ELEPHANT TRUMPETS]

AND GREAT BRAVERY

TO TREAT THEM AND SAVE LIVES.



MAN: WE HAVE TO FIND
A WAY THAT ALLOWS HER

TO LIVE A NORMAL LIFE AGAIN.

NARRATOR: DEDICATED VETS
AROUND THE WORLD

ARE USING PIONEERING
HUMAN MEDICINE

TO TRANSFORM ANIMALS' LIVES.

MAN: WE'RE USING, UH,
21st-CENTURY TECHNOLOGY

TO SAVE AN ANIMAL THAT'S BEEN
AROUND SINCE THE DINOSAURS.

NARRATOR: BUT IT TAKES
MORE THAN TECHNOLOGY

TO TREAT ANIMALS IN SOME OF
THE MOST REMOTE PLACES ON EARTH.

THESE ARE STORIES
OF INVENTION...

INGENUITY...
AND DEDICATION.

MAN: REALLY, REALLY HAPPY
AND, UH, IT'S THE OUTCOME
THAT EVERYBODY WANTED.

NARRATOR: THIS WEEK,
VETS TRANSFORM THE LIFE

OF A GORILLA NAMED SHUFAI,



BUT WILL HAVE TO MAKE SOME
HARD DECISIONS ALONG THE WAY.

AN ELEPHANT WITH A LEG INJURY

MAKES A REMARKABLE JOURNEY...

AND AN UNDERWATER
ULTRASOUND SCAN

COULD SAVE THE LIFE
OF AN OCEAN GIANT.

THIS IS BIG ANIMAL MEDICINE

AS YOU'VE NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE.

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

NARRATOR: THIS IS LAOS,

ONCE KNOWN AS LAN XANG,

OR THE LAND
OF A MILLION ELEPHANTS.

IT'S HOME TO SOME 500
DOMESTICATED ELEPHANTS,

WHO WORK IN THE DENSE FOREST
WITH THEIR MAHOUTS, OR HANDLERS.

THE TWO NORMALLY HAVE
A LIFELONG PARTNERSHIP,

WHICH BEGINS WHEN
THE ELEPHANT IS JUST A BABY,

AND THE MAHOUT A YOUNG BOY.

HEY.

NARRATOR: IF A DOMESTICATED
ELEPHANT FALLS ILL,

THE HANDLER, AND OFTEN
HIS ENTIRE FAMILY,

CAN BE LEFT WITH NO INCOME.

[HORN HONKING]
[MAN SPEAKS LAO]

NARRATOR: 25-YEAR-OLD
BRITISH VET WILL THOMAS

HAS BEEN CALLED TO HELP
AN ELEPHANT CALLED TONKOON.

[MEN SHOUTING]

NARRATOR: HE'S WORKED WITH
HIS MAHOUT, IYA, FOR 15 YEARS,

BUT NOW, TONKOON'S IN
A CRITICAL CONDITION
AFTER BEING SHOT IN THE LEG

WHEN HE RAN LOOSE THROUGH
A LOCAL VILLAGE.

THIS IS WHERE
HE WAS SHOT-- WHOA.

SO, YOU SEE,
QUITE PAINFUL.

WILL: IT'S MY OPINION
THAT THE BULLET'S STILL
INSIDE THERE.

IT'S OBVIOUSLY INFECTED
AND IT'S SWOLLEN
AND IT'S PAINFUL.

NARRATOR: WILL NEEDS
TO TRY TO REMOVE THE BULLET

AND GET THE INFECTION
UNDER CONTROL;

OTHERWISE, TONKOON COULD
DEVELOP LIFE-THREATENING
BLOOD POISONING.

[MEN SHOUT]

WE'RE IN A LOT
OF TROUBLE.

IT COULD BE
THE END OF THE LINE.

[MEN SHOUT]

NARRATOR: BUT IN ORDER
TO OPERATE,

WILL NEEDS CLEAR X-RAYS
TO GUIDE HIM,

AND THE NEAREST X-RAY MACHINE

IS OVER 60 MILES AWAY

AND HIS PATIENT WON'T
GET ON THE TRUCK.

ELEPHANTS ARE
HIGHLY INTELLIGENT.

THEY CAN RECOGNIZE
CERTAIN WORDS, AND SUDDENLY,

IYA THINKS OF THE PERFECT
MOTIVATION TO GET HIM MOVING.

WILL: ELEPHANTS ARE
AFRAID OF INJECTIONS,

SO WHILST THEY WERE SHAKING
THESE BOTTLES, THEY SHOUT,

"SACIAB, SACIAB," WHICH MEANS
"INJECTION, INJECTION,"

SO HE MOVED, UH, RAPIDLY
IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.

I'M SO UNBELIEVABLY HAPPY.
I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT WE FINALLY
GOT HIM ON AND WE CAN GO.

NARRATOR:
THERE ARE NO SPECIALIST
ANIMAL HOSPITALS HERE.

THE ONLY X-RAY MACHINE
WILL COULD FIND

IS AT THE LOCAL
HUMAN HOSPITAL...

AND HE'S PERSUADED THEM
TO LET HIM USE THEIR MACHINE.

IT'S THE HOSPITAL'S
ONLY X-RAY MACHINE.

IT COSTS, YOU KNOW, $40,000.
IT'S THE PROVINCIAL HOSPITAL.

IF HE WERE TO HIT
THE MACHINE,

IF HE WERE TO BREAK IT,
THERE WOULD BE REALLY
QUITE A DISASTER.

[OVERLAPPING CHATTER]

NARRATOR: TONKOON CAN'T FIT
THROUGH THE HOSPITAL DOORS,

BUT THE DOCTORS HAVE
AGREED TO BRING THEIR
PRECIOUS X-RAY MACHINE

TO HIM IN THE PARKING LOT.

WILL: THIS IS
THE-- THE X-RAY MACHINE.

WE HAVE TO LOOK AFTER IT
AND JUST HOPE IT'S,
UH, STRONG ENOUGH.

NARRATOR: WILL NEEDS
TO TAKE TWO X-RAYS;

ONE FROM THE FRONT,
THE OTHER FROM THE SIDE,

SO HE CAN WORK OUT EXACTLY
WHERE THE BULLET IS.

SO, YOU SEE, THIS-- THIS
IS THE X-RAY PLATE.

YOU TAKE THE-- THE SHOT
FROM THE X-RAY MACHINE
AND THE IMAGE IS DEVELOPED HERE.

THIS NEEDS TO BE
ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF
THE LEG TO THE X-RAY.

[MAN SHOUTS]

NARRATOR: TO GET AN IMAGE,
THE PATIENT NEEDS

TO KEEP COMPLETELY STILL...

[MEN SHOUT]

NARRATOR: EVEN FOR JUST
A FEW SECONDS.

[MAN SPEAKS LAO]

NARRATOR: FINALLY,
THEY GET THEIR CHANCE.

THEY BRING THE DELICATE MACHINE
AS CLOSE AS THEY DARE.

WILL: TAI,
TAKE THE PHOTO.

TAKE THE PHOTO.

THE ELECTRICITY'S
NOT ENOUGH?

[MEN SPEAKING LAO]

IT'S JUST SOMETIMES IN LAO,
THE POWER FLUCTUATES SO MUCH

THAT IT MIGHT JUST BE THAT,
AND THE HOSPITAL-- THERE'S
NOT ENOUGH AT THE MOMENT.

NARRATOR: BY THE TIME
THE POWER'S BACK,
TONKOON'S HAD ENOUGH.

[BANGING SIDES OF TRUCK]

WILL'S HOPES FOR
THE VITAL X-RAYS ARE FADING,

WHEN IYA HAS AN IDEA.

THIS SURPRISINGLY
SIMPLE APPROACH

CALMS TONKOON DOWN
AND SEEMS TO WORK.

[SPEAKS LAO]
OK.

PHEW, YEAH.

ONE X-RAY.
OOH, MY GOD.

NARRATOR: NOW, WILL
JUST NEEDS THE SECOND IMAGE.

[MEN SHOUTING]

[SIDES OF TRUCK BANGING]

BUT TONKOON'S BEEN ON
THE TRUCK FOR 4 HOURS,

MUCH LONGER THAN WILL PLANNED.

WILL: I THINK HE'S
GETTING TOO ANXIOUS
AND-- AND TOO WORKED UP.

ALL THE PEOPLE,
ALL THE NOISES, UM...

I REALLY WANT TO TAKE
THE X-RAY, BUT I THINK...

[BANGING]
I'M GOING TO HAVE
TO ABANDON IT.

GOING TO BE DANGEROUS,
BOTH FOR HIM AND FOR US.

NARRATOR: TONKOON'S TAKEN
TO THE ELEPHANT SANCTUARY
FOR THE NIGHT.

WILL DIDN'T GET
THE TWO X-RAYS HE NEEDS,

BUT HE'S NOT GIVING UP.

TOMORROW, HE'LL GO AHEAD
WITH THE ONE X-RAY HE DOES HAVE,

AND TRY AND REMOVE
THE BULLET AND SAVE TONKOON

FROM A POTENTIALLY
FATAL INFECTION.

NARRATOR: EVEN IN THE MOST
REMOTE PARTS OF THE WORLD,

WHERE THERE AREN'T
SPECIALIST VETS OR
HIGH-TECH EQUIPMENT,

TECHNIQUES BORROWED FROM
HUMAN MEDICINE ARE TRANSFORMING

THE WAY WE CAN LOOK AFTER
WILD ANIMALS.

THIS IS THE JUNGLE
OF CAMEROON IN WEST AFRICA,

THE NATURAL HABITAT
OF THE WEST LOWLAND GORILLA.

[ANIMALS CHIRPING]

NARRATOR: RACHEL HOGAN, WHO RUNS
THE MEFOU PRIMATE SANCTUARY,

IS WAITING FOR A TEAM
OF PIONEERING ANIMAL MEDICS

TO ARRIVE.

SHE SAVED SHUFAI
THE GORILLA'S LIFE ONCE,

AND NOW HE NEEDS
HER HELP AGAIN.

THE SANCTUARY IS SET
IN NEARLY 2,500 ACRES

OF PROTECTED FOREST
AND IS A HAVEN

FOR ORPHANED GORILLAS,
RESCUED WHEN THEIR MOTHERS

HAVE BEEN KILLED BY POACHERS
FOR THE ILLEGAL BUSH MEAT TRADE.

WHEN SHUFAI'S MOTHER WAS
MURDERED 9 YEARS AGO,

HE WAS LEFT FIGHTING
FOR HIS LIFE,

WITH SEVERE WOUNDS
TO HIS HEAD AND HIS ARM.

RACHEL: SHUFAI ARRIVED WHEN HE
WAS JUST OVER A YEAR OLD AND--

WHICH IS A VERY DELICATE AGE
FOR A GORILLA BECAUSE
THEY'RE VERY EMOTIONAL

AND THEY ALSO RETAIN
THE MEMORY OF WHAT'S HAPPENED.

[SQUEALS]

[GRUNTS]

[SQUEALS]

RACHEL: HE HAD
HORRIFIC GUNSHOT WOUNDS
TO THE SIDE OF HIS HEAD

THAT HAD GONE THROUGH
HIS EAR, AND THEN HIS UP--

HIS ONE ARM WAS
A COMPLETE MESS BECAUSE
HE'D GOT THE GUNSHOT BLAST

FROM HOLDING ON
TO HIS MOTHER.

HE WAS ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED.

[SQUEALING]

THEN I JUST GOT A CHAIR
AND I SAT OUTSIDE THE CAGE,

AND AT NIGHT, HE WOULD
WAKE AND HE WOULD CRY

BECAUSE HE WAS SO UPSET.

GORILLAS ARE VERY,
VERY EMOTIONAL

AND THEY'RE VERY, VERY FRAGILE.

YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO GET THEM
EMOTIONALLY SECURE.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT,
THEY LITERALLY JUST
GIVE UP AND DIE.

NARRATOR: FOR TWO WEEKS, RACHEL
DIDN'T LEAVE SHUFAI'S SIDE.

GRADUALLY,
HE BEGAN TO TRUST HER.

RACHEL: HE SAT UP,
AND I JUST REMEMBER HIM
JUST LOOKING AT ME,

AND I WAS LOOKING AT HIM
AND HE WAS LOOKING AT ME,

BUT I COULD SEE THERE WAS
A DIFFERENCE IN HIS EYES.

AND SO I JUST PICKED HIM UP,
AND HE JUST WRAPPED
HIS ARM ROUND ME.

AND THAT WAS IT, THEN.
IT WAS LIKE HE HAD DECIDED
HE WAS GOING TO LIVE.

NARRATOR: SHUFAI SOON
BEGAN A NEW LIFE WITH
THE OTHER GORILLAS.

WITH HIS INQUISITIVE NATURE,
HE WAS QUICK TO FIT IN.

HE EVEN TOOK ON THE ROLE
OF PEACEMAKER IN HIS NEW
EXTENDED FAMILY.

BUT THE SHOTGUN INJURY
TO HIS ARM NEVER
PROPERLY HEALED,

LEAVING HIS LEFT WRIST
TWISTING INWARDS.

HE HAS NEVER BEEN ABLE
TO CLIMB TREES LIKE
THE OTHER GORILLAS,

AND NOW HE'S IN CONSTANT PAIN.

SHUFAI NEEDS HELP, AND SO RACHEL
HAS CONTACTED A TEAM

OF SPECIALIST VETS IN THE U.K.,
WHO MAY BE ABLE TO FIX HIS ARM.

TODAY, THEY ARRIVE IN CAMEROON.

MY HERO.
[CHUCKLES]

NARRATOR: THEY'VE
BEEN ABLE TO BRING ALL
THE EQUIPMENT THEY NEED

TO SET UP AN OPERATING THEATER
OUT HERE IN THE JUNGLE.

YAY!

WHOO!

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

NARRATOR: SURGEONS SANDRA CORR
AND DAMIEN CHASE

HAVE BEEN STUDYING X-RAYS
OF SHUFAI'S WRIST,

TAKEN A YEAR AGO, AND DEVISED
A PIONEERING OPERATION.

RIGHT THERE,

SO THE HAND
IS TWISTING OFF.

SHOULD ALL BE NICE
AND STRAIGHT.

OK.

NARRATOR: AS SHUFAI GETS OLDER,
THE OUTER BONE OF HIS FOREARM

IS GROWING FASTER
THAN THE INNER ONE

THAT TOOK THE BULLETS, FORCING
HIS WRIST TO CURVE AROUND.

BASICALLY...

NARRATOR: NOW, SANDRA
PLANS TO REMOVE SOME
OF THE EXCESS BONE

AND THEN INSERT METAL PLATES
TO HOLD HIS WRIST STRAIGHT

SO HE CAN USE HIS ARM AGAIN.

...BECAUSE OF
THE SIZE OF HIS...

NARRATOR: IT'S AN AMBITIOUS
OPERATION, BUT IT MEANS

SHUFAI COULD FINALLY LIVE
THE PAIN-FREE LIFE HE DESERVES.

[OVERLAPPING CHATTER]

NARRATOR: THE TEAM NEEDS
TO TAKE A LAST SET OF X-RAYS
TO FINALIZE THEIR PLAN.

HEAVILY SEDATED SHUFAI
ARRIVES AT THE MAKESHIFT
OPERATING THEATER.

[MEDICAL EQUIPMENT BEEPING]

SANDRA: SO THIS IS
THE AFFECTED ARM, AND IT SHOULD
BE LYING FLAT DOWN ON THE PLATE,

BUT YOU CAN SEE HOW BENT IT IS,
AND IT'S NOT GOING TO BE
A PARTICULARLY GOOD X-RAY,

BUT THAT'S GOING TO HELP US.

[EQUIPMENT HUMMING]

NARRATOR: BUT ONE LOOK
AT THE X-RAYS REVEALS SOMETHING
NO ONE ANTICIPATED.

THINGS ARE NOT
LOOKING GOOD FOR SHUFAI.

DAMIEN: THOSE X-RAYS,
AS SOON AS THEY CAME UP,

THEY LOOKED WORSE.

IT'S CONSIDERABLY
WORSE THAN...
MMM.

THAN-- THAN LAST YEAR.

NARRATOR: IN CONTRAST
TO HIS HEALTHY RIGHT ARM,

SHUFAI'S LEFT WRIST
HAS DETERIORATED

MUCH MORE THAN THEY EXPECTED.

ONE MORE EXAMINATION CONFIRMS
THEIR WORST FEARS.

SANDRA: IT'S REALLY CRUNCHY,
WHICH MEANS THAT THE JOINT
ITSELF IS PRETTY BADLY DAMAGED,

AND THE ELBOW ALSO IS
REALLY CRUNCHY.

IF YOU LOOK HERE,
THESE...

CARPAL BONES ARE JUST
A BIG JUMBLE OF BONES,

AND THIS IS WHAT WE WERE
FEELING WHEN WE WERE
CHECKING HIM EARLIER.

IT'S JUST A BIG BAG
OF BONES, WHICH IS WHY

I DON'T THINK THIS SURGERY'S
GOING TO HELP HIM.

NARRATOR: TRIMMING THE BONE
AND INSERTING METAL PLATES--

THE OPERATION THEY HOPED TO GIVE
HIM-- IS OUT OF THE QUESTION,

AND SANDRA THINKS
THERE MAY BE ONLY ONE

FAR MORE DRASTIC OPTION
LEFT FOR SHUFAI.

SANDRA: SO, AT EVERY POINT,
WE THOUGHT WE COULD FIX HIM,
AND I THINK THIS IS

THE FIRST TIME WE'VE BEEN
ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN

THAT WE CAN'T.

BASED ON THAT,
WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT
AMPUTATING HIS ARM.

MM-HMM.

WOMAN: SUCH A SHAME
BECAUSE HE'S BEEN
THROUGH SUCH A LOT.

NARRATOR: THE HOPE
IS THAT THE AMPUTATION
COULD STOP SHUFAI'S PAIN

FROM GETTING WORSE AS HE GROWS

AND THAT HE COULD START TO LIVE
LIKE THE OTHER GORILLAS,

BUT IT'S A DEVASTATING CHOICE
FOR RACHEL TO MAKE.

RACHEL: IT'S REALLY,
REALLY DIFFICULT.

GORILLAS,
THEY NEED THEIR ARMS;

THEY USE THEM FOR PLAYING,
CLIMBING TREES.

TO-- TO-- TO REMOVE ONE ARM,
FOR SHUFAI, IS HUGE.

WHAT IF THE REST OF THE GROUP
KIND OF PUSH HIM OUT?

PROBABLY ONE OF
THE HARDEST DECISIONS
I'VE HAD TO MAKE.

NARRATOR: AND WITH THE VET TEAM
DUE TO FLY BACK TO THE U.K.,

RACHEL HAS JUST 24 HOURS
TO MAKE UP HER MIND.

MANY ANIMALS WILL NEED TREATMENT
DURING THEIR LIVES,

BUT SOME NEED A HELPING HAND
IN THEIR VERY FIRST DAYS.

SOUTHWEST CHINA--
THE FOOTHILLS OF THE HIMALAYAS

AND HOME TO THE GIANT PANDA.

WITH ONLY AROUND 1,600 PANDAS
LEFT IN THE WILD,

THEY ARE ON THE BRINK
OF EXTINCTION.

BUT VETS WORKING AT
THE YA'AN BIFENGXIA PANDA BASE

HAVE BEEN TRYING OUT
AN INGENIOUS IDEA

THAT COULD HELP SAVE
THE SPECIES.

[MEDICAL EQUIPMENT BEEPING]

[SQUEAKING]

THROUGH A PIONEERING
BREEDING PROGRAM,

THEY ARE TRYING
TO RAISE 300 PANDAS

TO RELEASE INTO THE WILD.

THIS IS SHI SHI.

SHE'S 14 YEARS OLD,
AND SHE GAVE BIRTH

JUST A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.

THE CUB IS GROWING STRONGER,

AND MOTHER AND BABY HAVE
BONDED WELL TOGETHER...

BUT HE ISN'T
SHI SHI'S ONLY CUB.

AS IS COMMON IN GIANT PANDAS,
SHE HAD TWINS.

THE OTHER ONE, ZI ZI, IS
STRUGGLING TO SURVIVE.

HIS MOTHER REJECTED HIM.

[ZI ZI SQUEAKS]

PANDA CUBS ARE SO DIFFICULT
TO CARE FOR,

THAT WHEN MOTHERS
LIKE SHI SHI HAVE TWINS,

THEY HAVE TO CHOOSE
JUST ONE TO LOOK AFTER.

IN THE WILD, THE MOTHER
WILL DECIDE WHICH IS
THE STRONGEST TWIN,

AND WITHOUT ENOUGH MILK FOR TWO,

SHE WILL LEAVE THE OTHER TO DIE.

SINCE HIS BIRTH,
ZI ZI HAS BEEN CARED FOR

BY THE WORLD-CLASS NEONATAL TEAM
HERE AT THE HOSPITAL.

THE TEAM WORKS AROUND THE CLOCK,

DOING WHAT A MOTHER WOULD
NORMALLY DO FOR HER CUB...

KEEPING THEM WARM,

MAKING SURE THEY'RE CLEAN,

AND FEEDING THE NEWBORNS.

BUT THIS SPECIALIST CARE
ALONE ISN'T ENOUGH
TO KEEP ZI ZI ALIVE.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[CAR HORN HONKS]

ZI ZI NEEDS VITAL ANTIBODIES
THAT FIGHT INFECTION.

THEY'RE FOUND
IN HIS MOTHER'S MILK...

SO THE TEAM MUST ATTEMPT
TO SWAP THE TWINS.

THIS IS NOT AN EASY TASK.

FIRST, THEY HAVE TO SEPARATE
SHI SHI FROM HER FAVORITE.

SHI SHI'S KEEPER
DISTRACTS HER WITH FOOD

TO SEPARATE HER FROM HER CUB.

[DOOR CLANGS]

ONLY THEN IS IT SAFE
TO TRY AND TAKE HER BABY
OUT OF THE PEN.

[DOOR CLANGS]

THE TWINS MAY LOOK
IDENTICAL TO US,

BUT THE TEAM IS RELYING
ON THE FACT

THAT THEIR OWN MOTHER WILL NOT
BE ABLE TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE

BETWEEN HER TWO CUBS.

THIS IS ZI ZI'S CHANCE,

BUT IT'S A RISKY STRATEGY.

NOT ONLY IS HIS MOTHER ARMED
WITH CLAWS AND TEETH,

BUT WEIGHING MORE
THAN 200 POUNDS,

SHE COULD CRUSH ZI ZI.

IT'S A NERVE-WRACKING TIME
FOR THE KEEPERS,

AS THEY CAN'T BE SURE IF
THE NEW TWIN WILL BE ACCEPTED.

PANDAS ARE VERY SENSITIVE
TO NEW SCENTS.

WILL SHI SHI REALIZE
SOMETHING IS DIFFERENT?

BUT AFTER AN INTENSE INSPECTION,
SHE ACCEPTS HER CUB.

BY SWAPPING THE TWINS,

SHI SHI THINKS SHE'S ONLY
LOOKING AFTER ONE BABY.

IN FACT, SHE'S LOOKING
AFTER THEM BOTH.

THEY'LL BE SWITCHED BETWEEN
THEIR MOTHER AND THE NURSERY

EVERY WEEK UNTIL
THEY'RE 6 MONTHS OLD.

THIS CLEVER IDEA,
AND 3 DECADES OF RESEARCH,

MEANS NEARLY EVERY CUB BORN HERE
CAN NOW BE KEPT ALIVE.

THEY'VE MANAGED
TO RAISE 197 CUBS SO FAR

IN THE HOPE THAT AS MANY
AS POSSIBLE CAN BE RELEASED

BACK INTO THE WILD TO HELP BOOST
THIS ENDANGERED POPULATION.

BACK IN LAOS,
WHERE IT'S NOT SO EASY

TO ACCESS HIGH-TECH EQUIPMENT,

IT'S THE MORNING
OF TONKOON'S SURGERY.

WILL IS GOING TO TRY AND GET
THE INFECTION UNDER CONTROL

AND FIND THE BULLET
IN TONKOON'S LEG.

BUT WITH ONLY ONE
OF THE TWO X-RAYS HE NEEDED,

IT WILL BE A DIFFICULT
AND STRESSFUL PROCEDURE.

WILL: OBVIOUSLY, THIS VIEW
IS ONLY FROM THE SIDE,
SO IT TELLS ME HOW HIGH UP,

BUT NOT EXACTLY
HOW FAR OVER IT IS.

BUT THIS IS THE ONLY VIEW
THAT WE COULD GET.

NARRATOR: WITH ONLY ONE X-RAY,

WILL DOES NOT HAVE A COMPLETE
PICTURE OF EXACTLY WHERE
THE BULLET IS,

BUT IN THIS JUNGLE, HE ALSO HAS
OTHER ISSUES TO DEAL WITH.

HIS OPERATING THEATER
IS GOING TO BE A FIELD.

WILL: I'M QUITE AWARE
THAT CONDITIONS THAT
WE HAVE TO WORK IN

LEAVE A LOT
TO BE DESIRED...

BUT WE'LL GIVE IT
THE BEST GO WE-- WE CAN.

NARRATOR: DURING THE OPERATION,
TONKOON WILL BE STANDING

IN A SPECIALLY CONSTRUCTED
ELEPHANT FRAME,

DESIGNED TO KEEP EVERYONE SAFE.

[MEN SPEAKING LAO]

NARRATOR: ELEPHANTS ARE
SO HEAVY, THEIR BODY WEIGHT

CAN CRUSH THEIR INTERNAL ORGANS
IF THEY LIE DOWN TOO LONG.

THE FRAME ALLOWS WILL
TO KEEP TONKOON STILL,

BUT AWAKE THROUGHOUT
THE OPERATION.

WE'LL JUST SEDATE HIM
AND HE'LL STILL BE CONSCIOUS
OF THE WHOLE PROCEDURE,

WHICH IS BETTER FOR HIM,
ALTHOUGH IT'S A LITTLE
BIT MORE DIFFICULT

TO-- TO OPERATE ON HIM
WHEN HE'S STILL AWARE

OF-- OF WHAT'S GOING ON
AROUND HIM.

WILL: SHH.

ALREADY, HIS TRUNK
IS-- IS DROPPING.

HIS EYES ARE STARTING
TO-- TO GO AND...

NARRATOR: AS THE SEDATIVE
BEGINS TO TAKE EFFECT,

WILL MAKES HIS FIRST INCISION...
WILL: WHOA, WHOA, WHOA.

10 CENTIMETERS
ABOVE THE ANKLE CHAIN.

WILL: I CAN FEEL A TRACT
WHERE I THINK THE BULLET WENT,

SO I'M JUST
BLUNTLY DISSECTING

SO NO-- NO SHARP...

CUTS, WHICH REDUCES
THE RISK OF HEMORRHAGE.

NARRATOR: ELEPHANTS HAVE
SUCH HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE,

WILL WON'T BE ABLE TO CONTROL
THE BLEEDING IF HE HITS
A MAJOR ARTERY.

WILL: GOOD BOY.

IT LOOKED TO BE
AROUND THIS LEVEL.

NARRATOR: HE BURROWS
DEEP INTO TONKOON'S LEG,

BUT THERE'S NO SIGN
OF THE BULLET...

AND HE HAS SOMETHING
MORE IMMEDIATE TO WORRY ABOUT.

THE OPERATION IS TAKING
LONGER THAN EXPECTED...

WILL: WHOA, WHOA, WHOA.
AND TONKOON IS STARTING
TO WAKE UP.

YEAH, YEAH,
YEAH, YEAH. OH.

[FRAME CREAKING]
MAN: NO. NO.

NARRATOR: BUT WILL'S
DETERMINED NOT TO GIVE UP.

[CREAKING CONTINUES]

JUST NEED TO GO
A LITTLE BIT DEEPER.

FORCEP THINGS, PLEASE.

I'M DEEP ENOUGH.

I KNOW I'M IN
THE RIGHT...LEVEL,

AND THAT I'M FAR ENOUGH IN;
IT'S JUST HOW-- HOW FAR

TO EACH SIDE IT IS.
MAN: YEAH, YEAH.

NARRATOR: WILL CAREFULLY
EXPANDS THE INCISION
TO EITHER SIDE...

WHERE ARE YOU?

BUT WITHOUT THAT SECOND X-RAY,
HE'S WORKING BLIND

AND EVENTUALLY HE DECIDES
IT'S TOO RISKY TO KEEP CUTTING.

WILL: IT'S REALLY FRUSTRATING,
BUT I THINK IF I KEEP GOING,

WE'RE JUST GOING
TO CAUSE MORE DAMAGE
THAN WE'RE GOING TO SOLVE.

NARRATOR: ALL WILL CAN DO NOW
TO STOP THE INFECTION

IS TO TRY AND CLEAN OUT
TONKOON'S WOUND.

WE FOUND
THE POCKET OF FLUID.

I'M JUST GOING TO SCRAPE OUT
AND-- AND CLEAN OUT THAT AREA

AND JUST GENTLY
DEBRIDE AWAY.

FOR THE ELEPHANT'S SAKE,
IT'S BETTER TO CLOSE HIM UP

AND CLEAN THE INFECTION
AS WE SEW.

NARRATOR: ELEPHANTS
HAVE VERY SLOW-ACTING,
BUT STRONG IMMUNE SYSTEMS,

SO IF WILL HAS CLEARED OUT
THE INFECTION,

TONKOON HAS A CHANCE.

IF NOT, IT COULD LEAD
TO LIFE-THREATENING SEPTICEMIA.

WILL: IT'S REALLY
DIFFICULT, NOT HAVING
AN X-RAY MACHINE HERE.

AT HOME IN EUROPE,
I WOULD BE ABLE TO
TAKE MULTIPLE X-RAYS

WHILST WE WERE DOING
THE SURGERY, FIND OUT
EXACTLY WHERE

MY INSTRUMENTS WERE
IN RELATION TO
THE BULLET.

BUT IT'S JUST REALLY
GALLING NOT TO HAVE
FOUND THAT BULLET.

NARRATOR: EVEN IF WILL
HAS DONE ENOUGH TO STOP
THE INFECTION SPREADING,

IT WILL BE AT LEAST
A MONTH BEFORE HE KNOWS

WHETHER TONKOON'S
ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERY.

FOR BIG-ANIMAL MEDICS,

EVERY PATIENT COMES
WITH UNIQUE CHALLENGES.

AT THE CHURAUMI AQUARIUM
ON THE JAPANESE ISLAND
OF OKINAWA...

VET DR. KEIICHI UEDA HAS
DEVISED A WHOLE NEW KIND

OF UNDERWATER MEDICINE...

TO LOOK AFTER THE MANTA RAYS.

CLOSE RELATIVES OF STINGRAYS,

MANTA RAYS HAVE
A MUCH LARGER WINGSPAN,

OF UP TO 20 FEET,
AND ARE COMPLETELY HARMLESS.

TO TRY AND PROTECT
THIS CRITICALLY
ENDANGERED SPECIES,

IN 2007, CHURAUMI AQUARIUM
BECAME THE FIRST PLACE

IN THE WORLD TO BREED THEM
IN CAPTIVITY.

A BABY MANTA WAS BORN
IN FRONT OF THEIR EYES.

NO ONE HAD EVER
WITNESSED THIS BEFORE.

THE TINY MANTA
WITH ROLLED-UP WINGS
EMERGED INTO THE WATER

AND INSTINCTIVELY KNEW
HOW TO SWIM JUST MOMENTS
AFTER ITS BIRTH.

[OVERLAPPING CHATTER]

[CHILD SHOUTS]

NARRATOR: BUT LAST YEAR,
KEIICHI AND HIS TEAM HAD
TO INTERVENE

WHEN ONE PREGNANT FEMALE
FELL ILL.

KEIICHI HAD TO DELIVER
THE PREMATURE BABY.

HE KNEW IT WAS DEVELOPED
ENOUGH TO SURVIVE

BECAUSE HE'D BEEN ABLE
TO MONITOR THE PREGNANCY,

USING A UNIQUE
UNDERWATER SCANNER.

KEIICHI HAS CREATED
AN UNDERWATER HOUSING
FOR AN ULTRASOUND MACHINE,

WHICH MEANS HE CAN MONITOR
THE MANTA RAYS CLOSELY.

NARRATOR: RECENTLY, A PAIR
OF MANTAS WERE SEEN MATING,

SO HE'S GOING TO SCAN
THE FEMALE TODAY TO FIND OUT
IF SHE'S PREGNANT.

NARRATOR: KEIICHI IS
THE ONLY VET IN THE WORLD

TO DO THESE UNDERWATER
ULTRASOUND SCANS,

AND IT'S MUCH SAFER THAN TAKING
THE MANTA RAYS OUT OF THE WATER.

KEIICHI'S SCANNER IS REVEALING
A WEALTH OF INFORMATION

ABOUT THE SPECIES.

HE HAS DISCOVERED
THAT UNLIKE OTHER ANIMALS,

WHICH CARRY THEIR BABIES
IN THE WOMB,

MANTA RAYS DON'T HAVE
AN UMBILICAL CORD

OR PLACENTA FEEDING
THE BABY OXYGEN.

INSTEAD, THE DEVELOPING BABY
CONSTANTLY GULPS

A SPECIAL UTERINE FLUID
TO BREATHE.

IF HE'S TO HAVE ANY CHANCE OF
FINDING OUT IF SHE'S PREGNANT,

KEIICHI HAS TO GET THE SCANNER
IN EXACTLY THE RIGHT POSITION

ON HER BACK.

BUT IT'S NOT EASY,
AS MANTA RAYS HAVE TO KEEP
SWIMMING TO BREATHE.

THE SECOND DIVER HAS TO TRY
AND KEEP HER IN POSITION.

[SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]

KEIICHI:
LET'S CHECK THE MONITOR.

NARRATOR: THE ULTRASOUND
USES SOUND WAVES

TO REVEAL IMAGES
INSIDE THE BODY.

IF THE MANTA RAY IS PREGNANT,

THEY'LL BE ABLE TO SEE AN IMAGE
OF HER BABY ON THE SCREEN.

NARRATOR: SADLY, THIS TIME
IT ISN'T WHAT THEY WERE
HOPING FOR.

AS MANTA RAYS ONLY BREED
EVERY 2 TO 5 YEARS,

IT'S INCREDIBLY RARE
FOR THE FEMALES TO GET PREGNANT,

SO KEIICHI KNOWS
HE NEEDS TO BE PATIENT.

NARRATOR: BY MODIFYING
A KEY PIECE OF HIGH-TECH
EQUIPMENT,

KEIICHI HAS DISCOVERED THINGS
ABOUT THIS CRITICALLY
ENDANGERED SPECIES

THAT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE
TO FIND OUT ANY OTHER WAY,

AND HE CAN HELP ENSURE
THE SAFE ARRIVAL

OF ANY FUTURE BABIES.

BUT SOMETIMES,
CHILDHOOD HEALTH ISSUES

CAN LAST A LIFETIME.

BACK AT THE MEFOU
PRIMATE SANCTUARY IN CAMEROON,

FOR ALL THE OTHER RESIDENTS,
IT'S JUST ANOTHER DAY.

FOR SHUFAI THE GORILLA,

EVERYTHING IS ABOUT TO CHANGE.

X- RAYS REVEALED THAT THE DAMAGE
TO HIS WRIST IS WORSE THAN
ANYONE HAD IMAGINED.

RACHEL HAS SPENT THE DAY
FACING ONE OF THE HARDEST
DECISIONS OF HER LIFE--

WHETHER OR NOT TO GO AHEAD
WITH THE OPERATION

TO AMPUTATE SHUFAI'S ARM.

THIS IS THE ONLY WAY NOW
THAT THE VETS CAN STOP HIM
LIVING IN CONSTANT PAIN.

BUT IT'S NOT SOMETHING
THEY'VE TRIED BEFORE,

SO NO ONE CAN BE SURE HOW
A GORILLA WOULD COPE

WITH ONE ARM.

GORILLAS HAVE
A STRICT HIERARCHY,

WHICH IS ALL
ABOUT PHYSICAL STATUS.

RACHEL FEARS THAT SHUFAI,
WHO'S EXTREMELY SOCIABLE,

COULD BE REJECTED
BY HIS TROOP.

[ANIMALS GRUNTING]

BY MIDNIGHT,
RACHEL'S MADE HER DECISION.

RACHEL: IT HASN'T BEEN
AN EASY DAY.

WE'VE HAD SHUFAI FROM WHEN
HE WAS A LITTLE BOY,

AND...HE HAS BEEN
THROUGH SUCH A LOT.

BUT AFTER THE TEAM SAT US DOWN
AND THEY EXPLAINED US
EVERYTHING,

AND THEY WENT THROUGH
THE X-RAY AND,

YOU KNOW, WHAT-- THE PAIN
THAT SHUFAI WAS FEELING,

THE WHOLE REASON WE'RE ALL HERE
IS BECAUSE OF SHUFAI,

AND WHAT WE WANT
FOR SHUFAI IS THE BEST.

NOW, WHETHER THAT WAS--
THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO DO

THE ORIGINAL SURGERY
AND TO PLATE EVERYTHING,

OR, OBVIOUSLY NOW,
THINGS ARE DIFFERENT,

AND IT MEANS AMPUTATION.

[BIRD CHIRPING]

NARRATOR: THE OPERATION
MUST HAPPEN IN THE MORNING.

RACHEL CAN ONLY HOPE
SHE'S MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE.

PRIMATE SPECIALIST
SHARON REDROBE IS HERE

TO GIVE SHUFAI AN ANESTHETIC.

BUT HE'S SEEN NEEDLES
LIKE THIS BEFORE,

AND HE KNOWS SOMETHING IS UP.

RACHEL: HEY.

THERE'S A GOOD BOY.

YEAH, THERE'S A GOOD BOY.

MMM?

WHO'S THAT?

WHO'S THAT
FUNNY PERSON?

NARRATOR: EVEN WITH
RACHEL'S ENCOURAGEMENT,

SHUFAI WON'T GO NEAR
SHARON AND THE NEEDLE.

RACHEL:
IS THAT FUNNY SHARON?

NARRATOR: BUT THERE IS
ONE PERSON SHUFAI'S
ALWAYS TRUSTED.

RACHEL DECIDES TO GIVE HIM
THE INJECTION HERSELF.

HE WON'T RUN.
HE DIDN'T FEEL ANYTHING.

[DOOR SLIDES OPEN]

NARRATOR: SHUFAI IS TAKEN FOR
A VERY DIFFERENT OPERATION

TO THE ONE
EVERYONE HAD HOPED FOR.

SANDRA: NO ONE LIKES
TO AMPUTATE THINGS.

IT IS A HORRIBLE THING
TO DO, BUT, UH,
YOU HAVE TO DO IT

SOMETIMES IF IT'S
THE RIGHT THING
FOR THE ANIMAL.

GREAT. THAT'S GOOD.
[EQUIPMENT BUZZING]

20 MINUTES.

SO WE'RE GONNA START.

STARTING. KEEP AN EYE.

YEP.

SO LET'S MAKE
A BIG...

NARRATOR: AS SHE CUTS,

SANDRA HAS TO AVOID DAMAGING
SHUFAI'S NERVE ENDINGS,

OR HE COULD FACE PAIN
AFTER THE OPERATION

FROM A NONEXISTENT LIMB,

A CONDITION COMMON IN AMPUTEES
CALLED PHANTOM LIMB PAIN.

IT TAKES SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE
TO MAKE SURE

THEY ARE CUTTING
IN THE RIGHT PLACE.

DAMIEN:
WE'RE ALL BUILT THE SAME,

FROM GORILLAS
TO CATS AND DOGS, JUST
VARIATIONS ON A THEME,

BUT THE THING IS IT'S
THOSE SLIGHT VARIATIONS
THAT CAN GIVE US

THE SURPRISE THAT WE'RE
NOT EXPECTING, SUCH AS,

IS THERE GOING
TO BE AN ARTERY WHERE WE
DIDN'T QUITE EXPECT IT?

NARRATOR: IF THEY ACCIDENTALLY
CUT AN ARTERY,

SHUFAI COULD START TO LOSE
A LOT OF BLOOD,

AND OUT HERE IN THE JUNGLE,
A BLOOD TRANSFUSION

ISN'T AN OPTION.

SANDRA: WE'RE JUST STARTING
TO CUT MUSCLE, WHICH IS
BLEEDING QUITE A LOT,

SO IF WE'VE GOT
ANOTHER HEMOSTAT HERE...

[INDISTINCT]

WE GOT ANY MORE
OF THEM?

NARRATOR: IN A NORMAL
OPERATING THEATER,

EVERY CUT BLOOD VESSEL
WOULD BE HEATED

BY A CAUTERIZING TOOL
TO STOP THE BLEEDING,

BUT OUT HERE,
THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE.

SANDRA: EVERY TINY
LITTLE BLOOD VESSEL
IS GETTING CLAMPED,

AND THEN THE SLIGHTLY
BIGGER ONES ARE ACTUALLY
GETTING TIED.

DAMIEN: YOU KNOW,
WHAT WE COULD DO IS--
AND GO THROUGH THESE.

NARRATOR: AFTER TWO HOURS
OF INTRICATE SURGERY,

THEY'VE REMOVED ALL
THE MUSCLE.

SANDRA: WE'RE DOWN TO
THE BONE ON ALL SIDES. OK.

[ELECTRIC SAWING TOOL
BUZZING]

NARRATOR: FOR RACHEL,
IT'S ALL TOO MUCH.

[INDISTINCT]

NOW, ALL THAT REMAINS IS
FOR SANDRA TO STITCH UP
WHAT'S LEFT OF SHUFAI'S ARM.

SANDRA: WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS
WE'RE GONNA BURY THESE STITCHES

SO THAT THEY WILL DISSOLVE
BECAUSE HE WOULD LIKELY

TAKE THEM OUT ON HOUR ONE,
AS SOON AS HE WOKE UP.

THIS IS JUST TO MAKE IT
AS NEAT AS WE CAN,

BUT WE'RE NEARLY THERE;
JUST WANT TO BE...

DID IT.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

GOOD BOY. LISTEN.

[WHEELBARROW APPROACHING]

NARRATOR: SHUFAI SHOULD BE
AWAKE IN ABOUT AN HOUR,

AND NO ONE WILL RELAX
UNTIL HE IS.

SANDRA: HORRIBLE
TO SEE HIM LIKE THAT,

BUT EVERYTHING
WENT FINE, SO...

FINGERS CROSSED
AND SEE HOW HE IS WHEN
HE, UH, WHEN HE WAKES UP.

NARRATOR: BUT TWO HOURS LATER,

SHUFAI'S STILL OUT.

RACHEL:
I WANT TO WAKE HIM,
LET HIM KNOW IT'S DONE.

PARANOID HE'S NOT
GONNA SIT UP.

COME ON.

COME ON, THEN.
[RAPID THUMPING]

COME ON.

ARE YOU WAKING UP?

[CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICK]

HELLO.

NARRATOR: FINALLY,
AFTER ONE MORE AGONIZING HOUR...

HELLO.

RACHEL SEES SHUFAI
OPEN HIS EYES.
HMM?

COME ON, SHU.

NARRATOR: SHUFAI'S AWAKE.
HELLO, SHUFAI.

HE'LL STOP SHIVERING
ONCE THE ANESTHETIC WEARS OFF.

RACHEL: HELLO.

THERE YOU GO.
IT'S RACHEL.

THERE YOU GO.
RACHEL: HUGE RELIEF.

GOOD BOY.

HE'S A LITTLE
FIGHTER.

GOOD BOY.

NARRATOR: THEY DON'T KNOW YET
HOW SHUFAI WILL REACT WHEN HE
REALIZES WHAT'S HAPPENED.

THEY CAN ONLY HOPE THAT ONCE
HE'S FULLY RECOVERED,

HE'LL BE PAIN-FREE AND PART
OF HIS TROOP ONCE AGAIN.

[CAR HORNS HONKING]

SOMETIMES VETS HAVE TO COME TO
THE RESCUE OF NOT JUST ONE,

BUT HUNDREDS OF ANIMALS
AT THE SAME TIME.

IN INDIA, AN ARMY
OF INTERNATIONAL VETS IS

PREPARING FOR
A WILDLIFE CRISIS...

AND THEY'LL BE USING
TECHNIQUES DEVELOPED

FOR HUMAN DISASTER RELIEF.

AHMEDABAD, IN THE
WESTERN STATE OF GUJARAT,

HAS A POPULATION
OF 8 MILLION PEOPLE.

EVERY YEAR, IT IS HOME
TO A UNIQUE FESTIVAL.

IT'S CALLED UTTARAYAN,
AND IT CELEBRATES

THE RETURN OF SPRING
AND THE ARRIVAL OF THE SUN.

FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS, GUJARATIS
HAVE BEEN MARKING THE OCCASION

WITH AN EPIC
KITE-FLYING CONTEST.

THOUSANDS OF PAPER KITES ARE
FLOWN IN AN ANCIENT COMPETITION.

THE AIM IS TO CUT DOWN
OTHER PEOPLE'S KITES

AND BE THE LAST ONE
FLYING AT SUNSET.

THE SECRET LIES IN THE STRING.

IT'S COATED IN GLUE, LACED WITH
RAZOR-SHARP, POWDERED GLASS

TO SLICE DOWN
YOUR OPPONENTS' KITES...

BUT IT HAS SOME
UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.

AHMEDABAD IS
ON THE MIGRATION PATH
OF THOUSANDS OF BIRDS

AND HOME TO THE HIGHLY
ENDANGERED INDIAN VULTURE.

FOR ALL OF THEM,
THE KITE STRINGS ARE
A DEADLY HAZARD.

[OVERLAPPING CHATTER]

ON THE EDGE OF TOWN,
THE RESCUE TEAM IS ALREADY BUSY.

SMALL ANIMAL SANCTUARY JIVDAYA
HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED

INTO A SPECIALIST BIRD HOSPITAL.

FOR THE WEEK OF THE FESTIVAL,
IT'S ONE OF THE LARGEST
ANIMAL E.R.s ON THE PLANET.

MAN: WE HAVE HAD ALMOST
MORE THAN 1,500 TO 2,000 BIRDS

COMING IN THIS SEASON,
AND THAT'S...A VERY BIG NUMBER.

NARRATOR: RAJ NATH RUNS
THE CENTER.

ON ARRIVAL, THE CASUALTIES--

RESCUED BY MEMBERS OF
THE PUBLIC-- ARE PRIORITIZED WITH

A TRIAGE SYSTEM, JUST LIKE
IN OUR E.R. DEPARTMENTS.

AFTER REGISTRATION,
THE BIRD IS TAGGED

THEN IT IS WEIGHED,
THEN THE BIRD IS, UH,

SENT IN-- EITHER INTO,
UH, THE OUTPATIENT
DEPARTMENT

OR ELSE IT IS SENT INTO
THE OPERATION THEATERS.

[OVERLAPPING CHATTER]

NARRATOR:
IN 4 OPERATING THEATERS,
25 VETS FROM INDIA

AND AROUND THE WORLD
AND HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEERS

WILL WORK AROUND THE CLOCK
FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS

IN AN EFFORT TO SAVE
AS MANY BIRDS AS POSSIBLE.

BUT SOME OF THEM NEED HELP
BEFORE THEY EVEN MAKE IT
TO THE HOSPITAL.

RAJ IS IN CONSTANT CONTACT
WITH 25 MOBILE UNITS

THAT CAN RESPOND
TO EMERGENCY CALL-OUTS
FROM ALL OVER THE CITY.

[CAR HORN HONKS]

A LARGE BIRD, A BLACK KITE,
HAS BEEN SPOTTED CAUGHT

IN THE RAZOR-SHARP STRING
AT THE TOP OF A TREE.

[BIRD SCREECHING]

THE BIRD IS TANGLED
IN KITE STRINGS AND HANGING

BY ONE WING,
30 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND.

[OVERLAPPING CHATTER]

NARRATOR: THIS IS
NO ORDINARY RESCUE.

THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAVE
VOLUNTEERED THEIR HELP.

THEY HAVE TO SOMEHOW
DISENTANGLE THE BIRD

WITHOUT CAUSING
ANY MORE DAMAGE.

[MAN SHOUTS]

NARRATOR: EVENTUALLY,
THE BIRD IS DOWN,

BUT IT HAS A BAD LACERATION
ON ITS WING

AND WILL NEED SURGERY
STRAIGHTAWAY.

THE KITE IS ONE
OF HUNDREDS OF BIRDS BEING
RESCUED ACROSS THE CITY.

AS IT'S ASSESSED,
AT THE HOSPITAL
THERE'S A COMMOTION.

ONE OF INDIA'S
ENDANGERED VULTURES ARRIVES
IN A CRITICAL CONDITION.

[CHIRPING]

THE MEDICAL TEAMS RUSH HIM
TO THE MAIN OPERATING THEATER.

IF THE STRING HAS GONE
THROUGH THE BONE, IT'S UNLIKELY
THE VULTURE WILL EVER FLY AGAIN.

BUT RIGHT NOW,
THEY CAN'T ATTEMPT TO
OPERATE; HE'S TOO ILL.

MAN: IT'S IN SHOCK.
THE BIRD'S IN SHOCK.

NARRATOR: THE VULTURE'S LOST
SO MUCH BLOOD, HE'S SLIPPING
OUT OF CONSCIOUSNESS.

CHIEF VET,
DR. SHACHI JAHAD,

HAS TO GET AN INTRAVENOUS DRIP
INTO A VEIN IN THE BIRD'S LEG,

A DIFFICULT TASK,
AS THEIR VEINS ARE VERY FRAGILE.

OH, STEADY,
STEADY, STEADY.

EVENTUALLY, THE DRIP IS IN
AND THE VULTURE GETS
THE FLUIDS HE NEEDS.

THE OPERATION CAN GO AHEAD.

SHACHI NEEDS TO SEE
IF HE CAN REPAIR THE WING
SO THIS VULTURE CAN FLY AGAIN.

SHACHI: YOU CAN SEE
THE STRING IN THE BONE.

THE JOINT IS INTACT.

NARRATOR: IT LOOKS LIKE
THE KITE STRING HAS NOT
GONE ALL THE WAY THROUGH,

SO THERE IS HOPE THAT
THIS VULTURE WILL FLY AGAIN.

HE WAS RESCUED JUST IN TIME.

THERE'S A PATIENT
ON EVERY TABLE,

AND EVERY WARD IS FULL,

BUT VICTIMS KEEP ARRIVING:

OWLS, EGRETS,

AND AN IBIS WITH BROKEN LEGS.

THE CRISIS IS
GETTING WORSE EACH YEAR,

AS MORE OF THE RAZOR-SHARP
STRING IS BEING REPLACED

WITH UNBREAKABLE NYLON.

THE GOVERNMENT IS TRYING
TO BAN IT, BUT UNTIL THEY DO,

THIS REMARKABLE TEAM IS
DOUBLING THEIR EFFORTS.

[OVERLAPPING CHATTER]

NARRATOR: DURING THE FESTIVAL,
THEY MANAGE TO SAVE OVER
A THOUSAND BIRDS,

INCLUDING THE BLACK KITE
AND THE ENDANGERED VULTURE.

[BIRD CHIRPS]

RAJ: EVERY SLEEPLESS NIGHT,
EVERYTHING JUST VANISHES

WHEN THE BIRD TAKES FLIGHT
AND YOU FEEL, "WOW,
WE'VE DONE SOMETHING."

IT'S AN ACHIEVEMENT.

NARRATOR: EVENTUALLY,

LIFE AT JIVDAYA BEGINS
TO RETURN TO NORMAL.

[BIRDS SCREECHING]

AND WITHIN A FEW WEEKS,

ALL THE FULLY RECOVERED BIRDS
ARE RELEASED BACK INTO THE WILD.

IT'S BEEN
TWO MONTHS SINCE TONKOON
THE ELEPHANT'S OPERATION.

WILL COULDN'T REMOVE
THE BULLET THAT WAS
LODGED IN TONKOON'S LEG,

BUT HE IS ON HIS WAY
TO SEE IF HE DID ENOUGH

TO STOP THE CHRONIC INFECTION
FROM SPREADING.

[DISTANT DOG BARKS]

BECAUSE OF
THEIR SLOW METABOLISM,

IT TAKES ELEPHANTS A LONG TIME
TO RECOVER FROM THEIR INJURIES,

AND WILL HASN'T SEEN TONKOON
SINCE HE LEFT THE SANCTUARY.

[BOTH SPEAKING LAO]

NARRATOR: IT'S GOOD NEWS
THAT THE PAIR ARE BACK
WORKING IN THE FOREST.

[IYA SPEAKS LAO]
HE'S NOT KEEN, IS HE?

NARRATOR: BUT WILL NEEDS
TO EXAMINE TONKOON'S LEG
FOR HIMSELF.

[BOTH SPEAKING LAO]

YEAH.

NARRATOR: ALTHOUGH THERE'LL
ALWAYS BE A SCAR,

IF IT'S RECOVERED, IT SHOULD
FEEL FIRM TO THE TOUCH.

WILL: FEELS REALLY GOOD.
IT'S REALLY HARD.

IT'S NOT PAINFUL AT ALL.
I THINK IT'S REALLY CALMED
DOWN AND SETTLED DOWN.

IT'S MARKEDLY DIFFERENT
FROM PREVIOUSLY.

NARRATOR: WILL'S HARD WORK
HAS PAID OFF.

WITH THE INFECTED FLESH REMOVED,
TONKOON'S LEG HAS HEALED.

[BOTH SPEAKING LAO]

WILL: IYA WAS JUST SAYING
THAT AFTER HE RETURNED

AND HE SPENT THE TWO MONTHS
RECUPERATING,

HE'S NOW WORKING AT LEAST
AS WELL AS HE WAS BEFORE.

IT'S FANTASTIC
TO SEE HIM BACK.

I'M REALLY REALLY HAPPY,
AND, UH, IT'S THE OUTCOME
THAT EVERYBODY WANTED.

NARRATOR: IT'S A HUGE RELIEF
FOR EVERYONE WHEN AN ANIMAL
RECOVERS WELL,

BUT WITH SUCH UNUSUAL PATIENTS,
NO ONE CAN EVER BE SURE

HOW AN ANIMAL
WILL REACT PHYSICALLY

AND EMOTIONALLY
WHEN VETS INTERVENE.

[ANIMALS CHIRPING]

8 MONTHS AGO, EVERYTHING CHANGED
FOR SHUFAI THE GORILLA,

WHEN ANIMAL SURGEONS HAD
TO REMOVE HIS ARM.

RACHEL'S BIG FEAR WAS THAT
HE WOULD BE REJECTED

BY HIS TROOP
AFTER THE AMPUTATION.

RACHEL: WHEN HE CAME ROUND
FROM ANESTHETIC,

ONE OF THE OTHER GORILLAS WAS
IN A SATELLITE CAGE NEXT TO HIM

AND HE SHOWED THEM HIS-- HIS ARM
AND THEY WERE ALL LOOKING AT IT.

AND THEN HE WAS LOOKING
AND SEE-- AND THEY WERE PUTTING
THEIR ARMS THROUGH,

TOUCHING IT REALLY, REALLY
GENTLE, TOUCHING IT AND THEN
SMELLING THEIR HANDS.

AND THEN, WHEN HE WENT
INTO THE GROUP, THEY WERE
ALL REALLY GENTLE.

EVERYONE WAS REALLY CURIOUS,
SO THEY KNEW, YOU KNOW, THAT
SOMETHING WAS DIFFERENT.

UM, AND EVEN WITH PLAYING, UM,
THEY WOULD WRESTLE WITH HIM,

BUT THEY WOULD CRADLE HIS ARM
WITH THEIR OTHER HAND.

SO THEY ALL ADAPTED TO HIM.
IT WAS FANTASTIC TO WATCH.

HE NEVER, EVER CLIMBED TREES
WHEN HE HAD BOTH ARMS

BECAUSE THE PAIN WAS TOO MUCH.

THE FIRST TIME HE CLIMBED
A TREE WAS WITH ONE ARM,

AND-- HA!-- I NEARLY HAD
A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN.

HE USES HIS CHIN
AND HIS OTHER ARM TO
JUST PULL HIMSELF UP,

BUT WHEN HE HAD BOTH ARMS,
HE NEVER-- YOU NEVER SAW HIM
IN A TREE,

AND NOW YOU NEVER
SEE HIM OUT OF A TREE,

SO ALL OF MY WORRIES ARE
COMPLETELY DISAPPEARED NOW.

HE'S A COMPLETELY
DIFFERENT LITTLE BOY.

NARRATOR: FOR SHUFAI
AND THE OTHER ANIMALS
THAT VETS HAVE FOUGHT TO SAVE...

A COMBINATION
OF PIONEERING MEDICINE...

INGENUITY...

AND DEDICATION

HAS TRANSFORMED THEIR LIVES.