Operation Wild (2010–…): Season 1, Episode 2 - Don't Feed the Alligators - full transcript

NARRATOR: THANDI LOST
HER HORNS TO POACHERS,

AND NOW, VETS ARE GOING
TO GIVE HER

THE FIRST-EVER
RHINO SKIN GRAFT.

WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY
THAT ALLOWS HER

TO LIVE
A NORMAL LIFE AGAIN.

NARRATOR: A SEAL NEEDS
A HIGH TECH-SCAN

TO HELP DIAGNOSE
A MYSTERY ILLNESS.

ALL OF THIS TISSUE,
YEAH, IS ABNORMAL

NARRATOR: AND COULD PIONEERING
EYE SURGERY HELP ROSEMARY,

A BLIND ORANGUTAN, SEE AGAIN?

AROUND THE WORLD, DEDICATED VETS
ARE COMING TO THE RESCUE



OF THE EXTRAORDINARY ANIMALS
WE SHARE OUR PLANET WITH.

MAN: IT'S EXTREMELY DIFFICULT
TO CATCH A GIRAFFE.

THEY ARE BIG ANIMALS,
BUT THEY CAN DISAPPEAR.

NARRATOR: AND MANY ARE TURNING
TO ADVANCED HUMAN MEDICINE

TO TREAT THEIR PATIENTS.

ALL RIGHT, KIDDO.

MAN: WE'RE USING
21st-CENTURY TECHNOLOGY

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

NARRATOR: IT TAKES
RADICAL THINKING...

GREAT BRAVERY...

AND INGENUITY

TO SAVE BIG ANIMALS' LIVES.

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

NARRATOR: IT'S DAWN



IN THE EASTERN CAPE
OF SOUTH AFRICA.

HERE, ANIMALS ARE FREE TO ROAM

ON MILLIONS OF ACRES
OF PROTECTED RESERVES,

AMONG THEM WHITE RHINOS.

THESE ICONIC ANIMALS ARE BEING
DRIVEN TO EXTINCTION

BY POACHERS WHO ATTACK
AND OFTEN KILL THEM

TO HACK OFF THEIR HORNS.

MAN: EVERY SINGLE DAY,
THERE ARE 3 RHINO

IN THIS COUNTRY THAT--
THAT ARE BEING POACHED.

AND THE TRAUMA THAT
ANIMALS HAVE TO ENDURE
BECAUSE OF THAT,

[INHALES DEEPLY]
IT GIVES US
NIGHTMARES.

NARRATOR: RHINO HORN
IS MADE FROM KERATIN,
LIKE OUR FINGERNAILS,

BUT IN SOME TRADITIONAL
EASTERN MEDICINE, IT'S
BELIEVED TO CURE DISEASES

AND HAS BECOME WORTH MORE
THAN GOLD ON THE BLACK MARKET.

NOW, THIS TEAM
OF VETS AND SCIENTISTS
ARE FIGHTING BACK.

TODAY, THEY'RE GOING TO TRY
AND PROTECT THE 6 RHINOS
ON THIS GAME RESERVE

WITH A NEW EXPERIMENTAL
ANTI-POACHING TECHNIQUE.

THE BEST WAY TO FIND THE HERD
IN THIS THICK SCRUB LAND IS
FROM THE AIR.

THEY USE THE HELICOPTER TO DRIVE
THE RHINOS OUT INTO THE OPEN.

THEY SELECT THEIR TARGET,

A BIG MALE WEIGHING IN
AT AROUND TWO TONS.

HE'S DARTED
WITH A POWERFUL SEDATIVE
THAT WILL START TO WORK

IN 3 MINUTES, BUT WILL BE
EFFECTIVE FOR JUST 20.

AS THE DRUGS START
TO TAKE HOLD,

TEAM LEADER CHARLES APPROACHES
THE RHINO WITH CAUTION.

HE COVERS HIS EYES AND EARS
TO REDUCE HIS LEVELS OF STRESS.

[RHINO GRUNTING]

BEFORE THEY START THE PROCEDURE,
THEY HAVE TO GET THE RHINO
ONTO HIS SIDE,

SO HE DOESN'T CUT OFF
THE CIRCULATION TO HIS LEGS
WITH HIS OWN WEIGHT.

[OVERLAPPING CHATTER]

VET WILL FOWLDS SETS TO WORK,
MONITORING THE RHINO'S REACTION

TO THE ANESTHETIC.

THE RHINO IS NOT IN DISTRESS;

THE SHAKING IS A NATURAL
REACTION TO THE DRUGS.

WILL: THIS IS QUITE
NORMAL FOR THEM;

THEY SHAKE
LIKE THIS QUITE A BIT
IN THE BEGINNING.

HE WILL SETTLE DOWN
AS SOON AS THE DRUGS
START TO HAVE AN EFFECT.

NARRATOR: TO TRY
AND DETER POACHERS,

THE PLAN IS TO MAKE
THE RHINO'S HORN WORTHLESS

BY INJECTING IT WITH
AN INDELIBLE RED DYE.

FIRST, TECHNICIAN CARL
DRILLS TWO HOLES INTO
THE RHINO'S HORNS.

IT'S A PAIN-FREE PROCEDURE,
JUST LIKE CUTTING NAILS.

NOW THEY WILL PUMP IN
THE RED DYE UNDER
ULTRA-HIGH PRESSURE.

THIS SHOULD MAKE IT SPREAD
THROUGHOUT THE FIBROUS TISSUES

OF THE HORNS, STAINING THEM
FROM THE INSIDE.

THE EXACT INGREDIENTS
OF THE DYE ARE SECRET,

BUT THE IDEA WAS
INSPIRED BY BANKS,

WHO USE A SIMILAR PRODUCT
TO STAIN AND THEN TRACK
STOLEN NOTES.

NOT ONLY DOES
THE INDELIBLE RED DYE SHOW UP

UNDER AIRPORT SCANNERS,
THIS FORMULA ALSO CONTAINS

A PARASITE TREATMENT
FOR THE RHINO WHICH IS POISONOUS

FOR HUMANS TO INGEST.

IT WILL TAKE 8 MINUTES FOR
THE DYE TO SATURATE THE HORN,

HOPEFULLY SAVING THIS RHINO
FROM A SAVAGE ATTACK.

WILL: IT'S TERRIBLY BRUTAL,
THE ONES THAT I'VE DEALT WITH,

AND, UM, WHERE YOU WOULD
EXPECT THEM TO TAKE
A HORN OFF THERE,

THEY'VE LITERALLY CUT OFF
AT THIS LEVEL HERE.

ALL OF THAT PART OF THE FACE
HAS BEEN REMOVED.

I'VE BEEN CALLED
TO SOME WHERE EVEN

THEIR NOSTRILS AND MOST
OF THE TOP LIP
HAVE BEEN TAKEN.

ITS ABSOLUTELY BARBARIC.

[RHINO GRUNTS]

NARRATOR: THE OPERATION'S OVER.

IT'S TIME TO MOVE ON
TO THE NEXT RHINO.

THE TEAM WILL PUT UP SIGNS
TO WARN POACHERS

THAT ALL THE RHINOS ON
THIS RESERVE HAVE BEEN TREATED.

SATURATED WITH THE RED DYE,
THE HORNS SHOULD NOW
BE WORTHLESS.

WORD OF MOUTH SHOULD
ALSO SPREAD THIS MESSAGE

AND HELP KEEP THIS HERD SAFE.

WHILE THE TECHNIQUE CAN'T
DETER ALL ATTACKS,

IT IS ANOTHER WEAPON
IN THE ONGOING WAR
AGAINST POACHING.

WILL HAS SEEN THE IMPACT
OF THE POACHING CRISIS HIMSELF.

A YEAR AGO, HE WAS
CALLED OUT TO HELP A RHINO

WHOSE HORN HAD BEEN
BRUTALLY HACKED OFF.

USUALLY THE VICTIMS DIE,
BUT INCREDIBLY,

THANDI WAS STILL ALIVE.

WILL: YOU COULD SEE
BY THE WAY SHE WAS BREATHING
SHE WAS IN SEVERE DISTRESS.

YOU COULD SEE BY
THE HUGE PILE OF BLOOD

THAT HAD STAINED
THE GRASS AND THE GROUNDS
AND NEAR HER HEAD.

SHE'D TRY TO STAND UP;
SHE KEPT ON HITTING
HER HEAD ON THE GROUND

AND, OH, IT WAS UNBEARABLE
TO WATCH THAT.

NARRATOR: BUT WILL MANAGED
TO SAVE THANDI'S LIFE

AND HAS BEEN LOOKING
AFTER HER EVER SINCE.

WILL: WHEN YOU'VE BEEN
WITH AN ANIMAL THROUGH
INCREDIBLE PAIN AND SUFFERING,

THERE IS AN ENORMOUS
UM, SENSE OF ENDEARMENT

UH, ON MY-- MY BEHALF
TOWARDS HER, UH,

AND I WOULD JUST HATE
TO SEE ANYTHING GO WRONG
IN HER LIFE.

NARRATOR: THANDI MADE
A STEADY RECOVERY,

BUT THE POACHERS HACKED OFF
SO MUCH OF HER FACE,

THERE'S NO CHANCE OF HER HORNS
EVER GROWING BACK,

AND THERE ARE NO SKIN CELLS
WHERE THE HORNS ONCE WERE,

TO ENABLE THE WOUND
TO SCAR OVER.

RHINOS USE THEIR HORNS
FOR FORAGING,

DEFENDING THEIR TERRITORIES,
AND FOR COURTING.

WHENEVER THANDI TRIES TO DO
ANY OF THESE THINGS,

SHE MAKES THE WOUND WORSE.

WILL'S DEVISED
A PIONEERING OPERATION

TO TRY AND HELP IT HEAL OVER.

THANDI WILL BE GIVEN
THE FIRST-EVER RHINO SKIN GRAFT.

HE HOPES THAT THIS TECHNIQUE,
ORIGINALLY DEVISED FOR
HUMAN BURN VICTIMS,

WILL ENABLE HER
TO LIVE THE NORMAL LIFE
OF A YOUNG FEMALE RHINO.

WILL: THE ULTIMATE END
TO HER STORY WOULD BE

TO SEE HER ONE DAY
WITH A NEW CALF.

THAT WOULD JUST BE
A VERY POSITIVE THING.

NARRATOR: IT'S NOT JUST OUT
IN THE BUSH THAT VETS ARE

TURNING TO HUMAN MEDICINE
TO HELP THEIR PATIENTS.

THEY'RE USING IT HERE
IN CHICAGO,

AT LINCOLN PARK ZOO,

TO PROTECT
OUR CLOSEST RELATIVES,

THE CHIMPANZEES.

[CHIMPANZEES SCREECHING]

THEIR LIVES ARE BEING
CUT SHORT BY SOMETHING

THAT AFFECTS ALL GREAT APES,
INCLUDING US--

HEART DISEASE.

WHEN THE DISEASE STRUCK DOWN
ONE OF THE CHIMPS HERE,

HEAD VET DR. KATHRYN GAMBLE WAS
DETERMINED TO FIND OUT WHY.

KATHRYN: AND WE HAD AN ADULT WHO
WAS NOT REALLY THAT OLD, ONLY 30
YEARS OLD,

AND SHE HAD JUST BEEN
PRONOUNCED COMPLETELY
HEALTHY BY ULTRASOUND

AND ALL OF OUR OTHER TECHNIQUES,
ONLY TO SUDDENLY DIE.

NARRATOR: SHE STUDIED
THE CHIMPS' DIET AND EXERCISE,

BUT SHE BELIEVED THE CHIMPS'
COMPLEX SOCIAL HIERARCHY,

WITH FREQUENT SQUABBLES
AND EVEN FIGHTS, PLAYED
A PART IN THE DISEASE.

KATHRYN: WHEN YOU HAVE
A VERY INTENSE RELEASE
OF ADRENALINE,

AND THERE'S A LOT
OF SCARRING OF THE HEART,
THAT CAN LEAD TO WHAT'S CALLED

A FATAL ARRHYTHMIA
OR A FATAL MALFUNCTION.

NARRATOR: KATHRYN WANTED
TO FIND OUT IF SOMETHING

THAT AFFECTS OUR HEARTS

COULD BE AFFECTING THEIRS--

STRESS.

BUT MORE THAN THAT,

SHE WANTED AN EARLY WARNING
SYSTEM TO TELL HER

IF HER CHIMPS WERE DEVELOPING
HEART DISEASE.

SHE HAD TO FIND A WAY
OF CHECKING THEIR HEARTS

ALL DAY, EVERY DAY.

THE ANSWER WAS A HEART MONITOR.

THIS DEVICE IS ACTUALLY
DESIGNED FOR HUMANS,

AND THEY USE IT
THE EXACT SAME WAY
WE MONITOR CHIMPS.

WE DON'T HAVE
TO ADJUST IT AT ALL.

NARRATOR: THIS IS
22-YEAR-OLD MAGADI,

ONE OF THE NEWEST
MEMBERS OF THE TROOP.

LIKE ALL THE CHIMPS HERE,

MAGADI COULD BE PRONE
TO THE DISEASE,

SO KATHRYN IS GOING
TO FIT HER WITH A MONITOR

TO KEEP AN EYE ON HER HEART.

KATHRYN: LET'S GET
INTO POSITION.

1, 2, 3. NICE.

NARRATOR: MAGADI HAS BEEN
ANESTHETIZED FOR THIS SIMPLE

BUT POTENTIALLY
LIFE-SAVING OPERATION.

KATHRYN IS GOING TO PUT
THE HEART MONITOR

INTO A LAYER OF MUSCLE
JUST BENEATH HER SKIN.

WE JUST SLIDE THAT UP
INTO A MUSCLE POCKET

THAT I'VE JUST CREATED
USING MY FINGER.

OK.

THE DEVICE ACTUALLY
HAS TO BE PROGRAMMED

FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL ANIMAL,
AND SO, RIGHT NOW,

THE DEVICE IS GOING
TO BE PROGRAMMED
SPECIFICALLY FOR MAGADI.

NARRATOR: TO DO THAT,
THEY HOLD A READER
OVER THE MONITOR.

THIS ALSO PICKS UP
THE INFORMATION ABOUT
HER HEART WIRELESSLY,

AND FROM HERE, IT CAN BE
DOWNLOADED TO A COMPUTER.

I CANT EVEN SEE THE OUTLINE
OF THE IMPLANT,

AND I CAN FEEL IT
JUST BARELY RIGHT HERE,

AND THAT'S WHAT WE REALLY
ARE WANTING TO DO.

KATHRYN: 2 AND 3.
LET'S PUSH. GREAT,
AND A LITTLE BIT MORE.

AND THEN CAN WE ROLL HER
TO THIS SIDE?

NARRATOR: ALL THE CHIMPS HERE
ARE TRAINED TO PRESENT
THEIR CHESTS

SO THE DATA RECORDED ON
THEIR MONITOR CAN BE DOWNLOADED

EVERY COUPLE OF WEEKS.

KATHRYN AND THE TEAM
ANALYZE THIS DATA

TO SPOT AND TREAT
ANY HEART DISEASE.

KATHRYN: WHEN WE SEE
THE ARRHYTHMIAS,

THEN WE COULD DO THINGS
LIKE LOOKING AT A MEDICATION

OR MONITORING THE MEDICATION
ONCE IT'S BEEN GIVEN TO THEM.

THIS GIVES US A WHOLE NEW
SCOPE OF INFORMATION

FOR THE INDIVIDUAL ANIMAL THAT
WE JUST HAVE NEVER HAD BEFORE.

NARRATOR: AS MORE ZOOS AROUND
THE WORLD USE HEART MONITORS,

THEY'LL BE ABLE
TO SHARE INFORMATION

AND HOPEFULLY DISCOVER
WHAT CHANGES IN LIFESTYLE

WILL MAKE THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE
TO KEEPING CHIMPS HEALTHY.

IT'S NO SURPRISE
THAT CHIMPANZEES SUFFER

MANY OF THE SAME
HEALTH PROBLEMS AS US.

LIKE US, THEY'RE GREAT APES

AND SHARE 98% OF OUR DNA.

ANOTHER MEMBER OF THE FAMILY
IS THE MOST FAMOUS INHABITANT

OF THIS ISLAND--
BORNEO IN SOUTHEAST ASIA--

AND THESE MISTY RAINFORESTS

ARE THE UNLIKELY SETTING
FOR AN EYE OPERATION

THAT COULD HELP
A BLIND ORANGUTAN TO SEE AGAIN.

SHE'S NOW BEING CARED FOR

AT THE ORANGUTAN FOUNDATION
INTERNATIONAL CARE CENTER,

HOME TO SOME 200 ORANGUTANS.

THE CENTER WAS SET UP

BY CANADIAN ORANGUTAN EXPERT
DR. BIRUTE GALDIKAS.

SHE CAME TO BORNEO
AS A 25-YEAR-OLD
ANTHROPOLOGY STUDENT

AND ESTABLISHED THIS
HAVEN FOR SICK, INJURED,
AND ORPHANED ORANGUTANS.

BIRUTE: THEIR MOTHERS
WERE KILLED,
AND THEY WERE TAKEN

AS PEOPLE'S PETS
TO BE SOLD ON
THE BLACK MARKET.

AND, UH, SOME
OF THEM COME IN
IN A TERRIBLE CONDITION,

SO SOMETIMES
IT TAKES A-- A WHILE
TO GET THEM BACK INTO,

UH, BEING FEISTY,
FRISKY ORANGUTAN,
UH, JUVENILES.

NARRATOR: PLAYING HELPS
THE YOUNG ORANGUTANS
DEVELOP LIFE SKILLS,

LIKE FORAGING
AND BUILDING NESTS,

SO WHEN THEY ARE OLDER,
THEY CAN LIVE IN THE RAINFOREST.

BIRUTE AND HER TEAM HAVE
RELEASED HUNDREDS OF ORANGUTANS

INTO THE WILD OVER
THE LAST 40 YEARS.

BUT ONE HAD TO BE BROUGHT BACK.

ROSEMARY SUFFERS FROM CATARACTS.

THE LENSES IN HER EYES
ARE COMPLETELY CLOUDED,

LEAVING HER VIRTUALLY BLIND

AND CONFINED TO THE MEDICAL WING
OF THE SANCTUARY.

ROSEMARY'S CONDITION HASN'T
JUST AFFECTED HER LIFE,

BUT ALSO
HER DAUGHTER RODNEY'S.

RODNEY IS THE NEST MAKER
IN THE CROWD.

I- IT'S ABSOLUTELY TRAGIC
THAT ROSEMARY CAN'T SEE
HER OWN DAUGHTER.

NARRATOR: AT 7 YEARS OLD,

RODNEY SHOULD BE GETTING
READY TO LEAVE HER MOTHER.

BIRUTE: THE PROBLEM
IS THAT ROSEMARY

WILL NOT ALLOW RODNEY
TO LEAVE THE CAGE,

SO POOR RODNEY HAS BEEN
FORCED BY HER MOTHER
TO STAY WITH HER.

IT'S LIKE ROSEMARY NEEDS
THE SECURITY OF HER
DAUGHTER RODNEY...

TO BE HAPPIER.

NARRATOR: THEIR ONLY HOPE
OF LIVING BACK IN THE FOREST IS

IF ROSEMARY HAS MICROSURGERY
TO TRY TO RESTORE HER SIGHT.

BIRUTE: RODNEY IS
SACRIFICING

HER OWN FREEDOM FOR
HER MOTHER'S FREEDOM

BECAUSE HER MOTHER
COULD NOT BE FREE

UNTIL SHE HAS
THE EYE OPERATION.

NARRATOR: ROSEMARY'S
OPERATION WILL BE PERFORMED

BY SPECIALIST
ANIMAL EYE SURGEON

DR. IZAK VENTER
FROM SOUTH AFRICA.

HE'S VOLUNTEERED TO DO
THE SURGERY.

GETTING HIM
AND HIS EQUIPMENT HERE

HAS BEEN FUNDED
BY A VISITOR TO THE CENTER

WHO FOUND OUT ABOUT
ROSEMARY'S PLIGHT.

IZAK: HELLO.

[ORANGUTAN GRUNTS]

NARRATOR:
IF HE'S SUCCESSFUL,

ROSEMARY CAN LOOK FORWARD
TO A FUTURE IN THE FOREST.

IF NOT, SHE'LL HAVE TO SPEND
THE REST OF HER DAYS
AT THE CARE CENTER...

WITH OR WITHOUT
HER DAUGHTER RODNEY.

OK, RING US UP, YOU
NEED [INDISTINCT].

MAN ON RADIO: YES.

NARRATOR: IN SOUTH AFRICA,

VET WILL FOWLDS
HAS ASSEMBLED A TEAM

TO PERFORM THE FIRST-EVER
RHINO SKIN GRAFT.

15 MONTHS AGO,
THANDI WAS ATTACKED

BY POACHERS,
WHO CUT OFF HER HORNS.

WILL: TODAY IS QUITE
AN IMPORTANT DAY.

WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS
TO GET HER FACE MORE CAPABLE
OF-- OF COPING

WITH-- WITH NORMAL RHINO
SOCIAL BEHAVIOR.

NARRATOR: TO GIVE THANDI
BACK A NORMAL LIFE,

THE VETS WANT
TO HELP HER HEAL FASTER

AND GROW A PROTECTIVE LAYER
OF SKIN OVER HER WOUNDS.

WILL'S TEAMED UP
WITH PLASTIC SURGEON
DR. ALISTAIR LAMONT,

WHO HAS VOLUNTEERED
HIS EXPERTISE.

ALISTAIR:
WE MAKE HOLES IN PEOPLE
WHEN WE CUT CANCERS OUT,

AND WE DO SKIN GRAFTS
TO PATCH THE HOLE,
SO THIS IS ROUTINE

FOR ME, YOU KNOW;
THE PROBLEM IS TO
DO IT ON A RHINOCEROS.

NARRATOR: FIRST,
THEY HAVE TO FIND THANDI.

SHE'S BEEN FITTED WITH
A TRACKING DEVICE TO HELP THEM.

THEN WILL CAN DART HER.

[DART FIRES]

ONCE SHE'S DOWN, THEY'LL
ONLY HAVE ONE HOUR TO OPERATE.

SHH, SHH.
SHH, SHH.

OK?
[SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

NARRATOR: THANDI WEIGHS
OVER TWO TONS

AND COULD CRUSH
HER INTERNAL ORGANS

IF SHE STAYS IN ONE POSITION
FOR TOO LONG.

WILL: WHAT WE DO WITH
AN ANIMAL LIKE THANDI IS

WE NEED TO KEEP
HER LEVEL OF--

LEVELS OF ANESTHETIC
AS LIGHT AS POSSIBLE,

AND WE'RE LITERALLY JUST
KEEPING HER DOWN ENOUGH

SO THAT THE SURGEONS
AT THE FRONT HERE
CAN WORK WITH HER

WITHOUT PUTTING
THEIR LIVES IN DANGER.

NARRATOR: TO GIVE THANDI
THE BEST CHANCE OF SUCCESS,

ALISTAIR AND THE TEAM
WILL TRY 3 DIFFERENT KINDS
OF SKIN GRAFT TODAY,

BUT ALISTAIR IS USED
TO HUMAN SKIN,

AND THANDI'S IS
VERY DIFFERENT.

ALISTAIR:
OUR DERMIS VARIES

FROM ABOUT
1/5 OF A MILLIMETER
TO 3 MILLIMETERS.

THE RHINOCEROS HAVE
5 TO 20 MILLIMETERS
IN THICKNESS.

THAT'S A MASSIVE,
THICK BIT OF PROTECTIVE
FIBROUS TISSUE,

WHICH IS VERY DIFFICULT
TO MANAGE; IT DOESN'T
BEND OR YIELD.

NARRATOR: HE STARTS BY REMOVING
A VERY THIN LAYER OF SKIN

FROM BEHIND THANDI'S EAR.

OK, NOW STUCK
TO THE BOTTOM OF THAT
ARE ISLANDS OF SKIN.

YOU SEE? PUT THAT ONTO--
WHERE DO YOU WANT
THE GRAFT, GUYS?

NARRATOR: HE HOPES THAT
THESE LITTLE PIECES OF SKIN

WILL START TO GROW,

AND IN TIME,
JOIN UP WITH EACH OTHER.

OK.

NARRATOR: HIS SECOND
TECHNIQUE IS TO TRANSPLANT

A SINGLE, THICKER
PIECE OF SKIN.

OK, WHERE DO YOU WANT
YOUR FULL-THICKNESS GRAFT?

HERE AT-- ACROSS
THE TOP THERE?

THIS IS BETTER-QUALITY
SKIN; IF IT TAKES, IT'LL
GIVE MUCH BETTER COVER.

[INDISTINCT]

NARRATOR: THE FINAL GRAFT
IS MADE USING SOME
OF THE TOUGHER SKIN

FOUND NEAR THE EDGE
OF THE WOUND.

IT'LL BE QUITE NICE
TO PUT IT INTO
A PROTECTED...

HOLLOW SOMEWHERE.

NARRATOR: ALL WILL'S HOPES
FOR THANDI ARE RESTING

ON THE SUCCESS
OF THIS OPERATION.

WILL: THEY ARE
SUCH GENTLE ANIMALS.

YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE IT
WHEN YOU LOOK AT
THE THICKNESS

OF THEIR SKINS
AND-- AND THE HORNS
THAT THEY WEAR ON THEM.

THEY REALLY ARE
SOFT CREATURES BY NATURE.

AND, YEAH, THIS IS ONE
VERY, VERY SPECIAL LADY,

UM, AND...

IF ANYTHING HAD TO HAPPEN
TO HER, I-- I DON'T KNOW
WHAT I WOULD DO.

NARRATOR:
TIME IS RUNNING OUT,

BUT ALISTAIR IS STRUGGLING

TO ATTACH
THE FINAL SKIN GRAFT.

THE STAPLES ARE
FOR HUMAN SKIN.

THEY'RE TOO SHALLOW.
THESE STAPLES
ARE NOT WORKING.

THEY'RE NOT BIG ENOUGH
TO TAKE THE THICKNESS
OF THAT SKIN.

NARRATOR: THE TEAM
WILL NOW HAVE TO STITCH

THE NEW PIECE
OF SKIN INTO PLACE,

BUT THIS TAKES UP
MORE PRECIOUS TIME.

WILL: LANCE, CAN WE
JUST MOVE HER ONTO
HER LEFT LEG FOR A BIT

TO GET SOME CIRCULATION
GOING THROUGH
THE RIGHT LEG?

[OVERLAPPING CHATTER]

WILL: 1, 2, 3.

NARRATOR: WILL IS
SO WORRIED THANDI'S LEGS
MIGHT BE LOSING CIRCULATION,

HE STOPS THE OPERATION
TO REPOSITION HER.

[OVERLAPPING CHATTER]

WHOA, WHOA, WHOA.
VERY GOOD. OK.

WILL: SHE'S BEEN
ON HER LEGS NOW FOR
JUST UNDER 45 MINUTES,

SO WE HAVE SHUFFLED HER
AROUND A BIT, WE HAVE
STIMULATED THE CIRCULATION,

BUT WE DO NEED TO GET HER
UP IN THE NEXT 5 MINUTES.

NARRATOR: FINALLY, THEY
APPLY AN ANTIBIOTIC DRESSING

TO PROTECT
THE NEWLY GRAFTED SKIN,
BUT ALISTAIR ISN'T SURE

THANDI WILL FOLLOW
POST-OP INSTRUCTIONS.

ALISTAIR: IT'S ALL VERY WELL
HAVING A HUMAN BEING
AND SAY TO HIM,

"LISTEN, YOU NEED TO REST
IN BED FOR A FEW DAYS."

THAT DOESN'T WORK
FOR RHINOS; THEY WANT
TO GET BACK INTO THE MUD.

NARRATOR:
THE OPERATION IS COMPLETE,

BUT THANDI'S BEEN ASLEEP FOR
LONGER THAN WILL HAD HOPED.

WILL: THE NEXT 5 MINUTES
ARE IMPORTANT, UM,

AND WE'LL ONLY BREATHE
THAT SIGH OF RELIEF

WHEN SHE GETS UP AND WE
CAN SEE HER WALKING OK.

AH, IT'S AMAZING
TO SEE HER STAND.

SHE'S OK AND HER LEGS
ARE WORKING OK.

NARRATOR: ALL THE TEAM
CAN DO NOW IS WAIT TO SEE

IF THE SKIN GRAFTS BEGIN
TO HELP THANDI HEAL.

SHE'S A POIGNANT SYMBOL OF
THE POACHING CRISIS HERE,

BUT IT'S NOT ALWAYS SO OBVIOUS
WHEN AN ANIMAL IS SUFFERING.

[SEALS BARKING]

WILD ANIMALS
OFTEN MASK SYMPTOMS

THAT THEY'RE HURT OR UNWELL.

IF THEY APPEAR WEAK,
THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO BE
ATTACKED BY PREDATORS.

THIS SURVIVAL INSTINCT
CAN MAKE IT VERY DIFFICULT

FOR VETS TO DISCOVER
WHAT'S WRONG.

BUT NOWADAYS THEY CAN USE
HIGH-TECH DIAGNOSTIC
EQUIPMENT TO HELP THEM.

[SEAL BARKS]

IN THE BIN. GOOD.

NARRATOR: AND THAT'S
EXACTLY WHAT DEE NEEDS.

GO FETCH.

NARRATOR: SHE'S
A 7-YEAR-OLD CAPE FUR SEAL

AND LIVES IN A ZOO
IN PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA.

IN THE BIN.
GOOD GIRL, DEE DEE!

NARRATOR: ELSIE BRIEDENHANN

HAS BEEN LOOKING AFTER HER
FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

ELSIE: SHE'S LIKE
MY LITTLE GIRL.

SHE IS A LITTLE GIRL STILL.

SHE'S A VERY YOUNG FEMALE
AND, UM, SHE'S VERY SPECIAL.

NARRATOR: ALTHOUGH
ANYONE ELSE MIGHT THINK

THAT DEE IS BEHAVING NORMALLY,
ELSIE'S CONCERNED.

SHE'S NOTICED DEE HAS
A RUNNY NOSE

AND HER RIGHT EYE
LOOKS INFECTED.

NO ONE CAN WORK OUT
WHAT'S CAUSING IT,

SO THE ZOO'S HEAD VET,
ADRIAN TORDIFFE,

HAS DECIDED
TO TAKE HER FOR A SCAN.

ADRIAN: I GUESS WE COULD BE
A LITTLE BIT CAREFREE
ABOUT THIS, YOU KNOW.

IT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT OF
A DISCHARGE FROM A NOSTRIL,
BUT THE ISSUE IS

THAT IT-- IT REALLY COULD
ACTUALLY BE SOMETHING
QUITE SEVERE,

AND WE REALLY WANT
TO KIND OF NIP IT
IN THE BUD IF WE CAN.

NARRATOR: DEE NEEDS TO BE
SEDATED FOR THE JOURNEY,

BUT SEALS HAVE A VERY LONG
SOFT PALATE AT THE ROOF
OF THEIR MOUTHS,

AND WHILE DEE
IS ANESTHETIZED,

IT COULD COLLAPSE
AND SUFFOCATE HER.

OK, I NEED SOMEBODY
TO HOLD IT, YEAH...

NARRATOR: ADRIAN PUTS
A TUBE DIRECTLY INTO HER
WINDPIPE TO KEEP IT OPEN.

HE CAN GIVE HER GAS
TO BREATHE

AND KEEP HER ASLEEP
ON THE WAY.

ADRIAN: IF SHE ACTUALLY--

HOLD HER HEAD
IN THAT POSITION,

SHE ACTUALLY BREATHES
A WHOLE LOT BETTER.

WOMAN: 1, 2, 3.

NARRATOR:
DEE IS DRIVEN ACROSS TOWN

TO THE UNIVERSITY
VETERINARY HOSPITAL.

NARRATOR: IT'S UP TO VET
HEROT STEENKAMP TO FIND OUT

EXACTLY WHAT DEE'S
MYSTERIOUS ILLNESS IS.

HEROT: JUST GET HER
NICE AND STRAIGHT HERE.

NARRATOR: HERE, HE CAN TURN
TO THE KIND OF EQUIPMENT

THAT'S MORE AT HOME IN
OUR HOSPITALS-- A CT SCANNER.

HE'LL TAKE A SERIES
OF X-RAYS TO BUILD UP
A DETAILED IMAGE

OF THE INSIDE OF DEE'S HEAD.

HEROT: THOSE ARE
THE TWO EYES...

AS WE GO BACK,

AND THAT'S WHERE
THE BRAIN STARTS, UP THERE.

NARRATOR: BUT THEN HE SPOTS
SOMETHING UNUSUAL.

ALL OF THIS TISSUE, YEAH.
HMM. IS THAT NORMAL?

AT THIS STAGE, I DON'T HAVE
ANY INDICATION IF THIS IS

A TUMOR, OR IS IT JUST
AN ACCUMULATION OF MUCUS?

NARRATOR:
HE NEEDS TO PINPOINT

EXACTLY WHERE THIS MASS IS.

TO DO THAT, HE CAN BUILD UP
A 3D IMAGE OF DEE'S SKULL.

HEROT: WE CAN ROTATE
THIS ALL THE WAY AROUND,

AND IT'S IN THERE,
IN THE NOSE ITSELF.

THERE ARE MANY CAUSES
FOR SOFT-TISSUE MASSES
LIKE THAT,

SO AT THIS MOMENT
IN TIME, WE HAVE AN IDEA
WHERE THE PROBLEM IS,

BUT WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY
WHAT THE PROBLEM IS.

NARRATOR: IF THE MASS
IS A TUMOR,

IT COULD MEAN DEE IS
SERIOUSLY UNWELL.

ADRIAN: OK, READY?
1, 2, 3.

NARRATOR: THE ONLY WAY
TO FIND OUT IS FOR HEROT
TO TAKE A BIOPSY.

[EQUIPMENT BEEPING]

TO REACH THE MASS,
HE USES AN ENDOSCOPE.

HEROT: THAT, IN THE CENTER
OF THE PICTURE NOW,

IS WHAT I THINK IS
THE MASS AT THE RIGHT ANGLE

AND ALSO
THE RIGHT DEPTH, SO...

NARRATOR:
WITH THE ENDOSCOPE'S
TINY CUTTERS,

HE TAKES TISSUE SAMPLES,

WHICH HE'LL SEND OFF
TO BE EXAMINED.

WHILE SHE'S ASLEEP, HE
CHECKS DEE FOR ANYTHING ELSE

THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED
THE MASS.

HE DOESN'T SEE ANYTHING,
UNTIL HE DISCOVERS

THAT SOME OF HER TEETH
ARE BADLY DECAYED.

HEROT: AROUND THIS
CANINE, THE TOP IS EXPOSED,

SO I THINK THAT NEEDS
TO COME OUT.

NARRATOR: IT IS UNUSUAL
IN A SEAL OF HER AGE,
BUT DECAY MEANS BACTERIA,

AND THAT COULD CAUSE
A SEVERE INFECTION.

BUT IT'S THE POSSIBILITY
OF A TUMOR

THAT IS WORRYING ADRIAN.

THE SAMPLES THAT
WE'VE NOW COLLECTED ARE
GOING TO THE PATHOLOGIST.

UM, THAT'S GONNA TAKE
AT LEAST 2 OR 3 DAYS BEFORE
WE GET THE ACTUAL RESULT,

AND THEN THEY WILL
BE ABLE TO TELL US
WHAT KIND OF LUMP IT IS,

AND THEN, BASED ON THAT,
WE CAN THEN DECIDE

ON THE TREATMENT,
UM, GOING FORWARD.

SHH.

NARRATOR: IT'LL BE
AN ANXIOUS WAIT FOR THE TEAM

UNTIL THEY KNOW WHETHER
DEE HAS AN INFECTION

OR SOMETHING FAR WORSE.

ADRIAN:
OK, SWEETHEART.

NARRATOR: FOR NOW,
IT'S BACK TO THE ZOO,

WITH A COURSE
OF ANTIBIOTICS.

BACK IN BORNEO,
SURGERY IS THE ONLY OPTION

FOR ROSEMARY THE ORANGUTAN.

SHE'S ABOUT TO HAVE
A PIONEERING OPERATION

TO REPLACE THE LENSES
IN HER EYES.

HOPEFULLY, SHE'LL
REGAIN HER SIGHT.

BIRUTE: I HOPE THAT EVENTUALLY,
WE CAN RETURN HER

AND HER DAUGHTER, MISS RODNEY,
UM, BACK TO THE FOREST.

IT WOULD BE GREAT FOR ROSEMARY,

BUT IT WOULD BE EVEN BETTER
FOR HER DAUGHTER.

NARRATOR: JUST LIKE
IN SOME HUMAN FAMILIES,

RODNEY SEEMS TO BE
SPENDING HER YOUTH
CARING FOR HER SICK MOTHER.

IT'S ONLY IF THE OPERATION WORKS

THAT SHE'LL BE ABLE
TO LEAD HER OWN LIFE.

GOOD LUCK TO US.

NARRATOR: DR. IZAK VENTER,
A LEADING ANIMAL EYE SURGEON,

HAS COME FROM SOUTH AFRICA
TO PERFORM THE OPERATION.

BUT FIRST, HE HAS TO SET UP
A HIGH-TECH OPERATING THEATER

IN THE RAINFOREST.

HA! THERE WE ARE.

NARRATOR: THIS IS ONLY
THE SECOND TIME HE'S ATTEMPTED

TO REPLACE THE LENSES
IN AN ORANGUTAN'S EYES.

I'M NERVOUS AS ANYTHING,
AND TO HOPE FOR THE BEST.

NARRATOR: BEFORE HE STARTS
THE OPERATION, IZAK NEEDS
TO TEST ROSEMARY'S EYES

TO CHECK IT'S ONLY
THE CATARACTS THAT ARE
MAKING HER BLIND.

HE'S GOING TO TEST
HER RETINAS,

THE PART OF THE EYE THAT'S
SENSITIVE TO LIGHT.

IF THEY'RE ALSO DAMAGED,
THEN REPLACING HER LENSES
WON'T HELP.

RIGHT. CAN WE GET
THAT LIGHT, PLEASE,
FRANK? THANKS.

OK, THAT'S FINE THERE.

WHAT WE'RE GOING
TO DO IS STIMULATE
THE EYE WITH LIGHT.

NARRATOR: IF ROSEMARY'S
LEFT EYE CAN BE SAVED,

THEY'LL GET A SIGNAL.

BUT SADLY,
THERE'S NO READING.

[EXHALES]
OH.

ROSEMARY MAY HAVE
DAMAGED HER RETINA
OR EVEN BEEN BORN LIKE THIS,

BUT EITHER WAY, SHE WILL
ALWAYS BE BLIND IN THIS EYE.

UNLESS HE GETS A BETTER
RESULT IN HER RIGHT EYE,

THERE WILL BE NO POINT
IN OPERATING.

IZAK: YEAH,
THE RIGHT EYE LOOKS GOOD.

BIRUTE: GREAT.

[ROSEMARY SNORING]

IT'S TERRIFIC.
ONE EYE CAN BE DONE.

IZAK: YOU CAN SNORE.

[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]

NARRATOR: EVERYTHING NOW DEPENDS
ON IZAK'S MICROSURGERY SKILLS

TO REPLACE THE LENS
IN ROSEMARY'S ONE GOOD EYE.

IZAK: WELL, I CAN CLEARLY
SEE THE CATARACT IN THE EYE.

THE PUPIL SHOULD BE BLACK,
AND IN THIS CASE,

THE PUPIL IS WHITE
AND THAT'S THE OPAQUE LENS.

NARRATOR: HE STARTS
BY MAKING A TINY CUT OF
JUST OVER 3 MILLIMETERS.

ALL HIS INSTRUMENTS WILL HAVE
TO FIT THROUGH THIS INCISION,

AS WELL AS THE NEW LENS.

IZAK: THE WHOLE IDEA
OF THIS,

TO CAUSE AS LITTLE TRAUMA
TO THE EYE AS POSSIBLE

AND AS LITTLE SCARRING
TO THE EYE AS POSSIBLE.

NARRATOR: TO REMOVE
ROSEMARY'S OLD LENS,

HE USES A HIGH-FREQUENCY
ULTRASOUND MACHINE
TO LIQUEFY IT.

THIS IS THE MOST DIFFICULT
PART OF THE OPERATION,

AS IT IS SO EASY TO TEAR
THE DELICATE STRUCTURES
IN THE EYE.

IZAK: THAT LOOKS GOOD.

NARRATOR: NEXT, IZAK INJECTS
THE NEW ACRYLIC LENS.

IT'S FOLDED OVER
SO IT WILL FIT IN THROUGH
THE TINY CUT HE'S MADE.

IZAK: IT'S NOW IN;
NOW I'M JUST GONNA FIDDLE
TO GET IT INTO POSITION.

[EQUIPMENT BEEPING STEADILY]

IT'S SET IN NICE
AND STABLE, AND THE, UM,
OPTICAL PATHWAY IS CLEAR,

AND I CAN ACTUALLY START
SEEING THE RETINA, AND
EVERYTHING IS LOOKING GOOD.

IZAK:
GREAT. THAT'S IT.

NARRATOR: THE SURGERY
HAS TAKEN JUST OVER AN HOUR.

NOW ROSEMARY CAN BE
REUNITED WITH RODNEY.

IZAK: SHE'S PROBABLY GONNA
BE ABLE TO DISTINGUISH LIGHT
AND DARK STRAIGHTAWAY,

BUT FOR DISTINCT,
CLEAR VISION,

THAT-- THAT MAY TAKE
A WHILE.

WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY
WHEN THAT WILL RETURN.

NARRATOR: ANY CHANGE
IN ROSEMARY'S EYESIGHT
WON'T HAPPEN IMMEDIATELY,

AS ROSEMARY NEEDS
TO ADJUST TO HER NEW LENS.

THEY'LL HAVE TO WAIT
FOR IZAK TO COME BACK
IN A FEW MONTHS

TO FIND OUT IF SHE CAN
SEE WELL ENOUGH

TO COPE WITH LIFE
IN THE FOREST.

ALTHOUGH A LOT
OF HUMAN MEDICINE

CAN BE ADAPTED TO HELP THEM,

ANIMALS' DIFFERING
SHAPES AND SIZES

CAN PRESENT VETS
WITH UNIQUE CHALLENGES.

WILL:
RIGHT. LET'S GO.

[ALL GRUNTING]

NARRATOR: A RHINO CAN
CRUSH ITSELF WITH ITS OWN
WEIGHT UNDER ANESTHETIC.

AND THE SOFT PALATE
IN A SEAL'S MOUTH
CAN RELAX SO MUCH,

IT CAN COLLAPSE
AND SUFFOCATE IT.

ADRIAN: IN THAT POSITION,
SHE ACTUALLY BREATHES
A WHOLE LOT BETTER.

NARRATOR: BUT ONE OF
THE MOST DIFFICULT ANIMALS

FOR VETS TO ANESTHETIZE
IS THE GIRAFFE.

ONLY A FEW YEARS AGO,
ONE IN 10 GIRAFFES

UNDER ANESTHETIC WOULD DIE
FROM COMPLICATIONS,

AND ALTHOUGH THERE ARE
FEWER CASUALTIES NOW,

IT STILL TAKES GREAT SKILL.

HERE, ON A GAME RESERVE
IN SOUTH AFRICA,

ONE GIRAFFE HAS BECOME
THE ACCIDENTAL VICTIM
OF POACHING.

HE STEPPED INTO A SNARE,
A LOOP OF WIRE TIED TO A TREE.

WHEN SMALL ANIMALS WALK
INTO THEM, THEY BECOME TRAPPED.

THE HARDER THEY STRUGGLE,
THE TIGHTER THE LOOP PULLS,

UNTIL THEY SUFFOCATE.

THIS GIRAFFE WAS STRONG ENOUGH
TO PULL IT AWAY FROM THE TREE,

BUT THE WIRE IS CUTTING
DEEPLY INTO HIS LEG,

MAKING IT PAINFULLY SWOLLEN.

SO THE OWNER HAS CALLED IN
VET DEREK VENTER TO TRY
TO REMOVE IT.

DEREK: THAT SNARE CAN CUT IN
THROUGH THE SKIN, AND THEN

IT CAN SEVER THE-- THE NERVES
AND THE LIGAMENTS.

IF THAT'S THE CASE, IT'LL MEAN
THE DEATH OF THE ANIMAL.

NARRATOR: TO CATCH THE GIRAFFE,
THEY'LL HAVE TO DART HIM.

BUT THEY CAN'T
LET HIM FALL DOWN.

HE STANDS NEARLY 6 METERS TALL,

AND IF HE HITS HIS HEAD ON
THE GROUND, IT COULD KILL HIM.

AND THAT'S NOT DEREK'S
ONLY WORRY.

DEREK: THE BIG PROBLEM
THAT WE HAVE IN GIRAFFE IS

THE FACT THAT THEY ARE
VERTICAL ANIMALS.

THEY HAVE TO HAVE
A VERY STRONG HEART TO PUMP
THE BLOOD TO-- TO THE BRAIN.

NOW, IF THEY ARE IN
A HORIZONTAL POSITION,

THAT RESISTANCE
ISN'T THERE ANYMORE.

THE BLOOD PRESSURE GOES SO HIGH,
IT CAUSES A BLOOD VESSEL
TO RUPTURE IN THE BRAIN.

NARRATOR: ADDING TO THE DANGER,
THE ANESTHETIC DRUGS ARE
SO POWERFUL,

THEY CAN STOP HIM BREATHING,
SO ONCE THEY'VE DARTED HIM,

THEY NEED TO GIVE HIM
A REVERSAL DRUG TO WAKE HIM UP

WITHIN 3 MINUTES
OR HE COULD DIE.

ALL RIGHT.

LET'S DO THIS.

NARRATOR: DEREK HAS CALLED IN
A SPECIALIST GIRAFFE
CAPTURE TEAM,

RUN BY LOUIS VAN WYK,
TO HELP HIM.

LOUIS: GIRAFFE IS ONE
OF THOSE KIND OF ANIMALS THAT
THE VET CAN'T HANDLE ALONE.

I HAVE A CAPTURE TEAM.
WE'RE ABOUT TEN GUYS.

AND THEY WORK WITH ME
ON A DAILY BASIS,

AND WE ROPE BETWEEN 50 AND 100
GIRAFFES PER SEASON.

NARRATOR: FIRST,
THEY HAVE TO FIND HIM.

THERE IT IS.

RIGHT IN FRONT.

NARRATOR: THE NOISE OF THE GUN
WILL SCARE THE GIRAFFE OFF,

SO DEREK NEEDS TO HIT
HIS TARGET FIRST TIME.

KEEP YOUR EYES ON IT.
DON'T LOSE IT,
DON'T LOSE IT.

GO FAST WITH THE BIKE.
YOU MUST KEEP EYES
ON IT.

NARRATOR: THE STARTLED GIRAFFE
DISAPPEARS INTO THE BUSH,

AND THE RACE IS ON.

THEY HAVE TO TRACK HIM
SO HE DOESN'T FALL DOWN
WITHOUT THEM,

OR THE ANESTHETIC
COULD BE FATAL.

IF WE LOSE THIS ANIMAL,
AND IT GOES DOWN BEFORE
WE GET TO IT,

THERE'S A BIG, BIG CHANCE
THAT IT MIGHT FALL
AND INJURE ITSELF

OR ACTUALLY STOP BREATHING
WITHOUT ANYBODY THERE
TO INTERVENE,

SO WE REALLY HAVE TO HAVE
OUR EYES ON IT NOW.

NARRATOR: GIRAFFES MIGHT BE BIG,
BUT THEIR MARKINGS MIMIC

THE DAPPLED LIGHT COMING
THROUGH LEAVES IN THE TREES,

COMPLETELY DISGUISING THEM.

DEREK: THIS BUSH IS SO THICK
THIS TIME OF THE YEAR,

IT'S EXTREMELY DIFFICULT
TO CATCH GIRAFFE. THEY--

THEY ARE-- ARE BIG ANIMALS,
BUT THEY CAN DISAPPEAR

LIKE A NEEDLE
IN AN HAYSTACK.

DEREK: LET-- LET THIS
OTHER BUGGY COME PAST.

NARRATOR: WITH JUST TWO MINUTES
LEFT TO FIND THE GIRAFFE,

DEREK SPLITS THE TEAMS
TO COVER MORE GROUND

BEFORE WHAT STARTED AS A MISSION
TO SAVE HIM BECOMES A TRAGEDY.

AT LAST, THEY SPOT HIM.

THERE HE IS.

[KNOCKS ON ROOF]

NARRATOR: IT'S A MAD DASH.

[MEN SHOUTING]

NARRATOR: THE ONLY WAY TO GET
TO THE GIRAFFE IS ON FOOT,
THROUGH THE BUSH.

THERE'S NO TIME TO LOSE.

BUT THEY'RE CHASING
AN ANIMAL THAT CAN RUN AT UP
TO 35 MILES PER HOUR.

LET'S TURN AROUND.
WE'VE GOT [INDISTINCT].

DEREK: ALL RIGHT.
[SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

NARRATOR: LOUIS QUICKLY INJECTS
THE ALL-IMPORTANT DRUG

THAT WILL REVERSE THE EFFECTS
OF THE ANESTHETIC.

LOUIS: WE WERE LUCKY TO FIND HIM
WALKING DOWN THE ROAD.

IT WAS THE RIGHT TIME TO CATCH.
THE DART WAS TAKING EFFECT.

NARRATOR: HE'S NOW FULLY AWAKE,
SO THEY ROPE HIS LEGS

AND HOLD HIS POWERFUL NECK
DOWN SO HE CAN'T INJURE
HIMSELF OR THEM.

DEREK: OK, GUYS,
LET'S GO. LET'S GO.

BRING THE--
BRING THE KIT.

NARRATOR: AS DEREK RACES
TO THE SCENE, LOUIS FINDS

THAT PART OF THE WIRE SNARE IS
STICKING OUT FROM THE WOUND.

LOUIS: THE SNARE HAS BEEN
ON HERE FOR QUITE SOME TIME,

BUT DEREK WILL HAVE
TO OPEN IT UP TO MAKE SURE

THERE'S NOT SOMETHING
LEFT IN THERE.

IT'S BEEN ROTTING
QUITE A BIT,
AND HERE HE COMES.

OK. ALL RIGHT.

DEREK: SO I JUST WANT
TO OPEN IT UP
A LITTLE BIT,

EXPLORE IT, AND SEE
WHAT'S IN THERE.

I SUSPECT THAT THERE
MIGHT BE A PIECE OF WIRE

STILL LEFT IN HERE.

SOME DISINFECTANT, YEAH?

NARRATOR: THE SNARE WAS MADE
OF A LOOP OF THICK WIRE.

STEPPING IN IT CINCHED IT
LIKE A NOOSE AROUND
THE GIRAFFE'S LEG.

HE WAS FORTUNATE THE SNARE WAS
SMALL ENOUGH FOR HIM TO BREAK

AND PULL HIMSELF FREE.

LOUIS: HOLD ON, GUYS,
HOLD ON, GUYS.

OK. YES, YES, YES.

NARRATOR: DEREK THINKS
ALL THE WIRE IS NOW OUT.

DEREK: I'VE GOT IT.

THIS IS, UH, JUST
A TOPICAL ANTIBIOTIC

AND, UM, A...

SUBSTANCE
THAT, UM, ALSO...

STIMULATE GROWTH.

NARRATOR: THE WOUND NEEDS
TO BE KEPT CLEAN,

BUT A BANDAGE WOULDN'T
LAST LONG IN THE WILD.

THIS IS TAR.

IT'S A DETERRENT
FOR FLIES,

AND IT ALSO KEEPS
THE WOUND NICE AND DRY.

THIS WORKS REALLY WELL
IN, UH, FIELD SITUATIONS

WHERE YOU CANNOT FOLLOW UP
THE ANIMAL EVERY DAY.

OK.

NARRATOR: ALL THAT'S LEFT
IS TO LET HIM GO.

LET'S GO, LET'S GO.
GET OUT OF THE WAY.

JUST GIVE SOME TIME
TO ADJUST.

DEREK: HE'S TAKING
GOOD WEIGHT ON IT,

AND HOPEFULLY,
WITHIN TWO WEEKS

THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN
HEALED UP NICELY.

I'VE SEEN IT
MANY TIMES BEFORE.

IF YOU CAN JUST
TAKE OUT THAT SNARE,

WITHOUT ANY ADDITIONAL
TREATMENT, THEY HEAL UP
COMPLETELY.

IT WENT WELL,
NO ONE GOT HURT, SO...

GOOD DAY. HEH!

NARRATOR: AT THE ZOO
IN PRETORIA,

FOR MOST OF THE SEALS,
IT'S LIFE AS NORMAL.

[GRUNTS]

BUT DEE HAS BEEN SEPARATED
FROM THE OTHERS.

SHE HAS TO GO BACK TO
THE HOSPITAL TODAY.

OK, SWEETIE.

NARRATOR: HER BIOPSY SHOWED
THE MASS IN HER SINUS CAVITY
WASN'T A TUMOR,

BUT THEY STILL NEED
TO FIND OUT WHAT CAUSED IT.

CHIEF VET ADRIAN TORDIFFE
AND KEEPER ELSIE BRIEDENHANN

ARE TAKING HER FOR MORE TESTS.

FIRST OF ALL, HEROT WANTS
TO SCAN DEE AGAIN

TO SEE IF ANYTHING'S CHANGED.

HEROT: WHAT IS
VERY PLEASING TO SEE IS

THAT THE MASS IN THE NOSE
IS A LOT SMALLER...
MAN: YEAH.

AND THE FACT THAT
THAT IS RESPONDING TO
THE ANTIBIOTIC TREATMENT

TELLS ME THAT IT IS COMING
FROM AN INFECTIOUS SOURCE
LIKE THIS CANINE.
YEAH.

NARRATOR: THE ANTIBIOTICS
CAN TREAT THE INFECTION,

BUT THE ONLY WAY TO ELIMINATE IT
IS TO REMOVE THE SOURCE.

OH, LOOK AT THAT
GREAT BIG HOLE THERE.

HEROT: THERE'S
A HUGE HOLE THERE,
AND THAT CORRESPONDS

TO WHERE THAT CANINE--
CANINE REACHES.

SO WHAT WE SAW
3 MONTHS AGO

AND WHAT WE SEE TODAY IS
A MARKED DETERIORATION.

DETERIORATION, YEAH.

NARRATOR: HEROT IS CONVINCED
THAT DEE'S CANINE TEETH

HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE OF
HER TROUBLE, AND HE'LL
HAVE TO TAKE THEM OUT.

BUT FIRST, HE WANTS
TO TRY AND CLEAR OUT

THE MASSIVE INFECTION THAT'S
BUILT UP IN HER NOSE.

IT'S A WORRYING TIME
FOR DEE'S KEEPER, ELSIE.

GOING TO HAVE
TO TEASE IT OUT
BIT BY BIT.

NARRATOR: HEROT PAINSTAKINGLY
REMOVES THE LUMPS
OF HARDENED PUS.

SHE SEEMS VERY STABLE
UNDER THE ANESTHETIC
AT THE MOMENT.

UM, I'M QUITE PLEASED THAT
WE'VE ALREADY GOT THROUGH
THE-- THE INITIAL PHASE

OF-- OF GETTING THAT LUMP
OUT OF THE NOSE.

HEROT HAS WORKED
QUITE NICE AND FAST

AND, UM, ALSO THERE'S BEEN
MINIMAL BLEEDING SO FAR.

THIS ONE IS
FEELING LOOSE.

NARRATOR: NOW HEROT
CAN START TO WORK ON HER
DECAYED CANINE TEETH.

HE SPECIALIZES
IN ANIMAL DENTISTRY,

BUT IT'S NOT EVERY DAY
HE WORKS ON A SEAL...

[SURGICAL TEAM MURMURS]

ESPECIALLY ONE WITH TEETH
AS UNHEALTHY AS DEE'S.

DON'T KNOW IF YOU
CAN SEE IN THERE,
BUT THERE IS THE HOLE,

AND NOW
IT'S NICE AND CLEAN.

NARRATOR: ONCE ALL
4 CANINES ARE OUT,

DEE IS TAKEN BACK TO THE ZOO.

AND A FEW WEEKS LATER,
DEE'S FULLY RECOVERED.

THERE'S JUST A LITTLE
BIT OF A SCAR LEFT OVER
HERE, A LITTLE MARK,

AND IT'S HEALED
ALL VERY WELL, YEAH.

AND IF YOU LOOK
INTO HER MOUTH,

THIS IS WHERE
THE CANINES USED TO BE
AND UP HERE AT THE TOP,

AND THERE'S NO SIGN
OF INFECTION

AND IT'S HEALED UP
PRETTY WELL, EH?

YES. GOOD.

AND SHE CAN EAT BIG FISH,
SHE CAN EAT SMALL FISH,

CAN EAT ANOTHER BIG FISH.
NO PROBLEM.

NARRATOR: MAKING GOOD USE
OF SOME VERY HIGH-TECH EQUIPMENT

HELPED THE TEAM DIAGNOSE
EXACTLY WHAT WAS WRONG WITH DEE

AND NURSE HER BACK TO HEALTH.

SHE'S A VERY HAPPY,
HEALTHY LITTLE GIRL
AT THE MOMENT.

I'M HAPPY
THAT IT ALL
WENT WELL. UM...

AT THE END,
IT WAS WORTH IT.

NARRATOR: THANDI HAS HAD
TO TRY AND RECOVER

IN A LESS CONTROLLED
ENVIRONMENT.

IT'S BEEN 3 MONTHS
SINCE VETS GAVE HER

THE FIRST-EVER RHINO SKIN GRAFT
TO TRY TO HEAL THE WOUND

WHERE HER HORNS WERE
REMOVED BY POACHERS.

TODAY, VET WILL FOWLDS
AND PLASTIC SURGEON
ALISTAIR LAMONT

WILL DISCOVER WHETHER ANY
OF THE EXPERIMENTAL GRAFTS
ARE WORKING

AND WHETHER THANDI WILL HAVE A
BETTER CHANCE AT A NORMAL LIFE.

ALISTAIR:
IT'S DRAMATICALLY BETTER.

THE UPPER PART
OF THIS FACE HAS HEALED,

AND WILL AND I THINK THERE'S
AREAS HERE WHERE THE GRAFTS
HAVE TAKEN AND HAVE SURVIVED,

BUT THIS PART
OF THE FACE, WHICH IS
MORE SUBJECT TO INJURY,

IT LOOKS AS IF THE GRAFTS
EITHER HAVEN'T TAKEN
OR HAVE BEEN SCRAPED OFF.

NARRATOR: IN THE FUTURE,
THE TEAM WILL HAVE TO FIND

A BETTER WAY TO PROTECT
SKIN GRAFTS FROM THE ROUGH
AND TUMBLE OF RHINO LIFE,

BUT THEY HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL
ENOUGH TO HELP THANDI.

ALISTAIR: MY GUT FEELING IS
THAT WE SHOULD DO NOTHING NOW,

LET HER MANAGE
THIS WOUND HERSELF.

THERE'S NO INFECTION,
THERE'S NOTHING SPREADING
OUT OF THIS WOUND.

IT'S HEALING FROM THE EDGES,
AND TO TRY AND GRAFT NOW
WOULD BE POINTLESS,

ESPECIALLY IF SHE'S GONNA
SCRAPE IT OFF AGAIN.

NARRATOR: AT LAST, THANDI SEEMS
TO BE GETTING OVER THE TRAUMA
OF THE ATTACK.

WILL THINKS
SHE'S MORE CONFIDENT,

AND SHE'S BEEN SEEN
MATING WITH A BULL.

WILL: IF THANDI IS
PREGNANT-- [SIGHS]--

IT WILL BE
THE MOST AMAZING NEWS.

IT'S BEEN AN EMOTIONAL
ROLLERCOASTER, UM,

PARTICULARLY
THE FIRST FEW MONTHS.

TO ACTUALLY SEE HER
WITH HER CALF ONE DAY

WILL BE THE MOST
AMAZING ENDING

TO A VERY TRAUMATIC STORY.

NARRATOR:
A FEW WEEKS LATER,

WILL DISCOVERS HIS HOPES
FOR THANDI HAVE COME TRUE.

BLOOD TESTS SHOW
SHE IS PREGNANT,

BUT THE GESTATION PERIOD
FOR RHINOS IS 16 MONTHS,

SO IT WILL BE A WHILE
BEFORE SHE HAS HER BABY.

IN BORNEO,
IT'S BEEN A FEW MONTHS

SINCE ROSEMARY THE ORANGUTAN
HAD MICROSURGERY TO REMOVE
A CATARACT.

TO AVOID THE POSSIBILITY
OF INFECTION,

SHE AND HER DAUGHTER RODNEY
HAVE BEEN STAYING
IN THE MEDICAL WING.

DR. BIRUTE GALDIKAS HAS SEEN
A REMARKABLE CHANGE

IN ROSEMARY
SINCE THE OPERATION.

BIRUTE: ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS
THAT I NOTICED ALMOST
IMMEDIATELY WAS,

AS SOON AS SHE KIND OF CAME OUT
OF HER GROGGINESS

AND, YOU KNOW, SORT OF
OPENED HER EYES, LOOKED AROUND,

SHE STARTED EMBRACING
HER DAUGHTER.

SHE PUT HER ARMS AROUND HER

AND KISSED HER ON THE FACE.

AND IN ALL THE YEARS
OF ROSEMARY'S BLINDNESS,

I HAD NEVER SEEN HER DO
ANYTHING LIKE THAT BEFORE.

HI, DR. GALDIKAS.
OH, HOW ARE YOU?
SO NICE TO SEE YOU.

NARRATOR: IZAK'S COME BACK
TO CHECK HER EYES.

BIRUTE:
OH, ROSEMARY HAS

GONE BACK TO HER OLD SELF.
OK.

I MEAN, SHE'S REALLY,
REALLY CHANGED SINCE
THE OPERATION.

LET'S TRY AND HAVE
A LOOK AT THE EYE.

NARRATOR: BIRUTE CAN ONLY
LET ROSEMARY AND RODNEY
RETURN TO THE RAINFOREST

IF IZAK THINKS ROSEMARY
CAN SEE WELL ENOUGH TO COPE
WITH LIFE IN THE TREES.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT
THE TWO PUPILS,
ONE CAN SEE

THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE
IS PITCH BLACK,
SO THE FACT

THAT THAT PUPIL IS
NICE AND BLACK MEANS
THAT THE WHOLE

OF THE PATHWAY
TO THE BACK OF THE
EYES IS CLEAR.

AND IF THAT'S CLEAR,
THEN SHE CAN SEE.

YEAH, I THINK SO, TOO.

IZAK: AND SO I'M HAPPY
WITH THE FACT THAT
SHE'S MANAGING TO GRAB

THAT-- THAT MANGO
FAIRLY ACCURATELY.

THAT'S A GOOD SIGN.
THAT MEANS SHE CAN--

THAT MEANS SHE CAN SEE.
ABSOLUTELY.

NARRATOR: IT'S GREAT NEWS
FOR BOTH ROSEMARY AND RODNEY.

NOW THAT DR. IZAK
HAS VERIFIED THAT
HER SIGHT IS BACK,

THE PLAN IS THAT
SHE IS GOING TO GO
BACK TO THE WILD

BECAUSE THERE'S ABSOLUTELY
NO REASON WHY WE NEED TO
KEEP HER HERE ANY LONGER.

THANKS.
THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE.

I MEAN IT.