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NARRATOR: When people think of Australia,
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they think of spectacular
landscapes and iconic animals.
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BRETT: We've been isolated as a
continent for such a long time
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that our animals have evolved
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and they're, you know, they're
crazy to look at, definitely.
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NARRATOR: But this year
the postcard images
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have been replaced by a country in crisis.
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JOURNALIST: The bush fire
ripped over the mountains,
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straight towards packed holiday spots.
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MAN: Midday in Batemans Bay.
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NARRATOR: Record heat and record drought
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has led to record bush fires.
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(bang)
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WOMAN: Hey, hurry up!
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Hurry up, put it there!
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NARRATOR: The sheer scale of these fires
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is hard to comprehend.
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JOURNALIST: With properties
in the line of fire,
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water bombers were scrambling.
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NARRATOR: The amount of land
destroyed by the fires
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is larger than the area
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of Denmark and the Netherlands combined.
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MAN: A wall of flames
coming down this hill here,
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and it was coming straight at us.
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NARRATOR: And that has led to
catastrophic loss of wildlife.
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JOURNALIST: A koala makes a dash
from burning bush,
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but frightened and confused,
runs straight into more danger.
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NARRATOR: Over a billion
creatures have been killed.
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BRETT: This has been
an ecological disaster.
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NARRATOR: Taronga Zoo
and other animal hospitals
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across the nation have been inundated
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with burnt and injured animals.
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MAN: But unfortunately when they
walk across the fire grounds,
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they do cause some really nasty burns,
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but you can actually see the singed fur
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on the side of his paw there.
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It really hurts to think about
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what these animals have gone through.
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LARRY: Poor koala's copped
a bit, unfortunately.
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NARRATOR:
But Taronga vets aren't just waiting
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to receive injured animals.
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They've taken the fight
to save Australian wildlife
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to the front line.
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Hey, it's Kimberly.
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I am currently down in
Bairnsdale, Victoria,
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helping out with wildlife rescue groups.
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So just want to give you
a little bit of a look around
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at the situation we're dealing with.
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I was speaking with my mom in America,
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and all of America is
asking what's going on
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with these bush fires, and I let them know
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I'm down in another state
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helping with wildlife triage
down there, and it's intense.
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NARRATOR:
The urgent need for veterinary help
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has led to the RSPCA setting up
mobile animal hospitals.
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RUPERT: We've got a range of
vets who are coming to help
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from a range of different agencies,
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and it's been such a godsend to
have people who are experienced
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and skilled here to help with the animals.
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NARRATOR: And Vet Kimberly
has eagerly swapped
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the Sydney Harbor views...
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KIMBERLY: His heart sounds really clear.
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NARRATOR: ...for a cramped van
in a country car park.
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KIMBERLY: Make sure there is no evidence
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of burns or inhalation problems.
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NARRATOR: So far with the help
of Emergency Vet Caroline...
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- CAROLINE: 120.
- KIMBERLY: 120.
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NARRATOR: ...they have
rehabilitated dozens of koalas.
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KIMBERLY: This will help
get his guts moving.
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Hopefully he'll be interested
in eating on his own soon.
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NARRATOR: There is one koala
who has caught their attention
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and he's in a particularly bad way.
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But Kimberly and Caroline
refuse to give up on him.
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He's a lot of work,
but he's worth it.
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So one of those bandages
have just come off.
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You can see he's got quite raw pads.
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The worst burns are the ones
that we've seen.
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But we just thought
we'd give him a chance.
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He hopefully will heal.
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NARRATOR: Sadly this little
koala has been through so much
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that his body is starting to give up.
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KIMBERLY: New for him,
he's got some diarrhea.
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NARRATOR: And that's the problem.
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While their burns are easily visible,
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the damage caused on the inside
is not so easily seen.
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Once their intestines get imbalanced
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sometimes it's really hard
to improve that.
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Cut it right here.
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NARRATOR: They know they've
done everything they can for this koala.
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KIMBERLY: Abrasions on his nose,
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so I am just going to put
some Solosite protective.
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That's good for now, we're just--
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His fluid bag is finished.
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So I'm gonna turn that off
and we'll let him wake up.
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NARRATOR: They fear all they
can offer now is compassion.
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I'm just rubbing him to
stimulate him to breathe,
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because they like to hold their breath.
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It's normal, but it can be very disturbing
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if you're not used to that with koalas.
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Yeah.
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Come on, my friend.
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NARRATOR: But sadly for this koala,
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compassion may not be enough.
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KIMBERLY: That's a nice breath. Thank you.
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Reckon. Sit up.
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CAROLINE: Sit him up and
lie him sort of forward.
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KIMBERLY: Sometimes they like
to breathe a little better
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in a more erect position.
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Good one.
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NARRATOR: He's fighting hard
but the odds are against him.
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KIMBERLY: Might just have
a listen or a feel of his pulse
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and see if he's still on track.
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CAROLINE: Where's my stethoscope?
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I hung it up here.
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CAROLINE: I can't hear it.
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NARRATOR: Despite the
heartbreak of the bush fires,
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back at Taronga, life must go on,
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and there are plenty of
hungry mouths to feed.
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From fruit to fish, grubs to worms,
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and everything in between, all
the animals' menus at Taronga
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are set by one person:
nutritionist Michelle Shaw.
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I'm Australia's first and
only zoo nutritionist.
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There are only about 30 zoos in the world
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that have nutritionists on staff,
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so we're kind of a small group.
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NARRATOR: Michelle's certainly
got her hands full.
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MICHELLE: It's different every day.
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There is constantly a mystery
and there's something to solve.
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NARRATOR: And because
of the record hot summer
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Australia has just experienced,
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she's about to get a whole lot busier.
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Drought and bush fires
are destroying farmland
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and sourcing food for
the animals is becoming harder
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and more expensive each year.
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In preparation for a difficult future,
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Michelle has an innovative grass
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that needs much less water to grow.
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KEEPER: So how do you think
the tigers will like it?
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KEEPER: I think they'll like it.
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I'm really curious to see
what the cubs do actually.
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Hello!
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BEN: Special delivery.
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MICHELLE: Oh, my goodness, thank you.
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So what do you think, Ben,
does it look good?
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BEN: It looks amazing.
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I'm really excited to see
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what the cubs are going to do with it.
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MICHELLE: Me, too.
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BEN: I think they'll have fun.
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So this hydroponic fodder.
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It was grown without any soil or anything,
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just with water,
and it retains all the water.
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You can see how moist it is, right.
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Let me taste it.
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KEEPER: Very moist.
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Mmm-hmm, very good.
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I am trying this hydroponic barley fodder
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with a number of different species,
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because I want to see how this food
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could be incorporated into their diets.
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Hydroponics takes about a liter of water
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to make one kilogram of this fodder grass,
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and hay could take 200 liters of water
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to make one kilogram of grass.
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So I want to see if this hydroponic fodder
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could be, replace maybe 5%
of their dried grasses,
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their grass hays,
or some of their pellets,
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and that'll help us in the future
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when it's, sometimes hay is very
difficult for us to get in a drought.
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So it's nice to have something
that's consistent all year round.
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NARRATOR: Part of her trial
today is to see how
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different animals around
the zoo react to the grass.
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Whether they use it
for food or enrichment.
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Now these are in kind of big mats,
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but do you need it cut up at all
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or are you just going to put it in?
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Umm, I think we can just
pop it in, in a big mat
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and we'll see how they go with it.
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I think they'll have more fun
playing with something big
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that they can tear apart, so.
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I think so, too! I can't wait.
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- BEN: It'll be exciting.
- MICHELLE: Cool, thanks, Ben.
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- BEN: Cool.
- KEEPER: Have fun!
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BEN: Thank you, guys.
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NARRATOR:
First to trial the new grass
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are the Sumatran tiger cubs.
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BEN: Put one there.
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Maybe one over here, so there's
no, no arguments over it.
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KEEPER: Sounds good.
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BEN: Cool.
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Let's see what they do.
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NARRATOR: In Victoria...
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KIMBERLY: Come on, my friend.
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NARRATOR: Taronga Zoo Vet
Kimberly is on the front line
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to save koalas injured from
the catastrophic bush fires.
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CAROLINE: Sit him up and
lie him sort of forward.
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NARRATOR: And during
a checkup this young male koala
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took a sudden turn for the worse.
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KIMBERLY: So he has been improving
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over the past few days,
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and we were really hopeful that
he would continue to improve,
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but when we anesthetized him
to change his bandages
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and check him today, we noticed
that he had developed diarrhea,
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which can be problematic for koalas.
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I think he's, I think his, umm,
he's not breathing very well,
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and I think his heart has now stopped, so.
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I don't hear anything.
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No, I don't hear any heartbeat.
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(Caroline sighs)
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No. Is that you or him?
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CAROLINE: No, it's him.
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KIMBERLY: I'm not hearing his heartbeat.
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Yeah, I think he's, I think he's dying,
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and that's fine for you to film it.
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So this may be our first fatality, umm.
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It's, umm, when we have
a really sick koala
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in this triage situation,
it's a "do not resuscitate"
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because they're already
quite compromised.
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We're trying to give this guy a chance,
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but it's not looking too promising.
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NARRATOR:
Even the most experienced vets
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struggle to remain unaffected
in these moments.
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KIMBERLY: Do you hear a heartbeat?
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No, I don't either.
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I think he's just taking some
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last sort of agonal or reflexive breaths,
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but there's no heartbeat.
Yeah, put that on.
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CAROLINE: That color is terrible.
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KIMBERLY: Yeah.
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Well, he's possibly choosing his own time.
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CAROLINE: Yeah, it's...
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All right.
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No, his color is gone.
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- KIMBERLY: Okay.
- CAROLINE: He's gone.
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So unfortunately he's passed away.
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CAROLINE: Pretty sad.
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Yeah, he had a few things
going wrong with him,
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and, yeah, that's what's
happening down here
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in the bush fire triage.
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You want to save everybody,
but you can't. You can't sometimes.
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It's sad and it's hard at the time,
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and you know, we just have to
remember that we're doing,
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trying to do the best that
we can for these animals.
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Aww.
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(crying) Yeah, it's, umm...
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We're both actually usually quite stoic,
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00:12:14,643 --> 00:12:17,643
but we've been working such
long hours and so intensely
248
00:12:17,723 --> 00:12:21,243
with these patients that we're exhausted.
249
00:12:22,203 --> 00:12:23,283
We're exhausted.
250
00:12:23,363 --> 00:12:28,123
It's so rewarding, this work,
but it's so exhausting.
251
00:12:28,203 --> 00:12:32,163
I'll be thinking about him
for a little while, yes.
252
00:12:32,803 --> 00:12:35,483
But yesterday we had two moms
253
00:12:35,563 --> 00:12:39,963
and two smaller, like,
back-young-size joeys
254
00:12:40,043 --> 00:12:43,323
that went out back
to the wild really happy
255
00:12:43,403 --> 00:12:46,803
and another mom with a joey in her pouch.
256
00:12:46,883 --> 00:12:49,283
So that's like six animals
we've just put back out
257
00:12:49,363 --> 00:12:52,003
to the wild successfully,
so it's very good.
258
00:12:52,083 --> 00:12:53,843
CAROLINE: And this is
our first, first, umm...
259
00:12:53,923 --> 00:12:55,403
He was always on the...
260
00:12:55,483 --> 00:12:56,843
CAROLINE: He was on the cusp.
261
00:12:56,923 --> 00:12:58,963
Yeah, the cusp of
shall we keep him or not.
262
00:13:00,363 --> 00:13:03,363
Oh, it's still not real, because we're so,
263
00:13:03,443 --> 00:13:06,203
they've been such long days
and we're tired,
264
00:13:06,283 --> 00:13:08,843
and the reality of what
happened today with him
265
00:13:08,923 --> 00:13:10,483
will probably sink in
in the next couple days
266
00:13:10,563 --> 00:13:12,123
when I'm heading back to Sydney.
267
00:13:12,923 --> 00:13:13,963
Yeah.
268
00:13:16,083 --> 00:13:19,043
NARRATOR: As distressing
as it is for Kimberly and her team,
269
00:13:19,123 --> 00:13:21,963
they can't let their emotions
slow them down.
270
00:13:22,763 --> 00:13:26,483
The pace is relentless,
and they've just heard
271
00:13:26,563 --> 00:13:29,043
that more injured animals are on the way.
272
00:13:33,963 --> 00:13:36,283
When it comes to
giving care to its animals,
273
00:13:36,363 --> 00:13:38,523
Taronga is world class.
274
00:13:39,443 --> 00:13:41,763
But there's a special type
of care at Taronga
275
00:13:41,843 --> 00:13:44,763
reserved for those that have seen it all:
276
00:13:44,843 --> 00:13:47,123
the elderly residents of the zoo.
277
00:13:49,523 --> 00:13:51,283
And one of the most beloved...
278
00:13:52,403 --> 00:13:55,643
(roar)
279
00:13:55,723 --> 00:14:00,203
...is Murphy, the 16-year-old
Californian sea lion.
280
00:14:00,843 --> 00:14:03,363
KEEPER: Good boy, Murph. Come on in, Rhee.
281
00:14:03,443 --> 00:14:04,963
NARRATOR: Over the last few months,
282
00:14:05,043 --> 00:14:08,723
Taronga staff have been keeping
a very close eye on Murphy.
283
00:14:08,803 --> 00:14:10,843
KEEPER: Rhee is going to stick
you, okay, right in there.
284
00:14:10,923 --> 00:14:13,403
NARRATOR: As they've noticed
he has a limp when he walks
285
00:14:13,483 --> 00:14:15,563
and pain in his flippers.
286
00:14:16,083 --> 00:14:17,483
KEEPER: Good boy.
287
00:14:17,563 --> 00:14:18,603
Beautiful and relaxed.
288
00:14:18,683 --> 00:14:19,763
Excellent.
289
00:14:19,843 --> 00:14:21,163
NARRATOR: But they've also noticed
290
00:14:21,243 --> 00:14:22,443
he's not getting better.
291
00:14:22,523 --> 00:14:23,883
KEEPER: Nice and slow.
292
00:14:23,963 --> 00:14:24,963
Good boy.
293
00:14:25,723 --> 00:14:27,803
NARRATOR:
So Senior Vet Larry has come down
294
00:14:27,883 --> 00:14:29,363
to conduct an x-ray.
295
00:14:29,443 --> 00:14:34,043
Over the past few months he's
sort of had this strange, fallen gait.
296
00:14:34,443 --> 00:14:35,963
Sometimes he's a bit lopsided.
297
00:14:36,043 --> 00:14:39,243
Sometimes he spreads his front
flippers out, not quite right.
298
00:14:39,803 --> 00:14:43,043
What we will do before we actually
x-ray him, I want to see him...
299
00:14:43,723 --> 00:14:45,003
- KEEPER: Have a few-- watch his gait.
-...going up and down.
300
00:14:45,083 --> 00:14:47,643
KEEPER: Yeah, yeah, that's fine.
We'll get him to do a few... a few runs.
301
00:14:48,043 --> 00:14:49,243
LARRY: What we're looking at now
302
00:14:49,323 --> 00:14:51,363
is whether he might have a
problem in his neck for example.
303
00:14:51,443 --> 00:14:53,003
- KEEPER: Come!
- LARRY: The bones in the neck,
304
00:14:53,083 --> 00:14:54,923
there might be some degeneration there.
305
00:14:55,003 --> 00:14:57,443
They could be pressing on
a nerve or something like that.
306
00:14:57,523 --> 00:14:59,403
The challenge is that he's so huge
307
00:14:59,483 --> 00:15:02,523
and getting a decent x-ray
through the massive amount
308
00:15:02,603 --> 00:15:04,443
of tissue that we've got to go through
309
00:15:04,523 --> 00:15:06,203
is probably the biggest
challenge for today.
310
00:15:06,283 --> 00:15:07,323
KEEPER: Wow.
311
00:15:07,403 --> 00:15:08,403
That's crazy.
312
00:15:08,843 --> 00:15:10,803
295 kilograms.
313
00:15:11,403 --> 00:15:13,083
LARRY: He weighs several hundred kilos,
314
00:15:13,163 --> 00:15:16,043
so we're not going to be able
to get him up to the hospital.
315
00:15:16,123 --> 00:15:18,683
It's much better to come out
here where he normally lives
316
00:15:18,763 --> 00:15:20,203
and we do the procedure here.
317
00:15:20,283 --> 00:15:22,283
We've got some good
portable x-ray equipment,
318
00:15:22,363 --> 00:15:24,523
and it's certainly much easier to do here.
319
00:15:24,603 --> 00:15:26,723
NARRATOR: But maneuvering
a massive sea lion
320
00:15:26,803 --> 00:15:31,363
into an exact position
is far from a simple process,
321
00:15:31,443 --> 00:15:33,523
and it all hangs on the relationship
322
00:15:33,603 --> 00:15:36,043
between Keeper Jacob and Murphy.
323
00:15:36,123 --> 00:15:37,123
JACOB: Stay.
324
00:15:42,243 --> 00:15:43,243
LARRY: So a bit further forward
325
00:15:43,323 --> 00:15:46,203
so just the back of his head is
on the edge off the plate, okay.
326
00:15:47,883 --> 00:15:48,963
JACOB: Good boy.
327
00:15:49,483 --> 00:15:50,483
LARRY: A tiny bit more.
328
00:15:51,003 --> 00:15:53,723
Jacob can position him
perfectly on this plate,
329
00:15:54,723 --> 00:15:57,043
better than parking a car, you know.
330
00:15:57,123 --> 00:16:00,603
It's how precise he can position
Murphy on this plate
331
00:16:00,683 --> 00:16:01,923
is incredible to see.
332
00:16:03,803 --> 00:16:04,923
Okay, stop.
333
00:16:05,003 --> 00:16:05,963
JACOB: Stay, good boy.
334
00:16:06,043 --> 00:16:07,643
That's good. Let's get that.
335
00:16:07,723 --> 00:16:10,363
NARRATOR: While the first set
of x-rays seemed easy,
336
00:16:10,843 --> 00:16:14,163
it's the second set that's
really going to test the team.
337
00:16:14,683 --> 00:16:16,843
If I stand this side
of him like that, Larry.
338
00:16:17,443 --> 00:16:19,003
I mean, that's perfect.
339
00:16:19,083 --> 00:16:20,323
If he does that, that would be brilliant.
340
00:16:20,403 --> 00:16:21,763
I can get him to do that.
That's easy enough.
341
00:16:22,403 --> 00:16:25,283
So we are going to try and
do a side view of his neck.
342
00:16:25,363 --> 00:16:26,843
So Michelle is going to hold the plate,
343
00:16:26,923 --> 00:16:29,243
and I will be positioning the x-ray beam
344
00:16:29,323 --> 00:16:32,163
and Jacob will position Murphy.
345
00:16:32,243 --> 00:16:34,043
You have to improvise all the time.
346
00:16:34,123 --> 00:16:36,403
You know, the textbooks are
written for dogs and cats
347
00:16:36,483 --> 00:16:38,883
and domestic animals, but our
animals are so different
348
00:16:38,963 --> 00:16:41,043
-that we're always improvising...
-(seal barks)
349
00:16:41,123 --> 00:16:44,043
...and, you know, working
outside the box, so to speak.
350
00:16:46,003 --> 00:16:47,163
JACOB: And up.
351
00:16:48,123 --> 00:16:49,483
- JACOB: Good job, Murph.
- Just a little bit,
352
00:16:49,563 --> 00:16:51,163
see how his head is straighter actually?
353
00:16:51,243 --> 00:16:52,243
That's the way. That's the way.
354
00:16:52,323 --> 00:16:54,443
JACOB: Hold there, buddy. Murph! Murphy.
355
00:16:54,523 --> 00:16:56,483
No, no, you stay exactly
where you are, Michelle.
356
00:16:56,843 --> 00:16:58,163
Stay exactly where you are.
357
00:16:58,763 --> 00:17:00,323
JACOB: Hold, Murph, good job, buddy.
358
00:17:00,403 --> 00:17:03,843
LARRY: You could see how,
how amazing Murphy is
359
00:17:03,923 --> 00:17:06,443
and the training that Jacob and the
rest of the team have done with him.
360
00:17:06,523 --> 00:17:09,443
I mean, he is so disciplined,
it's incredible.
361
00:17:09,523 --> 00:17:10,963
Okay, are we all ready?
362
00:17:11,043 --> 00:17:12,643
(beep)
363
00:17:12,963 --> 00:17:14,523
JACOB: Good!
364
00:17:16,803 --> 00:17:18,523
LARRY: I think we've really
got the technique,
365
00:17:18,603 --> 00:17:21,403
this is actually spot on now,
because I've got a great image
366
00:17:21,483 --> 00:17:23,523
of the vertebrae right in the middle.
367
00:17:23,603 --> 00:17:26,043
The interesting thing is
his vertebrae are really big.
368
00:17:26,403 --> 00:17:28,803
So in that whole image
I can only see three vertebrae.
369
00:17:29,283 --> 00:17:31,963
So there is a lot more of his spine
that we could be looking at.
370
00:17:32,043 --> 00:17:34,483
NARRATOR: And hopefully
Larry's captured enough
371
00:17:34,563 --> 00:17:37,883
to solve the mystery
of what's ailing Murphy.
372
00:17:49,923 --> 00:17:52,163
NARRATOR: Tackling the drought
and bush fires head on,
373
00:17:52,763 --> 00:17:57,323
Taronga's nutritionist, Michelle is
testing out some easy-to-source,
374
00:17:57,403 --> 00:18:00,523
hydroponic grass on various animals.
375
00:18:01,283 --> 00:18:04,243
Hydroponics takes about a liter of water
376
00:18:04,323 --> 00:18:06,803
to make one kilogram of this fodder grass,
377
00:18:06,883 --> 00:18:10,163
and hay could take 200 liters of water
378
00:18:10,243 --> 00:18:12,163
to make one kilogram of grass.
379
00:18:12,243 --> 00:18:15,443
NARRATOR: She's trying it on
animals all across the zoo,
380
00:18:15,523 --> 00:18:18,243
starting with the tiger cubs.
381
00:18:18,923 --> 00:18:20,203
MICHELLE: Oh, yes, yes.
382
00:18:21,923 --> 00:18:23,963
KEEPER #1: Oh, look, here they go.
383
00:18:27,363 --> 00:18:28,643
KEEPER #1: Oh, so cute.
384
00:18:28,723 --> 00:18:30,643
KEEPER #2: Oh my god,
they're stunning, aren't they?
385
00:18:31,683 --> 00:18:34,243
MICHELLE: Come on, babies,
come on, babies.
386
00:18:34,323 --> 00:18:36,203
Do it. Do it.
387
00:18:36,283 --> 00:18:37,283
BEN: Oh, there is a bit of motivation.
388
00:18:37,363 --> 00:18:39,403
NARRATOR: After some initial hesitation,
389
00:18:39,483 --> 00:18:42,483
the first test is a roaring success.
390
00:18:42,563 --> 00:18:43,643
MICHELLE: They're really ripping it apart,
391
00:18:43,723 --> 00:18:46,923
and the good thing about this
grass is that it's so dense.
392
00:18:47,003 --> 00:18:49,243
When they grow things hydroponically,
393
00:18:49,323 --> 00:18:51,523
the roots are so dense
that you can't just,
394
00:18:51,603 --> 00:18:53,363
it doesn't pull apart very easily.
395
00:18:53,443 --> 00:18:54,963
So they really have to work at it,
396
00:18:55,043 --> 00:18:57,643
and we want them to use
all of those natural instincts
397
00:18:57,723 --> 00:19:01,643
of pawing at things and pulling
at things with their teeth
398
00:19:01,723 --> 00:19:05,523
and really exercising all of
those muscles around their,
399
00:19:05,603 --> 00:19:09,203
around their jaws
and um, and interact with it
400
00:19:09,283 --> 00:19:12,683
like they would, like they would
possibly a prey species.
401
00:19:14,883 --> 00:19:16,443
They could have come in here
and ignored it completely.
402
00:19:16,523 --> 00:19:18,323
There's grass in their exhibit.
403
00:19:18,403 --> 00:19:21,603
So there's other things
that look similar to it,
404
00:19:21,683 --> 00:19:25,963
but they went in and you could
see they're interacting
405
00:19:26,043 --> 00:19:29,643
with each other over it as well,
and that's really what we want.
406
00:19:29,723 --> 00:19:30,923
Behavioral enrichment.
407
00:19:31,763 --> 00:19:33,843
We want them to have something
that they can destroy,
408
00:19:33,923 --> 00:19:36,483
because they really love
to destroy things,
409
00:19:36,563 --> 00:19:39,963
and something that the keepers
will find fun to clean up later.
410
00:19:41,243 --> 00:19:44,243
NARRATOR: While the grass went
down a treat as a play thing,
411
00:19:44,323 --> 00:19:47,763
the real test is getting
the animals to eat the grass.
412
00:19:48,523 --> 00:19:51,803
So her next stop are the capybaras.
413
00:19:53,003 --> 00:19:54,563
MICHELLE: So where do you think?
414
00:19:54,643 --> 00:19:56,243
JOHNNY: I think a good spot
is where the hay is
415
00:19:56,323 --> 00:19:57,563
at the moment, yeah.
416
00:19:57,643 --> 00:19:59,843
MICHELLE: Okay. So we'll just
put it out on the rocks.
417
00:19:59,923 --> 00:20:02,043
JOHNNY: Yeah, just on the rocks
there, where the hay was.
418
00:20:03,723 --> 00:20:04,883
MICHELLE: What do you think?
419
00:20:06,243 --> 00:20:07,683
Is that going to be good for you?
420
00:20:08,523 --> 00:20:09,763
JOHNNY: Bon appetit, guys.
421
00:20:09,843 --> 00:20:10,923
(Michelle laughs)
422
00:20:11,883 --> 00:20:13,883
MICHELLE: With the hydroponic grass,
423
00:20:13,963 --> 00:20:15,763
that's something that is much more natural
424
00:20:15,843 --> 00:20:18,523
in terms of the moisture content
that they would be getting.
425
00:20:18,603 --> 00:20:19,603
These are swimming animals,
426
00:20:19,683 --> 00:20:22,523
they like to eat water plants
and things like that.
427
00:20:22,603 --> 00:20:24,843
Their diets are really high
in moisture normally.
428
00:20:24,923 --> 00:20:27,603
So adding some of that moisture
would be good for them.
429
00:20:27,683 --> 00:20:29,203
JOHNNY: There we go. Rodney's all over it.
430
00:20:29,283 --> 00:20:30,723
MICHELLE: That's successful.
431
00:20:30,803 --> 00:20:33,203
Yeah, he looks pretty comfortable.
432
00:20:33,283 --> 00:20:35,003
JOHNNY: He does, he hopped up
on the rock quite easily
433
00:20:35,083 --> 00:20:38,203
and is quite happily
munching away on the grass.
434
00:20:38,283 --> 00:20:41,203
- That's Sanchez just there.
- MICHELLE: Okay.
435
00:20:41,283 --> 00:20:42,203
JOHNNY: That's our boy.
436
00:20:42,283 --> 00:20:44,003
MICHELLE: And with this, it even floats.
437
00:20:44,083 --> 00:20:47,403
So at some point we might be
able to, like, depending on how
438
00:20:47,483 --> 00:20:50,803
the waterway is, we'll be able
to actually add it in the water
439
00:20:50,883 --> 00:20:52,403
and they can eat more naturally
like they would, right.
440
00:20:52,483 --> 00:20:53,483
JOHNNY: Excellent.
441
00:20:53,563 --> 00:20:55,643
MICHELLE: So you'll be able to
see all that natural behavior
442
00:20:55,723 --> 00:20:57,723
where they're swimming and then...
443
00:20:57,803 --> 00:20:59,283
JOHNNY: Grazing and swimming.
444
00:20:59,363 --> 00:21:01,163
The capybaras were a success.
445
00:21:01,243 --> 00:21:03,003
So they've really taken
to the barley fodder.
446
00:21:03,083 --> 00:21:04,763
They ate it right down to the roots,
447
00:21:04,843 --> 00:21:06,643
which is what we want to see with them.
448
00:21:06,723 --> 00:21:09,443
Because that grass is so full
of moisture and nutrients.
449
00:21:09,523 --> 00:21:12,483
It's something that will be
a high energy source for them
450
00:21:12,563 --> 00:21:15,123
if we're trying to put weight
on them in the winter
451
00:21:15,203 --> 00:21:17,603
or if we need them to improve
452
00:21:17,683 --> 00:21:19,883
their kind of behavioral
enrichment as well.
453
00:21:20,323 --> 00:21:21,483
Well, that's good, Johnny. Thanks.
454
00:21:21,563 --> 00:21:23,923
I think we'll, umm, yeah, we'll
let you do your keeper talk.
455
00:21:24,003 --> 00:21:25,003
Awesome. Thank you.
456
00:21:25,083 --> 00:21:26,643
MICHELLE: Thanks, Johnny.
457
00:21:26,723 --> 00:21:29,043
NARRATOR: So far it's two out of two,
458
00:21:29,123 --> 00:21:32,883
and Michelle is keen to see if she can
keep the ball rolling on the next stop.
459
00:21:37,963 --> 00:21:41,683
With the devastating bush fires
raging across Australia,
460
00:21:41,763 --> 00:21:45,003
hundreds of conservation groups
are helping to save
461
00:21:45,083 --> 00:21:48,643
endangered animals, including Taronga,
462
00:21:48,723 --> 00:21:53,203
who have taken on 12 koalas,
rescued from bushland.
463
00:21:55,923 --> 00:21:58,163
NICK: From the moment that we
heard that we would likely be
464
00:21:58,243 --> 00:22:00,523
receiving these wild koalas from Kanangra,
465
00:22:00,603 --> 00:22:03,243
we instantly had to start
setting up a facility for them.
466
00:22:03,323 --> 00:22:05,243
Where they're living
at the moment wasn't set up,
467
00:22:05,323 --> 00:22:06,323
wasn't ready to go.
468
00:22:06,403 --> 00:22:07,603
So we had to source furniture for them,
469
00:22:07,683 --> 00:22:09,843
which is the branches
in which they sit on,
470
00:22:09,923 --> 00:22:12,323
work out the logistics of acquiring browse
471
00:22:12,403 --> 00:22:15,203
to feed 50% more koalas
than we currently house.
472
00:22:15,283 --> 00:22:17,083
So it was, it was a huge task
473
00:22:17,163 --> 00:22:18,723
to get done in such a short time frame.
474
00:22:21,803 --> 00:22:24,363
So the 12 koalas that have been
brought to us, you know,
475
00:22:24,443 --> 00:22:26,403
they were in the line of fire,
476
00:22:26,483 --> 00:22:30,883
and a mammoth effort on part
of Science for Wildlife.
477
00:22:30,963 --> 00:22:34,043
They've a major crew there that
have done an amazing amount
478
00:22:34,123 --> 00:22:36,843
of work just out in the bush,
managed to get climbers in
479
00:22:36,923 --> 00:22:38,923
to retrieve the koalas from that height.
480
00:22:42,123 --> 00:22:43,363
It took hours and hours to do.
481
00:22:43,443 --> 00:22:45,683
In fact, by the time
we received the first koala,
482
00:22:45,763 --> 00:22:46,923
it was well into the evening.
483
00:22:47,003 --> 00:22:50,203
So it was a 48-hour task
484
00:22:50,283 --> 00:22:52,363
that just felt like
it was never going to end.
485
00:22:56,083 --> 00:22:57,443
Obviously they were shaken.
486
00:22:57,523 --> 00:22:59,083
They've just done
a three-and-a-half-hour trip
487
00:22:59,163 --> 00:23:01,243
from Kanangra, plus however long it took
488
00:23:01,323 --> 00:23:03,363
to actually capture them from the trees.
489
00:23:03,443 --> 00:23:05,683
So, you know, they were very
nervous animals, very quiet.
490
00:23:05,763 --> 00:23:07,603
You know, they were drawn
inward a little bit.
491
00:23:07,683 --> 00:23:09,963
You know, they weren't engaged
at all with us,
492
00:23:10,043 --> 00:23:11,403
and they were slightly dehydrated,
493
00:23:11,483 --> 00:23:13,923
so the first thing that
we did was weigh them,
494
00:23:14,483 --> 00:23:16,963
give them fluids, and then
move them to the new facility.
495
00:23:17,643 --> 00:23:18,883
So as I bring them down,
496
00:23:18,963 --> 00:23:21,883
I just gently touch their hands
and make them let go.
497
00:23:21,963 --> 00:23:23,883
She wants to move...
498
00:23:23,963 --> 00:23:26,643
NARRATOR: Given the sheer
volume of the koala population
499
00:23:26,723 --> 00:23:29,323
that's been wiped out due to bush fires,
500
00:23:29,403 --> 00:23:32,923
these 12 koalas are extremely significant,
501
00:23:33,003 --> 00:23:37,123
and they will play a vital role
in future repopulation efforts.
502
00:23:37,203 --> 00:23:38,883
NICK: The 12 koalas that have been saved
503
00:23:38,963 --> 00:23:41,723
were from a very genetically
valuable population.
504
00:23:41,803 --> 00:23:44,443
They're chlamydia-free, and
in fact the first koalas found
505
00:23:44,523 --> 00:23:46,563
living over 1,000 meters elevation.
506
00:23:48,523 --> 00:23:50,483
The enormity of this fire is massive.
507
00:23:50,563 --> 00:23:52,363
If these animals weren't removed from it,
508
00:23:52,443 --> 00:23:54,763
it is highly likely that
they would have been lost.
509
00:23:55,203 --> 00:23:57,283
NARRATOR:
Although the koalas are now safe,
510
00:23:57,363 --> 00:23:59,683
the keepers can't relax.
511
00:23:59,763 --> 00:24:04,763
They now need to find a way to
feed an extra 12 hungry mouths.
512
00:24:09,283 --> 00:24:11,603
NARRATOR: Taronga has
a vast collection of animals
513
00:24:11,683 --> 00:24:13,443
from all over the globe.
514
00:24:17,643 --> 00:24:20,523
But it's one of the less
exotic parts of Taronga
515
00:24:20,603 --> 00:24:22,923
that's one of the most popular:
516
00:24:23,003 --> 00:24:25,123
the Backyard to Bush.
517
00:24:25,763 --> 00:24:28,243
JESS: Here at Backyard to Bush,
this is our farm area.
518
00:24:28,323 --> 00:24:30,523
These are all of our goats
and our alpacas.
519
00:24:30,603 --> 00:24:32,523
So this is some of our farm animals.
520
00:24:32,603 --> 00:24:34,883
In the morning they're all
running around, having fun,
521
00:24:34,963 --> 00:24:36,323
playing with each other.
522
00:24:37,163 --> 00:24:39,883
NARRATOR: While they all enjoy
each other's company...
523
00:24:39,963 --> 00:24:43,323
Okay, come on, Twinkie.
Let's go for a walk.
524
00:24:43,403 --> 00:24:45,283
NARRATOR: Part of their
enrichment comes from
525
00:24:45,363 --> 00:24:48,003
going on walks throughout the zoo.
526
00:24:48,083 --> 00:24:49,643
JESS: Yeah, we take our goats for walks
527
00:24:49,723 --> 00:24:51,163
quite often here in the zoo.
528
00:24:52,003 --> 00:24:53,043
Come on.
529
00:24:53,123 --> 00:24:55,683
We do that usually before the zoo opens.
530
00:24:55,763 --> 00:24:57,803
All right, let's keep going.
531
00:24:57,883 --> 00:25:01,043
And so that's a chance for
our goats to leave their home
532
00:25:01,123 --> 00:25:02,683
and just really stretch their legs.
533
00:25:02,763 --> 00:25:05,243
It's really important for some exercise.
534
00:25:05,323 --> 00:25:09,163
NARRATOR: And today it's mother
goat Twinkie's turn to hit the road...
535
00:25:09,923 --> 00:25:12,163
...or more like the buffet.
536
00:25:12,763 --> 00:25:14,923
Being a goat, she loves food.
537
00:25:15,003 --> 00:25:17,843
So on her walk, she stopped,
and I think she ate food
538
00:25:17,923 --> 00:25:19,883
that was a little bit of a luxury for her.
539
00:25:19,963 --> 00:25:22,683
So she had food that she probably
doesn't get every single day.
540
00:25:22,763 --> 00:25:24,883
So she was a little bit spoiled.
541
00:25:24,963 --> 00:25:28,483
She is going to be eating this
for as long as I let her.
542
00:25:29,563 --> 00:25:31,123
No, not my pouch.
543
00:25:33,763 --> 00:25:36,283
NARRATOR: First stop on
Twinkie's tour of the zoo
544
00:25:36,883 --> 00:25:39,443
are the ever curious meerkats.
545
00:25:40,443 --> 00:25:43,083
(gasps) What do we have here?
546
00:25:43,163 --> 00:25:46,083
The meerkats straightaway
came over to the glass.
547
00:25:46,163 --> 00:25:48,603
They had their paws up looking at her.
548
00:25:48,683 --> 00:25:49,763
What are these?
549
00:25:49,843 --> 00:25:50,923
(meerkats squeaking)
550
00:25:51,003 --> 00:25:52,203
Good girl.
551
00:25:52,283 --> 00:25:53,763
This is a meerkat.
552
00:25:53,843 --> 00:25:56,763
NARRATOR: But this walk
isn't just important for Twinkie.
553
00:25:57,163 --> 00:26:00,483
REBECCA: It's actually a really
nice experience for the meerkats
554
00:26:00,563 --> 00:26:03,403
at the moment to have
a really unusual animal
555
00:26:03,483 --> 00:26:05,123
that they've never seen before,
556
00:26:05,203 --> 00:26:09,123
and they're working as a mob to
work out, is this goat a threat
557
00:26:09,203 --> 00:26:11,603
or is he just kind of inquisitive,
558
00:26:11,683 --> 00:26:13,083
and they want to go and check him out.
559
00:26:14,323 --> 00:26:17,603
JESS: There were times where
Twinkie felt a little bit unsure
560
00:26:17,683 --> 00:26:18,763
about seeing the meerkats,
561
00:26:18,843 --> 00:26:21,363
and so you saw her
move away from the glass.
562
00:26:21,443 --> 00:26:24,323
Twinkie, let's say hi to the meerkats.
563
00:26:24,403 --> 00:26:27,163
There was probably a little bit
of an unsettling feeling there
564
00:26:27,243 --> 00:26:29,643
for her, but that's actually
a really cool enrichment to have
565
00:26:29,723 --> 00:26:31,123
and for her to experience.
566
00:26:31,203 --> 00:26:33,843
NARRATOR: After a quick bite to eat,
567
00:26:33,923 --> 00:26:36,283
Twinkie's off on her next adventure.
568
00:26:37,763 --> 00:26:41,523
From the very small to the very tall.
569
00:26:41,603 --> 00:26:43,363
JESS: Who's saying hello
to you this morning?
570
00:26:44,403 --> 00:26:45,443
Hello.
571
00:26:45,523 --> 00:26:48,243
The giraffes, um,
stuck their head over the fence
572
00:26:48,323 --> 00:26:51,203
and had a really close look at Twinkie.
573
00:26:51,283 --> 00:26:54,323
Just for them also seeing
a goat walking past their home
574
00:26:54,403 --> 00:26:56,363
is something quite unusual.
575
00:26:56,443 --> 00:26:58,163
She doesn't usually walk past them,
576
00:26:58,243 --> 00:27:00,603
and so they couldn't help
but also be curious
577
00:27:00,683 --> 00:27:02,643
and say good morning to Twinkie as well.
578
00:27:04,603 --> 00:27:06,083
NARRATOR: A few more snacks...
579
00:27:06,163 --> 00:27:07,163
JESS: Come on.
580
00:27:07,243 --> 00:27:10,403
NARRATOR: ...and it's off to visit
the final animal for today.
581
00:27:10,963 --> 00:27:14,363
Kibali, the western lowland gorilla.
582
00:27:16,923 --> 00:27:19,443
JESS: Oh, you definitely
haven't seen this before.
583
00:27:20,123 --> 00:27:21,883
You're very curious.
584
00:27:23,043 --> 00:27:24,723
Good girl. Oh.
585
00:27:27,003 --> 00:27:29,603
He's definitely having
a look at you, isn't he?
586
00:27:30,043 --> 00:27:32,323
This is a really dominant male.
587
00:27:32,403 --> 00:27:34,883
You saw him come out
and check to make sure
588
00:27:34,963 --> 00:27:36,723
that, yep, everything's okay.
589
00:27:36,803 --> 00:27:38,603
I'm actually still really
interested in you, though,
590
00:27:38,683 --> 00:27:40,963
so he sat there and kept watching her.
591
00:27:41,043 --> 00:27:43,203
And you saw that from Twinkie as well.
592
00:27:43,283 --> 00:27:45,523
She stood still, eyes were quite alert.
593
00:27:45,603 --> 00:27:48,723
So for her, she was also
thinking and experiencing
594
00:27:48,803 --> 00:27:49,843
the same thing.
595
00:27:51,963 --> 00:27:53,723
My heart was also pounding.
596
00:27:53,803 --> 00:27:55,483
I was really excited for the both of them,
597
00:27:55,563 --> 00:27:59,363
and just to see and experience
that they were totally aware
598
00:27:59,443 --> 00:28:02,603
that they were meeting an animal
that they've never met before,
599
00:28:02,683 --> 00:28:06,323
and just watching that behavior
is why we do the job that we do.
600
00:28:06,403 --> 00:28:08,123
It's just incredible to kind of see
601
00:28:08,203 --> 00:28:11,283
those really social interactions
between animals.
602
00:28:15,963 --> 00:28:17,843
NARRATOR: While it may have
been more of an eating tour
603
00:28:17,923 --> 00:28:22,083
than a greeting tour, it's
still been an important part
604
00:28:22,163 --> 00:28:24,283
of Twinkie's life at the zoo.
605
00:28:24,763 --> 00:28:27,083
It's really important when
we're looking after our animals
606
00:28:27,163 --> 00:28:30,763
here in the zoo, we want them
to be accustomed to everything,
607
00:28:30,843 --> 00:28:33,803
and she's completely
comfortable where she is.
608
00:28:33,883 --> 00:28:36,163
All right, Twinkie, come on,
we're heading home.
609
00:28:36,243 --> 00:28:38,043
NARRATOR: But one thing's for sure:
610
00:28:38,123 --> 00:28:41,003
she can probably skip lunch.
611
00:28:41,083 --> 00:28:42,363
Oh, you want more pellets.
612
00:28:42,963 --> 00:28:45,603
Had a bit of a buffet
this morning on your walk.
613
00:28:45,683 --> 00:28:48,203
Let's go back home and
see all the other goats.
614
00:28:52,723 --> 00:28:54,683
NARRATOR: Murphy, the elder statesman
615
00:28:54,763 --> 00:28:58,963
of the marine precinct, just
underwent a series of x-rays
616
00:28:59,043 --> 00:29:00,483
in an attempt to work out
617
00:29:00,563 --> 00:29:03,523
what's causing his inability
to walk correctly.
618
00:29:03,603 --> 00:29:04,603
JACOB: Good.
619
00:29:04,683 --> 00:29:06,683
NARRATOR: Now back at the animal hospital,
620
00:29:06,763 --> 00:29:10,483
Larry is hoping to rule out
any serious spinal issues.
621
00:29:10,563 --> 00:29:13,043
LARRY: What we've got here
is the back of his skull
622
00:29:13,123 --> 00:29:15,443
and the first vertebrae and
the second vertebrae there.
623
00:29:15,523 --> 00:29:17,883
So if we look there, so this is the skull.
624
00:29:17,963 --> 00:29:19,763
We just happen to have uh, a...
625
00:29:19,843 --> 00:29:22,563
bones from another California sea lion.
626
00:29:22,643 --> 00:29:24,283
So if you look at that,
you can match it up
627
00:29:24,363 --> 00:29:26,443
- to what's on the x-ray. You see?
- JACOB: All right. Yeah.
628
00:29:26,523 --> 00:29:28,603
LARRY: So we've got some
reasonably good images
629
00:29:28,683 --> 00:29:31,923
of the vertebrae and
the back of his spine.
630
00:29:32,003 --> 00:29:33,963
I mean, obviously it's not
as clear as we would like,
631
00:29:34,043 --> 00:29:36,563
because he's got the massive
amount of tissue to go through.
632
00:29:36,643 --> 00:29:38,603
But there was just one little, little spot
633
00:29:38,683 --> 00:29:40,403
that sort of piqued my interest.
634
00:29:41,043 --> 00:29:42,363
See that little bit of, odd bit of bone
635
00:29:42,443 --> 00:29:43,643
that just seems to be sitting out there?
636
00:29:43,723 --> 00:29:45,403
JACOB: Yeah, right. What is that?
637
00:29:45,483 --> 00:29:47,883
NARRATOR:
It's a suspected fractured spine.
638
00:29:47,963 --> 00:29:50,523
LARRY: I'm just wondering
whether that little bit of bone
639
00:29:50,603 --> 00:29:53,283
- belongs more to the hyoid...
- Right.
640
00:29:53,363 --> 00:29:55,123
...rather than actually the vertebrae.
641
00:29:55,203 --> 00:29:58,283
It would be hard to imagine how
he could possibly fracture
642
00:29:58,363 --> 00:29:59,363
a bone in his neck.
643
00:29:59,443 --> 00:30:01,243
Um, who knows? I don't know.
644
00:30:01,323 --> 00:30:02,843
Maybe it's something he's had for years.
645
00:30:02,923 --> 00:30:05,163
JACOB: Yeah. So what kind of
plan should we go about this
646
00:30:05,243 --> 00:30:06,963
and how to actually manage this?
647
00:30:07,043 --> 00:30:09,163
Yeah, I mean, I think there's
several things we can do.
648
00:30:10,683 --> 00:30:14,243
We know already that we've given
him some pain medication
649
00:30:14,323 --> 00:30:16,323
from time to time, and
he does seem to get better.
650
00:30:16,403 --> 00:30:18,763
Obviously getting his weight
down a little bit would help.
651
00:30:18,843 --> 00:30:19,843
JACOB: Yeah, that would help.
652
00:30:19,923 --> 00:30:22,443
LARRY: Also just manage,
you know, what you do with him.
653
00:30:22,523 --> 00:30:24,163
Put him through, you know, things
654
00:30:24,243 --> 00:30:25,643
where he's going to be,
have a lot of activity.
655
00:30:25,723 --> 00:30:26,723
Which is going to be hard for him,
656
00:30:26,803 --> 00:30:29,443
because, you know, he's just
so keen to do everything.
657
00:30:29,523 --> 00:30:30,883
NARRATOR: Because of his age,
658
00:30:30,963 --> 00:30:34,203
the risk of surgery is not an option.
659
00:30:34,283 --> 00:30:36,283
So all Taronga can do now
660
00:30:36,363 --> 00:30:40,243
is make his remaining years
as pain-free as possible.
661
00:30:40,323 --> 00:30:42,123
LARRY: Murphy's an elderly animal,
662
00:30:42,203 --> 00:30:44,323
and we pay particular attention
663
00:30:44,403 --> 00:30:47,763
to ensuring the, you know, good quality
of life of our aging animals,
664
00:30:47,843 --> 00:30:50,403
and I think what we're doing with Murphy
is a good example of that.
665
00:30:50,483 --> 00:30:51,483
We have a plan.
666
00:30:51,963 --> 00:30:53,883
You know, we can put him on medication,
667
00:30:53,963 --> 00:30:55,563
we can manage his environment,
668
00:30:55,643 --> 00:30:58,123
manage his activity
to make him comfortable.
669
00:30:58,203 --> 00:31:00,043
JACOB: All right, hey, buddy.
670
00:31:00,123 --> 00:31:01,843
With Murphy, I work with him every day.
671
00:31:01,923 --> 00:31:03,243
I see him more than I see my family,
672
00:31:03,323 --> 00:31:04,963
so I will do anything to make sure
673
00:31:05,043 --> 00:31:07,523
that he has a comfortable, healthy life.
674
00:31:16,803 --> 00:31:19,083
NARRATOR: It's been two days
since the rescued koalas
675
00:31:19,163 --> 00:31:21,003
were saved from the bush fires,
676
00:31:21,083 --> 00:31:24,403
and keeper Nick is checking in
on their progress.
677
00:31:24,483 --> 00:31:26,683
NICK: Due to the fact that they
are wild animals, you know,
678
00:31:26,763 --> 00:31:28,923
we really need to keep hands off
as much as we possibly can.
679
00:31:29,003 --> 00:31:32,123
These animals are obviously
not used to people.
680
00:31:32,203 --> 00:31:34,403
In fact some of them probably
haven't even seen people before,
681
00:31:34,483 --> 00:31:36,443
so we'll just be a bit quiet.
682
00:31:42,323 --> 00:31:43,763
This is one of the adult males
683
00:31:43,843 --> 00:31:45,883
that has come in from the bush fire area.
684
00:31:45,963 --> 00:31:48,123
All of the animals that came in,
obviously they've come from
685
00:31:48,203 --> 00:31:50,563
prolonged drought as well
as these bush fire issues.
686
00:31:50,643 --> 00:31:53,283
So they are actually
a little under hydrated.
687
00:31:53,723 --> 00:31:55,603
So some of the things that
we look for first up
688
00:31:55,683 --> 00:31:57,363
is just his eyes,
looking straight onto him,
689
00:31:57,443 --> 00:31:59,963
seeing whether or not
he's actually vibrant,
690
00:32:00,043 --> 00:32:02,523
looking for his responsiveness to me.
691
00:32:02,603 --> 00:32:05,443
So koalas will quite often,
when they greet another animal
692
00:32:05,523 --> 00:32:07,923
or a koala, they're actually
greet with their noses,
693
00:32:08,003 --> 00:32:10,323
and crazily enough, it actually
works with us as well.
694
00:32:10,403 --> 00:32:13,123
So when I first look at
a koala in the morning,
695
00:32:13,203 --> 00:32:16,003
I'll often greet it like that,
and it gives me a bit of a gauge
696
00:32:16,083 --> 00:32:17,723
as to how that animal is tracking,
697
00:32:17,803 --> 00:32:19,603
and if he wasn't feeling comfortable,
698
00:32:19,683 --> 00:32:22,243
I would most likely get
no reaction at all.
699
00:32:22,323 --> 00:32:24,883
So the fact that I have had that
little bit of engagement there
700
00:32:24,963 --> 00:32:27,763
tells me that although he's not amazing,
701
00:32:27,843 --> 00:32:29,763
he's doing a lot better than
he was when he first came in.
702
00:32:30,763 --> 00:32:33,203
NARRATOR: The koalas continue to improve,
703
00:32:33,283 --> 00:32:37,283
and Taronga will allow them
to recover in their own time.
704
00:32:37,363 --> 00:32:39,563
It takes a lot for these animals to adapt
705
00:32:39,643 --> 00:32:41,403
to such a dramatic change.
706
00:32:41,483 --> 00:32:44,403
From being obviously in
the wild, 12 meters up a tree,
707
00:32:44,483 --> 00:32:45,923
not ever having seen anybody,
708
00:32:46,323 --> 00:32:48,403
to then being in such close proximity.
709
00:32:48,723 --> 00:32:50,043
Different type of leaves as well.
710
00:32:50,123 --> 00:32:52,243
You know, eucalyptus is
actually quite different
711
00:32:52,323 --> 00:32:54,283
depending on the elevation
in which it grows,
712
00:32:54,363 --> 00:32:56,523
and these koalas are actually
from 1,100 meters.
713
00:32:56,603 --> 00:32:59,443
So the food that we have
in our plantation,
714
00:32:59,523 --> 00:33:01,563
that we provide to our zoo koalas,
715
00:33:01,643 --> 00:33:03,403
is grown at around about 50 meters.
716
00:33:03,483 --> 00:33:04,963
So there is quite a distinct
difference there.
717
00:33:05,043 --> 00:33:07,363
So we need to try and get
these animals transitioned
718
00:33:07,443 --> 00:33:09,923
onto our local available browse.
719
00:33:14,603 --> 00:33:18,003
NARRATOR: Koalas are one
of the most fickle eaters,
720
00:33:18,083 --> 00:33:21,043
and Taronga has had to go
to extreme lengths
721
00:33:21,123 --> 00:33:23,803
to ensure a continuous food supply
722
00:33:23,883 --> 00:33:26,523
is readily available for them.
723
00:33:26,603 --> 00:33:29,923
So they acquired three
eucalyptus plantations
724
00:33:30,003 --> 00:33:31,963
90 minutes west of Taronga
725
00:33:32,043 --> 00:33:34,603
at the foot of Sydney's
Blue Mountains range
726
00:33:35,123 --> 00:33:38,283
where a whole team of zoo staff
work all year round
727
00:33:38,363 --> 00:33:40,443
growing and harvesting trees.
728
00:33:42,483 --> 00:33:44,323
- MAN: All good, Toby?
- TOBY: Yeah, mate, it's two.
729
00:33:44,963 --> 00:33:45,963
You can cut them.
730
00:33:46,043 --> 00:33:47,083
MAN: How many do we need today?
731
00:33:47,163 --> 00:33:48,923
TOBY: We need 60 of these.
732
00:33:49,003 --> 00:33:50,083
But we'll give them 65
733
00:33:50,163 --> 00:33:51,523
'cause they're a bit short from last cut.
734
00:33:51,603 --> 00:33:52,723
MAN: Copy.
735
00:33:53,483 --> 00:33:56,123
NARRATOR: And the amount of
food a koala needs to eat
736
00:33:56,203 --> 00:33:58,003
is staggering.
737
00:33:58,643 --> 00:34:01,683
BILL: They're talking about
200 to 300 grams a tip.
738
00:34:01,763 --> 00:34:03,443
So we was to cut that down and weigh it,
739
00:34:03,523 --> 00:34:09,043
you're talking about 200 to 300
grams of tip per koala per day.
740
00:34:09,523 --> 00:34:12,603
So when you magnify that
in terms of how many sticks
741
00:34:12,683 --> 00:34:15,403
we need to get,
branches-wise, it adds up to a lot.
742
00:34:15,483 --> 00:34:18,963
So we're talking roughly
600, 605 sticks a week,
743
00:34:19,603 --> 00:34:23,883
and it roughly averages out
1,000 trees per koala a year
744
00:34:23,963 --> 00:34:26,403
to get a sustainable amount of food.
745
00:34:28,003 --> 00:34:31,283
NARRATOR: But since Taronga has
taken on 12 rescued koalas,
746
00:34:31,363 --> 00:34:35,323
it now means extra stress will
be put on this plantation
747
00:34:35,403 --> 00:34:36,923
to keep them all fed.
748
00:34:37,963 --> 00:34:41,083
We're probably looking
at an extra 300 sticks a week
749
00:34:41,163 --> 00:34:42,803
just to deal with these koalas.
750
00:34:42,883 --> 00:34:46,403
So, yeah, so we'll have to
talk about how we manage it
751
00:34:46,483 --> 00:34:48,683
workload-wise, but it's
going to be more, mate.
752
00:34:48,763 --> 00:34:51,843
We've got to, I guess, just band
together and do what we can
753
00:34:51,923 --> 00:34:53,723
to, you know, see them through.
754
00:34:54,683 --> 00:34:57,523
Our team needs to step up and
755
00:34:57,603 --> 00:35:01,203
do their bit to help
the recovery of these animals.
756
00:35:01,283 --> 00:35:05,203
And at the end of the day,
we're a conservation society,
757
00:35:05,283 --> 00:35:08,483
and everybody in the whole organization,
758
00:35:08,563 --> 00:35:09,803
including our team,
759
00:35:09,883 --> 00:35:12,283
are committed to providing that service.
760
00:35:16,203 --> 00:35:18,403
NARRATOR: While the koala team
are busy working through
761
00:35:18,483 --> 00:35:21,763
the effects of record heat,
so is Michelle,
762
00:35:21,843 --> 00:35:23,883
who's testing a new type of grass
763
00:35:23,963 --> 00:35:26,603
that requires much less water to grow.
764
00:35:27,403 --> 00:35:29,283
MICHELLE: Okay, so I got two,
but that's way too much for them.
765
00:35:29,363 --> 00:35:30,363
Yeah.
766
00:35:30,443 --> 00:35:31,443
So what do you think, like
767
00:35:31,523 --> 00:35:32,883
how many do you think
it should be cut into?
768
00:35:32,963 --> 00:35:34,163
Um, okay if we do three.
769
00:35:34,243 --> 00:35:36,643
So cut one there and one there,
then we can spread it out a bit.
770
00:35:36,723 --> 00:35:37,883
MICHELLE: Okay.
771
00:35:37,963 --> 00:35:39,923
NARRATOR:
She's come to the wildlife retreat
772
00:35:40,003 --> 00:35:43,483
to see if our Australian native
animals enjoy the new food
773
00:35:43,563 --> 00:35:46,483
as much as the exotic residents have.
774
00:35:48,643 --> 00:35:50,523
LIBBY: So we'll just feed
on these two stations here.
775
00:35:50,603 --> 00:35:51,483
MICHELLE: These two?
776
00:35:51,563 --> 00:35:52,923
LIBBY: Yeah, so maybe one on that one
777
00:35:53,003 --> 00:35:54,763
and two on this one, I think.
778
00:35:54,843 --> 00:35:56,683
So this is our group of
red-necked pademelons.
779
00:35:56,763 --> 00:35:58,803
So we have five adult females.
780
00:35:58,883 --> 00:36:00,803
Two of them have pouch young
at the moment,
781
00:36:00,883 --> 00:36:03,083
and then two of them also
have joeys at their foot.
782
00:36:03,403 --> 00:36:04,403
So that means they've emerged
783
00:36:04,483 --> 00:36:06,723
but they're still hanging
around mum a fair bit.
784
00:36:06,803 --> 00:36:08,643
They're an Australian macropod species.
785
00:36:08,723 --> 00:36:11,323
Which is... macro meaning big
and pod meaning foot.
786
00:36:11,403 --> 00:36:13,363
So they're the big-footed marsupials.
787
00:36:13,443 --> 00:36:15,163
So your kangaroos, wallabies are the ones
788
00:36:15,243 --> 00:36:16,683
that people typically think of.
789
00:36:16,763 --> 00:36:19,003
These are just another branch
of that family tree.
790
00:36:19,443 --> 00:36:20,683
They definitely melt hearts.
791
00:36:22,523 --> 00:36:23,883
MICHELLE: Well, they come out right away.
792
00:36:23,963 --> 00:36:24,963
- LIBBY: Yeah.
- MICHELLE: They're so good.
793
00:36:26,203 --> 00:36:27,443
LIBBY: Very food motivated.
794
00:36:28,123 --> 00:36:29,963
Now where is mum with the little joey?
795
00:36:30,523 --> 00:36:32,483
- I believe that's her on the left.
- Is that Pink Toe?
796
00:36:32,563 --> 00:36:33,883
Yeah, Pink Toes is on the left.
797
00:36:33,963 --> 00:36:35,083
She'll usually eat by herself
798
00:36:35,163 --> 00:36:37,363
because she'll push the others away.
799
00:36:38,163 --> 00:36:41,563
MICHELLE: Pademelons would normally
get something that's high in moisture
800
00:36:41,643 --> 00:36:42,643
in their natural environment because
801
00:36:42,723 --> 00:36:44,883
it's a growing plant
that they'd be eating.
802
00:36:44,963 --> 00:36:47,163
So they would be grazing,
they would be browsing
803
00:36:47,243 --> 00:36:50,243
on living plants, and so we want
to give them something that's
804
00:36:50,323 --> 00:36:53,203
higher in moisture,
it fills their bellies,
805
00:36:53,283 --> 00:36:54,523
but also provides
806
00:36:54,603 --> 00:36:58,003
a pretty energy-dense
nutrient package as well.
807
00:36:58,083 --> 00:36:59,083
It's definitely a winner.
808
00:36:59,163 --> 00:37:01,923
So I think that the hydroponic
fodder is something that
809
00:37:02,003 --> 00:37:04,683
could potentially be
a supplement to their diet.
810
00:37:04,763 --> 00:37:06,843
It would be something
that we could provide
811
00:37:06,923 --> 00:37:09,123
as consistent nutrition year round.
812
00:37:09,203 --> 00:37:10,603
So during the winter
813
00:37:10,683 --> 00:37:12,603
when we don't have
a lot of browse available,
814
00:37:12,683 --> 00:37:15,643
when there's just not
a lot of growing going on,
815
00:37:15,723 --> 00:37:18,723
then we can provide something
fresh for them then.
816
00:37:19,243 --> 00:37:21,403
NARRATOR:
And Michelle's last stop for today
817
00:37:21,483 --> 00:37:23,483
is the biggest of all.
818
00:37:23,883 --> 00:37:25,043
- MICHELLE: Lex?
- LEX: Hey, Michelle.
819
00:37:25,123 --> 00:37:26,443
- MICHELLE: Here it is.
- LEX: Thank you.
820
00:37:26,523 --> 00:37:27,523
MICHELLE: Here, I'll give you a hand.
821
00:37:27,603 --> 00:37:28,803
LEX: Thanks.
822
00:37:29,363 --> 00:37:30,563
NARRATOR: The elephants.
823
00:37:35,163 --> 00:37:37,003
MICHELLE: Yeah. Oh, it floats so nicely!
824
00:37:37,083 --> 00:37:40,203
I was not sure if a full pad would float.
825
00:37:40,683 --> 00:37:44,563
So we have tried the hydroponic
grass on so many species.
826
00:37:44,643 --> 00:37:45,723
We're trying it on everything,
827
00:37:45,803 --> 00:37:47,803
because I want, when you're
feeding a zoo as well,
828
00:37:47,883 --> 00:37:51,603
you need to be very flexible and
feed as many species as possible
829
00:37:51,683 --> 00:37:53,203
with very few feed items.
830
00:37:53,283 --> 00:37:55,883
So this is one of those
feed items that's versatile.
831
00:37:55,963 --> 00:37:58,443
We can feed it to many different animals.
832
00:37:58,523 --> 00:38:00,283
Whether it eats grass or not,
833
00:38:00,363 --> 00:38:04,363
it's something that could provide
something enriching for their environment.
834
00:38:06,403 --> 00:38:08,123
NARRATOR: While mixing up food sources
835
00:38:08,203 --> 00:38:10,923
is something Michelle
is always keen to do,
836
00:38:11,003 --> 00:38:14,563
she's also trying to
future-proof the food supply
837
00:38:14,643 --> 00:38:16,523
for Taronga's hungry residents.
838
00:38:17,723 --> 00:38:20,443
We're having many more
extreme heat events
839
00:38:20,523 --> 00:38:22,243
than cold events in Australia,
840
00:38:22,323 --> 00:38:26,083
and we're also having much less rainfall
841
00:38:26,163 --> 00:38:28,403
than we would normally have,
and it means that in the future
842
00:38:28,483 --> 00:38:30,603
we're going to have a lot more
trouble growing hay,
843
00:38:31,003 --> 00:38:33,443
we're going to have
a lot more trouble growing grains
844
00:38:33,523 --> 00:38:34,883
that we need to make the pellets
845
00:38:34,963 --> 00:38:36,243
that we give to some of the animals,
846
00:38:36,763 --> 00:38:38,323
and so we have to look for alternatives,
847
00:38:38,403 --> 00:38:40,963
and look for innovation,
and one of those is hydroponics.
848
00:38:41,043 --> 00:38:43,083
So we are, obviously,
we have to look for things
849
00:38:43,163 --> 00:38:47,043
that we can reduce the amount
of water that we're using,
850
00:38:47,723 --> 00:38:48,763
and we need to find alternatives
851
00:38:48,843 --> 00:38:52,083
so that we're not competing with
the human market as well.
852
00:38:52,763 --> 00:38:55,803
So we're getting the most
out of this fodder.
853
00:39:01,923 --> 00:39:05,323
NARRATOR: Fires continue
to rage across Australia.
854
00:39:07,563 --> 00:39:11,123
They've been burning
for several months now.
855
00:39:12,883 --> 00:39:15,483
The exact amount of damage
caused by the fires
856
00:39:15,563 --> 00:39:17,163
may never be known.
857
00:39:17,923 --> 00:39:20,843
But what is certain is that
Australia will be dealing
858
00:39:20,923 --> 00:39:23,523
with the fallout for years to come.
859
00:39:24,323 --> 00:39:25,403
KIMBERLY: It's really hard
to get your head around.
860
00:39:25,883 --> 00:39:26,923
It's almost overwhelming
861
00:39:27,003 --> 00:39:30,243
to even conceive of all these bush fires.
862
00:39:30,963 --> 00:39:34,843
Australia's on fire, and it's
really, really hard to see it.
863
00:39:35,723 --> 00:39:38,123
I think a lot of people
are having difficulty
864
00:39:38,203 --> 00:39:40,243
accepting what's going on.
865
00:39:41,243 --> 00:39:43,243
NARRATOR: While the houses can be rebuilt,
866
00:39:43,323 --> 00:39:47,723
roads can be repaired and the
bush will regenerate over time,
867
00:39:47,803 --> 00:39:50,043
it's the loss of wildlife,
868
00:39:50,123 --> 00:39:53,083
estimated at over one billion animals,
869
00:39:53,163 --> 00:39:56,403
that could take decades to recover.
870
00:40:00,443 --> 00:40:03,883
KIMBERLY: I do worry that
we're helping these animals
871
00:40:03,963 --> 00:40:07,643
and we're doing great work for
these particular individuals
872
00:40:07,723 --> 00:40:08,963
and we have to cover their welfare
873
00:40:09,043 --> 00:40:11,283
and make sure they're
healthy and comfortable.
874
00:40:11,923 --> 00:40:13,323
I do worry about putting them out there
875
00:40:13,723 --> 00:40:15,483
because it is early
in the bush fire season.
876
00:40:15,563 --> 00:40:19,003
We could see this going through
a long, extended summer.
877
00:40:20,523 --> 00:40:23,523
NARRATOR: But Taronga won't
let that thought stop them.
878
00:40:23,963 --> 00:40:26,523
They will continue to treat
and rehabilitate
879
00:40:26,603 --> 00:40:30,643
these injured animals
until the last one comes in.
880
00:40:30,723 --> 00:40:32,683
NICK: It is Taronga's role obviously
to be leaders in conservation,
881
00:40:33,883 --> 00:40:35,163
and I think that's what
we're doing right now.
882
00:40:35,243 --> 00:40:36,723
You know, we're not only
preserving habitat,
883
00:40:36,803 --> 00:40:39,483
but we're actually saving
populations of animals.
884
00:40:39,563 --> 00:40:41,243
It doesn't really matter
how much this costs.
885
00:40:41,323 --> 00:40:42,763
It's something that we certainly
886
00:40:42,843 --> 00:40:44,083
weren't ever going to turn our backs on.
887
00:40:44,163 --> 00:40:47,443
It's so vital that
these animals were saved.
888
00:40:48,963 --> 00:40:52,203
It's the resource implications
in feeding is astronomical.
889
00:40:52,563 --> 00:40:53,923
So the burden is huge,
890
00:40:54,003 --> 00:40:56,203
but it's certainly one that
absolutely we have to take on,
891
00:40:56,283 --> 00:40:58,963
and certainly a challenge
that we couldn't pass up.
892
00:40:59,403 --> 00:41:01,443
NARRATOR: Like all the other
animals at Taronga,
893
00:41:01,523 --> 00:41:04,163
the wild koalas only get the best care
894
00:41:04,243 --> 00:41:06,683
while they wait out the fires.
895
00:41:06,763 --> 00:41:07,963
NICK: We absolutely are providing
896
00:41:08,043 --> 00:41:09,683
temporary accommodation for these guys.
897
00:41:09,763 --> 00:41:12,723
You know, well-hydrated leaves,
misting systems,
898
00:41:12,803 --> 00:41:13,803
perch to themselves.
899
00:41:13,883 --> 00:41:16,243
Like, they really don't have
much to worry about here.
900
00:41:16,963 --> 00:41:19,683
NARRATOR: But the wild koalas
in Victoria don't have
901
00:41:19,763 --> 00:41:22,523
the luxury of being
accommodated at Taronga.
902
00:41:22,603 --> 00:41:25,443
They have to go straight back
into the bush.
903
00:41:26,283 --> 00:41:28,203
KIMBERLY: All of the other
koalas we've worked with,
904
00:41:28,283 --> 00:41:29,843
they've been released.
905
00:41:30,723 --> 00:41:32,083
And are we putting them back in an area
906
00:41:32,163 --> 00:41:33,603
that might then get burned?
907
00:41:34,603 --> 00:41:39,203
NARRATOR: And it's a struggle in
the face of such trauma to remain upbeat,
908
00:41:39,283 --> 00:41:42,803
but it's exactly what Kimberly is doing.
909
00:41:43,363 --> 00:41:47,243
KIMBERLY: It's really hard to even think
about it. Like, it really hits me when
910
00:41:47,323 --> 00:41:49,083
my family and friends from America
911
00:41:49,163 --> 00:41:51,283
check in and go,
"We see what's happening."
912
00:41:52,203 --> 00:41:53,763
And it's around the world.
913
00:41:53,843 --> 00:41:55,283
The smoke's going around the world.
914
00:41:55,363 --> 00:41:58,403
So everybody is affected
and everybody is concerned.
915
00:41:58,763 --> 00:42:00,563
And that's-- I'm getting all choked up--
916
00:42:00,643 --> 00:42:02,363
that's when it really, really hits me.
917
00:42:02,963 --> 00:42:05,323
That this is so big and so real.
918
00:42:05,403 --> 00:42:08,723
It's not just a little
regional problem down here.
919
00:42:08,803 --> 00:42:10,963
It's not just a problem
in New South Wales.
920
00:42:11,483 --> 00:42:13,443
We're all sharing this burden.
921
00:42:13,803 --> 00:42:15,563
The whole world's going to share it.
922
00:42:15,643 --> 00:42:17,683
So, yeah, ooh.
923
00:42:17,763 --> 00:42:18,843
It's big.
924
00:42:20,403 --> 00:42:21,403
It's big.
925
00:42:23,403 --> 00:42:24,403
Oh.
926
00:42:25,843 --> 00:42:29,123
I can't think about it,
I've got to go fix some koalas!
927
00:42:29,203 --> 00:42:30,203
Oh.
928
00:42:30,283 --> 00:42:31,323
Okay.
929
00:42:32,643 --> 00:42:33,803
Hold on, I'm here.
930
00:42:35,203 --> 00:42:36,243
I heard you had two more.
931
00:42:36,323 --> 00:42:39,323
NARRATOR: And on cue,
another two koalas arrive,
932
00:42:39,403 --> 00:42:43,163
delivered by the army,
and the cycle begins again.
933
00:42:43,243 --> 00:42:45,163
KIMBERLY: So this young one
was on its own?
934
00:42:45,243 --> 00:42:47,963
OFFICER: Yes, he was way up
on the tree by himself,
935
00:42:48,043 --> 00:42:49,363
all burned out everywhere,
936
00:42:49,763 --> 00:42:52,043
and there was no vegetation
for him to get to.
937
00:42:52,123 --> 00:42:53,163
KIMBERLY: Okay.
938
00:42:54,243 --> 00:42:55,963
Good, I'm glad it's just two,
939
00:42:56,043 --> 00:43:00,163
because it's been a busy morning already,
940
00:43:01,043 --> 00:43:02,643
and we have the new team coming in.
941
00:43:04,803 --> 00:43:06,363
Lizzie! (laughs)
942
00:43:06,443 --> 00:43:07,523
LIZ: Kimberly!
943
00:43:07,603 --> 00:43:09,203
KIMBERLY: Oh, my God,
I'm so glad you're here!
944
00:43:09,803 --> 00:43:12,083
NARRATOR: As Taronga Vet Nurse Liz arrives
945
00:43:12,163 --> 00:43:14,203
to take the reins from Kimberly,
946
00:43:14,283 --> 00:43:17,483
all they can do is exactly
what they've been doing.
947
00:43:17,563 --> 00:43:19,443
- Two koalas just arrived.
- Okay.
948
00:43:19,523 --> 00:43:20,683
I'll go in and get started.
949
00:43:20,763 --> 00:43:23,563
Just come on in and
we'll show you guys around.
950
00:43:24,123 --> 00:43:27,003
NARRATOR: And that's treating
these animals with the care,
951
00:43:27,083 --> 00:43:30,003
dignity and respect they deserve.
952
00:43:30,083 --> 00:43:31,083
KIMBERLY: Look at how cute.
953
00:43:32,843 --> 00:43:34,043
CAROLINE: I will just hold that part.
954
00:43:34,123 --> 00:43:36,083
KIMBERLY: Okay. Oh, so cute.
955
00:43:37,043 --> 00:43:38,043
What do we have?
956
00:43:41,483 --> 00:43:43,843
It's a little girl. It's got a pouch.
957
00:43:44,163 --> 00:43:45,443
Okay.
958
00:43:45,523 --> 00:43:47,403
It's really hard
to even think about it, like,
959
00:43:47,483 --> 00:43:50,403
I've got to go fix these koalas,
so I've got to stay focused.
960
00:43:51,323 --> 00:43:52,363
Oh, it's really hard.
961
00:43:52,443 --> 00:43:55,523
I get quite depressed when
I think about what's happening
962
00:43:55,963 --> 00:43:58,803
with the environment.
So I'll do what I can.
963
00:43:58,883 --> 00:44:00,083
(laughs)
964
00:44:05,443 --> 00:44:07,283
Captioned by Visual Data Media Services