02x07 - Down Under: Episode 7

[bunniefuu]

Narrator: At taronga zoo,

Keepers love
to celebrate births.

Evelyn: New babies at the zoo
is always exciting.

They are incredibly cute.

Narrator: And with ,
animals across their two zoos,

There's always a baby arriving.

Keeper: Our family group is
growing very, very quickly

Considering we only had two
just over a year ago.

Narrator: But in the case
of the australian sea lion,

Their babies can take a very
long time to make an entrance.

Larry: G'day, brad.

Brad: Hey, larry.
How are you going?

Larry: How are you going?
Brad: Good.

Larry: We all good to go?
Brad: Ready to go.

Larry: We're going to do
that out here again?

Brad: Yeah, well, she's, um,
much more comfortable

Out on the exhibit, so.

Larry: Excellent. Yeah. Cool.

Brad: We'll just
get stuff set up.

Larry: Alright.
Let's get set up.

So we're just setting up
for an ultrasound on nala,

Our beautiful
australian sea lion.

She's actually heading towards
the end of her pregnancy.

Narrator: Nala was paired up
with male sea lion charlie

months ago.

Keeper: We saw a little bit of
that nuzzling up on the rock,

Which is a really positive sign
that everything's going to go

Quite well with
this introduction.

Narrator: And just
six months later,

The team was overjoyed
to discover she was pregnant.

Larry: Very exciting.
I mean, I think that is.

Keeper: We couldn't have asked
for anything better.

Larry: Yeah, yeah.
Oh, absolutely.

Brad: In the water.

There is not a lot of
australian sea lions in zoos

Within australia,
and taronga is one of the few

That are actually actively
breeding the species.

So, yeah, it's really important
to the regional breeding program

For australian sea lions.

Larry: I'll just get
the ultrasound machine set up.

Narrator: Because nala is such

A genetically important
sea lion,

Senior vet larry needs to keep
a close eye on this pregnancy.

Larry: We've been ultrasounding
her about once a month

So that we can use those
measurements to age fetuses,

In any future pregnancies
we have

And other institutions have
in australian sea lions.

And so it's really, really
valuable information

That we're gathering from her.

Um, I'm good to go, brad.

Narrator: And fortunately
for larry and the seal team,

After nine months

Nala's ultrasounds
have become ultra-easy.

Brad: Good girl.
Oh, careful, nals.

Good girl. Yeah, all good.

Larry: The guys do so much
amazing training with them,

And they are so compliant
and forgiving,

And we can scan them, you know,
for, for quite a while

And get some really good images
of the, of the developing fetus.

The pup is very active,
and it's moving around a lot.

So it's quite hard
to get a decent image,

But I've found
where the head is.

It's right here.

In this image
you can just see that,

That dark circular structure
just there

Is actually the pup's eyeball.

Yeah, so that's
sort of through the,

Through the skull there, so.

Brad: Alright. That's good.

At least we got something to
compare measurements against.

Larry: The fetus is huge.

I mean, this is only
a very small segment

Of the whole fetus
that I can see on here.

There's much more of it.

I mean, it would be
like here and here.

It is huge.

We just want to turn her around.

Narrator: But larry's searching
for one image in particular.

Brad: Good girl.
Alright. Stay there.

Is that close enough for you,
larry?

Narrator: And it's always
a huge relief

When it looks healthy.

Larry: I can see there
the heart b*ating,

Look at that, massive.

Brad: Yeah. Wow.

Larry: So, just let me
just quickly

Get a measurement of this heart.

About six centimeters.

Brad: A little bit more.

Larry: Nearly, nearly done,
sweetie.

Brad: Hold on.
Don't go. Don't go.

Larry: Oh, okay.
I think she's called it.

Brad: Yeah, she's only got
three fish left,

So we might have
to call it, larry.

Narrator: Thankfully larry has
seen all he needs for today.

Larry: We can see, you know,
this little baby growing

Inside her, which is,
it is incredibly exciting.

And then of course knowing that
it's probably not too far away

Coming, you know, being born,

It's going to be going to be
a great moment to see it out.

Brad: It'll be interesting
to see your variances

In your measurements
from the last one.

Larry: Yeah, well, hopefully,
I mean, at least we got

The good heart measurements

And then that one
skull measurement, so.

And, you know, based on
what we've got so far,

We reckon she'll be due
in the next couple of months.

Brad: Yeah.

Larry: But it's always a bit,
you know,

There's a bit of,
bit of error in all of that.

Good.

Brad: Now the waiting game.
Larry: Yeah.

Narrator: Now everyone's got
their flippers crossed

For this zoo favorite.

Brad: Nala is just one of those
exceptional animals.

You know, I've worked
with a lot of seals,

And she is just
pretty much perfect.

Never puts a flipper wrong.

And that makes our job
more rewarding

Because we can do things
like this voluntarily,

And this may look like a simple
health check for our vets,

But there's not a lot
of data out there.

So these kind of procedures

And the fact that our vets
can work so closely,

We learn a lot about them
as a species as well.

Narrator: But nala has one more
surprise for her keepers,

Something that none of them
saw coming.

♪ ♪

There are two main species
of elephant in the world.

But taronga is home to only one
of them: The asian elephant.

Bradd: Unfortunately, they've
been a bit of a poorer cousin

To the african elephant;
much more is known about them.

Most people know and understand
a little bit more

About african elephants

And poaching
and the threats to them.

What they do have in common
is they're very, very big.

They eat a lot, and certainly,

Yeah, all of that comes out
the other end as well.

So we're kept very busy
every single day.

So here at taronga
western plains zoo in dubbo

We have a herd of eight
asian elephants,

Four males, four females,

And they form part of the larger
regional breeding program

That exists in australia
for asian elephants.

Whilst our population
in australia is a small one,

It's certainly
a very important genetic one

Moving forward into
the decades to come,

And why the birth
of all of these calves

Have been terribly important.

♪ ♪

Our region is focused solely on
the breeding and conservation

For asian elephants

And trying to create a sort
of a self-sustaining population

Here in australia.

Narrator: Much of the success
of taronga's

Elephant breeding program

Is due to the efforts
of one male elephant, gung.

Bradd: As part of the import
back in ,

We bought in a young male
elephant called gung.

Gung is now years of age.

And, you know, he's a big boy,
four and a half ton,

And he's the only natural
breeding male elephant

Here in australia.

Luk chai.

Narrator: -year-old luk chai
is one of gung's sons.

Bradd: Go and get
some more breakfast.

Good boy.

Luk chai is a very important
elephant in our program.

He was the very first calf born
in australia in July ,

And he was the smallest calf
that's been born in the program

Overall at kilos.

He now weighs in
at over , kilos.

Okay, luk chai,
are you ready for your bath?

Narrator: Keepers bradd
and sheryl look after

Every aspect
of luk chai's care.

Bradd: Good boy, mate.

The trust in a relationship,
or a really strong relationship

With an elephant
can take a long time; years.

We've been fortunate enough
to know luk chai

Ever since he was born.

So, you know,
every single day of his life

We've been doing these routines.

So these baths are a very
important part of our program.

I mean, this is basically the
foundation of our relationship

With all of our elephants.

So we do the baths
every single day.

Not necessarily
to get them clean;

It's really a trust
and cooperation exercise,

You know, looking behind
his ears, you know,

Looking at the ear veins there
in case he gets sick one day

And we need to take
a blood sample,

Lifting his foot up, checking
his toenails, things like that.

Sheryl: Foot's a bit soft
like a leather pad.

So stepping on rocks all day
out in the yard,

They can get them
stuck in their pad.

So every day
we have to check them

To make sure there's
no rocks stuck in them,

See if they have any nails that
need filing, check their pad,

Make sure they haven't pulled up
any pieces of it,

Because then
we can cut that away

So they don't catch it
on anything.

Bradd: Good boy.

Very good, mate.

Thank you, luk chai. Good boy.

Narrator:
From a baby to a bull,

Brad has seen luk chai mature

To the point where
he is in musth,

Meaning he's ready to breed.

Bradd: So a musth period
with bull elephants

Is a period of
heightened testosterone,

About , times more
than what is normal.

You see some draining from
the, the temporal glands,

The stains down the cheeks
there, and also dribbling urine.

And with that obviously comes an
increased level of aggression.

Hello, we're talking about you.

Again.

We're always talking about you.

Narrator: The problem is
luk chai and his father gung

Are now both in musth,

And that is causing some
family friction in the herd.

Bradd: This condition of musth,

Basically we've now got
luk chai, you know,

Coming into musth as well
to try to challenge gung,

And now there's just
a little bit of, sort of,

"oh, I want to see
if I can take on dad."

And whilst that's
healthy competition,

There's a, there's
a breeding program

And a group of unrelated females
in melbourne

Who, who much require
their own breeding bull.

And so it's time for
luk chai to depart.

Luk chai.

Here, luk chai.

Narrator: So after caring
for luk chai since his birth,

It's now time to say goodbye.

Narrator: Down at the marine
precinct, everyone's buzzing.

Word has quickly spread
around the zoo

That pregnant
australian sea lion nala

Has some big news.

Michelle: Hi, nals.

Narrator: Her pup isn't due
for another two months,

But nala has other ideas.

Michelle: Hi.
Brad: Hey, nala.

Narrator: And only three weeks
after the last ultrasound,

The seal team are welcoming
an early surprise.

Michelle:
What's your puppy doing?

Brad: Nala has actually
given birth overnight.

It's a bit earlier than
what we're expecting

From our ultrasound measurements
and our mating observations.

And it's a little female,

Which is exactly what
we were hoping for.

Narrator:
Nala's early arrival is due

To the australian sea lion's
unique breeding quirk.

Larry: They have this period

Of what's called
embryonic diapause.

So the embryo will develop
to a certain size,

And then it, then it stops
developing, and this diapause.

And in the australian sea lion

It's not a fixed
period of time either.

It can be anything from
four to six months or so.

Narrator: That made it tricky
to nail down a due date.

But the great news
is that so far

Nala's new pup seems perfect.

Brad: See if nala
wants more food.

She has eaten a bit
this morning already.

Ready, nals.

Super healthy little pup.

She's about seven kilos
birth weight,

And, you know, she'll grow quite
rapidly in the early weeks,

'cause mum's milk's fantastic.

So far, so good.

Narrator: And nala is happily
doing everything

That a proud mum should.

(pup barking)

Brad: Mum's very protective
over the pup.

So she'll always generally keep
herself between us and the pup,

And nala's chosen that bed
for her pupping area,

And so she wants to keep the pup
as close to that point

At the moment, until she gets
a little bit older

And can venture
a little further away.

In the wild, you'd be seeing
the same kind of behavior.

In this early stage,
mum would stay with the pup.

It's that important
bonding stage.

Around day three, day four, mum
will go out and find some food.

But in that time she would stash
her pup in a little rock cave

Or crevice or under a bush
or something like that.

That's why with nala
we're seeing that behavior

Where she thinks that that bed
is her safe zone.

So, you know, that's where
she can stash her pup.

It's a nice,
comfortable area for her,

And so she's happy
to keep the pup there.

Michelle: She definitely
watches it, doesn't she?

Going for a walk again.

Brad: Yeah, that's in trouble
from mum for wandering.

Michelle: Going too far.

Brad: If the pup starts
to venture too far away,

You'll find nala
will actually grab her.

So, like a lot of animals,

And seals don't have hands
to pick up their young,

So they, they scruff them.

So they'll actually lightly
grab them and drag them back.

Michelle: Not allowed
to go too far.

Oh, you scare yourself.

Narrator: But new mum, nala,
isn't the only one beaming.

Michelle: I'm fairly new
to our marine team.

So to be here for the birth
of a puppy is incredible.

It's definitely
a career highlight.

And the fact that we've got
a beautiful, healthy baby girl

Is just,
we're all over the moon.

It's amazing.

So very, very exciting times.

Brad: Previously
here at taronga,

Nala was the last female we had
born in our breeding program.

So we've had three boys
since then.

So it's great to have a girl.

Narrator: Now all this
little one needs to do

Is clear her
very first vet check.

Bradd: Luk chai, come on, bud.
Good boy.

Narrator: -year-old
asian elephant luk chai

Is ready to breed,

And this is causing
competition and friction

Between other elephants
in the herd at dubbo.

Bradd: Hormonally his body
is telling him that,

You know, oh, gee,
I'm raring to go,

I'd like to sort of see,
I'd like to do what my dad does.

Narrator: So luk chai is being
transferred to melbourne zoo

To hopefully breed
with the females there.

Bradd: The move to melbourne
will give him plenty

Of fun opportunities ahead,
we hope.

Alright, luk chai, another one.

Narrator: Keepers bradd and
sheryl have been training

Luk chai for four months
in preparation for his move.

Bradd: So we're four days away
from the journey,

And the transport
of luk chai from dubbo

Down to melbourne zoo.

And this has involved
a lot of logistical work

And a lot of training
and conditioning of luk chai

To enter the specially
designed crate

That we have for him
to undertake this journey.

We're about to start luk chai's
crate conditioning session,

And to do that, we need to put
these bracelets

On both of his front feet,
and they will just allow us

To restrain him into the crate
on the day of the move.

So we practice with this
just like we will

On the, you know, for
the real thing on the day.

Narrator: When dealing
with a / -ton elephant,

Safety for animal and keepers
alike is paramount.

Sheryl: Steady.

Narrator: And to ensure
no surprises

And that luk chai
isn't spooked,

Bradd does
the exact same routine

He's been doing for
the last four months.

Sheryl: Trunk.

Atta boy.

Steady.

Steady.

Bradd: Steady, steady.
Sheryl: Luk chai, foot.

Sheryl: Steady. Steady.

Steady.

Bradd: These conditioning
sessions are important.

So even if it's weeks
or months ahead,

It's really the culmination
of his behavior and attitude

Throughout that time,

Making sure that he feels safe
and secure and comfortable.

And that, that's
the ultimate goal here

Is just to make sure that
his confidence increases

Every single time
that we do this.

So we don't want to take
a backwards step.

Every single time we do it,
we want him to feel fantastic

And leave the session feeling,
"oh, that was no big deal."

Sheryl: Atta boy, luk chai.

Narrator:
Once the braces are on,

Luk chai has been trained
to walk into the crate,

Which will take him to
his new home in melbourne.

Bradd: Good boy.

Come on, bud.

Sheryl: Alright, luk chai,
lift your foot.

Good. Steady.

Bradd: And the reason that
we want his foot up here

Is that we have
to attach a chain

To these bracelets for the move.

And on the day it's just a
matter of linking this chain up

With the bracelet,
so he is safe and secure,

And it's the exact same
as our seatbelts.

When you are traveling at speed

Or you want to keep
yourself safe,

You have to be restrained in.

And we want that for luk chai
during this transport as well.

Sheryl: Alright. Other foot.

Bradd: Well, it's important that
the conditioning sessions

Replicate the match.

Any professional sportsman will
tell you the way that they train

Is to make sure
that they replicate

Sort of match conditions,
and that's what we do.

And it's important
that we replicate

Exactly what it's going
to look like on the day.

Sheryl: Steady.
Alright, very nice.

Bradd: Good boy.

Narrator: With luk chai's
big move now only days away,

Just a few paddocks over,

Two more passengers await their
turn in the departure lounge.

Roger: We have a male
and female, bwana and kaya,

And they're traveling to sydney

To become part of
a new savanna exhibit

That's just recently opened.

The plains zebra lives on kind
of the plains areas of africa,

Which is similar
to here in dubbo.

All the zebras here and
everywhere around the world

Are black and white,
they're a very striped pattern,

And every pattern on every zebra
is different.

A bit like our fingerprints.

So when zebras get together
in a big group,

I believe it's called a dazzle,
'cause it creates

Kind of like an optical illusion
because of that stripey pattern.

If you're a predator,
it makes it more challenging

To pick out an individual
to prey on.

Narrator: Zebra are
easily spooked,

So they're notoriously
risky to transport.

Like a horse, a broken leg
spells disaster,

Which puts a lot of pressure
on roger

Who's driving them to taronga.

Roger: I guess one of
the biggest challenges for me

Is there's no seatbelts
back there for zebras.

The smoother I drive,
the smoother they ride;

And the smoother they ride,

The smoother they should
unload at the other end.

Narrator: As roger heads off,

Back in sydney, keepers are
busy putting the final touches

On the zebras' new home.

Tracey: Shavings in all of them.

Keeper:
Shavings in all of them. Okay.

Tracey: Let them work out
where they're most comfortable.

Narrator:
Which they'll be sharing

With their new housemates,
the giraffe.

Tracey: Well, the good thing
about giraffe and zebra

Is that they don't
compete for food

Out in their natural
environment, out on the savanna.

The giraffe obviously eat from
high up in the acacia trees.

They're browsers,
whereas zebra are grazers,

So they eat the grass
off the ground.

These two animals can actually
act as sentinels for each other,

And as they don't compete,
you quite often will find

Herds of giraffe mixing
with herds of zebra.

Narrator: They may coexist
in the wild...

Emma: Door.

Narrator:
...But the taronga giraffe

Haven't shared
their space in years.

So keepers are hoping to avoid
any confrontation.

Emma: They've all got their own
individual temperaments.

So, fingers crossed
they all get along,

And we don't have any issues
with rivalry or competition,

But they should be okay,
I hope so.

Tracey: There we go, make it
nice and thick and comfortable.

Emma: Nice.

Narrator: With their
new home ready

And their first meal waiting...

Emma: Just going to fluff
this up to make it a little bit

Easier for the zebra to get
their muzzles in and eat.

It is a really high quality
lucerne hay.

So hopefully they'll
find it delicious.

Narrator: Keepers are about
to find out exactly how easy

This zebra introduction
is going to be.

(beeping)

Narrator:
This morning, vet kimberly
has a very special job.

Kimberly: So I'm off today
to see one of our new arrivals.

I'm very excited
'cause I haven't seen

This little guy before.

Woman: Have fun with the seal,
take some pictures.

Kimberly:
I'm so excited. Oh, okay!

Narrator: She's heading down
to the marine precinct

To conduct
the very first vet check

Of nala's newborn pup.

Kimberly: So I just want
to confirm she's at seal bay.

Brad: That's correct, kimberly.

Just in the holding area
next to the lift there.

Kimberly: Thank you.

Narrator: As taronga will be
tracking the pup's health

Over the coming years,

It's vital to get benchmark
readings as early as possible.

Kimberly: I hear them talking.

Narrator: But they'll
have to be quick,

As this will be the first time
that super-protective mum

And her pup
have been separated.

Kimberly:
I hear a lot of noise, brad.

Brad: Yeah, yeah,
we're good to go.

(sea lion screaming)

Narrator: And by the sounds of
it, she's not happy about it.

(screaming)

Kimberly: Okay, so the plan
is you're going to grab,

Then I'll microchip,
and we'll be good.

(screaming)

Brad: Yeah, I mean,
everyone is probably

A little bit stressed out,

'cause no one likes
hearing them call, you know,

We want them to be as happy
and content as possible,

So, naturally for us we're
a little bit heightened,

Because we're trying
to get the process done

As quickly as possible.

Kimberly: Wow.

So how old is she now?

Brad: Two weeks tomorrow.

Kimberly: Two weeks tomorrow.

Alright, we just need
to give her her microchip.

We're putting
the microchip in now,

When she's only two weeks old

Because we can still restrain
her, we can still handle her.

Once she gets bigger it's going
to be really, really difficult

To get our hands on her.

(pup grunting)

We put microchips in most of our
zoo animals for identification,

And it comes in a big needle,

But it's, it's pretty much
standard for zoo animals.

And it's the same thing people
use in their dogs and cats

To identify them.

Narrator: With the microchip
in place,

Kimberly is keen
for a quick look

At the latest addition
to taronga's family.

Kimberly: Can you just
lift her up?

Let me just have a look at her.
She looks great, brad.

(pup grunts)

Oh, yeah, everything looks good.

Her umbilical cord looks fine.

Ooh! Right in the line of fire.

Okay, good.
Let's put her back with mom.

Oh, she is gorgeous.

Oh, she's exquisite.

Just perfect in every way.

This is just a real
blessing for us,

Because we've recently lost
one of our other adult males.

So it's been a real sad year
in the seal department,

And we're really excited
to have this new life

Brought into our, our group.

So I'm very excited.

I feel a bit emotional
about it actually. (laughs)

I heard she was very cute,

And I was like waiting for my
time to come down and see her.

(laughs)

Narrator:
So, mission accomplished

In this quick once-over.

Brad: Thanks, kimberly.

Kimberly: I am glad we can
actually hear you now.

Narrator: Now there's just
one thing this pup is missing:

A name.

♪ ♪

Sheryl: Atta boy, luk chai.

Narrator: -year-old luk chai
has been trained to enter

This crate in preparation
for his move to melbourne zoo.

Sheryl: Good boy. Good.

Bradd: Good, luk chai. Foot.

Narrator: But after months
of preparation,

At the last minute,

World events have brought plans
to a sudden halt.

Bradd: Unfortunately luk chai's
move has been postponed,

Due to the current
pandemic situation

With state borders being closed

And, and everybody's lives
being thrown into turmoil.

Unfortunately that's affected
luk chai as well,

And that won't change until
this pandemic allows, you know,

Borders to reopen and things
to get back to normal.

Luk chai, move up.

Luk chai, come here, bud.

Well, all the positives
that were going to come

Out of this move still remain.

I mean, this is really
just a temporary setback.

You know, luk chai still needs
to find a herd of his own

To be able to take
that next step

In his development
to become a breeding bull.

And whilst, you know,
the development of luk chai

And becoming a breeding bull's
important,

We certainly are appreciative
of the extra time

That we're going to get
to spend with him also.

Narrator: And his keepers
aren't the only ones happy

That luk chai is
staying put for now.

Bradd: One elephant that
won't be complaining

With luk chai staying is sabai.

Luk chai has been an elephant
that his younger brother sabai

Has looked up to, obviously
ever since he was born,

And so the delay has meant sabai
is going to learn

A little bit more
about interacting

With other members of our herd,

And so that's certainly gonna
only be a positive for sabai.

Narrator: So while it's good
for his younger brother, sabai,

Luk chai must wait
a little longer

For the next stage
of his journey.

Narrator: Today taronga's
african savanna precinct

Welcomes a couple
of new residents.

Emma: The zebra are
arriving really soon,

And that's really exciting.

It always comes with
a little bit of worry

From us keepers, though.

Narrator: Thankfully roger's
long drive from dubbo

Was uneventful.

Roger: Generally, once you're
moving in the truck,

The animals in the back
usually settle more.

It's when you stop
they become a little agitated,

But once the truck's moving,
they tend to go into the trance.

Narrator: The finish line
is now in sight.

Gabe: We just want to make this
as smooth as possible.

It's easier if you back in here.

You go this way
and then reverse in.

Narrator: All that's left
is to get them out.

But with every new step,
there's a new concern.

Emma: It always comes with
a little bit of worry

From us keepers, though, because
they are a flighty animal.

They are a very strong animal.

They can kick out.
They can also potentially bite.

They do take fright
quite easily.

Man: You happy?

Gabe: Just have to open
the crate now.

So, fingers crossed.

It looks good, though.

Narrator: To keep the area as
calm as possible for the zebra,

All extra keepers
are moved away,

Giving them the space
they need to unload.

Renae: Super excited to have
zebras back at the zoo.

Hopefully they'll unload well
and settle in quite quickly.

♪ ♪

Jimmy: Best-case scenario for us
here at taronga zoo now

Is that the zebras have arrived,
that they unload nice and slow.

Narrator: And after seven hours
on the road,

They happily oblige.

Emma: Oh, they're so little.

Jimmy: We'll give them
a couple of days' period

For them to make their way into
their stalls or their barns.

So we won't push them
into their barns.

We'll just wait till
they're comfortable

In their environment.

They've got a food trail in,
leading into their barn.

♪ ♪

We just let them relax
in their barn for a bit,

Give them a week, then we put
them with the giraffes.

Fingers crossed all goes well.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

Narrator: It's been two months
since her birth,

And nala's pup is settling
right into the taronga family.

Brad: She loved the little
sand mound the other day.

It's her mission to conquer the
summit by the end of the day.

Narrator: She has everything
she could ever need,

But there is one thing missing,
and that's about to be fixed.

Brad: So today we're announcing
the name of nala's new pup.

There was a competition held
for zoo guests to enter

To help us select the name.

Narrator: The name amalie
has won in a landslide,

And it's also a winner
for the keepers.

Brad: I love the name.

It's the name the keepers
were hoping for,

Because it is a bit of a tribute
to the pup's late grandfather,

Who unfortunately was a seal
that was really special

To a lot of the keepers
here at the zoo,

But he did pass away
earlier this year.

Cool. Ready to go.

Actually I'll grab a couple of,
a couple of toys

To pique her interest
in that space.

(pup grunting)

Narrator: So, armed with
a shiny new name,

Amalie, as always, is ready
for some fun in the sand.

Brad: It's great for
the zoo guests that come,

Because she's right, you know,
in prime viewing space,

And she's totally fine with all
the guests that have come up.

She absolutely loves it.
She rolls around in it.

She's generally completely
covered head to toe in sand.

(screaming)

Sea lions like amalie,

They are generally living
on beachy environments,

Unlike a lot of the fur seals

That tend to haul out
on more rocky areas.

Um, so, you know, it's very
natural for her to enjoy

The sand as much as she is
for, for her species.

(screams)

Narrator: But for the moment
the sand is her limit.

(bellows)

Brad: Nala's pup still
hasn't taken to swimming

Out in the exhibit.

Hasn't built up the confidence

To go for any more of a bit
of a dip off the edge.

And as you can see
from nala's behavior,

She's really encouraging,

Doing those slow swim-bys
and hanging close to the edge.

(bellows)

You might see the little
air bubbles popping up,

And that's just her exhaling
before she pops up

And grabs another breath.

I don't think it'll be too long.

And I think nala will be really
happy if she's in swimming

Sooner rather than later, but
that's completely her choice.

We want her to develop that
at her own pace,

Because it's all that
confidence building

That comes naturally
in her own time,

And for now we're totally happy
for her to hang out here

And play in the sand pit.

Narrator: But all that sand
needs to be washed off somehow.

So keepers will be eagerly
awaiting amalie's first plunge.

Narrator: It's been six months

Since bull elephant luk chai's
move was put on hold,

But keeper bradd has just
received some good news

And is keen to share it.

Bradd: Luk chai, come here, bud.

We've just got word, mate.

The move's back on.

So, pack your bags.

With the current pandemic,

The situations are
normalizing a little bit

With state borders
being reopened,

Clearances being granted

That the move for luk chai
will now proceed.

This is not farewell.

Once he leaves dubbo, he's still
a huge part of our program,

And from a personal perspective
I'll always cherish

All the time that I've,
I've spent with luk chai.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

Narrator:
: the next morning,

And keepers are going through
luk chai's daily routine

Here in dubbo
for the very last time.

Bradd: Morning breakfast,

So this is some horse pellets,
some wheat germ,

And a mix that
they really enjoy.

We also, they're able to put
sort of a bit of vitamins

And minerals and additives
in there for their diet.

And that's catered
to each individual

Depending on their age.

Sheryl: Here.
Luk chai, trunk.

Narrator: Today luk chai is
off to melbourne zoo

As part of an australia-wide
breeding program.

Bradd: This is essentially

Luk chai's last breakfast
with me.

And so, you know,
it's been almost years

Of doing this every single day.

And, yeah, so it's quite
a poignant moment

For our relationship.

And, yeah, this is the,
the breakfast that he'll eat

In the crate before we undertake
the journey down to melbourne.

Sheryl: Alright, luk chai.

Narrator: Months and months
of hard work and training

Have led up to this moment.

Sheryl: Luk chai, move up.

Bradd: It's really the
combination of the relationship

That both sheryl and I
have had with luk chai.

So it all comes down
to this morning,

And we're just about
to put these bracelets on

For the last time.

This is for the real thing.

Sheryl: Foot, trunk.

Luk chai, trunk.

Good boy.

Steady.

Good.

Steady.

Foot.

Trunk.

Very good.

Steady.

Bradd: Good boy, luk chai,
very good.

Okay, let's do it.

♪ ♪

Narrator: And just as they
practiced over and over,

Luk chai loads into the crate.

Bradd: Yeah, you're alright
to open three.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

Sheryl: Atta boy, luk chai.
Bradd: Good boy, luk chai.

Bradd: Come on, mate.
This is the last one.

Good boy. Move up.

Good boy. Put your foot up.

Excellent, luk chai.

Very, very good boy.

Steady, steady.

Sheryl: Alright, luk chai,
look up.

Bradd: Good boy.

So just affixing
the restraints now.

We've got one more to go.
One's on.

Alright.

We're good.

Very good boy.

This morning's going great.

Both the restraints are on, and
you can see he's nice and calm

In the chute, in the crate here.

He's eating his breakfast, which
is exactly what we expected,

And you know, his behavior has
been fantastic this morning.

All the conditioning has
all come down to this,

And it's all paid off.

I'm very proud of luk chai.

He's just taking it
in his stride

As he's done everything
throughout his life.

So we need to get the truck
down here, the crane.

Just need a little bit of light
on the situation,

And whilst all we wait
for that to happen

And the wheels to get in motion,
so to speak,

He's just going to sit here
and enjoy some breakfast.

What a good boy.
Alright, luk chai.

We're just going
to shut the doors, mate,

And then we'll be
on our way, okay?

Sheryl: Good boy, luk chai.

Narrator: It's going to be
a long journey for luk chai,

But a beneficial one.

When he arrives
at the other end,

He will have all the space
and opportunity he needs

To be the successful
breeding male elephant

He was born to be.

Man: Do you want to have a look?
Take a look.

Narrator:
Down at sydney's brand-new
african savanna precinct,

The dubbo zebra are settling
into their new home.

Scott: Usually a move is
quite stressful for an animal.

However, these two here,
they really don't seem

To have minded that much.

This is kaya, our younger of the
two zebra, and she's a female.

She's the cheekier
of the two individuals

And also a lot smarter

And sort of more motivated
to work with us

And also challenge us as well.

This is bwana, he's our
fully intact stallion.

He's got a lot smoother
of a coat than kaya,

And he's also got a lot
thicker black stripes.

He's a very sort of calm,
chilled individual.

Doesn't really get
bothered by much.

He's more interested in food
than anything else.

Narrator: Initial concerns
were that the giraffe,

Who haven't shared their space

With any other animals
for years,

Might not welcome
their two new housemates.

Scott: Us as keepers,
we were quite worried.

However, what we've actually
seen is that these guys here

Are really, really calm
individuals,

And the giraffe have
responded really well

To having zebra
around them again.

Narrator: But in fact,
they're getting on so well,

They're almost inseparable.

Scott: So what the zebra
have actually worked out

Is if they hang out
underneath the giraffe,

They get to eat their food.

The giraffe don't mind because
they don't have to share;

They're just getting
all the leftovers.

And they've basically now,
wherever the giraffe go,

The zebra are
quite close behind.

Narrator: The giraffe and zebra
live happily side by side

On the african plains,
and now taronga have achieved

That same dynamic on the shores
of sydney harbour.

It's a big achievement,

But an even bigger relief
for all involved,

And moves them one step closer
to their end goal:

To fully populate
their own african savanna.

Narrator: -week-old amalie
is learning everything

She needs to know to be
an australian sea lion.

But the only skill left
she needs to master

Is sort of an important one.

It's how to swim.

And every day,
keepers encourage amalie,

Giving her every possible
motivation

To dip her flippers
in the pool.

(grunt)

Today amalie's swim coach
is keeper lyndsay.

Lyndsay: (laughs) hey, nala.
Come on, puppy.

Come here, puppy.

You want to come for a swim?

In you come.

Hello.

(grunts)

(bellows)

So this is a really
important step,

Getting the pup
used to deep water.

When they're first born,
they can't swim,

And they just start paddling

Around the two weeks
of age mark.

She looks a bit tentative today.

She's wandering around there,
not quite taking the plunge yet,

But we'll give her a chance.

She's usually pretty confident
with mum around,

'cause she knows
mum keeps her safe.

So hopefully she'll
jump in very soon.

Narrator: So, with a little
nip of courage...

She's in.

Lyndsay:
Oh, there she goes! Yay.

(bellows)

That's mum just
making sure she's okay

And not getting herself
into any trouble.

You can see she's swimming
just like a big seal,

Has totally worked it out.

One thing she hasn't learned
to do yet, but that will come,

Is dive really deeply.

So as her confidence grows and
she sort of finds her flippers,

You can say, she'll start to
dive a little bit more deeply

And search around the whole pool
like her mum nala does.

Australian sea lion pups have
a really long maternal care.

So their mums will look after
them for to months.

And during that time
they have to teach them things.

So, teach them how to swim,
teach them how to hunt.

You can see she's starting to
even explore up the walls now

Because she's getting
very confident.

She's swimming just
like a pro, really.

She's doing so, so well.

Narrator: And as lyndsay
watches on, a breakthrough.

Lyndsay: She's actually diving
down really deeply with her mum,

Which is the first time
I've seen her do that.

So she's obviously learning
how to hold her breath,

And they do forage along
the bottom of the ocean

In the wild.

So, learning to go down
and search and hunt for food

Is really important as well.

Next step after this will be
the big exhibit pool,

So that'll be really great
to see her out there.

Here she is.

Hello.

Narrator: With amalie's
confidence high

From her dip
in the training pool,

Within a week,
lyndsay's wish is granted.

♪ ♪

And amalie has taken her place
by her mum's side.

This important and precious
australian sea lion

Is now a fully-fledged
part of the seal team,

And guests and keepers alike
can look forward to enjoying

This cheeky little
sea lion's antics

As the newest member of
taronga's ever-growing family.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪