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Episode 3

Animal Park 30-Minute Editions
Episode 3 of 15

Tragedy strikes in Koala Creek as kidney disease claims the life of Wilpena and keepers fear Violet could suffer the same fate as the vet is called

Tragedy strikes in Koala Creek as kidney disease claims the life of Wilpena. One of five Southern Australian koalas who made the long journey from Australia to their new home in Longleat, she fell victim to one of the diseases which can besiege these fragile creatures.

Oxylate nephrosis is endemic in these marsupials and, as Ben Fogle and Kate Humble discover, there was nothing the park鈥檚 koala team could have done to save her life. Keeper Chris reveals how Wilpena died in his arms. But he and head keeper Jon reveal to Kate that her death might not be in vain. Sad as her death was, this koala could enable scientists to take huge strides in their research and find a way to wipe out this killer kidney disease.

Jon and the team are super vigilant in caring for these fragile creatures, known to be one of the hardest to care for. Daily urine and poo samples are collected and analysed, and the four surviving koalas are also carefully weighed. But how do you persuade a koala to pee in a collecting tray and just what does a weigh-in involve?

As keeper James analyses one of Violet鈥檚 pee samples, alarm bells ring.
Could she be facing the same terrible fate as Wilpena?

But there is happier news on the marsupial front when Ben and Kate catch up with wallaby Newt. The last time they met him, he was a hand-reared tot. But now he is quite the bruiser and soon ready to do what an adult male wallaby does. And there is news of a surprise and mystery pregnancy.

Ben is on the trail of a little bird with a big personality and a big reputation for dodging capture to get him to a new home. Ronnie the Turaco does everything his cousins would do in the wild 鈥� hopping and zooming from branch to branch in the Butterfly House and in the process dodging the keepers鈥� best efforts to catch him.

Ben is on the trail of a little bird with a big personality and a big reputation for dodging capture to get him to a new home. Ronnie the turaco does everything his cousins would do in the wild 鈥� hopping and zooming from branch to branch and in the process, dodging the keepers鈥� best efforts to catch him.

And Jean Johansson discovers how monitor lizard King Tut can rev up from being quiet and sleepy to a fast-paced killing machine when food鈥檚 about.

28 minutes

Last on

Sun 28 Nov 2021 12:30
主播大秀 One except Scotland & Scotland HD

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Music Played

Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes

  • 00:01

    Rae Morris

    Love Again

  • 00:22

    New Hope Club

    Medicine

  • 00:24

    Ennio Morricone

    The Good, The Bad and The Ugly - Main Title/Ecstasy of Gold

    Orchestra: The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.
  • 00:26

    The Trashmen

    Surfin' Bird

  • 00:27

    The Centurions

    Bullwinkle Part II (From Pulp Fiction)

Credits

Presenter Kate Humble
Executive Producer Joff Wilson
Presenter Ben Fogle
Series Producer Jane Lomas
Presenter Jean Johansson
Production Company Remarkable TV

Broadcasts