Original subtitles

- [birds chirping] - [animal coos]

[narrator] The birth of a baby animal is always special.

- [birds tweeting] - [purring]

But for those on the brink of extinction,

every new life…

- [exhales] - …brings hope.

[chirping]

Six endangered youngsters

raised in our world…

[meowing]

…are on the journey of a lifetime…

[man] Follow me.

[narrator] …back to theirs.

Are you inquisitive? Yeah.

[narrator] But they can't do it on their own.

He lost his mother.

- [elephant snorts] - [hisses]

[narrator] With human foster parents helping them on their way…

[man] You don't need to be scared, I'm here with you.

[bear whines]

[narrator] …can these little ones help save their species…

[woman] If you love something, you have to let it go.

[narrator] …and return to the wild?

[orchestral swell]

[woman vocalizing, music climaxes]

[dramatic drumroll]

- [soothing music playing] - [insects chirping]

[phone beeps, vibrates]

[beeping continues, stops]

[narrator] In Zambia, Southern Africa,

there's a very special nursery…

[keeper] Wam.

Wam.

[narrator] …for orphaned baby elephants.

[keeper] Good morning, Wam.

[music continues]

[narrator] The latest arrival is Wam.

Short for Wamwayi.

How was your night, boy?

Did you sleep well?

Good boy.

[narrator] Just a few months old,

he was found trapped in a water hole.

No one knows what happened to his family.

[music continues]

Underweight and scared, he was rescued and brought here…

to the Lusaka Elephant Nursery.

[exhales through trunk]

Enjoying your milk?

[narrator] Without his mum, Wam now relies on his keeper,

Aaron Gumbo, to take care of him.

Feeding him every three hours.

- [Aaron] Good boy. - [snuffing]

[narrator] The hope is Wam will, one day, be returned to the wild.

A big journey for this little calf.

[music fades]

Over the last 50 years, Africa's lost more than 60% of its elephants,

mainly due to poaching.

[elephant rumbling]

[narrator] The world's largest land animal is now endangered.

So, every calf counts.

- [whines] - [Aaron] Easy boy, be calm.

[grunts]

[narrator] If he's to make it back to the wild…

[chuckles]

[narrator] …this little calf will spend two years in elephant nursery.

- [Aaron] Wam! - [rumbles]

[narrator] With six other youngsters,

all orphans.

[keeper laughs, exclaims]

[narrator] Wam's the smallest and youngest.

[squeaks]

[narrator] He needs to learn what to eat,

how to stay safe…

[larger calf grumbles]

…and most importantly, how to make friends.

It's going to be a crash course…

- [crunch] - [snorts]

- …in elephant education. - [whimpers]

[animal chittering]

[narrator] Each morning…

- Come on, guys. - Let's go.

- Come on, let's move. - Let's go. Let's go.

[narrator] …Wam and all the other little elephants

are led to a meadow where lessons can begin.

First up…

[Aaron] Come and get your milk, Wam.

[narrator] How to use your trunk.

They need to use this trunk because the trunk is the hand.

Uh, also they use the trunk to drink water,

and also if they are unable to use it, then they can suffer.

[narrator] When it comes to trunk control, the bigger elephants are experts.

[large elephant rumbles]

[narrator] But Wam is just getting started.

[Aaron] Watching them learning how to use their trunk,

it's just like watching a baby learn how to use

a knife and a fork to eat.

[narrator] A human hand has around 30 muscles.

- [squeaks] - An elephant's trunk

has tens of thousands.

So there's lots to get to grips with.

- [volunteer] Hold, good boy. - [rumbles]

[narrator] It can take up to a year for Aaron and the team

to help each orphan master their trunk.

[volunteer] Wam, hold the bottle and watch Olimba.

Be strong, be strong, be strong.

- [Aaron] He almost got it. - [chuckles]

[Aaron] Yeah, you can do it, Wam. Keep trying.

[keeper] Hold the bottle. Hold the bottle.

- Oh! Wam! - [Aaron laughs]

You can do it, boy. Come on.

- [keeper] Come on, boy. - [Aaron] Yes, that's my boy.

Strong, strong, strong.

[Aaron] Keep going! [groans]

[narrator] Wam's still got a long way to go.

- [volunteer] Next time. - [rumbling]

[narrator] A week later, the little calf's growing well.

[Aaron] Let's go, my boy.

[narrator] But he's missing something important.

- [elephant grunts] - Friends.

The other orphans have already formed a tight-knit gang.

And, like any gang, they have a leader.

Two-and-a-half-year-old Olimba.

- [Aaron] Olimba, come on. - [rumbles]

[narrator] If she accepts Wam, the others will too.

[grumbles]

But right now…

- [growls] - [trumpets]

…they're not the most welcoming bunch.

- [growls] - [trumpets]

[growls]

[snorts]

[growls]

[snorts]

[Aaron] My worry about Wam is, I have observed

that some of the elephants from this herd,

they've been, like, bullying Wam.

[narrator] Young elephants learn by copying each other.

On his own, Wam will miss out on vital life skills.

He really needs to make elephant friends.

[narrator] And Aaron knows that loneliness

can lead to something far more serious.

[Aaron] The fact that they lost their parents,

and they still have that heart breaking.

If they stay alone for more time, you find that they stop eating.

Yeah, some of them, they end up, like, dying.

[narrator] For now, Wam's foster parent is his only companion.

[Aaron] They have no one left to check on them.

So I'm here to act as an elephant mummy.

Because Wam is just like my… uh, my son.

[narrator] Aaron offers one-to-one care.

Even letting Wam suck his finger to soothe him.

[Aaron] Whenever he sees me, he always comes to me and have a hug,

give me five, and always come to me, you know, for love.

And give him my finger to suck,

and I also give him some comfort.

Good boy.

It's my dream to see him released back into the wild.

[sighs]

- [Aaron] Come on! - [elephant trumpets]

[narrator] From six months old, baby elephants start eating solids.

[Aaron] We normally provide the elephants

with these branches and leaves at night.

Because the elephants, they like, uh, eating always.

So Wam's favorite is, uh, the rubber tree. This one.

Sometimes, we find that he even eats all the bark.

[narrator] Growing youngsters can eat over a hundred pounds

of leaves and branches a day.

[Aaron] So, these branches, they are enough for the night.

Because Wamwayi is my favorite, so I will give him rubber, his favorite.

[chuckles] So, this one is for Wam.

[narrator] After a day in the meadow,

Wam and the others are led home for the night.

[Aaron] Come on, get your leaves. Wam! Wam!

[narrator] The calves all sleep in a giant elephant dormitory.

[Aaron] Here's your blanket.

[Wam rumbles]

[narrator] Because he's so small, Wam has his own pajamas.

[Aaron] Yeah, actually, we do it, uh, every night.

We put the blanket on.

[narrator] But putting PJs on a quarter-ton toddler…

[Aaron] Easy, Wam.

[vet] Be calm, Wam. Be calm, be calm, be calm.

[narrator] …is no simple task.

[vet] This is very important.

[Aaron] In the wild, you always find that the mothers,

they always put the babies in the middle of them,

so that they can keep them warm.

Now, finish your bottle and go and sleep.

[Wam snorts]

[narrator] Just like bedtimes everywhere,

settle one down…

and another makes trouble.

[vet] Chip, stop stealing!

[playful music playing]

Where's yours? Where's yours?

This is not yours. It's for the baby. Eh?

Neighbors. Bad manners.

[music continues]

Good night. Good boy.

[music fades]

[narrator] Finally, the calves calm down.

[sighs]

Just like us, elephants dream.

[snores]

But after everything he's been through, Wam's sleep is restless.

[snoring]

[Aaron] He's so scared. He has nightmares.

[narrator] This little elephant has a long way to go…

if he's to make it back to the wild.

[insects chirping]

Three weeks on,

the timid youngster is still not part of the gang.

But he is slowly growing in confidence.

[Aaron] Easy, boy. Easy.

[narrator] And seems to have taken a shine to one elephant in particular.

[Aaron] Wam! Olimba! Let's go. Let's go, guys.

[narrator] The leader, Olimba.

[Aaron] Olimba. Come on.

He's following her everywhere.

[narrator] And his perseverance is starting to win her over.

[Aaron] At first, Olimba was trying to push Wam a little bit.

But, uh, this time, everything is okay.

Which is great.

[narrator] She even gives him his first hug in months.

[rumbles]

But the rest of the elephants…

are still picking on him.

- [grumbles] - [snorts]

[growls]

And it's starting to get nasty.

- [growls] - [trumpets]

But now, Olimba's keeping an eye on things.

[growls]

[whimpers]

She knows Wam's just too small to stick up for himself.

[snorts]

And no one messes with the boss.

[adventurous music playing]

[Olimba trumpets]

With Olimba by his side, Wam's made his first friend.

[Wam huffs]

[music continues]

She evens lets him do something very special.

Suckle her ear.

[music slows and fades]

The elephant equivalent of holding hands.

[Aaron] It's really a good thing to see.

It makes me warm inside to see him, like, interacting with Olimba.

It's a big step forward. Yeah, and I'm happy about that.

[narrator] Over the coming months, Wam goes from strength to strength.

His trunk control's…

Yeah, there you go!

[narrator] …getting better.

And with Olimba close by, he starts to learn from her.

What to eat…

and how to push down trees to get to the freshest leaves.

- Well… - [Wam groans]

…he's working on that.

[keepers laugh]

[insects chirping]

[narrator] Most importantly, Wam's stopped having nightmares…

and now sleeps soundly.

[snores]

[birds twittering]

[chirps]

[elephant rumbles]

[narrator] Finally settled into life at the nursery…

Hello, Wam. Hey.

- [rumbling] - Good morning, boy.

[narrator] …once again, his world is about to be turned upside-down.

Olimba is now three years old…

Hey, cutie, Olimba.

How are you today?

[narrator] …and it's time for her to leave the nursery and return to the wild.

[Aaron] She's been good to Wam,

so wherever Wam is, Olimba is also there.

These guys, they are always together.

[narrator] Wam's much too young to go with her.

[trumpets]

He still needs feeding eight times a day.

[rumbles]

Oliver.

Come on. [mumbles]

Good boy.

Take it easy, Wam.

[narrator] To move her safely, Olimba has to be sedated.

- [gun fires] - [Olimba grunts]

[keeper clicking tongue] Come on.

[quiet trumpet]

Come on.

[keepers murmuring]

[narrator] The team works quickly to move her into a waiting lorry.

[overlapping chatter]

[keeper] Up! Up! Up!

[overlapping chatter]

- [narrator] Securely loaded… - [door slams]

…she's off to begin her new life.

Leaving Wam behind.

[trumpeting]

[melancholy music playing]

[narrator] Elephants are highly emotional animals.

[trumpets softly]

It's believed they experience loss and grief.

[huffs, trumpets]

[music continues]

[Aaron] You can see, he's wondering where Olimba has gone.

[Wam trumpets]

It is heartbreaking.

Wam has been through a lot of suffering in his life.

So it is very hard to see him in more pain.

[melancholy music continues]

[huffs]

[birds chirping]

[narrator] Over the next few weeks…

- [Aaron] Wam! Wam! - [Wam trumpets]

Let's go. Let's go, guys.

[narrator] …Aaron tries to keep the daily routine on track.

[Aaron] Let's go.

Come on.

[narrator] But the youngsters are unsettled.

[Aaron] When Olimba was leading them, they were moving, moving a lot,

because Olimba was the leader.

But now, Olimba's not with them, now, they're just close with us keepers.

[narrator] Wam's been hardest hit,

and has gone back to sucking Aaron's finger for comfort.

[Aaron] Come on. Let's go, guys.

[narrator] But his foster father…

[Aaron] Wam! Wam! Wam!

[narrator] …has got a plan.

[elephants snorting]

[Aaron] They are just like kids, you know.

Sometimes they do some things just for fun.

Swimming is one of, uh, their favorite activities.

[narrator] A coating of muddy water stops them getting sunburned.

Like elephant sunscreen.

[trumpets]

[narrator] The herd seems to be loving it.

[elephant snorts]

All except one.

Wam has barely got his toes wet.

Look, it's-- it's too hot today.

Go and have fun with your friends.

[trumpeting]

Yeah, there he goes.

[narrator] It's a chance for Wam to start making new friends.

But that's going to take some time.

- [thunder rumbles] - Over the coming months,

Wam sees a lot more water.

[thunder rumbles]

In the wet season,

three feet of rain can fall in just a few weeks.

Transforming the little elephant's world.

More than a year since he arrived at the nursery,

he now weighs half a ton.

[Aaron clicks tongue] Come.

[narrator] And there's another telltale sign he's growing up fast.

[Aaron murmuring]

[narrator] His tusks are coming through.

[Aaron, in Nyanga] Look, you can see this one.

And this one is on the verge of coming through too.

[volunteer responds]

[Wam rumbles]

[in Nyanga] Very fast now.

[narrator] Adult tusks can reach eight feet long.

So, Wam's got some catching up to do.

Tiny tusks or not…

[Wam grumbles]

…his confidence is growing.

And he's got a new playmate, Daliso.

- [grumbles] - [huffs]

Another young male with slightly bigger tusks.

[grumbling]

[narrator] At this age, elephants start to wrestle,

testing their strength.

[in English] Daliso, his tusks, they're also coming out,

so he feels like he's also a man.

So, he might fight back sometimes.

[both growling]

- [narrator] With Olimba gone… - [rumbling]

…Daliso is becoming Wam's new best friend.

[growling]

And together, they're a bit of a handful.

[trumpets]

[Aaron] He's so big and strong now.

- [grumbles] - [grunts]

I have to be really careful.

[narrator] He doesn't know it yet, but Wam's almost outgrown the nursery.

Soon he'll be heading here,

to Kafue National Park.

Eight thousand square miles of wilderness.

An elephant paradise.

Where Wam will have to use everything he's learned

to become part of a new family.

[orchestral swell]

[birds twittering]

He'll be the youngest once again.

And will need to make new friends.

[chirping, hooting]

[Aaron] Easy, boy. Come.

Yeah, easy boy.

Today's a big day, you know? You ready?

Huh?

You're all grown up now, Wam.

[rumbles]

[narrator] The time has come for Wam to leave the nursery.

[Aaron, in Nyanga] This way, boy.

[narrator] Just like Olimba,

he needs to be sedated so the team can move him safely.

[in Nyanga] Hey, you need to do it quickly.

- [Wam growls] - [Aaron, in English] Easy. Come on.

[growling]

[Aaron] Easy. Easy. [speaks in Nyanga]

[Wam huffs]

[Aaron murmurs]

[clicks tongue]

[in Nyanga] This way.

[Wam panting]

[in English] Easy, easy.

Easy, boy.

[whispers] Easy, easy.

[narrator] Aaron makes sure he can breathe by keeping his trunk open with a stick.

[man] One, two, three, up!

- [overlapping chatter] - [man] Up!

[overlapping chatter]

[Aaron] Out, out, out.

[Aaron] Yeah. Good. Great.

[narrator] But Wam's not going alone.

- [man] Ready? - [all] Yeah.

[narrator] His new best friend Daliso is going too.

[overlapping chatter]

[narrator] Precious cargo loaded…

time to hit the road.

Moving the world's largest land animals is always risky.

[brakes hiss]

[Aaron grunts]

I'm worried because if it gets too hot, the elephant can die.

[elephant breathing heavily]

[Aaron] So close to getting back into the wild,

and I don't want to lose him now.

[elephant huffs]

[animals squawking]

[narrator] After all day on the road, they finally make it to Kafue.

[brakes hiss]

[Aaron clicks tongue]

Come on. Come on. [murmurs]

[narrator] Wam's first night will be spent in a stable.

- [huffs] - [Aaron] Sleep well. Okay?

Now you're a big boy, Wam.

We've come a long way together. You know that?

[narrator] Tomorrow, he'll meet his new family.

Don't worry.

I'll be there with you, okay?

[rumbles]

[bird hoots]

[insects chirping]

[elephant grumbling]

[narrator] The following morning,

Wam gets a first look at the Kafue herd.

[grumbles]

[huffs]

[trumpets softly]

[narrator] A group of orphan elephants

who all live together in the national park.

[trumpets]

Bigger teenagers with larger tusks.

[rumbles]

Today, they've been coaxed into a paddock, so they can be introduced,

with Aaron and the rangers keeping an eye on things.

The hope is Wam will be accepted.

[optimistic music playing]

[music pauses]

[narrator] He needs to play this just right.

[tentative music playing]

Elephant playground politics are just like our own.

If he's too shy, he could be bullied again.

[Wam grumbles]

Too confident, and it could be seen as a sign of aggression.

- [Aaron] Okay, my boy. - [huffs]

[narrator] He approaches one of the younger females.

[huffs]

[music stops]

It's not the warmest of welcomes.

[roars]

[grumbles, hisses]

[narrator] But, like the first day at a new school…

[exhales]

…it's always good to have a friend.

[soft trumpet]

Daliso joins him.

Together, they start to mingle.

[low rumbling]

When Aaron feels the new boys are settled and safe,

the gates are opened.

[cheerful music playing]

[elephants rumbling]

And Wam takes his first steps back to the wild.

[music continues]

[Aaron, in Nyanga] Be free. Be strong.

This world has called you back, Wam.

[music continues]

[narrator] The moment has come to say goodbye.

[huffs]

[music slows]

[music fades]

[insects chirping]

[thunder rumbles]

[bird shrieks]

[narrator] Aaron's back in Kafue National Park

to see if Wam's settling in.

Wamwayi. Wam. Aaron wants to see you, Wam.

Yeah. And I can't wait to see him.

Yeah.

[narrator] Head Ranger Lasick has been keeping an eye

on the youngster's progress.

Oh, Wam is doing well. He has grown up.

He's a good boy, Wam, now. He knows everything.

- Yeah? - [chuckles]

[narrator] The herd can wander for miles every day.

[in Nyanga] Has anyone seen where Wam is today?

[narrator] With a bit of help, Aaron finally finds what he's looking for.

[gentle music playing]

[murmurs]

[in English] That is Wam in the middle there.

[Aaron] That's my boy!

[music swells]

[Lasick] See how he has grown?

[Aaron] Yeah, he has grown bigger, and he looks nice and fat.

He's even more stronger.

Wam, Wam, Wam, Wam, my boy.

[chuckles]

[music continues softly]

Has he made more elephant friends yet?

[Lasick] Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Daliso is still his best friend,

but Wam is friendly to everyone.

[Aaron] Oh, wow!

[chuckles]

He has come a long way.

[Lasick] Mmm. It's true.

They know that Wam is now part of our family.

They've accepted him.

My boy has finally learned how to make friends.

[narrator] Three years after his rescue,

this once timid little orphan has found his place in a new family.

[music swells]

In the future, it's hoped he'll have young of his own,

giving a much-needed boost to this amazing species.

Now he looks like a real wild elephant.

Be safe, my boy.

[music fades to a single violin]

[music fades]

[narrator] Next time, a penguin chick faces a fight for survival.

[cheeps]

I'm gonna cry. [chuckles]

[narrator] This plucky little one must overcome…

You can call it the runt of the litter.

[narrator] …a difficult start.

[chirps]

[narrator] It's sink…

Um, he is quite below the water level.

[narrator] …or swim.

But if he can make it back to the wild,

he could help save the world's most endangered penguin species.

[braying]

[cheerful theme music playing]

[orchestral swell, music fades]