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This is a pangolin...
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..the world's only
truly scaly mammal.
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We know almost nothing about
their lives
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but these creatures have gained
an unfortunate tag -
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pangolins are the most trafficked
wild mammals in the world.
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100,000 pangolins a year are hunted
and trafficked like this.
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More than 4,000 pangolins
were killed to collect
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the nearly three tonnes of scales.
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Their scales and their meat have
become lucrative commodities.
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Selling for as much as $500 a kilo.
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More valuable than ivory.
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Fried pangolin, grilled pangolin,
steamed pangolin.
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This shy creature may become extinct
before most people
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even notice it's there.
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Conservationist Maria Diekmann
is on a mission to save
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these vulnerable animals.
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There's not a chance this pangolin
will be alive a week from now
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if I can't save it.
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Her journey will take her halfway
around the globe.
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To Vietnam...
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..Thailand...
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..and China,
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into the very heart of
the problem...
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There are probably 50 to 100
in each of these bags.
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..where she'll discover a sheer
determination to save an animal that
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we're still tried to get to know.
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We've got a very good chance
of losing pangolins
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within the next decade.
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We're talking about a total
and complete extinction.
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They're the underdogs.
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I've got to fight for the underdogs.
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BRISTLING
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SCALES BRISTLE
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Pangolins are shy,
secretive creatures.
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Quite unlike anything else on
Earth.
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BIRDS CHATTER
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Their claws can dig through
concrete.
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Their thin, sticky tongue...
SLURPING
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..is as long as their bodies.
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They can travel along
on their hind legs.
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These animals have walked the planet
for over 40 million years.
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And there are eight distinct
species.
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Four are found in Africa...
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..and four in Asia.
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Pangolins are the world's only truly
scaly mammals.
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Their scales, just like human
fingernails, are made from keratin.
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But this remarkable natural armour
is the cause of their destruction.
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In the last 20 years,
the demand for pangolin scales
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for use in traditional
Asian medicines
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has decimated their numbers
worldwide.
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Today, a pangolin will be taken from
the wild every five minutes.
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In Namibia, conservationist
Maria Diekmann
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is on the front line of the battle
to save these animals.
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She's been contacted by a stranger
with a pangolin to sell.
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If we see that it's alive,
and I can't convince this guy...
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..I've got to walk away.
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That's really hard.
But if I don't walk away,
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and then I pay him an extraordinary
amount of money,
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then I promise you,
tomorrow he's back in the bush
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and he's getting the next one.
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I've got a 50-50 chance.
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You can film for a couple more
minutes and then camera away.
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The call has brought Maria to
a poor township
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where selling a pangolin
could bring great wealth.
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But she's determined to pay nothing
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to ensure no value is
placed on these animals.
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I'd love to see her, see if
she's OK, but if you keep her,
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she is going to die.
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She's going to die. There's not
a question about it.
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There's nothing you can feed her.
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Nobody in the world has kept
pangolins in captivity,
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except for three people.
I'm one of them.
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This is a guy who's taken
an opportunity,
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he probably just wants some
extra money for his family,
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maybe even a good thing, to put
his kids in school, who knows?
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And he thinks that this is a way
to do it.
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After a tense four-hour negotiation,
Maria leaves...
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..with a pangolin in hand.
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But this is just the beginning.
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Every moment counts.
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It's really a life and death
situation.
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Pangolins are notoriously difficult
to keep in captivity.
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OK, still alive.
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Fortunately, this traumatised animal
will have a second chance,
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thanks to Maria.
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She's one of only a handful of
people in the world
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to have successfully
rehabilitated pangolins.
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But for every one she saves,
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thousands more are being taken
from the wild.
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NEWS ARCHIVE: The pangolin is so
sought-after,
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it's considered the most widely
trafficked animal in the world,
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critically endangered
and facing extinction.
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It is a difficult battle and
the odds aren't with them.
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Maria's fight for pangolins
began just five years ago.
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She runs an organisation
that rescues
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Africa's lesser-known wild animals.
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It was this work that led to
a truly life-changing encounter.
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My first real pangolin that came
to me, that I spent any time with,
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she was actually offered to a shop
owner, who bought her to save her,
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and he called me.
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We formed this incredible bond,
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which pangolins don't usually do
with humans, but we realised why.
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Two days later, as I was preparing
to get a tracker on her and try and
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release her,
she actually gave birth.
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Start filming. It's filming.
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This has never happened before.
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This was the first time anyone
had filmed the birth of a pangolin.
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She was waiting until she felt
secure enough
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and I was able to provide that.
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At that time in the world,
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nobody else had ever raised
a baby that young.
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There were no books
that we could turn to,
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there was really nobody that had
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ever done what
we getting ready to do.
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OK, so that's
a little boy, going in.
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We had to sort of pioneer how to
handle such a young baby pup.
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Look at that, 3.99!
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Oh, my God, this is so exciting!
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Since that first encounter, Maria
has rescued over 50 Cape pangolins.
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You're going to go back into
the wild today.
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Are you going to open up for me?
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Each one teaches her something new
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about these little
understood creatures.
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But in 2015, a very special
animal arrived.
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A baby pangolin that could offer
a deeper insight into her species -
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and change everything.
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The arrival of Honey Bun
was probably one of the
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saddest arrivals ever.
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The mother was seriously abused.
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She'd been kicked around.
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It was obviously on a cement floor,
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because you could see streaks of
the paint on her scales.
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Honey Bun had no damage whatsoever,
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so what had probably happened is the
mother had rolled around Honey Bun
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to protect her.
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So traumatised was she
by her mistreatment,
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that the mother escaped at her first
opportunity...
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..leaving Maria to raise
the newly named Honey Bun...
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GLASS SMASHES
..in a unique living situation.
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BANGING
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Sharing her home with
a troublesome toddler.
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Honey Bun?
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Honey Bun!
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There's nothing for you in there.
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When one little baby pangolin
comes in,
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you're talking about years and years
and years of complete commitment.
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Young pangolins require
round-the-clock attention.
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And as they get older, the biggest
challenge is keeping them well fed.
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Now 18 months old...
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..Honey Bun has developed
quite an appetite.
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Like all pangolins, she feeds
exclusively on insects.
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Sniffing them out with her highly
sensitive nose.
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She has no teeth, but uses her long,
sticky tongue to lap them up.
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Her scales, able to withstand
the bite of a lion,
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help protect her from angry ants.
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And she shuts her nostrils and ears
when feeding.
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Pangolins need to eat millions of
insects in a year.
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The only way Maria can provide this
diet is to allow her pangolins to
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forage naturally for up to five
hours a day.
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Oh, my goodness gracious,
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if I had known that I was going to
have to spend this much time walking
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with pangolins, I might have
second-guessed myself.
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Honey Bun can cover up to six miles
to feed each day...
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..and Maria goes with her,
watching her every move.
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Their trusting relationship gives
Maria the opportunity to observe
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natural pangolin behaviour.
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I've spent thousands and thousands
of hours in the bush walking behind
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pangolins. You know,
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I've probably observed things that
nobody in the world has ever seen.
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A lot of people have thought that
they knew a lot about pangolins
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and those have become facts
that are actually incorrect.
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You know, the books will tell you
that they eat termites and ants.
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No, they mainly eat ants.
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The books will tell you
they're nocturnal.
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No, no, in winter they're not
nocturnal at all.
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And that's the process
that we're in now,
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is actually determining what's true,
what's not true...
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..and figuring out really more about
them, so that we can save them.
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Pangolins are so difficult to study
in the wild,
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we don't even know how long
they live.
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Maria's unique access is helping to
build our understanding
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of this species.
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She meticulously records everything
she observes...
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..and is analysing this with
the help of students,
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like Harvard graduate
Lorena Benitez.
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Honey Bun is incredibly important.
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No-one else has really been able to
follow a pangolin, like,
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through their life like this.
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So we can really see, like, how
feeding patterns, behaviour changes,
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not just between seasons, but during
different life stages,
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so you really understand, like,
the whole pangolin life cycle.
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With all the data we have from
Honey Bun,
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there is just a whole new world of
possibility opened up for pangolin
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conservation in the wild.
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Piece by piece,
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00:16:01,380 --> 00:16:05,820
Honey Bun is helping to unravel the
mysteries that surround her kind.
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But time is not on their side.
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THUNDER RUMBLES,
LIGHTNING CRASHES
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African pangolins are increasingly
under threat.
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About three years ago,
we started stopping shipments,
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looking mainly for rhino and for
elephant,
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and started finding thousands of
tonnes of pangolins.
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That was the real wake-up call for
all of us.
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And nobody knew.
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She's a little disturbed
this evening. You know,
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we've got a really
big storm coming in.
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THUNDER RUMBLES IN THE DISTANCE
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And she just doesn't want to sleep.
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And this...
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I want to show you something,
this is the kind of stuff that...
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..actually keeps me awake at night.
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The problem of pangolin poaching in
Africa stems from the other side of
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the world.
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More than 4,000 pangolins were
killed to collect the nearly
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three tonnes of pangolin scales.
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In Asia, pangolin scales have been
used in traditional medicines for
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centuries.
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And Asian species have long been
hunted for their scales...
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Restaurants here openly,
but illegally,
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serve pangolin on the menu.
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..and their meat.
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Well, I can see some of these guys
don't even have scales.
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All different ages.
There's quite a young one.
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Look at this little baby here.
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Probably a newborn, or just about
ready to be born.
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And this is a delicacy in Asia.
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This demand has driven
Asian pangolins
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to the brink of extinction
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and the international black market
is now turning to African species.
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00:18:08,860 --> 00:18:13,940
Hundreds of thousands of African
pangolin scales are being illegally
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shipped out of the continent.
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This increased trafficking means
more confiscations
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and more pangolins in need
of Maria's help.
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THUNDER RUMBLES
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She has to be prepared for
the worst,
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so she's building for the future.
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I basically sold just about
everything I own.
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My family thought I was
absolutely mad,
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00:18:47,780 --> 00:18:51,740
and my mother was terrified that
I was going to be on the street,
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but it was absolutely the best
decision I've ever made.
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00:18:55,180 --> 00:18:57,620
With help from charitable donations,
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00:18:57,620 --> 00:19:01,660
Maria is building a bespoke
rehabilitation centre.
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00:19:03,020 --> 00:19:05,260
We now have a permanent home.
244
00:19:05,260 --> 00:19:06,900
It's about 300 hectares,
245
00:19:06,900 --> 00:19:09,580
so we've got enough room for animals
to move around in.
246
00:19:12,820 --> 00:19:16,100
In order to save money, I'm actually
the architect and the designer
247
00:19:16,100 --> 00:19:17,700
and I'm also the site manager.
248
00:19:22,060 --> 00:19:25,700
This centre has to become one of
the leading centres for pangolins.
249
00:19:25,700 --> 00:19:27,460
Not for our reputation,
250
00:19:27,460 --> 00:19:31,660
but simply because there's pangolins
that need care in this country.
251
00:19:31,660 --> 00:19:34,180
And there's no other place to do it.
252
00:19:34,180 --> 00:19:38,380
Maria will soon be able to house
more rescued pangolins.
253
00:19:39,660 --> 00:19:41,900
But to ensure they're well fed,
254
00:19:41,900 --> 00:19:44,900
she will need help
walking them every day.
255
00:19:46,420 --> 00:19:50,860
Fortunately, one recent arrival is
already making a big difference.
256
00:19:53,860 --> 00:19:59,380
Steven is this amazing young man who
walked into our lives out of the
257
00:19:59,380 --> 00:20:03,660
blue. We moved to this new area,
and he saw our vehicle,
258
00:20:03,660 --> 00:20:05,980
and he approached one of my
students, and basically said,
259
00:20:05,980 --> 00:20:07,460
"I want to work for these people."
260
00:20:10,580 --> 00:20:12,340
And he's been here for about
six months
261
00:20:12,340 --> 00:20:15,100
and you would have thought
he's been here for 20 years.
262
00:20:17,740 --> 00:20:19,260
Honey Bun adores Steven.
263
00:20:20,500 --> 00:20:21,700
And he adores her.
264
00:20:23,940 --> 00:20:26,380
I feel like it's not a job.
265
00:20:28,100 --> 00:20:29,900
It's something...
266
00:20:31,420 --> 00:20:32,700
..God wanted me to do.
267
00:20:36,300 --> 00:20:41,580
Now, Steven has the responsibility
of walking Honey Bun every day.
268
00:20:51,380 --> 00:20:54,100
Where she goes, he must follow.
269
00:20:56,380 --> 00:20:58,460
Not easy in the dense bush.
270
00:21:02,740 --> 00:21:06,380
And it's clear who's really
in charge.
271
00:21:06,380 --> 00:21:07,820
She's the boss.
272
00:21:13,700 --> 00:21:17,300
With Steven on board,
things are looking up for Maria.
273
00:21:19,740 --> 00:21:24,980
But every day, it seems there is
more bad news for pangolins.
274
00:21:24,980 --> 00:21:29,580
Yesterday's paper, big confiscation
of elephant ivory,
275
00:21:29,580 --> 00:21:33,620
but also pangolins, so it's just
getting worse and worse every day.
276
00:21:34,820 --> 00:21:36,500
In the last couple of months, even,
277
00:21:36,500 --> 00:21:39,180
we're seeing a lot more
confiscations going on.
278
00:21:39,180 --> 00:21:40,420
It's probably a good thing,
279
00:21:40,420 --> 00:21:42,940
in that at least the authorities are
catching people,
280
00:21:42,940 --> 00:21:46,420
but I suspect a lot of it is not
just due to authorities being really
281
00:21:46,420 --> 00:21:48,820
jacked up, it's due to a lot more
trafficking going on.
282
00:21:51,060 --> 00:21:56,660
Two nights ago, our canine unit was
able to detect something
283
00:21:56,660 --> 00:22:00,220
more valuable than ivory.
284
00:22:00,220 --> 00:22:02,300
These are pangolin scales.
285
00:22:09,980 --> 00:22:13,420
And it seems the problem is getting
closer to home.
286
00:22:13,420 --> 00:22:15,660
Where's the wire? This one.
287
00:22:15,660 --> 00:22:18,980
Steven has found evidence of
snare traps.
288
00:22:20,540 --> 00:22:23,780
Maria, I've got two wires again
here, one has got a loop.
289
00:22:23,780 --> 00:22:25,420
There.
290
00:22:25,420 --> 00:22:27,420
That's 100% it.
291
00:22:27,420 --> 00:22:30,260
Ah! You see, there's the loop.
292
00:22:31,300 --> 00:22:32,660
That goes in right like...
293
00:22:34,340 --> 00:22:36,700
All right. Oh, man.
294
00:22:37,860 --> 00:22:40,260
Any animal puts its head through,
295
00:22:40,260 --> 00:22:42,300
and then as it gets
its shoulders through,
296
00:22:42,300 --> 00:22:46,580
and the shoulders are too big, the
wire closes in around their neck.
297
00:22:46,580 --> 00:22:50,780
So it's quite a, quite
a violent, um, death.
298
00:22:53,420 --> 00:22:55,060
SHE SIGHS
299
00:22:55,060 --> 00:22:57,500
If I didn't love my car
so much, I would kick it.
300
00:22:57,500 --> 00:22:58,500
Just...
301
00:23:02,140 --> 00:23:06,420
That somebody thinks they have the
right to come onto my property and
302
00:23:06,420 --> 00:23:10,820
kill my animals, and Steven's
animals, it's, it's...
303
00:23:12,820 --> 00:23:13,820
..it's just wrong.
304
00:23:16,580 --> 00:23:20,220
As Maria is fighting to protect
her own backyard,
305
00:23:20,220 --> 00:23:23,340
there are more cries for help from
further afield -
306
00:23:23,340 --> 00:23:25,540
and they're growing increasingly
disturbing.
307
00:23:27,220 --> 00:23:29,980
I just had this gentleman
write to me.
308
00:23:29,980 --> 00:23:31,900
He was travelling through Angola,
309
00:23:31,900 --> 00:23:34,660
now he's just sent me
a bunch of pictures,
310
00:23:34,660 --> 00:23:37,340
and they're a bunch of pangolins
hanging from a wire.
311
00:23:39,140 --> 00:23:41,380
And they're in different positions
in every picture.
312
00:23:42,580 --> 00:23:43,820
I just thought it was a...
313
00:23:45,060 --> 00:23:47,380
..whole set of different pictures,
then I realised...
314
00:23:49,100 --> 00:23:50,700
..that these pangolins are alive.
315
00:23:53,860 --> 00:23:56,100
Yeah. I had to tell him to leave
the pangolins there.
316
00:23:56,100 --> 00:23:57,780
We can't smuggle pangolins,
317
00:23:57,780 --> 00:24:00,260
we can't be thought to be
smuggling pangolins.
318
00:24:00,260 --> 00:24:02,100
Um...
319
00:24:02,100 --> 00:24:05,580
We've got to work within
the parameters of our laws
320
00:24:05,580 --> 00:24:09,620
and our government's and our
agreements with other countries.
321
00:24:09,620 --> 00:24:11,340
INTERVIEWER: How does that feel?
322
00:24:11,340 --> 00:24:13,100
Um...
323
00:24:13,100 --> 00:24:16,140
Very disempowering
and really frustrating.
324
00:24:21,220 --> 00:24:23,820
You know, it's not enough
to just save Honey Bun.
325
00:24:25,060 --> 00:24:27,780
It's not going to help us to make
changes here in Africa
326
00:24:27,780 --> 00:24:29,300
and we don't stop the Asian market.
327
00:24:30,340 --> 00:24:32,340
The Asian market is the key market.
328
00:24:34,900 --> 00:24:40,060
And if we can slow that down,
or start to put a stop to that,
329
00:24:40,060 --> 00:24:42,100
that's going to solve
a lot of our problems.
330
00:24:46,180 --> 00:24:50,340
Sometimes you just feel like this
one little person in this big,
331
00:24:50,340 --> 00:24:51,740
big ocean.
332
00:25:01,420 --> 00:25:04,660
For Maria, the time has come
to take action.
333
00:25:07,300 --> 00:25:11,340
She is going to journey into the
very heart of the pangolin crisis.
334
00:25:16,660 --> 00:25:20,300
Asia's gone through what Africa's
going to start going through.
335
00:25:20,300 --> 00:25:22,340
What's important now is
that I go over there
336
00:25:22,340 --> 00:25:24,140
and I learn as much as I can.
337
00:25:25,380 --> 00:25:26,820
My reception just goes out,
338
00:25:26,820 --> 00:25:28,620
I'm very lucky to have reception
at the moment.
339
00:25:29,860 --> 00:25:33,780
She's reaching out to people in Asia
who, like her,
340
00:25:33,780 --> 00:25:35,540
are working on the front line.
341
00:25:35,540 --> 00:25:38,180
I'm not the only person
trying to save pangolins.
342
00:25:38,180 --> 00:25:39,580
There's not a lot of people.
343
00:25:39,580 --> 00:25:41,420
We all know each other's names.
344
00:25:41,420 --> 00:25:42,780
Very few of us have ever met.
345
00:25:43,860 --> 00:25:47,300
But Maria is also hoping
she can do something
346
00:25:47,300 --> 00:25:50,140
to combat the demand for pangolins.
347
00:25:50,140 --> 00:25:53,220
In Asia, we're looking at
the end consumer.
348
00:25:53,220 --> 00:25:57,780
So if we can figure out with
the Asians any way to stop
349
00:25:57,780 --> 00:25:59,820
that end consumerism,
350
00:25:59,820 --> 00:26:02,100
then we can stop the poaching
over here.
351
00:26:07,660 --> 00:26:12,100
It's the longest I'll ever have been
away, from Steven and Honey Bun,
352
00:26:12,100 --> 00:26:14,140
and I think Steven's terrified!
353
00:26:18,780 --> 00:26:20,020
But he's going to be fine.
354
00:26:21,420 --> 00:26:24,420
He'll be perfect and I'm
a phone call away if he needs me.
355
00:26:24,420 --> 00:26:26,180
But I think he's going to be
perfect.
356
00:26:26,180 --> 00:26:28,140
If you need anything, just call, OK?
357
00:26:28,140 --> 00:26:29,980
Yes.
358
00:26:29,980 --> 00:26:32,420
You'll do great,
I'm really proud of you, OK?
359
00:26:32,420 --> 00:26:34,220
I'm going to miss Honey Bun
terribly.
360
00:26:34,220 --> 00:26:36,220
Take good care of her.
She's a part of my life,
361
00:26:36,220 --> 00:26:39,860
she's been part of my life for
so many months and years now that
362
00:26:39,860 --> 00:26:41,140
I'm going to miss her.
363
00:26:59,700 --> 00:27:03,900
Maria's mission will take her
over 6,000 miles from home...
364
00:27:05,060 --> 00:27:07,340
..to a completely different world.
365
00:27:40,900 --> 00:27:45,140
The first thing I thought of when I
came to Vietnam is the colour green.
366
00:27:45,140 --> 00:27:48,980
You know, I'm coming from one of the
driest countries in the entire world
367
00:27:48,980 --> 00:27:52,660
to one of the wettest areas,
so there's just water everywhere,
368
00:27:52,660 --> 00:27:54,460
and the colour green
is just everywhere.
369
00:27:59,820 --> 00:28:05,220
Maria wants to prepare herself for
the challenge of rescuing more of
370
00:28:05,220 --> 00:28:06,460
Africa's pangolins.
371
00:28:08,900 --> 00:28:13,140
So she is here to meet someone who's
been leading the fight to save the
372
00:28:13,140 --> 00:28:14,580
Asian species.
373
00:28:15,980 --> 00:28:20,940
Thai Van Nguyen is a world leader in
pangolin conservation.
374
00:28:20,940 --> 00:28:22,700
How are you doing? Oh, great!
375
00:28:22,700 --> 00:28:24,780
Oh, Thai, how...
376
00:28:24,780 --> 00:28:27,020
It's amazing to finally meet you
and be here.
377
00:28:27,020 --> 00:28:31,820
Thai runs an organisation called
Save Vietnam's Wildlife.
378
00:28:33,300 --> 00:28:36,940
Based in the forests of the
country's oldest national park...
379
00:28:38,260 --> 00:28:43,060
..his team is dedicated to rescuing
and rehabilitating the world's most
380
00:28:43,060 --> 00:28:45,500
endangered species of pangolins.
381
00:28:48,140 --> 00:28:49,980
Meeting Thai has been
a dream come true.
382
00:28:49,980 --> 00:28:53,700
He's exactly what I wanted him to
be, you know, this sort of kindred
383
00:28:53,700 --> 00:28:57,420
spirit that has dedicated,
basically, his life to pangolins.
384
00:28:59,100 --> 00:29:02,500
What a pleasure to meet somebody
else that makes you realise that
385
00:29:02,500 --> 00:29:04,660
you're not so crazy after all.
386
00:29:06,740 --> 00:29:08,820
I can't wait to see some of
the Asian pangolins.
387
00:29:10,260 --> 00:29:11,660
Hiya. Hi.
388
00:29:13,020 --> 00:29:14,180
Hi, I'm Maria.
389
00:29:14,180 --> 00:29:16,340
Hi, nice to meet you, I'm Maddie.
390
00:29:16,340 --> 00:29:18,100
Hi, Maddie, nice to meet you.
391
00:29:18,100 --> 00:29:20,220
Welcome! Welcome to Vietnam.
Thank you.
392
00:29:20,220 --> 00:29:23,340
Animal manager Maddie is keen to
show Maria
393
00:29:23,340 --> 00:29:25,980
some of Honey Bun's Asian cousins.
394
00:29:34,740 --> 00:29:36,660
SHE WHISPERS: Oh, she's beautiful!
395
00:29:37,940 --> 00:29:40,780
This is a Sunda pangolin.
396
00:29:40,780 --> 00:29:42,540
Do you want to put her on
the scales?
397
00:29:42,540 --> 00:29:46,180
This adult female has been at
the centre for five weeks
398
00:29:46,180 --> 00:29:47,940
and is being prepared for release.
399
00:29:49,820 --> 00:29:53,700
Is this hair? Yeah, so the
difference between the African and
400
00:29:53,700 --> 00:29:57,580
the Asian ones is that the Asian
ones have hair between the scales.
401
00:29:57,580 --> 00:30:03,300
Her back feet have much longer claws
than our Cape.
402
00:30:03,300 --> 00:30:06,500
Our Cape, the back feet don't
have claws. Just the front. Really?
403
00:30:06,500 --> 00:30:09,980
Yeah. Wow! She is...
She's absolutely gorgeous.
404
00:30:11,860 --> 00:30:14,660
Unlike the Cape pangolins that
Maria knows...
405
00:30:16,060 --> 00:30:19,540
..the Sunda spends much of its life
in the trees.
406
00:30:20,740 --> 00:30:24,460
It's the most widely distributed
species in Asia.
407
00:30:25,940 --> 00:30:30,620
But, as a result of illegal trade,
it's now critically endangered.
408
00:30:35,100 --> 00:30:39,300
Sophisticated criminal networks
smuggle pangolins from the forests
409
00:30:39,300 --> 00:30:42,060
of Southeast Asia
and across borders.
410
00:30:49,620 --> 00:30:52,940
Roughly 10% are intercepted by
authorities.
411
00:30:57,740 --> 00:31:00,140
But the vast majority
slip through the net.
412
00:31:08,500 --> 00:31:11,500
The trade is worth hundreds of
millions of pounds.
413
00:31:20,380 --> 00:31:24,740
Save Vietnam's Wildlife is a
lifeline for pangolins rescued from
414
00:31:24,740 --> 00:31:26,340
the black market.
415
00:31:28,180 --> 00:31:31,220
They've received over 400
this year alone.
416
00:31:32,460 --> 00:31:35,260
And more are arriving all the time.
417
00:31:47,060 --> 00:31:50,220
15 Sunda pangolins were confiscated
418
00:31:50,220 --> 00:31:52,340
near the Vietnamese border
with China.
419
00:31:55,420 --> 00:31:59,060
The team assess the surviving
animals for any sign of injury.
420
00:32:02,660 --> 00:32:06,620
They've all been vomiting
a yellow substance.
421
00:32:06,620 --> 00:32:08,220
And what is the yellow indicating?
422
00:32:08,220 --> 00:32:09,580
That they were force-fed?
423
00:32:09,580 --> 00:32:14,020
Yep. That is the tubes where they
tried to put inside the belly of the
424
00:32:14,020 --> 00:32:16,300
pangolin and put through the mouth.
425
00:32:16,300 --> 00:32:18,740
So you can see this here.
426
00:32:18,740 --> 00:32:22,820
THEY SPEAK IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGE
ON THE RECORDING
427
00:32:22,820 --> 00:32:26,380
These pangolins were destined
for the dinner table
428
00:32:26,380 --> 00:32:29,940
and force-fed to increase
their weight and price.
429
00:32:33,580 --> 00:32:36,660
Every single one of these pangolins
went through that same thing?
430
00:32:36,660 --> 00:32:40,700
Yeah. So they were all handled
by a bunch of loud, noisy people,
431
00:32:40,700 --> 00:32:44,140
pumping things, rice,
into their stomach? Yeah.
432
00:32:48,740 --> 00:32:52,380
When frightened, a pangolin's first
defence is to roll
433
00:32:52,380 --> 00:32:54,700
into a protective ball.
434
00:32:56,100 --> 00:32:58,340
But this makes it easy prey for
poachers.
435
00:33:10,100 --> 00:33:13,380
Most of the animals are, mercifully,
free from injury.
436
00:33:17,020 --> 00:33:21,300
But one young male is in
real trouble.
437
00:33:21,300 --> 00:33:25,660
His back leg has been severed,
most likely by a snare.
438
00:33:25,660 --> 00:33:27,380
Oh, my gosh.
439
00:33:32,980 --> 00:33:36,180
Would you give him a pretty
good chance of survival?
440
00:33:52,260 --> 00:33:54,820
The amount of animals coming in,
it's almost overwhelming.
441
00:33:57,220 --> 00:34:01,980
If the demand continues to increase
in Asia like it is now,
442
00:34:01,980 --> 00:34:04,980
then Africa's heading for this type
of situation,
443
00:34:04,980 --> 00:34:07,900
which means the confiscations are
not going to be one or two animals,
444
00:34:07,900 --> 00:34:10,260
they're going to be
ten or 20 animals.
445
00:34:10,260 --> 00:34:12,500
Exactly what Thai is dealing with.
446
00:34:12,500 --> 00:34:16,220
If I envision that happening at
our centre, we'd have a really,
447
00:34:16,220 --> 00:34:17,420
really difficult time.
448
00:34:19,300 --> 00:34:23,140
It would be impossible for Maria to
cater for the number of pangolins
449
00:34:23,140 --> 00:34:25,740
that Thai's team handles in a year.
450
00:34:28,340 --> 00:34:30,460
But there's one big advantage
here...
451
00:34:35,540 --> 00:34:37,540
..readily available food.
452
00:34:38,700 --> 00:34:43,420
They can buy frozen ant pupae, a
popular snack for people in Asia.
453
00:34:44,940 --> 00:34:49,540
Unfortunately, they're too expensive
for Maria to import back home.
454
00:34:49,540 --> 00:34:53,140
I can't imagine you have to walk
five hours per animal.
455
00:34:53,140 --> 00:34:56,980
Yeah, I can't imagine you get to
open your freezer!
456
00:34:56,980 --> 00:34:59,020
Yeah! Wow!
457
00:35:01,660 --> 00:35:06,540
Ant nests can also be collected from
the trees - if you can reach them.
458
00:35:12,020 --> 00:35:15,140
They're like little packaged dinners
for the pangolins.
459
00:35:16,580 --> 00:35:18,940
This would never be something
we could do in Namibia.
460
00:35:18,940 --> 00:35:22,180
Unfortunately, all our ants are in
the ground, so, you know,
461
00:35:22,180 --> 00:35:24,740
we would basically have to decimate
a one metre area
462
00:35:24,740 --> 00:35:28,060
and by the time we've done that,
to get that piece of ground out,
463
00:35:28,060 --> 00:35:31,140
the ants are going to be forming,
you know, poison for the pangolins,
464
00:35:31,140 --> 00:35:32,340
and it'll never work.
465
00:35:33,340 --> 00:35:38,020
But there is one area where Maria
can learn a lot from this team -
466
00:35:38,020 --> 00:35:40,060
pangolin surgery.
467
00:35:41,100 --> 00:35:44,500
The young male with a missing leg
has been sedated
468
00:35:44,500 --> 00:35:47,020
and is about to undergo
a life-saving operation.
469
00:35:49,180 --> 00:35:51,620
Last night,
he showed an amazing attitude.
470
00:35:51,620 --> 00:35:54,060
He is, he's a plucky little guy.
471
00:35:54,060 --> 00:35:55,700
All the more courage to him.
472
00:35:58,740 --> 00:36:02,820
Pangolins are so rarely kept in
captivity that procedures like this
473
00:36:02,820 --> 00:36:04,220
are not common practice.
474
00:36:05,460 --> 00:36:08,780
For the vets, each one is
a new experience.
475
00:36:10,700 --> 00:36:13,340
This is like doctors working in
a war zone.
476
00:36:13,340 --> 00:36:15,820
They've got patient after patient
after patient
477
00:36:15,820 --> 00:36:17,820
and so they have to learn to work
very quickly,
478
00:36:17,820 --> 00:36:20,260
they have to learn to determine
exactly what's wrong
479
00:36:20,260 --> 00:36:22,740
and what they're going to be able
to do about it,
480
00:36:22,740 --> 00:36:25,700
and that's what these guys
have been dealing with.
481
00:36:25,700 --> 00:36:27,580
It's made them very, very good
at what they do.
482
00:36:31,380 --> 00:36:35,540
I was actually writing notes to
myself - blood pressure, heart rate,
483
00:36:35,540 --> 00:36:37,940
on the amount of gas that
they're using.
484
00:36:41,580 --> 00:36:43,740
The operation has gone
extremely well...
485
00:36:45,340 --> 00:36:47,620
..and the patient
is starting to stir.
486
00:36:51,020 --> 00:36:53,780
His missing leg means
he can't be released.
487
00:36:55,620 --> 00:36:57,340
So, when he recovers,
488
00:36:57,340 --> 00:37:00,500
he will be given the best possible
life at the centre.
489
00:37:06,140 --> 00:37:08,660
But for animals deemed fully fit,
490
00:37:08,660 --> 00:37:11,260
the aim is always to get them
back out in the wild.
491
00:37:13,500 --> 00:37:17,140
Today, nine Sunda pangolins are
going home.
492
00:37:28,940 --> 00:37:31,540
The team have driven for over
ten hours...
493
00:37:33,300 --> 00:37:36,020
..to a specially selected
remote jungle.
494
00:37:40,940 --> 00:37:43,340
They must just not really know
what's going on,
495
00:37:43,340 --> 00:37:44,980
but that second that they come out,
496
00:37:44,980 --> 00:37:49,260
and they realise they're actually
going back out into the wild,
497
00:37:49,260 --> 00:37:51,260
I mean, this is a once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity.
498
00:38:02,420 --> 00:38:05,900
To give the pangolins a fighting
chance of evading poachers...
499
00:38:07,940 --> 00:38:11,780
..the team are heading into the
inaccessible heart of the forest.
500
00:38:29,180 --> 00:38:32,740
Pangolins are solitary, so the team
must release the animals
501
00:38:32,740 --> 00:38:35,140
at different points
throughout the jungle.
502
00:38:47,540 --> 00:38:48,980
As night falls,
503
00:38:48,980 --> 00:38:52,900
it's time for the first of the nine
pangolins to taste freedom.
504
00:39:13,980 --> 00:39:16,780
I tell you, Thai, I would walk
three times up a mountain
505
00:39:16,780 --> 00:39:18,420
just to see that.
506
00:39:19,820 --> 00:39:21,500
One down, eight to go.
507
00:39:26,220 --> 00:39:28,340
As the hours pass, one by one...
508
00:39:29,740 --> 00:39:31,860
..the rest of the pangolins
emerge...
509
00:39:34,460 --> 00:39:36,580
..and then vanish into the forest.
510
00:39:37,940 --> 00:39:41,220
Well, I'm cold and I'm wet, I'm
covered in mud and mosquito bites
511
00:39:41,220 --> 00:39:43,420
and I've been pulling leeches
off myself,
512
00:39:43,420 --> 00:39:45,820
but it's one of the most memorable
experiences
513
00:39:45,820 --> 00:39:47,460
I've ever had in my life.
514
00:39:52,380 --> 00:39:55,380
For the team,
it's been a very long night.
515
00:39:56,900 --> 00:40:00,820
But these animals now have a second
chance for a life in the wild.
516
00:40:09,620 --> 00:40:11,860
As Maria leaves Vietnam,
517
00:40:11,860 --> 00:40:15,460
her thoughts turn to her
beloved African pangolins.
518
00:40:16,820 --> 00:40:20,580
To better understand their fate
in this growing illegal trade,
519
00:40:20,580 --> 00:40:22,060
she's heading west.
520
00:40:37,420 --> 00:40:39,860
I must say, it's
completely overwhelming.
521
00:40:39,860 --> 00:40:44,540
The number of people, the number of
cars, the colours, the signs.
522
00:40:48,900 --> 00:40:50,500
It's very, very different than home.
523
00:40:59,740 --> 00:41:01,380
In the last few years,
524
00:41:01,380 --> 00:41:06,460
Thailand has emerged as a key
transit country for illegal wildlife
525
00:41:06,460 --> 00:41:08,100
contraband from Africa.
526
00:41:09,140 --> 00:41:13,420
Thai authorities are cracking down
hard on wildlife crime.
527
00:41:13,420 --> 00:41:17,820
But, despite these efforts,
the problem is clearly escalating.
528
00:41:17,820 --> 00:41:19,900
Come in.
529
00:41:19,900 --> 00:41:24,980
This doctor is showing Maria
evidence from a recent raid.
530
00:41:39,180 --> 00:41:42,020
1060kg? Yeah.
531
00:41:51,780 --> 00:41:53,060
You found giant...
532
00:41:55,420 --> 00:41:56,820
And tree pangolins.
533
00:41:56,820 --> 00:42:00,900
I mean, there are probably 50 to 100
pangolins in each of these bags.
534
00:42:00,900 --> 00:42:02,900
Yeah.
535
00:42:02,900 --> 00:42:04,140
If not more.
536
00:42:05,180 --> 00:42:09,860
Today, 80% of pangolin scales
confiscated from the global
537
00:42:09,860 --> 00:42:12,700
black market are from
African animals.
538
00:42:12,700 --> 00:42:14,580
It's a lot of pangolins.
539
00:42:14,580 --> 00:42:16,620
Yeah. A lot of pangolins.
540
00:42:20,820 --> 00:42:23,900
In Africa, we're hearing about the
fact that our scales are coming to
541
00:42:23,900 --> 00:42:29,740
Asia and we see pictures of it,
but to touch those bags
542
00:42:29,740 --> 00:42:34,020
and know that the babies that I work
with were in there...
543
00:42:35,620 --> 00:42:38,180
..and just to envision how they must
have died...
544
00:42:39,380 --> 00:42:41,260
..was...was tough.
545
00:42:43,780 --> 00:42:46,420
Can I see some of them?
546
00:42:46,420 --> 00:42:49,460
Well, these are -
they're definitely African.
547
00:42:51,060 --> 00:42:53,420
That'd be down there by the tail
548
00:42:53,420 --> 00:42:56,220
and this is their defence mechanism.
549
00:42:56,220 --> 00:42:58,340
It's quite sharp,
almost like a knife.
550
00:42:58,340 --> 00:43:02,060
Often, you can tell individual
pangolins by the colour, too.
551
00:43:03,260 --> 00:43:05,700
So that's probably three different
pangolins.
552
00:43:05,700 --> 00:43:06,700
Yeah.
553
00:43:08,380 --> 00:43:10,580
I'm afraid you're actually going to
open these
554
00:43:10,580 --> 00:43:14,660
and you're going to find even more
than two species.
555
00:43:14,660 --> 00:43:16,700
You know, we've got four species in
Africa,
556
00:43:16,700 --> 00:43:19,140
you could very well have all four
species here,
557
00:43:19,140 --> 00:43:21,540
and you could very well have
our Cape pangolin.
558
00:43:24,420 --> 00:43:26,820
You know, every pangolin scale that
I looked at today...
559
00:43:27,860 --> 00:43:29,260
..I thought about Honey Bun...
560
00:43:30,700 --> 00:43:33,540
..and, you know,
it's hard not to do that.
561
00:43:33,540 --> 00:43:36,580
You're supposed to stay unemotional,
you're a scientist,
562
00:43:36,580 --> 00:43:39,860
but I'm a conservationist
before I'm a scientist
563
00:43:39,860 --> 00:43:44,540
and I've been fortunate enough to
hold these little creatures alive in
564
00:43:44,540 --> 00:43:48,540
my hands, so it's hard not to
envision them in those dead scales.
565
00:43:51,380 --> 00:43:54,980
Maria cannot help
but think of home and Honey Bun.
566
00:43:54,980 --> 00:43:57,260
PHONE RINGS
567
00:44:00,340 --> 00:44:02,780
PHONE CONTINUES RINGING
568
00:44:05,620 --> 00:44:09,300
Hello, Maria! Hi, Steven!
How are you?
569
00:44:09,300 --> 00:44:13,020
Very well, very well, it's good to
hear from you!
570
00:44:13,020 --> 00:44:15,340
Tell me, how's Honey Bun doing?
571
00:44:16,380 --> 00:44:18,940
Honey Bun is really eating well.
572
00:44:18,940 --> 00:44:22,500
Yesterday, she ate around 56 times.
573
00:44:22,500 --> 00:44:25,740
Oh, just hearing your voice makes me
want to come home right now.
574
00:44:25,740 --> 00:44:27,140
Thank you very much, goodbye!
575
00:44:27,140 --> 00:44:29,900
OK, bye. All right.
576
00:44:32,460 --> 00:44:34,820
Let's go, Honey Bun.
Honey Bun, come.
577
00:44:35,820 --> 00:44:37,740
Come! Let's go.
578
00:44:37,740 --> 00:44:39,340
Let's go.
579
00:44:39,340 --> 00:44:40,980
Oh, let's go! Yes!
580
00:44:40,980 --> 00:44:44,180
It was just so nice to hear
Steven's voice.
581
00:44:45,340 --> 00:44:46,820
Let's go. All right.
582
00:44:46,820 --> 00:44:48,900
Maria was just calling
and greeting you.
583
00:44:49,900 --> 00:44:51,380
Let's go now.
584
00:44:51,380 --> 00:44:54,180
Yeah, it makes me want to get into
a plane and just go home and see how
585
00:44:54,180 --> 00:44:55,820
everybody's doing myself.
586
00:45:00,900 --> 00:45:03,740
But Maria won't go home just yet.
587
00:45:05,180 --> 00:45:08,180
There is one more destination
she must visit.
588
00:45:09,340 --> 00:45:13,380
The end of the line for the majority
of trafficked African pangolins.
589
00:45:14,900 --> 00:45:21,620
In 2017, Chinese customs officials
intercepted the largest illegal
590
00:45:21,620 --> 00:45:23,900
shipment of scales on record.
591
00:45:26,540 --> 00:45:29,740
Pangolin scales are one of
the oldest traditional
592
00:45:29,740 --> 00:45:34,780
Chinese medicines and even as
recently as last year were listed
593
00:45:34,780 --> 00:45:38,060
by practitioners as a cure for
the symptoms of cancer.
594
00:45:40,500 --> 00:45:45,340
Scales from historic stockpiles can
legally be prescribed in hospitals.
595
00:45:46,820 --> 00:45:50,780
But as long as there is a demand for
pangolin products,
596
00:45:50,780 --> 00:45:52,060
there will be a black market.
597
00:45:54,580 --> 00:45:57,980
You can't help but observe the fact
that there's this really,
598
00:45:57,980 --> 00:45:59,700
really ancient culture here...
599
00:46:01,340 --> 00:46:04,260
..sort of in conjunction with this
really, really modern culture.
600
00:46:06,100 --> 00:46:07,900
I think if the change is going
to come here,
601
00:46:07,900 --> 00:46:10,220
it's going to come through
the younger people.
602
00:46:13,820 --> 00:46:16,780
And that's why Maria has come
to China -
603
00:46:16,780 --> 00:46:20,460
to join forces with a highly
influential young woman...
604
00:46:22,140 --> 00:46:25,380
..who's taking a bold approach to
addressing the demand
605
00:46:25,380 --> 00:46:27,340
for pangolin products.
606
00:46:28,500 --> 00:46:32,060
She is one of China's biggest
megastars.
607
00:46:33,420 --> 00:46:35,140
An actress...
608
00:46:35,140 --> 00:46:36,500
..a model...
609
00:46:37,580 --> 00:46:39,460
..and icon -
610
00:46:39,460 --> 00:46:40,820
Angelababy.
611
00:46:41,820 --> 00:46:43,300
KNOCKING
612
00:46:47,180 --> 00:46:49,580
Hello! Hi, Angela, nice to meet you!
613
00:46:49,580 --> 00:46:50,980
Nice to meet you, Maria!
614
00:46:50,980 --> 00:46:53,460
With over 80 million online
followers...
615
00:46:55,820 --> 00:46:58,860
..she's been using her considerable
public profile
616
00:46:58,860 --> 00:47:01,140
to seek help for pangolins.
617
00:47:05,340 --> 00:47:07,860
Angelababy's a perfect ambassador
for pangolins.
618
00:47:07,860 --> 00:47:11,900
She's hitting this whole new young
generation, people really love her,
619
00:47:11,900 --> 00:47:14,940
and she's very, very well known on
this continent.
620
00:47:46,140 --> 00:47:49,500
It's a great story and it's
literally Honey Bun's story.
621
00:47:49,500 --> 00:47:52,660
So the little pangolin that I have,
that's exactly her story,
622
00:47:52,660 --> 00:47:54,980
and it happens over and over
and over.
623
00:47:56,780 --> 00:47:58,220
Wow, wow!
624
00:47:58,220 --> 00:47:59,660
Yeah, it's a long tongue.
625
00:47:59,660 --> 00:48:02,860
Wow. Yeah, their tongue is almost
as long as their body.
626
00:48:02,860 --> 00:48:06,540
Maria is keen to introduce
Angelababy to Honey Bun.
627
00:48:07,540 --> 00:48:10,820
Wow! How old is she?
628
00:48:10,820 --> 00:48:13,660
She is actually about a year
and eight months now.
629
00:48:13,660 --> 00:48:16,300
A year and eight months? Yeah.
630
00:48:16,300 --> 00:48:17,900
Oh, so cute!
631
00:48:17,900 --> 00:48:20,980
Look how they walk! They walk
almost like dinosaurs. Yes!
632
00:48:24,220 --> 00:48:26,700
Very slowly. Yeah.
633
00:48:26,700 --> 00:48:29,420
I like this.
POPPING
634
00:48:32,540 --> 00:48:36,580
She's thinking,
"Which way should I go?"
635
00:48:36,580 --> 00:48:38,420
They're so cute with their hands!
636
00:49:02,620 --> 00:49:05,460
Angela's going to bring a totally
different perspective to the entire
637
00:49:05,460 --> 00:49:07,060
campaign of saving pangolins.
638
00:49:11,740 --> 00:49:14,580
Pangolins definitely need
that high profile.
639
00:49:14,580 --> 00:49:17,860
The rhino have gotten it,
the elephant have gotten it
640
00:49:17,860 --> 00:49:20,100
and pangolins have sort of been
left behind.
641
00:49:25,140 --> 00:49:27,940
This journey has been phenomenal,
642
00:49:27,940 --> 00:49:30,860
but I'm ready to pack my bags again
and get on that flight home.
643
00:49:37,900 --> 00:49:40,780
But Maria's work is far from done.
644
00:49:40,780 --> 00:49:42,620
Hi, Brad!
645
00:49:42,620 --> 00:49:45,100
Maria! My dog is
the official greeter!
646
00:49:45,100 --> 00:49:49,620
Maria's meeting in China has
resulted in an exciting opportunity.
647
00:49:49,620 --> 00:49:50,980
Oh, I'm so glad you're here.
648
00:49:50,980 --> 00:49:55,220
Angelababy is starring in a new
charity campaign for pangolins,
649
00:49:55,220 --> 00:49:57,540
to be rolled out across the globe.
650
00:49:58,820 --> 00:50:02,420
And she'll be joined by another
very special leading lady...
651
00:50:03,380 --> 00:50:05,180
..Honey Bun.
652
00:50:05,180 --> 00:50:07,580
If you think about all
the major conservation efforts
653
00:50:07,580 --> 00:50:10,660
in the world, most of them have
started because of great footage.
654
00:50:12,460 --> 00:50:13,820
Or a classic picture.
655
00:50:15,100 --> 00:50:17,980
I honestly believe in my heart that
the only way we're going to save
656
00:50:17,980 --> 00:50:21,220
pangolins is to introduce them to
the mass public.
657
00:50:21,220 --> 00:50:25,540
Renowned wildlife cameraman Brad
Bestelink has come to film with
658
00:50:25,540 --> 00:50:27,180
Honey Bun.
659
00:50:28,820 --> 00:50:31,340
You're going to see about the pace
that she walks, I mean...
660
00:50:31,340 --> 00:50:33,620
Funny little tummy!
661
00:50:33,620 --> 00:50:35,820
Not many people get to see
a pangolin tummy!
662
00:50:38,820 --> 00:50:41,420
She's quick here. Yeah, she's
real quick. She really moves.
663
00:50:41,420 --> 00:50:43,140
I mean, she's hurrying down there.
664
00:50:45,380 --> 00:50:47,020
Stay with me.
665
00:50:51,660 --> 00:50:53,020
Stay with me.
666
00:50:58,180 --> 00:51:00,660
Brad is ready to give Honey Bun
her close-up.
667
00:51:03,540 --> 00:51:05,420
But that's easier said than done.
668
00:51:06,500 --> 00:51:07,940
Stick with us.
669
00:51:22,740 --> 00:51:24,820
It's a lot harder work
than I thought. You know,
670
00:51:24,820 --> 00:51:26,980
they're moving incredibly quickly
through the bush
671
00:51:26,980 --> 00:51:29,260
and you've got to really
scratch around to keep up.
672
00:51:40,020 --> 00:51:41,700
It may be tricky work,
673
00:51:41,700 --> 00:51:45,700
but filming a pangolin so at ease
is a privileged opportunity.
674
00:51:48,700 --> 00:51:51,620
I've spent the best part of
20 years in the bush.
675
00:51:51,620 --> 00:51:55,060
I've seen three in my lifetime,
twice when I was filming,
676
00:51:55,060 --> 00:51:57,100
once when I was child.
677
00:51:57,100 --> 00:51:59,900
It's just great to spend
a little bit of time
678
00:51:59,900 --> 00:52:03,180
with a pangolin just getting on
with its normal life, you know?
679
00:52:03,180 --> 00:52:05,300
It's just so unusual,
it's really special.
680
00:52:08,620 --> 00:52:12,220
The power of these rare images
can't be overestimated.
681
00:52:13,580 --> 00:52:16,460
They will showcase pangolins as
never before.
682
00:52:20,660 --> 00:52:23,820
Hi, Maria! Hi, Maddie, how are you?
683
00:52:23,820 --> 00:52:26,940
I'm good, thanks, how are you?
Ah, pretty good...
684
00:52:26,940 --> 00:52:28,380
I think, before I went to Asia,
685
00:52:28,380 --> 00:52:32,020
sometimes I felt like I was...
not a ship alone,
686
00:52:32,020 --> 00:52:34,100
but sort of a ship alone in
a big sea.
687
00:52:35,300 --> 00:52:37,940
And now I've realised there's
lots of ships out there.
688
00:52:39,540 --> 00:52:42,380
Hi, Ellen! How are you? Good.
689
00:52:42,380 --> 00:52:46,460
How's the little baby that they did
that operation on - with the leg?
690
00:52:46,460 --> 00:52:48,900
He's doing really, really well.
691
00:52:48,900 --> 00:52:51,940
Oh, that makes me so happy!
692
00:52:51,940 --> 00:52:54,820
Maybe some of us were working
a little bit individually
693
00:52:54,820 --> 00:52:58,660
and now I think we're a bit more of
a cohesive unit.
694
00:52:58,660 --> 00:53:01,260
And I think that's going to be
really important for the future of
695
00:53:01,260 --> 00:53:02,700
conservation with pangolins.
696
00:53:05,340 --> 00:53:09,420
With these new-found friendships,
Maria is now firmly part
697
00:53:09,420 --> 00:53:13,020
of the international effort to
save pangolins.
698
00:53:15,100 --> 00:53:19,220
And her new sanctuary is getting
closer to completion every day.
699
00:53:24,940 --> 00:53:29,540
But it is Honey Bun's recent
collaboration with Angelababy that
700
00:53:29,540 --> 00:53:31,940
could have the biggest impact
of all.
701
00:53:41,820 --> 00:53:44,700
The campaign has been launched
online
702
00:53:44,700 --> 00:53:51,620
and viewed in China over 25 million
times in just the first day.
703
00:54:07,700 --> 00:54:09,140
Honey Bun may not know it...
704
00:54:11,940 --> 00:54:15,420
..but she's now a global ambassador
for her kind.
705
00:54:22,260 --> 00:54:26,860
But even as the campaign is making
waves around the world,
706
00:54:26,860 --> 00:54:30,500
day-to-day life for this celebrity
remains the same.
707
00:54:35,340 --> 00:54:37,020
The seasons are changing.
708
00:54:39,060 --> 00:54:41,420
Spring rains are on the way.
709
00:54:43,820 --> 00:54:47,220
Oh, Honey Bun loves this time
of year.
710
00:54:47,220 --> 00:54:48,860
So she's going to be going
much deeper,
711
00:54:48,860 --> 00:54:51,340
she's going to be finally able to
get into those ant eggs...
712
00:54:53,420 --> 00:54:54,860
..which are full of nutrients.
713
00:54:56,660 --> 00:54:59,660
It's actually really nice to
anticipate how she's going to look
714
00:54:59,660 --> 00:55:01,660
in a couple of months.
715
00:55:01,660 --> 00:55:04,500
She's going to gain some weight and
she's going to gain some length
716
00:55:04,500 --> 00:55:07,020
and she's going to turn into
a young adult.
717
00:55:07,020 --> 00:55:08,660
As Honey Bun grows up,
718
00:55:08,660 --> 00:55:12,500
she will reveal more precious
secrets about her species.
719
00:55:13,940 --> 00:55:17,380
But there will come a time for her
to leave Maria
720
00:55:17,380 --> 00:55:19,220
and live as a wild animal.
721
00:55:20,500 --> 00:55:24,700
In order to prepare her for
the wild, we start pulling back.
722
00:55:24,700 --> 00:55:27,140
And it's not just a physical way of
pulling back,
723
00:55:27,140 --> 00:55:29,020
it's also a mental way of
pulling back.
724
00:55:31,140 --> 00:55:33,420
I've got to start letting her go.
725
00:55:52,100 --> 00:55:53,660
Hey, HB, what are you doing?
726
00:55:55,980 --> 00:56:00,020
She's actually digging a deep hole,
even deeper.
727
00:56:02,220 --> 00:56:03,900
This is all really great preparation
728
00:56:03,900 --> 00:56:05,500
for her going back
out into the wild.
729
00:56:07,140 --> 00:56:08,580
As the sun starts to set,
730
00:56:08,580 --> 00:56:11,060
she's realising she needs to prepare
for the night.
731
00:56:13,260 --> 00:56:15,540
If she were in the wild,
she'd go to sleep right there.
732
00:56:17,340 --> 00:56:21,140
She's growing up and she's becoming
more and more independent of me
733
00:56:21,140 --> 00:56:24,020
and in a way it's kind of sad,
734
00:56:24,020 --> 00:56:26,980
and in a way it's really exciting.
735
00:56:26,980 --> 00:56:31,300
So, you know, it's all about that
day that I'm going to say, you know,
736
00:56:31,300 --> 00:56:32,860
"Hey, babe, you're on your own."
737
00:56:47,380 --> 00:56:51,220
She's actually sucking my fingers
like she used to suck a bottle.
738
00:56:51,220 --> 00:56:54,580
She hasn't done this in ages.
739
00:56:54,580 --> 00:56:57,780
There's just these moments like this
that are so endearing
740
00:56:57,780 --> 00:56:59,580
because they take us back, you know,
741
00:56:59,580 --> 00:57:02,580
a year and a half when she would
have been suckling milk out of her
742
00:57:02,580 --> 00:57:05,540
little bottle and I would have been
holding her like this.
743
00:57:05,540 --> 00:57:08,820
And there's not many of those
moments any more,
744
00:57:08,820 --> 00:57:11,020
but once in a while, they just
hit you, and it's...
745
00:57:12,140 --> 00:57:14,060
It's really like going back in time.
746
00:57:17,860 --> 00:57:20,580
If the pangolin went extinct in
the wild,
747
00:57:20,580 --> 00:57:21,940
I've failed.
748
00:57:21,940 --> 00:57:23,380
And if we're going to
fail on that,
749
00:57:23,380 --> 00:57:24,940
then what else are we going to
fail on?
750
00:57:27,620 --> 00:57:29,500
Not, not on my watch.
751
00:57:29,500 --> 00:57:31,020
Not on my watch.
752
00:57:45,820 --> 00:57:47,700
PHONE RINGS
753
00:57:52,060 --> 00:57:54,580
SHE SPEAKS IN HER OWN LANGUAGE
62440
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