All language subtitles for Cracking the Koala Code PBS Nature 2012 720p EN Sub

Narrator:
IN THIS AUSTRALIAN SUBURB,

A TURF WAR IS UNFOLDING
BETWEEN HUMANS AND KOALAS.

AND THE KOALAS
ARE LOSING GROUND.

IT'S AN OUTCOME THAT'S

SHAKING UP
THEIR SEDENTARY LIVES.

KOALA MALES WILL PROTECT THEIR
SHRINKING PATCH OF FOREST

AND THE FEMALES
THAT INHABIT IT.

WHEN A NEW KOALA SAUNTERS
ONTO THE SCENE,

TENSIONS EXPLODE.

AS THESE
CONFRONTATIONS INCREASE,

SCIENTISTS ARE TRYING TO
UNDERSTAND KOALA COMMUNICATIONS

AND TRACK THEIR MOVEMENTS.

THEY'LL FOLLOW
ONE KOALA MOTHER

BRINGING UP HER BABY IN A WORLD
COLLIDING WITH OURS.

THEY DISCOVER
THE FUTURE KOALAS FACE,

LIVING IN A SEA OF SUBURBS.

[ BELLOWING ]

Narrator: BRISBANE IS
A RAPIDLY EXPANDING CITY.

IT'S HOME TO TWO MILLION PEOPLE,

WITH NEARLY 1,000 MORE
HERE EVERY WEEK.

BUT IN THE OUTSKIRTS
OF THIS SUBTROPICAL CITY

ARE SOME OF THE BEST
EUCALYPT FORESTS IN AUSTRALIA.

THEY PROVIDE REFUGE

TO COUNTLESS ANIMAL SPECIES.

PEOPLE ARE THE NEWCOMERS HERE,

AND THEY ARE COMPETING
WITH ANIMALS

FOR THE SAME REAL ESTATE.

ON A TYPICAL BRISBANE MORNING
IN JULY,

RESIDENTS GO ABOUT
THEIR DAILY BUSINESS.

BUT THE LOCALS ARE UNAWARE

THAT A SILENT WITNESS
SHARES THE SUBURBS.

A FEMALE KOALA

WE CALL "MARY" HAS ALSO MADE
THIS NEIGHBORHOOD HOME.

THIS IS THE BOUNDARY WHERE
THE WORLD OF PEOPLE

AND KOALAS COLLIDES.

INSIDE THESE SMALL
URBAN POCKETS OF FOREST,

KOALA SOCIETY

CAN BE A PLACE OF HIGH DRAMA.

[ KOALAS CALLING ]

[ CALLING ]

FOR A FEMALE IN THE SUBURBS,

THE CONSTANT ATTENTION
FROM THE OPPOSITE SEX

CAN BE EXHAUSTING,

BECAUSE MALE KOALAS
WILL ATTEMPT TO MATE WITH HER

WHENEVER THEY CAN.

AND MARY KNOWS
THE POLITICS AT PLAY.

IF THE DOMINANT MALE CATCHES HER
MESSING AROUND

WITH A SUBORDINATE,
THERE WILL BE TROUBLE.

HER CALL HAS ALERTED
THE ALPHA MALE WE CALL "BUSTER."

WEIGHING IN AT
A BURLY 20 POUNDS,

HE IS THE STRONGEST, MOST
POWERFUL KOALA IN THE COLONY.

HE HAS EARNED HIS PLACE
THROUGH SHEER BRUTE FORCE.

HE MAKES SURE HENRY,

THE RIVAL MALE,
IS PUT BACK IN HIS PLACE.

ASSERTING HIS DOMINANCE,
BUSTER MAINTAINS THE RIGHT

TO MATE WITH ALL FEMALES
IN THE COLONY.

HENRY RETREATS
TO THE SIDELINES.

HIS SNEAKY TACTICS
WERE UNSUCCESSFUL THIS TIME.

CALM RETURNS TO THE COLONY

AND THE KOALAS GO BACK TO
THE BUSINESS

OF BROWSING ON GUM LEAVES.

GUM LEAVES ARE HIGHLY TOXIC,

AND THIS NOXIOUS DIET WAS ONCE
BELIEVED TO SEND KOALAS

INTO A DRUNKEN STATE,

HALLUCINATING FROM THE TOXIC
COMPOUNDS, HIGH IN THE TREES.

BUT LETHARGY IS MERELY
AN ENERGY SAVING ADAPTATION

TO THEIR POOR DIET.

IT TAKES A LOT OF WORK
TO CHEW A LEAF

AND KOALAS NEED TO EAT
FOR FIVE HOURS A DAY

BECAUSE GUM LEAVES
ARE LOW IN CALORIES.

DIGESTING A MEAL
TAKES OVER FOUR DAYS.

AND MARY IS EATING FOR TWO.

NESTLED IN HER POUCH IS BRUCE,
A SIX MONTH OLD JOEY

WHO OCCASIONALLY
VENTURES OUTSIDE.

FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS,

BRUCE HAS BEEN SUCKLING MILK

FROM TEATS
INSIDE HIS MOTHER'S POUCH.

BUT NOW,

IN READINESS FOR EATING LEAVES,

HE MUST CONSUME HER FECES.

FOR THESE CONTAIN "PAP,"

A SECRETION THAT GIVES HIM
THE BACTERIA NEEDED

TO DIGEST TOUGH
EUCALYPTUS LEAVES.

BRUCE IS KEEN TO EXPLORE
HIS NEW WORLD.

[ BRUCE SQUEAKING ]

HE COMMUNICATES
TO HIS MOTHER

WITH SQUEAKS AND MURMURS.

[ CONTINUES SQUEAKING ]

HE WILL STAY BY HER SIDE
UNTIL HE IS A YEAR OLD.

BY THEN HE WILL BE SMART TO
THE WAYS OF KOALA SOCIETY

AND STREET WISE ENOUGH
TO NAVIGATE THE SUBURBS.

IN THIS PATCH OF FOREST IN
THE BRISBANE SUBURB OF PETRIE,

BIOLOGISTS FROM
GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY

HAVE BEEN STUDYING THE MOVEMENT
OF KOALAS FOR TWO YEARS.

CATHRYN DEXTER
AND DAVID BLACK

WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE SOCIAL
DYNAMICS WITHIN A KOALA COLONY

THAT'S SURROUNDED
BY THE SUBURBS.

Dexter: WE TRACK
THE ANIMALS WEEKLY,

TRYING TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING
OF HOW FAR THEY'RE MOVING

AND HOW THEY ARE INTERACTING.

ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO

IS CAPTURE MORE KOALAS
AND PUT COLLARS ON THEM

TO TRACK THEIR MOVEMENTS.

OKAY, IT LOOKS LIKE
WE'VE GOT HIM.

Black: LET ME JUST TAKE
A GPS...

Dexter:
YEP, YOU CHECK THAT.

CAN YOU JUST CHECK
SOME OF THE DETAILS FOR ME?

YEP.
ALL RIGHT, SO,

CAN YOU SEE THE RUMP?

YEP, THE RUMPS GOOD.
SO, GOOD?

OKAY, AND THE...
CAN YOU SEE THE COAT?

YEAH, THE COAT'S FINE,
THE EYES FINE,

THE KOALA'S VERY ACTIVE.

Narrator: THE NEXT STEP
IS TO SNARE THIS KOALA

AND ADD HIM TO THEIR STUDY,

SO A TEAM OF EXPERT CATCHERS
HAS BEEN CALLED IN.

THEY USE A COLORED PAPER BAG
AT THE END OF A POLE

TO COAX THE KOALA
DOWN THE TREE.

Black: I'LL BRING HIM DOWN.

BRING HIM BACK TO YOU.

BRING HIM DOWN.

JUST BRING HIM DOWN.
Dexter: THAT'S BEAUTIFUL.

Black: GOOD, WELL DONE,
WELL DONE.

OKAY, QUICK!
HANG ON.

PUT IT OVER HIS HEAD,
PUT IT OVER HIS HEAD.

NICE WORK, DAVE,
NICE WORK.

WELL DONE ON THAT BRANCH,
NICE, WELL DONE.

Dexter: EACH AND EVERY ONE OF
OUR KOALAS,

WHICH IS NOW OVER 70
FOR THIS PROJECT,

HAVE A FULL HEALTH CHECK
AT THE BEGINNING.

WE GIVE THE ANIMAL
A LIGHT SEDATIVE,

SO ONCE IT'S ASLEEP
WE POP THE NEW COLLAR ON.

Black: WE COLLAR KOALAS BECAUSE
WE WANT TO TRACK THEM.

WHEN WE CATCH THEM,
WE PUT EITHER

A VHF OR A GPS COLLAR ON THEM,

SO THEY'LL HAVE
EVERY FOUR HOUR FIXES.

AND THIS GIVES US A REALLY
CLEAR INDICATION

OF HOW THEY'RE MOVING WITHOUT
HAVING TO TRACK THEM EVERY DAY.

Dexter: ONE OF THE NICE THINGS
ABOUT THIS PROJECT

IS NAMING THE KOALAS,

AND WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF FUN
WITH THAT,

SO, THE NAMES THAT HAVE COME UP
TO ROCK STARS OR MOVIE STARS.

Narrator: THEY'VE CALLED
THIS KOALA "HENDRIX,"

AFTER THE LEGENDARY GUITARIST.

Dexter: SO, ONCE THE COLLAR

IS FITTED, WE TAKE IT
BACK TO THE TREE

THAT WE CAUGHT IT IN
AND RELEASE IT.

ONCE WE'RE ABLE TO
DOWNLOAD THE DATA,

IT GIVES US THE INFORMATION
OF WHERE THAT ANIMAL HAS MOVED

OVER THE PAST
FOUR AND HALF MONTHS.

GOOD LUCK, FELLA.

Dexter: FOR ME PERSONALLY

TO BE INVOLVED IN
A PROJECT LIKE THIS,

WHICH IS GOING TO HAVE
MAJOR OUTCOMES

FOR ROAD MITIGATION,
THAT'S ENORMOUSLY SATISFYING.

Narrator: IT'S NOW SEPTEMBER,
AND CHANGE IS IN THE AIR.

IT'S THE START OF
THE BREEDING SEASON

AND BUSTER IS RESTLESS.

HE IS ANXIOUS ABOUT HIS FEMALES
BEING UNFAITHFUL,

AND HE REMAINS VIGILANT.

HENRY KEEPS HIS DISTANCE

BECAUSE HE DOESN'T WANT
ANOTHER FIGHT.

BUT JUST WHEN BUSTER IS SURE
HE'S ON TOP,

THERE'S MOVEMENT BELOW.

AN OUTSIDER WE'LL CALL "JACK,"
HAS ENTERED THE COLONY,

SO BUSTER DECIDES
TO INVESTIGATE.

JACK IS A FOUR YEAR OLD
TRAVELING MALE --

A WANDERER WHO HAS LEFT
HIS NATIVE COLONY

TO TRY HIS LUCK
WITH FEMALES ELSEWHERE.

BUT HE'S NOT WELCOME HERE.

WHEN THERE'S A CONFLICT,

KOALAS TALK TO EACH OTHER
TO AVOID A FIGHT.

BUSTER REACTS

TO THE ARRIVAL OF
THE TRAVELING MALE

WITH A GUTTURAL BELLOW.

[ BUSTER BELLOWING ]

THIS IS HIS WAY OF SAYING,

"I'M BOSS HERE,
GET OUT OF MY TERRITORY."

JACK REPLIES,
"YEAH? MAKE ME!"

[ KOALAS CONTINUE
BELLOWING ]

BUT BUSTER IS HAVING NONE OF IT.

HE BELLOWS HARDER, AND AT
A DEEPER SOUND FREQUENCY.

THOUGH NOT MUCH LARGER
THAN A CAT,

HE SOUNDS
AS BIG AS A LION.

THE INTIMIDATION TACTIC
SEEMS TO HAVE WORKED.

JACK DECIDES TO MOVE ON.

BUT HE STUMBLES ON
ANOTHER MALE KOALA.

THESE TWO MALES EMBARK ON
A DIFFERENT FORM

OF COMMUNICATION.

JACK SMEARS HIS SCENT
ON THE TREE,

HOPING HIS ODOR WILL INTIMIDATE
THE RESIDENT MALE.

ADULT MALES HAVE A SCENT PATCH
ON THEIR CHEST,

WHICH THEY USE
TO MARK THEIR TERRITORY.

THE KOALA WITH
THE STRONGEST SMELL

WILL WIN THIS
TERRITORIAL DISPLAY.

SO, THE RESIDENT MALE IS FORCED
TO DEFEND HIS TERRITORY

BY SCENT-MARKING BACK.

ONCE JACK CATCHES A WHIFF

OF THE RESIDENT MALE'S
POTENT SCENT,

HE REALIZES
RETREAT IS THE BEST OPTION.

BUT TRAVELING MALES
DON'T GIVE UP EASILY,

AND AS DARKNESS DESCENDS,
JACK BIDES HIS TIME,

PREPARING TO MOUNT
A SURPRISE ATTACK...

UNDER THE COVER OF NIGHT,

JACK RETURNS TO THE COLONY
TO CHALLENGE BUSTER TO A DUEL.

BUSTER FORCES JACK
TO THE END OF THE BRANCH.

96% OF ALL
MALE-TO-MALE ENCOUNTERS

RESULT IN ONE MALE

BACKING OFF.

BUT NOT THIS TIME.

FAR FROM CUTE AND CUDDLY,

BUSTER TURNS FERAL
AND STAGES REPEATED ATTACKS.

JACK HAS NO CHOICE

BUT TO RETREAT TO
THE END OF THE BRANCH

AND ACCEPT HE HAS
LOST THIS BATTLE.

[ BELLOWING ]

BUSTER DECLARES VICTORY
WITH AN ALMIGHTY BELLOW.

HE WANTS ALL THE KOALAS
IN THE COLONY

TO KNOW HE IS STILL KING.

SIMILAR BATTLES
FOR KOALA DOMINANCE

ARE BEING PLAYED OUT
IN PATCHES OF BUSH

THROUGHOUT QUEENSLAND SUBURBIA.

THE LANGUAGE OF KOALAS
HAD BEEN A MYSTERY

UNTIL TWO BIOLOGISTS

FROM THE UNIVERSITY
OF QUEENSLAND

DELVED DEEPER INTO
ITS MEANING.

IN ORDER TO CRACK THE CODE
OF KOALA COMMUNICATION,

DR. BILL ELLIS
AND SEAN FITZGIBBON

CONDUCT AN UNUSUAL
EXPERIMENT.

Ellis: THE KOALA SOCIAL SYSTEM
SEEMS TO BE

A LOT MORE COMPLEX THAN WE MIGHT
HAVE OTHERWISE THOUGHT.

THE QUESTION REALLY WAS,
WHO ARE KOALAS BELLOWING TO?

ARE THEY ADVERTISING?

ARE THEY TRYING TO WARD
OTHER MALES OFF?

WHAT EXACTLY IS GOING ON
WITH KOALA BELLOWING?

Fitzgibbon:
YEAH, WE GOT ONE, BILL.

UP HERE.

Ellis: WE WERE ATTRACTED TO
THIS PARTICULAR SPOT

BECAUSE WE HEARD A BELLOW.

IT SEEMED LIKE A USEFUL TOOL,

RECORDING AN INDIVIDUAL'S
BELLOWS AND PLAYING THEM BACK

TO FIND OUT UNDER WHAT
CIRCUMSTANCES

A KOALA MIGHT
RESPOND TO A BELLOW.

Narrator: FOR THIS EXPERIMENT,
BILL AND SEAN

ARE JOINED BY BRITISH
ACOUSTIC BIOLOGIST,

DR. BEN CHARLTON.

THE IDEA IS TO PLAY BACK

THE GUTTURAL CALLS
OF MALE KOALAS

TO A FEMALE, AND COMPARE
HER REACTION TO EACH.

THE FIRST SOUND PLAYED

IS THE BELLOW FROM
A SMALL MALE KOALA.

THIS IS GOING TO BE PLAYBACK 1.

AND IT'S GOING TO BE
A SMALL MALE.

[ PLAYING RECORDING OF
KOALA BELLOWING ]

Narrator: A HEAD TURN
IS A GOOD RESPONSE

AS FAR AS THE SCIENTISTS
ARE CONCERNED.

[ RECORDING CONTINUES ]

NEXT, THEY PLAY A BELLOW

FROM A LARGE MALE TO SEE
WHAT RESPONSE THEY GET.

[ NEXT RECORDING PLAYING ]

COMING DOWN THE TREE
TOWARDS THE SOUND

SUGGESTS THAT FEMALE KOALAS

ARE ABLE TO GAUGE
WHICH MALES ARE BIGGER,

AND, THEREFORE,
MORE ATTRACTIVE,

BY THEIR BELLOWS ALONE.

THAT'S A VERY STRONG
RESPONSE.

Ellis: WE'RE PRETTY SURE NOW

THAT THE BELLOW IS
AN INDIVIDUAL SIGNATURE

OF EACH MALE.

THERE'S COMPONENTS IN THE BELLOW
THAT INDICATE

HOW BIG THE MALE IS,

AND SO WE THINK THAT, PROBABLY,
FEMALES ARE ABLE TO

SELECT LARGE INDIVIDUAL MALES
SIMPLY BY THEIR BELLOW.

[ BELLOWING ]

[ BARKING ]

Narrator: BUT THE COMMUNICATION
AND SOCIAL SYSTEM OF KOALAS

IS BEING DISRUPTED BY
HUMAN ENCROACHMENT.

KOALAS ARE FOUND
ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY

ALONG AUSTRALIA'S
EAST COAST.

200 YEARS AGO,
KOALA HABITAT WAS ABUNDANT.

BUT TODAY IT IS SO FRAGMENTED

THAT KOALAS CLING ON
IN ISOLATED POCKETS.

ONLY A FEW KOALAS SURVIVE

IN THE OUTER SUBURBS
OF MELBOURNE AND SYDNEY.

BRISBANE IS THE LAST CITY
WHERE THEY ARE FOUND IN NUMBERS.

QUEENSLAND FORESTS HAVE BEEN
CLEARED AT NEARLY THE SAME RATE

AS THE AMAZON.

THREE-QUARTERS OF
THE KOALA'S HABITAT

IN SOUTHEAST QUEENSLAND
HAS BEEN LOST TO AGRICULTURE

AND URBANIZATION.

IN JUST A DECADE,

KOALA NUMBERS HERE HAVE DECLINED
BY TWO-THIRDS.

ON THE MOVE AGAIN,

JACK, THE TRAVELING MALE,
SEARCHES FOR A NEW HOME.

HE VENTURES INTO A WORLD

WHERE THE TREES ARE
MUCH FURTHER APART,

AND SO HE'S FORCED TO ENCOUNTER
HUMAN STRUCTURES

ALIEN TO HIS WORLD.

TRAVELERS ARE USUALLY
YOUNG MALES

THAT ARE YET TO
COME OF AGE.

BUT AS THEY GET OLDER,
THEY GROW STRONGER.

EVENTUALLY HE WILL HAVE
A BETTER CHANCE

OF WINNING A BATTLE
WITH A RIVAL MALE...

IF HE CAN SURVIVE
THE STREETS AND SUBURBS.

IT'S OCTOBER,

AND WITH THE MATING SEASON
IN FULL SWING,

JACK MUST FIND A MATE

IF HE IS TO FATHER OFFSPRING
THIS YEAR.

BEWILDERED BY IT ALL,

HE'S NOT SURE WHERE TO GO

OR HOW MUCH FURTHER
HE MUST TRAVEL

TO FIND A FEMALE KOALA.

HE'S BARKING UP
THE WRONG TREE HERE.

JACK ENTERS
A CONCRETE JUNGLE

INSTEAD OF THE KIND

HE HAD HOPED FOR.

AUSTRALIANS LOVE SEEING KOALAS

IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD,

THOUGH IT'S RARE TO FIND ONE
ON THE STREETS.

KOALAS ARE A PROTECTED SPECIES,

SO IT IS ILLEGAL TO TOUCH
OR TO PICK ONE UP

WITHOUT A PERMIT.

THE SOONER JACK
CAN GET OFF THE STREETS

AND FIND A REFUGE,
THE SAFER HE WILL BE.

THERE ARE FEWER NATIVE TREES
IN THE SUBURBS TO SLEEP IN,

SO HE HAS TO TAKE COVER
WHEREVER HE CAN.

[ DOGS BARKING ]

THE PETRIE SCIENCE STUDY SITE
IN NORTHERN BRISBANE

HIGHLIGHTS A PATCHWORK EFFECT
OF FOREST AND SUBURBS.

ANY KOALA THAT VENTURES
OUT OF THE BUSH HERE

ENDS UP ON THE STREETS.

AND ON THEIR TAIL ARE BIOLOGISTS
CATHRYN DEXTER AND DAVID BLACK.

Dexter: THE INTERESTING THING
ABOUT PETRIE

IS IT'S QUITE GOOD
KOALA HABITAT,

BUT IT'S RIGHT NEXT TO
LOTS AND LOTS OF ROADS.

WE OFTEN FIND THESE ANIMALS
PUSHED OUT INTO THE SUBURBS.

Black:
WE'RE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND

HOW THEIR MOVEMENTS ARE AFFECTED
WITHIN SUBURBAN AREAS,

HOW HUMAN POPULATIONS ARE
AFFECTING THEM,

AND WHY THEY MOVE
IN CERTAIN WAYS.

GETTING A STRONG SIGNAL
FROM OVER HERE,

PROBABLY ABOUT 50 METERS AWAY.

Narrator: THE KOALA
THE BIOLOGISTS ARE TRACKING

IS A MALE CALLED
CAPTAIN BOGART.

THE DATA SUGGESTS

HE'S ALSO
A TRAVELING MALE.

Black: MIGHT ACTUALLY BE
BEHIND THESE HOUSES.

HANG ON,
I THINK I SEE HIM.

YEP, I'VE GOT THE POINT.

OKAY, TAKE THOSE
DETAILS DOWN.

CAN YOU JUST
HAVE A LOOK AND SEE...

OKAY, SO,

CAN YOU SEE
THE EAR TAG?

YEP, IT'S DEFINITELY
CAPTAIN BOGART.

[ DOGS BARKING ]

OKAY.

ALL RIGHT, I CAN'T BELIEVE
IT'S SITTING IN THAT BACKYARD

WITH THAT DOG.

Dexter: WE GET THEM SITTING
IN PEOPLE'S BACKYARDS

WHERE YOU JUST WOULDN'T THINK
THAT THEY'D WANT TO LIVE.

YOU THINK THAT THEY GENERALLY
SHOULD BE BASED IN THE BUSH,

BUT WE FIND THEM QUITE
FREQUENTLY OUT IN THE SUBURBS.

THEY'VE RANGED QUITE A WAY
FROM WHERE THEY SHOULD BE.

Narrator: DAVID HAS BEEN
COLLECTING HOME VIDEO FOOTAGE

FROM RESIDENTS WHO'VE
COME INTO CONTACT WITH KOALAS

IN THE SUBURBS,

AND SOME OF WHAT THEY'VE SEEN
IS RATHER BIZARRE.

Black: I REALLY
FIND IT FASCINATING

HOW THE KOALAS ARE RELATING
TO THE SUBURBS.

[ DOG BARKING IN VIDEO ]

I'VE SEEN KOLAS IN BACKYARDS

WHERE DOGS HAVE
KILLED KOALAS BEFORE --

REALLY HEARTBREAKING.

IN THE SUBURBS YOU SEE
REALLY STRANGE BEHAVIORS.

YOU'LL SEE THEM IN
REALLY STRANGE TREES

AND GOING THROUGH BACKYARDS
OF HOUSES.

THERE'S SO MANY RISKS
THAT THEY'RE TAKING

TO GO INTO THIS
SUBURBAN ENVIRONMENT.

YOU REALLY GET A FEELING FOR
HOW THREATENED THEY ARE

IN THEIR EVERYDAY LIVES.

Narrator:
LIVING IN THE CITY

COMES WITH ITS CHALLENGES.

KOALAS MAY HAVE STARTED LIFE
IN THE SLOW LANE,

BUT FREEWAYS

NOW INTERSECT
THEIR BUSHLAND HOME.

OVER ONE-THIRD
OF ALL KOALA DEATHS

IN SOUTHEAST QUEENSLAND
ARE FROM VEHICLE IMPACT.

OVER 100
ARE KILLED ON THE ROADS HERE

EVERY YEAR.

THE GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY
BIOLOGISTS ARE HELPING KOALAS

TO MOVE FREELY WITHOUT
HAVING TO INTERACT

WITH BUSY ROADS.

THEY ARE PLANTING TREES ON
BRIDGES TO LINK KOALA CORRIDORS

AND ADAPTING UNDERPASSES

TO ENCOURAGE KOALAS
TO GO UNDER THE ROAD.

Dexter: CARS ARE
THE NUMBER-ONE DIRECT KILLER

OF KOALAS.

THE FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION
WE'RE TRYING TO ANSWER IS,

DO KOALAS USE UNDERPASSES THAT
HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED FOR THEM?

Black: WE REALLY WANTED

TO GET VISUAL PROOF THAT THEY
WERE CROSSING THESE STRUCTURES,

SO WE SET UP CAMERAS
AT EVERY POSSIBLE LOCATION

THAT THEY COULD BE CROSSING.

I HAD -- YEAH,

NO EXPECTATION, BUT, I MEAN,
IT WOULD BE FANTASTIC

TO SEE A KOALA --
BUT SUCH A LONG SHOT.

Narrator: IT'S EARLY MORNING

IN THE KOALA COLONY,

AND THE MALES ARE
BECOMING ACTIVE.

MARY AND BABY BRUCE
ARE ENJOYING BREAKFAST.

NOW NINE MONTHS OLD,

BRUCE SPENDS MUCH OF HIS TIME
EATING GUM LEAVES.

HIS LIFELONG BOND
TO THE EUCALYPT FOREST

HAS BEGUN.

HE CAREFULLY SNIFFS EACH LEAF
AND STALK

TO AVOID
THE MOST TOXIC.

KOALAS ARE FINICKY
ABOUT WHICH LEAVES TO EAT.

DESPITE THERE BEING
OVER 600 TYPES OF EUCALYPT,

ONLY FIVE OR SIX SPECIES
COMPRISE THE BULK OF THEIR DIET.

BRUCE STILL RELIES ON HIS MOTHER
FOR MILK,

AND WILL REGULARLY POP HIS HEAD
BACK IN THE POUCH

FOR A DRINK.

AT THIS AGE
HE BECOMES ADVENTUROUS,

AND WILL WANDER AWAY FROM MUM

TO EXPLORE
HIS NEW WORLD.

BUT THERE ARE MANY SCARY SIGHTS
AND SOUNDS NEARBY.

SO HE DECIDES IT'S BEST TO BE
BY HIS MOTHER'S SIDE

WHERE IT FEELS
SAFE AND WARM.

IT'S NOVEMBER,

AND STORM CLOUDS
ARE BREWING.

IT'S THE BEGINNING OF
THE SEVERE WEATHER SEASON

IN SOUTHEAST QUEENSLAND.

THIS TIME OF YEAR,

FOUR INCHES OF RAIN CAN FALL
IN SINGLE DAY,

DRENCHING THE KOALA COLONY.

ALL THE KOALAS CAN DO
IS SIT OUT THE STORM.

THE FUR ON THE KOALA'S BOTTOM
IS DENSELY PACKED

TO PROVIDE A CUSHION
FOR THE HARD BRANCHES

AND INSULATION
FROM THE WET AND COLD.

STILL, IT'S NOT MUCH FUN
BEING OUT IN THE RAIN.

ONCE THE RAIN STOPS,

MARY AND BRUCE NEED TO EAT
TO MAKE UP FOR LOST TIME.

KOALAS SPEND ONLY

FIVE HOURS A DAY
BEING ACTIVE,

AND 19 HOURS A DAY
RESTING OR SLEEPING.

SO EVERY WAKING MOMENT COUNTS --

AND FEEDING IS ALWAYS
THE HIGHEST PRIORITY,

COME RAIN OR SHINE.

AS FOREST IS CLEARED
THROUGHOUT SOUTHEAST QUEENSLAND,

THE KOALA'S HABITAT IS REDUCED
TO SMALL ISLANDS OF BUSH

AMIDST A SEA OF SUBURBS.

JACK WILL NEVER EXPERIENCE
THE NATIVE BUSH

HIS ANCESTORS KNEW.

INSTEAD HE WILL CONTEND WITH
ALL THE STRESSES

OF LIVING IN SUBURBIA.

TRAVELING KOALAS ARE KNOWN TO
ROAM FOR UP TO SIX MILES

TO FIND ANOTHER COLONY.

BUT IN SUBURBIA TODAY,

THE REMAINING GUM TREES
NEEDED FOR FOOD

CAN BE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN.

AND TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE,

JACK HAS UNWITTINGLY
STUMBLED INTO

ANOTHER MALE'S TERRITORY.

THE RESIDENT MALE
ISN'T KEEN ON VISITORS.

HE MAKES SURE THE TRAVELER
KNOWS HE IS NOT WELCOME.

THE RULES OF THE JUNGLE
STILL APPLY,

EVEN IN AN URBAN JUNGLE.

AND JUST LIKE IN THE BUSH,

MALES MUST CONFRONT
EACH OTHER

TO SORT OUT THE PECKING ORDER.

JACK HAS BEEN CAST OUT
ONCE MORE.

HE'S NOW FORCED

TO CROSS WATER TO GET AWAY FROM
THE OCCUPIED TERRITORY.

KOALAS CAN SWIM
IF THEY HAVE TO,

BUT THEIR BODIES ARE DESIGNED
FOR CLIMBING TREES

AND NOT FOR
MOVING THROUGH WATER.

BUT THE YOUNG TRAVELER

IS PERSISTENT
FOR GOOD REASON.

WHILE ALPHA MALES DOMINATE
IN SIZE,

CHANCES ARE
HE WILL FIND FEMALES

BY SNEAKING IN
UNDER THE GUARD.

BIOLOGISTS CATHRYN AND DAVID

HAVE OFTEN SEEN THIS KIND OF
TERRITORIAL DISPUTE

PLAY OUT AMONGST THE KOALAS
THEY'VE BEEN STUDYING.

THEY WERE TRACKING
TWO KOALAS.

ONE WAS THE YOUNG MALE,
HENDRIX,

THEY PUT A COLLAR ON
A FEW MONTHS AGO.

THE OTHER WAS
AN ALPHA MALE

CALLED JAMES.

THEIR PECKING ORDER WAS CLEAR.

JAMES HAD ACCESS
TO THE BEST TREES

AND WAS PREVENTING HENDRIX
FROM USING THEM.

THEN EVERYTHING CHANGED.

JAMES BECAME DISEASED,

AND SO WAS CAUGHT AND TAKEN TO
AN ANIMAL HOSPITAL

WHERE HE REMAINED FOR
TWO AND A HALF MONTHS.

WHILE JAMES WAS ABSENT,

HENDRIX TOOK OVER
HIS TERRITORY.

WHEN JAMES WAS EVENTUALLY
RELEASED BACK INTO THE WILD,

HE WAS IMMEDIATELY PUSHED OUT OF
THE FOREST BY HENDRIX

AND FORCED TO LIVE
IN THE SUBURBS.

Dexter: THE INTERESTING
THING IS NOW,

HENDRIX, WHO WAS
THE YOUNG CHALLENGER,

WAS NOW SITTING IN TREES
WHERE JAMES HAD ONCE SAT.

OBVIOUSLY, JAMES HAD TO FIND
SOMEWHERE ELSE TO GO,

HE'S HAD TO CROSS
QUITE A NUMBER OF ROADS

AND NEGOTIATE FENCES, DOGS,

ALL SORTS OF THINGS.

IT WAS ONLY
A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO

AND HE WAS STILL SITTING IN
THAT BACK YARD.

Narrator: THE SIGNIFICANCE
OF THIS DISCOVERY

IS THAT IT SHOWS

HOW QUICKLY
COLONY DYNAMICS CHANGES

WHEN A DOMINANT MALE
IS REMOVED OR INCAPACITATED

BY DISEASE.

ALTHOUGH IT SEEMS AT ODDS WITH

THE ANIMAL'S
CUTE AND CUDDLY IMAGE,

THE SEXUAL TRANSMITTED DISEASE
CHLAMYDIA

IS RAMPANT IN KOALA POPULATIONS
ACROSS QUEENSLAND.

NOW IT APPEARS
HENDRIX HAS SUCCUMBED.

ARE WE GONNA TRY
THE, UM, OTHER ONE NOW?

THE SICK ONE?

WE WERE JUST GONNA
LOOK AT IT FIRST,

AND THEN WE'LL SEE IF IT'S...

Man: STRAIGHT DOWN...

Black: SO, WHEN WE FIND
A DISEASED KOALA,

WE TRY OUR HARDEST TO CAPTURE IT

AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE
AND GET IT TO

THE AUSTRALIA ZOO
WILDLIFE HOSPITAL,

BECAUSE THAT WILL GIVE IT

THE BEST CHANCE
OF SURVIVING.

SO, 119, HE IS...

Dexter: IT'S A PRETTY
DISTRESSING SITUATION

BECAUSE YOU'VE BECOME ATTACHED
TO THOSE ANIMALS

AND YOU KNOW THAT YOU HAVE TO
DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

I JUST THOUGHT
I'D GIVE HIS MOUTH A LOOK,

GIVE HIM A GENERAL
QUICK CHECK OVER.

Dexter: WE CHECK THE CONDITION
OF THE ANIMAL,

WE CHECK THE COAT,
THE EYES.

OH, HE'S BREATHING AND HE'S...

RIGHT, THAT WAS AT 94.

Dexter: THE OTHER THING
THAT WE DO

IS A BODY SCORE,
AND THAT'S DONE BY

CHECKING THE BACK OF
THE SHOULDER BLADES THERE,

MAKING SURE THERE'S
A NICE SORT OF THICKNESS

IN THE MUSCLE THERE,

AND THAT GENERALLY GIVES YOU
AN INDICATION

OF HOW HEALTHY
THAT ANIMAL IS.

Narrator: HENDRIX WAS FOUND

TO HAVE A MILD CASE
OF CHLAMYDIA,

AND WAS TREATED AND RETURNED
WITHIN A FORTNIGHT --

BEFORE JAMES HAD A CHANCE
TO RE-INVADE

HIS OLD STOMPING GROUND.

LEFT UNTREATED,

CHLAMYDIA WILL CAUSE
CONJUNCTIVITIS

AND BLIND THE ANIMAL.

IT CAN ALSO LEAD TO WET-BOTTOM,
A URINARY TRACT INFECTION

THAT DISCOLORS THE FUR
ON THE KOALA'S REAR.

A NEW VACCINE FOR CHLAMYDIA
IS BEING TRIALED

AND IT IS HOPED THAT THIS WILL

REDUCE THE SPREAD OF
THE DISEASE.

CHLAMYDIA MOVES THROUGH
THE KOALA POPULATION

BY SEXUAL ACTIVITY.

BUT REGARDLESS OF
THE THREAT OF DISEASE,

WHEN THE FEMALE IS IN ESTROUS
AND IN THE MOOD,

THERE'S LITTLE STOPPING
TREETOP ROMANCE.

THROWING HER HEAD
BACK AND FORWARDS

IS A SIGN THAT THE FEMALE
HAS STARTED OVULATING.

MATING ONLY LASTS A FEW MINUTES,

AND THEN BUSTER IS OFF.

[ GRUNTING ]

MALE KOALAS PLAY NO ROLE
IN PARENTING.

OTHER MALES ARE HANGING AROUND,

BUT THEIR CHANCES
OF GETTING LUCKY

ARE THWARTED
IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE.

APART FROM GUARDING
THE FEMALE

FROM THE ADVANCES OF
ANY OTHER SUITORS,

BUSTER HAS SECRETED

A GELATINOUS PLUG THAT GLUES HER
GENITAL TRACT TOGETHER --

A FINAL ATTEMPT TO ENSURE

SHE BECOMES PREGNANT
WITH HIS YOUNG.

THE BREEDING HABITS OF KOALAS
ARE BEING STUDIED IN DEPTH

BY BIOLOGISTS BILL ELLIS
AND SEAN FITZGIBBON,

AND RECENTLY THEY MADE
AN IMPORTANT DISCOVERY.

Ellis: THE SURPRISING THING
THAT WE FOUND WAS THAT

LARGE RESIDENT MALES
WITHIN THE POPULATION

WERE ONLY SIRING
ABOUT 50% OF THE OFFSPRING.

YOU HAD THESE TRANSIENT MALES
THAT TENDED TO

COME AND GO, AND,
LO AND BEHOLD,

IT WAS THESE TRANSIENT MALES
THAT WERE SIRING

THE OFFSPRING AT OUR SITE.

YEAH, SO I WONDER IF THE OTHER
BOYS KNOW YOU'RE HERE, EH?

YEAH, FEW POUCH YOUNG AROUND.

HE COULD BE THE PROUD OWNER
OF SOME OF THEM.

YEAH.

Narrator: THE TRAVELING MALE
IS IMPORTANT

FOR MAINTAINING
GENETIC DIVERSITY.

BUT WHEN HABITAT IS CLEARED,

THE KOALAS LIVING IN
THE REMNANT BUSH

BECOME OVERCROWDED --
AND INBREEDING OCCURS.

AT COOMERA
IN SOUTHEAST QUEENSLAND,

A NEW SUBURB HAS BEEN BUILT

AROUND A SMALL REMNANT
OF ORIGINAL FOREST.

SO AS MANY AS 15 KOALAS
LIVE INSIDE AN AREA

THAT WOULD NORMALLY SUPPORT
ONLY A FEW.

BILL AND SEAN STUDIED
SIX OF THESE KOALAS

AND FOLLOWED THEIR MOVEMENTS

FOR FOUR MONTHS TO SEE HOW THEY
WERE AFFECTED BY OVERCROWDING.

LIKE CATHRYN AND DAVID'S STUDY,

THEY FOUND MALES WERE BEING

PUSHED OUT OF THE FOREST

AND ONTO
THE SURROUNDING STREETS.

Ellis: THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH
SPACE IN THERE

FOR THE KOALAS THAT
NEED TO LIVE IN THIS AREA.

NOW, IF THERE'S THAT MANY KOALAS
CRAMMED INTO A SMALL AREA,

THEY'RE UNDER
A LOT MORE PRESSURE,

WHICH EXPLAINS WHY
IN SOME OF THESE

CROWDED, ISOLATED FRAGMENTS,

WE DO SEE A LOT OF DISEASE.

Narrator: ONE OF THE KOALAS THAT
BILL AND SEAN TRACKED

WAS A MATURE MALE
CALLED HOUDINI.

SO, THIS IS WHERE
WE WERE EARLIER.

YOU CAN SEE HE'S DEFINITELY COME
THROUGH ONE OF THESE FENCES.

Narrator: HOUDINI OCCUPIED
A SMALL PATCH OF TREES

BETWEEN A ROAD AND SOME HOUSES,

AND THEN TRIED TO MOVE INTO
THE CENTRAL BUSH AREA.

BUT THIS WAS ALREADY CROWDED,
SO THE RESIDENT MALE KOALAS

PREVENTED HOUDINI FROM ENTERING
NOT ONCE, BUT FOUR TIMES.

SO HOUDINI WAS FORCED TO SETTLE
FOR A LIFE IN THE MEDIAN STRIP.

Fitzgibbon: HE SCOOTED ACROSS
THE OTHER ROAD HERE,

JUST BRIEFLY
IT LOOKS LIKE,

BUT BY AND LARGE
HE'S JUST HANGING IN

THAT TINY LITTLE
PATCH THERE.

Ellis: KOALAS OBVIOUSLY HAVE

A REALLY COMPLEX
SOCIAL SYSTEM,

AND I THINK THERE'S NO DOUBT
THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING

IN THEIR ENVIRONMENT
IS BREAKING THAT SYSTEM DOWN.

YEAH, IT'S PRETTY CLEAR
IN SOUTHEAST QUEENSLAND

THAT URBANIZATION IS THE BIGGEST
THREAT THAT THEY FACE.

Narrator:
KOALAS ARE BARELY HANGING ON.

MARY AND BRUCE
ARE ON THE MOVE.

KOALAS LIKE TO CHANGE
FOOD TREES REGULARLY,

BUT IT'S NOT SO EASY
WHEN YOU ARE CARRYING

AN EIGHT POUND BABY
ON YOUR BACK.

BRUCE IS NOW 12 MONTHS OLD

AND GETTING TOO BIG
TO CARRY FOR LONG.

SO, HE WILL WANDER AWAY FROM MUM
TO EXPLORE FOR HOURS ON END.

AT THIS AGE HE IS NEARLY
FULLY INDEPENDENT.

MARY IS NOT
PRODUCING MILK ANYMORE

AND WON'T SUCKLE HIM AGAIN.

SO, BRUCE SURVIVES EXCLUSIVELY
ON A DIET OF GUM LEAVES.

BUT HE IS NOT YET THAT GOOD AT
GETTING THEM DOWN THIS THROAT.

LIKE HIS MOTHER,
HE WILL SURVIVE ON

NOTHING BUT EUCALYPT LEAVES

THROUGHOUT HIS EXPECTED
LIFE SPAN OF 12 YEARS.

SEVERAL MONTHS HAVE PASSED
SINCE JACK, THE TRAVELER,

SET OFF DETERMINED TO FIND
A HOME OF HIS OWN.

HE NOW HAS HIS SIGHTS

SET ON RETURNING TO THE COLONY

WHERE HE WAS OUSTED
SIX MONTHS AGO.

HE HAS BECOME OLDER

AND TOUGHER --

MORE CONFIDENT TO NAVIGATE
THE WORLD AROUND HIM.

[ LOWING ]

EVEN THE OPEN FIELDS AND LARGE
ALIEN-LOOKING CREATURES

DON'T INTIMIDATE HIM.

JACK IS DETERMINED TO
HOLD HIS COURSE

AND BRAVE ENOUGH
TO CROSS THEIR PATH.

SUCH TENACITY HAS EVEN SURPRISED
KOALA SCIENTISTS,

WHO NOW HAVE SOME
ASTONISHING RESULTS

FROM THEIR TRACKING DATA.

SIX MILES AWAY FROM PETRIE,

THE BRUCE HIGHWAY IS
THE MAIN FREEWAY IN QUEENSLAND.

IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE
THAT A KOALA WOULD EVER TRY

TO CROSS SUCH AN ACTIVE HIGHWAY,

BUT THAT'S WHAT BIOLOGISTS
CATHRYN DEXTER

AND DAVID BLACK
HAVE COME TO INVESTIGATE.

Dexter: ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT WE UNDERSTAND ABOUT ROADS

IS THAT THEY ARE BARRIERS,

AND YOU WOULD SUSPECT
A SIX LANE HIGHWAY

TO BE A MAJOR BARRIER
TO AN ANIMAL.

OKAY, YEP, HE'S IN
THE CROOK OF THE TREE THERE.

SO CLOSE TO THAT ROAD.

Dexter: WELL, THEY DON'T
SEEM TO HAVE

ANY SORT OF CONCEPT
OF A BUSY ROAD

TO A NON-BUSY ROAD --
THEY SEEM TO BE DRIVEN

TO GO IN A DIRECTION,
AND THEY JUST GO.

Narrator: THEY'VE TRACKED
CAPTAIN BOGART

CLOSE TO THIS BUSTLING SPOT,

AND ARE NOW RETRACING HIS STEPS

TO UNDERSTAND HOW
HE ARRIVED AT THIS PLACE.

Black: SO, YEAH,
WITH CAPTAIN BOGART,

SO, ONCE WE WERE ABLE TO
GET HIS GPS COLLAR OFF,

DOWNLOAD THE DATA,
AND UNDERSTAND HIS MOVEMENTS,

WE WERE REALLY ABLE TO SEE THAT
HE'D DONE THIS MASSIVE WALK.

Narrator: THE TRACKING DATA
REVEALS CAPTAIN BOGART

ROAMED AROUND A PATCH OF BUSH

NEXT TO A MAJOR INTERSECTION
ON THE BRUCE HIGHWAY.

THEN HE WENT OVER
A BUSY OVERPASS,

GOING TO AND FRO,

CROSSING IT
NO LESS THAN FIVE TIMES.

BUT THE TRAVELING MALE'S JOURNEY
DIDN'T END THERE.

HE WALKED ALONG THE HIGHWAY
FOR A MILE,

AND THEN DID SOMETHING
NO ONE BELIEVED WAS POSSIBLE.

HE CROSSED THE HIGHWAY,
ALL SIX LANES OF IT.

THIS IS A TRULY AMAZING FEAT
FOR A TREE DWELLING ANIMAL.

Black: WHEN I FIRST SAW THIS,

I COULDN'T BELIEVE
WHAT WAS HAPPENING.

I WAS LIKE, THAT'S JUST INSANE,

WE DIDN'T THINK THAT THEY WOULD
TRY TO CROSS A SIX LANE HIGHWAY.

Dexter: I DON'T THINK
ANYONE'S EVER SEEN

THAT SORT OF INTERACTION
WITH ROADS,

AND MAJOR ROADS,
AND HOW LUCKY HE'S BEEN

TO ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO
SURVIVE ALL OF THAT.

Narrator: TWO MONTHS AGO,

CATHRYN AND DAVID
INSTALLED SPY CAMERAS

INSIDE A LOCAL UNDERPASS

TO FIND OUT WHETHER
KOALAS WERE USING IT.

TODAY THEY DISCOVER THE RESULTS.

SO, I'VE GOT THE IMAGES BACK
FROM OUR TECH GUY, ROB.

UM, THIS IS, LIKE,
ALL THE IMAGES OF THE UNDERPASS

USING THE SCOUTGUARD CAMERAS.

FIRST ONE --
OH, YEAH.

IBIS --

VERY NICE.

GOANNA.

THE QUALITY IS ACTUALLY
REALLY GOOD.
YEAH IT'S NOT BAD.

SOMETHING AT NIGHT.

OH, WALLABY.

IT'S A WALLABY.
YEAH, YOU CAN
SEE HIS TAIL THERE.

HOLY...

IT'S DEFINITELY A KOALA.

GO NEXT, GO NEXT.

OH, MY GOD...

THIS IS AMAZING,
YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS?

I ACTUALLY THINK WE HAVE GOT

THE FIRST EVER
RECORDED PICTURES,

I MEAN, OF A KOALA USING
A RETROFITTED UNDERPASS.

Black: NOW THAT
WE ACTUALLY HAVE CONFIRMATION,

WE CAN START RETROFITTING

OTHER AREAS WHERE WE KNOW
KOALAS ARE CROSSING.

Dexter: THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE

IS GONNA HAVE SOME REALLY
LONG TERM IMPLICATIONS

FOR KOALAS, TO ALLOW THEM
TO BE ABLE TO

LIVE IN HARMONY WITH PEOPLE.

Narrator: TODAY IS A BIG DAY
FOR ONE LITTLE KOALA.

BRUCE HAS REACHED
THE FIRST STAGE OF ADULTHOOD

AND IS NOW 13 MONTHS OLD.

MARY LETS HIM KNOW
WITH A FRIENDLY BITE

THAT THE TIME HAS COME
FOR HIM TO STOP RELYING ON HER.

IT'S TIME TO EXPAND HIS HORIZONS

AND FIND OUT WHAT
THE WORLD IS LIKE

ACROSS THE STREET.

HE'LL REMAIN WITHIN
HIS MOTHER'S HOME RANGE

AT LEAST FOR THE NEXT YEAR --

NOT TOO FAR AWAY,

BUT STILL DAUNTING
FOR A YOUNG ONE

WHO IS FACING THE BIG WIDE WORLD
ON HIS OWN FOR THE FIRST TIME.

BRUCE STUMBLES INTO A BACK YARD

AND QUICKLY HEADS
FOR HIGH GROUND.

[ DOG BARKING ]

DEPENDING ON HOW STRONG HE GROWS
OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS,

HE WILL EITHER BECOME
A TRAVELER --

CONTINUALLY WANDERING
THE STREETS --

OR AN ALPHA MALE

THAT SETTLES DOWN
IN ONE COLONY.

IT'S FEBRUARY,

AND THE KOALA'S MATING SEASON
IS DRAWING TO A CLOSE.

BUSTER GUARDS MARY JEALOUSLY,

MATING WITH HER
AS OFTEN AS SHE WILL ALLOW.

BUT THIS TIME SHE REJECTS HIM --

AND LET'S HIM KNOW
WITH A SICKENING CRY.

[ MARY CRYING ]

AGAINST ALL THE ODDS,

JACK THE TRAVELING MALE

HAS MADE IT
BACK TO THE COLONY.

HE SENSES THE WEAKNESS IN BUSTER

AND SEIZES THE OPPORTUNITY

TO CHALLENGE HIM
FOR CONTROL OF THE DOMAIN.

HE'S BEEN WAITING FOR THIS
MOMENT ALL BREEDING SEASON,

AND IS NOT HOLDING BACK.

BUSTER MUST RELINQUISH HIS
DOMINANCE TO THE NEW CHAMPION.

JACK HAS TRIUMPHED AT LAST.

JACK'S RESILIENCE
HAS KEPT HIM ALIVE

AND ALLOWED HIM TO RISE TO
THE TOP OF KOALA SOCIETY.

ONLY THE TOUGHEST
SURVIVE LIFE IN THE SUBURBS.

BUT WITH FEWER WILD STRETCHES
OF KOALA HABITAT

LEFT IN QUEENSLAND,

THIS IS BECOMING THE REALITY

MORE AND MORE KOALAS
WILL FACE.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT YOU'VE
SEEN ON THIS "NATURE" PROGRAM,

VISIT pbs.org.