Original subtitles

Narrator: SOME OF THE RAREST CREATURES ON EARTH

ARE FADING FROM EXISTENCE BECAUSE OF ONE SIMPLE PROBLEM‐‐

THEY WON'’’T BREED.

Ken: THE ADULT MALE GENERALLY TRIES TO KILL THE FEMALE.

JoGayle: THAT FIRST YEAR THERE WERE NO BIRTHS.

WE HAD NO IDEA JUST OF THEIR BASIC BIOLOGY.

Narrator: BUT WHEN NATURE FAILS, SCIENCE STEPS IN...

JoGayle: WOW. BEAUTIFUL.

BEAUTIFUL!

Narrator: IN THE FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL

THESE ANIMALS HAVE A CRITICAL ALLY...

JoGayle: IT'’’S A CHALLENGE, I THINK,

AND WE LIKE CHALLENGES IN SCIENCE.

Narrator: DETECTIVE...

MATCHMAKER...

SURGEON...

DR. JOGAYLE HOWARD IS OVERTURNING THE IDEA

THAT ENDANGERED ALWAYS LEADS TO EXTINCT.

JoGayle: YOU'’’RE BRINGING THEM BACK TO LIFE

WITH THAT FROZEN SPERM, AND SO THEIR GENES LIVE ON.

Narrator: NOW SHE'’’S TRAINING AN ENTIRE GENERATION‐‐

AN ARMY OF REPRODUCTIVE SPECIALISTS

WHO WILL SECURE THE FUTURE FOR ENDANGERED SPECIES.

AT THE SMITHSONIAN'’’S NATIONAL ZOO

IN WASHINGTON, D. C.,

YOU CAN FIND 400 SPECIES FROM AROUND THE GLOBE.

BUT BEHIND THE SCENES, THE ZOO HAS ANOTHER MISSION‐‐

TO MAKE BABIES.

SPECIES LIKE THE GIANT PANDA‐‐

TEETERING ON THE BRINK OF EXTINCTION‐‐

OFTEN CAN'’’T REPRODUCE ON THEIR OWN.

JoGayle: OF COURSE YOU WANT NATURAL BREEDING,

EVERYBODY WANTED THE NATURAL BREEDING.

BUT WHEN OUR MALE KIND OF FAILED TO NATURALLY BREED,

WE JUST KNEW IT WASN'’’T GOING TO HAPPEN.

WE WERE READY AS A BACKUP TO DO ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION.

Narrator: PAINSTAKING RESEARCH HAD REVEALED THAT FEMALE PANDAS

ARE ONLY FERTILE ONCE A YEAR FOR A MERE 48 HOURS.

MEI XIANG, THE ZOO'’’S FEMALE, IS AN ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT CASE.

HER TINY WINDOW OF TIME IS UNPREDICTABLE‐‐

JUMPING AROUND THE CALENDAR FROM YEAR TO YEAR.

TO IDENTIFY THE RIGHT MOMENT TO INSEMINATE,

DR. JOGAYLE HOWARD FIRST HAD TO EXAMINE

MEI'’’S BEHAVIOR AND HORMONE LEVELS FOR TELLTALE CLUES.

THIS TEAM IS ACCUSTOMED TO ASSEMBLING ON A MOMENT'’’S NOTICE.

FOR THE ACTUAL INSEMINATION,

JOGAYLE IS THE FIRST IN THE WORLD

TO USE A UNIQUE LAPROSCOPIC INSTRUMENT

TO INSERT SPERM FROM THE ZOO'’’S MALE PANDA, TIAN TIAN,

DIRECTLY INTO MEI XIANG'’’S UTERUS.

JoGayle: IT'’’S INTENSE ANY TIME YOU WORK ON GIANT PANDAS.

YOU KNOW, IT'’’S WORLD NEWS.

Narrator: IN JULY OF 2005,

TAI SHAN‐‐ NICKNAMED BUTTERSTICK‐‐

BECAME THE FIRST HEALTHY GIANT PANDA

EVER BORN AT THE NATIONAL ZOO.

[CUB BARKS]

Woman: OH, GOODNESS GRACIOUS.

Narrator: TODAY, JOGAYLE'’’S PIONEERING TECHNIQUES

ARE USED TO BREED GIANT PANDAS

IN THEIR NATIVE CHINA AND AROUND THE WORLD,

RESULTING IN TEN TIMES MORE BIRTHS EVERY YEAR.

BUT THERE ARE STILL MANY MYSTERIES

ABOUT PANDA REPRODUCTION.

Lisa: SO I WONDER IF SHE'’’LL COME INTO ESTRUS

IN JANUARY THIS YEAR.

JoGayle: THAT IS THE BIG QUESTION.

Narrator: AND PANDAS ARE JUST ONE OF THE SPECIES

JOGAYLE IS OUT TO SAVE.

TECHNICALLY, SHE'’’S A THERIOGENOLOGIST‐‐

AN EXPERT ON FERTILITY AND REPRODUCTION.

SHE'’’S BEEN THE NATIONAL ZOO'’’S MATCHMAKER FOR 30 YEARS.

JoGayle: THE NATIONAL ZOO WAS ABOUT THE ONLY PLACE BACK THEN

THAT YOU COULD COME AND HAVE A TRAINING PROGRAM

IN REPRODUCTION.

AND I REALIZED THAT THIS IS WHAT I WANTED TO DO.

IT'’’S SO CUTE.

Narrator: THREE DECADES AGO,

EVEN WITH A QUARTER OF THE WORLD'’’S MAMMAL SPECIES

FACING EXTINCTION,

THE SCIENCE OF ANIMAL REPRODUCTION

WAS STUCK IN THE DARK AGES.

JoGayle: LITTLE WAS KNOWN ABOUT THESE SPECIES,

AND I REMEMBER VERY VIVIDLY THAT AT THAT TIME

A ZOO WOULD PUT A MALE AND FEMALE TOGETHER ON EXHIBIT

AND IF THEY DIDN'’’T BREED,

GET RID OF HIM, GET ANOTHER MALE IN.

Narrator: BUT SOME ENDANGERED POPULATIONS ARE SO FAR GONE,

THAT KIND OF APPROACH IS A RECIPE FOR DOOM.

JoGayle: I WAS SHOCKED AT THE LEVEL

HUMAN REPRODUCTIVE MEDICINE HAD COME,

WE WERE NOWHERE NEAR THAT IN WILDLIFE.

Narrator: TODAY, IT'’’S A DIFFERENT STORY.

AT THE NATIONAL ZOO'’’S

SMITHSONIAN CONSERVATION BIOLOGY INSTITUTE

IN FRONT ROYAL, VIRGINIA,

JOGAYLE AND A STAFF OF 50

ARE APPLYING THE WONDERS OF HUMAN REPRODUCTIVE SCIENCE

TO THE MOST EXOTIC OF ANIMAL SPECIES.

Stephen: SHE'’’S GOTTEN THE BEST TECHNOLOGIES,

THE BEST COLLABORATORS, THE BEST SURGICAL SUPPORT,

THAT THERE IS AVAILABLE FOR ANYBODY, INCLUDING HUMANS,

AND SHE'’’S APPLIED THAT TO THIS IMPORTANT PROBLEM

OF ATTEMPTING TO RESCUE, REALLY AT THE 11th HOUR,

MANY SPECIES THAT ARE ON THEIR WAY OUT.

Narrator: ONE OF HER FIRST CHALLENGES

WAS THE BLACK‐FOOTED FERRET.

THESE TOUGH LITTLE CREATURES

WERE ONCE A TOP PREDATOR ON AMERICA'’’S GREAT PLAINS,

LIVING IN BURROWS AND DINING ON PRAIRIE DOGS...

UNTIL HABITAT LOSS SENT THE POPULATION INTO A TAILSPIN.

IN 1974, THEY WERE DECLARED EXTINCT.

YEARS LATER, ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF YELLOWSTONE PARK‐‐

A MIRACULOUS DISCOVERY.

Paul: IN 1981 A RANCH DOG UP IN WYOMING

FOUND A BLACK‐FOOTED FERRET.

AND THAT PRETTY MUCH TURNED THE CONSERVATION WORLD UPSIDE DOWN.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THIS SPECIES THAT WAS THOUGHT TO BE EXTINCT,

AND NOW BOOM, THEY'’’RE BACK.

SO WHAT DO WE DO?

Narrator: IN ALL, 18 SURVIVORS WERE FOUND

AND BROUGHT TO A CAPTIVE BREEDING FACILITY IN WYOMING.

JoGayle: EVERYONE OF COURSE GOT EXCITED,

WE FOUND THIS POPULATION, BUT IT WAS IN A CRISIS.

WE HAD A LOT OF EXPERTISE AT THE NATIONAL ZOO

IN BREEDING CARNIVORES,

AND SO FORTUNATELY WE WERE ASKED TO BECOME VERY INVOLVED

IN THE BREEDING PROGRAM.

Narrator: BUT BLACK‐FOOTED FERRET REPRODUCTION

WAS UNCHARTED TERRITORY.

JoGayle: AND THEN THAT FIRST YEAR THERE WERE NO BIRTHS,

AND WE ALSO KIND OF FREAKED

BECAUSE WE HAD NO IDEA JUST OF THEIR BASIC BIOLOGY.

Narrator: ODDLY, DOMESTICATED FERRETS OFFERED FEW CLUES

TO THE MYSTERIOUS BIOLOGY OF THEIR WILD RELATIVES.

JoGayle: WE KNEW THAT THE LIFESPAN WASN'’’T VERY LONG,

AND THEY TEND TO BE FERTILE

ONLY FOR THE FIRST THREE YEARS OF THEIR LIFE,

AND SO YOU DON'’’T HAVE A LOT OF CHANCES TO BREED THESE GUYS,

AND IT WAS A LOT OF TRIAL AND ERROR.

Narrator: BIT BY BIT THEY PUT THE PUZZLE TOGETHER.

JoGayle: WE LEARNED FAST,

AND LEARNED THAT THEY ONLY COME IN HEAT IN THE SPRING,

THEY ONLY GET A CHANCE TO BREED, USUALLY ONCE,

AND THEN THEY HAVE THE LITTERS,

IT'’’S A VERY SHORT PREGNANCY, ONLY 42 DAYS.

Narrator: BUT THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE, WITH ONLY 18 SURVIVORS,

WAS HOW TO AVOID THE DANGERS OF INBREEDING.

JoGayle: WHEN YOU HAVE A SMALL POPULATION LIKE THIS

YOU NEED EVERYONE BREEDING,

ALL THE GENES REPRESENTED EQUALLY,

TO HELP MAINTAIN THE GENETIC DIVERSITY

AND NOT TO LOSE SO MUCH GENETIC DIVERSITY.

Stephen: THE GENERAL CONCEPT AVOIDING INBREEDING

IS DONE SPECIFICALLY TO DIMINISH THE CHANCE

OF CONGENITAL OR REPRODUCTIVE ABNORMALITIES,

CLUB FOOTS OR CROSS‐EYED‐NESS IN WHITE TIGERS

AND OTHER KINDS OF THINGS.

Narrator: TO ESCAPE THAT FATE,

THE FERRETS NEED GENETIC VARIATION.

CAREFUL DETECTIVE WORK IDENTIFIED A PROBLEM.

JoGayle: WHEN WE LOOKED THROUGH THE PEDIGREE,

IT WAS TOO FEW MALES DOING A LOT OF THE BREEDING.

SOME WERE AGGRESSIVE,

SOME JUST COULDN'’’T FIGURE OUT WHICH END TO BREED THE FEMALE,

SO WE THOUGHT THOSE ANIMALS ARE SO VALUABLE,

THEN WE COULD USE ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION

TO BLACK‐FOOTED FERRETS.

Narrator: AT THE TIME, A. I. WAS JUST BEING PERFECTED

IN HUMAN FERTILITY TREATMENT.

THE IDEA OF USING IT FOR FERRETS

SEEMED LIKE SOMETHING OUT OF SCIENCE FICTION.

BUT IT WORKED.

AT LAST THE FIRST BROOD OF BLACK‐FOOTED FERRETS WAS BORN‐‐

AND SUBSEQUENT GENERATIONS HAVE MAINTAINED

AS MUCH GENETIC VARIATION

AS THOSE 18 ORIGINAL SURVIVORS ALLOWED.

TODAY, JOGAYLE IS THAWING

GENETICALLY VALUABLE 13‐YEAR‐OLD SEMEN

TO ARTIFICIALLY INSEMINATE A 4‐YEAR‐OLD FEMALE.

JoGayle: 3/11/97, AND IT MAY SAY "TEST" ON IT.

Narrator: PERFECTING THIS FREEZING TECHNIQUE

WAS A BREAKTHROUGH IN SAVING THE SPECIES.

JoGayle: EVEN WITH JUST ONE OR TWO KITS

BORN FROM THIS FROZEN SEMEN,

WE CAN INCREASE THE GENE DIVERSITY

OF THE ENTIRE BLACK‐FOOTED FERRET POPULATION,

AND THAT'’’S PRETTY COOL.

Narrator: THIS IS THE HOPEFUL MOTHER‐TO‐BE, CHUPI.

JoGayle: SHOULD HAVE SIX PELLETS IN THERE.

Narrator: ALTHOUGH NEAR THE END OF HER FERTILE YEARS,

ANY KITS PRODUCED FROM CHUPI AND THIS SPERM DONOR

WOULD BOLSTER THE GENE POOL‐‐

SO IT'’’S WORTH A TRY.

EVEN AFTER DECADES, FROZEN SPERM CAN BE BROUGHT BACK.

IN FERRET YEARS, THAT'’’S THE EQUIVALENT

OF A MODERN WOMAN CONCEIVING A CHILD

WITH THOMAS JEFFERSON'’’S SPERM.

JoGayle: IT'’’S VERY POWERFUL WHEN YOU TAKE, YOU KNOW,

THAT FROZEN SPERM THAT WAS FROZEN 10 OR 20 YEARS AGO,

THOSE ANIMALS ARE GONE AND DEAD,

BUT YET YOU ARE BRINGING THEM BACK TO LIFE

WITH THAT FROZEN SPERM,

AND SO THEIR GENES LIVE ON LONG AFTER THEIR DEATHS.

I'’’D SAY THAT LOOKS GOOD.

Narrator: BUT THE THAWED SEMEN SAMPLES VARY IN THEIR QUALITY.

JOGAYLE NEEDS TO MAKE SURE

THAT THERE'’’S A HIGH ENOUGH CONCENTRATION OF SPERM.

JoGayle: OH, WE HAVE SOME MOVING...

Narrator: THEY ALSO ANALYZE THE MORPHOLOGY‐‐

THE AMOUNT OF ACTIVE SPERM VERSUS DEAD SPERM.

JoGayle: LET'’’S GO 2‐5 FOR NOW. AND THAT'’’S, SAY...

Narrator: IT ONLY TAKES ONE SPERM CELL TO FERTILIZE AN EGG,

BUT THE MORE ROBUST AN ARMY JOGAYLE CAN MUSTER,

THE GREATER THE CHANCES FOR A PREGNANCY.

JoGayle: IT'’’S NOT THE BEST I'’’VE EVER SEEN, BUT...

AND THESE MAY WARM UP, TOO,

'’’CAUSE RIGHT NOW IT'’’S A PRETTY GOOD COUNT.

Narrator: ONCE SHE'’’S IDENTIFIED THE BEST SAMPLE,

A CENTRIFUGE WASHES AWAY ANY DEAD OR DEFECTIVE CELLS.

JoGayle: WE'’’LL GO FOR SIX MINUTES AND 1‐2‐5 AND START...

AND PRAY.

Narrator: NOW, IT'’’S TIME TO PREP CHUPI.

ANY SURGICAL PROCEDURE IS A CALCULATED RISK,

BUT HERE, IN THIS HIGH‐TECH OPERATING ROOM,

CHUPI'’’S WELL‐BEING IS TOP PRIORITY.

JoGayle: MAYBE TRY AND GO THIS WAY RIGHT THERE.

YEAH, ALL RIGHT, GREAT.

Adrienne: SHE'’’S FOUR?

JoGayle: FOUR YEARS OLD, UH‐HUH.

Narrator: JOGAYLE WILL USE ANOTHER TECHNIQUE

BORROWED FROM HUMAN MEDICINE.

LAPARASCOPY, ALSO KNOWN AS KEYHOLE SURGERY.

IT ONLY REQUIRES TWO SMALL INCISIONS‐‐

ONE FOR THE SURGICAL INSTRUMENT...

JoGayle: READY TO TILT HER?

GOOD TO GO.

Narrator: ...AND ONE FOR A TINY CAMERA.

JoGayle: WE STARTED BY INSEMINATING A DOMESTIC FERRET

LIKE YOU WOULD DO A DOG, JUST A VAGINAL INSEMINATION‐‐

NOT SURGICAL LIKE WE DID TODAY‐‐

AND WE DIDN'’’T GET ANY PREGNANCIES.

AND SO THAT'’’S WHEN WE DEVELOPED

THE LAPAROSCOPIC INSEMINATION TECHNIQUE‐‐

WE LEARNED THAT WE COULD GET ABOUT 70% PREGNANCY

WITH THE LAPAROSCOPIC METHOD BY PUTTING SPERM IN THE UTERUS,

AND, YOU KNOW, WE NEVER WENT BACK.

Narrator: AS SHE DEFTLY NAVIGATES THE FERRET'’’S TINY ORGANS,

THE CAMERA ACTS AS JOGAYLE'’’S EYES ON THE INSIDE.

JoGayle: OK, I'’’M JUST AT THE REALLY WRONG ANGLE.

Narrator: IT'’’S A DELICATE PROCEDURE‐‐

ZEROING IN ON A UTERUS THE SIZE OF A PENCIL ERASER,

INSIDE A PATIENT THAT ONLY WEIGHS TWO POUNDS.

JoGayle: I'’’M LOSING INSUFFLATION,

THAT'’’S WHY YOU CAN'’’T SEE ON THE MONITOR.

OK, THAT LOOKS GOOD.

Narrator: JOGAYLE HAS FOUND HER TARGET...

NOW, THE MOMENT OF TRUTH‐‐

SHE INJECTS THE SEMEN.

JoGayle: BEAUTIFUL.

Narrator: SHE'’’S PUT EVERYTHING

IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME.

THE REST IS UP TO MOTHER NATURE.

JoGayle: THE FEMALE WE DID TODAY WAS 4 YEARS OLD,

AND THAT'’’S THE CUSP,

I MEAN, THEY HAVE GREAT FERTILITY YEAR 1, 2, AND 3,

BUT ON YEAR 4 THE REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS GOES DOWN.

BUT BECAUSE SHE WAS SO VALUABLE,

IT WAS WORTH TRYING HER WITH THIS OLD SEMEN,

BECAUSE IT'’’S JUST SUCH A GOOD GENETIC MATCH.

Narrator: WHETHER OR NOT CHUPI CONCEIVES, THEY HAD TO TRY.

THEIR PERSISTENCE IS BRINGING THE BLACK‐FOOTED FERRET

BACK FROM THE BRINK.

IN THE MYSTERIOUS WORLD OF ENDANGERED SPECIES,

JOGAYLE HOWARD IS A REPRODUCTIVE SLEUTH.

ONE OF HER TOUGHEST CASES IS A RARE CAT: THE CLOUDED LEOPARD.

JoGayle: IT'’’S INTERESTING TO ME THAT WE'’’RE STILL LEARNING

EVERY DAY ABOUT CLOUDED LEOPARDS.

WE REALLY DON'’’T KNOW THEIR BEHAVIOR AT ALL.

IT'’’S A CHALLENGE, I THINK, AND WE LIKE CHALLENGES IN SCIENCE.

HI, MOOK.

Narrator: BEAUTIFUL, BUT DEADLY, CLOUDEDS ARE SERIOUS PREDATORS.

FOR THEIR SIZE,

THEY HAVE THE LARGEST, SHARPEST TEETH OF THE BIG CATS‐‐

BUT THEY STILL CAN'’’T PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM POACHERS.

THEIR PRIMARY HABITAT IN THE JUNGLES OF ASIA

IS ALSO DWINDLING.

BUT THEY'’’RE SO RECLUSIVE

IT'’’S IMPOSSIBLE TO KNOW HOW MANY STILL EXIST IN THE WILD.

THE CLASSIFICATION "ENDANGERED" COULD BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT.

JoGayle: WHATCHA DOING?

Narrator: JOGAYLE IS PART OF A GLOBAL EFFORT

TO SAVE THE SPECIES BY BREEDING CLOUDED LEOPARDS IN CAPTIVITY.

JoGayle: THIS IS A VERY INTERESTING PAIR.

THEY HAVE BRED MANY TIMES,

AND SHE HAS NOT GOTTEN PREGNANT, AND WE DON'’’T KNOW WHY.

Ken: THE CLOUDED LEOPARDS HAVE PROVED TO BE

PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT

CAT SPECIES TO DEAL WITH...

BECAUSE THEY WERE SO DIFFICULT TO BREED IN CAPTIVITY.

Narrator: THIS PAIR IS ONE OF A RARE FEW

THAT CAN LIVE TOGETHER IN HARMONY,

BUT THE EFFORT TO PRODUCE CLOUDED LEOPARD YOUNG

HAS A DARKER SIDE.

Ken: MOST OF THE CATS YOU CAN INTRODUCE AS ADULTS

WHEN THE FEMALE IS IN HEAT,

YOU INTRODUCE THE MALE,

THE CATS BREED, AND YOU GET BABIES.

WITH THE CLOUDED LEOPARDS,

IF YOU TRIED TO DO THAT WITH ADULTS,

THE ADULT MALE GENERALLY TRIES TO KILL THE FEMALE.

Narrator: THIS VIDEO FROM 2003

SHOWS JUST HOW QUICKLY A MALE CAN TURN ON ITS PARTNER.

Keeper: IT IS 10:15, AND THEY'’’VE BEEN TOGETHER SINCE 7 A. M.

Narrator: IN AN INSTANT ANY HOPE OF BREEDING

SABOTAGED BY A VICIOUS ATTACK.

[LEOPARD ROARING]

INCREDIBLY, THIS FEMALE SURVIVED HER ATTACK.

OTHERS HAVE LOST LIMBS OR BEEN SLAUGHTERED OUTRIGHT.

IT'’’S UNLIKELY THAT THEY BEHAVE THIS WAY IN THE WILD‐‐

BUT THEY ARE SKITTISH ANIMALS

AND LIFE IN CAPTIVITY

CAN SOMETIMES MAKE THEM DOWNRIGHT NEUROTIC.

JoGayle: OBVIOUSLY A HUGE PROBLEM.

IT DOESN'’’T MAKE SENSE FOR AN ANIMAL TO EVEN DO THAT

IF THEY NEED TO REPRODUCE.

WE REALLY DON'’’T HAVE A HANDLE OF WHY IT HAPPENS.

Narrator: WITH SO FEW CLOUDEDS LEFT IN THE WORLD,

IT'’’S A COSTLY BEHAVIORAL QUIRK.

JOGAYLE HAD HOPED TO FIND A WORK‐AROUND

IN THE OPERATING ROOM.

JoGayle: WE WANTED TO SEE IF WE COULD BREED THEM ARTIFICIALLY

AND DO INSEMINATION.

Narrator: BUT THE LEOPARD'’’S REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

WAS NO EASIER TO TAME.

JoGayle: THE CLOUDED LEOPARDS ARE ALWAYS THE OUTLIER,

AND WE LEARNED THEIR REPRODUCTION

IS NOT EVEN LIKE A DOMESTIC CAT AND LIKE A CHEETAH.

THEY ARE ALMOST MORE LIKE A DOG.

Ken: IT HAS NOT BEEN EASY.

THROUGH ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION WE'’’VE HAD ONE LITTER BORN‐‐

THAT WAS ABOUT 15, 16 YEARS AGO NOW,

SOMEWHERES IN THAT RANGE.

Narrator: STRIKING OUT ON HIGH‐TECH AND OLD‐FASHIONED BREEDING

LEFT THEM WITH FEW OPTIONS.

Ken: YOU KNOW, PEOPLE LIKE JOGAYLE, YOU KNOW,

THEY JUST KEEP WORKING AND WORKING AND WORKING,

AND THERE'’’S ALWAYS THAT CHALLENGE.

Narrator: THE DISCOVERY OF SOME WILD BORN LEOPARDS IN THAILAND

RAISED THE STAKES.

ABOUT 200 MILES NORTHEAST OF BANGKOK

IS THE KHAO KHEOW ZOO.

HOME TO RARE CREATURES

RESCUED FROM ANIMAL‐TRAFFICKERS AND POACHERS,

THIS ZOO REPRESENTS A GOLDMINE

OF UNTAPPED CLOUDED LEOPARD GENES.

JoGayle: YOU KNOW, WE LOOKED UP AND THERE WERE 27, YOU KNOW,

VERY VALUABLE CLOUDED LEOPARDS,

AND 24 OF THOSE WERE WILD CAUGHT.

THOSE WERE THE MOST GENETICALLY VALUABLE ANIMALS IN THE WORLD,

AND VERY DIFFERENT THAN THE GENETIC DIVERSITY

THAT WE HAD IN NORTH AMERICA.

Narrator: STIRRING THIS DNA

INTO THE CAPTIVE POPULATION'’’S GENE POOL

IS THE LAST, BEST HOPE FOR THE FUTURE OF THE SPECIES...

BUT HOW TO BREED THEM?

ONE IDEA WAS TO TRY TO PREVENT ATTACKS

BY EXTENDING THE COURTSHIP PERIOD.

JoGayle: IT WAS A LONG ROAD

TO TRY TO PAIR UP THESE ANIMALS SAFELY,

AND IT LITERALLY MEANT THAT WE STARTED

WITH A LITTLE INTRODUCTION BETWEEN A MALE AND A FEMALE.

IF THEY DIDN'’’T HURT EACH OTHER IN 10 MINUTES,

THEN WE DID IT AGAIN THE NEXT DAY IN 15 MINUTES.

Richard: WE HAD THEM NEXT TO EACH OTHER FOR A LONG TIME,

AND THEN WE FINALLY JUST DECIDED, OK, IT'’’S TIME,

AND WE JUST OPENED THE GATE,

AND FROM DAY ONE THEY HAVE BEEN A GREAT PAIR.

Narrator: BUT THIS KIND OF SLOW‐MOTION COURTSHIP

DOESN'’’T ALWAYS WORK,

AND IT WASTES VALUABLE BREEDING TIME.

THEN, THE LIGHTBULB CAME ON FOR JOGAYLE‐‐

ADULT CLOUDED LEOPARDS CAN'’’T ACCEPT NEW MATES,

BUT WHAT IF THEY STARTED MUCH, MUCH YOUNGER?

JoGayle: IF YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE PAIRS ALL OVER THE WORLD,

YOU'’’LL SEE SOME BROTHER/SISTER MATING.

WELL, THAT HELPED ME FIGURE OUT THAT,

WELL, MAYBE THIS IS PUBERTY‐RELATED,

AND IF THEY GET TOGETHER YOUNG,

ESPECIALLY BEFORE THEY GO THROUGH PUBERTY,

EITHER ONE OF THEM, MAYBE THEY'’’RE BONDED AT THAT POINT,

AND IT WAS A SECRET.

Narrator: SOMETIMES ALL IT TAKES IS ONE REALLY GOOD IDEA.

JoGayle: YOU KEEP TRYING UNTIL SOMETHING WORKS.

WE ARE FINALLY GETTING CUBS ALL OVER THE WORLD

IN CLOUDED LEOPARDS,

SO WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

Narrator: THESE CUTE CUBS AND THEIR OFFSPRING

WILL ENSURE THE FUTURE OF CLOUDED LEOPARDS.

AMONG THE NEWEST GENERATION AT THE NATIONAL ZOO

ARE BROTHERS CHEE‐WIT AND TAEWADA.

THESE SWEETHEARTS WERE BORN ON VALENTINE'’’S DAY.

Ken: THEY'’’RE VERY INQUISITIVE, VERY MUCH THE YOUNG KITTENS.

Narrator: THE MOMENT A CUB IS BORN,

THE GLOBAL SEARCH IS ON FOR A MATE.

JoGayle: WE'’’RE CONSTANTLY MATCHMAKING, LITERALLY.

AND KNOWING, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE A MALE BORN NEXT YEAR,

WHO'’’S THAT‐‐WHERE IS IT GOING TO GO?

AND WHICH ZOO IS IT GOING TO GO TO?

ARE WE GOING TO KEEP IT?

Narrator: IN JUST A FEW MONTHS, BOTH BROTHERS WILL LEAVE HERE

FOR ARRANGED MARRIAGES THAT WILL HELP SUSTAIN THE SPECIES.

THE LEOPARD CUBS AREN'’’T THE ONLY ZOO YOUNGSTERS

WHO'’’LL BE MOVING UP AND OUT SOON.

Keeper: LET'’’S SEE WHAT THESE GUYS LOOK LIKE.

ALL RIGHT, I'’’M GOING TO PULL THE TOP, SHE'’’S GOING TO RUN IN,

AND WE'’’RE GOOD.

JoGayle: OH, WOW.

IT'’’S INCREDIBLE TO SEE THIS LARGE A LITTER.

Narrator: THIS HAS BEEN A BANNER YEAR FOR FERRETS‐‐

12 LITTERS, 50 KITS AND ALL BUT ONE SURVIVED.

JoGayle: LITTLE MINIATURE VERSIONS OF REAL FERRETS.

Narrator: A MIRACULOUS FEAT,

CONSIDERING THAT JUST THREE DECADES AGO,

ONLY 18 OF THESE ANIMALS EXISTED ON EARTH.

Paul: USUALLY WITH 18 INDIVIDUALS

THE FATE OF A SPECIES IS NOT TOO OPTIMISTIC.

BUT IT IS A SPECIES THAT CAN BE RECOVERED.

WITH THE FERRET PROGRAM

WE NOT ONLY CAN PRODUCE ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITY,

BUT SINCE 1991 WE'’’VE BEEN ABLE TO RELEASE ANIMALS

BACK WITHIN THEIR HISTORIC RANGE.

Keeper: HE'’’S GOING TO USE THE CATCH CAGE, TOM.

Narrator: THESE BLACK‐FOOTED FERRETS HAVE A SHOT AT FREEDOM

FEW ENDANGERED SPECIES EVER GET‐‐

REINTRODUCTION INTO THE WILD.

THOUGH JUST 2% OF AMERICA'’’S PRAIRIELAND SURVIVES,

THE FERRETS CAN HELP RESTORE THIS UNIQUE ECOSYSTEM

BY RECLAIMING THEIR PLACE IN THE CYCLE OF LIFE...

AS A TOP PREDATOR KEEPING PRAIRIE DOGS IN CHECK.

Keeper: GOT ONE HERE, MIGHT BE LUCKY...

JoGayle: BEING ABLE TO SAVE

A HIGH LEVEL CARNIVORE LIKE THE BLACK‐FOOTED FERRET,

IT'’’S SAVING A WHOLE ECOSYSTEM.

Narrator: THESE FERRETS ARE PACKING UP AND MOVING OUT

TO THE COLORADO PRAIRIE.

BUT WHO GOES AND WHO STAYS IS CAREFULLY ORCHESTRATED.

SINCE THEY ARE SO GENETICALLY SIMILAR,

THEY ALL LOOK NEARLY ALIKE.

THE ONLY WAY TO TELL THEM APART FOR SURE

IS TO CHECK A TINY TRANSPONDER CHIP

IMPLANTED UNDER EACH ANIMAL'’’S FUR.

Keeper: THE LAST THREE DIGITS... THAT'’’S THIS ONE?

Narrator: EACH INDIVIDUAL IS PRESENT AND ACCOUNTED FOR.

THESE FERRETS AND JOGAYLE'’’S TEAM AT THE NATIONAL ZOO

REPRESENT ONLY A PORTION OF A MUCH BIGGER PLAN

COORDINATING THEIR TRAVEL AND RELEASE.

JoGayle: WE PRODUCE THEM, WE HAVE SO MANY KITS A YEAR,

SO IT'’’S VERY COMPLICATED WHO GETS FERRETS AND HOW MANY.

THE MORE WE PRODUCE, THE MORE GOES FOR REINTRODUCTION.

THEN EVERYONE ELSE LEFT

IS BACK IN THE PROGRAM FOR BREEDING NEXT YEAR

OR GET MOVED TO ANOTHER ZOO

SO WE DON'’’T HAVE THE SAME ANIMALS EVERY YEAR.

Narrator: THESE LITTLE GUYS LOOK MUCH CUTER THAN THEY SMELL.

BLACK‐FOOTED FERRETS SECRETE A DEFENSIVE MUSK‐‐

A PUNGENT ODOR THAT MAKES IT

A LITTLE LIKE DRIVING HALFWAY ACROSS THE COUNTRY WITH A SKUNK.

Keeper: JUST ANOTHER DAY IN HEAVEN...

Narrator: THIS FACILITY ON THE LONELY PLAINS

OUTSIDE FORT COLLINS, COLORADO,

IS GROUND ZERO FOR BLACK‐FOOTED FERRET REINTRODUCTION.

Paul: WE ARE THE HUB OF ALL ACTIVITIES.

WE ARE THE LARGEST CAPTIVE BREEDING FACILITY.

WE PRODUCE THE MOST NUMBER OF KITS,

AND WE PREPARE THOSE KITS FOR REINTRODUCTION

BY PLACING THEM IN OUTDOOR PENS,

WHICH IS KIND OF THAT HALFWAY POINT

BETWEEN CAPTIVITY AND THE WILD.

JoGayle: EVERY KIT THAT WAS BORN IN THE BREEDING PROGRAM

ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA

WOULD GO TO BOOT CAMP BASICALLY

AND HAVE THIS PRECONDITIONING PERIOD

AND THEN GO FOR REINTRODUCTION.

Paul: THEY ALL ARRIVE HERE AT THE FERRET CENTER,

AND THEY RECEIVE A VACCINE AND THE TRANSPONDER CHIP.

Narrator: JOGAYLE'’’S FERRET KITS ARE CAREFULLY PREPPED

FOR THE RIGORS OF LIFE IN THE WILD.

[FERRET CHATTERING]

Heather: WE ARE ANESTHETIZING THESE GUYS TO PROCESS THEM,

WHICH MEANS WE ARE GOING TO GIVE THEM THEIR SECOND VACCINES,

PLAGUE VACCINE, WHICH WE GET FROM THE U. S. ARMY.

CANINE DISTEMPER VACCINE,

AND IF NEEDED, THEY'’’LL GET RABIES VACCINE AS WELL.

WE USE ISOFLURANE, WHICH IS A VERY COMMON

ANESTHETIC AGENT USED IN ANIMALS.

IT'’’S A VERY SAFE ANESTHETIC.

THEY GO TO SLEEP WITHIN A FEW MINUTES

AND THEY WAKE UP WITHIN A FEW MINUTES.

WE ARE GOING TO PUT IN A SECOND TRANSPONDER FOR IDENTIFICATION,

WHICH IS LIKE A MICROCHIP.

Narrator: OUT IN THE WILD, RESEARCHERS WILL BE ABLE

TO TRACK INDIVIDUALS USING THESE SAME TRANSPONDERS.

IT'’’S THE BEST WAY TO FIGURE OUT WHO'’’S ADAPTING,

WHO'’’S HAD BABIES,

AND WHO'’’S FALLEN PREY TO DISEASE OR PREDATORS.

Paul: ONE OF THE BIGGEST OBSTACLES TO FERRET RECOVERY

IS DISEASE.

SILVATIC PLAGUE IS A DISEASE.

IT'’’S A BACTERIA THAT IS HARBORED IN THE GUT OF FLEAS.

NOW PLAGUE, IT'’’S, YOU KNOW,

PEOPLE THINK OF THE MIDDLE AGES AND BLACK DEATH

AND, YOU KNOW, PRETTY MUCH WIPING OUT MOST OF MANKIND‐‐

SAME DISEASE.

RIGHT NOW EVERY SINGLE FERRET

THAT GOES OUT FOR REINTRODUCTION

AND THAT STAYS BACK IN CAPTIVITY

GETS VACCINATED WITH THE PLAGUE VACCINE.

Narrator: DURING THE MIDDLE AGES, PLAGUE‐INFESTED CORPSES

WERE THROWN OVER CASTLE WALLS TO SPREAD DISEASE.

THE U. S. ARMY DEVELOPED THIS VACCINE

AS AN INSURANCE POLICY AGAINST BIOTERRORISM.

JOGAYLE AND HER TEAM

HAVE CRACKED THE SECRETS OF FERRET REPRODUCTION

AND GIVEN THEM A FIGHTING CHANCE AGAINST PLAGUE,

BUT FOR THEM TO TRULY HAVE AN EDGE IN THE WILD,

ONE LAST PUZZLE PIECE HAD TO SLIDE INTO PLACE.

JoGayle: ONE FINDING THAT WAS, JUST CHANGED EVERYTHING,

ESPECIALLY IN THE WAY WE INTRODUCE THEM,

IS THAT WE FOUND THAT IF THE KITS BORN THAT YEAR

CAN EXPERIENCE BASICALLY A HOLE IN THE GROUND,

IF THEY CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT A BURROW SYSTEM IS,

THEY WOULD HAVE SOMETHING LIKE TEN‐FOLD INCREASE IN SURVIVAL

IF THEY HAD BEEN TRAINED OR PRECONDITIONED

IN THIS BURROW SYSTEM BEFORE THEY WENT FOR REINTRODUCTION.

Narrator: NATURE IS NO PICNIC‐‐

AT LEAST IF YOU'’’RE A PRAIRIE DOG.

FERRETS ARE BOTH SQUATTERS AND KILLERS.

WILD FERRETS USE PRAIRIE DOG BURROWS

AS THEIR HUNTING GROUND AND THEIR SHELTER

FROM HARSH WEATHER AND PREDATORS.

PRAIRIE DOGS SUSTAIN THEM IN EVERY WAY‐‐

INCLUDING AS FOOD.

FOR CAPTIVE‐BORN FERRETS,

THEIR NEW LIFESTYLE CAN TAKE SOME GETTING USED TO,

SO EACH ANIMAL SPENDS 30 DAYS IN BASIC TRAINING,

ALSO KNOWN AS PRECONDITIONING.

Paul: AND WE DEFINE THAT AS PLACING CAPTIVE‐BORN ANIMALS

INTO PENS WHICH HAVE PRAIRIE DOG BURROWS,

WHETHER THEY BE NATURAL OR ARTIFICIAL,

AND OFFER THEM LIVE PREY.

FOR THE FERRET IT COMES DOWN TO PRAIRIE DOGS,

THAT'’’S WHAT THEY NEED TO SURVIVE.

THE PRAIRIE DOG MAKES UP OVER 90% OF THE FERRET'’’S DIET,

AND THE FERRET BEING A NOCTURNAL SOLITARY CARNIVORE,

WHICH DOES NOT HIBERNATE, NEEDS THOSE BURROWS TO LIVE IN.

OUR GOAL ISN'’’T JUST TO BREED FERRETS

AND PRODUCE THEM IN CAPTIVITY,

AND JUST DUMP THEM OUT ON THE PRAIRIE AND WISH THEM WELL.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PRODUCING

THE HIGHEST QUALITY ANIMAL WE CAN

AND GIVING IT THE BEST SHOT AT SURVIVAL.

Narrator: GIVEN A CHANCE, INSTINCT WILL TAKE OVER.

BUT THIS DRESS REHEARSAL

FINE TUNES THOSE SURVIVAL SKILLS.

HAVING SPENT ALL OF THEIR SHORT LIVES IN CAGES,

THIS LITTLE PATCH OF PRAIRIE IS LIKE A NEW PLANET...

COMPLETE WITH ALIEN LIFE FORMS.

[FERRET SQUEAKING]

UNTIL NOW, THE FERRETS HAVE HAD ROOM SERVICE‐‐

BUT BEFORE ONE CAN BE RELEASED INTO THE WILD,

IT HAS TO BE ABLE TO FEED ITSELF.

THAT ENTAILS TAKING DOWN AN ANIMAL BIGGER THAN IT IS...

A BIT OF A DAUNTING TASK.

Paul: SO IT DOES TAKE THAT ADJUSTMENT PERIOD

OF THEM KIND OF CHECKING THINGS OUT

AND KIND OF APPROACHING A PRAIRIE DOG

AND BACKING UP AND KIND OF DOING THEIR LITTLE FERRET DANCE

THAT THEY LOVE TO DO.

Narrator: WILD BLACK‐FOOTED FERRETS

WILL SNEAK INTO A PRAIRIE DOG'’’S BURROW AT NIGHT,

GRAB A SLEEPING ANIMAL BY THE THROAT,

AND QUICKLY SUFFOCATE IT.

SOME FERRETS LIVE IN THEIR ENCLOSURES

WITH A PRAIRIE DOG FOR WEEKS

BEFORE THEY REALIZE THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO EAT IT.

EVEN THE MOST TIMID USUALLY FIGURE IT OUT IN A MONTH'’’S TIME.

A WILD BLACK‐FOOTED FERRET

CONSUMES ABOUT 100 PRAIRIE DOGS IN A YEAR.

THIS ONE IS ABOUT TO TASTE HIS FIRST KILL.

THEY ARE FAST LEARNERS‐‐

AND THE LEAD CHARACTERS

IN A BONA FIDE CONSERVATION SUCCESS STORY.

Paul: OUR CENTER HERE

IS ONE PIECE OF THE FERRET RECOVERY PUZZLE.

THE FERRET IS ONE PIECE OF THE PRAIRIE ECOSYSTEM.

THE PRAIRIE ECOSYSTEM IS ONE PART

OF A MUCH LARGER PLANETARY ENVIRONMENT.

Narrator: THE 1,000 BLACK‐FOOTED FERRETS

ROAMING FREELY IN THE WILD TODAY ARE PART OF JOGAYLE'’’S LEGACY.

IF THE POPULATION REACHES 1,500,

THEIR STATUS WILL BE DOWNGRADED FROM ENDANGERED TO THREATENED,

AND THEY SOMEDAY MAY BECOME

A SELF‐SUSTAINING SPECIES ONCE AGAIN.

Paul: THERE'’’S ONLY THREE FERRET SPECIES IN THE WORLD TOTAL,

AND THEY'’’RE UNIQUE TO NORTH AMERICA,

IT'’’S THE ONLY FERRET WE HAVE.

Narrator: WHEN JOGAYLE HOWARD FIRST TACKLED WILDLIFE REPRODUCTION

30 YEARS AGO,

SHE AND HER COLLEAGUES WERE PIONEERS IN A NEW LAND.

THEY SET OUT READY TO TRY ANYTHING.

CRIBBING FROM ANIMAL BEHAVIOR STUDIES,

BIOLOGY AND FERTILITY SCIENCE,

THEY CREATED AN ENTIRELY NEW DISCIPLINE.

JoGayle: WHEN I STARTED,

WE WERE STILL DEVELOPING THE FIELD, REALLY,

THE TOOLS AND WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO OFFER.

IT WAS A FEW OF US AND WE DID EVERYTHING TOGETHER,

AND THAT'’’S JUST THE WAY WE LEARNED THE BEST.

Stephen: WE WERE WORKING IN THE DARK BEFORE,

BUT NOW WE'’’RE ACTUALLY ABLE TO TRANSLATE A LOT OF THE DESIGNS

THAT ARE MEANT FOR HUMAN MEDICINE

INTO A DIFFERENT KIND OF APPLICATION.

Narrator: THE CHALLENGE TODAY IS ALL ABOUT PASSING THAT EXPERTISE

ON TO THE NEXT GENERATION.

David: ONE OF OUR GOALS HERE IS TO BASICALLY REPLACE OURSELVES.

WE WANT TO TRAIN OURSELVES RIGHT OUT OF OUR JOB.

JoGayle: AND SO HERE IS A SAMPLE THAT WE USED...

IT IS A FROZEN, THAWED SAMPLE, SO WE'’’RE...

Ruth Anna: OVER THE YEARS WE'’’VE PROBABLY HAD ABOUT 4,000 PEOPLE

HAVE COME THROUGH HERE AND TRAINED

WHO ARE NOW LEADERS IN CONSERVATIONS

IN THE COUNTRIES THAT THEY COME FROM.

David: WE ARE PARTICULARLY EXCITED ABOUT THE YOUNGER GENERATION.

BECAUSE THERE IS SO MUCH INTEREST IN ENDANGERED SPECIES,

WE REALLY HAVE THE PICK

OF SOME OF THE BEST YOUNG MINDS IN THE BUSINESS.

JoGayle: VERY HARD TO SEE IF IT WAS A CAT SAMPLE.

Narrator: ADRIENNE CROSIER IS JUST ONE OF THE TALENTED SCIENTISTS

FOLLOWING IN JOGAYLE'’’S FOOTSTEPS.

Adrienne: SHE HAS TAUGHT ME SO MUCH ABOUT JUST BASIC BIOLOGY OF CATS,

EVERYTHING FROM SEMEN EVALUATION AND ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION.

Narrator: TODAY THEY'’’RE WORKING TOGETHER TO HELP SAVE A SPECIES

WITH A NOTORIOUSLY SKETCHY GENE POOL‐‐THE CHEETAH.

CHEETAHS NEARLY WENT EXTINCT AT THE END OF THE LAST ICE AGE.

WITH ONLY A FEW ANIMALS LEFT ON EARTH TO CARRY ON THE SPECIES,

THESE MAJESTIC CATS ARE GENETIC WEAKLINGS

AND REPRODUCTIVELY CHALLENGED.

David: ONE OF JOGAYLE'’’S FIRST BIG ACCOMPLISHMENTS

WAS THE ABILITY TO ACTUALLY PRODUCE CHEETAHS CONSISTENTLY

USING ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION.

THAT WAS REALLY THE FIRST SUCCESS

USING FROZEN SPERM FROM AN ENDANGERED SPECIES.

AND JOGAYLE WAS REALLY THE PERSON THAT ACCOMPLISHED THAT.

Narrator: ADRIENNE SPENT YEARS COLLECTING AND FREEZING

WILD CHEETAH SEMEN IN NAMIBIA‐‐

SEMEN JOGAYLE THEN USED TO PRODUCE A RECORD NUMBER

OF GENETICALLY VALUABLE CUBS IN THE U. S.

David: TO DATE THERE HAVE BEEN 13 LITTERS OF CHEETAHS

PRODUCED BY ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION

EITHER USING FRESH SPERM OR THAWED SPERM,

INCLUDING SPERM THAT'’’S BEEN IMPORTED FROM AFRICA.

Narrator: BUT CHEETAHS ARE STILL IN CRISIS.

ONLY ABOUT 9,000 EXIST IN THE WILD,

SO THE PRESSURE IS ON FOR CAPTIVE BREEDING PROGRAMS.

IN NORTH AMERICA THERE ARE FEWER THAN 250 ANIMALS IN THE PROGRAM.

Adrienne: 40% OR SO OF THOSE ARE AGED,

AND WE FEEL PROBABLY WE WON'’’T HAVE LUCK

REPRODUCING THEM NATURALLY.

SO THAT'’’S KIND OF A TARGET POPULATION

FOR THE ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE WORK,

THOSE OLDER FEMALES ESPECIALLY.

Narrator: TODAY'’’S PATIENT IS A 4‐YEAR‐OLD NAMED OLIVIA.

THIS PROCEDURE ACTUALLY BEGAN WEEKS AGO WITH HORMONE SHOTS

TO COAX HER REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM INTO ACTION‐‐

A TECHNIQUE BORROWED FROM HUMAN FERTILITY TREATMENT

AND ONE THAT REQUIRES PRECISION TIMING.

JoGayle: IF I WANT TO BRING A CHEETAH INTO ESTRUS,

THE TIMING IS VERY CRITICAL, DOWN TO THE 30 MINUTES EVEN,

WHEN THE INJECTIONS ARE GIVEN, WHEN WE EXPECT HER TO OVULATE,

WHEN TO DO THE INSEMINATION.

IF WE ANESTHETIZE HER AT THE WRONG TIME,

SHE MAY NOT OVULATE.

IT JUST TAKES A LOT OF YEARS OF RESEARCH TO PUT IT TOGETHER.

Narrator: NOW THEY'’’VE GOT TO PRECISELY CHOREOGRAPH

THE OTHER HALF OF THIS HIGH‐TECH MATING DANCE.

TWO BROTHERS HAVE BEEN CAREFULLY CHOSEN AS PARTNERS FOR OLIVIA.

A TWO‐YEAR‐OLD NAMED SORRIS GOES FIRST.

HIS BROTHER IS A BACKUP.

EITHER WOULD CREATE A CUB GENETICALLY UNIQUE ENOUGH

TO HELP THEIR SPECIES AS A WHOLE.

Adrienne: THE GENETIC MATCH IS VERY GOOD.

AND AS FAR AS EITHER ONE OF THEIR GENETICS

BEING REPRESENTED IN THE POPULATION,

THEY HAVEN'’’T BEEN YET.

SO IF EITHER OF THEM PRODUCED OFFSPRING,

THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL.

Narrator: BUT CHEETAHS HAVE A STRIKE AGAINST THEM

WHEN IT COMES TO REPRODUCTION.

DUE TO THOUSANDS OF YEARS OF INBREEDING,

CHEETAH SPERM IS NOT HIGH QUALITY STUFF.

THERE'’’S ABOUT A 70% RATE OF ABNORMAL AND DEFORMED CELLS.

JoGayle: THAT'’’S ONE OF THE KIND OF CLASSIC SIGNS WE NOW KNOW

FROM INBREEDING AND LACK OF GENETIC DIVERSITY,

IS IT JUST SO HAPPENS

THAT THE CARNIVORES HAVE A LOT OF MALE PROBLEMS.

Narrator: THAT MEANS THEY HAVE TO CAREFULLY CHECK EACH SAMPLE.

JUST LIKE THE THAWED FERRET SPERM,

THEY LOOK FOR HIGH CONCENTRATION

AND A HEALTHY AMOUNT OF MOVEMENT.

JoGayle: OH, WOW, I THINK I'’’D ONLY GIVE THIS

ONLY ABOUT 30% MOTILITY.

IT'’’S NOT GOOD.

THE SEMEN IS THE KEY,

AND SO IT'’’S GOT TO, YOU KNOW, BE MOTILE,

IT'’’S GOT TO HAVE ENOUGH SPERM TO GET THE JOB DONE,

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, IT'’’S GOT TO LIVE.

IT'’’S GOT TO MAINTAIN THAT MOTILITY.

Narrator: TO GET THAT QUALITY,

THE TEAM WILL NEED TO COLLECT SEVERAL SAMPLES FROM SORRIS.

BUT EACH TIME THEY GET MORE SPERM,

IT ADDS ANOTHER DELAY, AND TIME IS RUNNING OUT.

JoGayle: OH, IT LOOKS GOOD.

A LITTLE BIT BETTER CONCENTRATION.

BETTER STATUS FOR SURE.

Narrator: THIS SECOND SAMPLE MIGHT BE THE ONE FOR OLIVIA.

BUT BECAUSE THEY ARE INTRODUCING IT DIRECTLY INTO THE UTERUS,

THE SEMEN HAS TO BE CLEANED FIRST.

JoGayle: WE CAN'’’T PUT WHOLE SEMEN IN THE FEMALE

BECAUSE THERE'’’S A LOT OF BACTERIA IN THE SEMEN

AND IT WOULD CAUSE A UTERINE INFECTION.

Narrator: CLEANING FRAGILE SPERM IS A RISKY PROCESS...

JoGayle: IT'’’S NOT GOOD.

Narrator: ...AND THIS TIME THE SAMPLE DOESN'’’T SURVIVE.

JoGayle: WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS NOT GOING TO DO IT.

IT WAS LOOKING REALLY GOOD, AND THEN CRASHED.

SO SOMETIMES IT'’’S NOT UNUSUAL

THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, GET A GOOD SAMPLE FROM A MALE

AND IT JUST CRASHES.

NOW LOTS OF PIECES TO THE PUZZLE HAVE TO WORK OUT.

Narrator: IT'’’S ON TO PLAN B: SORRIS'’’S BROTHER, CAPRIVI.

AS CHEETAHS FROM THE SAME LITTER,

THEIR GENES ARE INCREDIBLY SIMILAR.

BUT WILL CAPRIVI'’’S SPERM SHOW BETTER QUALITY THAN SORRIS'’’S?

JoGayle: THERE'’’S NOT A LOT HERE.

ALL RIGHT.

pH 9 ON THAT ONE.

Woman: UH, YEAH.

JoGayle: THAT WAS ABOUT WHAT NUMBER ONE WAS ALSO.

I GAVE IT A THREE.

Narrator: CAPRIVI'’’S GOT ISSUES WITH QUALITY AND QUANTITY...

JoGayle: VERY LITTLE OF THIS.

VERY LITTLE...

ALMOST NO SPERM.

THE SECOND ONE WAS BETTER THAN THE FIRST ONE.

THE THIRD VIAL HAD NO SPERM IN IT.

Adrienne: HOLY CRAP.

Narrator: THEY'’’RE ALMOST OUT OF TIME.

IF THEY CAN'’’T GET A USABLE SPERM SAMPLE FROM CAPRIVI SOON,

THEY COULD MISS OLIVIA'’’S WINDOW OF FERTILITY

AND BLOW THEIR CHANCES OF A CONCEPTION.

ADRIENNE'’’S GOT ONE LAST SAMPLE.

Adrienne: WE'’’RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME.

JoGayle: OK, FINE.

Adrienne: '’’CAUSE IT'’’S ALMOST 2:00,

AND IT'’’S GOING TO TAKE US AT LEAST A HALF AN HOUR TO GET HER.

JoGayle: OK.

LOOK AT THIS!

LOOKS GREAT, IT'’’S THE BEST SAMPLE WE'’’VE HAD.

Adrienne: WE WERE REALLY HAPPY WITH THE CONCENTRATION

AND THE MOTILITY OF THE CELLS

AND HOW THEY WERE MOVING FORWARD.

Narrator: NOW THAT THEY'’’VE GOT GOOD SPERM,

JOGAYLE AND ADRIENNE TURN THEIR FOCUS BACK TO OLIVIA.

JoGayle: NOW THE NEXT HURDLE WILL BE TO SEE HOW HER OVARIES LOOK

AND SEE IF SHE'’’S OVULATED.

Narrator: THE RACE IS ON TO GET THE SURGERY UNDER WAY.

THEY'’’LL USE THE SAME KEYHOLE METHOD THEY USED

TO INSEMINATE CHUPI, THE BLACK‐FOOTED FERRET.

THIS TIME JOGAYLE IS HANDING THE REINS‐‐

OR IN THIS CASE THE LAPAROSCOPE‐‐

OVER TO ADRIENNE.

A CHEETAH UTERUS OFFERS MORE MANEUVERING ROOM

THAN THAT OF A TINY FERRET,

BUT THE MARGIN OF ERROR REMAINS VERY SLIM.

JoGayle: YEAH, GO AHEAD AND PUT...

THAT'’’S ALL RIGHT.

Adrienne: YEAH.

JoGayle: SO AT LEAST WE KNOW THERE'’’S TWO OVULATIONS ON THIS SIDE,

WHICH IS GREAT.

Narrator: THESE RED SPOTS ARE OVULATION SITES‐‐

FROM WHICH AN EGG WAS RELEASED‐‐

EACH REPRESENTING A POTENTIAL LIFE.

JoGayle: NICE.

Adrienne: FOUR BY TWO...

JoGayle: FOUR WIDE, TWO TALL.

Narrator: CHEETAHS NORMALLY HAVE LITTERS OF TWO TO FIVE CUBS.

JoGayle: WOW. BEAUTIFUL.

BEAUTIFUL!

Adrienne: ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR. AT LEAST FOUR OR FIVE, HUH?

OK, IF THIS IS THE WHOLE THING ON THE OVARY I GO EIGHT LENGTH.

Narrator: IT LOOKS LIKE UP TO 10 EGGS HAVE BEEN RELEASED,

OLIVIA COULD BE THE NEXT OCTOMOM.

JoGayle: OK, THAT LOOKS GREAT.

I'’’D SAY GET SPERM.

Narrator: THE SAMPLE HOLDS ABOUT 14 MILLION SPERM‐‐

BUT EVEN THAT MAY NOT BE ENOUGH.

JoGayle: JUST HOLD TIGHT.

OK, COMING OUT WITH NEEDLE.

TUBING GOING IN....

HOPEFULLY...I THINK YOU'’’RE JUST ON THE EDGE.

INSEMINATING.

EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD.

Adrienne: OH, IT'’’S COMING BACK UP!

JoGayle: THAT'’’S OK, YEAH.

IT'’’S OK.

Adrienne: IT IS A LITTLE NERVE‐RACKING‐‐

YEAH, BECAUSE THERE'’’S A LOT ON THE LINE

AND, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'’’T WANT TO MESS UP THE PROCEDURE.

YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE IT GOES SMOOTHLY.

THERE'’’S BEEN SO MUCH WORK AND EFFORT

THAT'’’S GONE INTO TO IT UP TO THAT POINT,

THAT YOU WANT THE FINAL STEP TO BE PERFECT AS WELL.

JoGayle: I REALLY WANT ADRIENNE

TO BE ABLE TO DO EVERYTHING I DO.

I'’’M VERY HAPPY TO PASS ON THAT KNOWLEDGE

TO THE NEXT GENERATION.

Narrator: THIS ELABORATE DANCE‐‐

THREE CHEETAHS, TWO SURGEONS, AND ONLY MOMENTS TO SPARE‐‐

WILL HOPEFULLY PRODUCE A CUB...

OR MORE.

JOGAYLE IS THE GODMOTHER

OF GENERATIONS OF ENDANGERED ANIMALS

THAT HAVE GOTTEN THEIR START RIGHT HERE.

Adrienne: I DON'’’T THINK WE WILL EVER FIND

ANYONE ELSE IN THIS FIELD

THAT HAS THIS SAME PASSION AND DEDICATION AND DEVOTION.

I AM VERY GRATEFUL THAT OUR CAREERS HAVE OVERLAPPED.

Narrator: JUST DOWN THE HALL IN THE VET HOSPITAL,

THE CONSERVATION BIOLOGY INSTITUTE'’’S

HOTTEST NEW CLOUDED LEOPARD COUPLE...

TAEWADA, ONE OF THE BROTHERS BORN ON VALENTINE'’’S DAY,

AND HIS NEW MATE MATSI,

A 5‐MONTH‐OLD FROM THE NASHVILLE ZOO.

Jessica: AW, GOOD BOY.

HE'’’S A BIG BABY, I THINK.

AND SHE'’’S KIND OF A BULLY, SHE BEATS HIM UP.

BUT SHE DOES IT SECRETLY, SO SHE SNEAKS UP BEHIND HIM

AND DEFINITELY, UM, ENCOURAGES MOST OF THEIR PLAY BEHAVIOR,

THEIR WRESTLING AND STUFF.

BUT THEY KIND OF PLAY LIKE A CAT AND MOUSE GAME, BACK AND FORTH,

AND IT'’’S PRETTY FUNNY.

YEAH!

YOU'’’RE A GOOD BOY?

YEAH.

Narrator: THIS PAIR HAS BEEN HAND‐RAISED‐‐ BOTTLE FED FROM BIRTH.

JoGayle: IT WAS OF COURSE A LOT OF HANDS ON,

A LOT OF TIME‐CONSUMING, YOU KNOW, HAND‐REARING,

BUT THESE ANIMALS ARE SO CALM

AND THEY ARE SO, UM, JUST NOT SCARED OF ANYTHING,

I MEAN, THEY ARE NOT STRESSFUL, YOU KNOW, TO NOISES AND TRUCKS,

AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ESPECIALLY.

Narrator: HAND‐REARING IS A NECESSITY

BECAUSE OF ONE MORE UNFORTUNATE CLOUDED LEOPARD QUIRK‐‐

STRESSED‐OUT MOTHERS ARE KNOWN TO KILL THEIR NEWBORN CUBS.

JoGayle: IF WE WERE FORTUNATE TO HAVE ANY LITTERS BORN,

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE GONNA SURVIVE.

Narrator: TAKING BABY CLOUDEDS FROM THEIR MOTHER

KEEPS THEM SAFE,

BUT THE HOPE IS THAT WHEN CALM HAND‐REARED CATS

HAVE THEIR OWN CUBS

THEY'’’LL BE ABLE TO RAISE THEM BY THEMSELVES.

Ken: ANIMALS THAT WE HAND‐REAR ARE JUST SO TOTALLY DIFFERENT

THAN THE ONES THAT ARE MOTHER‐REARED.

THEY COME OUT, THEY'’’RE VERY SOCIAL,

THEY WILL GREET YOU IN THE MORNING.

Narrator: THE PAIR HAS BEEN TOGETHER FOR FOUR MONTHS,

BUT TODAY IS REALLY THE START OF THEIR LIVES TOGETHER‐‐

THEY ARE LEAVING THE NATIONAL ZOO

TO JOIN A BREEDING PROGRAM IN THE UNITED KINGDOM.

Jessica: THEIR CRATES HAVE BEEN IN WITH THEM

FOR A FEW WEEKS NOW,

SO HOPEFULLY THEY'’’RE ADJUSTED TO BEING IN THEM AND AROUND THEM

AND IT SMELLS LIKE THEM NOW, SO THEY'’’LL BE COMFORTABLE.

THERE YOU GO, GOOD BOY. SIT.

Narrator: STRONG GENETIC DIVERSITY IS CRUCIAL TO SPECIES SURVIVAL.

TAEWADA AND MATSI WILL BRING THEIR UNIQUE GENETICS

TO THE HOWLETTS WILD ANIMAL PARK IN KENT, ENGLAND.

Jim: OBVIOUSLY TO COLLABORATE BETWEEN THE TWO US IS GREAT NEWS,

BECAUSE IN THE PAST WE HAVE ALWAYS FOUND IT DIFFICULT

TO FIND NEW BLOOD FROM OTHER COLLECTIONS,

BECAUSE, OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE BRED SO MANY CATS IN THE PAST

AND SENT THEM OUT TO OTHER ZOOS,

SO THEY ARE ALL RELATED TO THE BRITISH STOCK.

SO COLLABORATING WITH THE AMERICANS

IS IDEAL FOR US AND FOR THEM, OF COURSE.

SO THE ONLY THING THAT CAN BENEFIT IS THE CLOUDED LEOPARD.

Narrator: THIS KIND OF INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION

IS A HALLMARK OF JOGAYLE'’’S CAREER

AND THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE NATIONAL ZOO.

JoGayle: WE WANTED TO REACH OUT TO ANYONE ELSE

THAT'’’S BREEDING A LOT OF CLOUDED LEOPARDS, AND HOWLETTS,

THEY HAVE A LOT OF HISTORY WITH CLOUDED LEOPARDS,

THEY HAVE A GOOD TRACK RECORD.

Narrator: AFTER A LONG JOURNEY AND A LOT OF RED TAPE,

THEY FINALLY ROLL UP TO THE GATES OF HOWLETTS.

Man: WATCH YOUR KNUCKLES.

WATCH YOUR KNUCKLES...

YEAH, GO FOR IT, YEAH.

[LEOPARD MEWING]

Jim: THEY HAVE HAD A LONG JOURNEY, A LONG DAY,

AND THEN, YEAH, I MEAN, BUT ABSOLUTELY STUNNING LITTLE CATS.

[MEOW]

YOU KNOW, REALLY TOUGH, BUT, UH,

THEY'’’VE TURNED UP IN EXCELLENT CONDITION,

AND THEN, VERY TALKATIVE, WHICH IS A GOOD THING, YOU KNOW?

THEY DON'’’T LOOK TO BE AGGRESSIVE.

SO ALL IN ALL, YEAH, VERY GOOD.

Narrator: INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGES LIKE THE ONE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

ARE JUST PART OF JOGAYLE'’’S GOAL OF SAVING THE CLOUDED LEOPARD.

ANOTHER KEY COMPONENT

WILL BE BACK IN FRONT ROYAL, VIRGINIA:

A NEW, STATE‐OF‐THE‐ART FACILITY FOR THE BREEDING PROGRAM.

JoGayle: WE'’’RE ACTUALLY ON A VERY FAST TRACK

OF BUILDING THE FACILITY.

WE HAVE ANIMALS THAT NEED TO GET HOUSING NOW.

Narrator: IT'’’S A MILLION‐DOLLAR DREAM

THAT'’’S NOWHERE NEAR FULLY FUNDED,

BUT IT WILL BE A BRICKS‐AND‐MORTAR TESTAMENT

TO EVERYTHING JOGAYLE HAS LEARNED ABOUT CLOUDED LEOPARDS.

JoGayle: WE KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE NOW

THAT THEY LOVE TALL CLIMBING STRUCTURES, THE TALL ENCLOSURES.

WE KNOW THAT LOWERS THEIR STRESS LEVEL,

SO WE'’’RE FINALLY GOING TO GIVE THESE CATS

WHAT THEY DESERVE AND WHAT MAKES THEM HAPPY.

WE ARE REWRITING THE BOOK

ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT'’’S IT GONNA TAKE TO BREED CLOUDED LEOPARDS,

AND I'’’M JUST GLAD TO BE PART OF IT.

A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE DEPRESSED

ABOUT WHERE WE ARE IN CONSERVATION,

AND I HAVE HOPE.

I REALLY THINK WE HAVE A LOT TO OFFER.

Paul: I THINK IT DOES COME DOWN TO THE INDIVIDUAL,

AND INDIVIDUALS CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

YOU LOOK AT THE WORK JOGAYLE'’’S DONE

PRETTY MUCH SINGLE‐HANDEDLY,

PRODUCING HUNDREDS OF KITS THROUGH ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION.

Narrator: THERE'’’S NO GOING BACK FROM EXTINCTION,

BUT AS LONG A THERE'’’S LIFE, THERE'’’S HOPE.

STALKING PRAIRIE DOGS ON THE AMERICAN PLAINS,

SCRAMBLING UP TREES AT ZOOS AROUND THE WORLD,

OR HAVING A LAZY BAMBOO BRUNCH,

NEW LIFE IS WHAT JOGAYLE'’’S WORK IS ALL ABOUT.

SHE'’’S ATTACKED CHALLENGES FROM EVERY ANGLE

AND CRACKED THE TOUGHEST REPRODUCTIVE CASES.

AND SHE'’’S STARTED A MOVEMENT‐‐ A TEAM OF TALENTED SCIENTISTS

WHO WILL TAKE HER HARD‐WON KNOWLEDGE AND RUN WITH IT...

FIGHTING EXTINCTION ONE LITTER AT A TIME.

JoGayle: I ALWAYS HAD THE PHILOSOPHY

THAT, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING IS ACHIEVABLE

IF YOU WORK HARD ENOUGH, IF YOU GO FOR IT.