All language subtitles for natures.matchmaker.2011.1080p.web.h264-cbfm

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.