03x02 - Lasiorhinus krefftii

[bunniefuu]

["One Step Closer" playing]

[Jane] "Lasiorhinus krefftii."

- Report?
- [chatters]

Dirt, dirt and-- Hold on!

- [gasps]
- Nope. Just more dirt.

David, there's only 315 of these animals
left in the whole world.

They're not going to be easy to find.

- [chatters]
- Maybe they are. Nice work, Greybeard.

Changing course to intercept.

Which animal are we looking for again?

- Lasiorhinus--
- Not the scientific name.

Northern hairy-nosed wombat.

Is there a southern hairless-nosed wombat?

- No.
- An eastern extra-hairy-nosed wombat?

- No.
- A west--

This is them.

- [David] They're so adorable.
- [Jane] They are adorable,

but if they feel threatened,
they will defend themselves.

Our mission today is to figure out
all the ways they do that.

Did we shrink down
so we can see their defenses on us?

Exactly. Approaching wombat.

- Less dirt. Where are we now?
- In an underground burrow.

This is where
wombats spend a lot of their time.

Nice digs.

See what I did there? "Digs" as in "home,"
but also "digging machine."

[chatters]

The wombat should be right here.

If they spend a lot of time underground,
who are they defending against?

They raise their families underground,
but they find their food above,

which is where dingoes, wild dogs,
eagles and Tasmanian devils hunt them.

- [thuds]
- [gasps]

Are you sure none of those predators
hunt underground?

[alarms blaring]

The wombat's beneath us.

[chattering]

Yeah, what Greybeard said.
Back up! Back up!

[Greybeard shrieks]

[grunts, gasps] There she is!

[screeching]

- How do you know she's a she?
- Girl wombats are bigger than boy wombats.

Are their claws bigger too?

Yes. Wombats' claws are for digging,
but maybe also for defense.

I kind of don't wanna find out.

Wombats are losing their homes
to people's farms.

They have too many predators,

and the world keeps getting warmer
which means more wildfires--

I get it. We need to understand to help.

Right now,
I think we're the ones that need the help.

- [screeches]
- Everyone, hold on!

[Greybeard chatters]

There's the entrance. Okay.
Increasing engine speed.

[engines revving]

[chatters]

Hey, Jane, what are those square things
up ahead? It's blocking our escape.

I'm not sure.

Whatever it is, it stinks.
It's getting even stinkier.

Well, it's either wombat claws behind us
or that smell in front of us.

I honestly don't know which is worse.

- [both scream]
- Whoa! Careful.

- You almost got a headful of ketchup.
- [winces]

- [grunts] Oops.
- [grunts] Sorry.

- You're not hurt, are you?
- No, we're fine, Mr. Richards.

- We were just--
- Good.

We were just
on a Lasiorhinus krefftii mission.

Come again?

My guess is that's the scientific name
for northern hairy-nosed wombat.

Good guess. We're figuring out
how wombats defend themselves.

One charged at us, and we almost got away,

but then we flipped over some smelly,
square thing.

[Mr. Richards sighs]

- That's their poo.
- He speaks.

What's their poo?

I-I just looked it up.

Says here that wombats don't see
very well,

but they have a good sense of smell,

so they stack their poo outside
their burrows to mark their territory.

- Kinda gross.
- And brilliant.

A smell defense.

Huh. Kind of like what you do with dirty
socks in your room. [chuckles]

- Their other defenses are, uh--
- I'd rather figure that out on our own.

I'd rather not smell that again.

Ah, wonderful.
I see you're in the mood to help, CJ.

How about... [strains] ...you take this
and move it over there?

- [sighs]
- There you go.

What are you two doing?

We're hosting a barbecue so that
we can raise some money for the co-op,

as part of our volunteer hours.

You hear that, CJ? Our volunteer hours.

- Whoo-hoo.
- [cell phone chimes]

Oh.

Phone break, okay? No one's gonna come
to the barbecue if it's not set up. Hurry.

Dad, I have other things to do today.

I know. Those poor photos
aren't just gonna like themselves.

[CJ] Ha ha.

- I need you here today.
- Wait, all day? Seriously?

How about less "phone-y"
and more "help-y," huh?

Then maybe you can take off
in a few hours.

How many hours?

Fine. I'm helping, I'm helping.

Wait. David,
if wombats don't have good eyesight,

maybe that's why
she thought we were a predator.

We should get back to our mission.

- First, can I get a barbecue taste test?
- Not a free one.

How about you come back
when you have funds for the fundraiser?

- Got it.
- [Mr. Richards] Good.

- [cell phone chimes]
- How did you get that back?

Okay, look, you like looking at posts, right?

So how about you post these posters
all around the neighborhood? [chuckles]

Come on, that was a good one. CJ.

Okay, I'm doing it. Okay.

Good, good, good. And make sure
you spread them out, all right?

I'm watching you.

[Greybeard chattering]

- David!
- Shh. Jane, look.

[gasps] There she is.

We know wombats charge at intruders
and stack poop outside their burrows,

but how are we going to find out how else
they defend themselves against predators?

No, Greybeard, don't! You'll scare her!

[screeches]

On the bright side, now we know wombats
also run away to defend themselves.

[sighs] After her!

Where did she go?

[chatters]

Did the wombat go inside our building?

- Is she gonna stack poo in there?
- Probably.

And who knows if there are other ways
she'll try to defend herself. Come on.

- Any smell of her?
- [sniffs, chatters]

[sniffs] Nothing.

She couldn't have gone too far.

[rattling]

Wait. Did you hear that?

That long, scratchy claw sound?
Yes, I did.

- [chatters]
- You're right, Greybeard.

The sound's coming from the supply closet.
[breathes heavily]

I can hear her, but I can't see her.

[chatters]

What is it, Greybeard?

[hisses]

The northern hairy-nosed wombat
isn't just in the building.

She's in the vents.

[wombat hissing]

[cell phone chimes]

Is this what you call spreading them out?
Never mind.

People are starting to show up.
Come help me with the food.

Haven't I already helped enough?

[hissing]

She's getting away.

This isn't coming off.
How'd she get in there?

- Come on.
- [Greybeard chatters]

[vents rattling]

If we don't know
how she got into the vents,

we're not going to be able to get her out.

Maybe we should ask CJ for help?

He helped us with the first part
of our mission.

[vents rattling]

Good idea.

Thanks again.

[Jane] CJ, listen to this.

The wombat we're tracking
got into the vents somehow.

If we don't find her,
who knows where she'll end up.

She could be watching us right now.

Okay, how about we let CJ work and later
he can help you combat the wombat?

Dad, chill. It'll just take a second.

- Uh, wombats live in burrows, right?
- That's right.

And what are burrows again?

They're a bunch
of interconnected tunnels underground.

Kind of like the vents are
in the building!

Do you think the wombat feels safe
in the vents?

That must be why she went in,
but how did she get in?

Hmm. This says a burrow
can have up to seven entrances.

They're not in line.

If the burrows could have that many
entrances, I wonder if the vents do too.

Let's go find out. Thanks, CJ.

[cell phone chimes]

What can I get for you?

What can I get for you?

[Jane panting]

[chatters]

[gasps] There she is.

[David] What's she doing out of the vents?

She's eating.

Remember,
they come out of their burrows to eat.

Remind me to get my allowance
for the barbecue.

Focus, David. If we follow her,
we'll find how she got into the vents.

It's hard to focus when we're in here
and the food's out there.

[hissing]

[gasps]

- Come on!
- [chatters]

[Jane] Hurry. She's getting away.

[shrieks]

Greybeard, follow her!
David, get the lights!

- [hisses]
- [grunts]

Ouch. Are you okay, buddy?

[chattering]

You bashed right into her bum.

I wonder
if that's where "headbutt" came from.

That sounded like it hurt a lot.

[chattering]

If it was hard enough to hurt you,

is using their behinds another way
wombats defend themselves?

So, you're saying wombats use their butt
like a shield?

That would be a pretty good defense,
wouldn't it?

Square poo, butt shields?
I'm starting to really like these wombats.

[chatters, grunts]

Keep an eye on these burgers,
and give 'em a turn

when they start cooking on the edges
so they don't burn.

That one's literally burning right now.
CJ, how do you not smell this?

What? Everyone's asking
if I'm gonna be free later.

CJ! [pants]
You're not going to believe this.

It was amazing.

We were chasing a wombat when she blocked
the entrance to a vent with her butt.

Greybeard smashed right into her.

Butt shield?

Do you have to do this here?

Okay, so, wombats use their backsides
to block the entrances to their burrows

and to protect the soft parts
of their bodies from getting eaten.

Brilliant.

Hot dogs, hamburgers.
All for a good cause, right--

I don't see any veggie burgers
or veggie dogs.

No. I didn't get any.

- Does anyone even like vegetarian stuff?
- I do.

Since when?

Lots of people like veggie stuff
more than meat, like me.

- Me too.
- [scoffs] He's a total carnivore.

[stammers]
I eat potatoes with my meat sometimes.

Eating less meat would really help
animals, like the wombat.

- I don't eat wombat.
- He would if he could.

That's not what I meant, Mr. Richards.

- Jane Goodall says--
- Sorry, I-I don't have time for this.

Step right up. What can I help you with?

It's actually wombats
that don't have time.

Do you have any veggie burgers?

- [chattering]
- Whoa, Jane. Slow down.

[panting] Are you okay?

[sighs] You always run really fast
when you're upset.

Mr. Richards doesn't care about wombats.

[sighs] "I like some animals more than
people, some people more than animals."

- That's a Jane Goodall quote.
- I know.

I memorized it
because I thought it was kinda funny.

[sighs] I definitely like some animals
more than Mr. Richards today.

Me too.

- We're not giving up, are we?
- Never. But first, let's help our wombat.

[chattering]

[sighing] Is this how
the wombat got into the vents?

It must be one of the burrow entrances
CJ was talking about,

- but how do we help her get out?
- One of us is gonna have to go in there.

- I can't fit.
- Neither can I.

My dads would be super angry if I did.

Which leaves...

- [shrieking]
- Please, Greybeard.

That wombat deserves to be out
in the wild, not inside a building.

Watch out for her butt.

And stay away from her claws
and her square poop.

[chatters]

Here, take this.

- [wombat hisses]
- [chatters]

Go, Greybeard. Lead her back outside.

We'll be with you the entire time.

See this?

I wouldn't have gone.
I'm afraid of tight places.

- [Greybeard shrieking on walkie]
- Uh, kidding.

[gasps, chattering]

- Hi. Do you have any veggie dogs?
- No, sorry. No veggie dogs.

How about just the bun?
Uh, with some relish?

Uh, nah. It's okay.

- [hissing]
- [chatters]

[wombat hisses]

- [vents rattling]
- David, I think I hear him over here.

Greybeard,
she probably thinks you're a predator.

You need to get her to charge at you
so she'll follow you outside.

[chattering]

- Where is he?
- [shushes]

[hisses]

[shrieks]

[Greybeard chattering on walkie]

- What's she doing, Greybeard?
- [chattering]

- [Jane] Greybeard, what's happening?
- [hissing]

Psst. Jane.

[wombats yelling]

- Two wombats.
- [gasping]

We got double wombat butt.

Uh, Greybeard, we're not sure, but there
might be another wombat up there with you.

[chattering, shrieking]

Lead them to the outside vent.

- We'll guide you.
- Look for a drop.

We're going down.

- You okay, Greybeard?
- [Greybeard shrieks]

[Jane] Look for a fan.

You're almost there.

- Almost there, Greybeard!
- Meet you outside.

- Good job, Greybeard.
- You got them out.

And both wombats got you out
of the vents by working together.

- Another defense?
- Let's go confirm.

Okay, but I can't run on an empty stomach.

Two veggie dogs and one veggie burger, please.

- Two V dogs, one V burger.
- On it.

- You got veggie burgers and dogs?
- I had to.

People kept asking for them. It turns out
a lot of people like veggie stuff.

Yeah, they do. And you should try one.

[Mr. Richards] Mmm!

I was expecting this
to taste like a carrot stick.

Really good, right?

- For your taste buds and for wombats?
- Hmm.

- You gonna finish that?
- Whoa, hands off.

CJ, there wasn't just one wombat
in the vents, there were two.

[CJ] Really?

Here it is. "A single wombat burrow
can have up to ten wombats living in it."

They must work together to defend it.

Imagine ten wombats
butt shielding Greybeard.

Hmm. Hey, if you're gonna leave,
you better go now.

- It's only gonna get busier.
- [cell phone chimes]

Uh, nah. It's okay. I think I'll stay.

Really?

Well, you obviously need my help.

[chuckles]

Who do you think convinced him
to get all the veggie stuff?

We can help too.

How about for every volunteer hour,
we could have a veggie dog?

That'd be great. Thanks.

But only if we donate some of the money
we raise to help the wombats.

Mmm.

Okay. How about one dollar per item?

- [both chuckle] Deal.
- Right.

Step right up. What can I get ya?

So, even though the wombat charged at us,

ran away from us,
and bashed Greybeard with her bum,

I still think they're pretty cute.

Cute and impressive defenses.

Now, we just need to help them
to make sure they don't disappear forever.

[chatters]

Don't even think about it.

Butt shield!

[Greybeard chattering]

- [Jane] Help save the wombats.
- [Greybeard chatters]

[Jane] David, do you see anything?

No. I think all the wombats are back home.

Good. Because look at this.

Did you know wombat babies
are called joeys?

Super cute.

Wait, isn't Joey the name of the expert
we're going to talk to?

Yep. Joey Clarke.

- There he is now.
- [video call ringing]

- Hi, Joey.
- Hi, Jane.

- Hey, Joey.
- Hi, David.

I just read that a baby wombat
is called a joey, just like you.

[chuckles] Yeah.

Actually, not just wombats,
but all marsupial babies are called joeys.

What's a marsupial again?

[Jane] They're a group of mammals,
like the kangaroo and the wombat.

And most of them have pouches.

So, when was the first time
you saw a joey, Joey?

When I was a kid,
my family rescued an orphaned wombat.

Its mum had been hit on the road,

and we looked inside her pouch
and found a little one-pound joey.

Joey saved the joey.

[chuckles]
Here, let me show you some pictures.

- [David] Aw!
- [Jane] So cute.

[David] But why's he in a bag?

We had to make a special pouch for him
to mimic his mother's pouch.

Adorable.

But you should only rescue a wild animal
if you've got the training,

which my parents had.

After 18 months,
we released him back into the wild.

Was it hard to say goodbye?

It was. But wombats are wild animals.

He was meant to be out in the wild,

being the ecosystem engineer
that he was always meant to be.

What's an ecosystem engineer?

Good question. This should help.

An ecosystem is the environment
and all of the living things within it.

By digging the dirt,

water and nutrients filter down
and become available to plants.

And their burrows also create habitats
for other species.

And that's what makes it
an ecosystem engineer.

Do they put poop outside every entrance
to their burrow?

We found out that wombats use
their square poop to mark their territory.

That's true.
And look what I found in the field.

I still can't get over how square it is.

Because wombats can't see
or hear very well,

they stack their poo,
which allows the scent to travel.

So it acts as a kind of marker,

but also a way for them to communicate
with other wombats.

Kind of like a "hello," or a--

- Hey there.
- What's up?

You got it.

So where do wombats live?

Here, let me show you a map.

Northern hairy-nosed wombats live
in Australia

at Epping Forest National Park
and Richard Underwood Nature Refuge.

There are around 315.

Why aren't there many left?

There's a lot of different reasons.

When European people
first came to Australia,

they brought foxes and wild dogs.
New predators.

But also,
a lot of the habitat has been lost.

We're the problem again?

Actually, "people" isn't the problem.
It's people not working together.

What do you mean?

We need to remember that for 60,000 years,

indigenous people have lived on this land,

caring for the country, harvesting plants,
and even lighting small fires

that prevent larger wildfires
and help plants to grow.

Without people caring for the country,

a lot of Australian mammals
have gone extinct.

So, removing people
from the equation just doesn't work.

- I get it. People need to work together.
- But how?

Our organization,
Australian Wildlife Conservancy,

is speaking to the cattle farmers

and trying to help the wombats
rebuild their population

within a special fenced area
on the cattle farm.

Is there anything David and I can do
from here?

I think the first step is to be curious.

Wherever you live in the world,
there are animals around you.

Explore your local parks,
get your hands dirty,

and make connections with people
who share those same interests.

That's how I got started.

- All good ideas.
- Really good.

- Thank you, Joey.
- You're welcome.

Bye, Jane. Bye, David.

[both] Bye, Joey!

[Jane] I'll put this up
when we get back to my room.

- [hissing]
- [vents rattling]

Is there another
northern hairy-nosed wombat in the vents?

Maybe. Or it could be a common wombat.
Or a southern hairy-nosed wombat.

I can't wait to find out.

["One Step Closer" playing]