Outback Wildlife Rescue

8:00pm – Sunday, December 6 on Seven

This week on OUTBACK WILDLIFE RESCUE, Darwin’s crocodile rangers must remove a cranky predator from a popular recreation spot; Yoda the koala faces a difficult road to recovery after being hit by a car; and an orphaned wallaby cared for by inmates in Darwin Prison is returned to the wild.

Crocodile ranger Tommy Nichols has a tricky little problem on his hands. A freshwater crocodile has been chasing tourists at a popular bird-watching location and needs to be removed. While the crocodile isn’t big enough to inflict a life-threatening injury, what he lacks in size he makes up for with a particularly feisty attitude. As Tommy and his team move in to capture the croc, he seems determined not to be taken without a fight.

At Beerwah’s Wildlife Hospital, there’s an all-too familiar scene. A young male koala has been hit by a car, smashing his jaw. Vet Amber Gillett nicknames him Yoda and sets about repairing the damage, but it’s not going to be easy. Koala’s mouths are prone to infection, so unlike setting a broken arm, Amber can’t use plates to hold Yoda’s jaw in place. Worse still, he seems to be suffering internal bleeding. It will take all of Amber’s skills to save his life.

And Darwin’s prison population is growing wilder by the day. As part of a rehabilitation scheme, prisoners are given orphaned wildlife to raise and care for until the animals can be released. Young Abbey, an orphaned wallaby, was the first animal sent to the prison, and today is a big day – she’s due to be set free. It’s a proud moment for prisoners and organisers alike, and a big test for the program. If Abbey copes, it’s a sure sign they’re all doing something right.

OUTBACK WILDLIFE RESCUE is presented by ERNIE DINGO.

8:00pm – Sunday, November 29 on Seven

On the series return of OUTBACK WILDLIFE RESCUE tonight, the vets at Beerwah treat one of the world’s most unusual creatures; a pet crocodile signs up for swimming lessons; and a water python receives emergency surgery.

A baby platypus has been found huddled and helpless on a bridge after heavy rains washed her out of her burrow in northern NSW. Worse still, she appears to have been attacked by another platypus defending its territory. The baby is lucky to be alive at all, and now it’s up to the Australian Wildlife Hospital to nurse her back to health.

In Darwin, reptile wrangler Chris Peberdy always goes above and beyond to help crocodiles, but today he’s setting a new benchmark. Stampy, a young saltwater crocodile, has come into his care and she’s got a big problem. Neglect by a previous owner has stunted the development of her tail and as a result she can’t swim. Chris has taken it on himself to change that and he’s going to give her swimming lessons. Problem is she sinks like a stone, so Chris has to jump in with her. A man, a crocodile and a small swimming pool. The danger seems obvious, but Chris is on a mission. Will Stampy learn to swim, and will Chris make it out of the water unscathed?

And at The Ark Animal Hospital, vet Stephen Cutter and Lisa Hansen try to save a large water python that has been deliberately run over by a car. She’s survived the impact in reasonable shape, but there’s a bigger problem. X-rays reveal she’s carrying eggs and if any of the eggs have ruptured inside her, they’ll turn toxic and she’ll certainly die.

OUTBACK WILDLIFE RESCUE is presented by ERNIE DINGO.

Sunday February 1 6:30pm

On tonight’s OUTBACK WILDLIFE RESCUE, the vets at Beerwah treat one of the world’s most unusual creatures; a pet crocodile signs up for swimming lessons; and a water python receives emergency surgery.

A baby platypus has been found huddled and helpless on a bridge after heavy rains washed her out of her burrow in northern NSW. Worse still, she appears to have been attacked by another platypus defending its territory. The baby is lucky to be alive at all, and now it’s up to the Australian Wildlife Hospital to nurse her back to health.

In Darwin, reptile wrangler Chris Peberdy always goes above and beyond to help crocodiles, but today he’s setting a new benchmark. Stampy, a young saltwater crocodile, has come into his care and she’s got a big problem. Neglect by a previous owner has stunted the development of her tail and as a result she can’t swim. Chris has taken it on himself to change that and he’s going to give her swimming lessons. Problem is she sinks like a stone, so Chris has to jump in with her. A man, a crocodile and a small swimming pool. The danger seems obvious, but Chris is on a mission. Will Stampy learn to swim, and will Chris make it out of the water unscathed?

And at The Ark Animal Hospital, vet Stephen Cutter and Lisa Hansen try to save a large water python that has been deliberately run over by a car. She’s survived the impact in reasonable shape, but there’s a bigger problem. X-rays reveal she’s carrying eggs and if any of the eggs have ruptured inside her, they’ll turn toxic and she’ll certainly die.

On tonight’s OUTBACK WILDLIFE RESCUE, it’s time to clean out a pet crocodile’s paddling pool; Lisa is called out to rescue a bat on a wire; and there’s just 72 hours to save one of the ocean’s most venomous snakes.

A fruit bat is snagged on barbed wire. It’s a delicate and stressful operation, trying not to tear the bat’s fragile wings. But the more Lisa struggles to free him, the more entangled the bat becomes.

At the Australian Wildlife Hospital in Beerwah, Queensland, everyone is treating the latest patient with extreme caution. It’s a stokes’ sea snake, the ocean’s largest venomous serpent. The sick snake is unable to dive down beneath the waves. Vet Amber Gillett knows that sea snakes don’t fare well in captivity. She only has 72 hours to solve the riddle of his illness and return him to the sea.

It’s perfectly legal to keep saltwater crocodiles as pets in Darwin, as long as you have a licence and they’re properly secured and cared for. And that’s where reptile carer Chris Peberdy comes in. After 20 years, it’s time to clean out a pet crocodile’s paddling pool. Chris and his mates first have to remove the cantankerous reptile and then shovel out two decades of crocodile leftovers. The local fire brigade is then called to refill the pool, before this not-so-cute and cuddly critter is returned to her home.

Sunday, January 18, 6:30pm

On tonight’s OUTBACK WILDLIFE RESCUE, a tiny kingfisher fights for life after diving into a tray of engine oil; a green sea turtle is found floating off the Queensland coast; and Reedy is called out to rescue the snake that other snakes fear.

A forlorn little sacred kingfisher is brought into The Ark Animal Hospital in Darwin. The tiny bird has dived into a tray of engine oil after apparently mistaking it for the muddy water in which he normally hunts. He’s covered from beak to claw in oil and is unable to fly. Worse, as the bird preens to remove the oil from his feathers he actually swallows the oil and could soon be poisoned. Lisa Hansen has to painstakingly clean the little bird with detergent. But even then, it might be too little, too late to save his life.

In Beerwah, a green sea turtle has been rescued near a local wharf. She was floating on the surface, unable to dive. She’s brought to the Australian Wildlife Hospital where vet, Dr Amber Gillett, has to try to diagnose what’s wrong. Soon enough she discovers the cavity beneath the turtle’s shell is full of gas, making her too buoyant to dive. The problem won’t cure itself. Amber will have to carefully pump the gas out. But even then, there’s no guarantee the turtle will recover enough to be released into the wild.

And in Katherine, in the Northern Territory, David Reed has received a call out about one of the region’s top predators, a black headed python. These remarkable snakes hunt and eat other snakes and are completely immune to the bites that would kill a human being. Using all his snake charms, Reedy somehow has to bag this big creature and find him a new, safer home, away from people.

Sunday, January 11, 6:30pm

Ranger Tommy Nichols sets out to capture a rogue crocodile in tonight’s Outback Wildlife Rescue; Justin Rutherford rescues a distressed bird of prey; and in Beerwah, a brown tree snake has bitten off more than he can chew.

In the crocodile-infested waters of the Adelaide River, near Darwin, fishermen have reported a rogue crocodile coming menacingly close to their boats. Tommy Nichols and the Crocodile Management Team have been summoned to try and catch it. Working at night, they will try to identify the problem croc by sight and then capture it using a harmless harpoon to attach a rope to its thick hide. Before long, Tommy has three-and-a-half metres of killer reptile thrashing at the end of his line. But can he get it safely to his boat?

In Alice Springs, rescue volunteer Justin Rutherford receives a late evening call about a black kite. The bird of prey has been perched in a suburban backyard for several hours and is clearly distressed and unable to fly. Justin is faced with two problems: first he has to try to capture the bird without being torn to shreds by its talons; and second, he needs to solve the mystery of exactly what’s wrong with it, if there’s any chance of saving the kite’s life and returning it to the wild.
And in Beerwah, the Australian Wildlife Hospital has an emergency operation to perform. A brown tree snake has been brought in with a massively distended stomach. The snake has eaten a large bird that’s lodged in its intestinal tract and can’t be digested. Left untended, the snake will soon die. It’s already weak and has been attacked by other birds. Now, Dr Jon Hanger has to operate to remove the meal, and hopefully save the snake’s life.

Sunday, January 4, 6:30pm

In tonight’s episode of OUTBACK WILDLIFE RESCUE, a massive crocodile must be extracted from Darwin’s main water supply; in Alice Springs, Justin Rutherford deals with three angry goannas; and at The Ark Animal Hospital, Lisa and Stephen struggle to treat a prickly patient.

We’ve all heard the myth about alligators in New York’s sewers – but in Darwin, ranger Tommy Nichols and his team have to deal with the real thing. A big, cranky four-metre saltwater crocodile has been captured in Darwin’s dam, which stores the city’s drinking water. Crocs are protected in the Northern Territory and relocating this monster will require a combination of skill, strength and bravery.

In Australia’s red heart, wildlife volunteer Justin Rutherford is also having a busy day, dealing with not one, but three goannas. The reptiles can grow to more than two metres long and they’re renowned for their strength and aggressive attitude. They often stray into backyards, where they are more than a handful for pet dogs. When he’s called out, Justin’s never sure which animal he’ll be rescuing – the dog or the goanna.

The echidna, or spiny anteater, is one of the world’s most unusual animals. But their prickly exterior is sadly no match for cars. At Darwin’s Ark Animal Hospital, an echidna is brought in from the roadside suffering from broken spines and a bleeding nose. But for vet Stephen Cutter and Lisa Hansen, their biggest problem is how to treat such a prickly patient.

OUTBACK WILDLIFE RESCUE is presented by ERNIE DINGO.

Sunday December 28, 6:30pm

Sunday December 21, 6:30pm (G)

On tonight’s OUTBACK WIRLDLIFE RESCUE, witness a world-first cancer treatment on Boris the koala; David Reed must capture a small but lethal snake; and in Darwin, a kookaburra goes under the knife to repair a broken wing.

Young koala Boris was diagnosed at the Australian Wildlife Hospital as suffering from a sarcoma, a cancer of the connective tissue. His prognosis was grim, but desperate to save him, doctors at the hospital have decided to try something new – radiation therapy. It’s the first time this human-type medicine has been tried on a koala, and if successful, it could pave the way to save hundreds more koalas in the future. But as Boris is carefully placed on the therapy table, everyone has just one question in mind – will it work?

In Katherine in the Northern Territory, David “Reedy” Reed is on call 24-hours-a-day, seven days a week. This region is home to a multitude of snakes, including some of the most deadly in the world, and all too often those snakes stray into the human domain. Today, Reedy has to capture a pygmy king brown snake that’s made its way into a resident’s feed shed chasing mice. The snake is small, but its venom is powerful enough to kill an adult within a few hours. As the snake darts among the boxes and bags in the shed, it becomes unclear if Reedy is chasing the snake, or the snake is chasing Reedy.

And in Darwin, one of the most common occurrences is also one of the most heartbreaking. A beautiful blue-winged kookaburra has been hit by a car, breaking its wing. The Ark’s head vet, Dr Stephen Cutter, has to operate to carefully mend the delicate bones. But anything less than perfect simply won’t be good enough and the kookaburra won’t survive in the wild.

OUTBACK WILDLIFE RESCUE is presented by ERNIE DINGO.

Sunday December 14 at 6:30pm (G)

Maurice the cranky saltwater crocodile arrives at his new home, but not everything goes to plan in OUTBACK WILDLIFE RESCUE tonight; vet Jon Hanger attempts a new operation to save a kangaroo’s tail; and in Darwin, vet Stephen Cutter turns his swimming pool into a turtle rehab ward.

After a trip across the country, Maurice the cranky saltwater crocodile arrives in Sydney. His transfer to the Australian Reptile Park has been keenly anticipated – hundreds of people have come to watch his release. Unfortunately, when the lid comes off the crate and he’s free to dive into his new pool, Maurice is reluctant to move. He’s a half-tonne croc with a history of violence and his handlers must get closer than is safe to manhandle him into the pool. As entertaining as this is for the crowd, it could quickly turn deadly.

Reilly, a young Eastern Grey kangaroo is back at the Wildlife Hospital in Beerwah, for what should be the last stage of his treatment for a broken arm. The pins that have been holding his shattered arm together are removed and everyone seems happy with his progress. Unfortunately, Reilly has a much less obvious problem and it could cost him his life. Senior Vet Jon Hanger is concerned that his tail seems to be twisting as it grows. Reilly can’t survive with such a deformity. Surgery would be extremely tricky, with no guarantee of success. Jon has to decide whether it would be kinder to end Reilly’s suffering straight away, or to attempt an untried operation with the risk of further pain and a similar outcome.

When a hawksbill turtle is spotted floating in Darwin’s harbour, it’s picked up and taken to The Ark Animal Hospital, Darwin’s frontline triage for injured wildlife. Vet Stephen Cutter suspects pneumonia, caused primarily by the turtle eating a plastic bag. It’s an all too common hazard for sea turtles. They think they’re eating a jellyfish and it’s often a deadly mistake. Stephen treats the pneumonia with antibiotics, but the sea turtle’s recovery is going to depend on rehabilitation in a large pool of some sort. Stephen decides to give up his own swimming pool for three months – no mean sacrifice during Darwin’s summer heat.

OUTBACK WILDLIFE RESCUE is presented by ERNIE DINGO.

Sunday December 7
6:30pm

Watch Maurice the saltwater crocodile begin an epic journey across Australia tonight on OUTBACK WILDLIFE RESCUE. Meanwhile, volunteers find a black swan who’s lost a leg and a baby sugar glider is rescued from the jaws of a massive dog.

Tonight’s episode begins with an unusual mission in Darwin. Maurice, a massive male saltwater crocodile, has worn out his welcome at the local croc farm after biting the heads off two potential mates. He needs a new home and the good news is they’ve found him one. The bad news is it’s thousands of kilometres away at the Australian Reptile Park near Gosford, north of Sydney. The challenge is how to get half-a-tonne of cranky crocodile across the country?

In Beerwah, we again meet the Powers sisters, known locally as the “Twinnies”. Identical in every way, they’ve devoted their lives to rescuing injured sea birds. Over the years they’ve saved more than 500, but today they have encountered a new problem. Matey the black swan cygnet has lost a leg. That’s bad enough, but her limp is starting to twist Matey’s developing spine. The Twinnies call on Dr Jon Hanger at the Australian Wildlife Hospital to help. Will Matey get a skateboard, a pegleg or something else?

And in Darwin, Lisa Hansen from The Ark Animal Hospital responds to a call to help a young sugar glider. Barely a few months old, the tiny creature has been picked up by a huge dog and delivered to its owner. As well meaning as the dog was, he might have done more harm than good. Have his massive jaws crushed the glider?

OUTBACK WILDLIFE RESCUE is presented by ERNIE DINGO.