IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA IN FOCUS COMING UP, HELPING TO CONTAIN THE GROWING BURMESE PYTHON POPULATION.

WE TALKED TO RESEARCHERS WHO ARE TRACKING THE INVASIVE SPECIES TO HELP PROTECT AND BALANCE THE EVERGLADES.

THE TEAM EFFORT THAT CAME TOGETHER FOR A RHINOCEROS IN NEED HOW DISNEY AND THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA COMBINED FORCES TO HELP RESTORE THE VISION OF ONE OF EARTH'S LARGEST ANIMALS.

AND PROTECTING THE WILDLIFE IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD.

THE STEPS YOU SHOULD TAKE IF YOU SEE A YOUNG ANIMAL IN DISTRESS.

HELLO, I'M JENNIFER CRAWFORD.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

RESEARCHERS AT THE CONSERVANCY OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA SAY THEY HAULED IN A RECORD AMOUNT OF BURMESE PYTHONS FROM COLLIER COUNTY THIS SEASON.

THE PYTHON TEAMS USED TRACKING DEVICES ERA POWER AND BOOTS ON THE GROUND TO FIND THE ELUSIVE APEX PREDATORS.

STEAK EXPERTS SAY THEY REMOVED MORE THAN 4 TONS OF PYTHONS FROM THE EVERGLADES.

DURING THE BREEDING SEASON FROM NOVEMBER OF 2025.

THROUGH APRIL OF 2026.

THE GOAL OF THE PROGRAM IS TO REMOVE THE SNAKES, THEN CONDUCT RESEARCH TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THEM AND THEIR ACTIVITY IN OUR AREA.

IT.

>> AND BART IS AT THE BIOLOGIST WITH THE CONSERVANCY OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

>> JOINS US NOW.

AND YOU ACTUALLY ARE STAKE EXPERT.

>> AND YOU REALLY CREATED THIS RESEARCH AND REMOVAL PROGRAM THAT HAS LED TO THE REMOVAL OF A RECORD AMOUNT OF PYTHONS SINCE 2013.

YES.

COULD YOU TELL US ABOUT HOW THIS PROGRAM GOT STARTED?

SURE, THIS HAS BEEN QUITE AN ADVENTURE FOR OVER THE LAST DECADE.

WE'VE BEEN.

>> BUSY OUT IN THE WILDS OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

LEARNING MORE ABOUT THIS INVASIVE APEX PREDATOR THAT WE NOW HAVE HERE IN FLORIDA.

AND THIS LAST SEASON.

FAST FORWARD, OUR TEAM HIT A MILESTONE.

WE'RE WE REMOVE 4 TONS OF INVASIVE BURMESE PYTHON FOR PEOPLE OVER THE COURSE OF 6 MONTHS.

AND PRIMARILY UTILIZING OUR MAIL SCOUT SNAKES.

THOSE ARE ADULT MALE BURMESE PYTHONS.

THAT WE FIT WITH RADIO TRANSMITTERS.

FEARS THAT TRANSMIT HERE.

AND THESE ARE SURGICALLY IMPLANTED.

WE CAN TO CAPTURE THOSE ANIMALS.

WE PUT THEM BACK ON THE LANDSCAPE AND THEN WE PLAY THIS ONE-SIDED GAME OF HIDE AND SEEK DURING THE BREEDING SEASON FOR PYTHONS.

AND THAT GETS US VERY CLOSE TO THESE LARGE FEMALE BURMESE PYTHONS.

AND THAT'S OUR TARGET.

THEIR HIGH VALUE TARGETS.

THEY ARE FILLED WITH EGGS AND WE LIKE TO CATCH THE SNAKES AND REMOVE THEM HUMANELY FROM THE LANDSCAPE BEFORE THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO CATCHING PYTHONS.

AND THIS IS A WILDLIFE ISSUE OF OUR TIME FOR SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

THIS INVASIVE SPECIES IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CONSUMING ON 86 SPECIES OF NATIVE WILDLIFE HERE IN FLORIDA.

AND IT IS A GENERALIST APEX PREDATOR AND IT IS A THREAT TO OUR NATIVE WILDLIFE AND YOU SPECIFICALLY TARGET THE FEMALES, CORRECT?

OR WE DON'T DISCRIMINATE.

WE WILL.

WE WILL TARGET ANY BURMESE PYTHONS.

BUT I WOULD SAY THAT THE FEMALES ARE ALL PYTHON CAPTURES ARE CREATED EQUAL IN MY OPINION, CATCHING A SMALL HATCHLING THAT MAYBE 95% OF THESE WON'T MAKE IT TO ADULTHOOD IS NOT THE PRIMARY TARGET.

WE ARE LOOKING FOR, I GUESS THE DISTRIBUTORS, IF YOU WILL, THE REPRODUCTIVE LEE ACTED FEMALES THAT ARE CAPABLE OF LAYING A CLUTCH OF EGGS OVER.

EVERY SEASON AND THOSE EGG CLUTCHES AVERAGE.

46 HATCHLINGS IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

BUT WE HAVE SEEN EVERYWHERE FROM A DOZEN EGGS TO 122 EGGS.

AND THEN FROM THIS SIZE, I BROUGHT SOME OF THE VISUAL AIDS HERE.

>> THERE'S OUR TEENAGE SNAKE YESTERDAY SAYS A READ ABOUT A SUB ADULT.

SO A TEENAGER, AS YOU MENTIONED.

>> AND THIS IS THE SIZE THAT ARE MORE OFTEN SEEN CROSSING ROADS OR THIS IS MAYBE THE SEARCH IMAGE YOU MIGHT WANT TO PUT IN YOUR MIND AS IF YOU WERE TO SEE ONE OF THESE ANIMALS AND MOST OF OUR NATIVE SNAKES DON'T REACH THIS SIZE.

SO IF YOU'RE SEEING A VERY LARGE PATTERNED ANIMAL, MAYBE THE WITH OF YOUR ARM AND THERE'S NO RATTLE ON THE TAIL, GOOD CHANCE IS A BURMESE PYTHON.

AND SO WHAT YOU WOULD WANT TO DO IS STAY CALM.

THEY'RE NOT INTERESTED IN US.

THEY JUST WANT TO GET AWAY AND DO WHAT THEY DO.

BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO TAKE A PICTURE.

AND THEN THERE IS A HOTLINE THAT YOU CAN CALL 8, 8, 8, I'VE GOT ONE THAT IS MONITORED BY THE FWC FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION.

AND THEY WILL DISPATCH A RESPONDER THAT HOTLINE IS ONLY OPEN FROM CERTAIN HOURS, 8 TO 5 MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

NOT REALLY PYTHON HOURS, BUT THERE IS RESPONSE CAPABILITIES AFTER THAT.

SO I WOULD SAY IF YOU'RE 100% SURE IT'S A BURMESE PYTHON AND YOU'RE POSITIVELY ID DID AND YOU CAN STAY NEARBY AND POINT TO WHERE IT WENT.

ONE RESPONDER COMES DEFINITELY CALL THAT IN OR AFTER HOURS, MAYBE CALL 9-1-1 AND GET THAT RESPONSE GOING.

AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THEY CAMOUFLAGE THEMSELVES SO WELL THAT IT'S >> DIFFICULT EVEN FOR.

>> EXPERTS TO REALLY IDENTIFY THEM.

SO I CAN TELL YOU FROM ALL THE TIME WE SPENT IN THE FIELD RADIO TRACKING THESE ANIMALS THAT EVEN WITH A INTERNAL TRANSMIT OR LIKE THESE THAT ARE PAINTING IT.

AND WE HAVE A DIRECTIONAL ANTENNA THAT ALLOWS US TO PLAY THIS.

ONE-SIDED GAME OF HIDE AND SEEK OR HOT AND COLD, IF YOU WILL.

AND I POINT MY ANTENNA CLOSER WHERE THAT SNAKE IS, THE PEEPS ARE LOUDER.

SO WOULD BE LIKE HOT.

MY POINT OF THE ANTENNA HERE COLD.

SO WE PLAY THAT HOT COLD GAME AND EVEN KNOWING THAT THE SNAKE IS NEARBY OR SOME OF OUR MALE SNAKES OR 60 POUNDS, 13 FEET, IF YOU'D ALMOST BE IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THEM IF THERE'S DENSE COVER.

SO VERY REMARKABLE ANIMALS.

THAT'S THE THAT'S THE AIR.

ANOTHER CAN OTHER SITTING HOURS THAT ARE POWERED, CORRECT.

AND SO IT'S A FORMIDABLE ADVERSARY.

BUT I SAY THAT WITH RESPECT BECAUSE BEAUTIFUL CREATURES IN THEIR NATIVE RANGE OF SOUTHEAST ASIA, THEY'RE THEY'RE CONSIDERED VULNERABLE.

SO THEY ARE.

LIKELY MORE PYTHONS IN SOUTH FLORIDA.

THEN THERE ARE REMAINING IN SOUTHEAST ASIA.

DON'T KNOW THAT PERSONALLY, BUT IF THEY HAVE A VULNERABLE STATUS AND OUR 7 DAY SAYS SPECIES STATUS, THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE.

WE HAVE A LARGER POPULATION AND THAT POPULATION ESTIMATE IS A BIG QUESTION.

MARK.

NOBODY CAN GIVE A STRAIGHT ANSWER.

AND SO THAT'S WHY THE RESEARCH AND REMOVALS IMPORTANT IF YOU'RE GOING TO TRY TO MANAGE THE SPECIES, YOU HAVE TO IF THE KNOW WHAT YOU'RE UP AGAINST.

SO THAT'S WHY THOSE NUMBERS MATTER.

AND I CAN TELL YOU, YES, WE REMOVED 177 PYTHONS THE SEASON OVER 8,000 POUNDS, 4 TONS OF SNAKE.

BUT THAT WAS FROM A PRETTY SMALL AREA CORE AREA ON THE EDGE OF NAPLES IN THE WESTERN EVERGLADES, 200 SQUARE MILES.

AND THAT WAS JUST THIS SEASON ALONE.

BUT WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR QUITE A WHILE, 13 SEASONS AND WE REALLY STARTED HITTING OUR STRIDE ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO WHEN WE HAD OUR FIRST 2000 POUNDS SEASON, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS A CRAZY NUMBER THAT WE REMOVED A TON OF SNAKE.

SO TO THAT.

TO STILL SEE THAT THERE'S THIS MUCH BIOMASS OUT THERE IS CONCERNING.

SO YOU CAN IMAGINE WE PUT, YOU KNOW, THE SCOUTS, THESE MALES WITH TRANSMITTERS, THEY BECOME ACES IN THE HAND FOR US.

AND THEN WE LET THEM DO THE HARD WORK.

WE STILL HAVE OUR JOB CUT OUT YOU HAVE TO GET TO THEM.

AND THAT WOULD BE A PRETTY REMOTE.

SO I AVERAGE WEEK WOULD LOOK LIKE IN THE BREEDING SEASON OF SOME AERIAL TELEMETRY WHERE I'M UP IN THE AIRPLANE AND I HAVE A PILOT.

THE FLIES US AROUND OUT OF NAPLES AIRPORT AND WE ARE LISTENING FROM THE AIR.

WE HAVE ANTENNAS ON BOTH WINGS AND THESE ANIMALS WILL COVER A LOT OF GROUND.

WE KNOW THIS FROM HIS YEARS OF TRACKING THEM.

THIS IS A SO MAKE THAT HAS A HOME RANGE OF SQUARE MILES AND ARE TRANSMITTERS.

DON'T HAVE THAT RANGE, IF YOU WILL, OF ON THE GROUND WOULD BE LUCKY IF WE HEAR THEM EVERY QUARTER MILE OR HALF MILE OR IF THEY'RE UP IN BROADCASTING LIKE THEY'RE HIGHER UP IN A TREE.

GETTING THAT SIGNAL OUT THAT YOU GUYS CAN APPRECIATE IS THAT WE CAN PICK THEM UP FROM MUCH FURTHER.

SO WHEN WE'RE IN THERE, WE GET A WIDER GRAB FOR OUR SIGNAL.

WE'RE STILL PLAYING WITH THIS WORLD WAR.

2 ERA TECHNOLOGY VHA TRANSMISSIONS.

WE DON'T HAVE GPS COLLAR FOR PYTHONS AND YOU CAN KIND OF SEE WHY THEY'RE NOT LIKE A PANTHER.

WHERE, THOUGH, THANK YOU COULD FIT A COLORADO.

SO WE'RE PLAYING THIS GAME OF USING THIS TECHNOLOGY WHICH WORKS TRYING TO LOCATE THEM AS IMAGINE 40 PLUS OF THESE ANIMALS ARE MOVING ABOUT THE LANDSCAPE.

IT'S A FUN GAME.

I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER ONE FOR A WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST.

I'M NOT SURE WHAT I'LL DO WHEN THIS ASSIGNMENT OVER WHEN YOU'RE BEEN CHASING ONE OF THE LARGEST SNAKES ON THE PLANET FOR DECADES.

BUT IT'S FUN.

IT'S EXCITING.

KEEPS US ON OUR TOES.

BUT IT'S IT'S WILD OUT THERE WHEN THESE ANIMALS ARE TAKING YOU TO PLACES THAT YOU NEVER BEEN BEFORE, YOU'D BE LIKE, WHY WOULD I GO THERE?

WELL, WE GOT TO STAY ON THE TAIL OF THIS TAG NOW, PYTHON BECAUSE IT'S THE MIDDLE OF THE BREEDING SEASON.

ANY PROBABLY HAS A FEMALE AND MANY OTHER MALES NEARBY.

IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

>> YES, I WONDER IF YOU'RE UP IN THE AIR, HOW ARE YOU ULTIMATELY FINDING THE STAKES ON THE GROUND GETTING A GOOD DEAL OF 2 DOWN THERE THAT YOU COMMUNICATE WITH?

ACTUALLY, IT'S.

>> IT'S SORT OF A THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE SEASON WHEN I'M DOING SOME AERIAL TELEMETRY AND I I TEAM IS ON THE GROUND.

I HAVE A TEAM OF HAVE WELL TO OTHER ADDITIONAL BIOLOGIST.

ANY STERLING'S BEEN WITH ME FOR A DECADE AND ONE OF MY FORMER INTERN'S CASON AT ALL KIND TO JOIN THE TEAM AND ITS TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.

IT'S VERY COOL.

WINDY.

I'M ON A PLANE GETTING WE CALL FRESH INTEL AND I KNOW WHERE THAT ANIMAL THAT SLIPPED US THE WEEK BEFORE FINALLY SHOWED UP AND IN THE BREEDING SEASON, IT USUALLY MEANS THAT THEY MADE THAT MANEUVER THAT WHEN WE GET TO HIM, IT'S GOING TO BE REWARDED WITH THE PILOT PYTHONS FOR US.

THAT'S A GOOD DAY.

AND MOST OF THE PYTHONS WERE PULLING OUT OR NOT THIS SIZE, ALTHOUGH YOU CAN FIND THESE SMALLER MALES IN A BREEDING AGGREGATION, IT'S TYPICALLY ONE FEMALE AND EITHER ONE MALE OR ONCE THE SEASON GETS LATER, YOU CAN HAVE WHOLE CAST OF CHARACTERS IN THAT AGGREGATION, IF YOU WILL.

AND SO THEY BECOME QUITE THE RODEO WHEN THE PEAK OF THE SEASON IS RIGHT AROUND VALENTINE'S DAY.

YOU CAN'T MAKE THIS UP AND TYPICALLY EVERY VALENTINE'S DAY YOU CAN FIND US ON A PILE OF PYTHONS.

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR RECORD YEAR.

THANK YOU.

AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING ALL THIS INFORMATION TODAY.

IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

6.

>> HERE IS ANOTHER INTERESTING FACT ABOUT BURMESE PYTHONS FROM THE WGCU NEWSROOM.

THE STAKES SHOW MATERNAL CARE.

THEY INCUBATE THEIR CLUTCHES A FAKE SPIKE TWITCHING OR SHIVERING TO GENERATE AND TRAP BODY HEAT.

YOU CAN FIND MORE ON BURMESE PYTHONS BY VISITING WGCU DOT ORG.

COMING UP, THE ENORMOUS EFFORTS TO PROTECT ONE OF THE LARGEST ANIMALS ON THE PLANET.

WE LEARNED HOW FLORIDA ANIMAL EXPERTS CAME TOGETHER TO HELP CANDY.

THE RHINO SEE CLEARLY ONCE AGAIN.

>> SOUTH FLORIDA IS FILLED WITH NUMEROUS ORGANIZATIONS DEDICATED TO THE PRESERVATION AND CARE FOR WILDLIFE.

ONE OF THE LARGEST IS DISNEY'S ANIMAL KINGDOM, WHICH INCLUDES SPECIES FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.

AND WHEN ONE OF THEIR ANIMALS NEED SPECIALIZED CARE, THEY SET OUT TO FIND DOCTORS WHO CAN HELP.

THAT WAS THE SITUATION WITH CANDY.

A 27 YEAR-OLD WHITE RHINO.

DISNEY'S ANIMAL CARE TEAM NOTICED CLOUDINESS INNER EYE AND A GROWING CATARACT EXPERTS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA WERE CALLED IN TO HELP SAVE CANDIES EYESIGHT.

WGCUS TEDDY BYRNE HAS MORE.

>> FOR MORE ON THE CARE PROVIDED FOR CANDY, THE WHITE RHINO, I AM JOINED BY DR KAREN PLUMBER AND OFTEN THE COLLEGE'S AT U.S.

COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE.

AND REBECCA PHILLIPS WITH DISNEY'S ANIMAL SCIENCE AND ENVIRONMENT TEAM.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US TODAY.

>> YOU'RE VERY WELCOME.

>> SO REBECCA WILL START WITH YOU AT WHAT POINT DID YOU NOTICE THAT SOMETHING MIGHT BE SERIOUSLY WRONG WITH CANDIES VISION AND THAT WOULD REQUIRE ASSISTANCE FROM OUTSIDE OF DISNEY'S CARE TEAM.

>> SO ALL OF OUR ANIMALS ARE VIEWED EVERY DAY BY OUR ANIMAL CARE STAFF AND TOWARDS THE END OF 2019 ARE ANIMAL KEEPERS NOTICE THAT HER EYE APPEARED TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE CLOUDY.

THEN WHAT IS TYPICAL FOR HER EYES?

AND THAT'S WHEN WE CALLED IN OUR DISNEY VETERINARIANS TO TAKE A LOOK.

WE MADE THE DECISION TO MONITOR HER EYE AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY PROGRESSION.

SEE IF IT WAS JUST A ONETIME OBSERVATION OR IF THERE WAS CHANGE OVER TIME.

AS OUR VETERINARIANS AND OUR ANIMAL CARE TEAM SOUGHT CHANGE OVER TIME.

THAT'S WHEN WE REACHED OUT TO DR PALMER'S TEAM TO GET A MORE IN-DEPTH LOOK AT WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH HER EYE.

>> AND DR PLUMBER.

WHEN YOU GET THE CALL THAT YOUR ASSISTANCE IS NEEDED FOR CATARACT SURGERY ON A RHINOCEROS, WHAT WAS YOUR IMMEDIATE THOUGHT?

YOU WORK WITH HORSES BEFORE?

BUT NOW THIS IS A LARGER RICHLAND GULL.

>> YEAH, I WAS REALLY EXCITED BECAUSE?

>> NO, I GOT IN THAT ALGAE IN PART BECAUSE I GET TO SEE LOTS OF DIFFERENT SPECIES.

SO IT WAS EXCITING TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH VERY BEAUTIFUL, CHARISMATIC MEGAFAUNA AS WE CALL THEM AND TO PERHAPS BE ABLE TO HELP THIS ONE INDIVIDUAL, THIS ENDANGERED INDIVIDUAL BETTER NAVIGATE HER ENVIRONMENT AND AND FEEL SAFER.

I THINK THAT WAS ONE OF THE CONCERNS IS THAT SHE WAS A LITTLE BIT ANXIOUS, NOT HAVING THAT SPECIAL SENSE READILY AVAILABLE TO HER.

SO >> AND THEN HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT PREPARING FOR PROCEDURE FOR ANIMAL OF THIS SIZE.

IT YOU KNOW, THAT CAN WEIGH UP TO 4,000 POUNDS.

IT'S WHAT ARE THE OBSTACLES WHEN PLANNING THE PREP WORK BEFORE EVEN ARRIVING ON SITE?

>> WELL, FOR FOR CANDY.

>> IN GENERAL AS CJ IS A IS REQUIREMENT FOR ANY ANIMAL.

IT'S GOING UNDER CATARACT SURGERY, HANDLING PEOPLE.

THEY CAN DO THINGS WITH SEDATIVES AND LOCAL BLOCKS.

BUT WE REALLY NEED TO HAVE THE PATIENT PERFECTLY STILL FOR THE SURGERY.

AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE CAN ASK THEM TO SIT STILL IN A CHAIR AND LET US DO THIS PROCEDURE.

SO FOR HER 2 THINGS GETTING READY FOR GENERAL ANESTHESIA, WHICH IS NOT A SIMPLE THING.

WHEN YOU HAVE AN ANIMAL, THAT'S 4,000 POUNDS.

BUT THE OTHER THING IS MAKING SURE THAT SHE WOULD BE AMENABLE TO TREATMENT AND YOU CAN DO CATARACT SURGERY AND THE PROCEDURE ITSELF CAN GO REALLY WELL.

BUT THAT CAUSES SOME INFLAMMATION AND REQUIRES ANTI-INFLAMMATORIES AND ANTIBIOTICS AFTER SURGERY JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE DONE FOR THE EYE IS SUPPORTED DURING HER HEALING PERIOD.

SO WE DON'T END UP WITH COMPLICATIONS THAT COULD MAKE OR WORSE OFF.

SO THERE WAS QUITE A PERIOD OF PRE PLANNING AND PRE-TREATMENT IN ORDER TO GET HER USED TO ACCEPTING THE MEDICATIONS THAT WOULD BE NECESSARY AFTER SURGERY.

>> AND THEN SO REBECCA, THEN AS UF IS GETTING THEIR STUFF SET UP, WHAT IS HAPPENING AT ANIMAL KINGDOM?

SURE, YOUR FACILITIES AREN'T REALLY SITUATED FOR SOMETHING OF THIS.

SO HOW ARE YOU ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE WHAT WOULD BE A KIND OF THEY'VE GOT A FIRST OF ITS KIND OF A VERY DAUNTING TYPE OF SURGERY.

>> WE STARTED BY ASKING THE QUESTION TO DR PALMER WITH WHAT WOULD BE HER GOLD STANDARD OF CARE.

POST-SURGERY IF SHE WERE TO DO THIS PROCEDURE ON AN ANIMAL.

THAT IS A LITTLE BIT MORE TYPICAL LIKE A CAT OR A DOG THAT THAT'S A LITTLE BIT EASIER HANDLE.

AND SHE EXPLAINED THE EYE DROPS.

IT WOULD NEED TO BE DELIVERED ON A REGULAR BASIS AS WELL AS PROTECTING THE EYE.

SO WE PARTNERED WITH THE COST OF BEING TEAM HERE AT WALT DISNEY WORLD AND DEVELOPED A ONE OF A KIND MASK THAT SHE WAS TAUGHT TO WEAR 24 HOURS A DAY THAT WOULD ALLOW THAT IT PROTECTED.

BUT ALLOW US TO DO THE TREATMENT OF THE EYE DROPS THAT WAS PRESCRIBED BY DOCTOR PALMER.

OUR TEAM SPENT OVER 2 YEARS TRAINING THE BEHAVIOR OF 4 TIMES A DAY.

MULTIPLE DIFFERENT TYPES OF DROPS WITH SPACING IN BETWEEN THE DROPS.

SO THAT SHE WOULD BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN HER AFTER CARE.

AND WE WOULD HAVE THE BEST CHANCE WE COULD HIT A REALLY GOOD OUTCOME.

>> NOW, I THINK THE MASK WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITE PARTS OF LEARNING MORE ABOUT THIS STORY WAS AN AMAZING DEVICE CREATED.

SO NOW AS THE SURGERY IS GOING UNDER WAY AND THINGS ARE PROGRESSING, DR, WERE THERE ANY CHALLENGES YOUR TEAMS FACE AND THEN HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE CANDY AS A PATIENT?

>> SHE'S LOVELY IN EVERY WAY, BUT SHE IS SHE STEAK AND SHE'S NOT A DOMESTIC ANIMAL.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT TAKES PATIENCE AND TIME TO KIND OF WORK WITH HER AND GET HER USED TO, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THESE INTERVENTIONS AND THINGS DURING SURGERY, YOU KNOW, JUST THE ACT OF NSA TIES IN 4,000 COUNTY ANIMAL.

IT'S IT'S A BIG DEAL BECAUSE SHE HAD TO BE LAYING ON HER SIDE FOR THE DURATION OF SURGERY AND, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN IMAGINE 4,000 POUNDS ON ONE SIDE THAT CAUSES SOME COMPRESSION OF HER LONG SO IT CAN BE PROBLEMATIC FOR BREATHING AND PROBLEMATIC FOR RECOVERY BECAUSE SHE DOES WAY SO MUCH.

THERE CAN BE ISSUES WITH MY OUT THAT THESE AND, YOU KNOW, THE MUSCLES BEING COMPROMISED FROM HAVING THAT MUCH WEIGHT ON THEM FOR A PERIOD OF TIME.

SO THE SURGERY ITSELF WAS A LITTLE NERVE WRACKING BECAUSE WE WANTED TO GET IT DONE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

SO SHE COULD WAKE UP AND BE STANDING AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, BALANCING THAT WITH DUNE IS AS GOOD A JOB AS POSSIBLE.

SO IT WAS A ERGONOMIC LEE, A LITTLE BIT CHALLENGING BECAUSE EVEN WITH LARGE ANIMALS, IF WE DO CATARACT SURGERY ON A HORSE OR ANY OTHER LARGE ANIMAL, THEY'RE STILL GENERALLY ON THE OPERATING TABLE AND THEY'RE ABOVE THE GROUND AND WE HAVE AN OPERATING MICROSCOPE.

SO THE SITUATIONS FOR SURGERY WHERE A LITTLE BIT CHALLENGING.

I WAS SITTING ON THE GROUND HAD I HAD LOOPS AS OPPOSED TO MICROSCOPE.

SO THERE WERE SOME CHALLENGES THERE.

SO IT WAS NOT THE THE EASIEST PROCEDURE, BUT I'M REALLY, REALLY HAPPY WITH THE WAY IT TURNED OUT AND WITH HER UPCOMING THUS FAR.

>> AND I GUESS THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION IS THAT CANDY IS DOING WELL RIGHT NOW.

SHE MADE A FULL RECOVERY AND IS DOING I'M GUESSING BACK AT ANIMAL KINGDOM.

YOU KNOW, PLAYING A GREAT GUEST TO VISITORS THAT ARE COMING IN.

>> YEAH, 100%.

SHE HAS HER TREATMENTS.

SHE STILL GETS BUSINESS FROM DR PALMER ON A REGULAR BASIS TO CHECK THE HEALING AND JUST I THINK TO SEE HER AGAIN SHE HAS GONE BACK OUT WITH THE REST OF THE RHINO CRASH AND SHE CAN BE SEEN ON KILIMANJARO SAFARI AT DISNEY'S ANIMAL KINGDOM.

>> AND THEN DOCTOR PLUMMER.

HOW CAN A SURGERY LIKE THIS HELP YOU PREPARE FOR FUTURE SITUATIONS WHERE YOU'RE SERVICES MIGHT BE CALLED AGAIN FOR A LARGER THAN LIFE ANIMAL.

>> WELL, EVERY.

>> EVERY INDIVIDUAL, EVERY INDIVIDUAL SURGERY IS DIFFERENT.

SO.

>> AND JUST KIND OF OVER TIME AMASSING.

HAVING DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES THE WAY THE AI WORKS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY AND THE SIZE OF THE EYE AND THE DENSITY OF THE CATARACTS, YOU KNOW, EVERY EVERY LITTLE ARE.

INDIVIDUAL PROCEDURE IS IS DIFFERENT.

SO OVER TIME, IF YOU ARE EXPOSED TO LOTS OF DIFFERENT SITUATIONS, YOU CAN KIND OF PUNT IN THE IN THE MIXED.

IF SOMETHING COMES UP THAT YOU DON'T EXPECT.

SO I FEEL I FEEL REALLY GOOD THAT WE DID A GOOD THING FOR CANDY AND THAT MOVING IT WILL BE ABLE TO HELP OTHER ANIMALS, EVEN IF THEY'RE DIFFERENT SPECIES AND DIFFERENT SITUATIONS.

>> WELL, DOCTOR PLUMMER, MISS PHILLIPS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US AND SHARING THIS AMAZING STORY.

>> HERE'S ANOTHER FACT FROM THE WGCU NEWSROOM.

DISNEY SAYS ITS ANIMAL PROGRAM AND ITS VETERAN AREA TEAMS CARE FOR OVER 5,000 ANIMALS REPRESENTING MORE THAN 300 SPECIES.

DISNEY SAYS IT 1000 ADDITIONAL SPECIES THROUGH THE DISNEY CONCERT.

FRANCE CONSERVANCY FUND.

YOU CAN FIND MORE ENVIRONMENTAL STORIES BY VISITING OUR WEBSITE AT WGCU DOT ORG.

COMING UP AFTER THE BREAK FROM THE SAVANNAH OF AFRICA TO THE BEACH COAST OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

WE LOOK AT WHAT YOU CAN DO TO PROTECT ANIMALS RIGHT IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD.

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA IS A HAVEN FOR BIRD POPULATIONS.

THE NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY SAYS MORE THAN 500 SPECIES CAN BE FOUND IN OUR AREA FOLLOWING YEARS OF HABITAT, RESTORATION AND BEACH PROTECTIONS.

NUMBERS HAVE GREATLY IMPROVED.

THE HELP ALSO COMES FROM CONCERNED BIRD LOVERS.

BUT WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOU FIND A HATCHLING OR ANOTHER BABY WILD ANIMAL THAT LOOKS INJURED OR SICK TOM BAYLISS, OUR SENIOR ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTER JOINS US NOW TO TELL US WHAT WE SHOULD DO WHEN WE SEE A LITTLE BABY ANIMAL THAT DOESN'T LOOK SO WELL.

>> ALL RIGHT.

AND IT HAPPENS A LOT THIS TIME OF YEAR AND ALL KINDS OF CONCERN CALLS COME INTO THE VON ARX WILDLIFE HOSPITAL IN NAPLES, A BABY SQUIRREL APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN KNOCKED FROM ITS TREE.

NEST OF MOCKINGBIRD SAYS TUCKED INSIDE THE DELIVERY OF LANDSCAPING PLANTS.

A SCREECH OUT SMALL ENOUGH TO COPE AND 2 HANDS IS BOUNCING ALONG THE GRID AND NEARLY 100 OF THESE YOUNG PATIENTS ARRIVE EVERY WEEKEND ON ARCS, WHICH IS PART OF THE CONSERVANCY OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

MANY OF THE BABY CREATURES THAT FLOOD MONARCHS AND THE REGION'S OTHER ANIMAL HOSPITALS EVERY SPRING ARE NEVER IN TROUBLE.

>> IF YOU FIND A BABY ANIMAL THAT IS LOAN, IT APPEARS HEALTHY, KEEP CHILDREN AND PETS AWAY OBSERVED FROM A DISTANCE AND GIVE THE PARENTS TIME TO RETURN FOR MANY WILDLIFE SPECIES ALONE IS EXACTLY WHERE A BABY IS SUPPOSED TO BE.

>> THEIR PARENTS OR CLOSE BY DOING WHAT WILD PARENTS DO.

LEAVING THE YOUNG TUCKED IN THE GRASS OR ON A BRANCH FOR HOURS WHILE THE HUNT FOR FOOD.

A PERSON FINDS THE BABY ALONE ASSUMES THE WORST AND SCOOPS IT UP.

STATE WILDLIFE OFFICIALS SAY MOST OF THOSE RESCUES ARE MISTAKES.

HERE'S ERIN, THANK HONOR RESCUE COORDINATOR AT THE WILDLIFE CENTER OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

IN VENICE.

THE BABIES WILL LEAVE THE NEST BEFORE THEY'RE ABLE TO FLY.

YOU'LL FIND THEM ON THE GROUND ANYWHERE.

FIRST 7 TO 21 DAYS, DEPENDING ON THE SPECIES.

>> MOM AND DAD ARE STILL ABSOLUTELY TAKING CARE OF THE BABIES THAT IT BE.

>> WILNER BOWL BUT VALUABLE TIME FRAME FOR THE BIRD.

THE BIRD TO LEARN HOW TO BE BIG BIRD.

AND AND MOM AND DAD WILL STILL TAKE CARE ROOM AND GOALS OUR TEACHING THEM TO FORGE MORE AND MORE AND PREVENT THEMSELVES FROM GETTING THEM TAKEN BY PREDATORS.

MOM AND DAD ARE STILL GOING TO SOME OF THE PROTECTING.

AND THAT IS NORMAL BEHAVIOR.

>> THE ANIMALS THAT TRULY NEED THE ORPHANED AND INJURED TEND TO BE VICTIMS OF THE HUMAN WORLD AROUND THEM.

A CAR, A CAT, A MOWER.

IN THOSE CASES.

MONARCHS EXPERT RIGHT INSTRUCTIONS ON THEIR WEBSITE FOR WHAT TO DO IF YOU FIND A SICK OR INJURED ANIMAL.

>> TOM, HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN IT'S TIME TO STEP IN AND ACTUALLY HELPED THE LITTLE ANIMAL?

>> THERE ARE ANIMALS THAT REALLY NEED THE ORPHAN, THE BLOODIED AND INJURED IN THOSE CASES.

COLOR RESCUE EXPERT AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS ANYTIME YOU'RE SEEING A INJURY OR A LEG INJURY OR THE BABY BIRD KIND OF HOPPING AROUND AND >> YOU'RE NOT BEING A PARENT COME DOWN, YOU WOULD BE SEEING WHEN THEY'RE ON THE GROUND.

YOU WOULD BE.

I'D BE LOOKING FOR A 2 HOUR MONITORING PERIOD WHERE WE'RE LOOKING TO SEE IF AHMED COMING DOWN OR DATA COMING DOWN TO FEED THEM.

AND THEN PICTURES AND VIDEOS.

WE CAN ALWAYS TELL A LOT BY BODY CAN AND BODY CONDITION AND ON VIDEO AND ADD TO THAT PHOTO SO THAT WE CAN KIND OF ASSESS THE SITUATION BEFORE WE INTERVENE.

>> IF ONE IS NOT AVAILABLE AND THE ANIMAL CLEARLY HAS A BROKEN WING OR LEG OR IS BLEEDING, SCOOP IT UP IN A WELL-VENTILATED BOX WITH A TELL COVER IT SECURELY AND BRING THE ANIMAL HIM.

IF YOU CAN'T.

LISTEN TO THE MONITOR AT THE CLINIC FOR THE REHABILITATION OF WILDLIFE ON SANIBEL ISLAND.

IF YOU CARE, LEAVE IT, THERE.

>> AND THAT IS SOME REALLY HELPFUL INFORMATION FOR ALL OF US.

ANIMAL LOVERS IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

THANK YOU, TOM.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

COMING UP ON OUR NEXT PROGRAM, AN ALL-TIME BROADWAY CLASSIC IS GETTING A REVIVAL IN LEE COUNTY.

WE LEARNED HOW THE UNDERLYING MESSAGES OF RENT ARE STILL RELEVANT.

30 YEARS AFTER IT ORIGINALLY DEBUT.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

MAKE SURE YOU VISIT W G C DOT ORG WHERE YOU'LL FIND ALL OF OUR STORIES.

HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AGAIN RIGHT HERE ON SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

IN FOCUS.