50|50 Season 9 Episode 4: 10 June 2018

50|50 Season 9 Episode 4: 10 June 2018

Birds of Eden

To ensure that the South African endemic bird genetics stay pure, exotic birds cannot by law be released into South Africa’s natural environment – as some bird species can interbreed. But most bird pets are exotics like the African Grey Parrot. So, what happens to these birds when owners give them up or die…Hermien Roelvert takes us into Birds of Eden shifting the focus from birds in the wild to birds living in a 2-hectare dome, the largest in the world, in Plettenberg Bay. The negative impact of man’s hand is seen here but Birds of Eden are lending a caring hand, since most of the birds cannot ever be released.

Ocean Stewardship

On the 8^th of June we celebrated World Oceans Day. The purpose of this day is to inform the public of the impact of human’s actions on the ocean, to develop a worldwide movement and to mobilize the world’s population on projects that focus on the sustainable management of the world’s oceans. Oceans are the biggest lungs of our planet, providing most of the oxygen we breathe. They are also a major source of food and medicines; and are a critical part of the global ecosystem. In Ocean Stewardship, Bertus Louw takes us to the ocean to meet a young scientist that was inspired by the wonders of nature from an early age and froms part of a group of passionate marine biologist students. They are part of a research programme whose sole focus is unravelling what goes on below the surface.

Wonderwêreld: Leopard Cubs

As is the case for most species, new born leopard cubs are weak and rely entirely on their mother for nourishment and protection. Their eyes will only open in a weeks’ time after birth and then only a few days after that, will they be able to see. For the first three months of their lives, leopard cubs are highly dependent on their mother’s milk to survive. This means that to ensure their survival, a mother leopard needs to be close by to feed and even defend her cubs. In Wonderwêreld we see what it takes to raise two boisterous young male cubs…

Simon Says: Sleep

In Simon Says the question of ”Why do we sleep” is answered. For a third of every day, we shut down our bodies and go into stasis for 8 hours. If we don’t, we get increasingly unhappy and frantic until such point that we will sleep rather than run away from danger. You can live without food for longer than you can live without sleep.

VeldFokus:

VeldFokus goes on an eating spree, from a python eating an Egyptian Goose, a Raucous Toad having a pre-rain snack to a Grey Heron finishing off a Red-lipped Snake.