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Predator Pets (2018) Season 1 Episode 12

In this week's episode we meet the young woman happy to be known as the "crazy zebra lady" along with her pet zebras, camels, and water buffalo. We also meet some majestic birds of prey and their equally extraordinary human. And, while small and furry may not seem frightening, we'll meet some compact critters that many forget are predator pets that can pack a powerful bite.

#documentary #animals

Category

🐳
Animals
Transcript
00:00Humans have had a close relationship with animals for thousands of years.
00:26Scientists agree the domestic dog has been a trusted pet for around 15,000 years, and
00:31cats became part of the household from 10,000 years ago.
00:35And now it's estimated there are at least 600 million pet cats in the world.
00:41Exotic pets have also been kept for thousands of years.
00:46It's well documented that the Egyptians kept baboons as pets, and exotic animals kept in
00:51the home feature in many ancient texts.
00:55In modern times, the keeping of exotic pets has increased.
00:59A staggering statistic is that there are more tigers in the U.S. alone than there are in
01:04the wild.
01:09Animal owners truly believe they are playing a role in preserving the numbers of exotic
01:13animals.
01:14But on the other side of the debate, there are those who believe it is a cruel practice
01:19to keep any animals in captivity.
01:22This series explores the issues from both sides, from those who know the dangers, but
01:30see the benefits, to others who condemn the keeping of exotic pets.
01:35Their stories follow.
01:41Birds of prey are instantly recognized as predators.
01:53They are built to hunt, and are some of the fastest animals on earth.
02:05One man in Utah, USA, is closer to these birds than most of us are ever likely to be.
02:13Martin Tyner is not only a recognized expert on birds of prey, he also shares his life
02:19and his home with some unusual bird friends.
02:24This is a prairie falcon.
02:25Her name is Cirrus.
02:26She is one of our desert falcons here in North America.
02:30She does live in the house.
02:31Basically, the reason she lives in the house is these animals are very wild, very high
02:36strung, very difficult to deal with, and they require a lot of socialization, a lot of interaction
02:41with people in order to be comfortable, especially when I'm out doing wildlife programs in an
02:47audience of 500 to 1,000 people.
02:50The birds have to be comfortable.
02:51And so she comes in, she goes out in the daytime, but she comes in the house and hangs out and
02:55watches TV with the family, and she's just truly a member of the family.
03:01She's very sweet, and she loves to talk to me.
03:06Martin is a master falconer and an educator, and he is heavily involved with the conservation
03:11of birds of prey.
03:13But he is very aware of the dangers of keeping these large birds, and he never forgets where
03:19they have come from.
03:24This is in every respect, this is a wild animal.
03:28Even though she's worked with me and we get along wonderfully together, she still is wild.
03:33She still has a very strong fight or flight instinct.
03:35She still has, she's still instinctively afraid of humans.
03:39And so, but being, again, in the house, in her location, strangers and cameras and things,
03:45that's pretty tough on her.
03:47And so the hood is actually her protection against stress.
03:52It just covers her eyes, so now she can kind of just sit quietly, and she doesn't feel
03:56frightened.
03:58Putting a small leather hood over the head of the bird instantly quietens them down and
04:03gives the bird a sense of security.
04:06Martin is an expert on the handling of birds, so taking his feather friend back to her pen
04:13is a simple procedure.
04:15Having a bird of prey as a pet might be a different story altogether.
04:21It actually isn't quite like a dog or cat in that, with a dog or cat, they have been
04:27domesticated.
04:29They want to be with you.
04:30They want to be your friend.
04:32When it comes to apex predators, like this falcon and my eagle and my hawk that I fly,
04:37these animals don't necessarily like you.
04:40They don't necessarily want to be with you.
04:41They don't necessarily respect you in any way, shape, fashion, or form.
04:45But what they do is they exploit you.
04:48So the truth of the matter is, she's the hunter, I'm her dog.
04:51You know, falconry is one of very, very few relationships between man and wildlife that's
04:55mutually beneficial.
04:57We don't own these birds in any way, shape, fashion, or form.
05:01We serve them well.
05:02And that's the only reason they come back.
05:06Many of the birds here are rescues or long-term patients needing rehabilitation.
05:12But some have been bred in captivity.
05:16This is about as high-strung and difficult as you can deal with.
05:22And I've loved the challenge.
05:23She's really an amazing animal to work with.
05:27In no way is she a pet.
05:29She's strictly an apex predator, and you have to love that, but you'd never consider this
05:34a pet.
05:35She'll hurt you.
05:36There's my little beachy.
05:49And as you can see, her posture is very, very different, even though I raised her.
05:55And this is probably one of the most important things I can show people, is even though I've
05:59raised her, and even though she is as captive a bird of prey as you'll ever find, I've bred
06:05her as a pet hawk.
06:07Every ounce of wild instinct is there.
06:09She acts very, very much like the wildest bird of prey that you'll ever see.
06:14And this particular bird, as long as we're hunting, she's a joy.
06:20But if I'm not serving her well, then she's a bit of a brat.
06:25The body language that she's saying here is that, I will allow you to come hunting with
06:30me, but dammit, don't touch me.
06:33She is absolutely in charge.
06:36Now, again, on the head, I can touch her breast slowly, and even that.
06:40Hey, sweetie.
06:41Yes.
06:42But I have to watch those feet, because that's what she kills with.
06:46Those razor-sharp talons is what she uses to kill with.
06:49And so she can bite, but the bite really isn't nearly as bad as the feet.
06:55Huh, baby?
06:56Yes, you're such a brat.
06:58But you're a goshawk, that's why, huh?
07:03There is no doubt that Martin loves his birds.
07:07But one of them is his favorite.
07:10Scout is an American golden eagle, and has been with Martin for over 15 years.
07:17Their relationship is unique, and crosses the borders between pet ownership and a mutual
07:22respect between animal and human.
07:31It's okay, Scout.
07:32Bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce.
07:39Come out here, guys.
07:40We'll get busy in a little bit.
07:42Come on, boy.
07:43Come here.
07:46It's okay.
07:48I know, you gotta settle down.
07:50Here we go.
07:53I know, come on.
07:54Settle in.
07:56That's my boy.
07:59So this is an American golden eagle?
08:01Yeah, this is the golden eagle.
08:05They are protected under the Federal Eagle Act, which is actually protection above the
08:09Endangered Species Act.
08:11And so the golden, the bald eagle.
08:12Scout.
08:14I know.
08:15They're okay.
08:17I know, you said, I don't know what that stuff is, and I don't like it.
08:19It's okay.
08:21It's my boy.
08:25It's my boy.
08:27It's okay.
08:28I know.
08:29Strangers in your house.
08:32This is the golden eagle.
08:35The farmer up in Wyoming was threatening to shoot him, and I was called in by the federal
08:38government to rescue him before he got shot.
08:40So this is, in every respect, a full-grown wild eagle.
08:44So we start from the bottom, work our way up, big guy.
08:47And you can look at these feet.
08:50You know, 600 pounds per square inch of crushing power in those feet.
08:54He can drive those talons through my glove and crush the bones in my hand.
08:58So it's really good he likes me.
08:59We appreciate that.
09:01These large chest muscles are the motors that he uses to drive that beautiful six-foot wingspan.
09:07That beautiful six-foot wingspan that allows eagles to fly where hawks and falcons cannot.
09:12Eagles have been spotted at altitudes greater than 30,000 feet.
09:17Their strong eyesight is what enables them to be such precise and accurate hunters.
09:24My eagle can see eight times further than you can.
09:28And not only does he see eight times further, he has six times the number of light-sensitive cells,
09:31the rods and cones on the back of the eye.
09:33So everything he sees is six times clearer.
09:36This eagle can spot a jackrabbit five miles away.
09:40And he does.
09:41We go out on the desert just north of town here.
09:44He flies free.
09:45He goes thousands of feet in the sky.
09:46He flies with the wild eagles.
09:48And he follows me as I flush out jackrabbits for him to catch.
09:52And so he flies like an eagle and hunts like an eagle.
09:55And then if we don't catch any rabbits, he knows he can fly back, land on my glove, I'll feed him anyway.
10:01One day he got a little confused.
10:03Thousands of feet in the sky, no rabbits to be found.
10:05It was time to go home.
10:06So I blew my whistle, threw his toy out on the ground, and my eagle went into a wonderful dive.
10:12Headlong, vertical, about 145 miles an hour.
10:15It was impressive.
10:17But it became apparent very quickly, he wasn't going for his toy.
10:22He was coming for my arm.
10:25When I woke up, I was six feet back laying face down in the dirt,
10:30with my eagle standing next to me looking down at me to say,
10:33why are you laying there?
10:36I had a long talk with my eagle that day,
10:38how I could not withstand the impact of an eight-pound bird at 145 miles an hour,
10:43and I would appreciate if he'd never do that again.
10:46He dislocated my shoulder and damaged my back and knees.
10:51Looking after eagles does have its challenges.
10:54They are, after all, a major predator and can leave a nasty bite.
11:02He's the hunter, I'm his dog.
11:04And he and I have been together now for 15 years.
11:09And so he's kept me for 15 years, so that's wonderful.
11:13This is truly an honor, to be able to have literally your best friend as a wild golden eagle.
11:20And wild in every sense of the word.
11:22And to have the privilege of that wild animal coming right out of the sky,
11:27coming back to me, landing on my glove,
11:29and being able to understand him is something that's almost beyond words.
11:38Martin often hand-feeds sick or injured wild birds,
11:42nursing them back to health.
11:45But sometimes his care is not enough.
11:48Those times when I do have to euthanize an eagle,
11:51you know, it just really tears me up.
11:53Because, you know, I've dedicated my whole life to rescuing them.
11:57And so quite often I have to just grab Scout and we'll just sit out in a shady spot and we'll talk.
12:05Yeah, we'll get our feelings out.
12:08And to be honest with you guys, he doesn't care.
12:13You know, it heals me, he doesn't care.
12:16It heals me, he doesn't understand.
12:19But it allows me to vent and to feel better.
12:24Yeah, he's such a good boy.
12:28It could be easy to leave the story of Martin and his birds here.
12:33But there's much more to this man than just his love of birds.
12:38As we drive out to a remote desert area with a rehabilitated hawk in the back of his car,
12:45Martin is at his happiest.
12:48This is why he does what he does.
12:51The thrill of releasing a bird back into the wild is something he has experienced many times,
12:58and he passes this joy on to visitors and bird lovers whenever he can.
13:04The Southwest Wildlife Foundation of Utah was started by Martin
13:08to assist in returning eagles and other birds of prey back into the wild after injuries sustained mainly by human intervention.
13:19Over 100 birds a year are rehabilitated and returned to the wild.
13:24An incredible statistic considering that the person responsible for helping these animals was not always a big fan of birds.
13:34Well, actually, as a child, I was terrified of them.
13:36My earliest childhood memory was such a horrible fear of birds.
13:44I had climbed up on the kitchen table at my grandparents' house.
13:48My grandfather had a pet parakeet, and as a little tiny toddler, I decided I'd pet the pretty green little bird in the cage.
13:55I stuck my hand in there and went to pet the bird, and the bird bit me.
13:58And I pulled away from the bird, and me and the cage and everything fell off the table and smashed everywhere.
14:06And it was traumatic, and that caused me to have a tremendous fear.
14:11And it was getting worse and worse. Every time I'd see even a sparrow fly overhead, I'd scream, run for the house.
14:18Keeping a few birds for education and friendship is important to Martin.
14:23But he sees what we are doing today as being far more beneficial.
14:29Especially after he has spent many weeks or months treating so many injured animals.
14:35But does he feel a loss when the birds just fly away?
14:41I get asked all the time from people, you know, you've put your heart and soul into rescuing these animals, and they just fly away. Does that make you feel bad?
14:50And the truth of the matter is, no, that is my reward. Like I said, we don't get paid for this.
14:54My reward is the knowledge that there's one more beautiful eagle, hawk, owl, whatever, back in the sky.
15:00There's one more beautiful deer, coyote or fox back in the wild. That's my reward.
15:06It's always a really good day when I can turn something loose.
15:10Today, Martin has enrolled some help with the latest release.
15:14It's an emotional moment, and neither of the men know quite what to expect.
15:19You'll release the bird. You just follow my instructions, and you'll be perfectly safe.
15:25And I'll take the bird out of its box. I will hand the bird to you, and I'll show you how to hold it properly.
15:32And then we'll just walk over to the rock fence right there and hold the bird for as long as you're comfortable.
15:37And then all I want you to do is take the bird and just throw it.
15:41And it should go.
15:44It should go. And you will be the last person on the planet to ever touch that beautiful hawk.
15:50Just hold it right into your chest. Just like this.
15:54And then when you're ready to release her, then all you're going to do is just take her and just throw her right up in the air.
16:01So it's very, very simple. Let me strike this.
16:05And I don't want you to release her with the hood on. That would be very bad.
16:08That's not good.
16:09That's not good.
16:15Okay. I want you to put your fingers underneath mine and grab those feet. Grab both of them.
16:25And you've got a hawk in your arms. And you will be, like I said, if all goes well, you'll be the last person on the planet to ever touch that beautiful animal.
16:32Let's go over here.
16:35Martin is just as enthusiastic today releasing this bird as he has been for many years.
16:46Any opportunity to escape, she'll take it. And she'll fight with you and she'll try to escape.
16:52But right now she doesn't think she has an option.
16:54Just keep the pressure on. I've probably got more pressure than you would ever have.
17:00I know it's a little intimidating, but there you go.
17:02No, it's not intimidating. It's just interesting. It's great.
17:06Whenever you're ready, guys.
17:08And I'm ready to land.
17:10So I still hold the legs.
17:12Just move it away from your chest and throw it up and release the legs at the same time.
17:16Okay. Here we go.
17:18She's landed. Hold on.
17:21Almost, but she will land. Now she's going to, well, maybe she'll catch a little ridge lift and continue going up. She's still going.
17:28Yeah, she's going to go up. She's catching some ridge lift over there.
17:32Wow. Thank you very much.
17:35You're welcome.
17:36That's what I do. I just care for critters and put them back in the wild.
17:46Thank you very much.
17:48Anytime.
17:50It's incredible.
18:03Thank you very much.
18:05It's an incredible experience. Amazing. I've never let anything go before.
18:11I tend to keep them and eat them.
18:15Well, like I said, this has been my entire life.
18:19My misguided life. It's just what I do.
18:22It's a great thing to do.
18:24I think so.
18:26Thank you very much.
18:28You're welcome.
18:48A baby ferret can be like bringing home two toddlers.
18:52If you don't know what you're getting, you see this cute little animal.
18:56Our first one, we had to replace all the children's beds.
19:00We had to replace all the carpets in their bedrooms.
19:03I didn't know anything.
19:05I'd be cleaning my teeth and she'd be climbing up and eating the soap.
19:10You need to know what you're doing before you do it or it's dangerous.
19:18You look at those teeth.
19:20Look at ferrets' teeth. They're designed to chew and to crush bones.
19:24I tell everybody ferrets bite.
19:27Domesticated from the European polecat,
19:29the ferrets' fluffy appearance and playful nature make it seem an unlikely predator.
19:35Yet ferrets are such adept predators that they have been used for centuries to hunt rabbits.
19:41This is what they used back in the Dark Ages and back in the 1700s and 1800s.
19:47These things hunted rabbits for wealthy people.
19:52But these were bred in captivity in Europe hundreds and hundreds of years ago.
19:56The ferrets are taken and put down the holes and they chase the rabbits out.
20:02They put nets across the holes so that the rabbits just go straight out into the nets.
20:08That was why ferrets were first brought to Australia.
20:11They come out with their settlers.
20:14They were also popular for pest control in cities,
20:18flushing out and killing rats and even helping with rat bolting,
20:22a method used to chase wires through buildings.
20:27Ferrets are still used for rabbit hunting today,
20:31although they are far more commonly seen as house pets.
20:35Jo is the rescue coordinator for the Western Australian Ferret Society.
20:41She currently cares for 17 ferrets, many of whom can't be rehomed.
20:47This is Gator.
20:49Gator will not use his back legs.
20:54He eats, drinks, he's happy.
20:57But yeah, most of these are all rescues for one reason or another.
21:01We get quite a few each year.
21:04There are a lot of reasons why people surrender them.
21:08They're not prepared is one of the big ones.
21:12This is a little rescue girl.
21:14We knew where her owners were, but they never came forward to claim them.
21:18So she stays.
21:21Ferrets are small and mostly domesticated,
21:25and many, like Jo, see them as an attractive and rewarding pet,
21:30despite their bite.
21:32They're great.
21:34They're a combination between a cat and a dog.
21:37They've got the curiosity of a cat, and that's what gets them in trouble.
21:40There's always, what's over there, or what's, you know, what's this or what's that,
21:45and they're too busy looking at everything.
21:48You know, everything is fast forward for a ferret.
21:51But they've got the loyalty, the love, the intelligence of a dog.
21:55It's like it's all rolled into this tiny little fur ball.
22:00Ferrets are best known for their bad smell and their bad bite.
22:05And at first, even Jo was afraid of them.
22:08And at first, even Jo wasn't keen on the idea of a ferret as a pet.
22:14A friend of our daughter, my youngest daughter, who was,
22:19I think she was five, she wanted a ferret.
22:22We weren't going to have one.
22:24I used to think that they were the worst creature ever put on the earth.
22:26And a friend purchased her one.
22:31And we hit the roof.
22:33There was no way in the world my husband and I were going to have a stinky, horrible ferret in my house.
22:36And then they brought her home and put her in my hands.
22:41And it was instant love. I just fell in love with her.
22:44In Las Vegas, Exotic Pets employee, Georgia, is another fan of the ferret.
22:50She has nine of them herself.
22:53Essentially, they're kind of like a puppy or a kitten.
22:56And they never really grow up in the fact that they're always playful.
22:59They love to have attention and just interact.
23:02They're pretty easy to take care of.
23:03And they're really fun and interactive.
23:06I mean, they're sleepy right now.
23:08But you can wrestle with them.
23:10You can play with them.
23:12And they're more than happy to play back.
23:14And they're really interactive.
23:16Their boisterous nature means that ferrets can be quite a handful.
23:22Jo has fostered dozens over the years.
23:25And it's taken all of those years of experience to get the hang of keeping them as pets.
23:32Toilet seats.
23:34You know, it's toilet doors.
23:37People leave seats up and doors open.
23:39It's just something a lot of places do.
23:41You need to put the seat down and close the door.
23:44Because the little buggers will get in it because of their curiosity.
23:47What's in there?
23:49But yeah, they'll climb.
23:51They'll climb brick walls.
23:53In the U.S., ferrets are such a popular pet.
23:56They're the biggest seller in Ken Foose's exotic pet store in Las Vegas.
24:02Las Vegas is the number one city that sells ferrets in the world.
24:08Reno is number two.
24:11Why?
24:13Because 99.9% of our ferrets go to California.
24:17Because they're illegal in California.
24:19And 99% of the ferrets in Reno go to California.
24:23They take care of the Bay Area.
24:24We take care of San Diego and Los Angeles.
24:28If ferrets are illegal to own in California, I don't ask them where they live.
24:33California has banned the keeping of pet ferrets,
24:37fearing that if released into the wild,
24:40they will decimate the local flora and fauna,
24:43as they did in New Zealand, where the fuzzy predators are also prohibited.
24:48When someone comes in and buys a ferret,
24:51they pick it up, we give it to them in a box,
24:52they walk out the door with it.
24:54They're the ones crossing the state line with a banned animal, not me.
24:59And I think in all the years, I think we've had one person
25:04that got caught at the state line with one.
25:07And we sell hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of ferrets.
25:13And we get that a lot, where they'll say,
25:15hey, we want to buy a ferret, we live in Fresno, will you ship us a ferret?
25:17I say, absolutely not.
25:19You want a ferret? Drive down here and get it.
25:20And they do.
25:23Members of the weasel family, ferrets are obligate carnivores,
25:27and in the wild, will feed on small mammals and birds.
25:31In captivity, they still need to be fed a meat-only diet.
25:36I always tell people, think of a T-Rex in a little version.
25:40So it's raw meat, day-old chickens, mice.
25:47My guys have the raw meat and the chicken hearts and chicken giblets,
25:53and they like them.
25:55They need to chew.
25:57And it turns out that if ferrets aren't properly fed,
26:00they may look for an alternative and very vulnerable food source.
26:05In 2011, a four-month-old baby boy from Grain Valley, Missouri,
26:10was left in critical condition after a hungry pet ferret ate seven of his fingers.
26:16His parents were charged with criminal neglect.
26:20A one-month-old baby girl left unattended downstairs in her Pennsylvania home in 2015
26:27had her nose, upper lip, and cheek eaten by the family's three pet ferrets.
26:32And in Lancashire, England, a 10-month-old baby girl needed hospital treatment
26:38after she was savaged in her pram by a ferret.
26:42Having looked after hundreds of ferrets over the years,
26:46Jo maintains that their biting is rarely aggressive.
26:50They'll bite when they're frightened.
26:52They bite to protect themselves, but they'll also bite to play.
26:56One of their favorite games is tag chasing.
26:59But they can only tag you with their teeth.
27:02It's a form of communication for them.
27:05I mean, look, there's 17 ferrets in this house at the moment,
27:08and there's not a mark on me.
27:09They'll come up to you, and they'll use their teeth, and they'll just go like that.
27:13But some people, they don't know it, they've never seen it before,
27:17they think they're attacking it.
27:19The minute they use their teeth, they're biting them.
27:23But generally, they'll only bite because they're frightened.
27:27That's it.
27:29And once you know how to handle that, you're fine.
27:32Again, that's being prepared.
27:34See?
27:36Not a mark.
27:37He's playing with me, but he uses his teeth.
27:40But for some people, that's enough to say they've been bitten.
27:46But it's not. It's a way that he's communicating with me.
27:49Good boy.
27:51Like our producer, Jo has also experienced the ferret that bites and won't let go.
27:57Ow, ow, ow.
27:59Ow, ow.
28:01You can get out of this.
28:03Ow, ow, ow.
28:05Ow.
28:07Look.
28:09Their jaws can lock.
28:11I've had one hanging here.
28:13And I got through, I got in between a ferret fight,
28:17and she was just lashing out,
28:20and she grabbed me here without realising it was me,
28:23and it's just like, let go, let go, let go, let go.
28:26And then she did, and she looked, let go, and she just looked at me,
28:29and she said, oh, what have I done?
28:31And then it was, yeah, but just take them, don't pull it off, don't scream,
28:35because you're just going to frighten them more.
28:38Get a cold water tap and just gently drop it on their head.
28:41Their cute appearance can also foster a feeling of complacency.
28:46Don't be fooled. These creatures bite hard.
28:49And even though they may appear to have given up on their prey,
28:53they'll happily come back for another round.
28:56Gator, you are no longer my favourite ferret, mate.
28:59Oh.
29:06Oh, that's nasty, that one.
29:12They can bite if they wanted to, but they usually don't.
29:16Sometimes when they're babies, they'll nibble a little bit harder,
29:19and you've got to teach them, but they take the training pretty well.
29:22They can learn basic commands and stuff, too.
29:24Ferrets' high intelligence make them both effective predators and attractive pets.
29:30They're incredible. They're intelligent.
29:35Never underestimate them.
29:37We've got people teaching them to do rollover tricks, or corner leading.
29:41I've seen them get across from one corner of this backyard to the back corner
29:45without getting a drop of the sprinkler on them.
29:47And the sprinklers were going like this at the time, and they would just time it perfectly.
29:50Or this door, they couldn't open the door, the girls, because they were smaller, couldn't open the doors.
29:54So they'd go and get the big boy, Fred, and he'd come and open the door.
29:59So, yeah, don't underestimate them.
30:02If they want something, they'll work out exactly how to get it.
30:05And the ferret's sharp teeth and strong jaws aren't its only defense.
30:11Yeah, everybody's got a different personality.
30:14And you have personality clashes and, yeah, the arguments.
30:19And, hmm, I don't like you, go away.
30:22Lots of screaming, that's when they drop their stink bombs.
30:25That's another form of defense for them.
30:28But that's it, that's all they've got.
30:30And they're such tiny little creatures.
30:31It stinks, but it's not like a skunk.
30:34It will dissipate.
30:37With 17 ferrets and not a bite mark on her,
30:40Jo clearly has a special relationship with her tiny predators.
30:44And she has her own theories about ferret owners.
30:48The amount of people that get ferrets.
30:51Something's happened to them emotionally.
30:55I don't know what it is or why it is.
30:59But they get them.
31:01Is it because they're so misunderstood?
31:05And people think that, you know, these people think that they're misunderstood or...
31:10I don't know what it is, but there's something.
31:13Some connection.
31:15My mother swears I would have had a mental breakdown at some stage in my life.
31:20And it was just them that's kept me sane.
31:25Because I would just go and sit and curl up with them.
31:28It's like, it's like having a pretzel or a chip.
31:32One is never enough.
31:34You always take more.
31:42Zebras R Us is home to Dominic Ferreira,
31:46a zebra crazy animal lover who's dedicated her life
31:50to caring for and breeding these striped horses.
31:53I've always been raised with animals.
31:55My passion for exotics started when I was young.
31:58I always liked zebras and I was raised with horses.
32:01You know, and it became a thing where I was a crazy horse kid that wanted a zebra.
32:05And people said, no, you can never own a zebra.
32:09That's crazy.
32:11I got shut down so many times and, you know, look where I'm at now.
32:14I think I have some of the most unique animals in the country.
32:18Dominique began caring for exotic animals straight out of high school.
32:22She purchased her first zebra in 2003 and has been growing her herd ever since.
32:29Her passions quickly extended beyond zebras,
32:32and her property in Texas is now home to a successful rescue and breeding program
32:37and houses over 45 zebras, as well as herds of water buffaloes,
32:41camels, deer, goats, and horses.
32:45I love my zebras.
32:47I will be the crazy zebra lady.
32:49I already am, but I'm going to be the crazy zebra lady.
32:52It's a really good one when I'm older.
32:54There are certain types of zebras.
32:57There's actually a mountain zebra.
32:59There's a grevy zebra, a grant zebra, and a Chapman Damaro type zebra.
33:05We have all the types here, so it's pretty unique to get to interact with them
33:09and see the personality differences because they are different.
33:13No two zebras have the same stripes.
33:17In fact, their stripes are just like human fingerprints,
33:20unique to each animal.
33:24Each zebra has different characteristics.
33:27The grevy zebra is known for the large ears.
33:29He looks like Mickey Mouse.
33:31And they have a white stomach, and their stripes are vertical,
33:35and they have a white belly.
33:37And then we have the mountain zebra, which looks somewhat like a pony
33:40that has a medium-sized ear and really fat, beautiful stripes on the rump.
33:45It kind of does a zigzag pattern, and it does also have a white stomach.
33:50The grant zebra has full belly stripes, and they're thicker,
33:55and they do go vertically and horizontally.
33:57I mean, they're a smaller type zebra.
33:59And then the Damaro type Chapman zebra actually has zebra stripes on its body,
34:04and they typically have white legs.
34:06No stripes.
34:08So you can definitely, if you point all of them out and stand them together,
34:11there's obvious differences, you can tell.
34:14Two of the species of zebra that Dominic houses are endangered,
34:19the mountain zebra and the grevy zebra.
34:22Due to their need to compete with livestock for food,
34:27the destruction of their habitat for farmland, and hunting,
34:31mountain zebra populations have previously reached as low as 750 individuals worldwide.
34:38Fortunately, current numbers are back up to around 2,000,
34:43and part of Dominic's work involves breeding these animals
34:46in the hope of keeping the population growing.
34:51In addition to breeding these highly sought-after creatures,
34:55Dominic sells her much-cared-for charges to other exotic animal owners
35:00who are looking to expand their own herds, after a thorough screening process, of course.
35:06It's amazing. The relationship you can have with a zebra is one in a million.
35:12You know, it's a very hard process to screen potential owners.
35:16I feel that people that go into exotic animal ownership,
35:21you really have to be passionate, and I can tell that in someone's voice when they call.
35:26It's the people that want to ride them, or go in parades and do things.
35:30It's like you set yourself up and the animal for failure.
35:32So I try to screen all the clients and really talk to them and tell them what they're getting into.
35:37And if, at the end of the day, you're satisfied looking out in your beautiful pasture
35:42with two beautiful zebras grazing on the grass, you will never have an unhappy day with a zebra.
35:46You will love that animal.
35:48And I invite everybody out here to come see and really know if this is an animal that they want to get into.
35:53You know, you need to think about vet work, and what if something happens, what are you going to do?
35:58You know, you have to have those plans in step.
35:59I do not want to get my zebras back.
36:02I want them, when they leave this property, I've raised them, I want them in a forever home.
36:08It's not just humans that need screening when it comes to the sale of Dominic's zebras.
36:14Zebras are wild creatures, and attacks on humans when they get too close aren't uncommon.
36:29With owning zebras, there is an element of danger.
36:33You always really do have to be careful.
36:36When I first started getting into zebras, I was very ignorant.
36:39I ended up in possession of a zebra that was very dangerous.
36:43Three-year-old stallion, and he was represented to me as the best zebra in the world.
36:48It even said that on the ad.
36:50And I had the animal at my house for less than 10 hours, and that zebra viciously attacked me.
36:55He bit me in the neck.
36:56He took some neck muscles off.
36:59I was in the emergency room, and it was quite an ordeal.
37:02Zebras defend themselves by rearing, biting, and kicking.
37:07In the wild, they have even killed lions, often by breaking their jaws so they starve to death.
37:14I've been kicked by camels, zebras, horses, anything you can imagine.
37:20I've gotten kicked, and that bite sure gets you.
37:23That bite will do it.
37:25But to this day, it was the best experience that's ever happened to me.
37:29Thank God for my life, and everything's fine.
37:32But I learned so much from that day.
37:35I learned that you really have to respect these animals, and it can happen at any minute.
37:40And I think education is very important.
37:44You really need to be aware of what's going on, and it goes back to not having unrealistic expectations.
37:50If you plan on loving an animal and not interacting with it and having it graze in a pasture, you're going to be fine.
37:58When we try to move the animals or doctor them, do any vet work, that's where you have to be really careful.
38:05And breeding and raising for temperament is huge.
38:10The foundation, how the zebra was raised, where it was raised, that's all a big deal.
38:17It's kind of like children.
38:18There's different ways to raise kids.
38:20There's different ways to raise zebras.
38:22And I believe that there's good ways and bad ways, and each one has an effect on the adulthood of the animal.
38:30I have guys that raise tigers and carnivores, and they won't mess with a zebra.
38:36So they're pretty tough animals, but as long as you get around them and you know how to work with them, it's fun.
38:41It's really fun. I enjoy it.
38:43I wouldn't give it up for anything.
38:48Unlike horses and donkeys, zebras have not been fully domesticated by humans.
38:54They remain predominantly wild.
38:59Dominick's Safe Haven Rehabilitation Program rescues zebras, and they are certainly at home on the ranch.
39:08It started out with the zebras, and it slowly trickled into camels and a few different things.
39:13And now that I've had water buffalo, I am hooked on them.
39:16They're amazing. They're such a neat animal.
39:20Dominick's property is prone to flooding, so conditions here are not suited to typical livestock varieties.
39:27Water buffalo, on the other hand, thrive on the damp, marshy ground.
39:33There are several different types of water buffalo, and all are very hardy animals.
39:39The Cape water buffalo is the most dangerous variety, responsible for more deaths than any other.
39:46I have some cows I won't go in with.
39:57And I have some that I can scratch on the stomach and they'll lay down like a dog.
40:00Dominick's property is well secured, not just to ensure the safety of the animals inside the fences.
40:08The fencing that I prefer to keep the big herd of water buffalo in is 8-foot tight-lock fencing.
40:15It is good for the animals inside the fence, and it's good for the animals on the outside.
40:21The fencing that we have doesn't allow predators to come in and eat the calves,
40:25and then it also doesn't allow the animals that are on the inside to jump over or get through it.
40:31You know, dogs can't come in, the calves can't slide out, so it's extremely safe.
40:35It's been the best thing that I've found for any exotic.
40:39Water buffalo in the U.S. are mostly crossbred for a variety of characteristics.
40:46I do like to focus on a big horn base, and I want the horns to kind of come back instead of curl.
40:52And so we can breed for those characteristics, but they do have giant horns.
40:57Some are better than others.
40:59Like domestic cattle, some have big horns and some don't, but I do like the big, wide ones.
41:05Those are my favorite.
41:07In the wild, those giant horns are used to establish dominance and defend themselves from predators.
41:15In captivity, they ensure the water buffalo remains an outside predator.
41:20I would never have any of those in my house.
41:25They have been in my house, all of them.
41:29It's really fun, you know, when you're like, hey!
41:32Walk around the corner and you have a water buffalo following you, or a zebra.
41:36I mean, you know, it's fun to stand out.
41:39And I've taken these animals, surprisingly, I've actually used them all on set.
41:44So, I've done a few things in the entertainment industry, and I've had zebras in elevators, I've had water buffalo on stage.
41:52I mean, the things we've done with animals are pretty impressive.
41:56I think anything can be done with patience.
41:59In keeping with her obsession for four-legged creatures, Dominique has most recently expanded her herd to include camels.
42:09Camels are interesting animals.
42:11Camels are interesting. I have owned up to 20 of them at a time.
42:16I have had bactrians, and I've had dromedaries.
42:20A bactrian is a two-humped camel, and a dromedary, which is the most common, has one hump.
42:25And we've used those in the entertainment industry.
42:28They're very hardy, easy to keep, very sweet, good animals. Really, really neat.
42:34Compared to her zebras, camels are very easygoing and easily trained.
42:39They're very emotional animals, so they're the type that you want to ask, which you should do with everything.
42:46But you ask them, you can bribe them, and you can typically get whatever you need done accomplished.
42:52Their large size can make camels dangerous, but Dominique is more concerned about their lack of manners.
43:00Camels do spit. It's a learned behavior.
43:03Camels do spit. It's a learned behavior.
43:07So they don't typically just spit on you.
43:11But in my experience, as long as I don't have one that spits, none of mine spit.
43:16But if you get one that starts it, five will follow.
43:19They do bite. Camels are very, very notorious for biting.
43:24If you go overseas, you'll see a lot of them with a little nose mask, kind of a guard.
43:30I've seen some pretty good camel bites.
43:33For the most part, it's like anything. If you work with them and not against them, you have a great relationship with any animal.
43:40It's when you kind of get into the training techniques, and when you butt heads is when you might have a problem.
43:46But there's some great trainers in the U.S.
43:49Train them as she might, Dominique has still fallen foul of their vicious kicks.
43:56I've been, I would call it a camel hoof. I've been hoofed by a camel before.
44:01I've been camel hoofed.
44:03And it's like a frontward kick instead of a backwards kick.
44:07They take their front foot and they just whack you with it.
44:13If you're going to get into exotics, camels would be one of the good ones to start with.
44:17And they would be, get a gelding or a female.
44:21A gelding would be a castrated male.
44:23Get something young.
44:24I don't recommend bottle babies, but if you get with the right breeder and the right people, you'll have a great animal.
44:31Good pet, really good pet.
44:34They may be her pets, but Dominique's herds still work for their keep.
44:39And they often hit the road in the back of the trailer to take part in events or to be used as therapy animals.
44:47I think that any animal likes to have a job, whether it's being ridden or interacted with in therapy sessions, anything like that.
44:57I think animals do like to have a job and a purpose.
45:00As long as it's kind and the animals are willing, they actually look forward to doing stuff.
45:06I've done a few events and my trailer will pull up to the barn and I've got four animals waiting to go on the trailer because they know we're going somewhere.
45:13So it's typically like your dog, if you take your dog in the car and you go for rides, that dog can't wait to get in the car.
45:19It doesn't know what it's doing, but it likes to go and do something.
45:22So I think the animals we have like to be a part of something, whether it's being ridden, commercially or privately.
45:27I think they like to have a purpose.
45:29I like to educate people.
45:31There's nothing better than seeing somebody's dream come to life when they actually touch and interact with that animal.
45:37All of my animals here are gentle.
45:39We really focus on making everything friendly and happy and a really good environment for people and the animals.
45:45And when that kid has read about a black and white striped horse in a book and they actually get to interact and touch and feel the difference between a zebra and a horse or a goat, that's what's going to help our animals.
45:56It's getting the kids to learn about conservation and slowly repopulating, but making sure that our animals don't leave.
46:39For more UN videos visit www.un.org