Daktari (1966) s01e02 Episode Script

Predator of Wameru

Steady as she goes there, Dr.
Tracy.
Okay, Jack.
Careful, now.
l want him knocked out, but not hurt.
Okay, now! Nice shot, Jack.
Luke, get the wire cutters, will you? There you go.
Just cut her.
Easy, it's barbed.
Watch his eye.
lt's barbed.
Easy.
Watch his head.
There we go.
Let me look at that.
lt's a poacher's snare.
lt rusted here and he broke free.
Otherwise, he would have strangled to death.
There's been no poaching on the reserve for years.
Well, it looks like we're in for trouble.
Come on, we'd better get her or she'll never find her way home.
Judy, come here.
Come here, honey.
Come here.
Look at that elephant's foot.
He must have got it too but he must have pulled free.
What kind of a poacher in his right mind would try to snare a bull elephant? Well, that snare must be around here someplace.
Judy.
Well, there she goes again.
Come on.
Judy, careful.
Here it is.
Here.
Same workmanship as the snare on the zebra only this one's fresh.
Then there must be others.
Must be a dozen of them.
They're spread all around here.
And they're anchored over there.
Hey, there's an animal caught in there.
l'll get him, Marsh.
Take it easy, baby.
- Take it easy.
Take it easy.
- Here, here.
Poor little rascal.
Yup.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Let's take him back to the clinic and fix him up.
Come on, Judy.
Come on.
Boy, l'd like to see that poacher get caught in one of those snares.
The native hunters have different values.
Yes.
Well, maybe losing his snares will discourage him.
l'm afraid not.
The animal population on this reserve is too tempting a target.
Oh, we'll stop the poaching all right, but it'll be difficult and dangerous.
Well, we've started, huh? At least Judy has.
Bet that poacher would like to ring her neck for finding those snares.
Grab the bag, huh, Luke? - Oh, where'd you get her? - We found her caught in a snare.
Poor baby.
Jack, take her up to the clinic and dust those wire burns off.
- Right.
- Can l help? - Could l stop you? - Only at the risk of life and limb.
Okay, come on.
The district officer comes to visit.
Oh, yes.
- Lndeed he has.
- Hello, Hedley, it's good to see you.
l come as to an oasis.
Hot, thirsty and beset with problems.
l've done my bit.
Ordered refreshments for all.
Ha, ha.
Well, what sort of problems? Well, Marsh, to put it bluntly, poaching.
There may be nothing to the story but we've had reports of several animal carcasses found in the reserve.
lncluding a female rhino without her horn.
A rhino horn sells for about 3 or 400 dollars.
Quite so.
Now, l've looked about a bit, but l haven't seen anything yet.
We just found those on the reserve while l was taking the interns on a field seminar.
Out past Zoni Gorge.
Vicious things.
- Did you spot any sign of the poacher? - Not a sign.
What is it, Dad? What's upset Clarence? He certainly seems concerned about something out there.
Marsh, l'd like to discuss this.
Couldn't we go into animal ESP later? Animals do have extra senses.
They can feel things.
So can l.
Worried, for one.
And a bit rushed.
Uh, Paula, we'll talk with Clarence later.
Come on.
That's the fourth carcass in half a mile.
A baby rhino.
Mother killed by a poacher for her horn, the baby by hyenas.
All right, be careful.
There may be pitfalls, but you'll most likely find snares.
l'll take Clarence.
Yeah, well, if Clarence finds a snare, it'll be by stepping on it.
Okay, stay within earshot.
lf you see anything, yell.
All right, spread out.
Judy! - What's wrong, Dad? - Oh, Judy, she's off somewhere.
Judy! Judy! Judy! Judy! Judy! Judy! - What is it? - Judy's vanished.
Judy? Hmm.
Well, maybe she ran into a bunch of chimpanzees decided to go back to a social order that'll give her a feeling of security.
Family.
Like any other adopted child, Judy belongs to us.
Sure, just like Clarence, huh? Typical American family.
Father, daughter, chimpanzee, and cross-eyed lion.
Shh.
Judy, baby, come here.
Come here.
Where have you been, huh? - Oh, l wonder what happened to her.
- Marsh.
- Wagonda.
- Yes, l think so.
"Wagonda"? What does that mean? Well, this was once all Wagonda territory.
Land, animals, all of it.
A proud people.
Stubborn about what they see as their rights.
- The poacher? - Possibly.
We'll see.
Now, Judy, l want you to take us to where you found this.
Now go.
Ha, ha.
No, no, no.
Look, Judy, l promise we'll all go with you, okay? Okay? All right, now go on.
Go on.
Let's go.
This used to be the main Wagonda hunting area.
Now that it's a reserve, why, the large game herds are returning.
Judy, Clarence, come back here.
Oh, where are they off to? Clarence! Jack, look, see if you can bring the truck up here.
lf you can't, bring a stretcher and the medical kit.
Right.
Get his shirt.
And then l'll take him in for questioning.
- L'd rather you didn't, for three reasons.
Such as? Shock, loss of blood and lack of proof.
Proof? L'm simply gonna question him on reasonable suspicion l'm not gonna torture the man.
Well, give me a week, will you? Very well, a week.
Only, don't let him go.
l promise.
l speak your language.
- You are Daktari? - Yes, l am Dr.
Tracy.
- L am Metembe.
- The poacher.
l am a hunter.
l am Metembe of the Wagonda nation.
l hunt.
- With snare, if l wish.
- You know that's illegal? Not by our laws.
You held my life and gave it back to me.
l will tell you what is true.
l have done nothing wrong.
Wrong? This is a game reserve, not a hunting ground.
- You've killed animals without reason.
- Stop it.
This your man, Daktari? You tell him not to bark at me.
Luke Metembe's a patient here.
All right.
L'm sorry.
Come on.
Let's get him into bed.
Judy, turn down the bed.
This will be your bed.
l have heard that your animals are trained to be as real people.
Ha, ha.
No, they're not trained.
They're just friendly and intelligent.
We treat them with respect and fondness.
All right, l want you to get some rest now.
Lie down.
As you say, Daktari.
l'll check on you in a little while.
- Dr.
Marsh Tracy? - Yes.
- L am Mr.
Saterji.
- How do you do, Mr.
Saterji? This is my daughter, Paula.
My assistants, Mr.
Dane and Mr.
Makula.
- How do you do? - My very great pleasure.
Uh, l know your reputation.
That is why l am here, as an interested student of zoology.
l took such a course at the University of Bombay.
May l look about your famous animal study center? Sorry, Mr.
Saterji, but he's harmless.
This is Clarence.
Yes, l was startled.
l don't blame you.
You're most welcome to look around.
Uh, unfortunately we have no one to guide you at the moment.
Then with your permission, l will simply wander about.
Lgnore me.
- L am only an observer.
- Of course.
You're most welcome.
He's a funny little man.
Yeah.
He might get lost.
You can give him a quick tour after you prepare the suxamethonium compounds.
- Right.
- And Luke - the healer's gonna need another shot.
Yes.
Come on, Clarence.
Judy.
Judy.
Metembe.
- L heard you had been caught.
- And my snares were taken.
l will get you new snares.
Fools.
They haven't locked you in.
Come on, you must get out of this place.
Daktari gave me my life.
l have said l will stay here.
- Metembe, you work for me.
- L am my own man.
You only buy the animals l trap and the ivory l hunt.
l will remain here.
Yes, you are your own man.
Get well, and we will speak again soon.
l have located Metembe.
Being cared for by Daktari.
And l've also located a fortune.
ln Daktari's compound, the animals are already in cages.
And there are trucks, supplies, everything.
ln one raid, Daktari will make us all rich.
Let's see how those muscles feel now.
Here, push against my hand.
Push, push, push.
Ah.
Hurt a little? - A little.
- Yeah, a little? Okay.
All right, lift up.
Easy.
Attaboy.
How does it feel, huh? Not too bad? Well, Metembe, l think you're almost completely healed.
Why don't you relax over there while we open the clinic, huh? According to him, they're the same symptoms as yesterday's cases.
Might be east coast fever.
East coast fever? Oh, that's not very good.
Let me take a little blood sample here.
Okay.
Luke, take a look at that, will you? Now l'm gonna have a little listen.
Okay, bring in the next patient.
Well? Could be east coast fever.
Let me have a look.
Luke, another blood sample.
Okay.
Let's have a look.
lt is.
ls what? East coast fever.
That could wipe out every cow, goat and buffalo in the area.
Can we stop it? - Now, Luke, don't get excited.
We've controlled it before, we'll control it again.
Daktari.
Yes, Metembe? Why you do all this? Why? Because, Metembe, any man can kill an animal but it means more to me to heal them, to study them, to understand them.
Maybe that's the difference between an animal and a man.
An animal kills, but a man has a choice.
He can also save.
For instance, you could've died in the bush.
But here you are one week later, well enough to rejoin your people.
And l hope no more poaching.
l will think on this.
Fair enough.
Well, it's time for me to make the rounds.
Judy, will you keep Metembe company? l do not know.
l do not know.
l have just this moment come from the town.
District Officer Hedley has learned that you are well again.
And why should that interest him? He comes to arrest you for poaching.
But Daktari has said Daktari himself has told the district officer that you are well again.
He wants to protect his animals.
That means putting you inside a jail.
Here.
Go to the hills on the other side of Zoni Gorge.
L will meet you there.
No.
L will go my own way.
Who will find me in my own country? Daktari.
And l trusted him.
Stay here, Judy.
l have something for you.
Lt will put you to sleep just for a little while.
They will hunt Metembe and we will hunt them.
Do not be seen when you leave.
You, young man, come here.
l do want to tell you something.
Dr.
Tracy has advised me that l and my helpers will be able to go about the grounds and examine the ani You two, get out the trucks.
You begin to cage the animals.
Quickly now.
There's only a short time before they catch Metembe.
Let's try to refind Metembe's snares, then pan out and call for Judy.
Oh, of course.
She knows our voices.
Right, and she'll either answer us or come to us.
Of course, if Metembe has her She'll probably just bring him along.
l got faith in that chimp.
lt's a very good plan and l approve with one exception.
L wanna go.
Paula.
But Clarence will protect me.
Paula, l have a better idea.
You protect Clarence by staying right here.
- But - Paula, don't say it.
Men.
And lions.
Well, we might as well have stayed home.
Don't waste time.
Go.
Go.
Get into the car.
l must thank Metembe.
He's much more valuable as a decoy than as a poacher.
Let's go.
Okay, spread out.
You see anything or hear anything, whistle.
All right.
Judy! Judy.
Judy.
Judy! Judy.
Boy, l could sure use some of that animal ESP now.
Judy! Judy! Judy! Judy? Judy? Luke.
Over here.
Come on, Jack's found something.
Hey, they found something.
Come on, Clarence.
Come on.
My baby.
That's it.
Well, well, well.
How about this, huh? And if Metembe organized it then Judy's the real head of the Wameru Animal Research Center.
- The poaching ring? - Of course.
The people who bought from Metembe.
They've gone into business for themselves wholesale - with our animals and equipment.
- Yeah.
And where is Officer Hedley? He's off to the foothills.
l'll be anxious to see Hedley's face - when we show him this.
Dr.
Tracy.
You're a very foolish person.
We saw you coming half a mile away.
Mr.
Saterji, l presume.
As a zoologist, l would say you have a very strange way of studying animals.
But it is all very true.
l do study animals, with an eye to profit.
And today's work will be extremely profitable.
That's our truck and these are our animals.
Quite right.
Will you please put the chimpanzee back into the cage? And now, gentlemen, over there.
After you.
Saterji, you realize of course that these animals represent years of work.
They're all experimental animals.
l'm not sentimental.
But l am curious.
How did you get here? We were hunting for Judy.
And a friend of yours a poacher named Metembe who's probably setting snares right now.
Luke, l don't believe that.
Metembe gave me his word - that he wouldn't hunt on the reserve.
- And you believe a poacher? A savage? An honest man? Yes, l believe him.
Remarkable.
You do belong in a cage, Daktari.
lnside.
You'll be safe here.
And somebody will probably find you after we are safely across the border.
Put down your rifles and pack up the trucks.
Get enough gas so we can get across the border.
- Miss Paula.
- Metembe.
l mean no harm.
- Where's Judy? - L do not have her.
Your father is in trouble.
Will you trust me? Trouble? Where is he? - This way.
- Come on, Clarence.
Go to the district officer.
He's near the Zoni Gorge.
There's no time and they wouldn't believe me.
Probably not.
l have a thought.
l will try to free your father and the others.
lf l am seen, then you must go to the district officer.
Metembe.
Stop them.
Get your rifles.
Gunshots.
Turn the car around.
Clarence, come back! Clarence, when Hedley gets here, he'll never believe it.
Oh, yes, that's come along fine.
Well, Hedley, Metembe is all healed now.
Hmm.
Quite.
Well, don't you have some questions? Um Not really.
- Daktari - Uh-huh.
you have helped me and l have helped you.
- Truth? - Truth.
More l have helped your people.
Now you owe me a thing.
- Truth? - Truth.
What is it you want? l have watched you and your people with the animals.
l would like to work this way also help them to live, to grow.
- Ls this possible? - Well, perhaps.
We'll have to check, though.
Judy, what do you think? Well, Judy says yes, so l guess the answer is yes.
Metembe? - You're welcome here anytime.
Thank you.

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