Daktari (1966) s01e06 Episode Script

Leopard of Madla Gorge

Judy.
Where are you taking us? A lion, male.
- A big one, eh? - Yeah, here's another one.
- Lt's a young male.
A female and three cubs.
Well, the same as last year except for the cubs.
That's the entire predator population of Mdala Gorge.
And Banhoof's been hired to kill them all.
Come on, Judy.
Ahem.
Marsh, look.
Nobody is gonna kill them, not if l can help it.
The survivaI of wiIdIife in Africa is of great concern to aII peopIe.
The carnivorous animaIs, Iike Iions and Ieopards are never crueI in their eating habits.
They kiII onIy what's absoIuteIy necessary for their own survivaI.
Predators were created to maintain the baIance of nature to check the ever-increasing popuIation of certain species such as anteIope and zebras who, by overgrazing wouId turn the beautifuI prairies of East Africa into a dust bowI speIIing starvation for the human and animaI inhabitants of this area.
Predators were created for a reason and man has no right to interfere with the Iaws of nature.
Judy, cut that out.
You'll scare all the animals.
Judy, behave yourself.
We haven't got time to play now.
Dad, l think you hurt her feelings.
Well, let her play with Clarence.
Well, he isn't interested either.
Looks like we might have a small case of alkaline poisoning.
Yeah, well, l'll make a full analysis back at the lab.
- Can you give me the top? - Mm-hm.
Put it right over there, please.
lt should be on "safe.
" There's really no need to be that nervous.
No need? Here we are in the territory of man-eaters without protection.
- Where's our hunter? - We got here two hours early.
l'm sure they'll be along.
l'm sorry, Teresa.
l'm a very good archeologist, but a bad hunter.
Teresa, here comes our hunter.
l'll be there in a minute.
- Mr.
Banhoof? - Yes, sir.
- L'm glad to see you.
L'm Dr.
Barr.
- Lt's a real pleasure, sir.
Mtaga, you go home now.
We, uh That is - L've been a little nervous, heh.
- You got a real reason to be.
Lions and leopards are certainly no playmates for archeologists.
No, indeed.
You know, l admire your type of work.
l saw the bones they dug up at Olduvai.
They tell me they're 800,000 years old.
Oh, it's a great area for exploration.
Jaw bones, skulls, stone implements.
Fossils a million years old just waiting to be discovered here.
Have you done any exploring? Well, last year with my boy.
He's only 17, but he's got a taste for this kind of work.
Who knows? Maybe a talent.
Well, good for him, especially if he's already familiar with the country.
Let's go see Dr.
Warren, the head of the expedition.
- All right.
Gentlemen, you may come in.
Sit down.
Dr.
Warren.
This is Mr.
Banhoof, who's going to clear the gorge.
- How do you do? - Fine.
- How soon? - Well, the lions won't be any problem.
This valley will only support one pride.
When l found one of them, l found them all.
But you mentioned something about leopards.
They're a little different.
Leopards are more cunning more dangerous.
They may take a little more time.
But you still haven't said how soon.
You see, Mr.
Banhoof, we've got to be able to move freely explore the gorge, the whole gorge.
What's going on? Don't shoot! lt's all right.
He's just a pet of mine.
Clarence, shame on you.
You know better than to chase chickens.
Chicken isn't good for you anyway.
Judy, you settle down.
Come on, just come.
You know better than do a thing like that.
Chickens don't realize you wanna play and you can't see it.
Excuse me.
- You're Dr.
Warren, aren't you? - Yes, l am.
And you're Dr.
Tracy.
l've heard about you.
Clarence is a surprise.
Dr.
Tracy, l'd like you to meet Dr.
Barr.
- How do you do, Dr.
Barr? - Dr.
Tracy.
- Hello, Banhoof.
- Hello, Tracy.
Judy.
You settle down.
You too, Clarence.
- Dr.
Tracy, your lion is cross-eyed.
- Yes.
That's why we made him a pet.
He can't hunt for himself.
l'm sorry to have caused all this commotion.
Now that your little sideshow is all over with, what do you want here? The district office tells me that you're going to kill the predators in the gorge.
That's right, and to protect Dr.
Warren's party.
l can get rid of the predators without killing any.
No, you don't, Tracy.
l'll capture them and relocate them out of the gorge.
You're not bringing your bleeding heart operation into this valley.
l've had enough.
L've got a contract with Dr.
Warren.
L intend keeping it.
As a scientist, you know it's bad business to kill off the animals.
Now, let me clear the gorge my way.
l'll tranquilize them with darts without even hurting them.
Personally welcome your suggestion.
l can't fire Mr.
Banhoof.
The company that hired him outfitted this expedition.
To kill off any more leopards in the gorge will only allow the baboons to increase in population and ruin the farms.
lt's criminal to kill off and cut down the leopard population and under my license l can relocate any animals l find.
So with your permission, Dr.
Warren l'll be back tomorrow to start with the capture.
You come back tomorrow, Tracy and you're gonna stare down the gun barrel of the district officer.
l'll be back tomorrow with him.
And if you know what's good for you, go back to Wameru where you belong.
Can you stop him? lf l get to the animals first, there's, uh, not much he can do about it.
- L hope you can do it, Dr.
Tracy.
- Thank you, Dr.
Barr.
- Paula, get the cubs.
- All right.
Come on, Judy.
Okay, let's get the next one.
Stay here.
Come on.
There we go.
Okay.
Okay, let's get them to the collection point.
Well, l got the last two.
Can somebody open the cage? Yeah, we got you.
There we go.
Hold these little devils.
- Oh, go in.
Come on in.
There we go.
- Okay.
You wanna grab that one? Okay.
Mike.
- Got her? - Yeah.
Well, well, well.
Banhoof.
Ah, with Hedley.
You know, my guess is that Banhoof will try for the leopards first.
As l remember the pug marks their lairs are somewhere up that end of the gorge.
Near the camp.
Say, l've got an idea.
Jack, you and Paula follow Banhoof to the camp.
Try and divert him.
Stall him as long as you can.
Mike, you and l will take the lions to the collection point.
And then l'll try to beat Banhoof to those leopards.
He's not here, but if he's getting those animals l want him out.
l want him arrested.
- He's poaching on my territory.
- Now, hold on, Banhoof.
l've been through the regulations from front to back and there's nothing that says he can't relocate the animals.
But this is my job.
lt's my bread and butter.
Hello, doctor.
Didn't expect to see you again so soon.
l didn't expect to need you to settle the question between Mr.
Banhoof and Dr.
Tracy.
lt's quite clear.
l just came to tell you your rights.
Now, Mr.
Banhoof has an obligation to protect you and Tracy has a right to move the animals.
Well, l'll be off on my next job.
You'll call me if there's any complaints.
Sorry you don't share Dr.
Tracy's point of view about the animals.
l'm a little surprised.
Dr.
Barr told me about your son's interest in archeology.
He's in the university right now, and that's his main interest is to become an archeologist, but it's expensive, very expensive.
You know that.
Now, l'm a professional hunter and the only way l'm gonna get him through Who could that be? Tracy's daughter and one of his helpers.
Probably a social call.
l don't think it's gonna work.
- Can you think of something better? - No, but suppose she already has one.
Well, then we'll have to think of something else.
Okay, let's go.
Half expected her father to show up.
- Hi, Mr.
Banhoof.
- Hi.
Hi.
Dr.
Warren, this is Paula Tracy and Jack Dane.
- How do you do? - L've been dying to meet you.
lt's not very often we get a woman out here from the States.
- And certainly none as pretty as you.
- L'm delighted you came.
- Well, l'll, uh L'll be going.
- Oh, hey.
You have to see the present we brought for Dr.
Warren.
We're gonna build her a shower.
- Out of this? - Yeah, sure.
Oh, how lovely.
lf there's one thing l've missed You have no idea how l've struggled with my little tin basin.
- This won't hold water.
Lt'll rot.
No, it won't.
Lt'll work.
l know it will.
L'll get started.
Mr.
Banhoof, doesn't Jack know what he's doing? - He's a nut.
- Well, do you think? Oh, could you? Oh, l know Dr.
Warren would really appreciate a shower.
Of course, but l wouldn't wanna impose.
Well, maybe l can rig up something, uh, with a couple five-gallon cans.
Probably do it in 20 minutes.
- Shouldn't the holes be larger? - Not much larger.
All the water used up here has to be carried in.
l'm so glad you're here, Mr.
Banhoof.
There you are.
That's fine.
Now, you pull this line, which will empty that bucket into this bucket.
Then by pulling this over you'll get your shower and you hook it right there.
Just as simple as that.
Mr.
Banhoof, how could l possibly thank you enough? Oh, it's all right.
This tarpaulin you can use as privacy when you put it on all four sides.
Yes, sir.
Hello, everybody.
- You got my leopard.
Yeah.
Wanna touch her? Heh.
Don't worry, she's, uh, tranquilized.
You're asking for trouble, and you're gonna get it.
First, l'll get the rest of the leopards in this gorge.
Well, there's only one left and l'll get him.
Leopard caves are up there.
- Right, bwana.
All right, Mtaga.
Which way are those leopards coming in? Ha, ha, from there, from the shade where you sleep all day.
You're a bright boy.
Let's get there before Tracy, huh? Bwana, you have right.
Not Tracy.
District officer signed, stamp paper.
lf you don't get the animals, you lose the money.
Don't worry about it.
You get your money either way.
- That's not what l mean.
- Yeah, l know it isn't, and l'm sorry.
Let's go find that lair, huh? So we can be waiting for that cat when it gets home.
Okay.
Wind's changed.
Must have got our scent.
Well, as you know a hungry leopard always goes to the tree where he's hung his kill.
By the way, l've already captured the lions.
Don't give me that.
Check north of the water hole on your way back.
You stuck your neck out, and l'm gonna snap it off.
ln the meantime, l'll tell Dr.
Warren that the gorge is clear.
- Tracy has no right to be here.
- We'll get more leopards.
We'll scout the whole gorge to the end.
Now, you take that wall, and l'll scout the south wall.
There, that ought to do it.
Well.
Oh, Jack, uh, l know you've got your rounds to make but keep an eye on our two leopard friends, will you? - Right.
- Dad, Dad, wait! You're going? Will you wait for me? Where are you taking them? ln that order, yes, no, and over to Sealer Valley which they can call their own.
We'll be gone for a couple of hours.
Well, you wanna come help me with the morning rounds? Oh, no, thanks.
l have some water heating for a shower.
- Okay.
See you later.
- Okay.
Hi, there.
Oh, don't be a grouch.
How about you, huh? Huh? Yeah, you're just like people, aren't you? Come on.
Well, some are born leopards, and some are just born pussycats.
Let's see if you are a pussycat.
Huh? Oh, you like that.
Oh, you like that.
Oh, yeah.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
Well, how about some breakfast, huh? Well.
Let's see if you'll take a little breakfast first.
Now.
Unh.
That's all yours.
Do you like that? Good girl.
Come here.
Come on.
There.
Steady, steady.
Hey.
Judy.
That's just Come on.
What's the matter with you, huh? All right.
Come on.
Just calm down now while l finish up here, okay? Now, how did you get out of the cage? Easy, girl.
Easy, girl.
- Hi.
- Hi.
lsn't that one of the two - we caught yesterday? - Uh-huh.
Well, how? Lt's impossible.
He's wild.
Well, about three years ago Dad and l found her ripped from the shoulder to the elbow so we operated on her, and patched her up and she adopted me, and Clarence adopted her.
Clarence? How? Oh, by nursing her, licked her wounds, even after the stitches were out.
You wanna feel the scar? Come on.
They're both gone.
Clarence, come back! Hey, Marsh.
- What's all the excitement? - The leopards have escaped.
The leopards.
Yeah, they're gone, all right.
They'll head back to their lair and l told Dr.
Warren the gorge was clear.
Daktari.
Hmm? All of us here wear smooth-sole boots.
Those leopards will tear anybody apart who goes near their lair.
We'd better get over there right away.
Come on.
Well, ma'am, l can assure you the gorge is clear.
l scouted the south wall.
lf my helper found anything, he would've let me know by now.
Well, what about snakes? Well, when people move in, they move out.
Thank you, Mr.
Banhoof.
l really appreciate what you've done.
Dad, are you sure those leopards will come back to the same area? lf you were taken from your home and then set free, where would you go? Hmm.
- What's the matter, more leopards? - The two l caught got away.
l told you so, and Dr.
Barr is up there somewhere, isn't he? You two stay here.
Mike you come with me.
Dr.
Barr! Dr.
Barr! Dr.
Barr! - You see him? - No.
Maybe the other leopard's at the camp.
You go back there, l'll get this one.
Dr.
Barr.
- What is it? - Don't move.
There's a leopard near you.
He won't attack unless you move, so freeze right where you are.
lt's all right, doctor.
We better get back to the camp.
Mike, will you get the leopard? Come on.
Help! Someone help! Help! Someone help! Help! Someone help! Help! Someone help me, please! Help, help! Aah! - No, don't.
- Lt's pussycat.
Nice pussycat.
Nice pussycat.
Good girl.
Come on, pussycat.
Come here.
Come on, honey.
Dad and l once did some surgery on her when she was a kitten.
Saved her life.
You're right, Paula.
She's the one we operated on.
Uh, she likes people, ladies in particular.
Yeah, let's have a look at that old scar here.
Oh, yes.
Lt's come along fine.
Yeah.
Mtaga, come here.
l guess l cried wolf or leopard a little too soon.
Not at all.
Leopards are dangerous unless you understand them and know what you're doing.
l wonder who could've let them loose.
Mtaga.
But why? l was only trying to help when l did it.
You know it's the duty of a hunter to protect lives, not endanger them.
So l've learned, bwana.
Maybe too late.
What's gonna happen to me now? That'll be up to the district officer, if that's all right with you, Marsh.
Under the circumstances l don't think you have much to worry about.
- Thanks.
And Banhoof.
- L never thought you did it.
- Thanks again, Marsh.
By the way, um, if you have a chance why don't you stop by Wameru some time? You might discover something new in old Africa.
You know, l just might do that.
Goodbye.
Where's Clarence? Clarence.
That's not pussycat.
Well, leave it to Clarence.
l'm afraid all leopards look pretty much alike to him.

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