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MARK KENNEDY The Associated Press N ew Netflix series features an 11-year-old 'koala whisperer' Like a lot of young people, 11-year-old Izzy Bee has a special bond with animals. Unlike a lot of young people, she shares it with one of the planet's most cuddly — koalas. "It's hard to explain," she says from her home in Australia. "When I'm with them, it's just sort of like really calming. They sort of like understand me in a way." Izzy is showing that unusual bond in the new Netflix series "Izzy's Koala World," which follows the girl as she helps her veterinarian mom and takes care of the tree-climbing marsupials. It premieres Sept. 15. "They all seem to gravitate towards her," says her mom, Ali. "They're wild animals, they're terrified. They need that calming, gentle, quiet, loving presence." Izzy and her family live on Magnetic Island, which sits off the east coast of Australia and is home to hundreds of koalas. The animals rely on the eucalyptus tree for both habitat and food. They sleep for 18 to 22 hours a day. When koalas on the island need help, Izzy and her family welcome them into their animal sanctuary and nurture them until they're ready to be released back into the wild. "Do you need cuddles this morning?" she will ask one in her care. She's also learned some tricks to discover how they're feeling. "You can learn a lot from looking at their poop." In an interview with her dad and mom, Izzy cradled the family's latest patient, a 14-month-old girl koala they've named Pumpkin. Like most of the koalas they care for, Pumpkin was orphaned and needs help eating and maturing. SEPTEMBER 13-19, 2020 WHAT'S UP! 39 The Koala Whisperer New Netflix series put adorable face on conservation See Koala Page 40 ON TV Izzy Bee holds a koala bear in a scene from "Izzy's Koala World," which follows an 11-year old girl as she helps her veterinarian mom take care of koalas. It premieres Sept. 15 on Netflix. (Netflix via AP) Ali Bee (right) and daughter Izzy appear in a scene from "Izzy's Koala World." (Netflix via AP)