What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
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Izzy checks on the koalas every day, feeds them and plays with them. She plays with them in her bed, hugs them while brushing her teeth and helps them climb. Her dad calls her "the koala whisperer." Izzy's bond with animals began early. Five weeks after being born, she was in mom's clinic. "She grew up with whatever came through the door. Seeing the connection between people and their animals was always something that she was very aware of," her mom says. The series follows Izzy as she cares for a procession of koalas — Chompy, Juliet, Twinkle, StormBoy and a favorite, Leia, named after her very tufty ears, which reminded Izzy of the "Star Wars" heroine Princess Leia. When it's time to release them, Izzy is sad but ready. "I miss them sometimes," she says. "They feel happy and safe in care. But I know that they've got more of a life outside of the koala hospital." Her mom adds that the whole reason is to release them so they can sustain the population. "We hope not to see them again," mom says. The show, which adds small sound effects and animated hearts and stars to show how the koalas are feeling, is co-produced by digital media brand The Dodo, which featured Izzy in a segment of its "Dodo Heroes" show on Animal Planet. "Izzy is this Doc McStuffins come alive character who cares with every ounce of her body about koalas," says Dave Glauber, the creative lead for Dodo Kids. "She will give medicine to a koala, and she'll also calm them down when they're feeling scared. "So when we saw this, we knew we wanted to lean into it and really develop a whole series where we get to showcase this over and over with many different kids of koalas." The Bee family hope the series can remind viewers of how precious wildlife is, especially following devastating brush fires that recently swept through Australia. "At the moment, the world needs koalas just as much as koalas need the world. They are beautiful symbols of our native wildlife," says Ali Bee. While "Izzy's Koala World" focuses on one animal, mom believes it makes the case that looking after animals and the planet are intertwined. "We've all got to be aware that people, animals and planet — we're all so much interconnected. A prime example is pandemic at the moment," she says. "My hope to get future generations to look after the planet and the critters that live here." Go to: facebook.com/BestBranson Like The Best of Branson on Facebook for a chance to win some Really Great Prizes! This week's prize: New contest each week! facebook.com/BestBranson LIKE our Facebook page before 11:59 pm this Tuesday, Sept. 15, to be entered to win 2 Tickets to Branson Beyond The Lens! 40 WHAT'S UP! SEPTEMBER 13-19, 2020 PRESIDENT Brent Powers EDITOR Becca Martin-Brown 479-872-5054 bmartin@nwadg.com Twitter: NWAbecca ASSOCIATE EDITOR Jocelyn Murphy 479-872-5176 jmurphy@nwadg.com Twitter: NWAJocelyn DESIGNER Deb Harvell 479-872-5029 REPORTER Lara Hightower 479-365-2913 lhightower@nwadg.com WHAT'S What's Up! is a publication of the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. ON THE COVER Nick Cave's largest and most ambitious project yet, "Until" is on view at the Momentary in Bentonville through Jan. 3. The immersive exhibition spans more than 24,000 square feet of gallery space. COURTESY PHOTO/MASS MOCA Koala Continued From Page 39 ON TV