Fur Corners: Night Howler Nightmare

Anchor Jada Whiscolson [Serval]: The great city of Zootopia is a unique and beautiful place that was jointly established over 200 years ago by our ancestors of both prey and predator animals. It is where we, as animals of two different races, are supposed to be living in harmony and celebrating our differences and where everyone can be given a chance to become anything they want if they try and put the effort in. Until we evolved and joined together in peace, predators had ruled the world and prey became victims of the overpowering forces that could never be matched by their own defences.

Unfortunately, another powerful force has recently threatened to reignite this terrifying existence and create fear to divide the city: Predators going uncontrollably savage without any initial knowledge as to why, and viciously attacking the residents. At first impression, it was assumed that predators were reverting back to their biologically savage instincts as it was still in their genetics, thus throwing away the trust between races and renewing unwanted racial tension that the city strongly opposes.

This would have continued had the root of the problem not been discovered and eliminated by two highly skilled rabbit and fox officers from the Zootopia Police Department - well, the latter was not officially on the force until after the case was solved. Together, they discovered the psychiatric effects of a toxic flower and it's illegal use on innocent predators by a criminal mastermind.

In this report, investigative journalist Darren Striperush will take a deeper look into the scandal that attempted to destroy everything that the city of Zootopia holds so dear and the importance of unity in such desperate times.

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Darren Striperush [Zebra], Fur Corners correspondent: The bright bustling city of Zootopia, with its many diverse ecosystems to accomodate the appropriate needs and resources for each and every animal, is a unique place where predator and prey alike roam and appreciate each other's values and differences. Since evolution, savage rivalry between races has become extinct and unity has taken over for the benefit of peace and harmony. That is precisely what the city was built for and what it holds close to its heart. 

But a recent scare caused by an initially unknown source indefinitely reversed that with predators going savage, thus sending the city into a state of fear. So much so that Mayor Leodore Lionheart falsely imprisoned the afflicted animals so that he felt the city would be safe, only to be found out and imprisoned before any further investigation into the case could be undertaken.

Leodore Lionheart [Lion], Mayor of Zootopia: I was the first to understand that certain animals in the city had gone savage before it had a chance to catch the ears of reporters and spread the news to the media. I was afraid that if that would happen, the city would break out into a state of fear and everyone and everything would be destroyed. I don't like to be selfish, but I was also afraid of what everyone would feel about their predator mayor and potential thoughts about him turning against them in a savage manner. Therefore, for the sake of the city and the responsible individual in charge of it's citizens, I acted out of desperation by hiring experts to capture and imprison the affected animals until a solution to the problem could be found. I even hired a badger doctor to analyse the extent of their behaviour, but even she was unable to give an immediate and clear diagnosis as of yet.

Dr. Madge Honey Badger [Honey Badger], Zootopia Central Hospital: Mayor Lionheart secretly hired me to do some testing on the inflicted predators, but I could not find an initial diagnosis since very few individuals in the city knew anything about the Night Howler flowers or their dangerous side-effects. Until this point, us doctors had never seen any such case like this. Not in this part of the world anyway, considering that it could have happened elsewhere without a word being spread. Therefore, out of fear, I made a biased assumption that the biology of predators was the cause. Lionheart did not like the concept, and begged me to keep quiet about it.

Striperush: Lionheart, Doctor Acacia and their wolf henchman were the only ones in the city to know, and they were desperate to keep it that way. Consequently, distraught families of the kidnapped animals reported to the ZPD and created stacking numbers of missing mammal cases.

Chief Bogo [Cape Buffalo], Zootopia Police Department: It was quite absurd, really, that 14 mammals went missing in less than two weeks alone. At the rate that it was going, only more were going to stack up and our officers had to intervene ASAP. We did not know why or who the culprit behind this was. All we knew was that we had act before it got worse. So I sent our officers out to find them.

Striperush: Included in the case, by initial reluctance, was first-ever rabbit officer Judith Hopps, a fresh graduate and valedictorian from the Zootopia Police Academy.

Bogo: I was aware of her award for the hard work she put in at the Academy, but I have to admit that I did not think much of her at the time because she was a lot smaller than the larger mammals on the force and I assumed that she was not physically capable enough to handle tough field work. I didn't even want her on the force despite the mayor's insistence. Therefore, I confined her to parking duty. But after seeing her impressive work in cracking the entire case in less than two days, I know now that it really was selfish thinking and an act of bigotry. I do indeed regret not trusting her and giving her a chance in the first place.

Officer Judith Hopps [Rabbit], Zootopia Police Department: I was hoping that I would get some exciting field work on my first day on the job, but instead Chief Bogo gave me easy and safe work because he could not trust me. I did take it to heart because I wanted a real challenge as I had worked my whole life to get to this stage. Luckily, Assistant Mayor Bellwether insisted that I take the case, and despite threats of resignation if I failed to solve the case in two days, I was not going to let that distract me from doing my job.

Lionheart: I introduced the Mammal Inclusion Initiative into the city, which allows greater opportunities for employment for a wider range of animals. Officer Hopps was a big part of that deal, and I assigned her to the main precinct for good reason. Her hard work at the Academy was a real eye-opener that could not be missed so easily, and despite being smaller, it was her speed and intellect that worked in her favour.  It is a matter of mind over matter, if you will, and that is way more important than brute strength. 

Bogo: I realised now that with the city being plagued with cases, we needed all the help we could get, and that this was the worst time to be arguing about who should or shouldn't be taking important cases. The truth is, only the very best officers are assigned to me, and Hopps definitely proved herself a cut above everyone else.

Striperush: But as Hopps was left by herself with an unlikely chance at solving the case within the limited timeframe that she was given, she needed extra help from an outside source.

Judy Hopps: It was fox Nicholas Wilde who last saw the animal I was assigned to find - florist otter Emmett Otterton - and I had already met him a couple of days before, so he gave me my first lead. Through some tough persuasion, he managed to help me create a trail that would eventually lead us to finding not just Otterton, but the other missing mammals as well. We did have to overcome a few tough obstacles along the way, and he was a very valuable asset in providing the resources and connections to overcome that.

Officer Nicholas P. Wilde [Fox], Zootopia Police Department: We first met when I was pulling off a legal hustling job that she thought she could take me in for, and I had to sort of, uh, give her a reality check about Zootopia's actual imbalance between everyone, which is not quite understood by those who live elsewhere and who believe what they hear about the city. My words did come off a little harsh because I seriously doubted her ability in becoming a true cop. Well, two days later, we met again, and she asked me to cooperate in her missing mammal case since I knew Mr. Otterton and was the last one to see him. She was very persuasive in the way she hustled me and proved that she can indeed hold her own as opposed to my words against hers, but that is a different story. Let's just say that I am glad that she did in the end. So anyway, I managed to help her build a connection to the case through my knowledge of the city, and despite facing perilous situations, we managed to find all of the missing mammals and catch Mayor Lionheart out.

Striperush: But the missing mammals was far from being a part of the bigger issue that the city was about to discover, when Hopps and Wilde witnessed a predator going savage and almost killing them both. It was then that the real investigative case bloomed.

Judy Hopps: Our case trail led to a jaguar limousine driver called Mr. Renato Manchas, who explained that he was escorting Mr. Otterton to a business partner before the florist viciously attacked the driver halfway through the journey to the destination. It was the first of the savage attacks we heard about before Manchas himself went savage.

Wilde: Then when we got to the Cliffside Asylum where the mammals were being held and saw that they were all predators who had gone savage, we immediately knew that something wasn't right. The real issue was then discovered, and it was going to be very tough to see why this was happening.

Striperush: A controversial theoretical approach by Hopps at a Town Hall press conference following the cracking of the case was about to sprout big protest amongst the citizens of the city.

Judy Hopps: I could not give a definite answer to the reason why these predators were going savage and how numbers of such cases were increasing, but the press just kept pushing me for answers because I think they were scared and desperate to know. So I came up with a theory that predators were reverting back to their primitive savage ways - linking back to the Stone Age - as it was in their biology. That was only a guess and I didn't want anyone to think that it was certain, but then prey species took it as gospel and began holding a grudge against predators. The latter took the labelling very personally and felt the wrath of unfair discrimination. Even Nick [Wilde] was upset and consequently walked out on me.

Wilde: I will admit that I was seething after Judy made that presumption, and I felt betrayed after everything that we had been through together. So I stormed out of the Town Hall. The truth is, I got discriminated against by prey as a child, and since then I wasn't sure who would be able to trust a fox like me. Now this daunting memory was being relived, and when I was beginning to think that someone was believing in me, she makes this biased label against predators and throws it all away.

Judy Hopps: I honestly never meant to hurt anyone, but since everyone was so desperate for an answer to what was happening, I was pressured into coming up with something. It didn't come out well and it created fear in the city, which then sparked a civil war. What was once a peaceful and harmonious city had turned into a state of racial discrimination.

Bogo: What had made the situation worse was that the savage attacks kept on occurring after Hopps' announcement, thus supposedly proving her theory and increasing the fierce tension between the two races.

ZNN Co-Anchor Fabienne Growley [Snow Leopard]: More bad news in this city gripped by fear: A caribou is in critical condition, the victim of a mauling by a savage polar bear. This, the twenty-seventh savage attack, comes just one week after ZPD Officer Judy Hopps connected the violence to traditionally predatory animals.

ZNN Co-Anchor Peter Moosebridge [Moose]: Meanwhile, a peace rally organised by pop star Gazelle was marred by protest.

Male pig: Go back to the forest, predator!

Female leopard: I'm from the savannah!

Gazelle, pop star: Zootopia is a unique place. It's a crazy, beautiful diverse city where we celebrate our differences. This is not the Zootopia I know. The Zootopia I know is better than this. We don't just blindly assign blame. We don't know why these attacks keep happening, but it is irresponsible to label all predators as savages. We cannot let fear divide us. Please give me back the Zootopia I love.

Bogo: The tension in the city had never become so severe in its entire existence. Our officers were forced to work overtime to control the protests and riots, including the savage animals. There was not a single day that went by after that fateful press conference when both were not happening, either separately or simultaneously. That is why the new Mayor Bellwether suggested that we needed someone at the helm of the ZPD, and as our highest class officer and hero to the city, Hopps was the only one we could call upon.

Judy Hopps: I was extremely upset and overwhelmed about everything that was happening in the city. I felt that I held the sole responsibility for the city being divided, and I had never felt so guilty. I was especially guilty for what I had done to Nick [Wilde] after the close partnership we were building, and there was not a single thing I wouldn't have given to tell him how badly sorry I was. Despite everything, though, Mayor Bellwether wanted me to be the face of the ZPD as the citizens needed someone to look up to as a potential saviour to the crisis. To be totally honest, I really didn't want to hold that burden as I felt that I was more of a destroyer than a hero, and I thought that it was best if I wasn't apart of this anymore. So, out of regret, I quit.

Bogo: I understood how bad she was feeling, but the last thing we needed was for an officer of her class and skill to quit when we needed that expertise more than ever to help solve this massive crisis. When she removed her badge, I just felt that things were only going to get worse.

Striperush: And get worse they did, with the number of attacks increasing and more citizens being sent to hospital, often in intensive care with critical injuries. And instead of being sent to jail, the predators that went savage were put in the isolation ward on the other side of the hospital. The doctors tried all they could to get an accurate diagnosis, but unfortunately to no avail as this was a case not seen by anyone before...not in Zootopia at least. Until, conveniently enough, Hopps returned home and discovered the missing piece of the puzzle. We were able to speak to her parents, Stuart and Bonnie, the owners and founders of Hopps Family Farm.

Stuart "Stu" Hopps [Rabbit], Co-Owner of Hopps Family Farm: Our daughter was always one to do anything to fulfil her dreams of becoming a top class police officer. I will admit that we initially discouraged her due to the fact that traditional cops have always been larger and fiercer animals, therefore it would be too much for a small bunny to handle.

Bonnie "Bon" Hopps [Rabbit], Co-Owner of Hopps Family Farm: That is right. We worried about her, as parents do, and we just wanted what we thought was best for her. But she was always a dreamer, and we know that she believed in them enough to make it true. So she worked harder than any rabbit before, using her speed and intellect - with a little few slick tricks on the side - and achieved her goal like it was too easy. She defied our expectations, and for that I can only bow down to her. Truthfully, we couldn't be more proud of her.

Stu Hopps: But, above all, we are most proud of her for who she is. As tough and sometimes intimidating as she can be at times - as you have to be when you are an authority figure - she is one of the most caring, loyal, helpful, and sweet little bunnies who knows her morals and who would never mean to hurt anyone. Especially when it comes to dealing with a very difficult situation in fixing a divided city.

Bon Hopps: Then when she came home, she was completely broken. As much as we were happy to have her back, we were also even more worried about her than before she left for Zootopia the first time. We had never seen her so down. She barely spoke at all and often distanced herself from pretty much everyone. Even when she was helping to sell our produce at our stalls, her voice was always very flat, and even our customers noticed. Most of the town of Bunnyburrow knows us as our business is a household name, and we kept getting concerned voices telling us that she needed serious help, so we finally spoke up.

Stu Hopps: We told her that she could not hide it from us as we could read others and that she needed to tell us her problem. Besides, the most obvious emotional sign for a bunny is when their ears go droopy. So she told us that all the effort that she put in only made life worse for innocent predators, and that she didn't deserve to become an officer in the first place.

Bon Hopps: But it was her broken emotional state that hindered her from looking deeper. Then her brain snapped back into gear when we mentioned something that she had heard once before during her investigation that had been misinterpreted.

Judy Hopps: I was feeling too distraught to know any better, but it all went away when mom and dad told me about the flowers they planted on their crops to protect the produce from pests - the extent of them, that is. I already knew about them as I had grown up farming with my family, but I never discovered their common name as opposed to their scientific name, Midnicampum holicithias. As soon as I heard it, I found what I was missing and the pieces came together. The word "Night Howler" was mentioned by Emmitt Otterton through Mr. Manchas' mouth during mine's and Nick Wilde's investigation, and later on in the investigation, we guessed that the wolf guards used by Lionheart to capture and imprison the savage animals were the Night Howlers. I realised my misinterpretation when mom and dad explained a similar savage incident with my Uncle Terry when they were kids. 

Bon Hopps: My brother Terry ate one by mistake when we were young and went vicious. So much to the point where he bit me on the arm and left me to get stitches. The resulting scar is still visible to this day. So that is when we knew about how dangerous the side effects of Night Howlers can be.

Striperush: That was the only savage case from Night Howlers ever reported outside of Zootopia until the plague. However, there was a florist in Zootopia who discovered and researched the toxic flower, and who was about to send a warning to his business partner in the cold district of Tundratown. That was right before he was one of the first predators targeted and inflicted by a secret source, who, needless to say, got the impression that this predator knew too much to be spared. Coincidently, he was the very missing predator who Officer Hopps was assigned to find: Emmitt Otterton.

Emmitt Otterton [Otter], Florist: I have been in the floral industry for about 12 years now. In my time, there have been many flowers that I have researched and arranged for a diverse range of clients, both private and public. I also know that most toxic flowers, if ingested, cause many common problems such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, increased heartbeat, stomach ache, liver failure and even, in some rare cases, fatality. But until recently, I have never discovered flowers that cause psychiatric effects, not that I even knew that they existed. The truth is, I have lived in a city my whole life, and because of that, I have mostly studied common suburban flora and insufficiently on rural flora. I did discover one at a vital time, until I became victimised of it before I had a chance to warn anyone.

Striperush: The otter was also able to give us an accurate description of the toxic flower.

Otterton: The Night Howler, Midnicampum holicithias, is a dangerous annual flower that is native to temperate rural districts and one that cannot photosynthesise properly in areas of excessive rainfall, such as the tropics, or in deserts or tundra due to intolerance of extreme hot or cold temperatures. Once planted in early Spring, they will fully bloom within 3 months and, with the sufficient temperate zone warmth in its given time period, tend to last until late Fall, so long as they receive around 30 minutes of water twice a week and sufficient sunlight for at least half a week. It is actually useful in keeping invasive bugs off farming crops, as the toxic fragrance that the flowers emit repels them like bug spray. But they produce excessively aggressive side-effects to anyone who consumes at least 100 millilitres of the flower, because the toxin found in the flower petals contains above-normal levels of amphetamine, which, when entered into the system, increases the level of serotonin in the brain to the point where aggression cannot be controlled, therefore causing a deadly savage rage.

Striperush: Shortly after the the scandal ended and the afflicted predators were cured with the Night Howler antitoxin, several samples of the toxic flowers were donated to the Faculty of Biological Science at the University of Zootopia, where Professor Albert Cantery thoroughly analysed the chemistry of the serum and its effects on the Central Nervous System.

Professor Albert Cantery [Horse], Faculty of Biological Science, University of Zootopia: After analysing the toxin, we discovered several chemicals that you would find in the drug ice or methamphetamine, and steroids combined into one. We found a mix of excess amphetamine, testosterone, cortisol, and adrenaline. That is a very dangerous mix of chemicals that increases the serotonin levels in the brain, and it was proved after testing on volunteering rodents in the laboratory, who were we able to revive with the appropriate Night Howler antidote, of course. How it works is that the thin liquid that the flowers produce sinks easily into the skin like water through large pore spaces in a sandy soil and spreads fast into the Central Nervous System, which then transmits the fluid directly into the sensory neurones and then to the medulla oblongata - the section of the brain that controls aggressive behaviour. The medulla is then enlarged with increased serotonin and abnormally increases aggression beyond the brain's control, which then enforces killing instincts. It is not yet proven, but there is a possibility of long-term brain damage or even shortened life expectancy if the victims have been inflicted for long enough. The antivenin used to counter the toxin, a physiological antidote containing atropine and oxime, is supposed to eliminate aggression altogether in the short term, but whether it eliminates all long-term effects on the brain remains to be seen.

Striperush: Professor Cantery also stated that no living species today - not even honey badgers - are immune to the side-effects from Night Howlers, and to therefore recommend that everyone must remain extra vigilant when it comes to foreign living organisms relocating to where they should not be.

Cantery: Exotic species that get spread or misplaced to elsewhere creates reproductive offspring or sprouting of new growth and therefore a potentially deadly strain by spreading and dominating an entire ecosystem for the worst. That is the exact case here with the Night Howler crisis. Flowers like this are supposed to be confined to their own rural climate, and introducing them into the city like an exotic virus and manipulating it created a plague that could have destroyed everyone. Think of it like a horror movie where most of animalkind has become lethally infected to form zombies, or wiped out because of one small deadly virus. That is how serious this case could have been.

Striperush: So now that Officer Hopps understood, she returned to the plagued city to hunt down the culprits. But she needed Nick Wilde's help once again. Although Nick was still hurting from the bigotry, he eventually agreed to partner up again.

(Striperush speaking to both Wilde and Judy Hopps in the same meeting room)

Wilde: I understood when she told me the new angle to the savage attacks, but I wasn't going to let her forget what she did to me.

Judy Hopps: And who could blame you after I made such a biased theory against all predators. It was never going to come out well and it is not just you, Nick, who I needed to apologise to. But in this fox's particular case, there was more to his story.

Wilde: That is right. This was not the first time I felt the wrath of discrimination. It happened when I was just a kit trying to join prey animals in the junior ranger scouts as the only predator. I wanted to learn to be loyal and trustworthy so that I could fit in, when it turned out that the prey animals had set me up. They muzzled and bullied me, saying that I could not be trusted as a fox. That really hurt, and since that day I wasn't sure who I could trust to look at the bigger picture...until Judy came along. She began believing in me after we got to know each other deep down throughout our mission, but I just felt like she had thrown it away after what you might call 'biologygate'. That fateful memory got to me again and I felt completely broken-hearted.

Judy Hopps: You were not the only one, Nick. And I admit that I felt his pain, being a victim of bigotry and pessimism as a child myself. So I did apologise for being so small-minded and made a deal with him if he would help me solve this terrible scandal. We got back on the same page well and focused on our job at hand. Our first task was to find a connection to the Night Howlers.

Striperush: The first lead they chased was a criminal who Judy had come across once before and arrested for stealing Night Howler bulbs from a florist. He was one of the few criminals involved in the scandal that we were able to get an interview with, and he held some valuable insider information.

Duke Weaselton [Weasel], Convict and Street DVD Salesanimal: It is true that I have been convicted several times for unarmed robbery, and that is because I have been desperate for supplies over the years due to a poor lifestyle. I was lucky to be let off all those times with minor charges in fines, due to never using dangerous weapons. Then one day I was approached by a ram named Doug who had taken notice in my slick thieving ability. Seeing that he could trust me, he made me a generous offering of money if I would pull a job to attain Night Howler bulbs for him to plant and nurture in his hidden laboratory, which was located in an old train carriage near an abandoned underground railway station. He showed it to me before sending me off to carry out the job, and said that it was top secret and blackmailed me with murder if I leaked it to the outside world. Naturally, I obliged and then left to do what I was told.

Judy Hopps: I caught him stealing the Night Howlers after a chase in my second day on the force. I will admit that he was pretty slick in the way he went about his business and was therefore not easy to catch, so I could see why he was chosen to pull the job. But then he was acquitted after I brought him in because of how ridiculous it seemed for him to steal what looked like mouldy onions, and because it seemed like a waste of time, the case was dismissed. The ZPD was also too focused on the missing mammal cases to worry about this. Who would have thought that there would have been a connection in the end? So anyway, Nick helped me to find him again and, with persuasion, we made a deal to spare him - either his life or time behind bars - in exchange for his insider knowledge.

Wilde: That is when he told us about the ram's secret 'drop spot' in the abandoned Banyan Street Station, which was supposed to be permanently closed. Perfect idea for the last place anyone would expect to go. We were also notified to play it cool as Doug was the 'tough and rough' type not to be messed with. But both Judy and I knew that we could handle him, as long as we remained composed and stayed focused. So, anyway, we found the station and snuck in quietly. When we found the old carriage, still on tracks, the inside of it had been transformed into a laboratory with large garden plots filled with rows of blooming Night Howlers and artificial lighting above them, allowing the flowers to photosynthesise. There was also a chamber with a pipe connecting to a chemistry set, where the blue liquid from the flower petals was being made into something. We figured out what that was after Doug himself walked into the lab - without catching us out as we were hiding well enough not to be seen - and emptied Night Howler petals into his chamber, pumped more liquid into the chemistry set, and made it into a pellet. He then loaded it into a dart gun and put it in a case, ready to hunt his next target. 

Judy Hopps: At the same time, he spoke on his mobile phone to an accomplice who was giving him instructions on which animal to target. Further pieces of the puzzle were filled when we spotted a map of Zootopia on the wall with pictures of the very predators that went savage pinned at each location of attack. He even said to his anonymous colleague on the other end about how he hit an otter through the window of a moving car. It then became clear that it was this ram who had shot Otterton, Manchas, and the other predators with the contagious serum and plagued them all.

Wilde: And we knew we had to act, but we had to do it the hard way because he had two ram accomplices that eventually came along. Trying to arrest them was useless because they were three tough rams against the two of us smaller mammals and they would put up a good fight. So we kicked them out of the carriage, locked the door and managed somehow get the old train moving. Judy's plan was to get all of the evidence to the ZPD, but it turned out to be an intense battle between the rams who caught up with us while we were conducting the train. We eventually managed to fight them off, but almost collided with another train before we switched onto a seperate track. But we were going too fast and consequently derailed the vehicle, which then slid fast into another closed station and crashed right after we managed to escape the eventual explosion by jumping out onto the platform, which unfortunately destroyed the evidence we needed. Save one.

Judy Hopps: Yep, with his quick and slick thinking, Nick grabbed the briefcase containing the gun and serum and held onto it as we jumped out. Things went well for us on two counts: One, we got sufficient evidence to prove; two, the breeding ground for the plague was destroyed, therefore lessening the chance of more predators being afflicted. However, if we did not get the evidence to the ZPD soon enough without getting caught, our efforts would have been wasted. So we raced up from the station through to the Natural History Museum, which was closed for renovations, and headed towards the exit, where the ZPD headquarters was on the other side.

Striperush: But just before they were about to make that break, they came across an unexpected surprise and discovered the mastermind behind the scandal. From there, despite odds stacked against them in the fight, what Hopps and Wilde did was nothing short of heroic.

Judy Hopps: Bellwether...I couldn't believe that it was her. She was in the Museum with two ram accomplices, and almost immediately I - well, both of us, actually, considering the telling signs - figured out that she was the one behind it all. How she knew where to find us was that Doug had called her and leaked the interference, including where we were heading to. I knew because the day we were in Bellwether's office when she was getting us into the traffic cam database to track down the missing mammals, there was a sticker on her desk with the name 'Doug' and a phone number. It then became obvious. Plus she had ram accomplices, so that said plenty. But we couldn't think any longer as a larger muscular ram was blocking our escape, so now it was time to run.

Wilde: We headed into a closed exhibit to hide and buy some time, but Judy cut her leg on a mammoth tusk and couldn't walk. With the enemies closing in fast, this was a bad sign. We were outnumbered and there was no way that we could handle them on our own. So Judy insisted that I take the case and get it to Chief Bogo, but I objected and instead we both came up with an idea: Since we could not escape or fight the rams, we would need to outsmart them. So, we disarmed the serum from the gun and replaced it with blueberries that Carrots had luckily brought back from her family's farm and gave to me. From there, we would allow ourselves to get caught and let Bellwether dart me so that it would look like I was going to go savage and kill Judy, only for no inflicting harm to be done. Then, just before I would 'attack', Judy would record Bellwether's confession on her recorder carrot pen about making Zootopia out to be divided by fear, thinking that she could reveal her secrets 'safely' just before the killing. Then we snapped out of our little game and came clean, revealing the sheep's recorded voice and creating the evidence to be heard by the arriving ZPD officers and getting her and the rams arrested.

ZNN Co-Anchor Fabienne Growley: Former mayor Dawn Bellwether is behind bars today, guilty of masterminding the savage attacks that have plagued Zootopia of late.

ZNN Co-Anchor Peter Moosebridge: Her predecessor, Leodore Lionheart, denies any knowledge of her plot, claiming he was just trying to protect the city.

Lionheart: Did I falsely imprison those animals? Well, yes. Yes I did. It was a classic 'doing the wrong thing for the right reason' kind of a deal.

Judy Hopps: Before we got her, Bellwether had said was how prey outnumber predators by 90 per cent in Zootopia and therefore would be unstoppable against a so-called 'common enemy'. Then just before Nick was about to 'go for the kill', she said that she would dart every predator in the city to use fear to further divide the city and stay in power. Complete and utter discrimination, needless to say.

Striperush: This created a true evil label for a supposed sweet and innocent-looking sheep who turned out to be psychologically traumatised due to oppression during childhood. It only worsened after she became tired of playing second fiddle to Leodore Lionheart as assistant mayor of Zootopia. The reinstated head mayor even described his relationship with Bellwether as 'colonel over sergeant' authority with little consideration for lack of recognition.

Lionheart: I treated her as more of a secretary than as a partner, and she just did as she was told and supposedly sucked it up rather than complain or attempt any such form of compromise. I had no idea of her hidden intentions to steal power out of spite just because she was tired of being used and abused and not getting her share of the pie. Look, maybe I was being a bit too authoritative - being sort of a 'colonel over sergeant' method, if you will - but in no way was I trying to be discriminative. The thing is, being in a partnership is not a perfect democracy. It is more like a sports team: Nobody can do anything without support from the others, but not everybody gets to touch the ball all the time. If Bellwether really thought about it, it was that she wanted to get equal in planning and decision-making as a business partner, when it all comes down to who is the slightly higher block on the work hierarchy. 

Striperush: Even though the criminal mastermind was in custody, the other suspect responsible for literally pulling the trigger was just as guilty and therefore had to be looked up. The ZPD found the file of ram Doug S. Haddock and discovered some surprising facts.

Judy Hopps: Haddock had never had a previous criminal conviction. He was a distinction student who specialised in chemistry from the School of Physics at the University of Zootopia last year, and had graduated right before he was secretly hired by Bellwether to manipulate Night Howlers with his chemistry expertise and target innocent predators. Apparently, he was another who suffered from oppression by predators when he was growing up, and he felt the urge to get revenge because he was too weak to know better. I am sure Bellwether recognised this as well. So it was because of that that he was more than happy to join her plot. We also found out from insider sources that he had been trained in shooting by extra police officers hired by Bellwether. 

Striperush: Those extra officers had turned out to be the very rams that accompanied Bellwether when attempting to capture Hopps and Wilde. For legal reasons, we were unable to give their names. They had been assisting both Bellwether and Haddock even before the former attained the top job. But how the chemistry graduate first got his hands on Night Howler bulbs without suspicion was the big question. Otterton and Stu Hopps were able to give us some detail.

Otterton: Well, as of now, Night Howler bulbs are available in florist shops, but, by law, they are only for sale for specific and legitimate purposes. Anybody who is not licensed is prohibited from attaining them. One would include farming purposes to protect produce from pests, as I said earlier, but nothing further than that, as far as I know. Spreading them around for domestic purposes creates a health and safety risk, especially to children who will swallow anything, and can trigger a dangerous strain. 

Stu Hopps: I had to obtain a working licence from the local council many years ago when we first set up our Family Farm here in Bunnyburrow, with refresher courses running every two years. This licence allowed us to legally use certain poisonous chemicals and particular crops and plants. Midnicampum holicithias was included, and we currently attain them from our local florist who is contracted to supply certain flowers to us when we need them. But they are not allowed to be sold other than for legitimate farming purposes.

Striperush: Greatly concerned for such a compromise, the mayor decided to take an extra step to ensure further outbreaks are controlled to the maximum so that the city is safe from large-scale quarantine.

Lionheart: I have now introduced physicals and tougher borderline security to everyone who comes or returns to Zootopia to ensure that they are not carrying biological or any illicit and illegal substances on them. I am not taking any more chances of an introduced item or species causing deadly strains and putting the health and welfare of the city at risk.

Judy Hopps: As far as attaining the Night Howlers, Doug Haddock might have gotten a permit or fake licence from Bellwether to convince a florist to hand them over. But since it would be suspicious, being in a city and not rural, to keep coming back for them and run the risk of getting caught sooner or later, Doug probably would have required backup to complete his dirty work for him, and that is why he hired Duke Weaselton to steal them. But since I caught him out, they must have let him go, on the condition that he keep his mouth shut for all time's sake, and gotten someone else.

Weaselton: Since I failed in delivering what he wanted, Doug wasn't sure that he could trust me anymore, and I said that maybe I couldn't be and that it was best to get someone else. So he let me go without pay and further blackmailed me with death if I let the word out about the scheme. I agreed and nothing more was said. I never saw him again since and I have to say that it is a relief that I didn't.

Striperush: As for Bellwether's extra rams, it was apparent that they had been put into special branch when the sheep became mayor.

Wilde: As you would expect, Bellwether had added those ram accomplices to the ZPD after she gained power and Judy left, and were being specifically used as bodyguards and cover-up agents so that she would not get found out. But then again, she would have leverage being in charge of the city, so that would further lessen her chance of being caught out.

Bogo: As new mayor, she had assigned three more ram officers to the main precinct after Hopps resigned, but I had no say in what job they would be doing because Bellwether was in charge over me and told me that they were to be her personal bodyguards. Was I a little suspicious about that? Yes, because Lionheart never had special branch bodyguards working through the ZPD. But I got the impression that because of everything that was happening in the city, Bellwether, as the one with the most responsibility, might have become a key target of attack in protest of the civil violence. Therefore she needed specialist protection. That, along with the ram officers covering up her true vigilant image, was indeed the case. But the other interesting thing was that all these rams working under her scheme were very legitimate. They were all qualified in their specific skills, they had no previous criminal convictions, and none of them were ever bought cheap. They earned their way 'fair and square' into Bellwether's 'business', therefore lessening suspicion, so it was deviantly smart on her part in order to keep her secret operations running smooth. However, whether they joined her because they truly hated predators and were out looking for revenge or they were bribed or blackmailed into cooperating is unknown at this stage. But because all of them were involved in this outrageous scandal, they were to be put behind bars no matter what.

Striperush: No exception was made for any of them, and if anything, the ram officers might be lucky to be let of with lesser chargers, such as fines or loss of their jobs. Bellwether and Haddock, however, were to be given life in prison sentences for confiding to conspiracy, masterminding the scheme, and shooting innocent predators respectively. Meanwhile, Hopps and Wilde - once the latter officially became a member of the ZPD - each received special awards for their services to the city: Medals of both Honour and Valour. They had become local heroes for their incredible efforts in cracking the scandal and restoring peace.

Bogo: I freely and regrettably admit that I didn't trust Wilde either when I first met him. Then he stood up and chastised me for setting Hopps up to fail so that I could get rid of her - which is what I did, I also regret now - when we had a serious matter on hand and needed all the help we could get. Yes, good point. He sure got me standing corrected, no question. Then after his and Hopps' heroic efforts in solving a very complex case, there was no way that I could leave either of them out. They made me realise how discriminative I used to be, and I have to say that I am not proud of it. I am not even going to go into detail about why I used to be that way. I should have been stronger and there is no excuse for my actions. Bottom line, Both Hopps and Wilde are true high-class material with both intellect and heart that the ZPD has never had before, and that is why we need them. 

Striperush: As for Bellwether, Lionheart stated that her double-crossing taught him to understand who to trust, and to become more vigilant for suspicious individuals.

Lionheart: After receiving word about Bellwether's true colours, it really came as a shock to me, but I was also relieved at the fact that I was about to be let off the hook. She seemed so innocent and nice on the outside, when all this time she was plotting to frame me and take my job by using extreme measures. She was doing well to play it cool and it was hard to know what she was up to. I guess it was also the fact that after my arrest, the case of criminal conviction against me and the presumed trust in Bellwether as an ally was the perfect escape angle against suspicion on her hidden intentions. I think I learned to be a little more vigilant and understand who to trust after everything that she did. 

Striperush: Psychologist Dr. Jelena Springer at Serengeti Psychology in Savannah Central was able to give us a general explanation as to why troubled individuals would build an extreme hatred towards others of an opposite race.

Dr. Jelena Springer [Springbok], Psychologist, Serengeti Psychology: It is usually a case of either malignant narcissism or paranoid delusional psychosis brought on during childhood. This is often seen in terrorism with egosyntonic aggression and a lack of conscience, thereby looking to attain a psychological sense of power as a means of importance. Basically, either physical or verbal abuse as a child can trigger a false sense of hallucinogenic foresight before the brain has a chance the develop into a more mature state. It creates a belief that you are completely insecure with your surrounding environment and your aspirations are unmatched and rejected by pessimistic individuals. This results from believing the negative things that you see and hear before taking the time and patience to look at the bigger picture and come to reason. The truth is, everyone wants to be something and find a place to belong, but having aspirations crushed by bigotry and even hard upbringing by family can eventually lead to a disruptive hallucinogenic state full of self doubt that rejects all wisdom and moral values, thereby only corrupting the soul into darker ambitions. 

In Bellwether's case, she may have developed malignant narcissism as a child, therefore creating delusion and promoting her with hidden dark ambitions for long-term vengeance and self-gain. Otherwise, she likely grew up learning to be civilised before supposedly witnessing 'reality' when being mistreated as an adult. Therefore, she became promoted to use her usual down-to-earth personality as a means of, again, hiding her true intentions to get back at the opposite race for their bigotry against her. 

Striperush: Regardless of her situation, there were no excuses against acquitting Bellwether of her jail sentence. Many critics labelled her as 'the wolf in sheep's clothing'. On the other side, Lionheart still had a price to pay for his own illegal actions.

Lionheart: I completely understand, no surprise, that some citizens still despise me for my unlawful kidnapping of the animals who went savage - their families especially. That is why I promised even compensation to the latter in no later than under a month so that the matter could be fully settled. I was more than happy to do that as repayment for my wrongdoing.

Growley: In related news, doctors say the Night Howler antidote is proving effective in rehabilitating the afflicted predators.

Lionheart: I am so relieved that it did, too. I was afraid that the doctors were not going to get an accurate diagnosis, let alone a cure for the affliction. Had it been otherwise for the former, latter or both, Zootopia would have definitely been destroyed. The truth is that I have always respected our citizens - including what they hold dear - enough to ensure they all remain safe and secure. The last thing I ever wanted was for a pointless civil war in a place of peace and prosperity.

Striperush: That was the very thing that the population of Zootopia took to heart even stronger than ever after the scandal, which has been officially called 'Savagegate'. It made them realise how much more important it was for both races to unite as one. Even though the city itself was not always perfect in relations, the effort to try and understand one another was always in place. Speaking at a graduation ceremony for the next line of ZPD recruits - Wilde being a part of that group - Officer Hopps strongly encouraged everyone to stick by Zootopia's unity slogan.

Judy Hopps: When I was a kid, I thought Zootopia was this perfect place where everyone got along and anyone could be anything. Turns out, real life's a little bit more complicated than a slogan on a bumper sticker. Real life is messy. We all have limitations. We all make mistakes. Which means hey, glass half full, we all have a lot in common. And the more we try to understand one another, the more exceptional each of us will be. But we have to try. So no matter what type of animal you are, from the biggest elephant to our first fox, I implore you, try. Try to make the world a better place. Look inside yourself and recognise that change starts with you. It starts with me. It starts with all of us.

Striperush: Many were moved by this motivational speech from a local hero, and were inspired to change and make changes for the better of every living animal concerned.

Beaver resident: Never heard truer words in my life. I think it makes us realise the civilised world we are living in and how we need to play our part with dignity.

Giraffe resident: I have never been more outraged at anything in my life after the scandal was exposed. It is completely against everything that our city holds dear.

Zebra resident: How are both races supposed to live in peace when there are false threats attempting to divide it?

Pangolin resident: Both races have rights in this city, and this is the primary example to everywhere else in this world.

Camel resident: To label predators as savages is morally irresponsible. They are supposed to be our friends in democracy.

Leopard resident: Going into civil war after peace has existed in this city for the past 200 years has to be the most horrific shock in history.

Tiger resident: Nothing is more important than respecting everyone for who they are and trying to understand each other so that kinship can always hold strong for the betterment of healthy existence.

Elephant resident: If we take away what the opposite race cherishes, we reinforce the cycle of fear between us, thus destroying everyone.

Mouse resident: The city is not perfect and neither are we, but that is why it is important for us to unite as one more than ever.

Wilde: I have lived in Zootopia my whole life. I know the ropes and everyone in the city, and always been a realist. That is why I feel that everyone who comes here needs to know what really goes on and what has to be done if you really want to be someone. Not everyone gets along and you can't always be exceptional if you can't appreciate each other's values. As Judy said, life is more complicated than a slogan on a bumper sticker, and I agree wholeheartedly. I have certainly been under-appreciated aplenty in my lifetime because of the odd few who fail to look beyond the sly and shifty fox that they see, and I have just learned to accept that. But if everyone can make the effort into changing for the better, this city will indeed prosper greatly as it should have done before.

Lionheart: Liberty, compassion, dignity, integrity, freedom of speech. That is everything that I want this city to hold strong as long as we, as animals, exist. Zootopia was created for just that reason and there is absolutely no room for bigotry and racial tension. Everyone should respect others for who they are and not what they want them to be. It is also a matter of seeking help and advice from animals who understand, such as psychologists, if you have ever suffered from bigotry yourself, instead of building a grudge against so-called oppressors or taking the easy way out with revenge just so that you can get what you want. All that does is make the situation worse for both parties concerned. Bottom line, us animals have evolved into a peaceful and harmonious democratic world where we share our differences and live as one. We all hope that this continues to thrive until the end of time.

*

Whiscolson: Darren Striperush with that report. The city of Zootopia is certainly not perfect in all aspects - very much like the evolved world that we live in - but one hopes that it will now attempt to come together stronger than ever before after everything that 'Savagegate' did in trying to create fear to destroy the unity of races. If tonight's program has caused you any such distress or you or someone you know has suffered the terror of the savage attacks plaguing the city, you can call Helpline on 333 111.

That is the program for tonight. Next week, we attempt to look into power struggle with electricity generation on rural towns, where a battle between the use of renewable energy sources versus the old fossil fuel burning method heats up in the east and west wings of parliament and attempts to destroy the opposite business for good. 

Until then, good night.

END.

Jada Wiscolson, Darren Striperush, Professor Albert Cantery, and Dr. Jelena Springer (c) BlackJack16

All other characters (c) Walt Disney.

I fully respect the laws and regulations against copyright violations.

(c) April 2017

BlackJack16.