Episode 27 Roar

Three young gorillas hand-reared in the parks are now in Africa,

but how will they learn to survive and who's going to teach them?

-Hello and welcome to Roar. I'm Rani.

-And I'm Johny.

We're at the African Experience to give these guys their dinner.

With over 100 animals to feed here every day, this is no small job.

So as we satisfy the rumblings of the beasts,

check out the tasty treats we've got for you. Come on, Rani.

Coming up on today's show:

We meet an extremely ancient breed of wild moggies,

-but will the Head Keeper know why they are called Pallas cats?

-Yes!

Malayan tapirs have no trouble eating fruit and veg on their own,

so why give them a banana butty?

'And we get more than we bargained for at the elephant paddock.'

That's the biggest pee I've ever seen! It's like a swimming pool.

Among all the animals in the parks, the lemurs are one of my favourites.

The only place you can find them in the wild is on Madagascar,

off the east coast of southern Africa.

The name lemur comes from a Latin word meaning "spirits of the night".

That's when they're most active.

But you won't catch them napping any time there's food to be had.

-Hiya, Matt.

-Hello.

-What have we got going on here?

We're going to do a bit of a treat for our lemurs today.

-We're doing these fruit kebabs.

-It looks very scrumptious indeed.

-But why fruit kebabs?

-Basically, lemurs are fruit eaters in the wild.

-This is part of their natural diet, really.

-OK.

We'll try to hang it naturally for them to eat naturally.

-Have they got a favourite fruit? What have we got?

-A bit of orange,

banana and apple.

Guess which one you think is best and they like the most.

-Considering lemurs are monkey-ish, definitely the bananas.

-Yeah.

They love the banana. That's what I expect they'll go for first.

-Do you want me to give you a hand?

-Grab a bit of apple or banana

-and thread it...

-Right, OK.

-..onto one of these. It's a bit tricky.

-I just pop it through there. How am I doing?

-Not too bad at all.

OK, brilliant. I've always wanted to say this.

Here's one Matt made earlier.

When they get hold of these kebabs, will they try to snatch it all

or pick individual pieces of fruit?

Well, we'll be hanging these up from some branches,

so hopefully they can't run off with them. They try to get the fruit

and shovel it in to chew it in one. They'll just rip it apart, really,

-to get the food.

-How do you think we're doing? All set?

-That's good.

I can't wait to see if we can string the lemurs along

and they go crazy for our kebabs. Join us later to see what happens.

Now we're off to the Gabon again for more Back To The Wild.

This week we're following the amazing story of three baby gorillas

who were born at the parks in the UK, but now live in West Africa.

Donna Honey hand-raised them and she's travelled around the world

to see how they're coping out here without the comfort they once knew.

They're part of a pioneering project,

a gorilla nursery set up by the parks 10 years ago.

It employs and trains local people to look after little gorillas

until they're old and skilled enough to live with their kind in the wild.

It's not just for captive gorillas.

They also rescue African orphan gorillas.

Likoko is one of them and she had a very sad start in life.

Charlie used to be a gorilla keeper at the parks. Now he lives here

training local carers to look after the babies.

Likoko is a wild-caught individual.

Her mother and other members of the group were killed for bush meat.

And she was confiscated from the people who had her,

whether they were the actual poachers

or she'd been passed around as a toy, as happens.

Bush meat means gorillas killed by people for food.

It's illegal, but it still happens.

Two-year-old Likoko was the only survivor of her gorilla group

and was taken into the project's care. She was in a very sorry state.

She had several medical problems that took a long time to work out,

but with the other gorillas she's really blossomed.

She's really happy to be with them. She still loves us, too,

but to see her with the other gorillas is fantastic.

It's not just Likoko who has joined the group.

There's another poor orphan gorilla, Bumbe, who's just seven months old.

Bumbe, who we just got recently, last couple of months,

same kind of story. Her mother and father were killed for bush meat.

She, too, had been in a village before being given to the project.

She's just been introduced to the other gorillas a month or so ago.

She's the newest addition to the group and, indeed, the youngest.

And she's doing really well as well.

Whilst these gorillas have been through a very tough time,

the project's come to their rescue.

Not only have they nursed them back to health,

but putting them all together as a family has changed their lives.

Likoko is very sweet-natured.

Since Bumbe's been up there with them, she's brilliant with her.

She's got quite a strong maternal instinct for one that young.

She's been excellent with Bumbe. Those two are together a lot.

As Bumbe doesn't have a mother to carry her, she tries with Likoko

and the other youngsters.

She does it sometimes to Cookie, Likoko does. Cookie's OK for a bit,

then she's like, "I'm a kid. I don't want this responsibility."

Likoko's much better and she tolerates her quite a lot.

They get on really well, those two.

The youngsters may think Bumbe is a bit of a nuisance,

but for Donna this baby is the cutest creature around.

At the moment, I can hear Bumbe playing.

She's adorable. She's really pretty, really sweet.

Having once been part of a wild gorilla group for a short time,

Likoko and Bumbe are a bit more streetwise about the forest

than the three Donna brought over last year.

I've seen them playing and interacting, which is great.

I've known they'd been together, but I haven't seen it firsthand.

So it's absolutely great.

Because gorillas in the wild live in groups, it's very encouraging

that these youngsters are coming together into a kind of family.

They all see to get on really well.

It's like a lovely little group.

So it's just fantastic to come and see that

and to come and see how good a job everyone is doing out here.

With support from their carers,

these gorillas have every chance of forming a troop that can survive.

How exactly do you teach a gorilla

the life skills they will need when they grow up?

'We have a particularly talented group with us today.'

# Go, David! Go, David! Go, David! Go, David! #

'They're not just good at dancing. They do a mean interrogation, too.

'The man who is in for a grilling today is Head Keeper Jim Vassie.

'Jim is a big fan of Pallas cats,

'a very ancient breed found on the steppes of Central Asia,

'from Iran right across to Western China.

'It isn't easy to breed them in captivity,

'but Jim has raised several successfully, so he knows a lot.

'How much does he know, though? We're about to find out.'

How many kittens do you think a female cat can have altogether?

Well, the average litter is seven.

-Oh.

-Which is a lot. In a lifetime, she could have as many as...

50, 55, 60, but they don't all survive.

-When the female cat gives birth, does the male cat help?

-Good question.

The simple answer is no. She doesn't want him around.

Obviously, you know, he might well kill them.

The female has to be aggressive to protect her kittens.

So males have no influence at all.

The female does it by herself

and will look after the kittens for up to two years by herself.

-What do they eat apart from rats and mice?

-We feed a variety of foods.

We feed rats and mice, but also rabbit, chicken, pigeon.

But the favourite is rats.

-No vegetables?

-Unless the animal they eat has had vegetables, no.

-Do they eat animals alive?

-That's a good question. They do,

but we don't feed them live animals. They catch them themselves.

If a bird goes in there, or even squirrels, they will eat them.

So they don't lose the ability to hunt, even in a wildlife park.

Jim's doing really well. Catch him out.

How long are their tails?

Good question. I've never measured their tail.

They've got very short tails and the reason for that is

it's less to get cold.

The shorter the tail, the less heat they'll lose from the tail.

It's half the body length of the cat, but shorter than most cats

because of the cold. The shorter it is, the less heat they lose.

-Jim, you've impressed me so far. Is everyone impressed?

-ALL: Yes!

I think it would only be fair of us to try to test you

and push you to your limit. We'll call for the killer question.

Can you just wait there? Guys, come with me.

Jim needs to be tested and pushed. Come on, out of here.

They're pretty tough. Good questions, but this is the worry.

They've caught me out a couple of times. Hopefully not this time.

Shall we ask him? All right, come on, Vassie!

We've got a question for you. You seem to know everything

about the Pallas cats, but do you know...

where the lovely, cute Pallas cats got their name from?

Yes! Yes.

-I know this one!

-You don't! Go on.

A German naturalist Peter Pallas.

Yes? I believe it was...1776 when he found them.

-Or came across them.

-Well, Jim, you were SO close.

It's only because you think you know everything I'll say you're wrong.

It was actually 1778!

In your face, Jim Vassie!

You were very close. Just a bit out on the date. Sorry about that.

It doesn't matter. I think you did all right. What do you think, guys?

-Thumbs up or thumbs down?

-Thumb up!

Yeah, I'm liking that one! "I don't really know."

I'm forced to do this. There you go.

-Well done, Jim.

-Well done. Some very good questions.

What did the python say when the adder asked him the time?

"Don't asssssk me!"

BUZZING

What do cats read in the morning?

-I don't know.

-Miaowspapers.

Ooh!

What do you get if you cross a football and a chicken?

David Peckham.

Boo! Boo!

Earlier on, myself and keeper Matt Ford made these funky fruit kebabs

for the lemurs and now it's time to deliver their goods.

I was going to ask what they would make of these, but...

-I don't think I need to ask!

-They're keen.

-What do you want to do?

-We'll try to hang them up.

-OK. Before they mug us!

Right, so we'll put it up here. Would you...? Thank you.

I don't think he'll give me a chance! Are they dextrous enough

-to get the fruit off?

-Definitely. They should grip it quite easily.

-This one's having a little wee!

-That's excitement.

-Is it?

-OK, that's one.

-Do you want to try to carry on?

-Is there a hierarchy?

Will one particular lemur come up first? Oh, look at this.

Usually there is a hierarchy. It's the females that are dominant.

The male has just moved away for the female to paw at the food

and try to get at what she wants.

-If a male tries to get there first she'll tell it off?

-Yeah.

She'll do what's called cuffing. It's like boxing.

-Just to move them away.

-And I bet they can punch like humans!

-They use their hands just like us.

-Definitely.

-Straight for the banana!

-Like we said.

-Bananas are the favourite.

-Always the first thing.

I'll try to put another one up.

Do they have different techniques or is it always hands first?

-Will any go with their mouths first?

-It's usually the hands.

As that one's doing there.

Very clever. He got two pieces of fruit in one!

-Are their feet very similar to their hands?

-Yeah, pretty much identical.

They can grip really well with their back feet.

-Is this a female or male?

-That's a female.

Look at that - very clever. Pulling it up like a rope.

That's easier than them hanging from under the branch.

They've worked it out quite well.

They've got really long tails as well. Is that for grip as well?

That's purely for balance. They can't use their tail for grip at all.

Moving around the trees, they move it to stop them falling.

-Right, another kebab. I think we're running out of them!

-We are, yeah.

-It's gone down a treat.

-It has. Shall we make some more?

-I think so.

-Good idea.

-I love the lemurs. Look.

Now we're off to Africa again for more Back To The Wild.

The three young gorillas which Donna hand-raised in the UK

are now living in a gorilla nursery deep in the forests of the Gabon.

They've been joined by two African orphan gorillas

and are now a very happy group of five, but they're only one year old

and gorilla toddlers are like human ones.

They need milk, protection and they need to be cared for.

But as they don't have any gorilla parents to learn from,

they have the next best thing - a team of human carers.

They sit with the gorillas every day come rain or shine

and are essential to the lives of these kids.

The local carers only speak French,

which is the national language of the Gabon.

Two who have joined the project in the last few years

are Jamal and Lauren.

TRANSLATED: We are effectively their parents.

They are still infants and they need their mum and dad to help them

with knowing what food and trees to eat.

As well as teaching them the ways of the forest

a most important job is to be like a family to the youngsters.

Jamal says that means acting a little like gorillas.

TRANSLATED: We must try to walk like them,

act like them, not make sudden movements. And be just like them

so we don't make them nervous.

Every 15 minutes, the carers make a note of what the gorillas did

and what they've been eating. Or at least they try to!

There may be a bit of paperwork to do, but being with young gorillas

means that work is never boring.

If I said he suddenly starts to clap his hands

and whistle, you wouldn't believe me, but he does it.

You see him doing it.

And Cookie can spend an entire morning walking upright,

like a human, on her back legs.

The carers have to live far away from their friends and family

to be with the gorillas, but there are lots of good things about it.

TRANSLATED: Sometimes you are not in a good mood.

You wake up on the wrong side of the bed.

But as soon as you get to the forest, you are immediately smiling

because there is a gorilla making funny faces.

It makes you happy and you forget everything on your mind.

As they spend so much time with the little gorillas,

the carers form exceptionally strong bonds with them,

but eventually, when they are old enough to fend for themselves,

they will be released into the wild.

It's the future everyone is working towards, but knowing they will leave

is still hard for the carers.

On one hand, we'll be sad, but on the other, we'll be happy

because they'll be capable of making their own way in life.

We spent a lot of time together and once they're gone, we'll miss them.

We really have to try to forget that they won't be with us one day.

They will be hard to meet. Perhaps we'll see them in the distance.

It is sad.

But saying goodbye to the gorillas is still several years away.

For now, Jamal, Lauren and the team are enjoying looking after them,

making sure this wonderful gorilla family stays happy and healthy

so that one day they can live their lives free in the forest.

OK, you need to concentrate now.

It's time for today's cheat code.

All your animals are waiting for their food and treats.

So type in:

-Choose carefully to make them happy.

-That's how you get babies

and loads of visitors.

Now we all love a banana butty,

but this one will leave a bad taste. It's not going to be in my mouth.

-Is it yours, Chris?

-Afraid not.

-Who's this one for?

-For Kinga, the Malayan tapir.

-He seems to have a great snack.

-Why am I making extra banana butties?

-He's got a bad back.

-Right.

-We give him painkiller every day.

-Hiding it...

-In a banana sandwich.

-All right, then. Just a little bit?

-Only half, twice a day.

Once in the evening and once in the morning.

-Time for his evening dose.

-OK. Do I need to cut off the crusts?

No, he'll eat them. He's not fussy.

How will we give this to him?

You're going to walk in and feed it to him, if you want.

Normally we do come in with the tapirs, but today we're outside.

-Is there a reason for that?

-Sometimes he's a bit temperamental.

-He's a boy, you're in his paddock. But he's all good today.

-Right.

-I'll let you know if you need to run!

-OK. Well, you can lead me over!

-I feel a little bit nervous.

-No worries.

-Who's this?

-Malaca.

-Hi, Malaca. Hi, beautiful. She's a big lady!

-She's massive.

-Am I going to hand this banana butty all in one go?

-Yeah, all in one go.

He should eat it once he's got his mind off the carrots.

Are carrots his favourite? Oh! He took that straight away!

-Fast, eh, buddy?

-Oh, well done, you. Shall we move away from him now

-or is he all right?

-He's OK.

-Don't show us your teeth, gorgeous.

-He likes a good scratch.

-Oh, bless. So loveable. They love tickles.

We're giving him painkillers. Now my auntie got a bad back.

She was always going for a massage. Can we not give a tapir a massage?

We have been giving him, before the drugs, a witch-hazel and arnica rub.

-Right.

-It went on his back. We did that for a while.

It hasn't had much effect, so now it's drugs. He gets regular massages,

-we pat him down.

-He is really firm. You can't quite get in there.

-They're solid!

-We're talking about his pain. Can you tell he's in pain?

He seems really happy to me.

He's happy in himself, but it's when he's moving.

Malaca was the first tapir up, because he's so lazy and stiff.

He doesn't want to get up until pushed and I rattle bucket.

Then he'll waddle on, but he's quite stiff with his back legs.

-So it's his back legs that are sore?

-Yeah.

He seems to be doing really well and happy.

-How long will you keep giving him this?

-Nobody knows, really.

We'll keep giving it until he seems better, then see how he gets on.

If he gets worse, we'll keep giving him this.

Chris, thank you so much. Oi, you! Look after yourself.

If you ever need a massage, I've got great hands. I think that was a yes.

It's nearly the end of the show,

but we've popped down to the elephant paddocks to see the baby.

-We're with the Head of Section, Dave.

-Hi, Rani.

-How is Itana coming along? So cute! How old is she now?

-Eight months.

-She's doing really well.

-She's following Mum there.

-She keeps close to her.

-How does she get on with the herd?

-Fantastic.

Everybody's accepted her.

Especially the youngsters. They all go off to play.

Do they?! What games do they play?

-Oh! Hello, you!

-Who's that?

-Has he got a leak?

What's going on?

He's in musk at the moment, so he don't control himself well.

That is the biggest pee I've seen! It's like a swimming pool!

Lucky Itana isn't under there!

When you said he's going through musk, what does that mean?

His whole temperament changes. He becomes totally different.

-He's very dangerous.

-You say dangerous, but the others are here.

-Are they safe in here with him?

-Yeah, they know what's happening.

They'll keep their distance.

He clearly knows what he's doing and tried to ward us off.

-Will Itana watch and learn from him?

-She will probably watch him,

-but she also watches her mother.

-Ellies are quite clever.

Will she... I hope that's not pee!

-We'll forgive you.

-He's reaching out there.

Is he saying, "Hey, shake my hand, I'm cool"? Or get out of here?

-He's telling us to go away.

-Johny, what do you think we should do?

I think we should get away. Why don't you stick around?

-Check out the next episode.

-Oh, my goodness!

We come back to the jungle to see the fantastic achievements

as Donna tracks down a group of gorillas who once lived in England,

but are now truly wild.

One keeper loves his langurs so much,

he's tried tasting their favourite food.

-I thought I'd give it a go.

-Eugh!

And how would you like mud poured all over your breakfast?

-We'll find out what the timberwolves make of it.

-Make sure you watch!

Subtitles by Subtext for Red Bee Media Ltd - 2010

Email [email protected]