0:00:02 > 0:00:03LION ROARS
0:00:31 > 0:00:34Hello and welcome to Animal Park. I'm Ben Fogle.
0:00:34 > 0:00:38And I'm Kate Humble. We're at the East Africa Reserve with the pygmy goats.
0:00:38 > 0:00:42Earlier this year some of the females had a liaison with a rather frisky billy goat.
0:00:42 > 0:00:44This is just one of the results.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47There were three kids born this year.
0:00:47 > 0:00:52The first time there's been any babies here at Longleat for seven years. It's a great success story.
0:00:52 > 0:00:57And we've got lots of other stories for you coming from the safari park and the estate including...
0:00:57 > 0:01:01There hasn't been a baby eland in the park for eight years,
0:01:01 > 0:01:04but could that be about to change?
0:01:05 > 0:01:07Oh, my word! Goodness me!
0:01:07 > 0:01:10'I'll be meeting the world's largest rat,
0:01:10 > 0:01:14'who can grow up to a whopping 2.5 ft long.'
0:01:14 > 0:01:17- That's about the size of a cat. - Yeah, big tom cat!
0:01:18 > 0:01:23And visiting Kenyan ranger Patrick gets up close and personal with the parks' big cats.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29Feeding a tiger, hand feeding.
0:01:29 > 0:01:30That's unusual.
0:01:38 > 0:01:39But first...
0:01:39 > 0:01:44In the same section as the Ankole cattle and Bactrian camels,
0:01:44 > 0:01:48live Longleat's seven female eland.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54Eland are the largest and most aggressive antelopes in the world.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57Standing almost two metres high at the shoulder,
0:01:57 > 0:01:59they can weigh up to a ton,
0:01:59 > 0:02:05and are armed with fearsomely sharp horns to protect themselves from predators.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08There hadn't been a male eland in the park for eight years.
0:02:08 > 0:02:13So, nine months ago, head of section Tim Yeo
0:02:13 > 0:02:15decided it was time to bring in a new bull.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20He's only a young fellow at the moment.
0:02:20 > 0:02:26But...it's yet to be seen
0:02:26 > 0:02:31how quickly he will start to breed with the cows.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34Certainly, this is going to be very interesting,
0:02:34 > 0:02:35letting them out together.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39TIM WHISTLES Come on, good lad. Come on.
0:02:39 > 0:02:43The bull, named Zambezi, is just coming out of adolescence.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46With seven older and more experienced females around him,
0:02:46 > 0:02:51Tim could only hope that he wouldn't be overwhelmed and that love would blossom.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56# The moon above is shining bright
0:02:56 > 0:02:59# Come on boy the time is right
0:02:59 > 0:03:00# Here I am
0:03:00 > 0:03:04# Take me in your arms and love me... #
0:03:04 > 0:03:08It's lovely to see him out. I think he is very happy to be out.
0:03:08 > 0:03:12I think we can just start to see that now.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14He's running along with them,
0:03:14 > 0:03:17eager to join in with them.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20From a human point of view, you feel he's enjoying himself.
0:03:22 > 0:03:24Zambezi seemed to be getting on well.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27But the eland's gestation period is a long one,
0:03:27 > 0:03:31so Tim had to wait patiently to find out
0:03:31 > 0:03:33if his labours would bear fruit.
0:03:41 > 0:03:47Today, nine months on, Tim's spotted something remarkable.
0:03:47 > 0:03:51One of the elands seems to be ready to calve.
0:03:52 > 0:03:56Most animals do their best to conceal themselves when giving birth,
0:03:56 > 0:04:00so it's very rare for keepers to see the actual delivery.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03But today we're incredibly fortunate.
0:04:03 > 0:04:07The eland goes into labour in sight of our cameras.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11Enclosed in its amniotic sac, the calf,
0:04:11 > 0:04:16which can weigh up to 25 kilograms, emerges head first into the world.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22After cleaning the calf, the mother eland and her baby lie low,
0:04:22 > 0:04:26just as they would in the wild to avoid predators.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29We've actually not had any births
0:04:29 > 0:04:32for about eight years now.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35It's wonderful to see them.
0:04:36 > 0:04:38It looks a really healthy calf.
0:04:40 > 0:04:44It's a bit wobbly on its pegs
0:04:44 > 0:04:48but it's trying to find Mum's teat to feed.
0:04:48 > 0:04:52She's very attentive
0:04:52 > 0:04:54and licking a lot.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57That's wonderful.
0:04:57 > 0:04:58So far, so good.
0:04:58 > 0:05:02But Tim must keep a watchful eye on the calf,
0:05:02 > 0:05:05as the first days of life are always tricky for young animals.
0:05:05 > 0:05:09This baby's next big hurdle is to be accepted by the rest of the herd.
0:05:16 > 0:05:22Earlier this year, deputy head warden Ian Turner took a group of staff to Kenya,
0:05:22 > 0:05:26a wildlife hotspot, where many of the species kept at Longleat
0:05:26 > 0:05:29roam free in their natural habitat.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35The keepers visited the Kigio Conservancy,
0:05:35 > 0:05:39a wildlife reserve covering 3,500 acres.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42One of their hosts was Patrick Lengilili,
0:05:42 > 0:05:45a park ranger and tracker from the local Samburu tribe.
0:05:48 > 0:05:52- Here we go.- Ah! - We've got some tracks here.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55Patrick's worked at Kigio for eight years.
0:05:55 > 0:05:59There's not a lot he doesn't know about African wildlife.
0:05:59 > 0:06:01- Is that him?- That's him there.
0:06:01 > 0:06:06To strengthen the links between Longleat and Kigio,
0:06:06 > 0:06:09the park has invited Patrick to pay them a return visit.
0:06:09 > 0:06:14- Nice view of the whole area. - Nice view, yeah.
0:06:14 > 0:06:18Now Patrick has come to Wiltshire, on his first ever trip abroad.
0:06:22 > 0:06:26The park's most famous animals are the lions.
0:06:26 > 0:06:31Although there are plenty of lions in Kenya, there are none on the Kigio reserve.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34So today, Bob Trollope is taking Patrick on his feeding round
0:06:34 > 0:06:38to give him a privileged view of Africa's greatest predator.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41The lions should be waiting.
0:06:41 > 0:06:47- What we do is simulate a hunt.- Yeah.
0:06:47 > 0:06:52So the lions have to work for their food, as they would in the wild.
0:06:52 > 0:06:57They've got to chase the feed wagon a good distance
0:06:57 > 0:07:00- before they get their reward, which is this...- I see.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03It's to try and mimic as much as we can the wild.
0:07:03 > 0:07:08Because we're not allowed to put live prey in here for them, this is the nearest we can get to it.
0:07:08 > 0:07:13- So, Patrick...- Yeah.- If you want to start picking this meat up...- Yeah.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17..and chuck it out through there, then they will grab it.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20- And that's it. Up through there. - Shall I now?
0:07:20 > 0:07:22Yes, please, yeah.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29How much do you normally feed these guys?
0:07:29 > 0:07:34We work it out to be about 60lbs in weight per lion.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36- So it's not every day. - Not every day, no.
0:07:36 > 0:07:41- It's so they don't get used to it and wait for it.- Yeah.- We can surprise them when we feed.
0:07:41 > 0:07:46The feeding truck also allows the keepers to get a close look at the lions' condition.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48- Good boy.- Happy.
0:07:48 > 0:07:53Now we can check him quite closely, all his claws, his mouth.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56And he has a good look.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02- He's very greedy, he tries to get more than one.- Wow!
0:08:02 > 0:08:03THEY LAUGH
0:08:06 > 0:08:08WOLVES HOWL AND BARK
0:08:08 > 0:08:12Next stop on Patrick's tour takes him up to Wolf Wood
0:08:12 > 0:08:17to feed the park's pack of Canadian timber wolves.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20Though they're less dangerous than the lions,
0:08:20 > 0:08:25Bob's keen not to get between the pack and its dinner.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28- If we get back in here, Patrick, then we'll just move away.- Yeah.
0:08:28 > 0:08:32They will come in and feed.
0:08:32 > 0:08:37Bob is an expert in the complicated social dynamics of the wolf pack.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40You can see there's a bit of a frenzy at the moment.
0:08:40 > 0:08:42They're all eating together.
0:08:42 > 0:08:46- But it's a very complex pecking order.- Yeah.
0:08:46 > 0:08:50You normally find that the alpha male, which is the top dog,
0:08:50 > 0:08:53- is the one who will get the best place on the food.- Yeah.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56You normally find that some of the younger ones
0:08:56 > 0:08:58will stay on the outskirts,
0:08:58 > 0:09:03cos they're not high enough up the order to be able to get in there and feed straight away.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06Earlier this year, alpha female Frieda
0:09:06 > 0:09:09gave birth to a new litter of cubs.
0:09:09 > 0:09:14Luckily for Patrick, they have recently emerged from their den into the open,
0:09:14 > 0:09:18as they are gradually weaned from their mothers' milk onto meat.
0:09:18 > 0:09:22The whole pack will eat as much as they can.
0:09:22 > 0:09:23They'll go back to the den.
0:09:23 > 0:09:27As they approach the den site, the pups will run out to meet them.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30- They will sort of beg for food. - Yeah.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33Every one of them will regurgitate a little bit of food for them,
0:09:33 > 0:09:36- so that they can feed on that.- Wow.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38Then when they're a little bit older
0:09:38 > 0:09:42they will come closer to the meat and be eating the meat themselves.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45There's one coming over now.
0:09:45 > 0:09:49It's been a fascinating experience for Patrick,
0:09:49 > 0:09:51to see how Bob's careful feeding regime
0:09:51 > 0:09:55encourages the animals to display their natural behaviour.
0:10:03 > 0:10:08All over the park, keepers strive to make meal times as natural as possible for each species.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13For the giraffes, that means replicating the thorny acacia trees
0:10:13 > 0:10:19they browse on in Africa, by hanging bundles of tasty leaves high off the ground.
0:10:21 > 0:10:26I'm out in the East Africa Reserve with head of section Andy Hayton and warden Ryan Hockley.
0:10:26 > 0:10:31Earlier on we put out some browse. Who do we have eating now?
0:10:31 > 0:10:33We've got Teresa, Imogen and Chikoola,
0:10:33 > 0:10:36and Caroline the camel waiting for anything to drop.
0:10:36 > 0:10:40It's a perfect opportunity to see just how a giraffe eats.
0:10:40 > 0:10:44What's the process that they go through?
0:10:44 > 0:10:48This is quite a thorny bundle of browse up here.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51What they're doing, you can see the ends of their tongue coming out
0:10:51 > 0:10:56and gently wrapping around the few leaves they are taking each time.
0:10:56 > 0:10:58That's presumably why they're so very long,
0:10:58 > 0:11:01so that they can strip as many leaves as possible.
0:11:01 > 0:11:05They need to be able to wrap round a whole branch sometimes if necessary.
0:11:05 > 0:11:10Bearing in mind the size of a giraffe, how much does one have to eat per day?
0:11:10 > 0:11:14I think they need to eat about 35 kilograms of food a day.
0:11:14 > 0:11:19- Which must be a huge number of leaves, seeing how slowly the process takes.- That's what they do.
0:11:19 > 0:11:23They spend the majority of their day eating because it takes so long
0:11:23 > 0:11:27to work through the acacia, because it's monstrous thorns on there.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30They have to constantly eat and eat.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33I think females feed for about nine hours a day
0:11:33 > 0:11:35and bulls for about 12 hours.
0:11:35 > 0:11:37Acacia has a lot of water in it as well,
0:11:37 > 0:11:39so they don't have to drink that often.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42Presumably, it's the same with their neck - they have such long necks,
0:11:42 > 0:11:45so they can reach the places other animals can't.
0:11:45 > 0:11:50Yeah, originally everyone used to think that was the reason for developing such a long neck.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53Nowadays, the line of thinking is it all stems from the males.
0:11:53 > 0:11:57The males use their head and neck to spar,
0:11:57 > 0:12:01to find out some sort of hierarchy as to who's going to mate with who.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04Hundreds of thousands of years ago the males were the bigger neck,
0:12:04 > 0:12:07and therefore being able to swing harder, were winning fights,
0:12:07 > 0:12:09mating and passing their genes on.
0:12:09 > 0:12:14So over thousands of years, these longer necks were developing,
0:12:14 > 0:12:19not necessarily for browsing, there's plenty of browsers in Africa without necks like that,
0:12:19 > 0:12:22but more to do with the genetics of bigger,
0:12:22 > 0:12:25longer-necked bulls winning fights and passing their genes on.
0:12:25 > 0:12:30Ryan, what about the youngsters? There's a little one behind you.
0:12:30 > 0:12:34Obviously far too small to reach that sort of browse now.
0:12:34 > 0:12:39Do the parents ever help, do they rip bits off and drop them down?
0:12:39 > 0:12:41Not that I've seen, Ben.
0:12:41 > 0:12:46What will happen is the younger ones will act almost like the camels in a similar way.
0:12:46 > 0:12:50They'll stand there. Anything that falls, they'll bend down and pick it up.
0:12:50 > 0:12:54When we first hang it, obviously, it's fairly low to start with.
0:12:54 > 0:12:58They might come in and take the first few low hanging bits.
0:12:58 > 0:13:03The adults work so fast on it, that within minutes, you're way up on the browse line
0:13:03 > 0:13:05and the youngsters can't reach it.
0:13:05 > 0:13:07Andy, they really do seem to love this browse.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09How often do you bring some of these out?
0:13:09 > 0:13:12We do this daily in the summer.
0:13:12 > 0:13:16It's a lot of hard work going out collecting it and getting it but...
0:13:16 > 0:13:20- Satisfying to see. - Yeah, you see the animals out here doing what they should do.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23It's what it's all about. It's nice to see.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26Andy, Ryan, thank you very much.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29We'll leave the giraffes to enjoy their browse.
0:13:34 > 0:13:36Back in Big Cat Country,
0:13:36 > 0:13:40Bob Trollope is taking visiting Kenyan ranger, Patrick Lengilili,
0:13:40 > 0:13:43to fulfil one of his lifelong ambitions.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47They're going in to meet the tigers.
0:13:47 > 0:13:51- Here we are. Do you want to come along here?- Safe to get inside? - Yeah, fine.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53- This is a male tiger.- Yeah.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56- He's slightly bigger than the female.- Wow!
0:13:56 > 0:13:59This is how tigers are expected to look.
0:13:59 > 0:14:03- They're big, man! They're big. - Oh, yeah, much bigger.
0:14:03 > 0:14:07- A full grown male is much bigger than a male lion.- Yeah.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10Sona has an albino mutation.
0:14:10 > 0:14:17Both he and Kadu are Bengal-Siberian cross-breeds, and over 20 years old.
0:14:18 > 0:14:20You see how soft she is.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23- Do you want to touch her? - Yeah, she's coming to meet you.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26- Yeah, she comes to me. She was hand reared.- Yeah.
0:14:26 > 0:14:28She loves having a fuss. A bit of a tickle.
0:14:28 > 0:14:31- Very soft.- Very soft.
0:14:31 > 0:14:33I've never these animals before.
0:14:33 > 0:14:37- She wants to sit down. She likes you, Patrick. She likes you. - Look at the legs!
0:14:37 > 0:14:40Massive paws, very big paws.
0:14:40 > 0:14:44She's very friendly inside the cage but if she was outside,
0:14:44 > 0:14:47- she'd kill you.- Right.
0:14:47 > 0:14:52I'm surprised how he walks around and then just comes around to Bob
0:14:52 > 0:14:55and "Urrgh, urrgh, urrgh." HE LAUGHS
0:14:55 > 0:14:57Yeah, really surprised how tame they are.
0:14:57 > 0:15:01Bob has worked with big cats for 25 years.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04He's just the man to teach Patrick about their habits.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07She makes this noise called a chuffle,
0:15:07 > 0:15:10which is like a "fff-fff-fff-fff".
0:15:10 > 0:15:12Fff-fff-fff.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15Yeah, very similar to "fff-fff-fff".
0:15:15 > 0:15:19- That's to gauge what mood they're in.- Yeah.
0:15:19 > 0:15:21- To avoid conflict... - TIGER BANGS OFF THE CAGE
0:15:21 > 0:15:26- Oh, dear! ..to avoid conflict they will chuffle to each other. - Chuffle to each other.
0:15:26 > 0:15:28If Sona didn't chuffle back to Kadu,
0:15:28 > 0:15:33- she knows he's in a bad mood. - OK. Wow!
0:15:33 > 0:15:35Hello, darling. Fff-fff-fff.
0:15:35 > 0:15:37PATRICK GROWLS
0:15:39 > 0:15:41BOB LAUGHS
0:15:42 > 0:15:44She looks happy.
0:15:44 > 0:15:48She's very - you know, she's very mischievous, very mischievous.
0:15:50 > 0:15:52You have to be careful because she does pee on...
0:15:52 > 0:15:57She scents against the cage. There's nothing to stop the scent coming...
0:15:57 > 0:16:00- Whoa, out of the way, Patrick! - THEY LAUGH
0:16:00 > 0:16:02- You've got to be quick. - HE LAUGHS
0:16:05 > 0:16:08I like her, I wish I could take her back to Kenya.
0:16:09 > 0:16:11To Kigio!
0:16:11 > 0:16:17He can't take them home, but Patrick does get a chance to give the tigers a little treat.
0:16:17 > 0:16:21- Do you want to feed him, Patrick? - Yes.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24Just put it through there and he will take it off the stick.
0:16:24 > 0:16:26There you go. Just there.
0:16:27 > 0:16:28TIGER GROWLS
0:16:28 > 0:16:32Good boy! Bit dribbly.
0:16:35 > 0:16:39Feeding a tiger, hand-feeding, that's unusual.
0:16:39 > 0:16:45The visit isn't over yet, and Bob has saved the best till last.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54Back over in Tim Yeo's section,
0:16:54 > 0:16:57the only eland calf born here in eight years
0:16:57 > 0:17:00has survived its critical first 24 hours.
0:17:02 > 0:17:06Now the mother has brought the baby out into the open
0:17:06 > 0:17:08to meet the rest of the herd.
0:17:09 > 0:17:15Proud father, Zambezi, is first to greet them.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18They've obviously moved from the birthing area there.
0:17:18 > 0:17:22They've moved much closer to the other eland.
0:17:22 > 0:17:26Also, Zambezi, the father, has been showing
0:17:26 > 0:17:29a bit of interest in the calf.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32He's staying very close by.
0:17:32 > 0:17:36It's interesting to see that.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38For him, he's never seen anything like that before
0:17:38 > 0:17:41so it's a first for him.
0:17:43 > 0:17:45For the first few days of life,
0:17:45 > 0:17:48eland calves are not afraid of humans.
0:17:48 > 0:17:52This gives Tim a window of opportunity to get close enough
0:17:52 > 0:17:54to find out what sex the baby is
0:17:54 > 0:17:57and to mark it with an identity tag.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00But while the mother's close by,
0:18:00 > 0:18:03it's too dangerous to approach.
0:18:05 > 0:18:10Like any mother, protection of the young one is what they do.
0:18:10 > 0:18:15They'll put their own life in danger to protect the calf,
0:18:15 > 0:18:19so you can't go anywhere near the calf without...
0:18:19 > 0:18:23You're going to get some aggression on the part of the mother.
0:18:25 > 0:18:29In the wild, eland calves are vulnerable to predators,
0:18:29 > 0:18:31so when the mother does leave her baby
0:18:31 > 0:18:33she makes sure it's well hidden.
0:18:33 > 0:18:37But Tim has been watching carefully, waiting for his chance.
0:18:40 > 0:18:42Yeah. That's OK.
0:18:42 > 0:18:46She's actually down in the bottom of the valley there.
0:18:47 > 0:18:52Eland are capable of killing a man with their long spiky horns,
0:18:52 > 0:18:55so Tim has to work fast.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03The tagging stings a bit, but it's all over in seconds.
0:19:03 > 0:19:07It's necessary to identify the year of birth and sex,
0:19:07 > 0:19:10so that keepers can tell who's who from a distance.
0:19:10 > 0:19:14This little eland turns out to be a boy, so his tag is green.
0:19:16 > 0:19:20The baby antelope is not alone for long,
0:19:20 > 0:19:25as one week on he's joined by a second eland calf,
0:19:25 > 0:19:27also a boy.
0:19:27 > 0:19:29Tim's delighted with the result.
0:19:29 > 0:19:33We really are fortunate after such a long break.
0:19:33 > 0:19:36We've got two wonderful calves
0:19:36 > 0:19:40that are very happy out here in the park,
0:19:40 > 0:19:45and spend all their time together, so it's wonderful. Absolutely wonderful.
0:19:45 > 0:19:50We'll be keeping track of the little eland calves throughout the series.
0:19:58 > 0:20:03Over at Pets Corner live some of the park's cutest and cuddliest residents.
0:20:05 > 0:20:11It's also home to a host of species who are not so immediately lovable.
0:20:11 > 0:20:15The latest arrivals are from a family of rodents
0:20:15 > 0:20:18with an unfairly bad reputation.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21I'm up at Pets Corner with head of section, Darren Beasley,
0:20:21 > 0:20:23- and the mystery cage! - THEY LAUGH
0:20:23 > 0:20:26- It's exciting, isn't it? - It's like a lucky dip in here.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29I can see movement under the newspaper, but what is it?
0:20:29 > 0:20:32It's my brand new babies, Kate. Shall I move the newspaper?
0:20:32 > 0:20:35- I think so.- You're dying to see. - I am!
0:20:35 > 0:20:37- My God! Goodness me! - THEY LAUGH
0:20:37 > 0:20:41It looks like a cross between a rat and a kangaroo, it's enormous!
0:20:41 > 0:20:44They're Giant African pouch rats,
0:20:44 > 0:20:47or Gambian pouch rats, from Africa obviously.
0:20:47 > 0:20:51- They're just about the biggest rats you'll ever come across.- Wow!
0:20:51 > 0:20:53They're still youngsters.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56- Would you believe they're about 17 weeks old now.- No way!
0:20:56 > 0:21:00- Isn't it just incredible!- How big will they grow when they're adults?
0:21:00 > 0:21:04Easily over 2 ft, 45 centimetres, perhaps a bit more than that.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07- That's about the size of a cat. - Yes, a big tomcat!
0:21:07 > 0:21:12- All feet, ears, teeth... and fantastic animals.- Amazing.
0:21:12 > 0:21:14These two are brand new to us.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16They're still very timid animals,
0:21:16 > 0:21:18they're fairly nocturnal animals as well.
0:21:18 > 0:21:20This one looks a bit sleepy,
0:21:20 > 0:21:23and the other one has got his back resolutely to us.
0:21:23 > 0:21:27I'm putting on my gloves here because I'm going in.
0:21:27 > 0:21:32They still bite and nip at the moment, they're a bit nervous, but shall I get one out?
0:21:32 > 0:21:35Oh yes. I'll pop my gloves on.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37Let's have a little look. Hello, mate.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39Come on, honey.
0:21:39 > 0:21:41I'm just going for your friend here.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44Let's go for the sleepiest one of the two. Look at the size of that!
0:21:44 > 0:21:48Can I ask you to support it by the base of its tail, in case...
0:21:48 > 0:21:51You don't have to squeeze but in case he does run off,
0:21:51 > 0:21:54and put your hand on the other side, and away we go. Look at that.
0:21:54 > 0:21:58- He's so heavy.- Are you all right? - Ooh, yeah!
0:21:58 > 0:22:02I feel bad about holding him on the base of the tail,
0:22:02 > 0:22:06- because with normal rats, you wouldn't.- No, he's a big...
0:22:06 > 0:22:10- I'll hold him now. He's a big powerful animal. - He's incredibly powerful.
0:22:10 > 0:22:15You've got to support him in the best way he feels comfortable, so I've got him there now.
0:22:15 > 0:22:19If you think actually in Africa these guys are eaten.
0:22:19 > 0:22:23I'm afraid to say they can be farmed but there is good news.
0:22:23 > 0:22:29They have found that they can also - because they have a fantastic sense of smell... This is Phil, by the way.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32Phil wants to get back in with his mates.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35Because they have such a fantastic sense of smell,
0:22:35 > 0:22:38they're being trained to find landmines.
0:22:38 > 0:22:40- Absolutely amazing, isn't it? - That's incredible!
0:22:40 > 0:22:45They put haltis on them and they teach them to recognise explosives, and away they go.
0:22:45 > 0:22:49They find these grotty landmines that rotten human beings have left lying around.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52- You said they were called pouch rats.- Yes.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55They haven't got a marsupial-style pouch, have they?
0:22:55 > 0:22:58No, the pouch is under their jaws.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01It's like extended cheek pouches.
0:23:01 > 0:23:05- So it would work like a hamster? - Just like a hamster, and they can put huge amounts of food.
0:23:05 > 0:23:10Shall we put him back in because I know you're a bit new and this is scary,
0:23:10 > 0:23:13but you wait, you'll be a TV star before you know it!
0:23:13 > 0:23:15They will take food,
0:23:15 > 0:23:18lots of different types of cereals and fruit and nuts they find.
0:23:18 > 0:23:20Also a bit of meat product.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24They'll catch and eat bugs and things, and a lot of it is stored in these massive pouches.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27So they'll end up with these great big...
0:23:27 > 0:23:30There you are, he has taken a grape.
0:23:30 > 0:23:34If he doesn't eat it straight away, it will go in his pouch for later on.
0:23:34 > 0:23:38I love it. Just holding it in his...
0:23:38 > 0:23:42That's similar to your normal rats that I'm used to,
0:23:42 > 0:23:45very much the holding with hands.
0:23:45 > 0:23:46They're very dextrous, aren't they?
0:23:46 > 0:23:48They are quite amazing creatures.
0:23:48 > 0:23:53The fact now that animals from Africa are helping putting right the mess
0:23:53 > 0:23:56that humans have done with the landmines, if they can be taught...
0:23:56 > 0:24:00Because all rats are intelligent and these have size on their side too.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03You get them on a halti, that's their next step.
0:24:03 > 0:24:07If we get them friendlier and tamer, which is happening, this is new to them,
0:24:07 > 0:24:10we can get them out and start walking them around on their leads
0:24:10 > 0:24:14and show our visitors what wonderful animals these really are.
0:24:14 > 0:24:16They really are, they're fantastic.
0:24:16 > 0:24:18Thank you very much for introducing us.
0:24:26 > 0:24:31Back up in Big Cat Country, there are also some new arrivals.
0:24:31 > 0:24:37Keeper, Bob Trollope, has brought visiting Kenyan ranger, Patrick Lengilili, to see them.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40- Right, Patrick, shall we go and see the lions?- Yeah, sure.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45Yendi, one of the females in Kabir's pride,
0:24:45 > 0:24:48recently gave birth to a new litter.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51In the wild, cubs would normally stay hidden for weeks,
0:24:51 > 0:24:56so it's amazingly rare to see lions this young.
0:24:56 > 0:25:00- Be very careful because she's very temperamental.- Yeah.
0:25:01 > 0:25:06- There she is. You can see there's one suckling.- Yes.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09You have to be a bit careful because she's very protective,
0:25:09 > 0:25:14so she most probably sort of... If you get too close she will whoa.
0:25:14 > 0:25:18- They are protective when they have babies.- Yeah.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21- These are three weeks old. - Three weeks old.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24They're quite chubby so they're getting plenty of milk.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27That's tiny cute babies.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30- Very cute. Then think that they will grow into this!- Yeah, imagine!
0:25:30 > 0:25:34They grow very quick, very quick.
0:25:34 > 0:25:38They almost double in size every week.
0:25:38 > 0:25:42Sadly, Patrick's visit has come to an end.
0:25:42 > 0:25:46He's strengthened the bonds between Longleat and his own Kigio reserve,
0:25:46 > 0:25:50and has a host of memories to take home with him.
0:25:50 > 0:25:54Now his only regret is that he'll have to leave the lions behind.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57I'm really impressed about Longleat.
0:25:57 > 0:26:03I'm so interested, I wish we could have some of these cats and take them back to Kigio.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20At the end of a hot day, there's no better way to relax,
0:26:20 > 0:26:22than with a nice spoonful of ice-cream,
0:26:22 > 0:26:28in the company of keeper, Rob Savin, and Nelson the Malaccan cockatoo.
0:26:28 > 0:26:30I don't actually like ice-cream,
0:26:30 > 0:26:32but Nelson, who has been snuggling up to me
0:26:32 > 0:26:34in a terribly flirtatious way...
0:26:34 > 0:26:37- She's very soppy.- ..I think she might be after this ice-cream.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40- She would try it. - Is she allowed a bit?
0:26:40 > 0:26:43Normal ice cream wouldn't be good for parrots.
0:26:43 > 0:26:48This has been specially made, hopefully, with a splodge of banana on top, for them to have a little go.
0:26:48 > 0:26:52- She's trying it. It's a bit fruity, this one.- Oh, no!
0:26:52 > 0:26:56- She definitely doesn't like that! She says...- No!- Off the other way!
0:26:56 > 0:26:59- Hello! Where are you going? - Nelson, you're so ungrateful.
0:26:59 > 0:27:01What do you do in hot weather with the birds?
0:27:01 > 0:27:03They're quite used to the hot weather,
0:27:03 > 0:27:06it's part of their normal environment anyway.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09Plenty of fresh water, plenty of drinks available,
0:27:09 > 0:27:13and a good spray sometimes as well. She likes being misted. Do you want a go?
0:27:13 > 0:27:14If I take this ice-cream.
0:27:14 > 0:27:16PARROT SQUAWKS
0:27:16 > 0:27:20- Where shall I spray her? - Just spray over. Hopefully it's on a nice general spray.
0:27:20 > 0:27:22A bit more of a mist.
0:27:22 > 0:27:27We'll go the other way. If you take your arm back a little bit.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30A bit like it's rain, so it's more natural.
0:27:30 > 0:27:31THEY LAUGH
0:27:31 > 0:27:34- That cools her down.- Is that good?!
0:27:34 > 0:27:36It's a success.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39The best part about it, Kate, is that I get two ice-creams.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41PARROT SQUAWKS
0:27:41 > 0:27:44THEY LAUGH
0:27:44 > 0:27:46Nelson, do you want to say goodbye?
0:27:46 > 0:27:48PARROT SQUAWKS
0:27:48 > 0:27:53That's all we have time for on today's Animal Park, but here's what's on the next programme...
0:27:53 > 0:27:55PARROT SQUAWKS LOUDLY
0:27:55 > 0:27:57THEY LAUGH
0:27:57 > 0:28:03Up at Wolf Wood, these fearsome hunters try their paw at a spot of fishing.
0:28:04 > 0:28:09The park has ordered two new safari boats for Half-Mile Lake,
0:28:09 > 0:28:14but unless it rains soon, they'll be left high and dry.
0:28:14 > 0:28:19And at Pets Corner, keeper John Ovens is making his stage debut.
0:28:19 > 0:28:23- Give her a round of applause! - But his co-stars are acting up.
0:28:23 > 0:28:27Get a piece of rubbish for me, Arch. No, don't look at them. Archie!
0:28:27 > 0:28:29Archie! I want a piece of rubbish, please.
0:28:29 > 0:28:31PARROT SQUAWKS
0:28:31 > 0:28:34That's all coming up on the next Animal Park.
0:28:42 > 0:28:44Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd - 2007
0:28:44 > 0:28:47Email subtitling@bbc.co.uk