0:00:29 > 0:00:32Hello and welcome to Animal Park. I'm Ben Fogle.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35And I'm Kate Humble and we're in the Love Maze -
0:00:35 > 0:00:38one of Longleat's four garden mazes.
0:00:38 > 0:00:41All of the roses were planted here because of their names -
0:00:41 > 0:00:44Seduction, First Kiss, Adam and Eve,
0:00:44 > 0:00:47all rather apt names for a garden with love at its heart.
0:00:47 > 0:00:51We bring you stories from the house, the estate and the safari park.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54Here's what's coming up on today's programme.
0:00:54 > 0:00:59I'll be down by the lake to meet the new sea lion pups.
0:00:59 > 0:01:01Lord Bath dishes the dirt
0:01:01 > 0:01:05on his great, great, great, great grandfather.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08And there's good news for an endangered species
0:01:08 > 0:01:12when two bouncing babies go out in the park.
0:01:13 > 0:01:17But first we're going up to Lion Country
0:01:17 > 0:01:21where it's been an eventful year for Kabir's pride.
0:01:21 > 0:01:25Seven months ago Yendi the lioness had a daughter - Malaika,
0:01:25 > 0:01:29and then just a few weeks later her sister Lunar had another -
0:01:29 > 0:01:31little Jasira.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34Since then the family has been doing fine,
0:01:34 > 0:01:37and the cubs are still growing well.
0:01:37 > 0:01:41But now there's been a new development in the lion house,
0:01:41 > 0:01:45and keepers Bob Trollope and Brian Kent have got a surprise for Kate -
0:01:45 > 0:01:48all they've told her is that something's happened to Yendi...
0:01:53 > 0:01:56Hello, girl.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59Actually, we told you a little bit of a lie.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02- Oh, my...- A little fib.
0:02:02 > 0:02:04You horrors!
0:02:04 > 0:02:06We wanted to surprise you, Kate.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09It's completely surprising. That's amazing!
0:02:09 > 0:02:13I can't believe it. Look at them!
0:02:13 > 0:02:15They're really chubby little things.
0:02:15 > 0:02:17Aren't they?
0:02:17 > 0:02:20The strange thing is, as you realise,
0:02:20 > 0:02:23Malaika's not much older than them.
0:02:23 > 0:02:28Well, I was going to say. I thought that nature worked this out
0:02:28 > 0:02:33in quite a clever way that a female lion couldn't come into season
0:02:33 > 0:02:36while she was still suckling a cub.
0:02:36 > 0:02:40It's very true. She does follow in her mum's footsteps.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43Amy, her mum,
0:02:43 > 0:02:45- was very...receptive.- Right.
0:02:45 > 0:02:49And she's followed in the same footsteps. As you can see,
0:02:49 > 0:02:52we've got four additions to the family.
0:02:52 > 0:02:57- That's amazing!- There's seven or eight months age difference.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00I suppose the only worrying thing...
0:03:00 > 0:03:03it is great news, but what about Malaika now?
0:03:03 > 0:03:08I mean, she's still dependent on mum to a certain extent.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11That is a bit worrying cos we don't know what's gonna happen
0:03:11 > 0:03:15when she goes out with her four new ones.
0:03:15 > 0:03:19Will she let Malaika come up to her? Or keep her away from the cubs?
0:03:19 > 0:03:24It's possible. The good thing is they all come in and still can see her.
0:03:24 > 0:03:28- They were right next to each other. - And when the first one was born,
0:03:28 > 0:03:31- the two young ones were in with them. - Right.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34They were sat round this little cub, looking at it, thinking,
0:03:34 > 0:03:36"What's that?"
0:03:36 > 0:03:40It's all good cos that is a learning process for them as well.
0:03:40 > 0:03:42They're watching her being maternal
0:03:42 > 0:03:46and that's what they're gonna eventually hopefully do themselves.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50I don't...I don't think I've ever seen cubs so small here.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54The timing has obviously never been right for me.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57But we do have one extra surprise for you.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59Oh, no Bob, there can't be any more.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03We've got to go in there and catch them and sex them.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06- So we'll have to move Mum. - All right.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09When we move Mum, we obviously want everyone out
0:04:09 > 0:04:12so there's as little fuss
0:04:12 > 0:04:15and as soon as she's separated, we'll come back in...
0:04:15 > 0:04:18- If we grab one each and... - THEY LAUGH
0:04:18 > 0:04:20I can't believe it!
0:04:20 > 0:04:23This is the nicest, nicest, nicest surprise.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28'So now, to help keep Yendi calm while Bob and Brian
0:04:28 > 0:04:32'cordon her into a separate pen, we need to clear out of the lion house.
0:04:32 > 0:04:34'But we'll be back
0:04:34 > 0:04:37'when it's time to give the cubs their first check over.'
0:04:45 > 0:04:48Two months ago, Bhali the Bactrian camel
0:04:48 > 0:04:51gave birth to a baby of great importance.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55In the wild, the Bactrian is critically endangered,
0:04:55 > 0:04:59with less than 1,000 animals left in the deserts of Mongolia and China.
0:04:59 > 0:05:03At Longleat they've had a small herd since the 1970s,
0:05:03 > 0:05:07but in recent years there's been little breeding success.
0:05:07 > 0:05:11So two years ago they brought in a young male called Khan.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15He was not expected to reach sexual maturity for a while yet,
0:05:15 > 0:05:17but he's surprised everyone,
0:05:17 > 0:05:21including Deputy Head Warden Ian Turner.
0:05:21 > 0:05:25The whole idea is when you've got an endangered species is to breed.
0:05:25 > 0:05:29We have bred before but we've had a lot of difficulties before.
0:05:29 > 0:05:33We've had to do a lot of hand-rearing and we've had a lot of leg trouble
0:05:33 > 0:05:36which is why we've got this new bull now
0:05:36 > 0:05:39to see if that was one of the causes. He seems to be a good, strong bull
0:05:39 > 0:05:44but we just didn't think he was quite old enough to do the job.
0:05:44 > 0:05:49But, clearly he was, and when the baby was born they named him Elvis.
0:05:49 > 0:05:54MUSIC: "All Shook Up" by Elvis Presley
0:05:54 > 0:05:57He had a problem with one of his back legs - it was weak,
0:05:57 > 0:06:00so he could hardly stand.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03And that meant Elvis couldn't reach to suckle from his mother.
0:06:03 > 0:06:07The keeper in charge of the camels, Tim Yeo, was very concerned.
0:06:09 > 0:06:14That animal has to drink the vital colostrum, the first milk
0:06:14 > 0:06:17that comes through from the mother.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20And that's probably within the first three hours,
0:06:20 > 0:06:23they need to have that colostrum.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26Elvis did manage to get some milk,
0:06:26 > 0:06:30and over his first few days that leg got stronger.
0:06:30 > 0:06:34After that, he went from strength to strength.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37But there were a couple of hairy moments the first time he went out
0:06:37 > 0:06:39in the Big Game Reserve.
0:06:39 > 0:06:43Elvis got a bit too excited and Tim had to use his vehicle
0:06:43 > 0:06:47to stop the youngster from getting into trouble with the ankole cattle.
0:06:47 > 0:06:51It's a nightmare, cos you don't know where he's gonna go next.
0:06:51 > 0:06:55To manoeuvre a vehicle, you often don't get it right the first time
0:06:55 > 0:06:58and you're praying that nothing happens.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01Just as Elvis was getting used to the great outdoors,
0:07:01 > 0:07:04there was more good news back in the camel house.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07Raisha gave birth to a fine baby girl.
0:07:07 > 0:07:11She's a white Bactrian, which is particularly rare.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14They named her Jasmine, and now that she's four weeks old
0:07:14 > 0:07:18the time has come for her to join Elvis outside with the other camels.
0:07:18 > 0:07:22Elvis started life smaller and weaker than Jasmine,
0:07:22 > 0:07:25but now he's the one who causes the most trouble
0:07:25 > 0:07:27for keeper Kevin Knibbs.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30Elvis has got a very strong character.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33He's into everything he shouldn't be, so he's a proper little camel.
0:07:33 > 0:07:37He'll try and do things that we don't want him to and go after our ankles.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40He's a proper little baby camel.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43He's even started to stand in the road like the other camels
0:07:43 > 0:07:48and stop traffic, so he's a bit of a pain but he's pretty special.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51Elvis has now learnt a healthy respect
0:07:51 > 0:07:56for the other animals that roam free in the Big Game Reserve.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59The danger with letting him out into our section
0:07:59 > 0:08:01is he could meet other animals,
0:08:01 > 0:08:05especially the rhinos which are massively bigger than him
0:08:05 > 0:08:08so we had to know that he'd run back to Mum if anything kicked off
0:08:08 > 0:08:13and luckily, it's all been fairly good. We've not had any incidents.
0:08:13 > 0:08:18It's also fortunate that the two were born so close together.
0:08:18 > 0:08:20He's bonded with her very well.
0:08:20 > 0:08:24They get along very well together. They're a terrible two-some.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27They give their mums no end of trouble.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29They've got very different characters.
0:08:29 > 0:08:34Jasmine is very sort of wary of us, she won't come up as much as Elvis.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37So the future is looking good for the new generation,
0:08:37 > 0:08:42though one day the time will come when Elvis will have to move on.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45Hopefully, Elvis should have a good few years at Longleat.
0:08:45 > 0:08:49He'll grow up to be a good young camel, a nice young bull,
0:08:49 > 0:08:53and in a few years time when Dad gets fed up with him,
0:08:53 > 0:08:55we'll look for a new home for him
0:08:55 > 0:08:59and he can start his own family in another collection.
0:08:59 > 0:09:03The Bactrian camel species, there's only about 1,000 left in the wild
0:09:03 > 0:09:07so these guys here are pretty special.
0:09:08 > 0:09:12After several barren years everyone here is delighted
0:09:12 > 0:09:15that the Bactrian breeding programme is back on track.
0:09:23 > 0:09:25Back up at the lion house,
0:09:25 > 0:09:29Yendi has now been cordoned into a separate pen,
0:09:29 > 0:09:33and we're ready to give her four new cubs their first check over.
0:09:33 > 0:09:37Presumably we need to do this quickly.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39In there, we grab what we can,
0:09:39 > 0:09:42sex them, check them over
0:09:42 > 0:09:45- and put them back down.- OK.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48- Can I open this.- You can be the first one in and grab them!
0:09:48 > 0:09:51It's extraordinary going into a cage full of lions,
0:09:51 > 0:09:54even though they're little ones.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57I am probably the most excited girl in Britain.
0:09:57 > 0:09:59OK, we're not gonna hurt them.
0:09:59 > 0:10:01YENDI GROWLS
0:10:03 > 0:10:07Basically, grab one. Just grab 'em.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10Then we'll have a quick look.
0:10:10 > 0:10:12See this one?
0:10:12 > 0:10:15You can see better than I can.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17Hello!
0:10:17 > 0:10:20- A little boy, is it? - A little boy, I reckon.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23That's a little boy.
0:10:23 > 0:10:24This one?
0:10:24 > 0:10:29Also a little boy by the looks of things.
0:10:29 > 0:10:34So we've got two boys. What else do you need to check at this stage?
0:10:34 > 0:10:36One of them...check their eyes.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39- All right, all right... - Made me jump!
0:10:39 > 0:10:41Just check their eyes.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43They're so soft, aren't they?
0:10:43 > 0:10:47- They're extraordinary.- You can feel how sharp their claws are.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50They are and look at the size of those paws.
0:10:50 > 0:10:54They say with puppies that the paws are an indication of how big...
0:10:54 > 0:10:58Shush! Oh, you're a little fighter.
0:10:58 > 0:11:02It indicates how big they're gonna be, yeah. Look at this little one.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05Shall we pick up the other two?
0:11:05 > 0:11:06Two males.
0:11:06 > 0:11:11There you go. All right, all right. Mummy's there.
0:11:11 > 0:11:15- GROWLING - Shush, shush, shush.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19I know. I've got you, I've got you. Shush, shush, shush.
0:11:19 > 0:11:23Aaw! Look at you.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27Right, I think we might have a girl here.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30- This is a little girl, so two of each.- Two boys, two girls.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33- The perfect family. - Look at their eyes again.
0:11:33 > 0:11:39- This one's got a little mark.- Do you think that's just a scratch?
0:11:39 > 0:11:42- GROWLING - Just behave yourself.
0:11:42 > 0:11:46You're gonna be a fighter, aren't you?
0:11:46 > 0:11:51With their eyes, you can feel how sharp their claws are at this age
0:11:51 > 0:11:55and they're clambering over each other, they've just caught...
0:11:55 > 0:11:58- Mind your face! - She had a swipe at you then.
0:11:58 > 0:12:03Well, you are gorgeous. Any names yet or is it too early to say?
0:12:03 > 0:12:06Too early. They're not out the woods yet.
0:12:06 > 0:12:10They're only four weeks old. They've got a long way to go yet,
0:12:10 > 0:12:13- especially when they meet their big sister for the first time.- Yeah.
0:12:13 > 0:12:17They're gonna want to play and they'll play rather roughly.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20Rather roughly. Well, Bob and Brian,
0:12:20 > 0:12:23you almost gave me a heart attack,
0:12:23 > 0:12:27but that is the nicest surprise I've ever had. ..Just look at you.
0:12:27 > 0:12:31You're four weeks old and you are the most beautiful thing
0:12:31 > 0:12:34on telly today. That is for sure.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37Yes. ..Oh, thank you both so much.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44Just a few minutes later we got Yendi back with her babies.
0:12:44 > 0:12:49And once reunited, the whole family soon settled down.
0:12:56 > 0:13:00Now we're going to delve into the sometimes shady history
0:13:00 > 0:13:03of the Thynne family, with help from Alexander Thynne -
0:13:03 > 0:13:06the seventh Marquess of Bath.
0:13:06 > 0:13:09He's written extensively about his ancestors,
0:13:09 > 0:13:11and we're going to look back
0:13:11 > 0:13:15at his great, great, great, great grandfather, Thomas.
0:13:15 > 0:13:21He was born in 1734, inherited Longleat at the age of just 18,
0:13:21 > 0:13:24and later became the first Marquess of Bath.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29"He was charming, ambitious but lazy,
0:13:29 > 0:13:32"and on an even more dubious note,
0:13:32 > 0:13:39"he was to be described later as a man of unprincipled cunning."
0:13:39 > 0:13:44From an early age Thomas was drawn to politics,
0:13:44 > 0:13:48and after George III became king in 1760,
0:13:48 > 0:13:50he spent a lot of time at court.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53They were both young, and became life-long friends.
0:13:53 > 0:13:57Kate Harris is Longleat's curator of historic collections.
0:13:57 > 0:14:02I don't think he would have got so far in his political career
0:14:02 > 0:14:05if he hadn't been such an accomplished courtier
0:14:05 > 0:14:07and so acceptable to George III.
0:14:07 > 0:14:09I think he was good company.
0:14:09 > 0:14:13His conversation was interesting and amusing as well.
0:14:13 > 0:14:18And those things mattered in 18th century politics, not like nowadays.
0:14:18 > 0:14:22The first marquess did well on the political stage
0:14:22 > 0:14:26and was even appointed to the Cabinet as Secretary of State.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30But in private, Thomas had a weakness for gambling.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33That, combined with his lavish lifestyle,
0:14:33 > 0:14:37meant that his debts were soon spiralling out of control.
0:14:38 > 0:14:43Some of the bonds that we find outstanding late in his life
0:14:43 > 0:14:47are quite colossal. Things like £500 owed to his butcher.
0:14:47 > 0:14:53That's a lot of money for a tradesman to have to forward to his creditors.
0:14:53 > 0:14:57That's about £40,000 in today's money!
0:14:57 > 0:14:59And it wasn't just the butcher,
0:14:59 > 0:15:03all his debts together came to quite a sum.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05The amount mentioned
0:15:05 > 0:15:07is £270,000,
0:15:07 > 0:15:10which is nearly 25 million,
0:15:10 > 0:15:14in equivalent in purchasing power nowadays.
0:15:14 > 0:15:19But in those days, if you were a marquess, a member of the Cabinet,
0:15:19 > 0:15:24and a personal friend of the King, you could always get credit.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27Just as well, because Thomas had a pet project that would cost
0:15:27 > 0:15:30a fortune, and transform Longleat forever.
0:15:30 > 0:15:34We'll find out about that later on.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39There are animals at Longleat from every part of the world,
0:15:39 > 0:15:42but they all seem to cope with the Wiltshire weather.
0:15:42 > 0:15:46In fact, for some, it's just not wet enough.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49Now, not a lot of animals enjoy having showers,
0:15:49 > 0:15:55- but I've come down to Pets' Corner to meet up with head of section Darren Beasley... Hi Darren.- Hi Ben.
0:15:55 > 0:16:00..and some animals who love them - the parrots! Is it true then?
0:16:00 > 0:16:03They do adore it and we try and give them a shower nearly every day.
0:16:03 > 0:16:08Obviously today is a sunny day. Is this your preferred climate?
0:16:08 > 0:16:10This is lovely.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13- If we can get a bit of a breeze... Do you want a go?- Can I?
0:16:13 > 0:16:16- Just hold it over their heads? - That's it. And the drops fall down.
0:16:16 > 0:16:21It takes a while to sink down to the under feathers. These lovely guard feathers.
0:16:21 > 0:16:23- And are the feathers waterproof? - Yeah.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26These guys, these macaws, come from central America.
0:16:26 > 0:16:31And of course it's the rainforest - it rains an awful lot down there.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34So this is normal and it keeps their feathers in good condition.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37It takes the dust and the grime off the outside ones.
0:16:37 > 0:16:40So will they start grooming themselves?
0:16:40 > 0:16:46Yes. We'll spray these for a bit, then we'll wander to the others who are patiently waiting for theirs.
0:16:46 > 0:16:50And that gives time for the water to soak in, then we'll give them a second dose.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53The idea is they have different types of feathers,
0:16:53 > 0:16:57they have the contour, outer feathers - the water is rolling off.
0:16:57 > 0:16:59Especially the feathers on the wings.
0:16:59 > 0:17:04Underneath there are light, downy feathers that keep them warm.
0:17:04 > 0:17:06We need to get to those as well.
0:17:06 > 0:17:08This is an encouragement to help them groom.
0:17:08 > 0:17:12That wonderful beak is like having an extra pair of hands.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15They will groom each individual feather. There are thousands.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18This will encourage them to groom...
0:17:18 > 0:17:21- So it's like us having a shower? - Totally.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23I have to ask, as we move along,
0:17:23 > 0:17:26Lady Amber, is that right? The giant rabbit.
0:17:26 > 0:17:30- She's adorable.- She sometimes likes to shower herself, does she?
0:17:30 > 0:17:33Yes, she'll sit under the dripping parrot.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35Today she's eating her hay. Oh, she's gone.
0:17:35 > 0:17:37THEY LAUGH
0:17:37 > 0:17:40She wasn't impressed by the shower at all. She's gone inside.
0:17:40 > 0:17:42So these guys here...
0:17:42 > 0:17:45Yeah. Now turn the nozzle a bit, get more power in.
0:17:45 > 0:17:50- I'll let the expert do it.- We'll do a longer range. There we are.
0:17:50 > 0:17:55These parrots are slightly different colours. Are they the same breed?
0:17:55 > 0:17:59They belong to the species of macaws which are the biggest species of parrot in the world.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02These are blue and yellow macaws. The chap at the back
0:18:02 > 0:18:05is Gunner
0:18:05 > 0:18:07and Gunner is a military macaw.
0:18:07 > 0:18:09He is the rarest of the parrots.
0:18:09 > 0:18:15- They're all losing their natural rainforest home. Here we go, a result in the middle.- He likes that?
0:18:15 > 0:18:18- Is that a sign of enjoyment? - He's absolutely loving that now.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21He'll wiggle that down to the lower feathers.
0:18:21 > 0:18:25- He's dancing there!- That's Archie - he loves a bath in the morning.
0:18:25 > 0:18:29- So you recognise all of them? - Yeah, they're all individuals.
0:18:29 > 0:18:33He's holding his arms out, turning around, scrubbing himself in the shower!
0:18:33 > 0:18:35He really likes it.
0:18:35 > 0:18:39Of course if you have a pet bird at home, a budgie, or a cockatiel...
0:18:39 > 0:18:42- Or a parrot.- ..or a bigger parrot, they should have this as well.
0:18:42 > 0:18:49- You can use greenfly misters. Put some water in - they adore it.- How long will it take them to dry off?
0:18:49 > 0:18:51They'll be dry in half an hour.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54I'll go back and start with the first two we did
0:18:54 > 0:18:56and give them another dose.
0:18:56 > 0:19:00Excellent. Thank you for letting me help out with the showering.
0:19:00 > 0:19:02We'll let them dry off.
0:19:10 > 0:19:12Thomas Thynne, the first marquess of Bath,
0:19:12 > 0:19:15changed the landscape of Longleat forever.
0:19:15 > 0:19:20Despite the fact that he was in debt to the tune of £25 million in today's money,
0:19:20 > 0:19:25the first marquess was determined to leave a legacy that would last for centuries.
0:19:25 > 0:19:29It was he who called in England's greatest landscape designer -
0:19:29 > 0:19:31Lancelot "Capability" Brown -
0:19:31 > 0:19:35and together they swept away the extensive formal gardens
0:19:35 > 0:19:39that used to surround the house, in favour of the natural look.
0:19:43 > 0:19:47But to make this landscape look natural took a huge amount of work.
0:19:47 > 0:19:51Capability Brown started a massive tree-planting scheme.
0:19:51 > 0:19:56Kate Harris, the curator of historic collections, has the details.
0:19:57 > 0:20:03In the first planting record, for start of October 1773, we've got...
0:20:03 > 0:20:08clumps in the park - 300 ash, 38 large, 400 Scotch fir.
0:20:08 > 0:20:133,000 birches, 1,000 beech trees, and clumps as well on Park Hill.
0:20:13 > 0:20:17They're keeping a running note of what they're achieving annually.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19Each one concludes with a total.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22So in the 1773/4 season,
0:20:22 > 0:20:26they put in 91,258 trees.
0:20:28 > 0:20:32Over a period of decades, whole forests of sapling trees
0:20:32 > 0:20:34were planted across 500 acres,
0:20:34 > 0:20:38all to a very precise plan designed by Brown.
0:20:38 > 0:20:40He could envisage
0:20:40 > 0:20:43what the landscape would look like when it matures.
0:20:43 > 0:20:47That's probably the hallmark of a really good landscape gardener.
0:20:47 > 0:20:52They must have that sense of prescience, and I think Capability Brown had it in spades.
0:20:52 > 0:20:56There used to be a series of formal ponds and waterways
0:20:56 > 0:20:57running through the gardens.
0:20:57 > 0:21:00But that wouldn't do for Brown.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03He had hundreds of labourers digging for years to create
0:21:03 > 0:21:06the string of lakes and ponds we see today.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09They look natural, but like much of this landscape,
0:21:09 > 0:21:11it's completely man-made.
0:21:11 > 0:21:15Lord Bath can see the pros and cons of both styles.
0:21:15 > 0:21:17When the formal gardens were spread
0:21:17 > 0:21:19over there,
0:21:19 > 0:21:23as a panorama it wasn't exciting.
0:21:23 > 0:21:28I daresay it might've been enjoyable on an evening's walk,
0:21:28 > 0:21:32to go around the formal gardens, but as a panorama it wasn't exciting.
0:21:32 > 0:21:38I think it was good that Capability Brown swept those away.
0:21:38 > 0:21:44I feel the idea that we integrate the house into the park
0:21:44 > 0:21:49with the leaves there, was a good idea.
0:21:52 > 0:21:57The First Marquess died in 1796, still owing the equivalent
0:21:57 > 0:21:59of £25 million pounds.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02It sounds a lot, but those debts were paid off long ago.
0:22:02 > 0:22:07Whereas his greatest legacy, this glorious landscape, lives on.
0:22:08 > 0:22:12He used money extravagantly.
0:22:12 > 0:22:16And although he put the house in order,
0:22:16 > 0:22:19the debts did require to be put in order after his death.
0:22:19 > 0:22:24Within this family it has been alternate marquesses
0:22:24 > 0:22:26have misbehaved...
0:22:26 > 0:22:31No, I'm not misbehaving, nor did my father. Nor HIS father.
0:22:31 > 0:22:35We've recovered from that particular vice!
0:22:58 > 0:23:02There's another baby boom going on down by Half Mile Lake.
0:23:02 > 0:23:06A couple of weeks ago Jo-Jo had a little pup,
0:23:06 > 0:23:08on the jetty for Gorilla Island.
0:23:08 > 0:23:12But she wasn't the only sea lion who was expecting.
0:23:12 > 0:23:16Head of section Mark Tye and myself have come down to Half Mile lake
0:23:16 > 0:23:19where there has been some very exciting news -
0:23:19 > 0:23:22Sealia the sea lion has given birth.
0:23:22 > 0:23:24- Mark, is it OK for us to step down here?- Yes.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27It strikes me that it's fantastic she's given birth,
0:23:27 > 0:23:31- but not so great that it's here on the pontoon.- No. It's not ideal.
0:23:31 > 0:23:35We've built them a beach down the other end of the lake
0:23:35 > 0:23:38and they blanked it and don't want to know!
0:23:38 > 0:23:42- The important question is how are mum and pup doing?- Absolutely fine.
0:23:42 > 0:23:46As you can see, very relaxed, the whole family group here.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49We've got everyone - so at the end is Dad, that's Buster.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52Buster. That's Sealia there in the middle.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55- And slightly nearer, this is Jo-Jo, isn't it?- This is Jo-Jo.
0:23:55 > 0:23:59- And her recent pup closest to us here.- Two weeks old.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02- So how is everyone interacting with one another?- Very well really.
0:24:02 > 0:24:06Quite often they don't like being this close together,
0:24:06 > 0:24:08particularly new mums and babies.
0:24:08 > 0:24:10But they're doing really well.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13As you can see they're relaxed, no aggression.
0:24:13 > 0:24:15It's just a pain for us some mornings
0:24:15 > 0:24:20because they're all over the pontoon and the bridges when we're trying to get to Gorilla Island.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23We can see Nico over there keeping an eye on what's going on.
0:24:23 > 0:24:28Now I know Jo-Jo was sometimes pulling her pup into the water,
0:24:28 > 0:24:29when it shouldn't be going in.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32How is Sealia doing with hers?
0:24:32 > 0:24:36Sealia's been fine, she's kept her pup out of the water.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38So there is no problem there.
0:24:38 > 0:24:42Jo-Jo's been a bit of a pain since the new one came along.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45She's taken her baby, taken it down to the beach,
0:24:45 > 0:24:49stayed there for half a day and decided she didn't like it there
0:24:49 > 0:24:53- so she brought it back.- How did Jo-Jo get her pup to the beach and back?
0:24:53 > 0:24:58Well, pups can't swim that far at that kind of age so mums literally
0:24:58 > 0:25:02grab them by the scruff of their neck, like a mother dog would with its puppy,
0:25:02 > 0:25:06- and literally swims it down the lake. - OK, just nudges it along.- Yeah.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08Um...but that pup's now quite agile
0:25:08 > 0:25:11and has been in and out of the water on its own all the time.
0:25:11 > 0:25:15- And have either of the pups got names yet?- Not yet. - Are they getting on well?
0:25:15 > 0:25:19The pups would love to get on well.
0:25:19 > 0:25:24It's obvious that they want to play together but their mums are keeping them apart at the moment.
0:25:24 > 0:25:30And we've got a boat in the background - they must be popular with the visitors here.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32They are, all the seal lions are.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35Unfortunately they're not popular when they're asleep here.
0:25:35 > 0:25:37Of course! Slightly obscured from view.
0:25:37 > 0:25:42Have you had a chance to sex the pup? Is it a male or female?
0:25:42 > 0:25:44Er, no, I haven't been able.
0:25:44 > 0:25:50She hasn't left it, so I haven't got hold of it to have a look. It's never in the right position.
0:25:50 > 0:25:54But judging just on its look and the shape of its head,
0:25:54 > 0:25:56I'm suggesting it might be a boy.
0:25:56 > 0:26:00- Which is what Jo-Jo had.- Yeah.
0:26:00 > 0:26:02So two boys are fine for now.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05- They can stay here for a few years, is that right?- They'll be fine here
0:26:05 > 0:26:07for three years.
0:26:07 > 0:26:10- But then we'd find a new home for them.- Fantastic.
0:26:10 > 0:26:14Well, Mark, thank you very much.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30Kate and I are out on Half Mile Lake
0:26:30 > 0:26:33with head of section Darren Beasley, who's steering the boat here.
0:26:33 > 0:26:37We've come to catch a glimpse of Longleat's two lowland gorillas, Nico and Samba.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39That's Nico running away there.
0:26:39 > 0:26:43Am I right in thinking the colour of his hair gives away his age?
0:26:43 > 0:26:46Yeah, he has grey hairs from maturity.
0:26:46 > 0:26:51He's 45 years old now which is very old for a gorilla.
0:26:51 > 0:26:52What is their life expectancy?
0:26:52 > 0:26:56- In the wild it's as little as 20-25 years.- Wow.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59There are many dangers. They're losing their rainforest homes.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02People still hunt and eat gorillas as part of the bush meat trade.
0:27:02 > 0:27:04On the silverback markings -
0:27:04 > 0:27:08one in five male gorillas get them about eight years old.
0:27:08 > 0:27:10He is a magnificent silverback.
0:27:10 > 0:27:12He's one of the best we've ever seen.
0:27:12 > 0:27:16So the silverback would be the dominant male in a family.
0:27:16 > 0:27:18- Is that right?- Totally.
0:27:18 > 0:27:22What happens is it's almost a genetic dominance.
0:27:22 > 0:27:25They must work at it but the biggest, toughest silverback
0:27:25 > 0:27:27with the best silver/grey markings,
0:27:27 > 0:27:30he'll have the biggest harem, he'll look after the family,
0:27:30 > 0:27:34and all the sub adults, and there'll be males in the group as well.
0:27:34 > 0:27:35They'll plod along.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38If he has his seniority rivalled, if you like,
0:27:38 > 0:27:41he'll thrash a few bushes, through a few things in the air,
0:27:41 > 0:27:44and it's all peace and quiet again.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47- Just like a stroppy bloke! - THEY LAUGH
0:27:47 > 0:27:51Well, Darren, thank you very much indeed.
0:27:51 > 0:27:53Sadly, that's all we've got time for today
0:27:53 > 0:27:56but here's what's coming up on the next Animal Park.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59A life-and-death situation
0:27:59 > 0:28:03when the vet has to perform an emergency operation.
0:28:03 > 0:28:06There's the before... and the after...
0:28:06 > 0:28:10when we find out how to turn eggs into chicks.
0:28:10 > 0:28:14And we'll discover what Mike, Michelle and Little Mandu, the marmosets,
0:28:14 > 0:28:17make of the world's favourite pongs.
0:28:17 > 0:28:21So don't miss the next Animal Park.
0:28:32 > 0:28:37Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:28:37 > 0:28:42Email subtitling@bbc.co.uk