0:00:31 > 0:00:32Hello and welcome to Animal Park.
0:00:32 > 0:00:36- I'm Ben Fogle...- And I'm Kate Humble and we're in Pets Corner which has
0:00:36 > 0:00:39more animals than the rest of the safari park put together.
0:00:39 > 0:00:44Nearly 40 species and over 200 animals - and that's not including the ants.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47Some of them are rather familiar, like Marina the guinea pig,
0:00:47 > 0:00:49but some are a little bit more exotic.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52Like Nelson the Moluccan cockatoo. Aren't you gorgeous?
0:00:52 > 0:00:57We've got lots of stories from Pets Corner and all over the safari park today, including:
0:00:59 > 0:01:01Little Gertie's being groomed
0:01:01 > 0:01:03to within an inch of her life by her mum.
0:01:05 > 0:01:10Can the keepers stop the ear infection becoming fatal?
0:01:10 > 0:01:15Bob's Jeep has broken down in the lion enclosure.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18But no-one wants to get out and push.
0:01:22 > 0:01:28And, new house steward Steve Blythe lets us in on some secrets of the Great House.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30I love that! It's so James Bond!
0:01:38 > 0:01:45But first - the East Africa reserve is home to some of the park's most striking residents.
0:01:45 > 0:01:47The Rothschild giraffe.
0:01:49 > 0:01:53Over the years, the park has had a tremendously successful record of
0:01:53 > 0:01:58breeding giraffes with more than 100 calves born here in the past.
0:02:02 > 0:02:07Last year, 13 year-old Becky had a beautiful calf named Evelyn.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12Giraffes bond with their calves by licking them.
0:02:12 > 0:02:17But Becky would not stop licking Evelyn's ears and the calf developed an infection.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24Because the ears were so badly affected,
0:02:24 > 0:02:27mother and calf had to be separated.
0:02:28 > 0:02:33Vet Duncan Williams was called in and gave the baby giraffe a course of antibiotics.
0:02:39 > 0:02:43But despite all their efforts, head of section Andy Hayton
0:02:43 > 0:02:46came in one morning to find his worst nightmare.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49Little Evelyn had died.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52'It's a disaster.'
0:02:52 > 0:02:55It's a shame.
0:02:55 > 0:02:59It is a crying shame that you've got a lovely little female giraffe
0:02:59 > 0:03:02that was going to give us calves in the future
0:03:02 > 0:03:07and she was a nice addition to the group and you lose her.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09You always question what you've done,
0:03:09 > 0:03:11whether you've done the right thing.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14Vet Duncan carried out a post-mortem
0:03:14 > 0:03:18to find out exactly what had killed the baby giraffe.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22Basically, we've found what we kind of expected. She died from septicaemia.
0:03:22 > 0:03:24It probably got into her system,
0:03:24 > 0:03:28her heart, before the antibiotics were first administered.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31So while we've kept her alive for a week with antibiotics,
0:03:31 > 0:03:33it's just caught up with her and...
0:03:35 > 0:03:40unfortunately that's what finished her off.
0:03:40 > 0:03:42To lose a two-month old giraffe is very abnormal.
0:03:42 > 0:03:44Once they get past the first week,
0:03:44 > 0:03:47you generally think they're going to be OK.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49That was very abnormal to lose one of that age.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52I'm disappointed really.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57This year brought better news in the giraffery.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59Becky was pregnant again.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06Staff kept a close watch throughout her pregnancy and were on hand with
0:04:06 > 0:04:11a camera to film the first few hours of her new baby's life.
0:04:16 > 0:04:18Now, Gertie is three weeks old.
0:04:18 > 0:04:20To make sure all's well,
0:04:20 > 0:04:24keeper Ryan Hockley monitors her progress every day.
0:04:25 > 0:04:29The last thing we want is to go back into that
0:04:29 > 0:04:34boat that we were in last time. It annoyed us that we lost that calf.
0:04:34 > 0:04:41We certainly wouldn't like to fail a second time along the same lines.
0:04:43 > 0:04:47The only other option we've got if we find her starting to mummy
0:04:47 > 0:04:51away at those ears again is taking the calf away and hand-rearing it.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55That's not really our ethos here at the giraffery or at Longleat.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57We like mother-reared animals.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59We find them to be much better adjusted animals
0:04:59 > 0:05:00at the end of the day.
0:05:00 > 0:05:05Hand-reared animals never really seem to be the full ticket.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08So yes, we want her to rear it.
0:05:12 > 0:05:17But despite Ryan's best efforts, he's now spotted some swelling on the calf's ears.
0:05:17 > 0:05:21Because last time the infection was fatal so quickly,
0:05:21 > 0:05:26head of section Andy Hayton immediately calls in vet Duncan.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30It's slightly swollen.
0:05:30 > 0:05:32When did the swelling come up?
0:05:34 > 0:05:37In the past three or four days, I guess.
0:05:39 > 0:05:44From a personal point of view, I'd like to have a closer look.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47If Gertie's ears have become infected,
0:05:47 > 0:05:49her life too could be in danger.
0:06:04 > 0:06:10The safari park covers more than 310 acres and has seven miles of roads.
0:06:10 > 0:06:15Last year, almost 200,000 cars drove round them.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19The roads run right through the animal enclosures,
0:06:19 > 0:06:22so that visitors can get a good look.
0:06:24 > 0:06:28Keepers are posted at regular intervals to keep visitors safe.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36But today, it's one of the staff who needs their help.
0:06:40 > 0:06:42Keeper Bob Trollope is out with our film crew
0:06:42 > 0:06:45getting some shots of the lion cubs at play.
0:06:45 > 0:06:50But now they've got a little problem with the vehicle.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53It's quite embarrassing at the moment.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56We're in here filming the lions and my car won't start.
0:06:56 > 0:07:00They're all around us and I need some assistance.
0:07:00 > 0:07:04Seeing as you lot won't jump out and push it!
0:07:04 > 0:07:06It's obviously an electrical fault.
0:07:06 > 0:07:08I'll try it again.
0:07:11 > 0:07:12No, not a thing.
0:07:14 > 0:07:16This is all very embarrassing.
0:07:19 > 0:07:23We're in a situation where anywhere else you'd most probably be able to get out
0:07:23 > 0:07:28and push-start it or bump it yourself.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31But with our neighbours just here, you don't really want to do that.
0:07:31 > 0:07:33You could end up as lunch.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39Even though Bob works with the lions every day,
0:07:39 > 0:07:41he knows that if he were out in their enclosure,
0:07:41 > 0:07:45they could well attack and kill him as they would any other prey.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51We're perfectly safe at the moment because we're in the vehicle.
0:07:51 > 0:07:56But if anyone gets out, obviously it will trigger off a response from the lions.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59They would basically prey our movement
0:07:59 > 0:08:04and with us getting out, we're obviously fair game to them.
0:08:05 > 0:08:10So, the safest thing to do is for us to stay in here and let someone else get out.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13Yes, you can come over and rescue me if you want!
0:08:17 > 0:08:24Within minutes, head of section Brian Kent is on the scene, ready to tow the team to safety.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26But to get a tow rope on Bob's vehicle,
0:08:26 > 0:08:28someone's going to have to get out.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32I phoned the RAC, but they won't come in!
0:08:32 > 0:08:35Bob and Brian have practised the emergency procedure
0:08:35 > 0:08:38for this situation many times
0:08:38 > 0:08:41in case they have to rescue visitors.
0:08:41 > 0:08:45But they didn't expect to have to rescue each other!
0:08:45 > 0:08:48First, Brian drives the lions into a corner.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52Then with Craig Faggeter standing lookout,
0:08:52 > 0:08:54there's a chance to get the rope on.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00I don't quite know where all the lions have gone.
0:09:00 > 0:09:04I saw a few run over in that direction.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09Hopefully, Brian's moved all the lions...
0:09:13 > 0:09:16..and Craig's looking out that way and I'm looking out this way.
0:09:18 > 0:09:21I take it all the lions are over that side, are they?
0:09:21 > 0:09:22Are the lions over there?
0:09:22 > 0:09:24They're in the corner, Bob.
0:09:26 > 0:09:30- I really think they should get you a new truck, Bob.- I do!
0:09:30 > 0:09:35There might be a bit of a jolt in a second.
0:09:35 > 0:09:36With the rope safely in place,
0:09:36 > 0:09:39the keepers manage to jump-start the jeep.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45The emergency procedure has worked perfectly.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52It was more embarrassing for me than anyone else I reckon.
0:09:57 > 0:10:01Now, we're fine now. I shall keep the engine running for a little while!
0:10:03 > 0:10:05The lions didn't even notice.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07You could have got out and push-started it!
0:10:09 > 0:10:13It looks like the lions will have to wait a little longer for their lunch!
0:10:23 > 0:10:26Amid almost 9000 acres of estate grounds
0:10:26 > 0:10:30stands Longleat's magnificent great house.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33One of the most important historic houses in the country,
0:10:33 > 0:10:37it was built more than 400 years ago in the reign of Elizabeth I.
0:10:40 > 0:10:45The vast building costs more than £1 million a year to run.
0:10:45 > 0:10:52It has 114 official rooms full of priceless paintings and antiques.
0:10:54 > 0:10:58In charge of all of this is Longleat's house steward.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01Ken Winders held that role for the last 14 years,
0:11:01 > 0:11:04but recently he decided to retire
0:11:04 > 0:11:08and handed over to his former deputy, Steve Blythe.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13Steve's had a few days now to settle in
0:11:13 > 0:11:16and already he's right at home in his new role.
0:11:18 > 0:11:22When I asked house steward Steve Blythe what his favourite room at Longleat House was,
0:11:22 > 0:11:25he said this one, right at the top of the house.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28I have to say, Steve, excellent choice, cos it's my favourite, too.
0:11:28 > 0:11:30A fantastic room.
0:11:30 > 0:11:35It's just got a very human feeling about it.
0:11:35 > 0:11:37There's something very warm about it.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40- It's lived in, it's family, it's lovely.- It is lovely.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42I think books always help, though.
0:11:42 > 0:11:47It's one of seven libraries here - 40,000 books in the collection.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50- Wow!- And here's just a few of them.
0:11:50 > 0:11:54They're amazing! So what was it about this room?
0:11:54 > 0:11:56When did you first come in here?
0:11:56 > 0:11:58My first week here, previous to me starting,
0:11:58 > 0:12:02there'd been some work going on here and the rooms were all stripped out.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05My first job was polishing the floors.
0:12:05 > 0:12:09So the first thing you did when you came to Longleat to work was to polish these floors.
0:12:09 > 0:12:15- Quite a job, I should think. - Quite a job, but they came up so nice, it was lovely doing it.
0:12:15 > 0:12:19And was that what really made you think that you loved this room?
0:12:19 > 0:12:23We then put the room back together and it was, "Oh, wow!"
0:12:23 > 0:12:25Putting in the bits and pieces.
0:12:25 > 0:12:27It's full of surprises, isn't it?
0:12:27 > 0:12:32One of them is little hideaway storage areas.
0:12:32 > 0:12:33I love that.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36It's so James Bond!
0:12:36 > 0:12:40This is the size of my spare room, for heaven's sake!
0:12:40 > 0:12:43- It's just a little cupboard behind a bookcase.- And more books!
0:12:43 > 0:12:45And more books.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48It's fantastic.
0:12:48 > 0:12:53As well as books, the library holds many family mementos.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56It's just a room full of everything.
0:12:56 > 0:12:58It's a treasure chest, isn't it?
0:12:58 > 0:13:00Here, for instance, we've got some stirrups.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04I didn't even realise that they did wooden stirrups.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07- Can I touch it?- Children's stirrups.
0:13:07 > 0:13:11- That's incredible. - They're fantastic.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14How amazing! Look at that.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18In here, we've got a knuckle-duster.
0:13:18 > 0:13:24- No, really?!- It was taken off a poacher back in the 1800s.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27So this would have been worn on a... He must have had huge fingers!
0:13:27 > 0:13:30Quite a big chap, I would imagine.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33If he was that size, you'd think he wouldn't need a knuckle-duster!
0:13:33 > 0:13:36That's incredible! And they just kept it?
0:13:36 > 0:13:40Yes, so the gamekeeper was out there doing his job.
0:13:40 > 0:13:47Keeping it protected. And one other thing I love which is in the next room
0:13:47 > 0:13:49is, again, that very human thing.
0:13:49 > 0:13:55You forget in houses like this that real families lived in them and still do.
0:13:55 > 0:13:59Kids run around. It's the shell collection.
0:13:59 > 0:14:00Thousands of shells.
0:14:00 > 0:14:04Thousands of shells, but it's just something that all of us do.
0:14:04 > 0:14:06You go to a beach and you pick up shells.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08I love the fact that they've got that,
0:14:08 > 0:14:12and a little jar of cowrie shells collected by the sixth Marquis.
0:14:12 > 0:14:16- It's fantastic.- A day out on the beach.- Yeah, yeah.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19I'm so pleased you picked this room, Steve.
0:14:19 > 0:14:20My very favourite.
0:14:20 > 0:14:24- It is lovely, thank you very much for bringing me up.- Thank you.
0:14:38 > 0:14:42Back over at the giraffery, head of section, Andy Hayton,
0:14:42 > 0:14:45has called in vet Duncan Williams to examine Gertie.
0:14:48 > 0:14:52They're worried because the baby's ears are swollen from being licked
0:14:52 > 0:14:57by her mother Becky and without treatment, they could become infected.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02Nobody's really seen Becky nibbling the ears.
0:15:02 > 0:15:04We think she's coming in at night.
0:15:04 > 0:15:08And when the calf sits down she's licking the calf's ears then.
0:15:08 > 0:15:12If she does go for them when she's upright and we're all here,
0:15:12 > 0:15:17the calf walks away quite unceremoniously, does not want it being done to her.
0:15:17 > 0:15:22So I think Becky's taking her opportunity when she can get it, which is even more annoying.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28This is the first time Gertie has been handled.
0:15:28 > 0:15:36It takes five keepers to restrain her so that vet Duncan can examine her and administer treatment.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39I'm just going to spray them and give her an antibiotic.
0:15:39 > 0:15:46She's split the two sides of the cartilage and there's a gap in it at the moment.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49It's just leaking. So the serumy stuff is not infected yet.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52But that's going to be the next stage.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57Down in three? One, two, three.
0:15:57 > 0:16:04Cleaned it up as best we could, put some local antibiotic on it and given her an antibiotic injection.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07Her last baby, Evelyn, she did the same thing with her.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10We lost the tips of both ears and they got so infected
0:16:10 > 0:16:14that she actually went into septicaemic shock and died.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17It's a real nightmare. We can't take the baby off her.
0:16:20 > 0:16:24She's got a natural bond there. But if her mother keeps doing this,
0:16:24 > 0:16:27we could have future problems.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30So we're being very, very vigilant.
0:16:30 > 0:16:34It's a big worry. It's history repeating itself again.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37It's infuriating more than worrying.
0:16:37 > 0:16:40"Why do you have to do this to your baby?", kind of thing.
0:16:40 > 0:16:47What we're going to do is treat it far more intensively than we did last time. We're just going to go for it.
0:16:47 > 0:16:53In the unfortunate circumstances that happened last summer, we lost the baby.
0:16:53 > 0:16:57We did hold back slightly cos we didn't want to stress the calf by grabbing it
0:16:57 > 0:17:01and pulling her around and things like that. It didn't work.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09During the day, the giraffes live outside in the East Africa reserve
0:17:09 > 0:17:13where keeper Katharine Kendall is on patrol.
0:17:13 > 0:17:18Becky takes every opportunity to try to lick the calf's ears with her 18 inch tongue.
0:17:18 > 0:17:23But Gertie is learning to be nervous of her mother's attentions.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26She's really, really feisty. She's very headstrong.
0:17:26 > 0:17:30She'll only do what she wants to do, when she wants to do it which is brilliant.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32She's put Mum in her place already.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35Mum will come up and try to groom her and maybe lick her ears
0:17:35 > 0:17:39and she'll shake her off straightaway. It's absolutely brilliant.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44At night-time, the giraffes move back into their house.
0:17:44 > 0:17:48The staff want to keep mother and calf together if at all possible,
0:17:48 > 0:17:51but this is when Gertie is in most danger.
0:17:55 > 0:17:59We'll be back to see if she can escape her mother's unwanted attentions.
0:18:17 > 0:18:21I'm down in the hot house at Pets Corner with keeper Val McGroover.
0:18:21 > 0:18:25We've come to help with the dental care for some of the fluffiest residents.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27So, Val, what's the plan and what's all this about?
0:18:27 > 0:18:33We've got 10 chinchillas in this enclosure and they live in here.
0:18:33 > 0:18:37They're rodents and rodents' teeth continuously grow, so they need to be worn down.
0:18:37 > 0:18:42So chewing away on nice bits of wood is an excellent way of doing it.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45- Brilliant, so can we open this up? - Yes, we can.
0:18:45 > 0:18:49Is the plan to literally put this all around?
0:18:49 > 0:18:52- That's right, yes. We lay bits of sticks around the place.- Right.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54We've already got some nice big logs in there.
0:18:54 > 0:18:59- Do they mind us being in here? - No, they don't mind. They're used to people coming in and out.
0:18:59 > 0:19:05With a lot of animals, the more you handle them, the more you deal with them, the better they are.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08So they're used to us coming in and out all day long.
0:19:08 > 0:19:13Going back to their teeth - if you didn't distribute this stuff around their enclosure, what would they do?
0:19:13 > 0:19:16Right, if they don't have enough things to chew on,
0:19:16 > 0:19:19their teeth would grow and grow and they'd be deformed.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22Eventually they wouldn't be able to eat so they'd starve.
0:19:22 > 0:19:27It's so important to have these branches and things like that.
0:19:27 > 0:19:31- Have you just collected these branches from around the estate? - Yes.
0:19:31 > 0:19:37Of course, we've a lovely estate here so we've got plenty of woods to choose from. You go for hardwoods.
0:19:37 > 0:19:39- OK.- Softwoods would be poisonous.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42Where do we want to put these?
0:19:42 > 0:19:44If you direct me.
0:19:44 > 0:19:46Around this side?
0:19:46 > 0:19:49That would be nice, actually, by the window.
0:19:49 > 0:19:53Is it a healthy mix of male and female?
0:19:53 > 0:19:58- Yes, we have. We have got some castrated males in here.- Right.
0:19:58 > 0:20:00We have a few females.
0:20:00 > 0:20:04Because we've got a nice group, we don't want to spoil that.
0:20:04 > 0:20:10- They all get on quite well.- I don't know if the camera can see that pile of the chinchillas over there.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13Are they are social creatures? Do they enjoy each other's company?
0:20:13 > 0:20:15They do. They love to snuggle together.
0:20:15 > 0:20:22They come from the Andes, Chile, Peru, 3000 to 5000 feet up the mountain.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25They would go in little holes and things like this.
0:20:25 > 0:20:30Obviously, it gets quite chilly, that's why they've got all the thick fur.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33Also, snuggling up together helps to keep them warm.
0:20:33 > 0:20:37I have to ask, around the walls I can see lots of crumbling paint.
0:20:37 > 0:20:41Is that because it hasn't been decorated for a while?
0:20:41 > 0:20:43No, it was decorated not that long ago.
0:20:43 > 0:20:48Because they chew, they tend to test chew on things to see what it is.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51So they will chew on virtually anything that's going.
0:20:51 > 0:20:57You can see where they've been chewing on the thicker branches here as well.
0:20:57 > 0:21:01No, unfortunately, they've started on the walls as well.
0:21:01 > 0:21:05They are very sweet. Look at this one down here trying to escape.
0:21:05 > 0:21:09Well, Val, thank you very much for letting me accompany you in here.
0:21:09 > 0:21:13I think we should leave the chinchillas to enjoy their new wood.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27It's been a worrying few days at the giraffery
0:21:27 > 0:21:32where over-affectionate mum, Becky, is still licking her calf too much.
0:21:32 > 0:21:36Gertie's ears are swollen and there's a risk they could become infected.
0:21:40 > 0:21:45Now head of section, Andy Hayton, has been forced to take a difficult decision.
0:21:47 > 0:21:51We've actually split her away from her mum in the evenings now.
0:21:51 > 0:21:55She's in the next box to Becky.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58We believe Becky was doing most of the nibbling at night.
0:21:58 > 0:22:05So what we're doing we have to come in every night at 10 and we let mum in with the baby for half-an-hour.
0:22:05 > 0:22:09The baby feeds and fills up and then Becky is actually quite happy to come away from the calf.
0:22:09 > 0:22:13It seems to be working really, really well.
0:22:13 > 0:22:15Last time we did that too late.
0:22:17 > 0:22:23To make sure the ear doesn't get worse, vet, Duncan Williams, needs to give her more antibiotics.
0:22:23 > 0:22:24The staff must be careful.
0:22:24 > 0:22:31A fully grown giraffe can kill a lion with one kick and even a baby could cause a nasty injury.
0:22:36 > 0:22:41Being restrained might be a bit stressful for Gertie, but it is necessary.
0:22:41 > 0:22:45Every member of staff knows exactly what they have to do.
0:22:45 > 0:22:47- Are you all right?- Yes, we're happy.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51Did anyone get caught with those front legs?
0:22:51 > 0:22:53- Not too bad. - It doesn't hurt, actually.
0:22:53 > 0:22:57- I just wrapped mine around. - You've got steel toecaps on though.
0:22:57 > 0:23:01I'll just do this under the skin behind her shoulder.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04I'll do it where you are, Damian, if you just move back a wee bit.
0:23:06 > 0:23:08Did you get any swelling after the last one?
0:23:08 > 0:23:11- Oh, she felt that one. - That's it, done. Ready.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14OK. Ready. Just let her go. OK.
0:23:17 > 0:23:21After the injection Gertie is allowed back with mum to feed.
0:23:21 > 0:23:25Now that Duncan has had a closer look, he's pleased with her progress.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30I gave her antibiotics against the infection.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33The biggest thing, really, has been the change of management.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35No-one's seen her licking it during the day.
0:23:35 > 0:23:40It obviously happens at night. What they're doing, really, is
0:23:40 > 0:23:46by separating them at night and then coming in the middle of the night and giving the baby a feed,
0:23:46 > 0:23:51it's making a big difference and preventing this constant trauma.
0:23:51 > 0:23:53That's what happened with the last baby.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56The constant trauma we were unable to prevent
0:23:56 > 0:23:58that caused her death, really.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01If things carry on as they are,
0:24:01 > 0:24:02she'll have a slightly
0:24:02 > 0:24:04gnarled thickened ear,
0:24:04 > 0:24:07but it will be virtually imperceptible
0:24:07 > 0:24:10and obviously, we've got a healthy baby.
0:24:10 > 0:24:15It's the news the keepers have been waiting to hear.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17Gertie is out of danger.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20It's a relief to know we're doing the right thing.
0:24:20 > 0:24:24None of us like splitting babies away from mums at this early age.
0:24:24 > 0:24:29It's infuriating that Becky does this to her calves and you have to take measures like this.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32After last year's tragedy,
0:24:32 > 0:24:35all the staff are delighted that Gertie's doing so well.
0:24:39 > 0:24:41Evelyn was so quiet.
0:24:41 > 0:24:45This one, she's a real fighter.
0:24:45 > 0:24:47She's got a real attitude, this one.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49The next one may be different.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52You don't know. Everybody takes illness and pain differently.
0:24:52 > 0:24:59I think Evelyn almost gave up. This one is better. We're doing well.
0:25:10 > 0:25:16Another striking African species now living at Longleat are the massive Ankole cattle.
0:25:19 > 0:25:24Native to the grasslands of Uganda and Central Africa, the Ankole are
0:25:24 > 0:25:29adapted to tolerate extreme summer temperatures of up to 50 degrees.
0:25:30 > 0:25:35Blood circulates through their large horns which act as radiators
0:25:35 > 0:25:38to release the heat and cool the cattle down.
0:25:41 > 0:25:45We're out in the new area with head of section, Tim Yeo.
0:25:45 > 0:25:49We've come to have a look at the Ankole cattle which are truly magnificent.
0:25:49 > 0:25:55- They are real show-offs of the cow world, aren't they?- Very much, Kate.
0:25:55 > 0:25:57All these different colours as well.
0:25:57 > 0:26:02Presumably this big boy here is the bull, is it?
0:26:02 > 0:26:03Exactly, Ben, yes.
0:26:03 > 0:26:05This is Bobby the herd bull
0:26:05 > 0:26:09and he has a wonderful time within this enclosure.
0:26:09 > 0:26:13- All the rest of them are female in here?- Not all of them, no.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16We have a castrated male just over here with the large horns
0:26:16 > 0:26:18looking straight at us.
0:26:18 > 0:26:20Looking straight at us, right.
0:26:20 > 0:26:24If he weren't castrated
0:26:24 > 0:26:26would that mean that the two of them would fight?
0:26:26 > 0:26:29Are they quite territorial about their females?
0:26:29 > 0:26:31Very much so, Kate.
0:26:31 > 0:26:34When he believes he can perhaps chance his luck
0:26:34 > 0:26:39and take over the herd, he'll fight like nothing.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42It may sound a strange question,
0:26:42 > 0:26:45but if two males are fighting, is it down to the size of their horns
0:26:45 > 0:26:50- or is it how they use them?- I think it's weight, strength and size.
0:26:50 > 0:26:53I mean, if they're equally matched,
0:26:53 > 0:26:57they can go on for ages and ages, just pushing each other around,
0:26:57 > 0:27:00and you cannot split them up.
0:27:00 > 0:27:06I've tried it before. They'll go back together and just push and push.
0:27:06 > 0:27:10Amongst the females, is there any ranking?
0:27:10 > 0:27:13Do you have a top female and a lower female?
0:27:13 > 0:27:16Or are they just totally equal?
0:27:16 > 0:27:19No, there's a different pecking order within the group
0:27:19 > 0:27:21and there is a hierarchy.
0:27:21 > 0:27:26Some females are dominant over others, certainly.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29That is always changing within the herd.
0:27:29 > 0:27:31From time to time, it's changing.
0:27:31 > 0:27:35These cows, these females can fight very aggressively.
0:27:35 > 0:27:39Were looking at them now and they're quite placid.
0:27:39 > 0:27:43But believe me, they will fight terrible, it's frightening to see.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46It's hard to imagine, isn't it?
0:27:46 > 0:27:51They all look very peaceful and very loving but they've got this hidden, aggressive nature.
0:27:51 > 0:27:53That's women for you!
0:27:53 > 0:27:56- I should end there!- I think you should.- Tim, thank you very much.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59Sadly, that's all week we've got time for today.
0:27:59 > 0:28:01Here's what's coming up on the next Animal Park.
0:28:03 > 0:28:06The time has come for Sienna the sea lion pup
0:28:06 > 0:28:10to leave Mum and start her further education.
0:28:12 > 0:28:19In the Great Hall, we'll see 10,000-year-old proof that giants once roamed this land.
0:28:19 > 0:28:23And we'll be helping to install some disabled access ramps
0:28:23 > 0:28:26because the tigers aren't as young as they used to be.
0:28:28 > 0:28:31That's all coming up on the next Animal Park.
0:28:51 > 0:28:53Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:28:53 > 0:28:56E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk