0:00:29 > 0:00:31Hello, and welcome to Animal Park.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34- I'm Ben Fogle... - And I'm Kate Humble, and we are
0:00:34 > 0:00:38out in the East Africa reserve, which is home to giraffes, zebras,
0:00:38 > 0:00:41llamas, camels and ostrich.
0:00:41 > 0:00:48And also wallabies, tapirs, guinea fowl and giant tortoises and pygmy goats.
0:00:48 > 0:00:53With all these animals, we've got a whole host of stories for you on today's programme, including:
0:00:53 > 0:00:55The lion cubs' latest challenge.
0:00:55 > 0:00:59If they want any dinner, they'll have to take on Mum and Dad.
0:01:01 > 0:01:08I'll find out why the chameleons like nothing better than to get caught in the rain.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11And the keepers must take desperate measures
0:01:11 > 0:01:15when a rare stag gets hopelessly tangled in wire.
0:01:21 > 0:01:27But first we're going up to lion country because it's a big day for the two cubs in Kabir's pride.
0:01:27 > 0:01:32Malaika and Jasira are going to get the chance to hunt the feed truck for the very first time.
0:01:32 > 0:01:36They'll have to learn to chase, grab and hold on to their dinner.
0:01:36 > 0:01:41But more than that, they're going to need to stand up for themselves.
0:01:41 > 0:01:45Already in their young lives they've faced a series of challenges,
0:01:45 > 0:01:49under the close supervision of keepers Bob Trollope and Brian Kent.
0:01:49 > 0:01:53First came inoculations, starting from when they were six weeks old.
0:01:53 > 0:01:56Then the cubs learnt about the great outdoors, where
0:01:56 > 0:02:00they could play with each other after two months of separation.
0:02:03 > 0:02:08They also had to meet their dad, Kabir, face to face for the first time.
0:02:08 > 0:02:12So far, it's all gone well, and now they're in the process of
0:02:12 > 0:02:16being weaned, swapping their mother's milk for raw meat.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21Everything is at it would be in the wild.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25The little one still goes to Mum for a drink.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28She's not there as long because she doesn't need so much
0:02:28 > 0:02:33because she's eating the meat now, and she's drinking water.
0:02:33 > 0:02:38But Malaika now, she doesn't seem to go to Mum. Maybe Mum's dried up.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42They're at that stage where they're semi-weaned.
0:02:42 > 0:02:47As you can see, some nice teeth in there, some nice little claws to hold onto the meat.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51And the tongue is like a little rasp.
0:02:51 > 0:02:55All it is is very coarse hair.
0:02:55 > 0:02:59It's what they use for stripping sinew off the bones,
0:02:59 > 0:03:03and also for when they're cleaning themselves.
0:03:03 > 0:03:07Malaika has a particularly good appetite, just like her dad.
0:03:09 > 0:03:14He likes his food, so if there's a lot of it around, he'll try and pinch others'.
0:03:14 > 0:03:19So we've got to be careful when he's outside that he doesn't grab all the meat off all the others.
0:03:19 > 0:03:21You've got to watch him all the time.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24So the cubs' next meal won't be so easy.
0:03:24 > 0:03:28If they want to eat, Malaika and Jasira are going to have to chase,
0:03:28 > 0:03:33grab and hold a big joint on the bone out in the open enclosure,
0:03:33 > 0:03:36and they may well have to fight Dad for it.
0:03:36 > 0:03:39We'll see if they rise to the challenge later on.
0:03:42 > 0:03:46I'm in Pets Corner with keeper Sarah Clayson
0:03:46 > 0:03:50and one of Longleat's two magnificent chameleons.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52Sarah, this is such a treat.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55- They are the most beautiful creatures.- They are, definitely.
0:03:55 > 0:03:59He's got his mouth open. Is that a threat thing to you?
0:03:59 > 0:04:03Is he saying, "Back off and leave me alone"?
0:04:03 > 0:04:08Yeah. Occasionally, we're all right, and you can handle them, but they are quite moody sometimes.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11You never know what mood they're going to be in.
0:04:11 > 0:04:16Can I take that and have a good look at him? He's quite heavy actually.
0:04:16 > 0:04:17Yeah.
0:04:17 > 0:04:23The first thing everyone tells you about chameleons is that they change
0:04:23 > 0:04:27colour so they completely merge in with their background.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30I can't say he has changed into oak leaf colour,
0:04:30 > 0:04:33but he has gone these remarkable bright colours.
0:04:33 > 0:04:37- What happens there?- It tends to be related to the mood they're in,
0:04:37 > 0:04:42so because he's by us and he feels a bit nervous around us,
0:04:42 > 0:04:47he will flare up quite brightly as a display warning to us.
0:04:47 > 0:04:51Oh, right. The other thing you notice having him here on the branch
0:04:51 > 0:04:58are these extraordinary feet that seem so perfectly adapted to walking along trees.
0:04:58 > 0:05:00- Yeah, they're like mittens! - They really are.
0:05:00 > 0:05:05They've actually got five toes on each foot, but they're fused together,
0:05:05 > 0:05:10and helps them move along branches easily, and get a better grip.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12He's gripping me now. Is he all right?
0:05:12 > 0:05:14Yeah, he's comfortable there.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17He's absolutely beautiful.
0:05:17 > 0:05:22The crest on top of his head, does that show whether he's male or female, or is it just
0:05:22 > 0:05:25this particular sort of chameleon that has that?
0:05:25 > 0:05:31Male and female chameleons have them, but the females' are quite a lot smaller.
0:05:31 > 0:05:36The males use them as a display dominance thing,
0:05:36 > 0:05:39but they also use them
0:05:39 > 0:05:42to catch water droplets to help them drink,
0:05:42 > 0:05:45- because they can't actually see still water.- Really?
0:05:45 > 0:05:49It's just moving water they drink because that's all they can see.
0:05:49 > 0:05:54Extraordinary. So is this why you've got your water sprayer here?
0:05:54 > 0:05:59Yeah, every morning we come in and give them both a spray down.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02So you literally just squirt like that?
0:06:02 > 0:06:07Yeah, and the water droplets all run down into the corner of his mouth.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10And they just sit there and open and shut their mouth
0:06:10 > 0:06:13and just catch the water as it comes down.
0:06:13 > 0:06:17These veiled chameleons, where would you find them in the wild?
0:06:17 > 0:06:20They come from Saudi Arabia and Yemen.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23Right, so quite dry areas!
0:06:23 > 0:06:25Don't fall off!
0:06:25 > 0:06:29- Is it true their tongues are almost as long as their bodies?- Yes.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32They've got a big, sticky blob on the end,
0:06:32 > 0:06:36and they flick it out and pick up the prey on the end of it.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39So, they'll literally... Hello. Do you want to come back to me?
0:06:39 > 0:06:42So, they'll literally stick the insect
0:06:42 > 0:06:46to the end of their tongue and pull it back in again?
0:06:46 > 0:06:52Yeah, it's really fascinating to watch because both their eyes - they move independently - swing forward
0:06:52 > 0:06:56so they can get the depth, and they just poke their tongue out slightly,
0:06:56 > 0:07:01so they look quite funny when they do that. Then they just grab it.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03They are the most fantastic creatures.
0:07:03 > 0:07:07Sarah, thank you very much. I'm becoming attached to this one!
0:07:07 > 0:07:10Are you going to stay with me for the day?
0:07:17 > 0:07:19At the keepers' lodge,
0:07:19 > 0:07:23head of section, Tim Yeo, is preparing for a difficult task.
0:07:27 > 0:07:31It's not something he's looking forward to.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37This morning, on his rounds out in the enclosure,
0:07:37 > 0:07:39he spotted something worrying.
0:07:39 > 0:07:41Somehow, the Pere David's stag
0:07:41 > 0:07:45had managed to get a piece of fencing wire tangled in his antlers.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53Pere David's deer are listed as critically endangered in the wild.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56With just a few thousand left in the world,
0:07:56 > 0:08:01the park's five females and one male are incredibly precious animals.
0:08:01 > 0:08:06Tim must act quickly or the stag could get badly hurt.
0:08:08 > 0:08:13The only way that we can remove the wire is to sedate him.
0:08:13 > 0:08:18And so... Which actually can be quite a difficult sort of job,
0:08:18 > 0:08:21because they're difficult to get close to.
0:08:21 > 0:08:25But no other way of removing it. It's got to come off.
0:08:25 > 0:08:29If it stays, he's liable to get more and more tangled up in it
0:08:29 > 0:08:32and it's an enormous hazard to him.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36Darting is a tricky procedure.
0:08:36 > 0:08:40But Tim is highly trained and holds a licence to use this equipment.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43He's also very experienced.
0:08:43 > 0:08:48There are risks to it to the animal obviously, but...
0:08:48 > 0:08:51in this instance there's no other way, we have to do this.
0:08:51 > 0:08:55It's crucial to get the amount of sedative right.
0:08:55 > 0:08:59Too small a dose and the stag won't go to sleep.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02But too large a dose could kill him.
0:09:07 > 0:09:12To get close to the stag, Tim's come up with a cunning plan.
0:09:12 > 0:09:16He's going to go with the film crew in their vehicle.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19I'm hoping that perhaps we can...
0:09:19 > 0:09:22go in disguise somewhat.
0:09:22 > 0:09:27This vehicle's very good because they get suspicious of certain vehicles.
0:09:27 > 0:09:31And certainly mine they see a lot and they're very suspicious of it.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34They shouldn't be with this one.
0:09:37 > 0:09:42The Pere David's are shy creatures and very quick on their feet
0:09:42 > 0:09:45so they're extremely difficult to dart.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52Can we stop there, Will, please?
0:09:52 > 0:09:55Tim wants to get as close as possible
0:09:55 > 0:09:58to make sure his first shot is accurate.
0:09:58 > 0:10:03You get one really good chance at this and that's the first chance,
0:10:03 > 0:10:06because if it goes wrong the first time,
0:10:06 > 0:10:10the stag that we're trying to sedate is wary
0:10:10 > 0:10:15and presents a far more difficult target the second time and beyond.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19The Pere David's are not cooperating.
0:10:19 > 0:10:23(He doesn't really present a shot at the minute.)
0:10:23 > 0:10:27Tim's still at quite a long range from the stag
0:10:27 > 0:10:29but suddenly he sees a chance.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34No, that missed.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37Unfortunately, the dart went wide.
0:10:41 > 0:10:45Tim has to pick it up and start again.
0:10:45 > 0:10:47Having missed once,
0:10:47 > 0:10:49it's going to be even harder now.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57Keep going, Will, as steady as you are.
0:10:57 > 0:11:02The Pere David's are nervous and even more wary than before.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04TIM WHISTLES
0:11:04 > 0:11:08But eventually Tim sees another opportunity.
0:11:10 > 0:11:11Oh, I hit him, did I?
0:11:11 > 0:11:13I don't know if I hit him.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17Do you think you got him?
0:11:17 > 0:11:20I don't know if I hit him. I swung through and...
0:11:22 > 0:11:24I'm not sure.
0:11:24 > 0:11:30The shot was good but somehow the stag is still standing up.
0:11:30 > 0:11:32The last dart hit him
0:11:32 > 0:11:35but he didn't receive the whole drug so...
0:11:35 > 0:11:39it's not been nearly enough to sedate him,
0:11:39 > 0:11:42to get him into a state that we can deal with him.
0:11:42 > 0:11:44So I feel now...
0:11:44 > 0:11:48we need to back off, leave it well alone for tonight.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52I think we need to start afresh tomorrow.
0:11:52 > 0:11:57We'll be back to see if Tim can sedate the stag
0:11:57 > 0:12:00before it gets badly injured by the wire.
0:12:05 > 0:12:09All across Britain, there's a network of conservation volunteers
0:12:09 > 0:12:14who've taken on the task of monitoring and assessing the state of the natural environment.
0:12:16 > 0:12:20These are the County Recorders, and each is a specialist, responsible
0:12:20 > 0:12:24for just one kind of plant or creature on their own home patch.
0:12:28 > 0:12:32I'm out in Longleat's East Woodland with county beetle recorder
0:12:32 > 0:12:38Michael Derby, and hopefully, here, some beetles. What have we got here?
0:12:38 > 0:12:41What we've got here is a longhorn beetle.
0:12:41 > 0:12:46This is a beetle that lives in its larval stages in wood, and they're
0:12:46 > 0:12:50called longhorn beetles because they've got long antennae like that.
0:12:50 > 0:12:54- Can I put this down now? - Yeah, do.- Where else might we look?
0:12:54 > 0:12:58This is a good fallen tree, which we ought to find something interesting.
0:12:58 > 0:13:05As an example, how many types of beetles are there in the UK?
0:13:05 > 0:13:10- There are 4,200 different species of beetle in the UK.- That's incredible.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13Not that we find all those in Wiltshire, of course.
0:13:13 > 0:13:16This is the so-called wire worm.
0:13:16 > 0:13:22They're a great pest to gardeners, but this particular species, they're click beetles, some live in wood,
0:13:22 > 0:13:25some live in the roots of garden plants and so on.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27This is one of the woodland species.
0:13:27 > 0:13:34It so happens, I did actually find some adults of that earlier in the day, which I've...
0:13:34 > 0:13:36got in a tube here to show you.
0:13:36 > 0:13:40Your pockets are crammed full of beetle paraphernalia.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43Is it true that beetles have their skeleton
0:13:43 > 0:13:47on the outside of their body, the reverse to what we have?
0:13:47 > 0:13:52Yes, and that's a great advantage for them because it means they can
0:13:52 > 0:13:55have an entirely different system of muscles to us, and so
0:13:55 > 0:14:00they're much stronger in proportion to their size. Ants can lift the equivalent of pianos, say.
0:14:00 > 0:14:03- And they can fall from great heights.- Yes, and not be damaged.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06There are problems. It means you can't grow, so you can only
0:14:06 > 0:14:12- take in as much food as you need to perform essential bodily functions. - You're only as big as your skeleton.
0:14:12 > 0:14:16And you can't feel, so you've got to have a system of hairs in order to enable you to feel.
0:14:16 > 0:14:20These are the ones I found earlier.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23This is what that will turn into.
0:14:23 > 0:14:27Longleat has 4,000 acres, literally a million trees.
0:14:27 > 0:14:32What have your studies here so far indicated about the quality of the wood here?
0:14:32 > 0:14:38We've found enough to score Longleat at around about 330, I think,.
0:14:38 > 0:14:44which would put it in the top ten of woods in the west of England, which is pretty good.
0:14:44 > 0:14:49I'm quite sure that given more time we'll add to that quite considerably.
0:14:49 > 0:14:53- We've really only skimmed the surface here.- Michael, thank you very much.
0:14:53 > 0:14:56I had no idea that beetles could be so interesting.
0:14:58 > 0:15:03It's lunchtime in lion country, and today the two cubs, Jasira
0:15:03 > 0:15:07and Malaika, will be hunting the feed truck for the very first time.
0:15:07 > 0:15:11They've been using this method of feeding here for many years.
0:15:11 > 0:15:15Meat is dropped from a chute at the back of the trailer, while it's on the move.
0:15:15 > 0:15:21This means the lions must run and chase for their food, just as they would in the wild.
0:15:21 > 0:15:26For the cubs it's going to be a challenge, as keeper Bob Trollope knows.
0:15:26 > 0:15:31This is the big tester. We're actually feeding them for the first time outside in the park.
0:15:31 > 0:15:37As you can see, Kabir's up for it, but the cubs aren't too sure what they've got to do at the moment.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40Hopefully they will follow Mum.
0:15:40 > 0:15:42Oh, here they come.
0:15:43 > 0:15:47This is a whole new vehicle. They've never seen this one before.
0:15:47 > 0:15:52So it's... It must be a bit daunting for them.
0:15:52 > 0:15:54This is a big machine.
0:15:54 > 0:16:00This will also be the first time the cubs have had to compete with the adults for food.
0:16:00 > 0:16:05The keeper in charge of the lions, Brian Kent, is a little worried about Dad.
0:16:05 > 0:16:07Kabir, he's just mad on his meat.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10He wants to be fed and he'll have the lot. He'll collect it.
0:16:10 > 0:16:15That's what he does. He'll collect it and have it in piles for himself.
0:16:15 > 0:16:19Sometimes you've got to be here to push him off a bit, so the females do manage to get some.
0:16:19 > 0:16:21If the cubs go for his food,
0:16:21 > 0:16:25Kabir might well give them a cuff round the ears.
0:16:25 > 0:16:30Trouble is, his paw is like a sledgehammer with a pitchfork at the end.
0:16:30 > 0:16:34He's a big male lion. He's 100 times their size,
0:16:34 > 0:16:39so a little smack from him could do a lot of damage.
0:16:39 > 0:16:44This could be a dangerous part of their growing-up process.
0:16:46 > 0:16:51He's so much of a glutton that he wants every single bit that you chuck out, which, you know, he's
0:16:51 > 0:16:56basically getting the lion's share of things, but he's also got to allow the others to feed.
0:16:56 > 0:17:01You'll more likely find, Mum will grab a piece and the cubs will run off after them.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05Which is fine, because Mum will let them
0:17:05 > 0:17:10eat their meat. I'm not so sure that Kabir would.
0:17:10 > 0:17:14Just as in the wild, this stage is not just about the food.
0:17:14 > 0:17:18It's also about the cubs learning to fend for themselves.
0:17:19 > 0:17:26Mum is in the process of weaning the cubs,
0:17:26 > 0:17:30so she knows there is more than enough meat here for all of them.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33She's trying to make Cubby go out and get their own.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35So by giving them a bit of a clout...
0:17:35 > 0:17:41It's not gonna hurt them - it's more upsetting to them because Mummy won't let them have any meat.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44In the wild, on a kill, the cubs would be the last ones to feed.
0:17:44 > 0:17:49They would have to find their own spot to get in there.
0:17:49 > 0:17:53A lot of cubs do get hurt when it's feeding time.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57But it doesn't take them long to get the idea.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00And there's no question about their appetite.
0:18:01 > 0:18:05At the moment I'm very happy with it.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07It's gone to plan.
0:18:07 > 0:18:11Initially we had thoughts about Kabir being
0:18:11 > 0:18:15a little bit aggressive towards the cubs when the food is around.
0:18:17 > 0:18:23So far Malaika and Jasira have risen to each new challenge of growing up.
0:18:23 > 0:18:25But they've still got a long way to go,
0:18:25 > 0:18:29and we'll be there to follow their progress throughout the series.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43Longleat is a house packed with treasures,
0:18:43 > 0:18:47but looking after such a collection is a grave responsibility.
0:18:47 > 0:18:54Funds must always be in place to conserve and keep safe the art and antiques for future generations.
0:18:54 > 0:18:59And to do that, sacrifices sometimes have to be made.
0:19:01 > 0:19:06So, in 2002, a number of items from Longleat were sold at auction.
0:19:06 > 0:19:11Amongst them was a 1460 Virgil manuscript, many paintings by
0:19:11 > 0:19:16the Dutch Masters, and four life-size Meissen porcelain animals.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19The sale secured the future of the estate
0:19:19 > 0:19:23by raising a wopping £27 million.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26The Marquess of Bath was delighted with the outcome,
0:19:26 > 0:19:30though he couldn't help but notice all the gaps in the decor.
0:19:30 > 0:19:35There was a big table back there which I forgot to point out, but that's gone.
0:19:35 > 0:19:40These empty walls here weren't empty just last week.
0:19:40 > 0:19:45There was a large number of Dutch masters on the walls,
0:19:45 > 0:19:50and there were Meissen porcelain animal figures.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53They were in various rooms.
0:19:53 > 0:19:57And all that was covered, again, with the Dutch Masters.
0:19:57 > 0:19:59That's gone.
0:19:59 > 0:20:04Things were taken from around here. There was something in that corner.
0:20:04 > 0:20:06I can't actually remember what it was.
0:20:06 > 0:20:11Now we've closed it up, I keep forgetting what has gone, but there was something there.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14Lord Bath may not have missed some of the items,
0:20:14 > 0:20:20but he lost one piece that had real sentimental and historical value.
0:20:20 > 0:20:24In this room there's one very big, heavy hole here.
0:20:24 > 0:20:31That used to house a very large desk where most of my writing throughout my life has been done.
0:20:31 > 0:20:35The 19th-century French desk in sycamore sold for a small fortune.
0:20:39 > 0:20:41At £160,000...
0:20:44 > 0:20:47To fill the gap, Lord Bath commissioned a new desk.
0:20:47 > 0:20:51It was designed to hold the family photograph albums,
0:20:51 > 0:20:54as well as to provide a workstation fit for a Marquess.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57So it was a big day when it arrived.
0:20:57 > 0:21:04- Let's have a look, see what you think.- I do think it is indeed a very fine desk.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07- Just what it should be for displaying all my albums!- Good.
0:21:07 > 0:21:09I'm glad you like the look of it.
0:21:09 > 0:21:15- Very much. And the general feeling of finesse about it.- Thank you.
0:21:15 > 0:21:16Well, I'm very pleased with it.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21But it wasn't just Lord Bath who lost a desk at the auction.
0:21:21 > 0:21:23Lady Bath did, too.
0:21:23 > 0:21:29So now she's asked the craftsmen who created her husband's desk to come up with a design for her.
0:21:29 > 0:21:36Rupert Senior and Charles Carmichael found inspiration in the painting by Botticelli of the Birth of Venus.
0:21:36 > 0:21:38The idea was...
0:21:38 > 0:21:44Because the piece is built and designed for the Marchioness, we wanted to
0:21:44 > 0:21:51design a piece that was very feminine and elegant and romantic.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54As part of the inspiration,
0:21:54 > 0:21:56you will see that
0:21:56 > 0:22:00we've used a shell motif that appears in various parts of the
0:22:00 > 0:22:06desk, including this main shell, which covers the writing surface.
0:22:06 > 0:22:12You can see here, this is Botticelli, the Birth of Venus.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14And so Project Venus was launched.
0:22:14 > 0:22:21Freehand sketches and drawings gradually turned into scale diagrams and plans.
0:22:21 > 0:22:27When the design was finished it had to be approved before anything could go ahead.
0:22:27 > 0:22:32Lady Bath has brought the plans to show her husband.
0:22:34 > 0:22:38So these are the drawings, THE drawing actually.
0:22:38 > 0:22:42That's what it's going to look like. What d'you think?
0:22:42 > 0:22:43Nice?
0:22:43 > 0:22:46It has a very charming design.
0:22:46 > 0:22:52Very much more feminine than, let's say, this desk, and I think appropriate for you.
0:22:52 > 0:22:56I did ask them for something romantic like the darling desk that I loved.
0:22:56 > 0:23:01- It's deliciously romantic. - I think it's very nice.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04- It looks like shells, cockleshells. - That's the idea.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07It is called the Venus desk because it's got a shell,
0:23:07 > 0:23:11like Venus coming out of the seashell.
0:23:11 > 0:23:16- Well, you have to put yourself there and then it will look like that! - You bet!
0:23:16 > 0:23:17Anyhow, it's nice, isn't it?
0:23:17 > 0:23:21- I do think it's nice. - OK, darling.
0:23:21 > 0:23:26So I might take to it, because I miss so much my old desk, the one that's gone.
0:23:26 > 0:23:30But can the new one live up to expectations?
0:23:30 > 0:23:34Later on we'll see what happens as the Venus desk takes shape.
0:23:37 > 0:23:41This isn't something you do every day, take a scrubbing brush to a rhino.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44I'm out in the rhino yard with keeper Kevin Nibbs.
0:23:44 > 0:23:49Kevin, this seems a very strange thing to do. Surely rhinos can look after themselves?
0:23:49 > 0:23:52They can, yeah. Normally they'll go up in the paddocks
0:23:52 > 0:23:57and roll in the mud and just cover themselves and as it dries it will pull the skin off itself.
0:23:57 > 0:24:01So basically what we're doing is getting rid of dead skin?
0:24:01 > 0:24:04Yeah, and all this underneath is new skin.
0:24:04 > 0:24:10We've had a few skin problems this year with them, so it does look a little bit crusty but as soon as
0:24:10 > 0:24:14we get rid of this and the sun comes out, it's going to do his skin good.
0:24:14 > 0:24:20So brushing it is like us exfoliating basically, getting rid of the old, dead stuff and
0:24:20 > 0:24:24letting the new stuff come out and get into the light and the warmth.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27Exactly, it's really good for him. He enjoys it as well.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30They've got very sensitive skin, thick but sensitive.
0:24:30 > 0:24:35Amazing, because you wouldn't think he'd notice that we were here.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37No, no, you wouldn't but it is very sensitive.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40They can feel any insects crawling on their skin
0:24:40 > 0:24:43which is why they put the mud on themselves, to stop that as well.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46- To keep insects off.- Exactly, yes. - And does it work?
0:24:46 > 0:24:50They've got very thick skin but do they need protection from the sun?
0:24:50 > 0:24:53Not so much in our climate but certainly in Africa,
0:24:53 > 0:24:56where it's direct sunlight all the time, definitely.
0:24:56 > 0:25:00- So the wallowing would give them a protective layer?- Yeah, yeah.
0:25:00 > 0:25:06That's incredible, well he does really seem to be enjoying it, he's standing here looking very relaxed.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08We shall carry on beautifying Winston,
0:25:08 > 0:25:11but in the meantime here's what else is coming up today.
0:25:11 > 0:25:15We'll find whether or not the tangled stag can be saved.
0:25:16 > 0:25:21Lady Bath likes the plan, but when the Venus desk is delivered,
0:25:21 > 0:25:24what will she think of the real thing?
0:25:24 > 0:25:28And I'll be giving tigers Sona and Kadu their tea!
0:25:35 > 0:25:39This morning, head of section, Tim Yeo, is up bright and early
0:25:39 > 0:25:42preparing himself for an important mission.
0:25:52 > 0:25:57Today, he has a second chance to dart the rare Pere David's stag
0:25:57 > 0:26:01who's managed to get fencing wire tangled in his antlers.
0:26:03 > 0:26:05Yesterday, Tim scored a hit on the stag
0:26:05 > 0:26:08but sadly the dart malfunctioned.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11It failed to deliver the sedative drug
0:26:11 > 0:26:14and is still stuck in the stag's thick hide.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19It's vital that the wire is removed as soon as possible
0:26:19 > 0:26:23before the stag gets more tangled up and hurts himself.
0:26:23 > 0:26:27So, today, the pressure is on to get it right.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33To get close to the stag without being recognised,
0:26:33 > 0:26:37Tim's going with our film crew in their car.
0:26:37 > 0:26:42He wants to be within 30 metres of his target
0:26:42 > 0:26:44when he takes the first shot.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46If he misses, as he did yesterday,
0:26:46 > 0:26:49the stag will become more skittish than usual
0:26:49 > 0:26:51and almost impossible to hit.
0:26:51 > 0:26:55But the other animals are not cooperating.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59WHISPERING: Rhino around. Oh, no.
0:27:00 > 0:27:02Give me a break.
0:27:06 > 0:27:08Good boy. Good boy.
0:27:08 > 0:27:10Good boy. Good boy.
0:27:10 > 0:27:12Go on, then.
0:27:12 > 0:27:14It's a waiting game,
0:27:14 > 0:27:18as Tim stalks the stag around his favourite wallow.
0:27:18 > 0:27:21He's telling her, "Get out."
0:27:21 > 0:27:25It's not the ideal place to bring him down.
0:27:27 > 0:27:31Trouble is, what about shooting him down like that?
0:27:31 > 0:27:33I'm not happy about it.
0:27:33 > 0:27:37If sedated here, the stag might drown.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41Tim has got to be patient.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46TIM WHISTLES
0:27:47 > 0:27:49But eventually he sees his chance.
0:27:50 > 0:27:52Yes! Yes!
0:27:53 > 0:27:57As it's designed to do, the dart falls out once the drug goes in.
0:27:59 > 0:28:03It's gone well into muscle, right into the rump, so...
0:28:03 > 0:28:07fingers crossed now. We wait and see what happens.
0:28:07 > 0:28:10It takes a few minutes for the drug to work.
0:28:12 > 0:28:16But soon the entangled stag begins to drift off to sleep.
0:28:18 > 0:28:22I'm just giving it time for the drug to fully take effect.
0:28:22 > 0:28:24I know he's been down a little while
0:28:24 > 0:28:27but if we move him too quickly, he could get up.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30He's not likely to do that, but we've had it in the past.
0:28:30 > 0:28:34If you move him too quickly, they're up and they're away.
0:28:34 > 0:28:38The less stimulation we give him now, the better.
0:28:38 > 0:28:43As soon as they're confident that the deer is out cold,
0:28:43 > 0:28:46the team can approach him.
0:28:46 > 0:28:50Deputy head warden Ian Turner is on hand to help.
0:28:50 > 0:28:53It'll just come off, Ian, will it?
0:28:53 > 0:28:55Yeah, it is more or less, isn't it?
0:28:58 > 0:29:00They want to do this quickly
0:29:00 > 0:29:04so the stag is sedated for as little time as possible.
0:29:04 > 0:29:06But they have to be gentle.
0:29:07 > 0:29:09Oh, I see it, yeah.
0:29:13 > 0:29:17Just mind yourself cos I'm bringing his leg out.
0:29:21 > 0:29:23Shall we cut some of that?
0:29:35 > 0:29:37OK.
0:29:39 > 0:29:41Here you go, Ed.
0:29:41 > 0:29:43A side effect of the drug
0:29:43 > 0:29:47is that the stag loses the ability to regulate his body temperature,
0:29:47 > 0:29:50so Tim must make sure he doesn't overheat.
0:29:55 > 0:30:00Then it's time to administer the antidote to rouse him.
0:30:00 > 0:30:02OK.
0:30:02 > 0:30:06I think we could move off when we're ready.
0:30:06 > 0:30:08Well done, guys.
0:30:11 > 0:30:14We'll just pull away now and leave him.
0:30:14 > 0:30:20Now Tim can only wait and hope that the stag will recover.
0:30:23 > 0:30:25Within minutes, the stag wakes up.
0:30:26 > 0:30:29He's a little groggy for a moment
0:30:29 > 0:30:33but then he trots off to rejoin the herd
0:30:33 > 0:30:35as if nothing had happened.
0:30:36 > 0:30:39The operation has been a success.
0:30:40 > 0:30:45I'm so happy that we've managed to catch him
0:30:45 > 0:30:48and remove this wire, which is a hazard.
0:30:48 > 0:30:52It had begun to wrap around one of his hind legs.
0:30:52 > 0:30:55So it's a relief that... we've removed it
0:30:55 > 0:30:58before it's been able to do any damage to him.
0:30:58 > 0:31:03He's back with the hinds now and...you know, life goes on.
0:31:14 > 0:31:21The Marquess and Marchioness of Bath have commissioned a new piece of furniture, a desk for Lady Bath.
0:31:21 > 0:31:25They've now seen the design drawings and are quite impressed.
0:31:26 > 0:31:28It is most elegant.
0:31:28 > 0:31:30It is inspired really by a shell,
0:31:30 > 0:31:36by Botticelli's Venus shell coming floating in
0:31:36 > 0:31:39and she'll be sitting there, arising from her shell.
0:31:40 > 0:31:44It's a huge amount of work but at the same time...
0:31:44 > 0:31:46And costly, may I say.
0:31:46 > 0:31:50But again, we are trying to compensate for the one we both lost.
0:31:50 > 0:31:52He, my husband, for his and me for mine
0:31:52 > 0:31:58and I think that it's very beautiful and made in the 21st century.
0:31:58 > 0:32:04It will be the 21st century's legacy to Longleat, hopefully.
0:32:07 > 0:32:12Rupert Senior and Charles Carmichael are the craftsmen
0:32:12 > 0:32:15who are going to create this antique of the future.
0:32:17 > 0:32:19The wood they chose is yew
0:32:19 > 0:32:23and it all comes from a single 300-year-old tree
0:32:23 > 0:32:26that was blown down in the great storm of 1987.
0:32:26 > 0:32:29It's been air drying for almost 20 years
0:32:29 > 0:32:32so it's top quality timber.
0:32:32 > 0:32:36The trouble is, yew is not an easy wood to work with.
0:32:38 > 0:32:42Yew wood is inherently very difficult to...
0:32:42 > 0:32:47find the right piece. It's a very wasteful timber to work with.
0:32:47 > 0:32:50This particular plank
0:32:50 > 0:32:54is probably as good as it gets.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57Now in this instance that's all looking quite good.
0:32:57 > 0:33:03That's all looking quite good and, lo and behold, we turn it over
0:33:03 > 0:33:06and we discover that there's
0:33:06 > 0:33:10a knot with a big crack down the side of it. That is an inherent weakness.
0:33:10 > 0:33:13If we want quite a strong leg
0:33:13 > 0:33:16and this is going to come right in the middle of the leg
0:33:16 > 0:33:22at this point and the grain is coming off here and here, and this is really
0:33:22 > 0:33:26a very weak point and so we will have to disregard that piece.
0:33:31 > 0:33:36So, a classic design, executed in a beautiful wood, by master craftsmen.
0:33:36 > 0:33:41But furniture this special needs something extra, something unique.
0:33:41 > 0:33:48Inspired by the Botticelli painting, the seashell canopy is that original feature.
0:33:48 > 0:33:52You can see now that we've achieved...
0:33:52 > 0:33:55an almost weightless...
0:33:55 > 0:33:58movement on the canopy.
0:33:58 > 0:34:02We've never seen a similar desk that operates in this way
0:34:02 > 0:34:06and we believe that our design is unique.
0:34:06 > 0:34:09Great attention has been paid to every detail.
0:34:09 > 0:34:12The monogram has an 'A' for Anna,
0:34:12 > 0:34:17and 'B' for Bath. The coronet is the symbol for a marchioness.
0:34:17 > 0:34:23It's taken two years to create, and now the Venus desk is finished.
0:34:23 > 0:34:27But will it live up to Lady Bath's romantic ideal?
0:34:27 > 0:34:31I'm sure she'll love it, but it will be nevertheless very nice
0:34:31 > 0:34:34to have that confirmed when she sees it!
0:34:34 > 0:34:40We'll find out how the desk is received later on, when it finally arrives at Longleat.
0:34:47 > 0:34:52For 17 years there were three tigers living together at Longleat.
0:34:52 > 0:34:58But sadly last year Shandi, the white tiger, died of cancer.
0:34:58 > 0:35:01That leaves Sona and Kadu,
0:35:01 > 0:35:04both elderly and troubled by ill health.
0:35:06 > 0:35:11I've come up to the tiger enclosure to meet head of section Brian Kent here. Hi, Brian.
0:35:11 > 0:35:13And Kadu, one of the tigers.
0:35:13 > 0:35:15How is Kadu doing, how is she?
0:35:15 > 0:35:19Kadu's doing very well considering she's an old lady of the park.
0:35:19 > 0:35:21- How old is old?- She's 21 this year.
0:35:21 > 0:35:25- 21.- So she's doing well.- How old would a tiger live in the wild?
0:35:25 > 0:35:28Not as long as her, sort of 10 or 15 years.
0:35:28 > 0:35:30Right.
0:35:30 > 0:35:33- Considering she's got arthritis as well.- Right.
0:35:33 > 0:35:39Presumably with a tiger of this age you have to do lots of checks to keep an eye on things basically?
0:35:39 > 0:35:43We do check her every day and also the vet comes in once a week.
0:35:43 > 0:35:46We do have a check for her claws because we've had problems
0:35:46 > 0:35:51with her claws drawn into her pads so we need to check them on a regular basis.
0:35:51 > 0:35:54Hopefully the meat will to encourage her up.
0:35:54 > 0:35:57Kadu, come here, come on. Come on.
0:35:57 > 0:36:00- Good girl. Then we try to have a quick look.- There we go.
0:36:00 > 0:36:02You can have a quick look.
0:36:02 > 0:36:05- Just to see if they're all... - Yeah, so you can see the claws.
0:36:05 > 0:36:08Can I give her a piece as well? She's very gentle, isn't she?
0:36:08 > 0:36:11Oh yes, very soft.
0:36:11 > 0:36:15She's enjoying this. One more piece there.
0:36:15 > 0:36:18There you go, you're enjoying that. Brian, thank you very much.
0:36:18 > 0:36:23I'll leave you here and if you follow me down this way, this is the other tiger, Sona.
0:36:23 > 0:36:27Now Bob, you're deputy here in the tiger enclosure.
0:36:27 > 0:36:29What's all this about?
0:36:29 > 0:36:32What we have got here is some mince
0:36:32 > 0:36:36because Sona has got a pancreas problem.
0:36:36 > 0:36:41OK, presumably is this another thing of old age basically?
0:36:41 > 0:36:44Yes, he's had it for several years now.
0:36:44 > 0:36:48- He's got kidney problems, he's arthritic as well.- How old is he?
0:36:48 > 0:36:53He's 20, slightly younger than Kadu, but an old gentleman.
0:36:53 > 0:36:57With this we can put medication in for his pancreas problem
0:36:57 > 0:37:00and then he's got all evening, all day to eat it.
0:37:00 > 0:37:04- He can come as and when he wants to. - Are we ready to put that in now in fact?
0:37:04 > 0:37:08- Yeah, what we have to do, if you just chuck it in.- Just pour it in.
0:37:08 > 0:37:12Presumably you have a big mincing machine?
0:37:12 > 0:37:16We do have an electronic mincer which is great for us, saves us a lot of time.
0:37:16 > 0:37:20Yeah. That looks like a huge amount, can I just say.
0:37:20 > 0:37:21How many kilos in there?
0:37:21 > 0:37:26There's about seven or eight kilos in there so it's a fair bit.
0:37:26 > 0:37:31It's more concentrated and also you can put hearts in there, kidneys,
0:37:31 > 0:37:35normal meat and it's all to build him up because...
0:37:35 > 0:37:38He's looking a little bit thin.
0:37:38 > 0:37:45- And as I say, we can build him up and also he can have all day to eat. - So how do we get it in?
0:37:45 > 0:37:48One thing, you've got to be careful because he's quite keen to get it.
0:37:48 > 0:37:51If I lift the slide up, you can push it around.
0:37:51 > 0:37:53Be careful with the paws because he can get claws out if he wants to.
0:37:53 > 0:37:58- He can come out, can he? So just a quick...- Yeah, put it through there.
0:37:58 > 0:38:01Here you are, mate. That's it.
0:38:04 > 0:38:08He's still kind of grumbling...
0:38:08 > 0:38:11He's basically just seeing us off his food. That's his pride.
0:38:11 > 0:38:13Well, Bob, thank you very much.
0:38:13 > 0:38:16And of course we'll keep you posted on Sona's progress.
0:38:21 > 0:38:25Two years in the making and now the day has finally arrived
0:38:25 > 0:38:29when the Venus desk is to be unveiled at Longleat.
0:38:31 > 0:38:37Rupert Senior and Charles Carmichael have brought it from their workshop, and have just a few minutes
0:38:37 > 0:38:43to do the finishing touches before Lady Bath comes to see it for the first time.
0:38:46 > 0:38:51It's always an anxious moment moving anything,
0:38:51 > 0:38:54but touchwood it's had a good trip.
0:38:54 > 0:39:01We've brought two sets of lampshades and we've brought all sorts of bits and pieces, extra keys, you name it
0:39:01 > 0:39:08and you know you've always got to second-guess any eventualities.
0:39:08 > 0:39:11- So where is it?- Over here.
0:39:11 > 0:39:13Come and see your new desk.
0:39:14 > 0:39:19It's lovely. It's as I imagined it.
0:39:19 > 0:39:24- It's lovely.- So here on the outside we have your monogram at the top.
0:39:24 > 0:39:29It's really lovely, it's quite a piece of art, isn't it, really?
0:39:29 > 0:39:32We've built it to be...
0:39:32 > 0:39:34And it's romantic.
0:39:36 > 0:39:41The ancient yew wood has been given 60 coats of French polish
0:39:41 > 0:39:44to make sure it's exactly the right golden colour.
0:39:44 > 0:39:50There are ten drawers, including two secret ones, each with a polished brass handle.
0:39:53 > 0:39:55It's like a piece of jewellery, isn't it?
0:39:57 > 0:40:02It's made for centuries to come, isn't it, really?
0:40:02 > 0:40:05That why, if you invest in a good piece
0:40:05 > 0:40:10of furniture and you have in mind it's going to go down generations,
0:40:10 > 0:40:12it's lovely.
0:40:12 > 0:40:19And Lady Bath is happy to think that her new Venus desk is indeed worthy of Botticelli.
0:40:19 > 0:40:21I'm sure he'd be enamoured with it.
0:40:21 > 0:40:25He'd be very flattered that I wanted a Botticelli desk, number one.
0:40:25 > 0:40:27I would be if I were an artist.
0:40:27 > 0:40:32And I think he would approve, he would highly approve.
0:40:50 > 0:40:54Down in Pets Corner there's a colony of degus.
0:40:54 > 0:40:59They're a kind of rodent that's related to the guinea pig and to the chinchilla.
0:40:59 > 0:41:03Like both of those species, the degu comes from the Andes in South America.
0:41:03 > 0:41:07In the wild they live in large colonies, so
0:41:07 > 0:41:12they're a very sociable creature and need to be kept in a large group.
0:41:12 > 0:41:16Here at Longleat they've got 20, and the colony is still growing.
0:41:16 > 0:41:21Kate and I are down in Pets Corner at the degu enclosure with keeper Bev Allen.
0:41:21 > 0:41:24Now Bev, why is this particular degu in a cage?
0:41:24 > 0:41:30This is one of our new degus that we're trying to mix in with our male degus here at Pets Corner.
0:41:30 > 0:41:34So it takes a while to sort of mix them in because they're quite territorial.
0:41:34 > 0:41:39Oh really, so they would fight if you just let him go in straight with the others?
0:41:39 > 0:41:41Yes, so we have to basically get them used to the
0:41:41 > 0:41:45different smells and do it very slowly. It takes a long time to do.
0:41:45 > 0:41:48So they obviously are quite complex creatures,
0:41:48 > 0:41:52- you wouldn't necessarily recommend them as a pet?- Not really.
0:41:52 > 0:41:57A couple of years ago they were quite popular as a pet, but they do have to have
0:41:57 > 0:42:04quite a strict diet because they can get diabetes and things like that, and basically the diet
0:42:04 > 0:42:09is like the pellets and also hay and also we give them a bit of carrot now and then
0:42:09 > 0:42:14- because it is good for their teeth because they should have orange teeth, not white teeth.- Oh really?
0:42:14 > 0:42:18- Yeah, white teeth means they're ill.- That's amazing.
0:42:18 > 0:42:23Well, hopefully Bev, this little one will be reintroduced with the rest
0:42:23 > 0:42:27of the group successfully and we'll look forward to that, won't you? Thanks very much, Bev.
0:42:27 > 0:42:30Sadly that's all we've got time for on today's programme,
0:42:30 > 0:42:33but here's what's coming up on the next Animal Park.
0:42:34 > 0:42:40The lion cubs have been playing too rough, and now both of them have injured a leg.
0:42:41 > 0:42:45Up in the great hall, Ben will be getting into some heavy metal.
0:42:46 > 0:42:50And don't be fooled by their comical appearance...
0:42:50 > 0:42:51hippos are deadly.
0:42:51 > 0:42:56We'll have all that and more next time on Animal Park.
0:43:22 > 0:43:25Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:43:25 > 0:43:29E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk