0:00:29 > 0:00:32Hello and welcome to Animal Park.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34- I'm Kate Humble.- And I'm Ben Fogle.
0:00:34 > 0:00:38And this is the perimeter fence of the lion enclosure here at Longleat.
0:00:38 > 0:00:39Now, it's 12-feet high
0:00:39 > 0:00:44and designed to keep the large powerful cats safely inside.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48But what if the worst case scenario were to happen and a lion DID escape?
0:00:48 > 0:00:54Well, today in a special drill, Head Warden Keith Harris will be putting the keepers to the test.
0:00:54 > 0:00:58But will they stay calm or will they lose their heads? We'll find out later.
0:00:58 > 0:01:02In the meantime, here's what else is coming up on today's programme.
0:01:02 > 0:01:06There's a murder mystery to solve on Meerkat Mountain.
0:01:06 > 0:01:11And the investigation has uncovered a twist in the plot that's stranger than fiction.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14We'll be getting up close and personal
0:01:14 > 0:01:16with some of the most beautiful insects on Earth.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20Wow, that's amazing.
0:01:20 > 0:01:27And down on the farm, the student vet is going to find out what's what at lambing time.
0:01:28 > 0:01:34But first, an emergency has been scheduled, and now the drama is about to begin.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37Well, it's early morning outside the lion enclosure here.
0:01:37 > 0:01:39As you can see, it's firmly closed up.
0:01:39 > 0:01:43I'm waiting for keeper Bob Trollope so that we can go out on patrol,
0:01:43 > 0:01:49within the lion enclosure, count them, and something tells me one of them is going to be missing.
0:01:50 > 0:01:55The different areas and departments at Longleat are called sections.
0:01:55 > 0:01:59And already the staff in each section have begun their first jobs of the day.
0:01:59 > 0:02:03For some, that's feeding, while others start with mucking out.
0:02:03 > 0:02:09The keepers who look after the large carnivores have different priorities.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12A lot of their routine is concerned with safety.
0:02:12 > 0:02:17But there's going to be nothing routine about today, though so far everything seems normal.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22I've joined Bob Trollope as he does his usual rounds.
0:02:22 > 0:02:26So, Bob, obviously you do this every morning. We've just counted the wolves.
0:02:26 > 0:02:30- Yeah. The first thing we do every morning is a head count.- Yep.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33- Obviously, as we are driving around, we do a fence check as well.- Yeah.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36See if any trees or branches that have come across
0:02:36 > 0:02:39or any other unlikely thing that might have happened.
0:02:39 > 0:02:43Is that the biggest hazard then? A tree falling and crushing the fence?
0:02:43 > 0:02:45As you know,
0:02:45 > 0:02:48- the safari park is built in a wood... - Mmm.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51..and no matter how well you trim the trees up,
0:02:51 > 0:02:54there's always a possibility that one might
0:02:54 > 0:02:57fall over or a limb might come down.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00That is always a worry, that's for sure.
0:03:00 > 0:03:06While Ben's out with Bob, I'm in position to follow the action in the safari park's nerve centre -
0:03:06 > 0:03:08the office of Head Warden Keith Harris.
0:03:08 > 0:03:16So as not to arouse suspicion at this stage, we're pretending to be here to do an interview about something else.
0:03:16 > 0:03:20You can tell it's the Head Warden's office because it's got the biggest chair.
0:03:20 > 0:03:24'The lion-escape drill has been kept secret from all the other staff,
0:03:24 > 0:03:29'so right now we're just playing along, waiting for the emergency to begin.'
0:03:29 > 0:03:33I'm glad that cameras are here because I can now prove that I do do some work.
0:03:33 > 0:03:35There's lots of paper and stuff about.
0:03:35 > 0:03:42'In the outer office, Deputy Head Warden Ian Turner is blissfully unaware of the impending crisis.'
0:03:44 > 0:03:50There's only three people that know about this and that's me, Brian and Keith.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53I've noticed Craig is coming nearer.
0:03:53 > 0:03:57- This is when I tell him what is actually going on.- OK.
0:03:59 > 0:04:04- What we're doing is basically a lion-escape drill.- Right.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07I'll let you know that all the lions are in.
0:04:07 > 0:04:14If anyone asks you or gets in contact with you, you've got to act just as surprised as we are.
0:04:14 > 0:04:16- OK.- All right.- Yep.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19- So, the first thing is to double check all the lions are in?- Yes!
0:04:19 > 0:04:23- So, which pride is this we're going into?- This is Charlie's pride.- OK.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26Are they going to be surprised to see us?
0:04:26 > 0:04:31The fact is that me and Brian sneaked in yesterday evening and actually put them all in.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34- So, we know they're all there. - LOUD GROWLING
0:04:36 > 0:04:40'Close up, you can really appreciate how dangerous these animals are.
0:04:40 > 0:04:46'Thankfully, since the safari park opened 40 years ago not one has ever escaped.
0:04:46 > 0:04:50'Now we're about to find out what would happen if one did.'
0:04:50 > 0:04:54- Are we ready for this?- I'm actually quite nervous, even though...
0:04:54 > 0:04:58- A lot of planning's gone into this. - We've been planning this for weeks.
0:04:58 > 0:05:04- Mm-hm.- It's been so hard not to let things slip.
0:05:04 > 0:05:08- Craig, you hadn't got a clue about it, had you? - Not at until this morning!
0:05:08 > 0:05:10That's good. That bodes well.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12Shall we make the first call?
0:05:12 > 0:05:14Er, 392, Brian.
0:05:14 > 0:05:18'Bob's first call is to his Head of Section, Brian Kent.
0:05:18 > 0:05:22'Brian is in on the secret, but all the correct procedures
0:05:22 > 0:05:25'must be followed to keep the exercise as real as possible.
0:05:25 > 0:05:31'And, of course, most of the other keepers have radios, too, so they can already hear what's going on.'
0:05:31 > 0:05:36I've checked all the lions in the second and we have one missing.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39Could you have another look round just in case
0:05:39 > 0:05:42'one's got up a tree or something?
0:05:42 > 0:05:44'It's possible.'
0:05:44 > 0:05:50Yeah, I will do. We have had a pretty thorough search, but we haven't seen anything yet.
0:05:50 > 0:05:54All right, have another look again and give me a shout back.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57Give it five minutes and I'll make another call.
0:05:57 > 0:06:01'OK. So far, the situation is still in the hands of the lion keepers.
0:06:01 > 0:06:08'But very soon, it's going to turn into a full-scale emergency that will involve everyone in the park.'
0:06:13 > 0:06:20Meanwhile, down at Meerkat Mountain, the keeper in charge, Darren Beasley, has his own drama to deal with.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23Last year they brought in a new male meerkat to join
0:06:23 > 0:06:28their group of females, in the hope that they would soon start breeding.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32But for some unknown reason, that just didn't follow.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35And now something dreadful's happened.
0:06:35 > 0:06:38We've had a terrible time down here at Meerkat Mountain actually.
0:06:38 > 0:06:43Um, a few days ago, the meerkats started fighting amongst themselves.
0:06:43 > 0:06:48We thought it was a normal, hierarchical scuffle, cos they have these falling-outs.
0:06:48 > 0:06:53The alpha male and the alpha female keep everybody else in line.
0:06:53 > 0:06:58And it didn't stop. The fighting went on pretty much solid for well over an hour.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01We split them up and they were fighting through the barriers inside
0:07:01 > 0:07:04underneath the mountain in their night house.
0:07:04 > 0:07:08And even though we administered a bit of first aid and antibiotics,
0:07:08 > 0:07:14I'm afraid they basically murdered one of the meerkats - they killed one of their gang.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18A gang of meerkats is properly known as a mob.
0:07:18 > 0:07:24And although they look harmless, and even cute, these animals come from a tough neighbourhood,
0:07:24 > 0:07:30the Kalahari Desert of southern Africa, one of the harshest environments on Earth.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33But now Darren has a mystery to solve.
0:07:33 > 0:07:37What was the motive for the murder, and will the killer strike again?
0:07:37 > 0:07:44The victim was male, so perhaps it was a courtship or mating ritual gone horribly wrong.
0:07:44 > 0:07:50When a little boy meerkat wants to chat up a lady meerkat, he basically will attack her.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53He will try and overpower her,
0:07:53 > 0:07:58if you like, to convince her that he's big and strong and she's got to do what he says.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01It may be in this case that this male,
0:08:01 > 0:08:05because it was a male that was killed, um... picked on the wrong girl.
0:08:05 > 0:08:12Squabbling and fighting is a normal part of meerkat society, as animals jostle for position within the group.
0:08:12 > 0:08:19The females are feisty, though it's usually the males who are the most confrontational.
0:08:19 > 0:08:26So, when the new male arrived last year, Darren introduced him to the girls slowly and carefully
0:08:26 > 0:08:28in order to avoid any trouble.
0:08:31 > 0:08:36But the group settled down in no time, and everything seemed to be going perfectly.
0:08:36 > 0:08:40So why did it come to end in a violent tragedy?
0:08:40 > 0:08:42Could there be another explanation?
0:08:42 > 0:08:48Darren has taken his investigation further to pursue a startling theory.
0:08:48 > 0:08:55Well, the one that passed away and been killed was a boy. We saw that.
0:08:55 > 0:08:59We caught all the others to check for injuries and check for wellbeing and stuff.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01We think we've got another male in here.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04That could prove to be a fatal error.
0:09:04 > 0:09:08When they arrived from another collection, we sexed them and put them in.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11Meerkats aren't the easiest things to sex, I know.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14But we thought we had all girls and just this one boy.
0:09:14 > 0:09:19So, what we do know is, we know that the one male that we know of had a transponder in,
0:09:19 > 0:09:21which is a tiny little microchip.
0:09:21 > 0:09:26It's a way of identifying animals. It gets injected under the skin at the back of the neck.
0:09:26 > 0:09:31A lot of dogs and cats have it now. It's a really good idea. So, Duncan, the vet, is coming in.
0:09:31 > 0:09:35We're going to use the transponder reader to see if any of the ones left have got a chip.
0:09:35 > 0:09:40If they have, we know that the male in here is our original male
0:09:40 > 0:09:45and the one that was actually murdered was an impostor or someone that shouldn't have been here.
0:09:45 > 0:09:51If one of the remaining meerkats DOES turn out to be male, then the fatal fight
0:09:51 > 0:09:56would have been natural behaviour to establish who was the alpha male.
0:09:56 > 0:10:00It could all be down to a tragic case of mistaken identity.
0:10:00 > 0:10:06We'll be back on Meerkat Mountain shortly when the vet arrives to solve the mystery.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22Back in Lion Country, keeper Bob Trollope is about
0:10:22 > 0:10:26to launch an emergency that could send panic across the safari park.
0:10:26 > 0:10:30It's only Bob, his head of section, Brian Kent,
0:10:30 > 0:10:34and Head Warden Keith Harris who know that this is a safety exercise.
0:10:34 > 0:10:39Everyone else is about to be told that a lioness has gone missing.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42Right now the deception is still brewing.
0:10:42 > 0:10:48Bob's going through the motions of double-checking the area normally occupied by Charlie's pride.
0:10:48 > 0:10:52What they call the "second section" of the lion enclosure.
0:10:52 > 0:10:56- 'Any luck yet?- No, not a thing. Definitely not in the second.
0:10:56 > 0:11:01'All right, I'll check the fence along by gate four in a minute.'
0:11:06 > 0:11:09- Brian's just going to do a perimeter check.- Right.
0:11:09 > 0:11:11BRIAN'S VOICE ON RADIO
0:11:11 > 0:11:14- Who's he calling? - He's calling Keith now.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17Right. So this is when things are starting to get more serious.
0:11:17 > 0:11:21- Yeah. As soon as Keith's involved, it's a full-scale emergency.- Right.
0:11:21 > 0:11:25'Brian has called in to talk to Head Warden Keith Harris,
0:11:25 > 0:11:29'but it's his deputy, Ian Turner, who comes on the radio.'
0:11:29 > 0:11:34I got a shout from Bob. There's a lion missing in the second. He's had a good look round,
0:11:34 > 0:11:40'and, um, can't find it. I'm just going along the fence by gate four at the moment.'
0:11:40 > 0:11:43So, that was Ian. Ian won't have a clue about what's...
0:11:43 > 0:11:51Ian doesn't know. Keith is making out he's being filmed just so it throws Ian a little bit.
0:11:51 > 0:11:55- OK.- So, Ian is going to have to going there and tell Keith the news.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58A big banana split, I think it's going to be, but raw.
0:11:58 > 0:12:02- And then, um, it's... - KNOCK ON DOOR
0:12:02 > 0:12:06Sorry, but we've got a lion missing in the second section at the minute.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09- Not this one that's...? - Keep the radio on.
0:12:12 > 0:12:16- What should we do at this point? - We'll just hang on. He's going to call Brian.
0:12:16 > 0:12:22'Because Ian doesn't know it's a drill, it's important for Keith and me to keep up the deception.'
0:12:22 > 0:12:24What's happened?
0:12:24 > 0:12:27I'd just got a call from Bob.
0:12:27 > 0:12:29There's a lion missing in the second.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32He's had a good look round, but can't find it.
0:12:32 > 0:12:36I'm along the fence line from gate four at the moment, just having a look.
0:12:36 > 0:12:40OK, well, give us a shout if there's a problem.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43Surely there IS a problem if a lion's out.
0:12:43 > 0:12:49- Only between the fences at the moment.- OK. So, there's a double layer of fences?- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:12:49 > 0:12:51A lion is a killing machine.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53- Yes.- They're born to kill.
0:12:54 > 0:13:00- Um, and for one to escape, there's obviously going to be a lot of fear about.- Mm-hm.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04It will be unnatural territory for the lion.
0:13:04 > 0:13:10- So, it's going to be frightened. - Mm-hm.- Um, for all we know, it could be hid up somewhere.
0:13:10 > 0:13:11- Mm-hm.- Who knows?
0:13:14 > 0:13:19KATE: The safari park is now just one step away from a full-scale emergency.
0:13:19 > 0:13:24Brian Kent must check the perimeter fence one last time.
0:13:24 > 0:13:28If he finds a break or hole, the entire safari park will be told
0:13:28 > 0:13:32that there's a deadly lion on the loose somewhere on the estate.
0:13:40 > 0:13:44Meanwhile, there's a cloud of suspicion hanging over Meerkat Mountain.
0:13:44 > 0:13:48A young male's been killed in a fight.
0:13:48 > 0:13:52Head of Pets Corner, Darren Beasley, assumed that he was the new male
0:13:52 > 0:13:56who was brought in last year to join the all-female mob.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59But now the plot thickens, because they suspect that
0:13:59 > 0:14:04the new male is actually one of the three meerkats who are still here.
0:14:04 > 0:14:08The problem is that these meerkats look almost identical
0:14:08 > 0:14:11but there is one sure-fire way to identify the new male.
0:14:11 > 0:14:16They know he's got a microchip transponder inserted beneath the skin.
0:14:16 > 0:14:21Now vet Duncan Williams has arrived with his microchip reader.
0:14:22 > 0:14:26You're going to solve a real mystery for us.
0:14:26 > 0:14:28So, we've separated the meerkats now.
0:14:28 > 0:14:32It's like putting your hand into a tiger pit, really,
0:14:32 > 0:14:33cos they're so vicious.
0:14:33 > 0:14:35That's it.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38Hopefully, we won't find any chips on this one.
0:14:38 > 0:14:39No, there's nothing there.
0:14:39 > 0:14:43That's a female. That is a female. Look at those teeth!
0:14:43 > 0:14:47They eat insects. Goodness gracious, what do you want teeth like that for?
0:14:47 > 0:14:51Incredible. Let's put her in there.
0:14:54 > 0:14:55Oh, I nearly fell in.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58Now, there's just one left to try.
0:14:58 > 0:15:04If this one turns out to be the new male, it would explain why the fatal fight was so intense.
0:15:04 > 0:15:11In the wild, a conflict to determine the alpha male can easily turn into a battle to the death.
0:15:11 > 0:15:14- BEEPING - You've got a chip already. - You've got a chip already?- Yep.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17So, in a way, that is good news.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21This means, this little feisty fellow is our original male.
0:15:21 > 0:15:25That explains a lot. That explains, the other one was an impostor.
0:15:25 > 0:15:29It obviously was a sub-adult when it arrived. We thought it was a female.
0:15:29 > 0:15:33It's grown up to a male and he's seen it off, but in, I'm afraid, the ultimate way.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36So, the mystery is solved.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39The victim was only a youngster when he arrived,
0:15:39 > 0:15:43which is what made it so difficult to spot that he was actually a male.
0:15:43 > 0:15:47As long as he was still a juvenile there was no trouble.
0:15:47 > 0:15:54But when he reached sexual maturity, he was driven to challenge the alpha male - with fatal consequences.
0:15:55 > 0:16:00Fighting, most days, most weeks, is part of this hierarchical structure.
0:16:00 > 0:16:04It's the two top ones that want to breed and want to rule the roost.
0:16:04 > 0:16:10Everybody else is secondary. Nature says, as you get bigger and stronger, you're going to compete.
0:16:10 > 0:16:17In the wild, you might drive someone away or you might just live in, not harmony, but live knowing your place.
0:16:17 > 0:16:19Obviously here, the balance...
0:16:19 > 0:16:21Somebody somewhere decided that these two,
0:16:21 > 0:16:26they weren't going to live in peace and harmony and they both wanted to be top cat.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28And there can't be two top cats.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31But something good may come from these tragic events.
0:16:31 > 0:16:38Now that the hierarchy of the mob is stable, there's nothing to stop them from finally starting to breed.
0:16:38 > 0:16:43We have two unrelated females with an unrelated male, all of a good age.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46There shouldn't be any infighting now.
0:16:46 > 0:16:47They've balanced themselves out.
0:16:47 > 0:16:51I'd like to be having this conversation with you in ten years' time,
0:16:51 > 0:16:56saying we've got 40 meerkats here and we've a lovely colony. So, we'll just have to wait and see.
0:16:59 > 0:17:03KATE: 'Back in the safari-park office only a few minutes have passed
0:17:03 > 0:17:08'since keepers Bob Trollope and Brian Kent reported a missing lion.
0:17:08 > 0:17:12'Head Warden Keith Harris is now waiting for news that will confirm
0:17:12 > 0:17:16'everyone's worst fears - actual evidence of an escape.'
0:17:16 > 0:17:18I found several holes along the fence line.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21I'd imagine it's possible it could have got out of there.
0:17:21 > 0:17:24OK, Brian. We'll come straight there.
0:17:32 > 0:17:37'Could I have any available vehicles mobile?'
0:17:39 > 0:17:42So, there probably will be some very real panic going on now.
0:17:42 > 0:17:47There's going to be a lot of panic. People will be zooming in to an area.
0:17:47 > 0:17:51Now, Brian is down at gate four
0:17:51 > 0:17:53- where he's spotted a hole.- Yep.
0:17:53 > 0:17:55I would imagine people will aim for that direction.
0:17:55 > 0:17:59Like everyone else, Deputy Head Warden Ian Turner
0:17:59 > 0:18:04doesn't know that this is actually an elaborate safety exercise.
0:18:04 > 0:18:08- A lion's gone missing... - VOICE ON RADIO
0:18:08 > 0:18:10..and there's a lioness.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13Ian, can you grab the dart kit, please?
0:18:14 > 0:18:18- Deputy Head Warden Ian Turner is going to be going to get a...? - Dart kit.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21He's the person that does most of the darting here.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24You always nominate a certain person to go and do a job.
0:18:24 > 0:18:28- I'm just picking up the dart stuff, really.- Yeah, OK.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31I'll take the pistol.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34We've had ones between fences before.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37Usually, it's if a tree's come down or something.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44I hope she's just...
0:18:44 > 0:18:45hiding somewhere, out of the way.
0:18:49 > 0:18:54If she's been bullied, that could be a reason why she's gone over.
0:18:56 > 0:18:58Which way do you think it's gone?
0:18:58 > 0:19:02- I think it's gone up that way. I'm not 100% sure, mind.- OK.
0:19:02 > 0:19:08Well, if you follow what you think are the tracks along there, I'll have to give the gardeners a shout.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11- I'll go down to the junction in a minute.- I haven't got out, being on my own.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13But I'd imagine it's gone that way.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20- 293, Bob.- Yes?
0:19:20 > 0:19:25Bob, can you put the rest of the lions in, if possible, please?
0:19:25 > 0:19:28I'll meet you down by gate four.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31Yeah, me and Craig, we've already done that.
0:19:31 > 0:19:33And there's definitely one missing?
0:19:33 > 0:19:36The rest of the lions are in. Definitely one missing.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39There's dog walkers out there. What does this mean?
0:19:39 > 0:19:41Well, we've got to...
0:19:41 > 0:19:46get everybody mobile and get people like that picked up.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48Right.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50Tommy, I need everything shut down, mate.
0:19:50 > 0:19:55I've got a problem already. On the picnic area, there's a dog walker.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58We need him evacuated.
0:19:59 > 0:20:05I need to stop all traffic. One of the biggest dangers at the moment is, we know she's out, we don't know
0:20:05 > 0:20:08where she is but there's people walking on the estate already.
0:20:10 > 0:20:16About 4,500 acres of the estate is open for public access.
0:20:16 > 0:20:18But now everyone has swung into action.
0:20:18 > 0:20:26Keepers, gardeners, security and house staff are all working together to lock down the whole place.
0:20:26 > 0:20:32Darren Beasley has left Pets Corner to get to his emergency station at one of the gates.
0:20:32 > 0:20:38- Hiya. If you go up there, they are a little bit tense up there, so... - What's going on?
0:20:38 > 0:20:41- I'm not sure, really. It's an emergency of some sort.- OK.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46Buster, Buster, this is Safari Base.
0:20:46 > 0:20:50Um, we have an incident. I need...
0:20:50 > 0:20:52immediate assistance, please.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55We've got an animal that's escaped. We know it's a lion.
0:20:55 > 0:20:58I need mobile, immediate assistance, please.
0:20:58 > 0:21:00Be careful. We don't know where the lion is.
0:21:00 > 0:21:05- All right?- All right. - If you can take a few people with you.- OK.
0:21:13 > 0:21:19Can you organise somebody at the safari office to close the gate and not let anybody through, Mark?
0:21:19 > 0:21:22OK, there's just somebody. Yeah, OK.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25So, they've closed the safari park as well.
0:21:25 > 0:21:29They're shutting the gates, so that no cars can come down.
0:21:29 > 0:21:36You want the least amount of people as possible to be
0:21:36 > 0:21:38- wherever this lion might be.- Mm-hm.
0:21:38 > 0:21:40Bob, could you get to Heaven's Gate proper?
0:21:42 > 0:21:43No, the top.
0:21:43 > 0:21:45Make sure nobody comes through there.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53I have to say, it's incredibly impressive.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56This was only discovered about five minutes ago.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59The whole park is mobilising very, very fast.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02Yeah. The only thing is now, we've got to find the lion.
0:22:02 > 0:22:06And when the lion is found, then the emergency will really go into top gear.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09We'll be back to see what happens very soon.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16The safari park may be on high alert,
0:22:16 > 0:22:21but for the thousands of acres of farmland that make up the rest of the Longleat estate,
0:22:21 > 0:22:23it's business as usual.
0:22:23 > 0:22:25Right now it's lambing season.
0:22:27 > 0:22:32Sheep farmer Simon Baggs is expecting about 2,800 lambs to be born,
0:22:32 > 0:22:35and many of the ewes will need a helping hand.
0:22:35 > 0:22:39It's an enormous task, and this year Simon's recruited
0:22:39 > 0:22:44Naia Knight, a student from the Bristol Veterinary School, to help.
0:22:44 > 0:22:48I'm in my first year, so I've done two terms.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51And I've got four years to go.
0:22:51 > 0:22:57As part of my extra-mural studies. We have to do 12 weeks in the first two years,
0:22:57 > 0:23:02so I'm doing three weeks on a sheep farm here, and learning basically sheep husbandry.
0:23:02 > 0:23:07Lambing time is not just a matter of letting the ewes get on with it.
0:23:07 > 0:23:12A couple of months ago, all these sheep were scanned to find out how many lambs they're carrying.
0:23:12 > 0:23:16The problem is that ewes have only two teats.
0:23:16 > 0:23:21In the ideal world, every sheep we want to send out wants to have two lambs.
0:23:21 > 0:23:27So we have the ones carrying triplets, which are the threes with the red dots in here.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30And then the singles are in the other shed.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33What we can do then, when the singles lamb and the triplets lamb,
0:23:33 > 0:23:37we can take a triplet off and put it straight on to a single ewe.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40As it's unlikely for all the triplets to be born at
0:23:40 > 0:23:46the same time as the singles, there's a holding pen for the extra lambs awaiting mothers.
0:23:46 > 0:23:50This is our shepherdess that we use to feed the orphan lambs.
0:23:50 > 0:23:52It's much easier than bottle-feeding them.
0:23:52 > 0:23:54We teach them to drink like this.
0:23:54 > 0:23:59Hopefully, we'll orphan them off on to a single - a sheep that's only got one lamb.
0:23:59 > 0:24:05It remains to be seen whether mothers can be found for all the orphaned lambs.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08Their survival depends on it, and it has to happen soon.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11Still to come on today's programme..
0:24:11 > 0:24:15- Ian, where are you with that rifle? - Just going past gate four
0:24:15 > 0:24:18We'll find out if park staff can cope with the ongoing emergency.
0:24:18 > 0:24:23We'll be getting a bug's-eye view of the world's most beautiful insects.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25And down on the farm,
0:24:25 > 0:24:32we'll find out if the orphaned lambs can settle in and bond with their new mums.
0:24:32 > 0:24:34But first...
0:24:34 > 0:24:38Back in the safari park, the staff are all at action stations.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41They've been told that a lioness has escaped.
0:24:41 > 0:24:45Only the lion keepers Bob Trollope and Brian Kent,
0:24:45 > 0:24:51along with Head Warden Keith Harris, know that this is actually a safety drill.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54Where are you with that rifle?
0:24:54 > 0:24:58Yeah, just going past the hippo field now towards gate four.
0:24:58 > 0:25:02Keith is in charge now. We have to take our directions from him.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05Obviously, if we see things that will
0:25:05 > 0:25:08help him out, then we obviously report that.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11What's happening now, we are doing a sweep of this area.
0:25:11 > 0:25:17- Right.- We've had a report that it was in what we call this hanging here, underneath the hill.
0:25:17 > 0:25:21Quite good camouflage up here, in this lion-coloured...
0:25:21 > 0:25:25Brian's coming in from our left, and he's going along that hanging.
0:25:25 > 0:25:27OK, let's be optimistic here.
0:25:27 > 0:25:29We find the lion.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32- Then what happens?- The first thing we have to is assess
0:25:32 > 0:25:36whether it's either "dartable" or we've got to destroy the animal.
0:25:36 > 0:25:41- Right.- When I say "dartable", it's got to be in an accessible area we can get to.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44- Right.- In which case, we might chance darting it.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47So, darting it would mean tranquillising it,
0:25:47 > 0:25:50- and then you can move it back into the enclosure?- Yeah.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53Worst-case scenario, if you had to put it down -
0:25:53 > 0:25:56in what circumstances is that?
0:25:56 > 0:26:00If we believe there's a risk of it escaping further,
0:26:00 > 0:26:04- or a risk to the public, then the animal will be destroyed.- Right.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09You wouldn't get out at this stage, still?
0:26:09 > 0:26:13No. If you don't know where the animal is, then you don't get out.
0:26:13 > 0:26:20It's as simple as that. Because, it could be down in that gully, and if we went marching off down there,
0:26:20 > 0:26:26- guns in hand...- Yes.- ..then you're making yourself vulnerable.
0:26:26 > 0:26:28That's one thing you don't want to do.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35It would be scared, frightened.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38It would be more dangerous than normal, I'd have thought.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41You just don't know where it would be.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44It could be hid up, or run in sheer panic.
0:26:44 > 0:26:50And keep running. And then suddenly stopping somewhere and hiding up. It could go for miles.
0:26:52 > 0:26:58In fact, Brian knows exactly where the lion is hiding, because he put it there last night.
0:26:58 > 0:27:00Now to find out how the team reacts.
0:27:00 > 0:27:04Will they do the right things to recapture the animal?
0:27:04 > 0:27:08Brian starts the next phase of the exercise.
0:27:08 > 0:27:10Yeah, found the lion, Keith.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13- It's up here.- OK, is it "dartable"?
0:27:14 > 0:27:17Just about see it, yeah.
0:27:17 > 0:27:19Somebody's spotted something, they reckon.
0:27:19 > 0:27:24It might be a false alarm, but we've got to check it out to make sure.
0:27:24 > 0:27:28- The lion's been found.- If you can withdraw a minute. Ian's behind you.
0:27:28 > 0:27:32'If everybody else just stands still for a minute, please.'
0:27:32 > 0:27:36- That's Brian up there, isn't it? - Brian's spotted the lion.
0:27:36 > 0:27:38Keith has directed everyone to stand still.
0:27:38 > 0:27:44Because, now we've spotted it, we don't want it to run off any further and potentially lose it.
0:27:48 > 0:27:49I've worked here for 31 years.
0:27:49 > 0:27:53It's the first time we've physically had a lion out.
0:27:53 > 0:27:59We've had them between fences, when we've had major storms.
0:27:59 > 0:28:07These animals are used to vehicles. Does that make your job easier or more difficult?
0:28:07 > 0:28:09Sometimes. It works both ways.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12What we don't want is this lion to be scared and pushed away.
0:28:12 > 0:28:17Brian is assessing the situation. We know we've got the darting equipment here.
0:28:17 > 0:28:19Ian would have been making up a dart.
0:28:19 > 0:28:24- 'Is Ian on his way up?' - Yep, Ian's just coming through now.
0:28:24 > 0:28:29'So now the safari park is locked down, the lion is cornered
0:28:29 > 0:28:33'and Ian is standing by in position to shoot it with a tranquilliser dart.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36'Time for Keith to end the exercise.'
0:28:36 > 0:28:39OK, Safari Base to a Safari Park.
0:28:39 > 0:28:42OK, stand down now. We've caught the lion.
0:28:42 > 0:28:46'Thank you very much for everybody's assistance.'
0:28:46 > 0:28:47Let's reveal our lion.
0:28:51 > 0:28:53It was exhausting...
0:28:53 > 0:28:57and all...for that.
0:28:57 > 0:28:59A cardboard lion.
0:28:59 > 0:29:02Gets the old adrenaline going, doesn't it, eh?
0:29:05 > 0:29:08- Did you know it was a drill? - Not at all. No, didn't have a clue.
0:29:08 > 0:29:13It seems like an elaborate joke, but, actually, this was a serious matter.
0:29:13 > 0:29:18Yes, whether there are cameras here or not, this is the sort of thing we have to practise,
0:29:18 > 0:29:21and this time we've involved everybody on the whole estate,
0:29:21 > 0:29:24to see how the whole estate would cope in an emergency.
0:29:24 > 0:29:26So, guys, can I quickly ask?
0:29:26 > 0:29:30Did you all realise that this was perhaps an exercise, or were you...?
0:29:30 > 0:29:34- No, not at all.- Really?- We took it very seriously.- Yes, of course.
0:29:34 > 0:29:40Because I knew... We realised it was an exercise, but, even I...
0:29:40 > 0:29:43- All the hairs stood up on my arms. - Yeah!
0:29:43 > 0:29:44What went through your minds?
0:29:44 > 0:29:47Still pumping away there.
0:29:47 > 0:29:49We jumped in the trucks, and...
0:29:49 > 0:29:53we just followed the procedures and orders, and here we are.
0:29:53 > 0:29:58Deputy Head Warden, would you mind coming and having a word with us, please?
0:29:58 > 0:30:02Probably not the ideal way to start your day!
0:30:02 > 0:30:06How do you feel about Keith at this precise moment?
0:30:06 > 0:30:09What's so funny is, it never entered my head it was a test.
0:30:09 > 0:30:13Not once. Because we've got a little bit of trouble with lions. And I thought, no, no.
0:30:13 > 0:30:16And, literally, it's still going now.
0:30:16 > 0:30:19- You are trembling, aren't you? - I said to the other lot,
0:30:19 > 0:30:23"That's the only way to do it. You can't let everybody know."
0:30:23 > 0:30:29So, are you both pleased, as Head Warden and Deputy Head Warden, with how the operation went today?
0:30:29 > 0:30:32We're going to have a debrief now and talk it over.
0:30:32 > 0:30:36As far as I can see from what I was looking at, it went very well.
0:30:36 > 0:30:41'The emergency ends with the recaptured lion taken safely into custody.'
0:30:41 > 0:30:44- What a morning!- It certainly...!
0:30:44 > 0:30:48'Now the staff all over the safari park can go back to their routine duties,
0:30:48 > 0:30:54'safe in the knowledge that if the worst WAS ever to happen, they would all know what to do.'
0:30:57 > 0:31:02After all that excitement, it's time for something more tranquil
0:31:02 > 0:31:06over at the home of one of the park's least dangerous collections.
0:31:07 > 0:31:11The tropical butterfly house is filled with exotic species
0:31:11 > 0:31:12from all across the globe.
0:31:12 > 0:31:17Because of their size, it can be difficult to appreciate these fabulous insects,
0:31:17 > 0:31:23so we've invited wildlife cameraman Steve Downer to bring in his specialist lenses
0:31:23 > 0:31:27and equipment to see if he can take us right into this miniature world.
0:31:27 > 0:31:34In fact, we've set him a challenge, to show us the entire life cycle of the butterfly.
0:31:34 > 0:31:41Fortunately, Longleat's own butterfly expert, Derek Longuet, has just spotted shot number one.
0:31:43 > 0:31:49This is the first stage in reproduction, the mating of the owl butterfly.
0:31:49 > 0:31:52Three or four days after this, they start egg-laying.
0:31:52 > 0:31:58And then there'll be a series of eggs, they'll lay them in a chain down the rib of a banana leaf.
0:32:01 > 0:32:04That's just what's happening nearby.
0:32:04 > 0:32:06The owl butterfly gets its name
0:32:06 > 0:32:08from the markings on the wings,
0:32:08 > 0:32:10"eyes" to confuse predators.
0:32:10 > 0:32:12We spotted her laying her first egg.
0:32:12 > 0:32:16And now she's laying the second egg.
0:32:16 > 0:32:19In many cases, she'll go on and lay a string of eggs
0:32:19 > 0:32:22along the mid-section of the leaf.
0:32:24 > 0:32:27We can get good shots with OUR camera,
0:32:27 > 0:32:30but then Steve moves in to show what he can do.
0:32:35 > 0:32:37These eggs are quite interesting.
0:32:37 > 0:32:39Some are smooth, but these are ridged.
0:32:39 > 0:32:41- May I have a look?- Yes, certainly.
0:32:44 > 0:32:49The detail on that - the banding is so clear.
0:32:51 > 0:32:54Eggs come in many different shapes and sizes,
0:32:54 > 0:32:56but they all hatch out
0:32:56 > 0:33:00within two to four days to reveal small caterpillars.
0:33:00 > 0:33:04The front pads or legs are for propulsion.
0:33:04 > 0:33:08They have a couple of sticky pads at the back,
0:33:08 > 0:33:11which they use for grip.
0:33:11 > 0:33:14These are interesting, they're swallowtail caterpillars.
0:33:14 > 0:33:17At this stage, they look like...
0:33:17 > 0:33:19small bird droppings.
0:33:22 > 0:33:27These caterpillars eat almost continuously and grow very fast.
0:33:27 > 0:33:31If a human baby weighing about nine pounds grew at the same rate,
0:33:31 > 0:33:35it would tip the scales at 11 metric tonnes as an adult.
0:33:38 > 0:33:42After two to three weeks of stuffing themselves silly,
0:33:42 > 0:33:45the growing caterpillars develop a hard outer case
0:33:45 > 0:33:47as they enter the pupal stage.
0:33:47 > 0:33:50This does happen naturally in the butterfly house,
0:33:50 > 0:33:54but Derek boosts the numbers with more pupae from the Far East.
0:33:54 > 0:33:56It's another delivery of pupae.
0:33:56 > 0:34:03Twice a week, I get pupae coming in to supplement what I'm breeding here.
0:34:03 > 0:34:05It's just like Christmas.
0:34:07 > 0:34:14It never loses its appeal and I never know exactly what's coming in and the selection.
0:34:14 > 0:34:18Some beautiful chrysalis here,
0:34:18 > 0:34:24that mimic a leaf insect, complete with pretend legs
0:34:24 > 0:34:28and little silver spots.
0:34:28 > 0:34:31That warns predators to keep away.
0:34:31 > 0:34:34And there we are, some of nature's jewels.
0:34:34 > 0:34:39Pretty enough to be worn as earrings. Golden colour.
0:34:39 > 0:34:42Nature's protection, that.
0:34:42 > 0:34:46I think I can get some amazing detail from some of these,
0:34:46 > 0:34:49some of these that look leaves.
0:34:49 > 0:34:51I can try some back lighting
0:34:51 > 0:34:53and maybe see what's inside.
0:34:53 > 0:34:56Maybe we can see details of what's inside the chrysalis.
0:35:07 > 0:35:10The next stage is for the fully formed butterfly to emerge
0:35:10 > 0:35:14from the pupa, but we may have to wait a bit for that.
0:35:14 > 0:35:20It's quite difficult to know exactly when a butterfly is going to emerge from its case.
0:35:20 > 0:35:23And I've often had to wait for a couple of days
0:35:23 > 0:35:25for the emergence.
0:35:29 > 0:35:31But luck is on our side.
0:35:31 > 0:35:36Soon after Steve sets up the camera by the butterfly emerging cabinet...
0:35:36 > 0:35:40There's one butterfly which has just emerged and I'm going to get
0:35:40 > 0:35:45some really tight close-ups of its head and its eyes and its tongue.
0:35:51 > 0:35:55Once they've emerged, the wings are folded and what's going to happen
0:35:55 > 0:35:58over the next hour, is that the blood is going to pump through the wings
0:35:58 > 0:36:01and they'll gradually expand until they're this size.
0:36:01 > 0:36:05I've set up on a big close-up of its eye and its proboscis, Derek.
0:36:05 > 0:36:08Do you want to have a look through the viewfinder?
0:36:10 > 0:36:13Wow! That's amazing.
0:36:17 > 0:36:21Butterflies don't bite and chew their food like we do.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24Instead, they have a long straw-like feature called a proboscis,
0:36:24 > 0:36:28which they use to drink nectar and juices.
0:36:28 > 0:36:34When they're not using it, it coils up just like a garden hose.
0:36:34 > 0:36:36I've never seen detail like that.
0:36:36 > 0:36:41I mean, I'm obviously looking at them each day, but I'm speechless.
0:36:48 > 0:36:55You can see where they get the strength in the wing, allied to the lightness.
0:36:55 > 0:36:57That really is amazing.
0:36:57 > 0:37:01I find all stages interesting, from discovering eggs,
0:37:01 > 0:37:04caterpillars splitting their skin
0:37:04 > 0:37:07and going on to the next stage of the cycle.
0:37:07 > 0:37:11Coming in each morning and spotting something just about to hatch,
0:37:11 > 0:37:16watching it unfurl like a parachute. It's all magic.
0:37:36 > 0:37:39Back at Simon Bagg's estate farm,
0:37:39 > 0:37:45student vet Naia is looking after the lambs awaiting foster mothers.
0:37:45 > 0:37:51Naia, we've just got a single given birth, so I think we can put one of these lambs on her hopefully.
0:37:53 > 0:37:56Right, we'll tie his legs up.
0:37:56 > 0:38:01The reason why we're tying them up now is so obviously when we've got the lamb all wet,
0:38:01 > 0:38:07he doesn't run off, because he's older than the ones being born over here obviously.
0:38:07 > 0:38:10So then she thinks it's sort of new-born.
0:38:17 > 0:38:19We need to get all the fluids,
0:38:19 > 0:38:22so we can wash the lamb we're going to orphan off.
0:38:22 > 0:38:24Just leave that one over there.
0:38:34 > 0:38:39What we do now is put this orphan on to her. Cheers.
0:38:40 > 0:38:43Just lie down now. That's it.
0:38:45 > 0:38:48She'll start licking now.
0:38:50 > 0:38:53Now put her own...there as well.
0:38:53 > 0:38:57Licking sort of cleans them because they're a bit slimy when they come out,
0:38:57 > 0:39:02and she gets all that off their fur dries out and they warm up.
0:39:02 > 0:39:06It's a bonding process. You can hear her making chuckling noises to them.
0:39:06 > 0:39:10And she's smelling them, and they're getting to know her and that's how they bond.
0:39:10 > 0:39:12She's quite a good one.
0:39:12 > 0:39:14She'll be a good mum.
0:39:19 > 0:39:23Basically, it's a really good sign that she's letting it suck
0:39:23 > 0:39:26because if she wasn't going to accept it as her lamb,
0:39:26 > 0:39:29she wouldn't be letting him suck from her,
0:39:29 > 0:39:30like he's doing now.
0:39:31 > 0:39:36Once it looks as though the lambs have been safely adopted,
0:39:36 > 0:39:42they need to be protected against infection and disease with iodine and antibiotics.
0:39:42 > 0:39:45The ewes are now left to recover for a day.
0:39:45 > 0:39:48The lambs will get stronger, too, and bond with their new mothers,
0:39:48 > 0:39:55with whom they now share a number, so they can be reunited if they lose each other.
0:39:55 > 0:40:00All the lambs obviously that were in the pens 24 hours ago, they're in here.
0:40:00 > 0:40:04So we're going to take these out to the field, so we've wrote down the ewe numbers
0:40:04 > 0:40:09and we've got the lambs, put them in the top deck and we'll put the ewes in afterwards.
0:40:09 > 0:40:14OK, so we've got to catch the lambs, then the ewes can go on up in.
0:40:18 > 0:40:21But that could be easier said than done.
0:40:21 > 0:40:24SHEEP BLEAT
0:40:24 > 0:40:27BLEATING
0:40:39 > 0:40:40BLEATING
0:40:49 > 0:40:54Only 24 hours after an orphan lamb is introduced to its new mother,
0:40:54 > 0:40:58it joins the rest of its playmates on the hills above Longleat House,
0:40:58 > 0:41:02just as its ancestors have done for hundreds of years.
0:41:11 > 0:41:15Those lambs wouldn't last long if a lion DID get loose,
0:41:15 > 0:41:17though that's very unlikely.
0:41:17 > 0:41:19But if it were ever to happen,
0:41:19 > 0:41:24today's exercise shows that park staff are ready to handle the emergency.
0:41:31 > 0:41:34Well, that's the end of another day here at Longleat, but not any old day.
0:41:34 > 0:41:37It was a fairly high-octane sort of day, wasn't it?
0:41:37 > 0:41:41In all my years working at Longleat, I haven't seen such excitement,
0:41:41 > 0:41:45but really impressive how everyone just pulled together basically.
0:41:45 > 0:41:48I know, it was an incredible operation, given that, you know,
0:41:48 > 0:41:52nobody knew what was happening apart from a few key people.
0:41:52 > 0:41:58- Exactly.- It was a really impressive reaction. Everyone very quick, everyone working together.
0:41:58 > 0:42:03- Makes you feel very safe.- It really does. Let's just hope a real lion never escapes.- Let's hope so.
0:42:03 > 0:42:08Well, that is all on today's programme, but we've got lots more coming up on the next Animal Park.
0:42:08 > 0:42:13It is time to declare the venue...open!
0:42:17 > 0:42:19Lord Bath has a warm welcome for the vultures.
0:42:19 > 0:42:22We'll see how they settle into their new home.
0:42:24 > 0:42:27Lion cub Jasira has developed a limp.
0:42:27 > 0:42:28Good girl!
0:42:28 > 0:42:32We'll find out if her treatment is working.
0:42:33 > 0:42:34TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWS
0:42:34 > 0:42:38- That's fantastic, isn't it? - You're enjoying this!
0:42:38 > 0:42:44And I'll be fulfilling my boyhood dream at full steam ahead on Longleat's narrow-guage railway.
0:42:44 > 0:42:45WHISTLE BLOWS
0:42:45 > 0:42:47THEY LAUGH
0:43:20 > 0:43:22Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd - 2006
0:43:22 > 0:43:25E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk