0:00:30 > 0:00:33- Hello and welcome to Animal Park. I'm Ben Fogle.- And I'm Kate Humble.
0:00:33 > 0:00:37We're in Longleat House, standing on the small gallery
0:00:37 > 0:00:40that was built especially for the visit of King Charles II
0:00:40 > 0:00:45and his wife, Queen Catherine, when they came to stay in the house for a night in 1663.
0:00:45 > 0:00:50This is where they would have stood to survey the guests gathered below to honour their presence.
0:00:50 > 0:00:56We'll be bringing you stories from the house, the estate and the safari park. Here's what's coming up.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59It is time to declare The Venue...
0:00:59 > 0:01:01open!
0:01:03 > 0:01:05The vultures are gathering at Longleat.
0:01:05 > 0:01:10We'll see how they settle in to their new home.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13Lion cub Jasira has developed a limp.
0:01:15 > 0:01:17Oh, yeah. Good girl.
0:01:17 > 0:01:21We'll find out if her treatment is working.
0:01:21 > 0:01:27We'll be let in on some of Longleat's hidden secrets by retiring house steward Ken Windess.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30So don't use that as a fire escape.
0:01:30 > 0:01:37And two park staff go to extraordinary heights to help save the endangered mountain gorilla.
0:01:45 > 0:01:50But first, the park boasts many colourful birds among its residents
0:01:50 > 0:01:53including Chilean flamingos,
0:01:53 > 0:01:57sacred ibis and African spoonbill.
0:01:59 > 0:02:04But now a new species with a heavyweight reputation has come to the park.
0:02:07 > 0:02:12These African white-backed vultures are nature's ultimate airborne scavengers.
0:02:12 > 0:02:16But, sadly, they are now classed as vulnerable in the wild.
0:02:19 > 0:02:24There are five males and five females, which the team hope will breed.
0:02:24 > 0:02:28For now, they're being kept in temporary winter quarters
0:02:28 > 0:02:33while, outside, feverish work is going on to finish their enclosure.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36Head of section Mark Tye is in charge of the birds.
0:02:36 > 0:02:40He wants to make sure they have enough space to fly freely.
0:02:40 > 0:02:45For ten birds with wingspans of up to ten feet, that's a lot of space.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48In just over a week, we've managed to put up all the line wires
0:02:48 > 0:02:53that will hold up the roof and the supports for the main nets.
0:02:53 > 0:02:58We've put all the nets up around the back of the enclosure and now we're finishing off along the front.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01The only thing after that is the roof.
0:03:01 > 0:03:05The roof is one big section that has to be pulled up and over,
0:03:05 > 0:03:08which will be quite tedious and time-consuming.
0:03:13 > 0:03:21The new enclosure is going to be the size of six tennis courts and as tall as a three-storey building.
0:03:21 > 0:03:25With the sides finished, it's time to heave the roof into place.
0:03:27 > 0:03:33Keepers from all sections of the park have come together to help.
0:03:33 > 0:03:39The netting weighs almost a tonne - more than all the construction team put together.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42It's made using heavy-duty fishing net,
0:03:42 > 0:03:47heavy enough, Mark hopes, to resist the vultures' sharp beaks.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50Until we let them out, we won't know what's going to happen.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53The net's thicker than the flamingo net.
0:03:53 > 0:03:57But they've got a big, hooked beak - if they want to chew through it, they will.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00So it's going to be a bit of an experiment.
0:04:00 > 0:04:02If they want out, they'll get out.
0:04:02 > 0:04:06So we'll just hope they'll be happy enough in there and they won't attempt it.
0:04:06 > 0:04:11One of the challenges for Mark is to provide the vultures with a home that's as close
0:04:11 > 0:04:17to their natural habitat as possible and full of interesting features to keep them occupied.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20Trees in there, with perches. We're going to put a lot more up.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23This is not the finished product as regards perching just yet.
0:04:23 > 0:04:28A pond for them to bathe in. They like washing and sunning themselves afterwards.
0:04:28 > 0:04:32And the only other thing, really, is a house we're going to have built over there
0:04:32 > 0:04:35which will double up as a winter quarters.
0:04:35 > 0:04:39If weather gets bad, we can hopefully get them into there.
0:04:39 > 0:04:43Also, when we first bring them up, we'll be able to put them in there
0:04:43 > 0:04:46and let them out a couple at a time.
0:04:46 > 0:04:51I'm looking forward to seeing them out in a big enclosure like this.
0:04:51 > 0:04:53I just hope they use it and fly around a lot in it.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57We'll be back to see what the vultures make of their new home.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11The last few weeks in Lion Country
0:05:11 > 0:05:16have been full of fun for the two young cubs, Malaika and Jasira.
0:05:18 > 0:05:22With the warmer weather, they've been out exploring the enclosure
0:05:22 > 0:05:27and testing their own limits. They learn the key skills
0:05:27 > 0:05:30of hunting and fighting by playing with each other
0:05:30 > 0:05:33and with their parents.
0:05:33 > 0:05:39But sometimes the playful rough and tumble takes its toll.
0:05:39 > 0:05:43A few days ago, the keepers noticed something wrong.
0:05:43 > 0:05:49Young Jasira had developed a limp and everyone was worried that she might be badly hurt.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51Oh, shush!
0:05:51 > 0:05:57Safari park vet Duncan Williams was called out to see if she'd broken any bones.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00She's pretty lame on her left fore.
0:06:00 > 0:06:06I think it is probably just a soft-tissue injury, as opposed to a fractured leg or anything like that.
0:06:06 > 0:06:10To stop the limp becoming worse, Duncan prescribed a course
0:06:10 > 0:06:13of anti-inflammatory medicine for the little cub.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17Come on. Oh, yeah. Good girl.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19That's it. Way-hey!
0:06:19 > 0:06:24Now the injury has had time to heal, I wanted to see how Jasira is getting on.
0:06:24 > 0:06:26And when better than at feeding time?
0:06:26 > 0:06:31So, this is Kabir, just out here. I'm also with keeper Bob Trollope.
0:06:31 > 0:06:35We've come to check up, mainly, on the the cubs, Bob.
0:06:35 > 0:06:39- I can see one cub behind us, pattering along.- They're both there.
0:06:39 > 0:06:43There they are, they're both there, tearing along!
0:06:43 > 0:06:47Well, that really answers my question.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50Just remind me what happened. One of them had a problem with a paw.
0:06:50 > 0:06:56Jasira, running alongside us now, had some soft-tissue damage.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59As you can see, she's a lot better now.
0:06:59 > 0:07:03- It was most probably through a bit of boisterous play.- Right.
0:07:04 > 0:07:06- Look!- Wa-hey!
0:07:06 > 0:07:09Kabir trying to get at the camera tied to the top.
0:07:09 > 0:07:15You don't think that it could have been him that caused the damage to Jasira, the cub, do you?
0:07:15 > 0:07:17It's possible.
0:07:17 > 0:07:21They are extremely boisterous, as cubs.
0:07:21 > 0:07:28I would have thought it was more so tumbling about with Malaika. Because they do have some little scraps.
0:07:28 > 0:07:30- But it's all playful. - Typical cub play?
0:07:30 > 0:07:34Yeah, just playing. And it's all to do with learning, I suppose.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36Here you are, mate. There you go.
0:07:37 > 0:07:41- Are the cubs taking any meat at the moment?- Oh, yeah.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44They've got quite a voracious appetite.
0:07:44 > 0:07:45Going after Dad, look.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48- Look at that!- Hooray!
0:07:48 > 0:07:51That is something, presumably, Dad wouldn't tolerate -
0:07:51 > 0:07:57- a young whippersnapper taking his meat?- No, he's very much a foodie, is Kabir.
0:07:57 > 0:08:02He'll normally grab something and run off with it, as you can see.
0:08:02 > 0:08:07I'm quite surprised... That's Malaika, isn't it, the bigger cub?
0:08:07 > 0:08:13She's got her piece before this adult female here.
0:08:13 > 0:08:15Yeah. They tend to sort of...
0:08:15 > 0:08:22Mum will go and grab a piece and if cubby's run up, they'll relinquish it to them quite often.
0:08:22 > 0:08:26Really and truly, they can't be bothered with cubby pestering them.
0:08:26 > 0:08:30So they let them have it, get another piece and go off and peacefully eat it.
0:08:30 > 0:08:35I suppose the difference here from in the wild is that they know there's plenty to go round.
0:08:35 > 0:08:39Yeah, we're lucky in the way that we can cut it into chunks
0:08:39 > 0:08:43so that Kabir or one of the females doesn't sit on it and not let any of the others have it.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46That's why we do it like this.
0:08:46 > 0:08:49- Look at him running across. - He is a foodie.- He looks like...
0:08:49 > 0:08:52That is the absolute epitome of a happy lion, isn't it?
0:08:52 > 0:08:56- He's a bit of a hoarder, this one. - And so what happens now, Bob?
0:08:56 > 0:08:59You've got two healthy cubs,
0:08:59 > 0:09:05two obviously successful mothers - will they breed again this year?
0:09:05 > 0:09:09They shouldn't do. But it's not impossible.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12Really and truly, the female shouldn't come into season
0:09:12 > 0:09:18- much before the cubs are about 18 months old.- So nature, basically, prevents
0:09:18 > 0:09:20having too many young cubs at once?
0:09:20 > 0:09:24Yeah. At 18 months, though, young males or young females
0:09:24 > 0:09:28may be pushed out of the pride and then you get the next generation coming up.
0:09:28 > 0:09:34Well, I'm delighted that Jasira is obviously doing so well and that both the cubs are thriving.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37Great to see them, Bob. Thank you very much indeed.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49It's the end of an era for Longleat.
0:09:49 > 0:09:55House steward Ken Windess is hanging up his hat after 24 years.
0:09:55 > 0:10:00He started working here as a cabinet maker and furniture restorer
0:10:00 > 0:10:03but took on the role of running the place 14 years ago.
0:10:03 > 0:10:07Everybody that...
0:10:07 > 0:10:11spends any sort of length of time at Longleat
0:10:11 > 0:10:16gets attached to it and then it almost becomes theirs.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20It's just one of those things that rubs off on you.
0:10:22 > 0:10:27The man who will follow in Ken's footsteps is deputy house steward Steve Blyth.
0:10:29 > 0:10:33This house, there's just so much involved with it.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35It's a multi-task job, which I like.
0:10:35 > 0:10:40I couldn't do a job where I just went in day after day and did the same thing.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43Every day's different, er...
0:10:43 > 0:10:46and there's just so much going on.
0:10:46 > 0:10:48I like the challenge of that.
0:10:49 > 0:10:55The steward of Longleat is in overall charge of one of the largest historic houses in the country.
0:10:55 > 0:11:01Costing a million pounds a year to run, it has 114 official rooms,
0:11:01 > 0:11:03including seven libraries.
0:11:03 > 0:11:09Of course, this is only part of the collection, Steve. There's over 40,000 books in the house, totally.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12- And you've read how many? - I've read just about half now.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15Mind you, I'll have a lot more time now to read the rest.
0:11:15 > 0:11:21Ken has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the house built up over the last quarter-century.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24This is where the clock tower actually comes to.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27This is where the actual weights drop down, behind there.
0:11:27 > 0:11:31With just a month to go before the handover, this is Steve's
0:11:31 > 0:11:35last chance to pick Ken's brains about running the house.
0:11:35 > 0:11:41We have had quite a lot of trouble with leaks over the years in this particular area,
0:11:41 > 0:11:45because of the complexity of the roof, really, at that point.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48We've been preparing for this day for some time.
0:11:48 > 0:11:55'With a place like Longleat, that's so intense as far as different things that are going on...'
0:11:55 > 0:11:58You've got security, you've got the maintenance,
0:11:58 > 0:12:04you've got the guiding - all sorts of weird and wonderful things you wouldn't have in a factory job.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08Every five seconds you've got a different hat on, really.
0:12:10 > 0:12:16The house was built in the late 16th century and has many hidden secrets.
0:12:16 > 0:12:21Originally, there was an open-air inner courtyard, where the grand staircase is now.
0:12:21 > 0:12:26The stairway was added by Sir James Thynne in the 17th century.
0:12:26 > 0:12:30This is over the top of the dome and the grand staircase.
0:12:30 > 0:12:34This is the first time Steve's been up here.
0:12:34 > 0:12:39At one time, all this used to be outside the house. This was the original outside wall.
0:12:41 > 0:12:45The steward of Longleat is responsible for everything that goes on in the house.
0:12:45 > 0:12:50It's a big job, but one that Steve is looking forward to.
0:12:50 > 0:12:55The house is beautiful, the grounds are beautiful and you know you've got all that history.
0:12:55 > 0:13:00You've got 425 years of the one family owning it, living here.
0:13:00 > 0:13:02It's just lovely.
0:13:02 > 0:13:07We'll come back as Ken reveals more of Longleat's hidden places.
0:13:11 > 0:13:16The great house isn't the only home that needs constant care and attention.
0:13:16 > 0:13:22All around the safari park are animal quarters which also need looking after.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25I'm down at Pets' Corner with keeper Rob Saving, helping out
0:13:25 > 0:13:28- with a changeover of the perches for the parrots.- Absolutely.
0:13:28 > 0:13:30- SQUAWK! - The very noisy parrots!
0:13:30 > 0:13:35- Yes, we are re-perching.- So, why are we doing this?- Couple of reasons we do this, really.
0:13:35 > 0:13:40When they get worn, we need to replace them for the birds' sake, for many reasons.
0:13:40 > 0:13:44Basically, their beaks and their claws are always growing,
0:13:44 > 0:13:46a bit like our fingernails, very slightly.
0:13:46 > 0:13:52So the birds need to rough them and wear them down on bark.
0:13:52 > 0:13:56That's why it's ideal to get really rough bark - usually oak's quite a good one.
0:13:56 > 0:14:01- This one's been redone, has it? - We've done all of these. We've got two left here.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03And what parrot have we got here?
0:14:03 > 0:14:08Bobby, getting quite excited because his perch desperately needs doing.
0:14:08 > 0:14:12So, all that bark that's been taken off, has he taken that off with his beak?
0:14:12 > 0:14:14That's all him.
0:14:14 > 0:14:18And it didn't take him long to do. We are constantly doing this.
0:14:18 > 0:14:21Before we put the next one on, I just want...
0:14:21 > 0:14:26- It's important to keep it clean, so we just want to give that a scrub. - So how often would you do this?
0:14:26 > 0:14:28As often as needed, really.
0:14:28 > 0:14:32It's very good for them, not only for their beaks, but also for enrichment.
0:14:32 > 0:14:37They love chewing it, Bobby especially. He rips his up in probably the space of a week.
0:14:37 > 0:14:41Ideally, if I can, I'll do it every couple of weeks.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44- Presumably, you get all the wood from the estate.- Yeah.
0:14:44 > 0:14:51If we hear something's fallen down, an old tree, ideally we want to find some nice rough oak,
0:14:51 > 0:14:53or even things like apple.
0:14:53 > 0:14:56The rougher the better. That bark, if it's really rough
0:14:56 > 0:15:00and they can get their claws right into it, it's like a nail file.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04Unfortunately, some of these perches... We'll scrub these as well.
0:15:04 > 0:15:09- Are we going to scrub the wood? - Just lightly. Because, when we get them from the woods,
0:15:09 > 0:15:13it might have a little bit of muck and a little bit of bird poo on it.
0:15:13 > 0:15:18We want to make sure they're not going to get anything off the wood.
0:15:18 > 0:15:23We'll move on to Bobby now. If I just move him out the way, because he's a bit grumpy this morning.
0:15:23 > 0:15:27- Do you want to just try and get that one off for me?- Yeah.
0:15:27 > 0:15:32The thing with Bobby, part of his show - you'll see in a moment if I can show you -
0:15:32 > 0:15:34he likes perches with a nice long, thin piece.
0:15:34 > 0:15:38I was talking about the different sizes and the different shapes we can get.
0:15:38 > 0:15:43Because he does this little thing where he hangs upside down.
0:15:43 > 0:15:47- Can we see that? - We'll see it in a minute. He started doing it on his own.
0:15:47 > 0:15:52I was doing a show once and I looked behind me and all of a sudden, Bobby was upside down.
0:15:52 > 0:15:58- Right.- It was quite funny. It got such a reaction, such a laugh, I encouraged him to do it.
0:15:58 > 0:16:02- Just come over here.- Is he a little bit...?- He's all right.
0:16:02 > 0:16:04But he's a bit grumpy this morning.
0:16:04 > 0:16:08Bobby, do your bat impression. Will you show us your bat?
0:16:08 > 0:16:11That's it. So he always loves a perch where he's able to do it.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13- Brilliant!- Well done, boy.
0:16:13 > 0:16:17He's always able to do that and he likes a perch he can do that on.
0:16:17 > 0:16:19I know what we're looking for now.
0:16:19 > 0:16:23Bobby, I will try to do the same again with some proper wood.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26We haven't got the best here, but we'll have a go.
0:16:26 > 0:16:32- Excellent.- There is a thin piece. - Rob, thank you very much. Let's crack on with this.
0:16:43 > 0:16:48Gorilla Island residents Nico and Samba are even smarter than the parrots.
0:16:48 > 0:16:51They're two of the park's most popular animals,
0:16:51 > 0:16:55drawing thousands of visitors every year to Half-Mile Lake.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58Gorillas are very, very intelligent.
0:16:58 > 0:17:03They're one of the few creatures in the world that can recognise their own reflections.
0:17:03 > 0:17:07Western lowland gorillas are endangered in the wild, but their near relatives,
0:17:07 > 0:17:11the mountain gorillas, are in an even more desperate plight.
0:17:11 > 0:17:17A combination of poaching, habitat loss and war have decimated their numbers.
0:17:20 > 0:17:25There are only about 650 mountain gorillas left in the world,
0:17:25 > 0:17:31spread between Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36Pioneering conservationist Diane Fossey
0:17:36 > 0:17:41founded a charity to study and protect these magnificent creatures.
0:17:41 > 0:17:47Veteran park guide Bill Lord is passionate about carrying on her work.
0:17:47 > 0:17:51Diane Fossey, before her demise, actually established a gorilla fund.
0:17:51 > 0:17:56She was involved with the Gorillas In The Mist film and was famous for her care for gorillas.
0:17:56 > 0:18:01We want to maintain and increase the fund. We've been collecting with our gorillas for a few years,
0:18:01 > 0:18:04but particularly the mountain gorillas this year.
0:18:04 > 0:18:0995% of everybody coming off the boat gives us a subscription, large or small.
0:18:09 > 0:18:14They're all well behind us on saving gorillas. So we're very pleased with it.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18The plight of gorillas in the wild
0:18:18 > 0:18:23has inspired two of the guides here, Stuart Clewley and Luke McGruther,
0:18:23 > 0:18:25to make a parachute jump.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27We decided that we wanted to do something
0:18:27 > 0:18:32for the Diane Fossey Fund to raise awareness, raise some money - something a bit spectacular.
0:18:32 > 0:18:37So we thought we'd try jumping out of a plane, which seemed like a good idea at the time.
0:18:40 > 0:18:41I'm not nervous at the minute.
0:18:41 > 0:18:45I imagine, as soon as we turn up, I will start.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48On the morning, we'll be a bit, "Hang on, are we sure about this?"
0:18:51 > 0:18:55But no matter how scared they are, it's too late to back down.
0:18:55 > 0:19:00The boys have already raised over £10,000 for the Diane Fossey Fund
0:19:00 > 0:19:02from generous visitors to the park.
0:19:05 > 0:19:09In order to strengthen their resolve, Luke and Stuart have come
0:19:09 > 0:19:13to visit Nico and Samba, along with keeper Michelle Stevens.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18- How's Nic today, then? - He's very well. Not too bad at all.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21- Do you want to give him some breakfast?- Why not?
0:19:21 > 0:19:26A banana. Just hold it right at the end, though, because they can get their hands through.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28Give one to Samba, as well.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30Here you go. Straight in his mouth?
0:19:30 > 0:19:36Yeah. He'll take it. He'll eat the whole thing, as well, apart from the very end.
0:19:36 > 0:19:38Great table manners(!)
0:19:38 > 0:19:39Hello, Sam.
0:19:39 > 0:19:46'They are one of our closest living relatives. They share 98% of our genes, more or less.'
0:19:46 > 0:19:50They're very, very similar. They have all the same senses as we do.
0:19:50 > 0:19:55- We see the same fingers, the same opposable thumbs. - When you see a gorilla up close,
0:19:55 > 0:20:01you see how human-like they are. Their eyes are exactly the same. It's the details that you notice.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04You just realise that we're not that much different.
0:20:07 > 0:20:12Inspired by Nico and Samba, the sky's the limit for Luke and Stuart.
0:20:12 > 0:20:18But first, they'll have to conquer their fear and we'll be back to see how they get on.
0:20:25 > 0:20:31Longleat's ten African white-backed vultures are waiting to be transferred
0:20:31 > 0:20:38to their brand-new enclosure, which has finally been completed.
0:20:38 > 0:20:44But first, they have to be rounded up. It could be a dangerous job.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47The enclosure's all finished. Nothing more needs to be done.
0:20:47 > 0:20:51It's just now the dodgy task of catching hold of them and putting them in boxes.
0:20:51 > 0:20:55So it's look out for your fingers time.
0:20:55 > 0:20:59Once the birds are released into the enclosure, it won't be easy to get hold of them,
0:20:59 > 0:21:04so Mark has asked vet Duncan Williams to give them a final health check.
0:21:04 > 0:21:08We'd just like Duncan to give them a visual check -
0:21:08 > 0:21:14check their feet, because they are prone to feet problems, through perching for too long.
0:21:14 > 0:21:19We're also going to leg-band them and worm them at the same time.
0:21:19 > 0:21:24They're tetchy things and they don't like being grabbed hold of.
0:21:24 > 0:21:26So, you know, we do have to be a bit careful.
0:21:29 > 0:21:33The task of catching them falls to keeper Luke Priddle,
0:21:33 > 0:21:37using a net and special lightproof bag.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41He takes a nip for his trouble.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44In the dark, they tend to just stay still.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47That's the main reason we use the black net.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50Trying to keep their head in it isn't always easy!
0:21:50 > 0:21:54It's hard to tell a male vulture from a female vulture.
0:21:54 > 0:21:58One of the only ways to know for sure is to test a feather sample.
0:21:58 > 0:22:05Vet Duncan also administers the worming injection and takes a close look at the birds' condition.
0:22:05 > 0:22:07We've had a couple of problems with their feet.
0:22:07 > 0:22:12So I'm making sure their feet are nice and healthy - there's no bumblefoot infections
0:22:12 > 0:22:16or anything going on before they're released into the big pen.
0:22:16 > 0:22:20When the birds are out and flying free,
0:22:20 > 0:22:25Mark will need to know who's who, so they fit each with a leg band.
0:22:25 > 0:22:29It's important for us to be able to identify which bird's which,
0:22:29 > 0:22:31particularly out in a big enclosure.
0:22:31 > 0:22:38If you saw one that perhaps was a bit off-colour, without that kind of identification, it's going to be
0:22:38 > 0:22:43very difficult the next day, maybe, to see which one it was or whatever.
0:22:43 > 0:22:47It's always useful to be able to positively ID your animals.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52Next, it's into the crate and ready for transport.
0:22:52 > 0:22:56One down, nine to go.
0:22:57 > 0:23:04The vulture's beak is powerful enough to rip into any African animal carcass it finds.
0:23:04 > 0:23:08With so many birds to handle, the team must not let their guard down.
0:23:08 > 0:23:12As you can see, one wrong move and the beak's out
0:23:12 > 0:23:15and you're going to lose a finger.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18If they grab hold of you, they won't let go.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25He's caught on the net.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27Hang on, don't put your hand in there.
0:23:27 > 0:23:29I've got the tail up here.
0:23:31 > 0:23:35Thankfully, the staff survive with all their fingers intact.
0:23:36 > 0:23:41Now the birds are taken to the vulture house inside the new enclosure.
0:23:41 > 0:23:47They'll be kept there for a little while to calm down, before being allowed out into the open.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50They've been comfortable in the house and now they've been
0:23:50 > 0:23:55shoved in a box and unceremoniously driven up the road and pushed out in a new environment.
0:23:55 > 0:24:00Initially they're going to be very stressed, very unaware of what's going on.
0:24:00 > 0:24:04We just want to get them out of the box and come away and let them take
0:24:04 > 0:24:08their surroundings in in their own time without any disturbance.
0:24:08 > 0:24:14This is just going to be pretty much a sick bay and a shelter in case of bad weather.
0:24:14 > 0:24:18The majority of the time, they're going to actually be out in the enclosure.
0:24:18 > 0:24:22This is purely just somewhere we can segregate birds if they're ill,
0:24:22 > 0:24:28or if we need to get them in through adverse weather, then that's where they'll go.
0:24:28 > 0:24:32Soon, these mighty birds will be ready to take flight.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35We'll come back to see what they make of their new home.
0:24:48 > 0:24:53Part of the park's mission is to educate the public about the whole animal kingdom.
0:24:53 > 0:24:58At Pets' Corner, staff encourage visitors to get as close as possible
0:24:58 > 0:25:04to the residents, even some of the more scary-looking ones.
0:25:04 > 0:25:06I tell you, this is the thing to do on a cold day.
0:25:06 > 0:25:11You have to hold a snake, you have to have a hot-water bottle to keep it warm
0:25:11 > 0:25:16- and it's keeping me beautifully warm! I'm here with Jo Hawthorn. Who's this?- This is Khan.
0:25:16 > 0:25:17- Khan.- He's a royal python.
0:25:17 > 0:25:21- And he's one of your Meet The Creatures, isn't he?- Yes, he is.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24How does Meet The Creatures work?
0:25:24 > 0:25:31Basically, what we do, Kate, when the weather's nice and sunny, we bring him outside and we kind of,
0:25:31 > 0:25:37we use him for the children and the adults to meet them and let them have an opportunity to have a stroke,
0:25:37 > 0:25:42you know, have a touch, have a hold and learn that, really, these guys are not out to get you.
0:25:42 > 0:25:46They're beautiful to touch, as you can probably feel.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49- Yeah.- And they're not scary at all. - No. And do you find that it works?
0:25:49 > 0:25:53Do people come here who really are very scared of snakes?
0:25:53 > 0:25:57Definitely. Everyone has this preconceived idea that they're slimy,
0:25:57 > 0:26:01you know, they're wet and cold and they're horrible, you know.
0:26:01 > 0:26:05When they touch them, they're really surprised and shocked at how they feel.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09- They are incredibly silky and smooth...- They are.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12..and not at all slimy. Totally dry.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14- Beautiful feel.- That's right.
0:26:14 > 0:26:20And what about snakes as pets? Does it then encourage people to think, "I'd really like a snake as a pet"?
0:26:20 > 0:26:24Well, hopefully, what we're trying to do is we're trying to let people
0:26:24 > 0:26:27have the opportunity to get a feel for them
0:26:27 > 0:26:34- but, at the same time, making them realise that this is going to grow to about 5ft long.- Wow!
0:26:34 > 0:26:38They do need the correct heating, lighting, correct food.
0:26:38 > 0:26:40They're a big maintenance, you know.
0:26:40 > 0:26:44So we're trying to give them the opportunity of having a touch and a hold without...
0:26:44 > 0:26:48and maybe realising that they do need specialist care.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51- So not the ideal pet to have. - Well, Jo,
0:26:51 > 0:26:56it's a huge privilege to be this close to such a gorgeous animal,
0:26:56 > 0:27:01and we've got lots more gorgeous animals coming up on today's programme.
0:27:01 > 0:27:06Beautiful they may be, but these white rhino have a case of the trots.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09Maybe a lump of charcoal will help.
0:27:11 > 0:27:17We'll take to the skies with these grim reapers in the brand-new vulture venue.
0:27:17 > 0:27:23And we'll plunge to earth with two brave Longleat guides on their fund-raising adventure.
0:27:29 > 0:27:37But first, Longleat's house steward, Ken Windess, is about to retire after 24 years.
0:27:37 > 0:27:41He's going back to his first love - furniture restoration.
0:27:41 > 0:27:44Succeeding him in overall charge of the house,
0:27:44 > 0:27:50as well as the 40,000 rare books and 500 valuable paintings inside it,
0:27:50 > 0:27:52will be Steve Blyth.
0:27:52 > 0:27:57The house was built in the late 16th century and is full of secrets.
0:27:57 > 0:28:01No-one alive knows the house as well as Ken.
0:28:01 > 0:28:06There's a lot of things in the house, Steve, that are not quite what they seem.
0:28:06 > 0:28:08A good example are these doors.
0:28:08 > 0:28:13One actually leads into the...saloon.
0:28:17 > 0:28:20That's a straightforward doorway there.
0:28:20 > 0:28:22And this one actually leads...
0:28:26 > 0:28:29- ..nowhere.- A brick wall. - A brick wall.
0:28:29 > 0:28:32So don't use that as a fire escape.
0:28:32 > 0:28:34I'll try to remember that one, yeah.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37- All right?- Quite embarrassing.- Yeah.
0:28:37 > 0:28:40- They've gone to a lot of expense just for the finish.- Yeah.
0:28:40 > 0:28:43That's right. It's just really to make it symmetrical.
0:28:43 > 0:28:45You never stop learning here,
0:28:45 > 0:28:53whether it's about the structure of the house, or the furniture, the paintings - what's in the house.
0:28:53 > 0:28:55That's the sort of thing you get.
0:28:55 > 0:28:59There's a light on in there if you need to...go in.
0:29:00 > 0:29:03There we go.
0:29:03 > 0:29:06There's quite a lot of this behind the scenes.
0:29:06 > 0:29:10There's a lot more behind the walls than there is in front of it, really.
0:29:14 > 0:29:22The vast roof is the size of four football fields and even up here, there are hidden passages.
0:29:22 > 0:29:26That little patch in the dome is a doorway into the winch
0:29:26 > 0:29:29- that lowers the chandelier over the grand staircase.- Yeah.
0:29:29 > 0:29:3525 years ago, Steve, I used to be able to get into that trap, no problem at all, for that winch.
0:29:35 > 0:29:37But the trap's got smaller over the years.
0:29:37 > 0:29:39- It's shrunk.- Yeah.
0:29:39 > 0:29:46The role of steward requires an eagle eye for detail - a quality which Steve shares with Ken.
0:29:46 > 0:29:49Now, I walk through the house going from A to B.
0:29:49 > 0:29:54But I'll be looking and I'll get a guide say to me, "What are you looking for?
0:29:54 > 0:29:58"You're always looking." I'll say, "You know, you just do it."
0:29:58 > 0:30:01You walk through and you're always looking
0:30:01 > 0:30:05if something's wrong, if something's good, if something needs doing.
0:30:05 > 0:30:09'I mean, I've got total confidence in Steve.'
0:30:09 > 0:30:12I don't think I could have done better.
0:30:12 > 0:30:16It's probably one of the best days' work I ever did when I first took him on.
0:30:16 > 0:30:21We'll be following Steve as he takes on his challenging new role.
0:30:25 > 0:30:29I'm up at the rhino house with keepers Kevin Nibbs
0:30:29 > 0:30:34and Adrian Lanfear and, er, well, I'm a little bit confused.
0:30:34 > 0:30:41We've got a barrow full of charcoal and three rhinos. What has this, Kevin, got to do with them?
0:30:41 > 0:30:47This time of year, we're coming from giving them hay throughout the day to let the grass come through.
0:30:47 > 0:30:50The new grass tends to upset their tummies a little bit.
0:30:50 > 0:30:53- Yeah.- They get a little bit... poor digestion, really.- OK.
0:30:53 > 0:30:59- A lot of wind and stuff.- They get a slightly... All this rich grass coming through. A bit of diarrhoea?
0:30:59 > 0:31:03Diarrhoea, yeah. It's not very good in rhinos, because there's a lot to shovel up.
0:31:03 > 0:31:07- We want to contain it as much as we can.- So, why charcoal?
0:31:07 > 0:31:10Well, actually, the idea came from my dad.
0:31:10 > 0:31:13He used to farm the land here and he used to give it to the cows.
0:31:13 > 0:31:19- The ground's very poor in the elements...- Right.- ..charcoal being one of the natural elements.
0:31:19 > 0:31:22So there's not really good nutrients in this land.
0:31:22 > 0:31:25No, it's very clay-ey and so it's very poor.
0:31:25 > 0:31:30- We've checked with Duncan and he said it's very good...- Duncan the vet.- Duncan the vet, yes.
0:31:30 > 0:31:34And he says it can't do no harm and it's good for absorbing toxins
0:31:34 > 0:31:36in the body and good for the digestion.
0:31:36 > 0:31:41- So, a bit of a rhino detox.- Exactly. The thing is, we've never done it before, so this is a first.
0:31:41 > 0:31:47- All right. What do you think we should do?- Just post it through and see what happens.
0:31:47 > 0:31:52- Have you been busily making this charcoal?- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:31:52 > 0:31:54All winter, we've had lots of fires.
0:31:54 > 0:31:57All the boys have been really happy, standing around.
0:31:57 > 0:32:03Would white rhinos like these normally eat wood anyway?
0:32:03 > 0:32:07Would they chew at wood and kind of...?
0:32:07 > 0:32:12A lot of the trees in Africa, when they rot down, they'll take some of the bark off and eat the rotten pulp.
0:32:12 > 0:32:17- Now, who's this coming up here? - This is the bull... - Right.- ..showing some interest.
0:32:17 > 0:32:21Having a sniff there. He's sort of suspicious of it, isn't he?
0:32:21 > 0:32:23It's a new thing for him.
0:32:23 > 0:32:26He's maybe not seen it before. He's a bit curious.
0:32:26 > 0:32:30He'll give it a good sniff and then, hopefully, he'll start chewing on it.
0:32:30 > 0:32:32The girls are coming up.
0:32:32 > 0:32:33Do they tend to follow his lead?
0:32:33 > 0:32:37Do you see them kind of working like that?
0:32:37 > 0:32:40With these three, it's normally the other way round.
0:32:40 > 0:32:44- So the girls will lead him, will they?- In this situation, yeah.
0:32:44 > 0:32:47Normally, the boys are solitary.
0:32:47 > 0:32:49They're very suspicious of it.
0:32:49 > 0:32:56When you put something new in a rhino enclosure, do you find that they are naturally curious, Adie?
0:32:56 > 0:32:58Do they tend to kind of explore things?
0:32:58 > 0:33:03They are naturally curious but I expected them to be a bit more stand-offish to start with.
0:33:03 > 0:33:08- But they've come straight over. I think the throwing of it in freaked them a little bit.- Freaked them out.
0:33:08 > 0:33:12- They've come right in.- We did expect the girls to come over.
0:33:12 > 0:33:16Especially Razina, she's the most curious and playful and inquisitive.
0:33:16 > 0:33:19But Njanu was the first one over. That was a surprise.
0:33:19 > 0:33:21- It seems to be going down well, doesn't it?- Yes.
0:33:21 > 0:33:23They're eating it quite nice.
0:33:23 > 0:33:26That's really good, really positive.
0:33:26 > 0:33:28So, I suppose, really,
0:33:28 > 0:33:32we've got to wait and see if it has the desired result for you.
0:33:32 > 0:33:35We'll check in the morning and see what they leave with us.
0:33:35 > 0:33:38But hopefully, that'll settle their tummies.
0:33:38 > 0:33:43As spring progresses and more grass comes through, does that mean
0:33:43 > 0:33:47you feed them less hay and less of the hard food?
0:33:47 > 0:33:51Exactly. We'll knock the hard food down by maybe half and maybe cut out
0:33:51 > 0:33:56a lot of the hay during the day and they'll rely mainly on the grass.
0:33:56 > 0:34:02But this time of year, it's nice and green, very lush, and it's going to really upset their tummies.
0:34:02 > 0:34:04They're just loving this.
0:34:04 > 0:34:08I think your dad might have come up with a great solution here.
0:34:08 > 0:34:10- I think he has, yes. - They're really enjoying it.
0:34:10 > 0:34:13This is great. This is really good.
0:34:13 > 0:34:17- This is what we wanted.- Well, I'm delighted that it's been such a...
0:34:17 > 0:34:21Well, we'll keep our fingers crossed that it's a successful experiment.
0:34:21 > 0:34:24Kev, Adie, thank you. You've got three extremely happy rhinos,
0:34:24 > 0:34:27hopefully with more settled stomachs.
0:34:27 > 0:34:28Hopefully.
0:34:33 > 0:34:39The safari park is home to more than 400 animals, but that's not all.
0:34:39 > 0:34:42It also has its very own narrow-gauge steam railway.
0:34:42 > 0:34:47And today, I'm going to fulfil a boyhood dream.
0:34:47 > 0:34:53I've come down to Longleat Central for a lesson in steam train driving
0:34:53 > 0:34:56from railway manager John Hayton. Morning, John, can I step aboard?
0:34:56 > 0:34:58You can indeed. Hello, Ben.
0:34:58 > 0:35:00OK. Now, I've got all my gear.
0:35:00 > 0:35:02I've got my hat, I've got my top.
0:35:02 > 0:35:04So, how do we drive a steam train?
0:35:04 > 0:35:11Right, OK. Well, briefly, we've got a nice big boiler full of water, which gives us all the steam we want.
0:35:11 > 0:35:17- Right.- That's our gauge to tell us how much water's in the boiler at any one time.
0:35:17 > 0:35:21- We mustn't let that get down, otherwise, big problems. - We'll run out of steam.
0:35:21 > 0:35:24Er, fairly simple to get going.
0:35:24 > 0:35:30We put it into forward gear, we open that gently, making sure the brakes are off, and away we go.
0:35:30 > 0:35:31OK. And do we need to stoke her up?
0:35:31 > 0:35:36- Is that the furnace in there? - Yeah, you can chuck a couple of rounds on there.
0:35:36 > 0:35:38OK. So this is just coal, is it?
0:35:38 > 0:35:43- It's coal, yeah.- OK. I'll pop a few of those on there so that we, um, can pick up some speed.
0:35:43 > 0:35:46We'll need that for a bit more steam.
0:35:46 > 0:35:48And to pull all these carriages.
0:35:48 > 0:35:53- Yeah, we've got eight coaches and 150 people on.- OK.- Right,
0:35:53 > 0:35:57- we're almost ready to go.- All set. I'll put my hat on.- That was a bit
0:35:57 > 0:36:03of a quicker lesson than you would normally have had. But never mind. Let's see if we're ready.
0:36:03 > 0:36:06OK, off we go, then.
0:36:07 > 0:36:08WHISTLE BLOWS
0:36:12 > 0:36:15Pull that gently towards you.
0:36:15 > 0:36:17How much? All the way?
0:36:17 > 0:36:18Not all the way, no. No.
0:36:18 > 0:36:21- A bit more?- That's enough.
0:36:37 > 0:36:44So, basically, the heat from the furnace heats up the water to create steam.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47How does steam then move the train?
0:36:47 > 0:36:51Well, the steam... Once you open this regulator, the steam collects.
0:36:51 > 0:36:57When you open the valve, the steam then goes down to the cylinders which then move the wheels back and forth.
0:36:57 > 0:37:02- It pumps the wheels so they go back and forth.- Exactly that. - It's quite a simple technique.
0:37:02 > 0:37:06Very simple. Yeah. You can't get anything more simple than steam.
0:37:06 > 0:37:09Fantastic. Is this the sort of speed we do?
0:37:09 > 0:37:12We're going downhill now. We don't want to go too fast.
0:37:12 > 0:37:14Give a whistle - we're coming to a crossing.
0:37:14 > 0:37:17- Do I pull it?- No, just turn it over. - Turn it.
0:37:17 > 0:37:20WHISTLE BLOWS TWICE
0:37:20 > 0:37:23Is it two whistles for a...?
0:37:23 > 0:37:27- Just a gentle rub on the brake, just to about there.- Is that enough?
0:37:27 > 0:37:30Yes. You can feel us slowing down now.
0:37:30 > 0:37:33That's when we go downhill, just to slow us down a little bit.
0:37:33 > 0:37:36- That's right, yeah. - What's her top speed?
0:37:36 > 0:37:39- I don't know. We've never tried. - You've never opened her up totally.
0:37:39 > 0:37:44- I should imagine it would do 30-40 miles an hour. - Really?- Oh, yeah.
0:37:44 > 0:37:45Oh, yeah.
0:37:45 > 0:37:50John, what is it about steam trains that is so romantic to people?
0:37:50 > 0:37:53- Well, you're giving it life, aren't you?- Yeah.
0:37:53 > 0:37:55When you light the fire in the morning,
0:37:55 > 0:37:57you're giving it life.
0:37:59 > 0:38:04- A couple of toots on the whistle as we go into the tunnel.- OK.
0:38:04 > 0:38:07TOOT! TOOT!
0:38:23 > 0:38:25That's fantastic, isn't it?
0:38:25 > 0:38:27- Yeah, you're enjoying this.- I am.
0:38:27 > 0:38:30John, how many more rides today?
0:38:30 > 0:38:32Er, we'll be very busy today.
0:38:32 > 0:38:35Probably another 20, something like that.
0:38:35 > 0:38:41- Yeah.- 20 more, wow!- Not for me. I've got some paper to push around. - OK. Not for you.
0:38:41 > 0:38:44I think I could be quite busy.
0:38:59 > 0:39:05At Pets' Corner there's a slippery puzzle facing head of section Darren Beasley.
0:39:05 > 0:39:11Several weeks ago, he was given a corn snake by an owner who could no longer look after it.
0:39:11 > 0:39:16The snake is seven years old, in good health, and has been well looked after.
0:39:16 > 0:39:20But Darren is missing one crucial piece of information.
0:39:20 > 0:39:24This particular corn snake, it's got a pet name of MC.
0:39:24 > 0:39:30MC has come to us with a day-by-day diary of when it's eaten, when it's sloughed, when it's escaped,
0:39:30 > 0:39:34when its temperature's been wrong - everything. With this snake,
0:39:34 > 0:39:38we've got all the information other than whether it's a boy or a girl.
0:39:38 > 0:39:42With things like snakes, boys and girls look very similar.
0:39:42 > 0:39:44Some animals have a size difference.
0:39:44 > 0:39:48Snakes can be difficult, especially if they're not fully grown.
0:39:48 > 0:39:52We actually have plans for getting more of this species of snake - more corn snakes.
0:39:52 > 0:39:56We want to keep boys and girls separate at the moment.
0:39:56 > 0:40:01If we house several corn snakes together, we need to know they're all boys or they're all girls.
0:40:01 > 0:40:05The most common way to sex a snake is with a probe.
0:40:05 > 0:40:08It's a reliable method, but it is invasive.
0:40:08 > 0:40:11Sarah Clayson is Pets' Corner's resident expert.
0:40:11 > 0:40:15You do have to be careful, because it is quite a delicate area
0:40:15 > 0:40:19and you don't want to cause any damage inside the snake.
0:40:19 > 0:40:25Darren is always on the look-out for other methods that are less stressful for the animals.
0:40:25 > 0:40:28We're going to try a theory out. We've got this lovely skin here.
0:40:28 > 0:40:33I don't know if you can see, on the underside of the snakeskin here, there's ridges.
0:40:33 > 0:40:36These are a bit like a caterpillar track on a digger.
0:40:36 > 0:40:40When we get down to this area, this is where the vent area is.
0:40:40 > 0:40:45You see, the scales are no longer single scales - they form pairs.
0:40:45 > 0:40:49They're in pairs all the way down to the tip of the tail.
0:40:49 > 0:40:55Supposedly, because the boys have got very long tails, if you count the scales,
0:40:55 > 0:41:00if it's under about 130 scales, it's going to be a girl, because it's got a short tail.
0:41:00 > 0:41:06Above 140, it's going to be a boy. Anywhere in the middle, you're not really going to know.
0:41:06 > 0:41:10Um, so, we've had a quick count of these ourselves.
0:41:10 > 0:41:16And, um... I've made it slightly under 130, so I think it's going to be a girl.
0:41:16 > 0:41:20We're going to find out if this is a secure way of sexing a snake.
0:41:20 > 0:41:23So if we get the results now with Sarah probing
0:41:23 > 0:41:26and it turns out to be a girl, we know this is a good way of doing it.
0:41:27 > 0:41:33Though the corn snake is a constrictor and therefore not venomous, it still has a nasty bite.
0:41:33 > 0:41:36It's a little bit feisty.
0:41:36 > 0:41:40We've been handling it regularly to try to get it used to being handled.
0:41:40 > 0:41:44But I think it is going to be a bit wriggly with the probing.
0:41:44 > 0:41:47It hasn't had anything like that done before.
0:41:47 > 0:41:49It will probably be a bit unsure.
0:41:49 > 0:41:51It's beautiful. These are captive-bred.
0:41:51 > 0:41:54There are lots of different colour phases.
0:41:54 > 0:41:58They come from North America, or southern North America.
0:41:58 > 0:42:01The body comes rather fat and muscly down here.
0:42:01 > 0:42:05All of a sudden, it narrows here to the tail. This is the tail here.
0:42:05 > 0:42:10That area there. We're going in to the vent just in here.
0:42:10 > 0:42:13Don't look, Mr Snake, don't look.
0:42:13 > 0:42:15- Ready?- Yeah.
0:42:15 > 0:42:16You OK there?
0:42:21 > 0:42:24What Sarah's doing, she's inserting the vent down one side.
0:42:24 > 0:42:26There are two holes there, two openings.
0:42:26 > 0:42:30She's inserting it and counting how many scales it goes down.
0:42:30 > 0:42:35If it goes down a long way, it's a boy, because that's where all his bits are stored.
0:42:35 > 0:42:39If it only goes down a very short way, it means there isn't a big hole there.
0:42:39 > 0:42:42You see how far that went in.
0:42:42 > 0:42:46- Sarah's now going to say whether it's a boy or a girl.- Well,
0:42:46 > 0:42:50going on that, I was a little bit surprised.
0:42:50 > 0:42:53It went down a lot further than I thought.
0:42:53 > 0:42:56So I'm going to say...boy.
0:42:56 > 0:43:01The probe doesn't give the result Darren was expecting.
0:43:01 > 0:43:04There was a small problem here.
0:43:04 > 0:43:08Sarah counted the scales and got a boy or a girl - somewhere in between.
0:43:08 > 0:43:11I counted the scales and actually made it a female.
0:43:11 > 0:43:13I think Sarah's quite right, I think this is a boy.
0:43:13 > 0:43:19And I think the snake scale-counting theory will have to be put on the shelf for another day.
0:43:19 > 0:43:21We'll try perhaps in future ones.
0:43:21 > 0:43:23But we think this is a little boy.
0:43:23 > 0:43:29Happily for Darren and Sarah, this little boy doesn't seem too traumatised by the probe.
0:43:29 > 0:43:30When these snakes...
0:43:30 > 0:43:35When any of our constrictors get a bit agitated or a bit chuffed off with being handled, they tense up.
0:43:35 > 0:43:37They go rigid. He's quite relaxed.
0:43:37 > 0:43:42Bearing in mind what procedure's just happened to him, he seems quite happy, actually.
0:43:45 > 0:43:54The corn snake may be calm, but safari boat guides Stuart and Luke are getting a little nervous.
0:43:55 > 0:43:58The day of their sponsored parachute jump has arrived.
0:43:58 > 0:44:04They've come to the Joint Services Parachute Centre at Netheravon to take the plunge.
0:44:05 > 0:44:09They are raising money for the Diane Fossey Fund, which is trying
0:44:09 > 0:44:13to preserve the critically endangered mountain gorilla.
0:44:13 > 0:44:19There are just 650 of these magnificent creatures left in the wild, so every penny counts.
0:44:22 > 0:44:28They'll be jumping in tandem with the Red Devils, Britain's most famous parachute display team.
0:44:31 > 0:44:35While Luke and Stuart are fearful first-timers...
0:44:35 > 0:44:37Just hold your hands open.
0:44:37 > 0:44:42..for Corporal Billy Blanchard, it's jump number 1,086!
0:44:42 > 0:44:45The first 100 were quite scary, actually.
0:44:45 > 0:44:48Then the next 400 after that I was a bit nervous.
0:44:48 > 0:44:51Now it's like getting off a bus.
0:44:51 > 0:44:53The most important bit of equipment
0:44:53 > 0:44:57is the actual tandem parachute itself,
0:44:57 > 0:45:01situated in the bottom half of the container is the main parachute.
0:45:01 > 0:45:03It's about 365 square foot.
0:45:03 > 0:45:08It's massive. It's designed to bring two people safely down to the ground.
0:45:08 > 0:45:11In the unlikely event that the main parachute doesn't work,
0:45:11 > 0:45:15we have a reserve parachute situated in the top half of the container.
0:45:15 > 0:45:18The Red Devils are part of the Parachute Regiment,
0:45:18 > 0:45:23which was originally formed to drop soldiers deep into enemy territory during the Second World War.
0:45:23 > 0:45:31The display team was set up 40 years ago, in the 1960s, and Luke feels safe in their hands.
0:45:31 > 0:45:34I thought I'd be nervous, but I'm actually not at the minute.
0:45:34 > 0:45:38I'm quite excited. I imagine when I get in the plane, it will change.
0:45:38 > 0:45:42But at the minute, I'm quite relaxed, actually - surprisingly.
0:45:42 > 0:45:47Hearing the safety brief's starting to make it feel a bit real. A little bit apprehensive, but...
0:45:47 > 0:45:49Stu may be. I'm fine.
0:45:49 > 0:45:52I'm just honest.
0:46:04 > 0:46:07Not that comfortable, really. It's all right. It's a bit warm, though.
0:46:07 > 0:46:10I'm getting a little bit nervous now.
0:46:11 > 0:46:16Luke will be strapped to Corporal Mark Scobie for his tandem jump.
0:46:16 > 0:46:21You're going to be in freefall for 40-45 seconds, but with the whole sensory overload
0:46:21 > 0:46:26of actually jumping out an aircraft, it is over really quickly and will probably feel about 10 or 15.
0:46:26 > 0:46:30Relax, breathe as normal, don't try and hold your breath,
0:46:30 > 0:46:34and try to absorb as much of the experience as you can, because it's over really quickly.
0:46:34 > 0:46:40OK? And breathe as normal. A lot of people hold their breath for 50 seconds!
0:46:40 > 0:46:42You can breathe perfectly.
0:46:47 > 0:46:52Although the jump itself should be fun, deputy head warden Ian Turner
0:46:52 > 0:46:54knows it's a serious business for the lads.
0:46:54 > 0:46:58'It's not a stepping off the bus job.'
0:46:58 > 0:47:03It's jumping out of a plane, and they're doing it for the gorillas. They've raised loads of money so far.
0:47:03 > 0:47:05I'm proud of them.
0:47:16 > 0:47:21We'll be there when Luke and Stuart face the 12,000ft drop and find out
0:47:21 > 0:47:25if they have the courage to step out of the plane or not.
0:47:33 > 0:47:39Back at Longleat, the big day has arrived for the park's ten new African white-backed vultures.
0:47:39 > 0:47:43They're about to be released into their purpose-built aviary.
0:47:45 > 0:47:49Well, we're really chuffed to say that the enclosure's ready and it's the big release day.
0:47:49 > 0:47:51We're all really looking forward to it.
0:47:51 > 0:47:55The birds have been kept indoors for a while now.
0:47:55 > 0:47:58We have to let them out and see what happens.
0:47:58 > 0:48:04We're a little bit concerned, because when they've been kept in a confined area, if you like,
0:48:04 > 0:48:09and all of a sudden they're going to go out the door and see freedom,
0:48:09 > 0:48:15they may well crash into the fence, which we don't know how it's going to stand up to a vulture hitting it.
0:48:15 > 0:48:21It's quite strong, but they've got sharp beaks, as well, and we're worried they might chew through it.
0:48:24 > 0:48:27To mark the occasion, a distinguished guest has come down
0:48:27 > 0:48:31to help with the release - Lord Bath himself.
0:48:31 > 0:48:33Hello.
0:48:36 > 0:48:40- Do they like each other or hate being put in together? - They bicker and squabble.
0:48:40 > 0:48:46- They have their spots on the perches, and if someone moves too close, they're a bit...- Quite human!
0:48:46 > 0:48:48They do flap about a bit.
0:48:50 > 0:48:57I've been to places where vultures are flapping around the road, in Colombia and Venezuela and things,
0:48:57 > 0:49:02so I have seen, but whether they were this kind, that I'm not sure.
0:49:02 > 0:49:06Building the enclosure was a team effort, so keepers from different sections
0:49:06 > 0:49:10have come to take part in Lord Bath's grand opening.
0:49:10 > 0:49:14The special thing about this one is it was conceived by
0:49:14 > 0:49:20those who actually work here, and constructed by, so it's a home-made product.
0:49:20 > 0:49:25The official name for the aviary will be The Venue.
0:49:25 > 0:49:30So it is time it to declare The Venue...
0:49:30 > 0:49:32open.
0:49:34 > 0:49:37That's a relief! I thought it wasn't going to open.
0:49:39 > 0:49:44The vultures need no encouragement to take to the air.
0:49:52 > 0:49:57Happily for Mark, they head straight for the perches he's built.
0:49:58 > 0:50:02So which part of Africa do these come from? Is it Africa?
0:50:02 > 0:50:05Yes, they are an African species. Mainly a plains bird.
0:50:05 > 0:50:08Will you find a mass of them, or...?
0:50:08 > 0:50:12Yeah, probably. They're nature's scavenger.
0:50:12 > 0:50:13They're the cleaner, if you like.
0:50:13 > 0:50:18Wherever there's dead animals, there'll be vultures in their hundreds.
0:50:18 > 0:50:22When I was in South America, I remember seeing a dead donkey,
0:50:22 > 0:50:29and driving by, suddenly a flock of these great big vultures were taking to the air.
0:50:29 > 0:50:33What about an amorous vulture? How do they behave?
0:50:33 > 0:50:37That's something I know nothing about, because they're new to us.
0:50:37 > 0:50:42Until they establish themselves and we see some sort of mating and pairing up,
0:50:42 > 0:50:45I don't really know what to expect for that.
0:50:45 > 0:50:51Despite their fearsome looks, Lord Bath hopes they'll be an asset to the park.
0:50:51 > 0:50:54We want to give everyone nice dreams at night.
0:50:54 > 0:50:59I'm not sure if this is the right way but, anyway, we must do this as an experiment to see.
0:50:59 > 0:51:05And there's plenty of things to have nice dreams about, so a little blend of both -
0:51:05 > 0:51:10the spice of excitement as well as the cuddly ones.
0:51:10 > 0:51:15Mark Tye helped design the enclosure and supervised the build.
0:51:15 > 0:51:18Now he can enjoy watching the vultures settle in.
0:51:18 > 0:51:24It's been nice to see them actually get up and get control of their wings and see them moving around.
0:51:24 > 0:51:30They look so much bigger when they're actually out flying around than when they're up on the perch.
0:51:30 > 0:51:32They've got a very nice character.
0:51:32 > 0:51:37They're not just a bird that sits there and looks a bit bland.
0:51:37 > 0:51:41They have got a facial expression, if you like. They do look different.
0:51:41 > 0:51:44They're enjoyable to watch, especially when they feed.
0:51:44 > 0:51:46It's quite something else.
0:51:46 > 0:51:53We'll be back later in the series to see what happens when the vultures are given their first full feed.
0:52:00 > 0:52:04At the Joint Services Parachute Centre in Netheravon,
0:52:04 > 0:52:07safari boat guides Stuart and Luke are about to take the plunge.
0:52:07 > 0:52:13They've raised over £10,000 and pledged to complete a parachute jump
0:52:13 > 0:52:16in aid of endangered gorillas in Africa.
0:52:16 > 0:52:20Despite their fears, there's no going back now.
0:52:27 > 0:52:34The freefall takes them to a speed of 120mph, straight down.
0:52:59 > 0:53:02Once the parachute opens, they can breathe a sigh of relief.
0:53:02 > 0:53:05But there's still the tricky business of landing in one piece.
0:53:08 > 0:53:11Nice and high, nice and high.
0:53:11 > 0:53:12Stop, stop.
0:53:12 > 0:53:16That was absolutely brilliant. Honestly.
0:53:16 > 0:53:18I feel sick now.
0:53:19 > 0:53:24- Did a good job. Superb.- The best bit was the skydiving at the beginning.
0:53:24 > 0:53:29When you first go out, you are so scared it is unbelievable, but within about a second or so,
0:53:29 > 0:53:35you realise you're not going to die, or maybe not yet, so you sort of chill out.
0:53:35 > 0:53:37It's really, really good fun.
0:53:37 > 0:53:40The other bit of fun is when you open up the parachute.
0:53:40 > 0:53:46You just suddenly stop, and cos it's tandem, I'm not expecting it, and all of a sudden you just stop.
0:53:46 > 0:53:48Yeah.
0:53:48 > 0:53:51- Well done.- Absolutely fantastic! - Jump up, mate.
0:53:51 > 0:53:53Fortunately, there were no broken bones.
0:53:53 > 0:53:55Stuart, too, has got down safely.
0:53:55 > 0:53:58The freefall was really, really quick.
0:53:58 > 0:54:01I didn't realise how quickly it was going to go. That was...
0:54:01 > 0:54:03I enjoyed that bit.
0:54:03 > 0:54:05- Job's a good 'un.- We did it.
0:54:05 > 0:54:07Excellent job there. Well done, Stu.
0:54:07 > 0:54:10I like this man a lot. He took good care of me there.
0:54:10 > 0:54:14Scared me half to death, spinning around and stuff, but it was OK.
0:54:16 > 0:54:23Luke and Stuart have successfully landed more than £10,000 to help save gorillas in the wild.
0:54:23 > 0:54:27It's all in a day's work for a Longleat keeper.
0:54:30 > 0:54:33Kate and I have come up to the giraffe house
0:54:33 > 0:54:38to meet two of Longleat's dromedary camels, Vera and Caroline.
0:54:38 > 0:54:45Not forgetting head of section Andy Hayton. Andy, they're fantastic, these camels.
0:54:45 > 0:54:47What are we feeding them now?
0:54:47 > 0:54:53This is just their evening feed - bran and some nuts that we feed the majority of the hoof stock here.
0:54:53 > 0:54:58- How are you getting on over there, Kate?- I've got a very hungry camel. Which one's this?- This is Vera.
0:54:58 > 0:55:03- Dromedaries differ from the Bactrian camels because they've got one hump.- That's right.
0:55:03 > 0:55:05What are the other differences?
0:55:05 > 0:55:07Basically, where they live.
0:55:07 > 0:55:12- The Bactrians will come from Asia, really cold climes.- Yeah.
0:55:12 > 0:55:15These - Arabia, North Africa.
0:55:15 > 0:55:19These are the ones that are used for racing and things like that.
0:55:19 > 0:55:24Am I right in thinking there are actually no camels left in their indigenous places?
0:55:24 > 0:55:28No, all the dromedaries are pretty much domesticated now,
0:55:28 > 0:55:33apart from the Australian ones that were taken out there when they were trekking around Australia.
0:55:33 > 0:55:36These were the best things to take around there.
0:55:36 > 0:55:41Animals escaped or were released, and now there's a good wild population out in Australia.
0:55:41 > 0:55:45- But they wouldn't have occurred in Australia naturally?- No, no.
0:55:45 > 0:55:48They're just one of those things that gets dumped on Australia.
0:55:48 > 0:55:50Cane toads and camels!
0:55:50 > 0:55:56They're clearly incredibly adaptable and cope amazingly well with very, very dry conditions.
0:55:56 > 0:55:59Yeah, absolutely. And they do really well here.
0:55:59 > 0:56:02You don't want them having too much food because,
0:56:02 > 0:56:05like most of our animals, they're designed to live on not a lot.
0:56:05 > 0:56:08But these two are a real couple of characters.
0:56:08 > 0:56:14Vera is pretty soppy, and Caroline's like the bully out of the two.
0:56:14 > 0:56:15I love their eyelashes.
0:56:15 > 0:56:19- Huge!- Yeah. They're just totally adapted for sand.
0:56:19 > 0:56:21They've got a third eyelid.
0:56:21 > 0:56:24These things can live out in sandstorms and stuff like that.
0:56:24 > 0:56:30These eyelashes would protect the eye from getting any sand in them if there was sand blowing about?
0:56:30 > 0:56:34Yeah, there's a third eyelid, as well, which acts a bit like your windscreen wiper.
0:56:34 > 0:56:37You're about to be invaded by a rogue llama.
0:56:37 > 0:56:40I'm sorry, this isn't for you. Andy, thank you very much indeed.
0:56:40 > 0:56:43We shall leave these two girls to their dinner.
0:56:43 > 0:56:48That's all we've got time for today, but here's what's coming up on the next Animal Park.
0:56:49 > 0:56:53White rhino bull Winston becomes a sperm donor.
0:56:53 > 0:56:58Will artificial insemination allow him to become a father at last?
0:56:58 > 0:57:05The Pere David deer are hovering on the edge of extinction. Can Longleat help save the species?
0:57:05 > 0:57:10The bat cave needs a make-over, but first Darren and his troops must round up the bats.
0:57:10 > 0:57:12Oh! Dropped it!
0:57:12 > 0:57:19And we'll go on a stake-out to see the lions tucking in to a special midnight feast.
0:57:19 > 0:57:21Now Kabir is trying to take it away.
0:57:21 > 0:57:25There's going to be a tug-of-war, by the looks of things here.
0:57:25 > 0:57:27So don't miss the next Animal Park.
0:57:48 > 0:57:51Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd - 2006
0:57:51 > 0:57:56E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk