0:00:31 > 0:00:34Hello and welcome to Animal Park. I'm Kate Humble.
0:00:34 > 0:00:38I'm Ben Fogle, and these are Longleat's Bactrian camels.
0:00:38 > 0:00:42Although there's quite a crowd here, they're actually quite rare in the wild.
0:00:42 > 0:00:47To find them, you would have to go to Mongolia or to China, where there are only a few hundred left.
0:00:47 > 0:00:53They survive in one of the most extreme environments in the world, where temperatures plummet to -20.
0:00:53 > 0:00:58we've got lots of other remarkable animals on today's programme, including...
0:00:58 > 0:01:01White rhino bull Winston becomes a sperm donor.
0:01:01 > 0:01:07Will artificial insemination allow him to become a father at last?
0:01:07 > 0:01:10The Pere David deer are hovering on the edge of extinction.
0:01:10 > 0:01:14Can Longleat help save the species?
0:01:14 > 0:01:19The Bat Cave needs a make-over, but first Darren and his troops must round up the bats.
0:01:19 > 0:01:23Got one. ..Oh! Dropped it.
0:01:23 > 0:01:29And we'll go on a stake-out to see the lions tucking in in a special midnight feast.
0:01:29 > 0:01:33He's trying to take it away.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36There's going to be a tug-of-war, by the looks of things here.
0:01:40 > 0:01:44But first, for decades Longleat has played an important role
0:01:44 > 0:01:48in preserving the white rhino from extinction.
0:01:48 > 0:01:52Though breeding rhino in captivity is notoriously difficult,
0:01:52 > 0:01:57in the 1980s, the park successfully bred eight calves.
0:01:59 > 0:02:04Adult male Winston moved here in 1993 from Windsor Safari Park.
0:02:04 > 0:02:09It was hoped that he would carry on the breeding tradition, but sadly Winston never mated.
0:02:09 > 0:02:11OK, let's see what he does.
0:02:11 > 0:02:16'Recently, we saw keepers introduce him to a new female, Marashi.'
0:02:16 > 0:02:18Here we go!
0:02:18 > 0:02:21Wow, what a reaction.
0:02:21 > 0:02:27But though they hit it off at first, so far romance has not blossomed.
0:02:29 > 0:02:34Now Winston's 39 years old, and his time is running out.
0:02:34 > 0:02:40To maintain genetic diversity amongst rhino, it's important to preserve Winston's bloodline,
0:02:40 > 0:02:45so Head Warden Keith Harris has decided to try a new experimental technique -
0:02:45 > 0:02:48artificial insemination for rhinos.
0:02:48 > 0:02:54It's quite important we do use genes or blood from him within the breeding population.
0:02:54 > 0:02:58So if this works, it will be very good.
0:02:58 > 0:03:02Winston will have left us with something
0:03:02 > 0:03:05when he goes to where all the rhinos go.
0:03:06 > 0:03:12Last year, a veterinary team from the Berlin Institute For Zoo And Wildlife Research,
0:03:12 > 0:03:15who are pioneering artificial insemination for rhinos,
0:03:15 > 0:03:20came to Longleat to see if Winston's sperm was healthy enough to use.
0:03:20 > 0:03:27To everyone's delight, tests showed that Winston's sperm is very potent indeed.
0:03:27 > 0:03:34Now the Berlin team has come back to take another sample, and try to implant it into a rhino cow.
0:03:34 > 0:03:38Vet Robert Hermes is hopeful that, using their new technique,
0:03:38 > 0:03:42Winston could become a father at last.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45A semen collection lasts about 20, 30 minutes.
0:03:45 > 0:03:50We'll look at what we have and then pack up as quickly as we can,
0:03:50 > 0:03:56and drive up to the West Midlands Safari, where two females are waiting to be inseminated.
0:03:58 > 0:04:02But first, Winston must be sedated.
0:04:03 > 0:04:09It's a painless procedure, but the gun is needed to get the syringe through Winston's thick hide.
0:04:11 > 0:04:17To keep him calm while the drug takes effect, keepers muffle his ears and cover his eyes.
0:04:18 > 0:04:24Once Winston is unconscious, the team will have to move fast,
0:04:24 > 0:04:29so he remains sedated for as little time as possible.
0:04:35 > 0:04:39It's a rare opportunity to get a really close look at Winston.
0:04:39 > 0:04:44Last time he was sedated, a tumour was discovered on one of his testicles,
0:04:44 > 0:04:48and now Keith needs to find out if it's grown.
0:04:48 > 0:04:53They've just been scanning the testis that had the tumour on.
0:04:53 > 0:04:59I think the early thought is that it hasn't actually grown...
0:04:59 > 0:05:05in size any more than last time, so that's slightly encouraging.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08Can I get you here to hold this? Come on.
0:05:08 > 0:05:13In order to extract sperm, Winston must be unconscious but not too deeply asleep.
0:05:13 > 0:05:19Moment by moment, Berlin team vet Mark Combert monitors his condition.
0:05:19 > 0:05:25These spasms are normal. It's sort of a nervous reflex reaction.
0:05:25 > 0:05:31So it's not that he's waking up, it's just he gets a bit stimulated.
0:05:32 > 0:05:38It looks painful, but actually, this procedure is far from unpleasant for Winston.
0:05:38 > 0:05:44The Berlin vets have successfully used artificial insemination with elephants in the past,
0:05:44 > 0:05:46but not, as yet, with rhino.
0:05:46 > 0:05:50If this new technique works, it will be a world first.
0:05:55 > 0:05:56He's a bit too awake.
0:05:56 > 0:06:04So we're going to give him 0.05ml of Immobilon.
0:06:08 > 0:06:13It's going OK. We had to give him a little bit more to relax him.
0:06:13 > 0:06:17He's a bit more tense today.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20It could be a lot of reasons,
0:06:20 > 0:06:25but they're actually getting sperm as we speak, so it's all going according to plan.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30We'll catch up with Winston and the team later on.
0:06:38 > 0:06:42Even more threatened than the rhino, these Pere David deer are so rare
0:06:42 > 0:06:45they've been declared critically endangered.
0:06:45 > 0:06:50There's just a handful left in the world, and seven of them at Longleat.
0:06:50 > 0:06:54They're the remnants of a herd that's had a very strange history.
0:06:54 > 0:06:59The species comes from China, where they became extinct over a century ago.
0:06:59 > 0:07:07Just a few survived in captivity, and in 1893, they all ended up in the grounds of Woburn Abbey.
0:07:07 > 0:07:11This herd of about 300 lives on the Duke of Bedford's estate at Woburn.
0:07:11 > 0:07:16They died out in China when the walls of the park were breached by floods in 1894.
0:07:16 > 0:07:20There were only five left in the world, which were all collected at Woburn,
0:07:20 > 0:07:23and from them, the present flock has grown.
0:07:24 > 0:07:29In the 1980s, Woburn gave 20 Pere Davids to Longleat.
0:07:29 > 0:07:34Deputy head warden Ian Turner is proud that they were then able to contribute to a scheme
0:07:34 > 0:07:37to re-introduce them to the wild.
0:07:37 > 0:07:41There wasn't any left in the wild, and then Woburn and Longleat -
0:07:41 > 0:07:45I think Whipsnade also were involved - sent some back to China.
0:07:45 > 0:07:47That was in 1986.
0:07:47 > 0:07:49And it hit the headlines.
0:07:49 > 0:07:51'The Six O'Clock News from the BBC.'
0:07:51 > 0:07:55The animals that we're sending are reasonably wild and hard to approach
0:07:55 > 0:07:58and I think they will adapt very quickly to the new environment
0:07:58 > 0:08:02and within a generation or two, will be as wild as any deer are.
0:08:02 > 0:08:07- What about the journey? Is that going to be safe for them? - It's going to be a difficult journey
0:08:07 > 0:08:11both for the people and the deer. It's a long trip.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13We're flying them direct to Shanghai,
0:08:13 > 0:08:16putting them on trucks, taking them overland
0:08:16 > 0:08:19400 kilometres north to the site where they will be released.
0:08:21 > 0:08:25Unfortunately, after sending some of their deer to China,
0:08:25 > 0:08:28Longleat's remaining herd was plagued by illness.
0:08:28 > 0:08:33They went into a long decline, from 15 to just 6 animals.
0:08:33 > 0:08:38They're now all healthy, though they look a bit scruffy at the moment
0:08:38 > 0:08:40because they're shedding their winter coats.
0:08:40 > 0:08:46The herd's main problem is that their dominant stag turned out to be infertile.
0:08:46 > 0:08:51They do have another male, but he's young and suppressed by the senior stag.
0:08:51 > 0:08:56It looked like the Pere Davids were just going to fade away.
0:08:56 > 0:09:01But now, the keeper in charge of the deer, Tim Yeo, has spotted something.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05The last few days certainly...
0:09:05 > 0:09:10have given me hope. I mean, there are a couple of young hinds
0:09:10 > 0:09:15that are looking, to me, as though they are possibly in calf.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18But I need to keep watching.
0:09:18 > 0:09:22It is a difficult thing to actually say whether they are or they aren't.
0:09:26 > 0:09:30Tim is desperate to get a closer look at the two young females,
0:09:30 > 0:09:33and takes his vehicle into the enclosure.
0:09:33 > 0:09:35But the Pere Davids move away.
0:09:35 > 0:09:41It may be that from past experience, they associate Tim with trouble - medical checks and so on.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47I think they have become... certainly to recognise me.
0:09:47 > 0:09:49They seem to.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53It's strange because they do become, as some of the other animals do,
0:09:53 > 0:09:57they become used to the sound of a certain vehicle.
0:09:57 > 0:10:03Usually I can just get a look at them before they make off.
0:10:03 > 0:10:10With so few of these animals left anywhere in the world, every pregnancy is important.
0:10:10 > 0:10:14For Longleat, new babies would mean that their herd was back from the brink,
0:10:14 > 0:10:19playing its part again to help stop the species from sliding into extinction.
0:10:19 > 0:10:26This is certainly very much my hope, that this year,
0:10:26 > 0:10:32fingers really crossed, we do have a hind, or even better, two hinds in calf.
0:10:32 > 0:10:37It's early days. I'm hopeful, though, from what I'm seeing.
0:10:37 > 0:10:42But I hope it's not just me wanting it a little bit too much.
0:10:46 > 0:10:51But just a few days later, Tim made a sad discovery.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54When he went up in the morning, he could tell
0:10:54 > 0:10:58that something had happened to one of the two young females.
0:10:58 > 0:11:04The hind, to me, had obviously calved, from the look of her.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07I looked...hunted for a calf,
0:11:07 > 0:11:10and found, sadly, a dead calf.
0:11:10 > 0:11:14It was a great shock, and an awful shame.
0:11:14 > 0:11:19It's so frustrating when you go a full pregnancy,
0:11:19 > 0:11:22and then to lose the calf in the birth.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27That leaves just one hind who may still be pregnant -
0:11:27 > 0:11:30the last hope for the Pere David deer.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33We'll find out what happens with her later on.
0:11:51 > 0:11:56Longleat's newest lion cubs, Malaika and Jasira,
0:11:56 > 0:11:59are growing stronger and more adventurous every day.
0:12:00 > 0:12:06The whole family, under dominant male Kabir, are getting on famously together.
0:12:07 > 0:12:14The cubs are showing almost as much of an appetite as their father when the feeding truck comes round.
0:12:17 > 0:12:23But now these lions are ready for a brand-new dinner-time experience.
0:12:26 > 0:12:31I'm up at the lion house with keeper Bob Trollope and head of section Brian Kent.
0:12:31 > 0:12:35We're going to try a bit of an experiment tonight, aren't we?
0:12:35 > 0:12:39It'll be totally different tonight. Nothing that we've done before.
0:12:39 > 0:12:45- What's the plan?- We're going to put a carcass in the compound.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49Right. So, out in the paddock bit here?
0:12:49 > 0:12:53And then we'll let Kabir and the mums and cubs out.
0:12:53 > 0:12:58One of the things is, we've never fed them a whole carcass before.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01Usually, they just get the chunks.
0:13:01 > 0:13:07We know Kabir's a bit of a foody, so it'll be interesting to see what he actually does.
0:13:07 > 0:13:14Because usually, he runs round and tries to get all the chunks for himself.
0:13:14 > 0:13:19It'll be interesting to see what he does in relation to the cubs and mums.
0:13:19 > 0:13:24And feeding at night, Brian, is not something you would normally do.
0:13:24 > 0:13:26We try not to!
0:13:26 > 0:13:32- No! Do you think...? Lions in the wild would often hunt at night, presumably.- Oh, yeah.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35So it's going to be good for them.
0:13:35 > 0:13:36- Something different.- Yeah.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39It's more natural, to be honest, than the way we do it.
0:13:39 > 0:13:44So it'll be interesting to see what Kabir does, and the females.
0:13:44 > 0:13:48You might be thinking, "But if you're doing this at night, how will you see it?"
0:13:48 > 0:13:51A-ha! Well, we've got a plan.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53Come over to the Animal Park vehicle.
0:13:53 > 0:13:57There's kit everywhere, and we haven't set anything up yet,
0:13:57 > 0:14:02but this is an infrared camera and this is an infrared light.
0:14:02 > 0:14:07The camera will be mounted on a pole, probably against the fence here
0:14:07 > 0:14:08- on this side.- Yeah.
0:14:08 > 0:14:12The infrared light will flood that area with light.
0:14:12 > 0:14:17But the great thing about infrared is that the lions - and we - can't see it.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20So it will totally not disturb them.
0:14:20 > 0:14:25So we can get as natural a set-up as is at all possible.
0:14:25 > 0:14:29So we've got our work cut out for the afternoon setting all this stuff up.
0:14:29 > 0:14:33But join us later to see the lions having a midnight feast.
0:14:46 > 0:14:53Now we're off to Pets Corner, where head of section Darren Beasley is on a difficult mission in the Bat Cave.
0:14:53 > 0:14:58Today, he has to move the Egyptian fruit bats so their cave can be given a makeover.
0:14:58 > 0:15:05There are 14 of them in here, so he's called in the troops to help.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08You've got the whole team, the whole posse of us.
0:15:08 > 0:15:13We're going to do some painting and cleaning in here, because bats are pretty messy creatures.
0:15:13 > 0:15:17We're going to mess around with the lights, so we're going to paint the ceiling.
0:15:17 > 0:15:22But it's a bit of a military operation, because these are Egyptian fruit bats.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25They're designed not to bump into things. We have to catch 'em.
0:15:28 > 0:15:33Because bats use echolocation, they use sound, they fly and bounce sound off things,
0:15:33 > 0:15:35they can steer round everything.
0:15:35 > 0:15:41It's not easy to catch them. So we need the team to try and chase them.
0:15:41 > 0:15:45The bats will get a little bit tired, and hopefully they'll start,
0:15:45 > 0:15:48not flying into them, but making my life a bit easier.
0:15:48 > 0:15:53So, forward planning, a bit of military precision here, clear the decks.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56And you need everybody as fit as world-class athletes.
0:15:56 > 0:15:58So that's why I brought them along!
0:16:04 > 0:16:09Darren and the team will have to get their tactics right.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12Nets at the ready, they deploy in a pincer movement.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14Got one. ..Oh, dropped it.
0:16:15 > 0:16:16If you can...
0:16:16 > 0:16:18Ooh!
0:16:18 > 0:16:19Ah, lovely.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24So, bat number one.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27Look at him.
0:16:27 > 0:16:29Lovely fella, isn't he?
0:16:29 > 0:16:33You don't often get many chances.
0:16:33 > 0:16:38We do, like, an MOT, where we grab random ones throughout the year.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41But we haven't had any problems with them.
0:16:41 > 0:16:43Look at those beautiful wings.
0:16:43 > 0:16:45I love them to bits. Absolutely love them.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55I tell you, I honestly don't think I could hit a barn door!
0:16:58 > 0:17:04As the bats are captured, Darren takes the chance to show his team how to give them a health check.
0:17:05 > 0:17:10You're looking for things like rips in the wings, maybe poor body weight condition.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12Take your glove off,
0:17:12 > 0:17:15and gently put your finger on his chest.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18There's plenty of meat coating, you can't feel the breastbone at all.
0:17:18 > 0:17:20Got one.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23Some people call them flying foxes.
0:17:23 > 0:17:28This one's not as friendly as the last one, so I've got to watch my hands a bit.
0:17:28 > 0:17:35They've got these nasty-looking teeth, but really, these are totally fruit and flower eaters.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38There can be tough skin on the fruit, and they've got to get through that.
0:17:38 > 0:17:40His little heart's beating.
0:17:40 > 0:17:45They've developed these...claws, for hanging upside down.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48Absolutely beautiful. All right, mate?
0:17:48 > 0:17:52Darren's bat catchers are winning the battle, but slowly.
0:17:52 > 0:17:54In you go. That's three.
0:17:54 > 0:17:56We're going to be here a little while!
0:17:56 > 0:17:59We'll come back to see how the team get on.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14I'm down at the pig enclosure with keeper Val McGruther
0:18:14 > 0:18:18and Longleat's two Chinese pot-bellied pigs, Bruno and Blossom.
0:18:18 > 0:18:19We've got the two here.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22And I've got this unusual contraption with me.
0:18:22 > 0:18:24What's all this about?
0:18:24 > 0:18:28Sam and John, two of our workers, have put this together.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31It's an enrichment item. A food enrichment item.
0:18:31 > 0:18:36- How does it work?- We tie this up to the rope, and inside...
0:18:36 > 0:18:40They're particularly hungry today, aren't they? Who is this?
0:18:40 > 0:18:42We've got Bruno here.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44He knows I've got some pig nuts.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47So we'll pour those pig nuts into here.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50Yeah, and they will rattle this.
0:18:50 > 0:18:52- The pigs are supposed to rattle that?- That's right.
0:18:52 > 0:18:57They get hold of it with their teeth and rattle it about, which works these red things.
0:18:57 > 0:19:02These bits here. They move like that, don't they?
0:19:02 > 0:19:05- So that allows the pellets to come out?- Exactly. Excuse me.
0:19:05 > 0:19:07I've got a creature on me.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10And will the pigs know how to do that?
0:19:10 > 0:19:12Yes. We've actually done a bit before.
0:19:12 > 0:19:17This is a work in progress, and this is a slightly improved finish.
0:19:17 > 0:19:19So you're updating it. Shall we pour them in?
0:19:19 > 0:19:21Let's put some in.
0:19:23 > 0:19:28Perfect. Is this all part of your general enrichment, keeping them busy and occupied?
0:19:28 > 0:19:31Yes, it is, cos they are intelligent animals.
0:19:31 > 0:19:35They reckon, and I know you like dogs and have one yourself,
0:19:35 > 0:19:38they have got the intelligence of a labrador dog.
0:19:38 > 0:19:40- Really?- So they say.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43We shall see. What sort of height to do you want this at?
0:19:43 > 0:19:45That's fine.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48We'll test my knot-tying skills now.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51- Were you a Scout?- It should be OK.
0:19:51 > 0:19:55- Here comes Blossom.- Do you think they're going to come straight over?
0:19:55 > 0:19:57Will they mind us hanging around?
0:19:57 > 0:20:01Hopefully they'll do it straight away, but we may have to step back.
0:20:01 > 0:20:02Shall we step back a little bit?
0:20:02 > 0:20:07Wiggle it a bit first so they know they've got some there.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10How is their smell? Will they know there is food?
0:20:10 > 0:20:13They've got a good sense of smell.
0:20:13 > 0:20:17- This is Blossom? - No, this is Bruno and Blossom here.
0:20:17 > 0:20:22- In fact, when we did it the first time, it was Blossom that did it first.- Right.
0:20:22 > 0:20:24Does that make her the more intelligent?
0:20:24 > 0:20:25Well, I think she's a woman!
0:20:27 > 0:20:30No bias there!
0:20:30 > 0:20:32Come on then, Blos. Share her you can do it.
0:20:32 > 0:20:36Blossom's not too interested in going over just now.
0:20:36 > 0:20:42But you've got all sorts of things in here, footballs, all sorts to keep them occupied.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45Yes, they are very intelligent.
0:20:45 > 0:20:49They need to be kept busy or they get naughty and do things they shouldn't.
0:20:49 > 0:20:51Like what? Can you tell us anything?
0:20:51 > 0:20:53They used to be up at Pets Corner at one time.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56Bruno used to open the gate and get out sometimes.
0:20:56 > 0:21:01- Did he?- If he did that when we weren't there, he'd go round and start destroying the gardens.
0:21:01 > 0:21:04- Didn't go down very well.- I'm sure it didn't with the gardeners.
0:21:04 > 0:21:06He's going back.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19- That's fantastic. She's finally doing it.- Yes.
0:21:19 > 0:21:23You said it was Blossom last time that was the first up to it.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26- Does that make her the piggiest? - I think it does.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29She's doing it, she's proving that she can do it.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32Bruno here is more interested in us still.
0:21:32 > 0:21:34I don't think he's worked it out.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37I think he wants us to hand it to him on a plate.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39Really? He really is lazy.
0:21:39 > 0:21:43- Are you pleased with it?- Yes, I am. I'm really pleased it's working.
0:21:43 > 0:21:48Fantastic. Thank you very much for showing us this fantastic machine.
0:21:56 > 0:22:00100 miles up the road from Longleat is West Midlands Safari Park.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07They've had considerable success in breeding exotic animals.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10This year they have a hippo calf.
0:22:12 > 0:22:17And even one rhino calf conceived naturally.
0:22:17 > 0:22:22But two of their female rhino have never bred and head keeper Bob Lawrence
0:22:22 > 0:22:26fears that their biological clocks are ticking.
0:22:26 > 0:22:30We get to a point with these large animals like elephant and rhino -
0:22:30 > 0:22:33if they don't breed by a certain age, they probably never will,
0:22:33 > 0:22:35and these two old girls behind me are 15.
0:22:35 > 0:22:37We need to get them breeding pretty urgently
0:22:37 > 0:22:40otherwise they never will and it will be a terrible waste.
0:22:42 > 0:22:48The park does have a bull named Sharka, but so far he's not been up to the job.
0:22:48 > 0:22:52It's a funny thing with rhinos. They almost get too familiar with each other.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55It's significant that the bull came with those two girls
0:22:55 > 0:23:01and it's like a brother-sister thing, rather than a genuine up and running at mating scenario.
0:23:01 > 0:23:08Now Bob is hoping that where nature has failed, artificial insemination will work.
0:23:08 > 0:23:13It's quite important that if we can do this on these relatively common species of rhino,
0:23:13 > 0:23:17it could perhaps be done on Indian rhino, black rhino, which are a lot rarer.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20When this place opened in 1973,
0:23:20 > 0:23:24there were hundreds of thousands of rhino possibly on the earth.
0:23:24 > 0:23:28In that intervening 33 years, 98% of those rhinos have gone
0:23:28 > 0:23:32so it's very important we retain the ability to do this sort of thing
0:23:32 > 0:23:36and look forward and think forward and think of new ways of achieving a means to an end.
0:23:37 > 0:23:41Back at Longleat, the team of expert vets from Berlin
0:23:41 > 0:23:45have collected Winston's sperm and now he's waking up.
0:23:45 > 0:23:50He doesn't seem too bothered by the experience, to head warden Keith Harris's delight.
0:23:50 > 0:23:54It's always nice to see him standing up, that's the main thing,
0:23:54 > 0:23:59because 2.5 tonnes of rhino is not easy to move, so...
0:23:59 > 0:24:05obviously, for his sake, and everybody else's, that they get straight back up.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08He'll never know what happened.
0:24:10 > 0:24:15Berlin team vet Mark Combert is passionate about the work they do.
0:24:15 > 0:24:20What we're trying to do by breeding in captivity
0:24:20 > 0:24:25is guaranteeing that there'll be animals to release into the wild if needed.
0:24:25 > 0:24:30So, if for reasons of populations decline,
0:24:30 > 0:24:36whether it's disease or deforestation or hunting and poaching,
0:24:36 > 0:24:38we'll have places for these guys to go.
0:24:38 > 0:24:43Before they do anything else, Berlin team leader Robert Hermes
0:24:43 > 0:24:46must check that Winston's sperm is still healthy.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50Obviously the sperm have to move from...
0:24:50 > 0:24:56In the rhinoceros it's about 1.5 metres from where the bull puts them to the cervix,
0:24:56 > 0:24:59and then they have to travel all the way to the oviduct.
0:24:59 > 0:25:05The sperm movement is very important.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08Winston's sperm passes the test.
0:25:08 > 0:25:12It's important to use the sperm as quickly as possible,
0:25:12 > 0:25:17so Robert immediately takes the sample and sets off for West Midlands Safari Park.
0:25:20 > 0:25:25- Hi, Rob.- Hi.- Good trip? - Yes, thank you.- Hi.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28The things we do on a Sunday afternoon, eh?
0:25:28 > 0:25:35Now Robert and the Berlin team will implant Winston's sperm into female rhino Mtuba.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38We'll come back to see how they get on.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52I'm with Derek Longway, the manager of the butterfly garden here at Longleat.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55We're with some of your residents. Who have we got here?
0:25:55 > 0:25:59These are the owl butterflies, so called because of their eye markings.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02Which is incredible, because it really does look like an owl's eye.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05Yes, it's used as a deterrent for predators.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09They'll flap their wings and flash this false eye
0:26:09 > 0:26:13and the predators will either be discouraged
0:26:13 > 0:26:16or if they do attack, they'll attack the back end of the wing,
0:26:16 > 0:26:18thereby letting the butterfly escape.
0:26:18 > 0:26:25- Incredible. The fruit that they're dining off looks quite old and manky.- Yes.
0:26:25 > 0:26:31As the fruit rots down, it releases the sugars and makes a sugary,
0:26:31 > 0:26:37syrupy liquid which is readily digested through the proboscis.
0:26:37 > 0:26:41- That's the thing just going into the banana there.- Into the banana.
0:26:41 > 0:26:43Are they sucking it up like through a straw?
0:26:43 > 0:26:47Absolutely, yes, like a hydraulic suction.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50Presumably where there are butterflies, there must be caterpillars.
0:26:50 > 0:26:54Yes, I can see one not too far away, on the citrus here.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56That's a citrus swallowtail.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58Oh, it blends in incredibly well to the leaf.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01I can just make out its two little eyes.
0:27:01 > 0:27:05Otherwise I wouldn't have spotted that. Presumably it's a camouflage.
0:27:05 > 0:27:07Yes, nature's camouflage.
0:27:07 > 0:27:10And what sort of butterfly will that turn into?
0:27:10 > 0:27:13That will be a swallowtail.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16Fascinating. Derek, thank you very much.
0:27:16 > 0:27:18Here's what still to come on today's programme.
0:27:18 > 0:27:24We'll find out if Winston's sperm donation will make him a father at last.
0:27:24 > 0:27:26She's good, very good.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28Should ovulate tonight.
0:27:30 > 0:27:35They may be shy creatures, but this tortoise doesn't hold back when faced with a tasty treat.
0:27:37 > 0:27:41And we'll see what the lions make of their new dinner arrangements.
0:27:41 > 0:27:43- It is the perfect family dinner. - It is.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51But first, to the Bat Cave, where Darren and his troops
0:27:51 > 0:27:57are still trying to round up the last three Egyptian fruit bats.
0:27:57 > 0:27:59Hang on.
0:27:59 > 0:28:01- I've got him. - BAT "GRIZZLES"
0:28:01 > 0:28:02You can have the noisy one.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05You can bite all you want, I've got gloves on.
0:28:05 > 0:28:07All right, sweet, let's get your wings in.
0:28:07 > 0:28:08Here we go.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11This one's got some good teeth on him.
0:28:11 > 0:28:15Beautiful. Look at that. See all the veins and capillaries and things.
0:28:15 > 0:28:19That's my fingers through there, look how delicate that is.
0:28:19 > 0:28:21Fantastic.
0:28:21 > 0:28:23OK, let's pop that one in.
0:28:30 > 0:28:31Yes, got one, it's all right.
0:28:31 > 0:28:37Something very interesting about the bat we noticed on one we MOTed back in the summer -
0:28:37 > 0:28:40when they arrived, we didn't know how old they were,
0:28:40 > 0:28:42and they were all adults of varying age.
0:28:42 > 0:28:45These guys can live, what? 20, 25 years.
0:28:45 > 0:28:47The way to age them, look into his mouth.
0:28:47 > 0:28:51All the teeth are worn almost all the way down on the bottom layer.
0:28:51 > 0:28:58Can you see that? This is a very old bat and he's worn all his teeth, so he's an aged fellow.
0:28:58 > 0:29:02Also, if you gently pull that wing out, John, gently.
0:29:02 > 0:29:05Pull it out slightly. I've got this one.
0:29:05 > 0:29:08I actually think, if you look at the condition of the wing,
0:29:08 > 0:29:11- he looks older - see that? - It does, yeah.
0:29:11 > 0:29:15He might have trouble in a little while. We have to keep an eye on him.
0:29:15 > 0:29:17Can you fit dentures to a bat?
0:29:17 > 0:29:21I don't know. But he's probably a very old bat.
0:29:21 > 0:29:25He could be pushing 20, the 25 mark, who knows?
0:29:26 > 0:29:32That's 13 in the box, but there's still one bat holding out.
0:29:32 > 0:29:34There he goes.
0:29:34 > 0:29:36This is a fast one.
0:29:38 > 0:29:40Actually, if I let him go in...
0:29:43 > 0:29:46All right, mate. I'll get him, I nearly got him last time.
0:29:46 > 0:29:48People think bats get stuck in your hair.
0:29:48 > 0:29:52Jo's got really long hair. They don't get stuck in your hair.
0:29:52 > 0:29:53They bounce sound off of you.
0:29:53 > 0:29:56- They'll avoid you. - All right, darling, I've got you.
0:29:56 > 0:29:58And just to prove it...
0:29:58 > 0:30:01Jo, don't get it stuck in your hair. Here it comes.
0:30:01 > 0:30:04- Stay there, Jo, for us.- OK.
0:30:04 > 0:30:06This one. Thanks, yeah.
0:30:06 > 0:30:08Well done.
0:30:10 > 0:30:13Hello, beautiful.
0:30:13 > 0:30:15Yeah, that's right.
0:30:15 > 0:30:16Last, but not least.
0:30:21 > 0:30:24Well done. Thank you.
0:30:24 > 0:30:26Thank you. Thank you. Well done.
0:30:26 > 0:30:30So, if you can get it all painted, cleaned, revamped ...
0:30:30 > 0:30:32- By tonight.- 20 minutes?
0:30:32 > 0:30:34I'll be having a cup of tea over there, all right?
0:30:36 > 0:30:40The fruit bats would normally roost in dark caves.
0:30:40 > 0:30:42The team's mission is to make their enclosure
0:30:42 > 0:30:46as much like their natural habitat as possible.
0:30:46 > 0:30:48It's going to be a long job.
0:30:55 > 0:30:57At West Midlands Safari Park,
0:30:57 > 0:30:59the German veterinary team are preparing
0:30:59 > 0:31:04to artificially inseminate rhino Mtuba using Winston's sperm.
0:31:04 > 0:31:07First, they must check whether Mtuba is fertile enough
0:31:07 > 0:31:09to receive the sperm.
0:31:09 > 0:31:13Head keeper Bob Lawrence has been giving her hormone treatment
0:31:13 > 0:31:17so her chances of getting pregnant should be at their highest today.
0:31:17 > 0:31:22This is the point where we'll see whether the last 60 days or so of medication has worked,
0:31:22 > 0:31:26whether she is cycling and just how receptive she might be.
0:31:26 > 0:31:31If she's not quite ready, we'll probably inseminate anyway,
0:31:31 > 0:31:33but revisit her again tomorrow.
0:31:33 > 0:31:37But he'll know in a minute or two just how set she is.
0:31:37 > 0:31:40She's good, very good.
0:31:40 > 0:31:44Excellent follicle on the right ovary, 3.5 centimetres,
0:31:44 > 0:31:46and that should ovulate tonight.
0:31:48 > 0:31:51Vet Robert Hermes and his team have spent five years
0:31:51 > 0:31:55developing the magic wand that will help artificially inseminate Mtuba.
0:31:55 > 0:32:00It's made to replicate what a male rhino would do.
0:32:00 > 0:32:02They have a very long genital tract.
0:32:02 > 0:32:05The entire length is about one metre 50.
0:32:05 > 0:32:07That's why we need special tools.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10The arm of us is not long enough to reach.
0:32:11 > 0:32:15The ovaries are right in the middle of a rhino,
0:32:15 > 0:32:17but using their specialist tool,
0:32:17 > 0:32:20Robert and the team are able to reach easily.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23It looks very, very promising. Just about finished.
0:32:23 > 0:32:24We want to get her up quickly
0:32:24 > 0:32:28because she's lying on this right front knee,
0:32:28 > 0:32:31but we're almost done and we'll keep everything crossed.
0:32:31 > 0:32:34It may save populations, or may be a modern way
0:32:34 > 0:32:38of introducing fresh bloodlines into existing populations.
0:32:38 > 0:32:41At the end of the day, it's a lot easier to move semen around
0:32:41 > 0:32:43than it is to move rhinos, isn't it?
0:32:45 > 0:32:48While Mtuba comes round from the anaesthetic,
0:32:48 > 0:32:50Robert and his team retreat to safety.
0:32:50 > 0:32:57It's been a long day, but with the future of the southern white rhino at stake, no-one minds the effort.
0:32:57 > 0:33:00If you see the other small calf in the other stall,
0:33:00 > 0:33:06you'll really cross fingers and hope that we'll achieve another one.
0:33:07 > 0:33:09Once you see one of these guys
0:33:09 > 0:33:15and you know the problem throughout zoos in Europe and North America,
0:33:15 > 0:33:19that they don't breed, you try to figure out a way that there's more
0:33:19 > 0:33:21and that just keeps you going.
0:33:21 > 0:33:26It's fantastic to work with animals like this
0:33:26 > 0:33:28and you don't punch the clock at any time.
0:33:28 > 0:33:30You just keep going as long as you can.
0:33:30 > 0:33:35It's impossible to tell straight away if Mtuba is pregnant or not.
0:33:35 > 0:33:37We'll find out later on.
0:33:49 > 0:33:53Back at Longleat, keepers are also trying to breed Pere David deer,
0:33:53 > 0:33:57which are hovering on the edge of extinction.
0:33:57 > 0:34:00Two of the park's handful of does recently became pregnant,
0:34:00 > 0:34:06but, sadly, one of them gave birth to a stillborn calf.
0:34:06 > 0:34:11Today, though, keeper Tim Yeo has a cause for celebration.
0:34:11 > 0:34:13Extremely exciting news.
0:34:13 > 0:34:19On check this morning, I've found a Pere David calf.
0:34:19 > 0:34:23It's the first one that we've had here for about four or five years
0:34:23 > 0:34:26so, as you can imagine, it's pretty special.
0:34:26 > 0:34:30They get very nervous with me.
0:34:30 > 0:34:34I have had cause in the past to dart animals
0:34:34 > 0:34:38and they remember very well, so...
0:34:38 > 0:34:42the best way, really, I think for us to try to get close and have a look
0:34:42 > 0:34:45is to go in the crew van
0:34:45 > 0:34:50and just blend in with the public who are visiting the park.
0:34:52 > 0:34:57Well, here we have the six Pere David deer,
0:34:57 > 0:35:01the two stags and four hinds there.
0:35:02 > 0:35:06And I think the mother of the calf
0:35:06 > 0:35:12is actually laying down with her just at the head of the pond there.
0:35:12 > 0:35:14This is certainly...
0:35:14 > 0:35:16For me, it's very close
0:35:16 > 0:35:21and it's nice to be able to see them this close.
0:35:21 > 0:35:25It's natural for deer to hide their newborn calves
0:35:25 > 0:35:30and Tim suspects the baby is somewhere in the hedge.
0:35:30 > 0:35:32He's desperate to check on the calf,
0:35:32 > 0:35:36but he's not going to put it in danger just for his own curiosity.
0:35:36 > 0:35:40It's not something we can do at the moment.
0:35:40 > 0:35:47The reason being that it may well upset her, it may put her off.
0:35:47 > 0:35:51If there is any problem there at the moment,
0:35:51 > 0:35:54of which I'm not entirely sure,
0:35:54 > 0:35:58if she's not looking after it properly,
0:35:58 > 0:36:02then we may well sort of hamper that.
0:36:02 > 0:36:07We don't want to upset her at all, so it's far better to keep away.
0:36:07 > 0:36:12Tim's concern not to disturb the mother is a very real one.
0:36:12 > 0:36:17Not only is this her first baby, but she's never even seen a calf before.
0:36:17 > 0:36:22It's quite possible that she won't know how to look after it.
0:36:22 > 0:36:24I need to see her come up at some stage
0:36:24 > 0:36:27and show an interest in her calf.
0:36:27 > 0:36:32That's vital, obviously, to the well-being of the calf,
0:36:32 > 0:36:35so it's a waiting game.
0:36:35 > 0:36:38You know, it's lovely to have a live calf,
0:36:38 > 0:36:42but I know we're not out of the woods yet.
0:36:42 > 0:36:47If the calf is all right, it should soon be venturing out in the open.
0:36:47 > 0:36:50We'll be back here later to see if there's any news.
0:37:05 > 0:37:09I've come up to the tortoise paddock with Senior Warden Beth Evans
0:37:09 > 0:37:13and it's feeding time for Michelle and Thomas. Now, Michelle and Thomas are...?
0:37:13 > 0:37:15- African spur tortoises. - This is where they are?
0:37:15 > 0:37:19- They're still in bed at the moment. - Do they go in here every night?
0:37:19 > 0:37:23They do, for security reasons, and because it's too cold at night for them.
0:37:23 > 0:37:26- But it's a nice day today.- It is and it's about time they got out.
0:37:26 > 0:37:27How do we entice them out?
0:37:27 > 0:37:30We're going to have to lift them out, to be honest,
0:37:30 > 0:37:32because they are not very fast.
0:37:32 > 0:37:35- Can I help you with that?- Yes, you can. Put the food down on the side.
0:37:35 > 0:37:37If you lift the roof, Ben.
0:37:37 > 0:37:39- Just lift it up?- Yep.
0:37:39 > 0:37:42- That's it.- Wow! There they are.
0:37:42 > 0:37:46And then if we open both of the side doors.
0:37:46 > 0:37:51And just pull these out. So how old are these two?
0:37:51 > 0:37:55Tommy's this one here and he's about 12 years old.
0:37:55 > 0:37:56Michelle's only five,
0:37:56 > 0:37:59although she's already near enough the same size.
0:37:59 > 0:38:01It's incredible. Shall we lift them out?
0:38:01 > 0:38:03Is there a best way to pick up a...?
0:38:03 > 0:38:07Just go for the sides, cos if you put your fingers in there,
0:38:07 > 0:38:10he can pinch you between his shell and his feet.
0:38:10 > 0:38:11Wow, he is heavy, isn't he?
0:38:11 > 0:38:13- Incredibly heavy.- Is this Thomas?
0:38:13 > 0:38:17- Yes.- OK, Thomas. Gosh, how much do you think he weighs?
0:38:17 > 0:38:18He's about 20 kilograms.
0:38:18 > 0:38:21That doesn't say much for my weightlifting.
0:38:21 > 0:38:22Ah, there you go.
0:38:24 > 0:38:26Fantastic.
0:38:26 > 0:38:28Obviously, we've carried them out,
0:38:28 > 0:38:31- but do they like spending the day outside?- They do.
0:38:31 > 0:38:33They do a lot of grazing throughout the day,
0:38:33 > 0:38:36and this is a nice paddock, because as well as the grass,
0:38:36 > 0:38:38you've got dandelions and clover.
0:38:38 > 0:38:40We've picked some dandelions here
0:38:40 > 0:38:43and, intriguingly, we've got some melon here.
0:38:43 > 0:38:45Yes, we do. This is a treat.
0:38:45 > 0:38:48OK, so this isn't their usual diet?
0:38:48 > 0:38:51No, and if you fed them on melon or any kind of lettuce
0:38:51 > 0:38:54or cucumber every day, it would be quite bad for them.
0:38:54 > 0:38:56But it's good to have a treat every so often?
0:38:56 > 0:38:59And also you can add mineral supplements, so...
0:38:59 > 0:39:01So, how do you feed a tortoise?
0:39:01 > 0:39:04- If you just grab a piece of melon. - I'll take this one here.
0:39:04 > 0:39:07Stick it in front of Thomas and see if he's hungry.
0:39:07 > 0:39:09He's already started on the dandelions.
0:39:09 > 0:39:13He is... What do you think of this?
0:39:13 > 0:39:15Wow, look at that.
0:39:15 > 0:39:17Look at the chunks he's taking.
0:39:17 > 0:39:20Because tortoises have a beak, don't they?
0:39:20 > 0:39:23They don't have teeth, they have a sharp edge to their mouth,
0:39:23 > 0:39:26and if they do actually accidentally catch your finger,
0:39:26 > 0:39:28it does actually hurt quite a lot.
0:39:28 > 0:39:31- Really?- Yes. - So I should hold it at the end.
0:39:31 > 0:39:32That would be best.
0:39:32 > 0:39:35I can't believe how quickly he's getting through that.
0:39:35 > 0:39:38And presumably out in the wilds of Africa,
0:39:38 > 0:39:41they might find some fallen fruit from trees.
0:39:41 > 0:39:44Yes, they could come across that in their wild diet,
0:39:44 > 0:39:46so it's not alien to them.
0:39:46 > 0:39:51Right. He's eating the skin and everything, is that OK?
0:39:51 > 0:39:55That's absolutely fine. A bit of fibre in his diet would be lovely.
0:39:55 > 0:39:58Between the two of them, is there...? Shall we see...?
0:39:58 > 0:40:02I'm feeling sorry for Michelle. I'm going to swap this around.
0:40:02 > 0:40:04Is there one that's greedier?
0:40:04 > 0:40:07- Is Thomas here...?- Thomas, he's more of a confident character anyway,
0:40:07 > 0:40:09so he'll get straight in and eat.
0:40:09 > 0:40:12Michelle's reasonably shy. She's still finding her feet here.
0:40:12 > 0:40:14Thomas has been with us a lot longer,
0:40:14 > 0:40:16so Michelle's still a bit shy.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19Am I right in thinking they can actually dig?
0:40:19 > 0:40:23Yes, incredibly well. They've got very strong front and back feet.
0:40:23 > 0:40:26We can actually just see them down there. It's almost like claws.
0:40:26 > 0:40:29Yes, and they're very, very good at digging.
0:40:29 > 0:40:32Sometimes we have a problem with that because they love to burrow
0:40:32 > 0:40:34and when we come to put them in at night,
0:40:34 > 0:40:37sometimes we have to dig them out from underneath our logs.
0:40:37 > 0:40:40How far down could a tortoise like this burrow?
0:40:40 > 0:40:42Six foot to ten foot burrows, really long.
0:40:42 > 0:40:44- You're joking? Really?- Yeah.
0:40:44 > 0:40:48- You don't want to have to come and dig up that amount. - Try and get him out every evening.
0:40:48 > 0:40:52Now, you've got to tell me what to do with this last little bit.
0:40:52 > 0:40:54Shall I pass it to him? There we go.
0:40:54 > 0:40:56I would like to keep my fingers just now.
0:40:56 > 0:40:59Well, Bev, I think that was a huge success.
0:40:59 > 0:41:03- He did enjoy that.- Thank you very much for letting me feed him.
0:41:03 > 0:41:06- Can he have another one or is that too many?- No, that would be lovely.
0:41:06 > 0:41:09Why not try this type of melon? I think he'll like that one.
0:41:09 > 0:41:11Some more, Thomas?
0:41:24 > 0:41:25At Pets Corner,
0:41:25 > 0:41:29Jo Hawthorne is checking on the 14 Egyptian fruit bats.
0:41:29 > 0:41:32They're waiting patiently in their box
0:41:32 > 0:41:34while the Bat Cave gets a makeover.
0:41:35 > 0:41:39Huddling together is normal behaviour for bats
0:41:39 > 0:41:41and is how they like to sleep in the wild.
0:41:41 > 0:41:45As a colony, they'll cling together anyway, and what they'll do is...
0:41:45 > 0:41:48Somewhere where it's nice and quiet
0:41:48 > 0:41:54and out of the way of human beings - old ruins, caves, mines.
0:41:54 > 0:41:57They'll hang out in trees, actually, obviously,
0:41:57 > 0:41:58because they're fruit bats,
0:41:58 > 0:42:03so they'll actually just choose a branch and just hang about there.
0:42:03 > 0:42:05But they tend to stick together.
0:42:05 > 0:42:08They feel more security when they're actually hanging together.
0:42:08 > 0:42:11I'm sure they can't wait to get out of there,
0:42:11 > 0:42:12so I can't wait to let them out!
0:42:12 > 0:42:15But, yeah, I think they'll be out tomorrow morning,
0:42:15 > 0:42:17which will be great.
0:42:22 > 0:42:26The team have spent hours painting and installing new lighting.
0:42:26 > 0:42:28Finally the finishing touches go on.
0:42:31 > 0:42:34Oh, thank goodness for that!
0:42:34 > 0:42:36It's done!
0:42:39 > 0:42:42Time to see what the bats make of it.
0:42:42 > 0:42:43Here we go.
0:42:43 > 0:42:46Yo!
0:42:46 > 0:42:49At first they seem to prefer the box.
0:42:49 > 0:42:53Jo and John are glad to see them up close one final time.
0:42:53 > 0:42:57You normally just get to see them on the ceiling or feeding on the fruit,
0:42:57 > 0:42:59but this is the closest I've ever got to them.
0:42:59 > 0:43:05Yeah. And the fact that they're furry,
0:43:05 > 0:43:08they aren't bald and leathery and horrible.
0:43:08 > 0:43:10Yeah, the stereotypical image of a bat.
0:43:10 > 0:43:14These guys break the mould, really.
0:43:14 > 0:43:17Despite being nocturnal, bats have keen eyesight
0:43:17 > 0:43:22and good peripheral vision to keep a lookout for predators.
0:43:22 > 0:43:24But they only see in black and white.
0:43:24 > 0:43:29There's lots of myths about bats being blind and everything.
0:43:29 > 0:43:34I think that's basically due to the fact they are a creature that flies at night
0:43:34 > 0:43:38and for all those people that go walking up the lanes and they're flying very near
0:43:38 > 0:43:42they don't know that they're using the echolocation,
0:43:42 > 0:43:46getting that bounce of sound off you, hence why they're flying so close.
0:43:46 > 0:43:53But with their eyes, they can see as well as you or I.
0:43:53 > 0:43:57I think what we'll do now is we'll probably go away and leave them now.
0:43:57 > 0:43:59We'll leave you to it, chaps.
0:44:06 > 0:44:11Soon the bats emerge and start enjoying their newly decorated cave.
0:44:11 > 0:44:15Even if they can only appreciate it in black and white.
0:44:22 > 0:44:26Bats aren't the only animals in the park which are nocturnal in the wild.
0:44:28 > 0:44:33Big cats like lions would normally be more active at night.
0:44:34 > 0:44:39To see some of that natural behaviour we've set up a unique experiment.
0:44:39 > 0:44:41We're going on a stake-out
0:44:41 > 0:44:45to see Kabir and his pride having a midnight feast.
0:44:45 > 0:44:47I'm out in the lion enclosure.
0:44:47 > 0:44:50It's very dark. It's the middle of the night.
0:44:50 > 0:44:54I'm here with head of section Brian Kent and keeper Bob Trollope
0:44:54 > 0:44:58and we're getting the most amazing pictures on this monitor.
0:44:58 > 0:45:02We set up an infrared camera so that we could film at night,
0:45:02 > 0:45:05so you'll see black and white pictures.
0:45:05 > 0:45:13And we've put a carcass out and Kabir and his two females,
0:45:13 > 0:45:17Yendi and Luna and the two cubs have come out.
0:45:17 > 0:45:21This is the first time that you've done this, isn't it?
0:45:21 > 0:45:25Yeah, the first time we've put a carcass out for this pride.
0:45:25 > 0:45:28Presumably they have very good eyesight at night.
0:45:28 > 0:45:31They're very much like your domestic cat.
0:45:31 > 0:45:34They have a layer behind the retina
0:45:34 > 0:45:40and they will pick up any amount of light that is here,
0:45:40 > 0:45:46they absorb it and can obviously see a lot better than we can.
0:45:46 > 0:45:50We can't see a thing, but they come straight out into the dark.
0:45:50 > 0:45:54That's also using their sense of smell as well.
0:45:54 > 0:45:57Now, all of them are licking it.
0:45:57 > 0:45:59Is that a typical response?
0:45:59 > 0:46:02Yeah, they're just getting, as you can see, Kabir's trying to drag...
0:46:02 > 0:46:05Kabir is trying to take it away!
0:46:05 > 0:46:08There's going to be a tug-of-war, by the looks of things here.
0:46:08 > 0:46:11I'm surprised that Kabir has tolerated them being here
0:46:11 > 0:46:14because he's a bit of a foody normally.
0:46:14 > 0:46:17Do you think this is Luna closest to us here?
0:46:17 > 0:46:19It's very hard to tell through this.
0:46:19 > 0:46:23It is. Cos she's got her claws right into it, she's holding on.
0:46:23 > 0:46:26Oh, now Kabir is trying to drag it off.
0:46:26 > 0:46:29But the girls are not letting him have it.
0:46:29 > 0:46:34At the moment, apart from a few tug-of-war-type tussles,
0:46:34 > 0:46:37there doesn't look like there's been any fighting.
0:46:37 > 0:46:43No, that's good. Maybe it's because they have to actually work at getting into where the meat is.
0:46:43 > 0:46:48Normally the chunks that we feed them are prepared and just...
0:46:48 > 0:46:54The sort of equivalent of a ready meal, isn't it? Whereas this one they've got to do themselves.
0:46:54 > 0:46:57Do you think that the cubs simply aren't hungry,
0:46:57 > 0:47:01or that they feel this is a bit too big and scary for them to handle?
0:47:01 > 0:47:05I don't think we've left them out at night
0:47:05 > 0:47:09since they've been born, so this is a whole new experience for them.
0:47:09 > 0:47:12They do look a little bit wary, don't they?
0:47:12 > 0:47:15Not quite sure what's going on.
0:47:15 > 0:47:19Might just be a little bit wary of Kabir.
0:47:19 > 0:47:21He's a big chap compared to them.
0:47:21 > 0:47:24In the wild, the cubs would fend for themselves.
0:47:24 > 0:47:28On a kill, if they can get in, they can get in. If not, they can't.
0:47:28 > 0:47:30Yeah. Look at this little cub!
0:47:30 > 0:47:34Jasira is absolutely piling in there!
0:47:34 > 0:47:39What an amazing scene! Almost like we're in Africa.
0:47:39 > 0:47:42Oh, now, can we just zoom in very quickly
0:47:42 > 0:47:47because we've got just Kabir and the cub now on the carcass.
0:47:47 > 0:47:51Kabir's totally unconcerned. Look how hard that little cub is working!
0:47:51 > 0:47:52I'll pull it away from you yet!
0:47:52 > 0:47:55And that's pure instinct, isn't it?
0:47:55 > 0:47:59- Because they've never been taught that.- No.
0:47:59 > 0:48:01It's the perfect family dinner.
0:48:01 > 0:48:03- It is. - And they're not scrapping over food.
0:48:03 > 0:48:07- You must be really pleased to see this sort of...- Surprised, really.
0:48:07 > 0:48:10- ..content family unit. - It's really good.
0:48:10 > 0:48:16- This is the future of the lions of Longleat, carrying on our bloodlines.- Absolutely.
0:48:16 > 0:48:18Which is what we need to do.
0:48:18 > 0:48:22Well, what a fantastic night. Rob and Brian, thank you very much.
0:48:22 > 0:48:25A huge privilege to see that.
0:48:25 > 0:48:29Kabir's like, right, I'm going to take charge!
0:48:42 > 0:48:47Today is a big day for bull rhino Winston.
0:48:47 > 0:48:52Dung samples from West Midlands female Mtuba were sent for tests
0:48:52 > 0:48:57to find out if the artificial insemination with Winston's sperm made her pregnant or not.
0:49:00 > 0:49:06Head warden Keith Harris is anxiously standing by for a phone call with the results.
0:49:06 > 0:49:09PHONE RINGS
0:49:09 > 0:49:11Oh, dear, what a shame.
0:49:11 > 0:49:14Oh, that's a bore.
0:49:14 > 0:49:18Right, well, we'll see if they want to try again, then.
0:49:18 > 0:49:20Presumably you'd like to do it again.
0:49:20 > 0:49:22Oh, well, I'm sorry to hear the bad news.
0:49:22 > 0:49:26But hopefully we'll be more successful in the future.
0:49:26 > 0:49:28OK, then. Bye, then.
0:49:33 > 0:49:38The artificial insemination may not have worked this time,
0:49:38 > 0:49:44but the good news is that at the grand age of 39, Winston's sperm is still fertile.
0:49:44 > 0:49:49Everyone hopes that artificial insemination for rhinos will continue to develop
0:49:49 > 0:49:53and that Winston may still become a father in the future.
0:49:53 > 0:49:55How are you doing, Winny?
0:49:56 > 0:49:58Try, try and try again.
0:49:58 > 0:50:01Certainly, from their future,
0:50:01 > 0:50:06you can actually store the sperm, then, theoretically,
0:50:06 > 0:50:08the conservation of rhinos will be a lot easier
0:50:08 > 0:50:14because there will never be a time when we haven't got rhinos.
0:50:14 > 0:50:17Extinction will not be a thing.
0:50:17 > 0:50:19So that's very important and there's a lot of benefits
0:50:19 > 0:50:22to be able to do AI with these animals
0:50:22 > 0:50:27because trying to move large animals like this isn't always easy.
0:50:27 > 0:50:31So, if you can take the sperm rather than the animal, then again,
0:50:31 > 0:50:34that's got to be better for the species.
0:50:34 > 0:50:37So there's a whole lot of different things
0:50:37 > 0:50:41that will hopefully improve the life of the rhinos across the board.
0:50:51 > 0:50:57Up at the deer park, there's been some better news about the rare Pere David calf.
0:50:57 > 0:51:00Tim Yeo is eager to see for himself.
0:51:00 > 0:51:05He's coming in our van because the deer are so shy of his vehicle that they avoid it.
0:51:05 > 0:51:11He wants to get as close as possible because the new baby has just come out of hiding.
0:51:11 > 0:51:13I never get to see them this close.
0:51:13 > 0:51:18We've just seen the calf suckling from Mum and I must say,
0:51:18 > 0:51:23for me this is absolutely great because I can't get close enough to them.
0:51:23 > 0:51:28The deer are completely undisturbed by us.
0:51:28 > 0:51:33They're used to cars coming down, they don't suspect anything at all.
0:51:33 > 0:51:39So this is wonderful to watch it so closely.
0:51:39 > 0:51:44Four or five years of not having a pregnancy at all,
0:51:44 > 0:51:49it's just wonderful to see a Pere David calf
0:51:49 > 0:51:54and just the prospect that we can slightly build our numbers,
0:51:54 > 0:51:56absolutely wonderful.
0:51:56 > 0:52:01The Pere David deer are all descended from one small herd,
0:52:01 > 0:52:03so they can be prone to genetic defects.
0:52:03 > 0:52:10It's important for the keepers to keep a close check on their health, especially when they're young.
0:52:10 > 0:52:17With a world population of Pere David deer descending from 18 animals,
0:52:17 > 0:52:23obviously...you're always watching with newborn calves.
0:52:23 > 0:52:25You're just making sure...
0:52:25 > 0:52:29It's easy just to look at them and see a calf, but...
0:52:29 > 0:52:34you need to be looking a bit closer if you can, just to make sure that
0:52:34 > 0:52:36everything that should be there is there.
0:52:36 > 0:52:42But very good, very happy with what we're seeing.
0:52:42 > 0:52:47The herd have lived in the park side by side with all sorts of animals for years,
0:52:47 > 0:52:50but a new calf is likely to attract attention.
0:52:50 > 0:52:52Some of it unwanted.
0:52:52 > 0:52:59Deputy head warden Ian Turner will be spending a lot of time up here to make sure the star newcomer is safe.
0:52:59 > 0:53:02This is a camel, look, coming over now.
0:53:02 > 0:53:04Come and say hello.
0:53:04 > 0:53:07The baby should just head off with Mum.
0:53:07 > 0:53:10You can see, look, one baby Pere David deer.
0:53:10 > 0:53:13And hopefully that's just one of a few.
0:53:13 > 0:53:17So that's really good news and Mum's doing fine looking after it.
0:53:17 > 0:53:20About four days old now, so fingers crossed.
0:53:20 > 0:53:24The only thing we've got to watch out for is the camels.
0:53:24 > 0:53:26They tend to come over and say hello to all new babies.
0:53:26 > 0:53:28That can sometimes stress them out.
0:53:28 > 0:53:31The rhino keeper's got to be on her toes.
0:53:31 > 0:53:36Mum will keep a close eye on it and if the baby gets left behind, Mum will come back and pick it up
0:53:36 > 0:53:41and also, with all the other animals in this section, they'll try and keep the baby in the middle,
0:53:41 > 0:53:45literally just for protection or go wherever it needs to go.
0:53:45 > 0:53:48So they're very protective of it at the moment, which is good.
0:53:52 > 0:53:55Whenever babies are born, it always gives everybody a bit of a lift.
0:53:55 > 0:53:59It makes your day worth coming in and everything
0:53:59 > 0:54:02and hopefully this is just the start.
0:54:02 > 0:54:06So, it's doing fine,
0:54:06 > 0:54:11Mum's fine. They'll just keep an eye on it and hopefully there'll be some more.
0:54:24 > 0:54:30We've come down to Pets Corner with Alexa Fairbairn and two of...
0:54:30 > 0:54:33I just don't know how anyone can not like rats, Alexa.
0:54:33 > 0:54:34They're so adorable.
0:54:34 > 0:54:37These are new ones and very small.
0:54:37 > 0:54:41Yeah, they're about eight weeks. A really good age to get them,
0:54:41 > 0:54:46- then you can start handling them and bond with them, because they make brilliant pets.- Do they?- Yeah.
0:54:46 > 0:54:49Really friendly, really intelligent.
0:54:49 > 0:54:51You can train them to do things as well.
0:54:51 > 0:54:53- Can you? - What can you train them to do?
0:54:53 > 0:54:56They can pick things up, bring them back to you. Small objects.
0:54:56 > 0:54:59Obviously not the newspaper, it would be a bit of a struggle!
0:54:59 > 0:55:03And what about feeding and that sort of thing?
0:55:03 > 0:55:06- Do they need a complicated diet? - Not really, no.
0:55:06 > 0:55:10You can buy commercial pet food the same as hamsters, rabbits.
0:55:10 > 0:55:13But they're garbage bins, they'll eat anything.
0:55:13 > 0:55:16- Really?- Yeah.- Is there anything that you should avoid them eating?
0:55:16 > 0:55:20Green foods, really. That can cause them to get an upset stomach.
0:55:20 > 0:55:23- Lettuce leaves and things like that? - Yeah. Too much moisture.
0:55:23 > 0:55:25You'd think they'd be good for them.
0:55:25 > 0:55:28You can tell if a rat's healthy - their teeth should be orange.
0:55:28 > 0:55:31Oh, really? Come on, show us your pegs.
0:55:31 > 0:55:33Let's have a look. Are they, like...
0:55:33 > 0:55:34A lot of rodents have...
0:55:34 > 0:55:37or I think all rodents have teeth that continually grow.
0:55:37 > 0:55:39Is that the same with them?
0:55:39 > 0:55:41It is. They all need gnawing material.
0:55:41 > 0:55:43- Bits of wood.- He's very wriggly.
0:55:43 > 0:55:46- There's no way... - I'll have a little...
0:55:46 > 0:55:50- Go on...- No, I think he prefers... - I'm not going to bed, no way!
0:55:50 > 0:55:54I'll definitely leave that one with you, Kate.
0:55:56 > 0:56:00- So...- Let me have a quick...- You can have a go.- Has it got a name yet?
0:56:00 > 0:56:04Yeah, this one's Squeak and the one up Kate's sleeve is Bubble.
0:56:04 > 0:56:06- Oh, very good.- I think Bubble's going to stay with me.
0:56:06 > 0:56:10- And are they happy alone...?- They like company.- They like company.
0:56:10 > 0:56:13- It's best to get two, perhaps, if you're going to have one.- Yeah.
0:56:13 > 0:56:16People worry that rats are dirty.
0:56:16 > 0:56:18They're synonymous with dirt.
0:56:18 > 0:56:21- They are. - I've lost this one completely!
0:56:21 > 0:56:22- Sewer rats, yes.- Yeah.
0:56:22 > 0:56:24Domestic rats, no. They're really clean.
0:56:24 > 0:56:28Go to the toilet, one corner all the time. Very healthy.
0:56:28 > 0:56:32- So you'd recommend them as pets?- Oh, definitely.- And you'd recommend one?
0:56:32 > 0:56:35I would, but I'm completely biased because I've had loads.
0:56:35 > 0:56:40- Alexa, check her coat before she goes!- I'm off!
0:57:02 > 0:57:05Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:57:05 > 0:57:07E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk