Episode 14 Animal Park


Episode 14

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Transcript


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Hello and welcome to Animal Park. I'm Kate Humble.

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I'm Ben Fogle, and these are Longleat's Bactrian camels.

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Although there's quite a crowd here, they're actually quite rare in the wild.

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To find them, you would have to go to Mongolia or to China, where there are only a few hundred left.

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They survive in one of the most extreme environments in the world, where temperatures plummet to -20.

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we've got lots of other remarkable animals on today's programme, including...

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White rhino bull Winston becomes a sperm donor.

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Will artificial insemination allow him to become a father at last?

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The Pere David deer are hovering on the edge of extinction.

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Can Longleat help save the species?

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The Bat Cave needs a make-over, but first Darren and his troops must round up the bats.

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Got one. ..Oh! Dropped it.

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And we'll go on a stake-out to see the lions tucking in in a special midnight feast.

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He's trying to take it away.

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There's going to be a tug-of-war, by the looks of things here.

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But first, for decades Longleat has played an important role

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in preserving the white rhino from extinction.

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Though breeding rhino in captivity is notoriously difficult,

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in the 1980s, the park successfully bred eight calves.

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Adult male Winston moved here in 1993 from Windsor Safari Park.

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It was hoped that he would carry on the breeding tradition, but sadly Winston never mated.

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OK, let's see what he does.

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'Recently, we saw keepers introduce him to a new female, Marashi.'

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Here we go!

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Wow, what a reaction.

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But though they hit it off at first, so far romance has not blossomed.

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Now Winston's 39 years old, and his time is running out.

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To maintain genetic diversity amongst rhino, it's important to preserve Winston's bloodline,

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so Head Warden Keith Harris has decided to try a new experimental technique -

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artificial insemination for rhinos.

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It's quite important we do use genes or blood from him within the breeding population.

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So if this works, it will be very good.

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Winston will have left us with something

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when he goes to where all the rhinos go.

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Last year, a veterinary team from the Berlin Institute For Zoo And Wildlife Research,

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who are pioneering artificial insemination for rhinos,

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came to Longleat to see if Winston's sperm was healthy enough to use.

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To everyone's delight, tests showed that Winston's sperm is very potent indeed.

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Now the Berlin team has come back to take another sample, and try to implant it into a rhino cow.

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Vet Robert Hermes is hopeful that, using their new technique,

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Winston could become a father at last.

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A semen collection lasts about 20, 30 minutes.

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We'll look at what we have and then pack up as quickly as we can,

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and drive up to the West Midlands Safari, where two females are waiting to be inseminated.

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But first, Winston must be sedated.

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It's a painless procedure, but the gun is needed to get the syringe through Winston's thick hide.

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To keep him calm while the drug takes effect, keepers muffle his ears and cover his eyes.

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Once Winston is unconscious, the team will have to move fast,

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so he remains sedated for as little time as possible.

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It's a rare opportunity to get a really close look at Winston.

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Last time he was sedated, a tumour was discovered on one of his testicles,

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and now Keith needs to find out if it's grown.

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They've just been scanning the testis that had the tumour on.

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I think the early thought is that it hasn't actually grown...

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in size any more than last time, so that's slightly encouraging.

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Can I get you here to hold this? Come on.

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In order to extract sperm, Winston must be unconscious but not too deeply asleep.

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Moment by moment, Berlin team vet Mark Combert monitors his condition.

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These spasms are normal. It's sort of a nervous reflex reaction.

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So it's not that he's waking up, it's just he gets a bit stimulated.

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It looks painful, but actually, this procedure is far from unpleasant for Winston.

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The Berlin vets have successfully used artificial insemination with elephants in the past,

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but not, as yet, with rhino.

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If this new technique works, it will be a world first.

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He's a bit too awake.

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So we're going to give him 0.05ml of Immobilon.

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It's going OK. We had to give him a little bit more to relax him.

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He's a bit more tense today.

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It could be a lot of reasons,

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but they're actually getting sperm as we speak, so it's all going according to plan.

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We'll catch up with Winston and the team later on.

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Even more threatened than the rhino, these Pere David deer are so rare

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they've been declared critically endangered.

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There's just a handful left in the world, and seven of them at Longleat.

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They're the remnants of a herd that's had a very strange history.

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The species comes from China, where they became extinct over a century ago.

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Just a few survived in captivity, and in 1893, they all ended up in the grounds of Woburn Abbey.

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This herd of about 300 lives on the Duke of Bedford's estate at Woburn.

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They died out in China when the walls of the park were breached by floods in 1894.

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There were only five left in the world, which were all collected at Woburn,

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and from them, the present flock has grown.

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In the 1980s, Woburn gave 20 Pere Davids to Longleat.

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Deputy head warden Ian Turner is proud that they were then able to contribute to a scheme

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to re-introduce them to the wild.

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There wasn't any left in the wild, and then Woburn and Longleat -

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I think Whipsnade also were involved - sent some back to China.

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That was in 1986.

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And it hit the headlines.

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'The Six O'Clock News from the BBC.'

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The animals that we're sending are reasonably wild and hard to approach

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and I think they will adapt very quickly to the new environment

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and within a generation or two, will be as wild as any deer are.

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-What about the journey? Is that going to be safe for them?

-It's going to be a difficult journey

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both for the people and the deer. It's a long trip.

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We're flying them direct to Shanghai,

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putting them on trucks, taking them overland

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400 kilometres north to the site where they will be released.

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Unfortunately, after sending some of their deer to China,

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Longleat's remaining herd was plagued by illness.

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They went into a long decline, from 15 to just 6 animals.

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They're now all healthy, though they look a bit scruffy at the moment

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because they're shedding their winter coats.

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The herd's main problem is that their dominant stag turned out to be infertile.

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They do have another male, but he's young and suppressed by the senior stag.

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It looked like the Pere Davids were just going to fade away.

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But now, the keeper in charge of the deer, Tim Yeo, has spotted something.

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The last few days certainly...

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have given me hope. I mean, there are a couple of young hinds

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that are looking, to me, as though they are possibly in calf.

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But I need to keep watching.

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It is a difficult thing to actually say whether they are or they aren't.

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Tim is desperate to get a closer look at the two young females,

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and takes his vehicle into the enclosure.

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But the Pere Davids move away.

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It may be that from past experience, they associate Tim with trouble - medical checks and so on.

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I think they have become... certainly to recognise me.

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They seem to.

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It's strange because they do become, as some of the other animals do,

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they become used to the sound of a certain vehicle.

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Usually I can just get a look at them before they make off.

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With so few of these animals left anywhere in the world, every pregnancy is important.

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For Longleat, new babies would mean that their herd was back from the brink,

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playing its part again to help stop the species from sliding into extinction.

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This is certainly very much my hope, that this year,

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fingers really crossed, we do have a hind, or even better, two hinds in calf.

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It's early days. I'm hopeful, though, from what I'm seeing.

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But I hope it's not just me wanting it a little bit too much.

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But just a few days later, Tim made a sad discovery.

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When he went up in the morning, he could tell

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that something had happened to one of the two young females.

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The hind, to me, had obviously calved, from the look of her.

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I looked...hunted for a calf,

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and found, sadly, a dead calf.

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It was a great shock, and an awful shame.

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It's so frustrating when you go a full pregnancy,

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and then to lose the calf in the birth.

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That leaves just one hind who may still be pregnant -

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the last hope for the Pere David deer.

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We'll find out what happens with her later on.

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Longleat's newest lion cubs, Malaika and Jasira,

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are growing stronger and more adventurous every day.

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The whole family, under dominant male Kabir, are getting on famously together.

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The cubs are showing almost as much of an appetite as their father when the feeding truck comes round.

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But now these lions are ready for a brand-new dinner-time experience.

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I'm up at the lion house with keeper Bob Trollope and head of section Brian Kent.

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We're going to try a bit of an experiment tonight, aren't we?

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It'll be totally different tonight. Nothing that we've done before.

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-What's the plan?

-We're going to put a carcass in the compound.

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Right. So, out in the paddock bit here?

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And then we'll let Kabir and the mums and cubs out.

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One of the things is, we've never fed them a whole carcass before.

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Usually, they just get the chunks.

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We know Kabir's a bit of a foody, so it'll be interesting to see what he actually does.

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Because usually, he runs round and tries to get all the chunks for himself.

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It'll be interesting to see what he does in relation to the cubs and mums.

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And feeding at night, Brian, is not something you would normally do.

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We try not to!

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-No! Do you think...? Lions in the wild would often hunt at night, presumably.

-Oh, yeah.

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So it's going to be good for them.

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-Something different.

-Yeah.

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It's more natural, to be honest, than the way we do it.

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So it'll be interesting to see what Kabir does, and the females.

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You might be thinking, "But if you're doing this at night, how will you see it?"

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A-ha! Well, we've got a plan.

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Come over to the Animal Park vehicle.

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There's kit everywhere, and we haven't set anything up yet,

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but this is an infrared camera and this is an infrared light.

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The camera will be mounted on a pole, probably against the fence here

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-on this side.

-Yeah.

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The infrared light will flood that area with light.

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But the great thing about infrared is that the lions - and we - can't see it.

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So it will totally not disturb them.

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So we can get as natural a set-up as is at all possible.

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So we've got our work cut out for the afternoon setting all this stuff up.

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But join us later to see the lions having a midnight feast.

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Now we're off to Pets Corner, where head of section Darren Beasley is on a difficult mission in the Bat Cave.

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Today, he has to move the Egyptian fruit bats so their cave can be given a makeover.

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There are 14 of them in here, so he's called in the troops to help.

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You've got the whole team, the whole posse of us.

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We're going to do some painting and cleaning in here, because bats are pretty messy creatures.

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We're going to mess around with the lights, so we're going to paint the ceiling.

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But it's a bit of a military operation, because these are Egyptian fruit bats.

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They're designed not to bump into things. We have to catch 'em.

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Because bats use echolocation, they use sound, they fly and bounce sound off things,

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they can steer round everything.

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It's not easy to catch them. So we need the team to try and chase them.

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The bats will get a little bit tired, and hopefully they'll start,

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not flying into them, but making my life a bit easier.

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So, forward planning, a bit of military precision here, clear the decks.

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And you need everybody as fit as world-class athletes.

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So that's why I brought them along!

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Darren and the team will have to get their tactics right.

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Nets at the ready, they deploy in a pincer movement.

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Got one. ..Oh, dropped it.

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If you can...

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Ooh!

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Ah, lovely.

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So, bat number one.

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Look at him.

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Lovely fella, isn't he?

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You don't often get many chances.

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We do, like, an MOT, where we grab random ones throughout the year.

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But we haven't had any problems with them.

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Look at those beautiful wings.

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I love them to bits. Absolutely love them.

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I tell you, I honestly don't think I could hit a barn door!

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As the bats are captured, Darren takes the chance to show his team how to give them a health check.

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You're looking for things like rips in the wings, maybe poor body weight condition.

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Take your glove off,

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and gently put your finger on his chest.

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There's plenty of meat coating, you can't feel the breastbone at all.

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Got one.

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Some people call them flying foxes.

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This one's not as friendly as the last one, so I've got to watch my hands a bit.

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They've got these nasty-looking teeth, but really, these are totally fruit and flower eaters.

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There can be tough skin on the fruit, and they've got to get through that.

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His little heart's beating.

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They've developed these...claws, for hanging upside down.

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Absolutely beautiful. All right, mate?

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Darren's bat catchers are winning the battle, but slowly.

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In you go. That's three.

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We're going to be here a little while!

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We'll come back to see how the team get on.

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I'm down at the pig enclosure with keeper Val McGruther

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and Longleat's two Chinese pot-bellied pigs, Bruno and Blossom.

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We've got the two here.

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And I've got this unusual contraption with me.

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What's all this about?

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Sam and John, two of our workers, have put this together.

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It's an enrichment item. A food enrichment item.

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-How does it work?

-We tie this up to the rope, and inside...

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They're particularly hungry today, aren't they? Who is this?

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We've got Bruno here.

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He knows I've got some pig nuts.

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So we'll pour those pig nuts into here.

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Yeah, and they will rattle this.

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-The pigs are supposed to rattle that?

-That's right.

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They get hold of it with their teeth and rattle it about, which works these red things.

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These bits here. They move like that, don't they?

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-So that allows the pellets to come out?

-Exactly. Excuse me.

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I've got a creature on me.

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And will the pigs know how to do that?

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Yes. We've actually done a bit before.

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This is a work in progress, and this is a slightly improved finish.

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So you're updating it. Shall we pour them in?

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Let's put some in.

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Perfect. Is this all part of your general enrichment, keeping them busy and occupied?

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Yes, it is, cos they are intelligent animals.

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They reckon, and I know you like dogs and have one yourself,

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they have got the intelligence of a labrador dog.

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-Really?

-So they say.

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We shall see. What sort of height to do you want this at?

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That's fine.

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We'll test my knot-tying skills now.

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-Were you a Scout?

-It should be OK.

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-Here comes Blossom.

-Do you think they're going to come straight over?

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Will they mind us hanging around?

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Hopefully they'll do it straight away, but we may have to step back.

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Shall we step back a little bit?

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Wiggle it a bit first so they know they've got some there.

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How is their smell? Will they know there is food?

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They've got a good sense of smell.

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-This is Blossom?

-No, this is Bruno and Blossom here.

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-In fact, when we did it the first time, it was Blossom that did it first.

-Right.

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Does that make her the more intelligent?

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Well, I think she's a woman!

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No bias there!

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Come on then, Blos. Share her you can do it.

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Blossom's not too interested in going over just now.

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But you've got all sorts of things in here, footballs, all sorts to keep them occupied.

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Yes, they are very intelligent.

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They need to be kept busy or they get naughty and do things they shouldn't.

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Like what? Can you tell us anything?

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They used to be up at Pets Corner at one time.

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Bruno used to open the gate and get out sometimes.

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-Did he?

-If he did that when we weren't there, he'd go round and start destroying the gardens.

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-Didn't go down very well.

-I'm sure it didn't with the gardeners.

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He's going back.

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-That's fantastic. She's finally doing it.

-Yes.

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You said it was Blossom last time that was the first up to it.

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-Does that make her the piggiest?

-I think it does.

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She's doing it, she's proving that she can do it.

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Bruno here is more interested in us still.

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I don't think he's worked it out.

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I think he wants us to hand it to him on a plate.

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Really? He really is lazy.

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-Are you pleased with it?

-Yes, I am. I'm really pleased it's working.

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Fantastic. Thank you very much for showing us this fantastic machine.

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100 miles up the road from Longleat is West Midlands Safari Park.

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They've had considerable success in breeding exotic animals.

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This year they have a hippo calf.

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And even one rhino calf conceived naturally.

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But two of their female rhino have never bred and head keeper Bob Lawrence

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fears that their biological clocks are ticking.

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We get to a point with these large animals like elephant and rhino -

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if they don't breed by a certain age, they probably never will,

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and these two old girls behind me are 15.

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We need to get them breeding pretty urgently

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otherwise they never will and it will be a terrible waste.

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The park does have a bull named Sharka, but so far he's not been up to the job.

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It's a funny thing with rhinos. They almost get too familiar with each other.

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It's significant that the bull came with those two girls

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and it's like a brother-sister thing, rather than a genuine up and running at mating scenario.

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Now Bob is hoping that where nature has failed, artificial insemination will work.

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It's quite important that if we can do this on these relatively common species of rhino,

0:23:080:23:13

it could perhaps be done on Indian rhino, black rhino, which are a lot rarer.

0:23:130:23:17

When this place opened in 1973,

0:23:170:23:20

there were hundreds of thousands of rhino possibly on the earth.

0:23:200:23:24

In that intervening 33 years, 98% of those rhinos have gone

0:23:240:23:28

so it's very important we retain the ability to do this sort of thing

0:23:280:23:32

and look forward and think forward and think of new ways of achieving a means to an end.

0:23:320:23:36

Back at Longleat, the team of expert vets from Berlin

0:23:370:23:41

have collected Winston's sperm and now he's waking up.

0:23:410:23:45

He doesn't seem too bothered by the experience, to head warden Keith Harris's delight.

0:23:450:23:50

It's always nice to see him standing up, that's the main thing,

0:23:500:23:54

because 2.5 tonnes of rhino is not easy to move, so...

0:23:540:23:59

obviously, for his sake, and everybody else's, that they get straight back up.

0:23:590:24:05

He'll never know what happened.

0:24:050:24:08

Berlin team vet Mark Combert is passionate about the work they do.

0:24:100:24:15

What we're trying to do by breeding in captivity

0:24:150:24:20

is guaranteeing that there'll be animals to release into the wild if needed.

0:24:200:24:25

So, if for reasons of populations decline,

0:24:250:24:30

whether it's disease or deforestation or hunting and poaching,

0:24:300:24:36

we'll have places for these guys to go.

0:24:360:24:38

Before they do anything else, Berlin team leader Robert Hermes

0:24:380:24:43

must check that Winston's sperm is still healthy.

0:24:430:24:46

Obviously the sperm have to move from...

0:24:470:24:50

In the rhinoceros it's about 1.5 metres from where the bull puts them to the cervix,

0:24:500:24:56

and then they have to travel all the way to the oviduct.

0:24:560:24:59

The sperm movement is very important.

0:24:590:25:05

Winston's sperm passes the test.

0:25:050:25:08

It's important to use the sperm as quickly as possible,

0:25:080:25:12

so Robert immediately takes the sample and sets off for West Midlands Safari Park.

0:25:120:25:17

-Hi, Rob.

-Hi.

-Good trip?

-Yes, thank you.

-Hi.

0:25:200:25:25

The things we do on a Sunday afternoon, eh?

0:25:250:25:28

Now Robert and the Berlin team will implant Winston's sperm into female rhino Mtuba.

0:25:280:25:35

We'll come back to see how they get on.

0:25:350:25:38

I'm with Derek Longway, the manager of the butterfly garden here at Longleat.

0:25:480:25:52

We're with some of your residents. Who have we got here?

0:25:520:25:55

These are the owl butterflies, so called because of their eye markings.

0:25:550:25:59

Which is incredible, because it really does look like an owl's eye.

0:25:590:26:02

Yes, it's used as a deterrent for predators.

0:26:020:26:05

They'll flap their wings and flash this false eye

0:26:050:26:09

and the predators will either be discouraged

0:26:090:26:13

or if they do attack, they'll attack the back end of the wing,

0:26:130:26:16

thereby letting the butterfly escape.

0:26:160:26:18

-Incredible. The fruit that they're dining off looks quite old and manky.

-Yes.

0:26:180:26:25

As the fruit rots down, it releases the sugars and makes a sugary,

0:26:250:26:31

syrupy liquid which is readily digested through the proboscis.

0:26:310:26:37

-That's the thing just going into the banana there.

-Into the banana.

0:26:370:26:41

Are they sucking it up like through a straw?

0:26:410:26:43

Absolutely, yes, like a hydraulic suction.

0:26:430:26:47

Presumably where there are butterflies, there must be caterpillars.

0:26:470:26:50

Yes, I can see one not too far away, on the citrus here.

0:26:500:26:54

That's a citrus swallowtail.

0:26:540:26:56

Oh, it blends in incredibly well to the leaf.

0:26:560:26:58

I can just make out its two little eyes.

0:26:580:27:01

Otherwise I wouldn't have spotted that. Presumably it's a camouflage.

0:27:010:27:05

Yes, nature's camouflage.

0:27:050:27:07

And what sort of butterfly will that turn into?

0:27:070:27:10

That will be a swallowtail.

0:27:100:27:13

Fascinating. Derek, thank you very much.

0:27:130:27:16

Here's what still to come on today's programme.

0:27:160:27:18

We'll find out if Winston's sperm donation will make him a father at last.

0:27:180:27:24

She's good, very good.

0:27:240:27:26

Should ovulate tonight.

0:27:260:27:28

They may be shy creatures, but this tortoise doesn't hold back when faced with a tasty treat.

0:27:300:27:35

And we'll see what the lions make of their new dinner arrangements.

0:27:370:27:41

-It is the perfect family dinner.

-It is.

0:27:410:27:43

But first, to the Bat Cave, where Darren and his troops

0:27:480:27:51

are still trying to round up the last three Egyptian fruit bats.

0:27:510:27:57

Hang on.

0:27:570:27:59

-I've got him.

-BAT "GRIZZLES"

0:27:590:28:01

You can have the noisy one.

0:28:010:28:02

You can bite all you want, I've got gloves on.

0:28:020:28:05

All right, sweet, let's get your wings in.

0:28:050:28:07

Here we go.

0:28:070:28:08

This one's got some good teeth on him.

0:28:080:28:11

Beautiful. Look at that. See all the veins and capillaries and things.

0:28:110:28:15

That's my fingers through there, look how delicate that is.

0:28:150:28:19

Fantastic.

0:28:190:28:21

OK, let's pop that one in.

0:28:210:28:23

Yes, got one, it's all right.

0:28:300:28:31

Something very interesting about the bat we noticed on one we MOTed back in the summer -

0:28:310:28:37

when they arrived, we didn't know how old they were,

0:28:370:28:40

and they were all adults of varying age.

0:28:400:28:42

These guys can live, what? 20, 25 years.

0:28:420:28:45

The way to age them, look into his mouth.

0:28:450:28:47

All the teeth are worn almost all the way down on the bottom layer.

0:28:470:28:51

Can you see that? This is a very old bat and he's worn all his teeth, so he's an aged fellow.

0:28:510:28:58

Also, if you gently pull that wing out, John, gently.

0:28:580:29:02

Pull it out slightly. I've got this one.

0:29:020:29:05

I actually think, if you look at the condition of the wing,

0:29:050:29:08

-he looks older - see that?

-It does, yeah.

0:29:080:29:11

He might have trouble in a little while. We have to keep an eye on him.

0:29:110:29:15

Can you fit dentures to a bat?

0:29:150:29:17

I don't know. But he's probably a very old bat.

0:29:170:29:21

He could be pushing 20, the 25 mark, who knows?

0:29:210:29:25

That's 13 in the box, but there's still one bat holding out.

0:29:260:29:32

There he goes.

0:29:320:29:34

This is a fast one.

0:29:340:29:36

Actually, if I let him go in...

0:29:380:29:40

All right, mate. I'll get him, I nearly got him last time.

0:29:430:29:46

People think bats get stuck in your hair.

0:29:460:29:48

Jo's got really long hair. They don't get stuck in your hair.

0:29:480:29:52

They bounce sound off of you.

0:29:520:29:53

-They'll avoid you.

-All right, darling, I've got you.

0:29:530:29:56

And just to prove it...

0:29:560:29:58

Jo, don't get it stuck in your hair. Here it comes.

0:29:580:30:01

-Stay there, Jo, for us.

-OK.

0:30:010:30:04

This one. Thanks, yeah.

0:30:040:30:06

Well done.

0:30:060:30:08

Hello, beautiful.

0:30:100:30:13

Yeah, that's right.

0:30:130:30:15

Last, but not least.

0:30:150:30:16

Well done. Thank you.

0:30:210:30:24

Thank you. Thank you. Well done.

0:30:240:30:26

So, if you can get it all painted, cleaned, revamped ...

0:30:260:30:30

-By tonight.

-20 minutes?

0:30:300:30:32

I'll be having a cup of tea over there, all right?

0:30:320:30:34

The fruit bats would normally roost in dark caves.

0:30:360:30:40

The team's mission is to make their enclosure

0:30:400:30:42

as much like their natural habitat as possible.

0:30:420:30:46

It's going to be a long job.

0:30:460:30:48

At West Midlands Safari Park,

0:30:550:30:57

the German veterinary team are preparing

0:30:570:30:59

to artificially inseminate rhino Mtuba using Winston's sperm.

0:30:590:31:04

First, they must check whether Mtuba is fertile enough

0:31:040:31:07

to receive the sperm.

0:31:070:31:09

Head keeper Bob Lawrence has been giving her hormone treatment

0:31:090:31:13

so her chances of getting pregnant should be at their highest today.

0:31:130:31:17

This is the point where we'll see whether the last 60 days or so of medication has worked,

0:31:170:31:22

whether she is cycling and just how receptive she might be.

0:31:220:31:26

If she's not quite ready, we'll probably inseminate anyway,

0:31:260:31:31

but revisit her again tomorrow.

0:31:310:31:33

But he'll know in a minute or two just how set she is.

0:31:330:31:37

She's good, very good.

0:31:370:31:40

Excellent follicle on the right ovary, 3.5 centimetres,

0:31:400:31:44

and that should ovulate tonight.

0:31:440:31:46

Vet Robert Hermes and his team have spent five years

0:31:480:31:51

developing the magic wand that will help artificially inseminate Mtuba.

0:31:510:31:55

It's made to replicate what a male rhino would do.

0:31:550:32:00

They have a very long genital tract.

0:32:000:32:02

The entire length is about one metre 50.

0:32:020:32:05

That's why we need special tools.

0:32:050:32:07

The arm of us is not long enough to reach.

0:32:070:32:10

The ovaries are right in the middle of a rhino,

0:32:110:32:15

but using their specialist tool,

0:32:150:32:17

Robert and the team are able to reach easily.

0:32:170:32:20

It looks very, very promising. Just about finished.

0:32:200:32:23

We want to get her up quickly

0:32:230:32:24

because she's lying on this right front knee,

0:32:240:32:28

but we're almost done and we'll keep everything crossed.

0:32:280:32:31

It may save populations, or may be a modern way

0:32:310:32:34

of introducing fresh bloodlines into existing populations.

0:32:340:32:38

At the end of the day, it's a lot easier to move semen around

0:32:380:32:41

than it is to move rhinos, isn't it?

0:32:410:32:43

While Mtuba comes round from the anaesthetic,

0:32:450:32:48

Robert and his team retreat to safety.

0:32:480:32:50

It's been a long day, but with the future of the southern white rhino at stake, no-one minds the effort.

0:32:500:32:57

If you see the other small calf in the other stall,

0:32:570:33:00

you'll really cross fingers and hope that we'll achieve another one.

0:33:000:33:06

Once you see one of these guys

0:33:070:33:09

and you know the problem throughout zoos in Europe and North America,

0:33:090:33:15

that they don't breed, you try to figure out a way that there's more

0:33:150:33:19

and that just keeps you going.

0:33:190:33:21

It's fantastic to work with animals like this

0:33:210:33:26

and you don't punch the clock at any time.

0:33:260:33:28

You just keep going as long as you can.

0:33:280:33:30

It's impossible to tell straight away if Mtuba is pregnant or not.

0:33:300:33:35

We'll find out later on.

0:33:350:33:37

Back at Longleat, keepers are also trying to breed Pere David deer,

0:33:490:33:53

which are hovering on the edge of extinction.

0:33:530:33:57

Two of the park's handful of does recently became pregnant,

0:33:570:34:00

but, sadly, one of them gave birth to a stillborn calf.

0:34:000:34:06

Today, though, keeper Tim Yeo has a cause for celebration.

0:34:060:34:11

Extremely exciting news.

0:34:110:34:13

On check this morning, I've found a Pere David calf.

0:34:130:34:19

It's the first one that we've had here for about four or five years

0:34:190:34:23

so, as you can imagine, it's pretty special.

0:34:230:34:26

They get very nervous with me.

0:34:260:34:30

I have had cause in the past to dart animals

0:34:300:34:34

and they remember very well, so...

0:34:340:34:38

the best way, really, I think for us to try to get close and have a look

0:34:380:34:42

is to go in the crew van

0:34:420:34:45

and just blend in with the public who are visiting the park.

0:34:450:34:50

Well, here we have the six Pere David deer,

0:34:520:34:57

the two stags and four hinds there.

0:34:570:35:01

And I think the mother of the calf

0:35:020:35:06

is actually laying down with her just at the head of the pond there.

0:35:060:35:12

This is certainly...

0:35:120:35:14

For me, it's very close

0:35:140:35:16

and it's nice to be able to see them this close.

0:35:160:35:21

It's natural for deer to hide their newborn calves

0:35:210:35:25

and Tim suspects the baby is somewhere in the hedge.

0:35:250:35:30

He's desperate to check on the calf,

0:35:300:35:32

but he's not going to put it in danger just for his own curiosity.

0:35:320:35:36

It's not something we can do at the moment.

0:35:360:35:40

The reason being that it may well upset her, it may put her off.

0:35:400:35:47

If there is any problem there at the moment,

0:35:470:35:51

of which I'm not entirely sure,

0:35:510:35:54

if she's not looking after it properly,

0:35:540:35:58

then we may well sort of hamper that.

0:35:580:36:02

We don't want to upset her at all, so it's far better to keep away.

0:36:020:36:07

Tim's concern not to disturb the mother is a very real one.

0:36:070:36:12

Not only is this her first baby, but she's never even seen a calf before.

0:36:120:36:17

It's quite possible that she won't know how to look after it.

0:36:170:36:22

I need to see her come up at some stage

0:36:220:36:24

and show an interest in her calf.

0:36:240:36:27

That's vital, obviously, to the well-being of the calf,

0:36:270:36:32

so it's a waiting game.

0:36:320:36:35

You know, it's lovely to have a live calf,

0:36:350:36:38

but I know we're not out of the woods yet.

0:36:380:36:42

If the calf is all right, it should soon be venturing out in the open.

0:36:420:36:47

We'll be back here later to see if there's any news.

0:36:470:36:50

I've come up to the tortoise paddock with Senior Warden Beth Evans

0:37:050:37:09

and it's feeding time for Michelle and Thomas. Now, Michelle and Thomas are...?

0:37:090:37:13

-African spur tortoises.

-This is where they are?

0:37:130:37:15

-They're still in bed at the moment.

-Do they go in here every night?

0:37:150:37:19

They do, for security reasons, and because it's too cold at night for them.

0:37:190:37:23

-But it's a nice day today.

-It is and it's about time they got out.

0:37:230:37:26

How do we entice them out?

0:37:260:37:27

We're going to have to lift them out, to be honest,

0:37:270:37:30

because they are not very fast.

0:37:300:37:32

-Can I help you with that?

-Yes, you can. Put the food down on the side.

0:37:320:37:35

If you lift the roof, Ben.

0:37:350:37:37

-Just lift it up?

-Yep.

0:37:370:37:39

-That's it.

-Wow! There they are.

0:37:390:37:42

And then if we open both of the side doors.

0:37:420:37:46

And just pull these out. So how old are these two?

0:37:460:37:51

Tommy's this one here and he's about 12 years old.

0:37:510:37:55

Michelle's only five,

0:37:550:37:56

although she's already near enough the same size.

0:37:560:37:59

It's incredible. Shall we lift them out?

0:37:590:38:01

Is there a best way to pick up a...?

0:38:010:38:03

Just go for the sides, cos if you put your fingers in there,

0:38:030:38:07

he can pinch you between his shell and his feet.

0:38:070:38:10

Wow, he is heavy, isn't he?

0:38:100:38:11

-Incredibly heavy.

-Is this Thomas?

0:38:110:38:13

-Yes.

-OK, Thomas. Gosh, how much do you think he weighs?

0:38:130:38:17

He's about 20 kilograms.

0:38:170:38:18

That doesn't say much for my weightlifting.

0:38:180:38:21

Ah, there you go.

0:38:210:38:22

Fantastic.

0:38:240:38:26

Obviously, we've carried them out,

0:38:260:38:28

-but do they like spending the day outside?

-They do.

0:38:280:38:31

They do a lot of grazing throughout the day,

0:38:310:38:33

and this is a nice paddock, because as well as the grass,

0:38:330:38:36

you've got dandelions and clover.

0:38:360:38:38

We've picked some dandelions here

0:38:380:38:40

and, intriguingly, we've got some melon here.

0:38:400:38:43

Yes, we do. This is a treat.

0:38:430:38:45

OK, so this isn't their usual diet?

0:38:450:38:48

No, and if you fed them on melon or any kind of lettuce

0:38:480:38:51

or cucumber every day, it would be quite bad for them.

0:38:510:38:54

But it's good to have a treat every so often?

0:38:540:38:56

And also you can add mineral supplements, so...

0:38:560:38:59

So, how do you feed a tortoise?

0:38:590:39:01

-If you just grab a piece of melon.

-I'll take this one here.

0:39:010:39:04

Stick it in front of Thomas and see if he's hungry.

0:39:040:39:07

He's already started on the dandelions.

0:39:070:39:09

He is... What do you think of this?

0:39:090:39:13

Wow, look at that.

0:39:130:39:15

Look at the chunks he's taking.

0:39:150:39:17

Because tortoises have a beak, don't they?

0:39:170:39:20

They don't have teeth, they have a sharp edge to their mouth,

0:39:200:39:23

and if they do actually accidentally catch your finger,

0:39:230:39:26

it does actually hurt quite a lot.

0:39:260:39:28

-Really?

-Yes.

-So I should hold it at the end.

0:39:280:39:31

That would be best.

0:39:310:39:32

I can't believe how quickly he's getting through that.

0:39:320:39:35

And presumably out in the wilds of Africa,

0:39:350:39:38

they might find some fallen fruit from trees.

0:39:380:39:41

Yes, they could come across that in their wild diet,

0:39:410:39:44

so it's not alien to them.

0:39:440:39:46

Right. He's eating the skin and everything, is that OK?

0:39:460:39:51

That's absolutely fine. A bit of fibre in his diet would be lovely.

0:39:510:39:55

Between the two of them, is there...? Shall we see...?

0:39:550:39:58

I'm feeling sorry for Michelle. I'm going to swap this around.

0:39:580:40:02

Is there one that's greedier?

0:40:020:40:04

-Is Thomas here...?

-Thomas, he's more of a confident character anyway,

0:40:040:40:07

so he'll get straight in and eat.

0:40:070:40:09

Michelle's reasonably shy. She's still finding her feet here.

0:40:090:40:12

Thomas has been with us a lot longer,

0:40:120:40:14

so Michelle's still a bit shy.

0:40:140:40:16

Am I right in thinking they can actually dig?

0:40:160:40:19

Yes, incredibly well. They've got very strong front and back feet.

0:40:190:40:23

We can actually just see them down there. It's almost like claws.

0:40:230:40:26

Yes, and they're very, very good at digging.

0:40:260:40:29

Sometimes we have a problem with that because they love to burrow

0:40:290:40:32

and when we come to put them in at night,

0:40:320:40:34

sometimes we have to dig them out from underneath our logs.

0:40:340:40:37

How far down could a tortoise like this burrow?

0:40:370:40:40

Six foot to ten foot burrows, really long.

0:40:400:40:42

-You're joking? Really?

-Yeah.

0:40:420:40:44

-You don't want to have to come and dig up that amount.

-Try and get him out every evening.

0:40:440:40:48

Now, you've got to tell me what to do with this last little bit.

0:40:480:40:52

Shall I pass it to him? There we go.

0:40:520:40:54

I would like to keep my fingers just now.

0:40:540:40:56

Well, Bev, I think that was a huge success.

0:40:560:40:59

-He did enjoy that.

-Thank you very much for letting me feed him.

0:40:590:41:03

-Can he have another one or is that too many?

-No, that would be lovely.

0:41:030:41:06

Why not try this type of melon? I think he'll like that one.

0:41:060:41:09

Some more, Thomas?

0:41:090:41:11

At Pets Corner,

0:41:240:41:25

Jo Hawthorne is checking on the 14 Egyptian fruit bats.

0:41:250:41:29

They're waiting patiently in their box

0:41:290:41:32

while the Bat Cave gets a makeover.

0:41:320:41:34

Huddling together is normal behaviour for bats

0:41:350:41:39

and is how they like to sleep in the wild.

0:41:390:41:41

As a colony, they'll cling together anyway, and what they'll do is...

0:41:410:41:45

Somewhere where it's nice and quiet

0:41:450:41:48

and out of the way of human beings - old ruins, caves, mines.

0:41:480:41:54

They'll hang out in trees, actually, obviously,

0:41:540:41:57

because they're fruit bats,

0:41:570:41:58

so they'll actually just choose a branch and just hang about there.

0:41:580:42:03

But they tend to stick together.

0:42:030:42:05

They feel more security when they're actually hanging together.

0:42:050:42:08

I'm sure they can't wait to get out of there,

0:42:080:42:11

so I can't wait to let them out!

0:42:110:42:12

But, yeah, I think they'll be out tomorrow morning,

0:42:120:42:15

which will be great.

0:42:150:42:17

The team have spent hours painting and installing new lighting.

0:42:220:42:26

Finally the finishing touches go on.

0:42:260:42:28

Oh, thank goodness for that!

0:42:310:42:34

It's done!

0:42:340:42:36

Time to see what the bats make of it.

0:42:390:42:42

Here we go.

0:42:420:42:43

Yo!

0:42:430:42:46

At first they seem to prefer the box.

0:42:460:42:49

Jo and John are glad to see them up close one final time.

0:42:490:42:53

You normally just get to see them on the ceiling or feeding on the fruit,

0:42:530:42:57

but this is the closest I've ever got to them.

0:42:570:42:59

Yeah. And the fact that they're furry,

0:42:590:43:05

they aren't bald and leathery and horrible.

0:43:050:43:08

Yeah, the stereotypical image of a bat.

0:43:080:43:10

These guys break the mould, really.

0:43:100:43:14

Despite being nocturnal, bats have keen eyesight

0:43:140:43:17

and good peripheral vision to keep a lookout for predators.

0:43:170:43:22

But they only see in black and white.

0:43:220:43:24

There's lots of myths about bats being blind and everything.

0:43:240:43:29

I think that's basically due to the fact they are a creature that flies at night

0:43:290:43:34

and for all those people that go walking up the lanes and they're flying very near

0:43:340:43:38

they don't know that they're using the echolocation,

0:43:380:43:42

getting that bounce of sound off you, hence why they're flying so close.

0:43:420:43:46

But with their eyes, they can see as well as you or I.

0:43:460:43:53

I think what we'll do now is we'll probably go away and leave them now.

0:43:530:43:57

We'll leave you to it, chaps.

0:43:570:43:59

Soon the bats emerge and start enjoying their newly decorated cave.

0:44:060:44:11

Even if they can only appreciate it in black and white.

0:44:110:44:15

Bats aren't the only animals in the park which are nocturnal in the wild.

0:44:220:44:26

Big cats like lions would normally be more active at night.

0:44:280:44:33

To see some of that natural behaviour we've set up a unique experiment.

0:44:340:44:39

We're going on a stake-out

0:44:390:44:41

to see Kabir and his pride having a midnight feast.

0:44:410:44:45

I'm out in the lion enclosure.

0:44:450:44:47

It's very dark. It's the middle of the night.

0:44:470:44:50

I'm here with head of section Brian Kent and keeper Bob Trollope

0:44:500:44:54

and we're getting the most amazing pictures on this monitor.

0:44:540:44:58

We set up an infrared camera so that we could film at night,

0:44:580:45:02

so you'll see black and white pictures.

0:45:020:45:05

And we've put a carcass out and Kabir and his two females,

0:45:050:45:13

Yendi and Luna and the two cubs have come out.

0:45:130:45:17

This is the first time that you've done this, isn't it?

0:45:170:45:21

Yeah, the first time we've put a carcass out for this pride.

0:45:210:45:25

Presumably they have very good eyesight at night.

0:45:250:45:28

They're very much like your domestic cat.

0:45:280:45:31

They have a layer behind the retina

0:45:310:45:34

and they will pick up any amount of light that is here,

0:45:340:45:40

they absorb it and can obviously see a lot better than we can.

0:45:400:45:46

We can't see a thing, but they come straight out into the dark.

0:45:460:45:50

That's also using their sense of smell as well.

0:45:500:45:54

Now, all of them are licking it.

0:45:540:45:57

Is that a typical response?

0:45:570:45:59

Yeah, they're just getting, as you can see, Kabir's trying to drag...

0:45:590:46:02

Kabir is trying to take it away!

0:46:020:46:05

There's going to be a tug-of-war, by the looks of things here.

0:46:050:46:08

I'm surprised that Kabir has tolerated them being here

0:46:080:46:11

because he's a bit of a foody normally.

0:46:110:46:14

Do you think this is Luna closest to us here?

0:46:140:46:17

It's very hard to tell through this.

0:46:170:46:19

It is. Cos she's got her claws right into it, she's holding on.

0:46:190:46:23

Oh, now Kabir is trying to drag it off.

0:46:230:46:26

But the girls are not letting him have it.

0:46:260:46:29

At the moment, apart from a few tug-of-war-type tussles,

0:46:290:46:34

there doesn't look like there's been any fighting.

0:46:340:46:37

No, that's good. Maybe it's because they have to actually work at getting into where the meat is.

0:46:370:46:43

Normally the chunks that we feed them are prepared and just...

0:46:430:46:48

The sort of equivalent of a ready meal, isn't it? Whereas this one they've got to do themselves.

0:46:480:46:54

Do you think that the cubs simply aren't hungry,

0:46:540:46:57

or that they feel this is a bit too big and scary for them to handle?

0:46:570:47:01

I don't think we've left them out at night

0:47:010:47:05

since they've been born, so this is a whole new experience for them.

0:47:050:47:09

They do look a little bit wary, don't they?

0:47:090:47:12

Not quite sure what's going on.

0:47:120:47:15

Might just be a little bit wary of Kabir.

0:47:150:47:19

He's a big chap compared to them.

0:47:190:47:21

In the wild, the cubs would fend for themselves.

0:47:210:47:24

On a kill, if they can get in, they can get in. If not, they can't.

0:47:240:47:28

Yeah. Look at this little cub!

0:47:280:47:30

Jasira is absolutely piling in there!

0:47:300:47:34

What an amazing scene! Almost like we're in Africa.

0:47:340:47:39

Oh, now, can we just zoom in very quickly

0:47:390:47:42

because we've got just Kabir and the cub now on the carcass.

0:47:420:47:47

Kabir's totally unconcerned. Look how hard that little cub is working!

0:47:470:47:51

I'll pull it away from you yet!

0:47:510:47:52

And that's pure instinct, isn't it?

0:47:520:47:55

-Because they've never been taught that.

-No.

0:47:550:47:59

It's the perfect family dinner.

0:47:590:48:01

-It is.

-And they're not scrapping over food.

0:48:010:48:03

-You must be really pleased to see this sort of...

-Surprised, really.

0:48:030:48:07

-..content family unit.

-It's really good.

0:48:070:48:10

-This is the future of the lions of Longleat, carrying on our bloodlines.

-Absolutely.

0:48:100:48:16

Which is what we need to do.

0:48:160:48:18

Well, what a fantastic night. Rob and Brian, thank you very much.

0:48:180:48:22

A huge privilege to see that.

0:48:220:48:25

Kabir's like, right, I'm going to take charge!

0:48:250:48:29

Today is a big day for bull rhino Winston.

0:48:420:48:47

Dung samples from West Midlands female Mtuba were sent for tests

0:48:470:48:52

to find out if the artificial insemination with Winston's sperm made her pregnant or not.

0:48:520:48:57

Head warden Keith Harris is anxiously standing by for a phone call with the results.

0:49:000:49:06

PHONE RINGS

0:49:060:49:09

Oh, dear, what a shame.

0:49:090:49:11

Oh, that's a bore.

0:49:110:49:14

Right, well, we'll see if they want to try again, then.

0:49:140:49:18

Presumably you'd like to do it again.

0:49:180:49:20

Oh, well, I'm sorry to hear the bad news.

0:49:200:49:22

But hopefully we'll be more successful in the future.

0:49:220:49:26

OK, then. Bye, then.

0:49:260:49:28

The artificial insemination may not have worked this time,

0:49:330:49:38

but the good news is that at the grand age of 39, Winston's sperm is still fertile.

0:49:380:49:44

Everyone hopes that artificial insemination for rhinos will continue to develop

0:49:440:49:49

and that Winston may still become a father in the future.

0:49:490:49:53

How are you doing, Winny?

0:49:530:49:55

Try, try and try again.

0:49:560:49:58

Certainly, from their future,

0:49:580:50:01

you can actually store the sperm, then, theoretically,

0:50:010:50:06

the conservation of rhinos will be a lot easier

0:50:060:50:08

because there will never be a time when we haven't got rhinos.

0:50:080:50:14

Extinction will not be a thing.

0:50:140:50:17

So that's very important and there's a lot of benefits

0:50:170:50:19

to be able to do AI with these animals

0:50:190:50:22

because trying to move large animals like this isn't always easy.

0:50:220:50:27

So, if you can take the sperm rather than the animal, then again,

0:50:270:50:31

that's got to be better for the species.

0:50:310:50:34

So there's a whole lot of different things

0:50:340:50:37

that will hopefully improve the life of the rhinos across the board.

0:50:370:50:41

Up at the deer park, there's been some better news about the rare Pere David calf.

0:50:510:50:57

Tim Yeo is eager to see for himself.

0:50:570:51:00

He's coming in our van because the deer are so shy of his vehicle that they avoid it.

0:51:000:51:05

He wants to get as close as possible because the new baby has just come out of hiding.

0:51:050:51:11

I never get to see them this close.

0:51:110:51:13

We've just seen the calf suckling from Mum and I must say,

0:51:130:51:18

for me this is absolutely great because I can't get close enough to them.

0:51:180:51:23

The deer are completely undisturbed by us.

0:51:230:51:28

They're used to cars coming down, they don't suspect anything at all.

0:51:280:51:33

So this is wonderful to watch it so closely.

0:51:330:51:39

Four or five years of not having a pregnancy at all,

0:51:390:51:44

it's just wonderful to see a Pere David calf

0:51:440:51:49

and just the prospect that we can slightly build our numbers,

0:51:490:51:54

absolutely wonderful.

0:51:540:51:56

The Pere David deer are all descended from one small herd,

0:51:560:52:01

so they can be prone to genetic defects.

0:52:010:52:03

It's important for the keepers to keep a close check on their health, especially when they're young.

0:52:030:52:10

With a world population of Pere David deer descending from 18 animals,

0:52:100:52:17

obviously...you're always watching with newborn calves.

0:52:170:52:23

You're just making sure...

0:52:230:52:25

It's easy just to look at them and see a calf, but...

0:52:250:52:29

you need to be looking a bit closer if you can, just to make sure that

0:52:290:52:34

everything that should be there is there.

0:52:340:52:36

But very good, very happy with what we're seeing.

0:52:360:52:42

The herd have lived in the park side by side with all sorts of animals for years,

0:52:420:52:47

but a new calf is likely to attract attention.

0:52:470:52:50

Some of it unwanted.

0:52:500:52:52

Deputy head warden Ian Turner will be spending a lot of time up here to make sure the star newcomer is safe.

0:52:520:52:59

This is a camel, look, coming over now.

0:52:590:53:02

Come and say hello.

0:53:020:53:04

The baby should just head off with Mum.

0:53:040:53:07

You can see, look, one baby Pere David deer.

0:53:070:53:10

And hopefully that's just one of a few.

0:53:100:53:13

So that's really good news and Mum's doing fine looking after it.

0:53:130:53:17

About four days old now, so fingers crossed.

0:53:170:53:20

The only thing we've got to watch out for is the camels.

0:53:200:53:24

They tend to come over and say hello to all new babies.

0:53:240:53:26

That can sometimes stress them out.

0:53:260:53:28

The rhino keeper's got to be on her toes.

0:53:280:53:31

Mum will keep a close eye on it and if the baby gets left behind, Mum will come back and pick it up

0:53:310:53:36

and also, with all the other animals in this section, they'll try and keep the baby in the middle,

0:53:360:53:41

literally just for protection or go wherever it needs to go.

0:53:410:53:45

So they're very protective of it at the moment, which is good.

0:53:450:53:48

Whenever babies are born, it always gives everybody a bit of a lift.

0:53:520:53:55

It makes your day worth coming in and everything

0:53:550:53:59

and hopefully this is just the start.

0:53:590:54:02

So, it's doing fine,

0:54:020:54:06

Mum's fine. They'll just keep an eye on it and hopefully there'll be some more.

0:54:060:54:11

We've come down to Pets Corner with Alexa Fairbairn and two of...

0:54:240:54:30

I just don't know how anyone can not like rats, Alexa.

0:54:300:54:33

They're so adorable.

0:54:330:54:34

These are new ones and very small.

0:54:340:54:37

Yeah, they're about eight weeks. A really good age to get them,

0:54:370:54:41

-then you can start handling them and bond with them, because they make brilliant pets.

-Do they?

-Yeah.

0:54:410:54:46

Really friendly, really intelligent.

0:54:460:54:49

You can train them to do things as well.

0:54:490:54:51

-Can you?

-What can you train them to do?

0:54:510:54:53

They can pick things up, bring them back to you. Small objects.

0:54:530:54:56

Obviously not the newspaper, it would be a bit of a struggle!

0:54:560:54:59

And what about feeding and that sort of thing?

0:54:590:55:03

-Do they need a complicated diet?

-Not really, no.

0:55:030:55:06

You can buy commercial pet food the same as hamsters, rabbits.

0:55:060:55:10

But they're garbage bins, they'll eat anything.

0:55:100:55:13

-Really?

-Yeah.

-Is there anything that you should avoid them eating?

0:55:130:55:16

Green foods, really. That can cause them to get an upset stomach.

0:55:160:55:20

-Lettuce leaves and things like that?

-Yeah. Too much moisture.

0:55:200:55:23

You'd think they'd be good for them.

0:55:230:55:25

You can tell if a rat's healthy - their teeth should be orange.

0:55:250:55:28

Oh, really? Come on, show us your pegs.

0:55:280:55:31

Let's have a look. Are they, like...

0:55:310:55:33

A lot of rodents have...

0:55:330:55:34

or I think all rodents have teeth that continually grow.

0:55:340:55:37

Is that the same with them?

0:55:370:55:39

It is. They all need gnawing material.

0:55:390:55:41

-Bits of wood.

-He's very wriggly.

0:55:410:55:43

-There's no way...

-I'll have a little...

0:55:430:55:46

-Go on...

-No, I think he prefers...

-I'm not going to bed, no way!

0:55:460:55:50

I'll definitely leave that one with you, Kate.

0:55:500:55:54

-So...

-Let me have a quick...

-You can have a go.

-Has it got a name yet?

0:55:560:56:00

Yeah, this one's Squeak and the one up Kate's sleeve is Bubble.

0:56:000:56:04

-Oh, very good.

-I think Bubble's going to stay with me.

0:56:040:56:06

-And are they happy alone...?

-They like company.

-They like company.

0:56:060:56:10

-It's best to get two, perhaps, if you're going to have one.

-Yeah.

0:56:100:56:13

People worry that rats are dirty.

0:56:130:56:16

They're synonymous with dirt.

0:56:160:56:18

-They are.

-I've lost this one completely!

0:56:180:56:21

-Sewer rats, yes.

-Yeah.

0:56:210:56:22

Domestic rats, no. They're really clean.

0:56:220:56:24

Go to the toilet, one corner all the time. Very healthy.

0:56:240:56:28

-So you'd recommend them as pets?

-Oh, definitely.

-And you'd recommend one?

0:56:280:56:32

I would, but I'm completely biased because I've had loads.

0:56:320:56:35

-Alexa, check her coat before she goes!

-I'm off!

0:56:350:56:40

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