0:00:29 > 0:00:34- Hello and welcome to Animal Park. I'm Kate Humble.- And I'm Ben Fogle.
0:00:34 > 0:00:39We're in front of Longleat House, one of Britain's most impressive Elizabethan buildings.
0:00:39 > 0:00:42It's surrounded by 900 acres of stunning gardens
0:00:42 > 0:00:46as well as thousands of acres of woodland, farmland and lakes.
0:00:46 > 0:00:52It's also home to a host of animals and we'll be bringing you lots of their stories today.
0:00:52 > 0:00:53Here's what's coming up.
0:00:53 > 0:00:58I'll be welcoming a historic new arrival -
0:00:58 > 0:01:00the 100th giraffe to be born at Longleat.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03The vet's been called because Samba,
0:01:03 > 0:01:07the geriatric gorilla, has fallen dangerously ill.
0:01:07 > 0:01:11And Lord Bath reveals a dark family secret,
0:01:11 > 0:01:15although their skeleton isn't in the closet -
0:01:15 > 0:01:18it's under the floor.
0:01:18 > 0:01:22There have been Bennett's wallabies at Longleat
0:01:22 > 0:01:24for more than 15 years.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27They've done very well, so that now the colony,
0:01:27 > 0:01:31called a mob, is almost 30 strong.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34But last year, a single pair of Parma wallabies
0:01:34 > 0:01:36were brought to live in Pets' Corner.
0:01:36 > 0:01:41This is a smaller variety and very rare.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44The Parma was thought to be extinct till 1965,
0:01:44 > 0:01:47when a few were discovered still living wild
0:01:47 > 0:01:50on an island off the coast of New Zealand.
0:01:50 > 0:01:52So everyone was pleased
0:01:52 > 0:01:57when their new couple, named Sydney and Adelaide, produced a joey -
0:01:57 > 0:01:59the proper word for a baby wallaby.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02But now, keeper Bev Allen has some bad news.
0:02:02 > 0:02:06We noticed that Mum had the joey in the pouch a while back,
0:02:06 > 0:02:08cos the pouch got very big.
0:02:08 > 0:02:12Then, about a week ago, we saw the head popping out of the pouch.
0:02:12 > 0:02:17I'd been away for a few days and I got a telephone call from Darren
0:02:17 > 0:02:22saying, "You might have to come to work, because the joey came out of the pouch."
0:02:22 > 0:02:25It's not unusual for a joey to pop out for a while.
0:02:25 > 0:02:29But in this case, Adelaide wouldn't let the infant back in -
0:02:29 > 0:02:32for some unknown reason, she rejected it.
0:02:32 > 0:02:37It would have died within hours if Bev hadn't come to the rescue.
0:02:39 > 0:02:41He was a bit weak to begin with,
0:02:41 > 0:02:45but he's getting used to taking milk from a syringe - not the bottle.
0:02:45 > 0:02:49So, yeah, he's getting stronger, which is good.
0:02:50 > 0:02:54It's been about three days now, I'd say. And, yeah,
0:02:54 > 0:02:57he's got better - he's got stronger.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00He makes little noises when he wants his food now.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03He's got a good chance of survival
0:03:03 > 0:03:07and a good chance to go back in with Mum and Dad, which is what we want.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09It's not ideal to hand-rear.
0:03:09 > 0:03:16But if there's a strong possibility they'll be able to go back in the group, there's no reason not to.
0:03:16 > 0:03:21The joey is a little boy, and he's still on nothing but milk.
0:03:21 > 0:03:25He needs feeding every two or three hours, day and night.
0:03:25 > 0:03:29So being a foster mum is a round-the-clock job.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31A lot of commitment's involved.
0:03:31 > 0:03:38You have to make sure they're strong enough to survive, get them used to being bottle fed.
0:03:38 > 0:03:42After milk, a joey needs a pouch. Bev has had to improvise.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45Basically, this is his pouch.
0:03:45 > 0:03:50He needs a pouch to go into, so we make a substitute pouch for him.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54This will make him feel secure, warm,
0:03:54 > 0:03:58and it helps him, because you're trying to copy what Mum would do.
0:03:58 > 0:04:03A couple of years ago, Bev stepped in when another joey needed
0:04:03 > 0:04:05to be hand-reared.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08They called the baby Kimberley and she was an orphan
0:04:08 > 0:04:12who was rescued from her dead mother's pouch.
0:04:12 > 0:04:16Bev nursed her through thick and thin,
0:04:16 > 0:04:20so that Kim could be successfully reintegrated with the mob.
0:04:20 > 0:04:24But now, for this little one, all that is still a long way off.
0:04:24 > 0:04:28If he's about five to six months old,
0:04:28 > 0:04:30they need the pouch up to nine months.
0:04:30 > 0:04:34So it could be another couple of months or so.
0:04:34 > 0:04:38Also, the weather's got to be warm enough for him to go back.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41So he could be coming home with me
0:04:41 > 0:04:43for quite a few times yet.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47Even with all Bev's hard work and commitment,
0:04:47 > 0:04:51there's no guarantee that the joey will survive.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54There's every possibility that something could go wrong.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57But looking at him at the moment,
0:04:57 > 0:04:59he's quite lively, quite active.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01He's cleaning himself.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04He's doing everything that a nice,
0:05:04 > 0:05:08healthy wallaby would do, so I'm confident, hopefully, he'll be OK.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11But a baby wallaby as young and vulnerable as this
0:05:11 > 0:05:13faces many dangers.
0:05:13 > 0:05:17We'll be back later to see how he's doing.
0:05:17 > 0:05:22Amongst the unusual and exotic species here at Longleat,
0:05:22 > 0:05:27there are also some animals that many people could keep themselves.
0:05:29 > 0:05:33I'm in Pets' Corner with keeper Amy Moore and two rabbits.
0:05:33 > 0:05:35- This is Fern and this is Sally?- Yes.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37What are the breeds we've got here?
0:05:37 > 0:05:40This is a dwarf lop, Sally is.
0:05:40 > 0:05:42And Fern is a Continental giant.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45And what sort of age are these two?
0:05:45 > 0:05:47Fern, believe it or not, is only 18 weeks old.
0:05:47 > 0:05:51- So she's still a baby. - A very, very big baby!
0:05:51 > 0:05:53How big will Fern get?
0:05:53 > 0:05:58Double the size she is now, when she's an adult. She'll get very big.
0:05:58 > 0:06:00- Giant by name, giant by nature.- Yes.
0:06:00 > 0:06:02And this one here?
0:06:02 > 0:06:04Sally is just over one year old.
0:06:04 > 0:06:06She's fully grown,
0:06:06 > 0:06:10so, in comparison, Fern's a lot bigger than Sally.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13- It's incredible!- Yeah. - I'm assuming "lop-eared"
0:06:13 > 0:06:16- because the ears...- That's right. - ..flop down.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19- Yeah.- What are we doing today, then?
0:06:19 > 0:06:21We're just giving them a groom over.
0:06:21 > 0:06:25This time of year, when they're losing their winter coat...
0:06:25 > 0:06:30Losing it being the operative word. You're covered in hair there!
0:06:30 > 0:06:32- Is this seasonal, like dogs?- Yeah.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35So at the end of the summer,
0:06:35 > 0:06:38they'll get their winter coats ready.
0:06:38 > 0:06:42So it's a good idea to keep them clean and give them a groom.
0:06:42 > 0:06:46- Do you recommend this every day, or every so often?- Every so often.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48- Mm-hm. Shall I have a...?- Yeah.
0:06:48 > 0:06:53Let's see how Fern likes that. And apart from grooming like this,
0:06:53 > 0:06:59is there any other maintenance that you have to do with a rabbit, if you have one at home?
0:06:59 > 0:07:03It's important to give them a general health check every day.
0:07:03 > 0:07:07They can get problems with their ears and their teeth and that.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09Some rabbits can get mites in their ears,
0:07:09 > 0:07:13so it's a good idea to look inside, give it a clean.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16And then check their teeth aren't overgrown.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19Check their eyes are all right and not cloudy.
0:07:19 > 0:07:23A good thing for their teeth... You can give them
0:07:23 > 0:07:28wood chews to chew on and hay, as well, to keep their teeth filed down.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31If you were looking to get a rabbit at home,
0:07:31 > 0:07:37would you recommend a Continental giant, or is it just a bit too big?
0:07:37 > 0:07:39I'd probably recommend a mini lop.
0:07:39 > 0:07:43Fern looks lovely, but she is quite a handful because of her size.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46And you need a big space to keep her in.
0:07:46 > 0:07:51And as a big rabbit, she's more likely to have health problems than, say, Sally is,
0:07:51 > 0:07:53so I'd recommend this breed.
0:07:53 > 0:07:57- I imagine Fern will get quite strong when she's double this size.- Yeah.
0:07:57 > 0:07:59Very strong.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02- How's my grooming technique? - It's very good.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05- How many more rabbits do you have? - Eight.- Eight?- Yeah.
0:08:05 > 0:08:07- We could be busy!- Yeah.
0:08:07 > 0:08:10You're enjoying this, aren't you, Fern?
0:08:12 > 0:08:17Since the time of Elizabeth I, Longleat has been the home of the Thynne family.
0:08:17 > 0:08:23For 13 generations, they've been one of England's most powerful and influential aristocratic dynasties.
0:08:23 > 0:08:28And almost every generation has left its mark on Longleat House.
0:08:31 > 0:08:35Some have enriched it with rebuilding work and lavish decoration.
0:08:35 > 0:08:40Others have filled the great rooms with priceless treasures or works of art.
0:08:42 > 0:08:48Over the course of this series, we'll be exploring the most significant contributions made
0:08:48 > 0:08:52by some of the more colourful members of the Thynne family.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56Alexander Thynne must be one of the most colourful ones yet.
0:08:56 > 0:09:03He's the present Lord Bath and has volunteered to guide us through the generations of his ancestors.
0:09:03 > 0:09:09He's starting out today with his great-great-great-great- great-grandfather, Thomas Thynne.
0:09:09 > 0:09:14Born in 1710, he became the 2nd Viscount Weymouth
0:09:14 > 0:09:18and the most significant legacy he left Longleat
0:09:18 > 0:09:25was the series of five paintings on sporting and riding themes that hang around the Tudor great hall.
0:09:25 > 0:09:31They're by the English artist John Wootton and are now regarded as works of national importance.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34But when the 2nd Viscount commissioned Wootton to paint them,
0:09:34 > 0:09:41he wasn't so much interested in great art as in the subject - Thomas Thynne was horse mad.
0:09:42 > 0:09:46The 2nd Viscount certainly thought it was...
0:09:46 > 0:09:49He'd been taught... He could ride well
0:09:49 > 0:09:56and there weren't so many things that he was especially proficient at,
0:09:56 > 0:10:00so this does reflect his interest and his character
0:10:00 > 0:10:04in being a...a riding gentleman.
0:10:04 > 0:10:09Thomas wasn't alone. In those days, most of the aristocracy was obsessed
0:10:09 > 0:10:14with all things horsy - that's one reason why Wootton specialised
0:10:14 > 0:10:16in riding themes.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19Also, it's a subject that works well on big canvases.
0:10:19 > 0:10:24I can't think of another British artist
0:10:24 > 0:10:28who has done large-scale things which look suitable
0:10:28 > 0:10:33for covering most of the wall space in a great hall.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35I'm very pleased that we did that.
0:10:35 > 0:10:43The pictures still hang at Longleat but, as national treasures, they're actually owned by the Tate Gallery.
0:10:43 > 0:10:48One of their experts on painting conservation is Warwick MacCallum.
0:10:48 > 0:10:52Wootton was THE first important horse painter -
0:10:52 > 0:10:55in Europe and in England -
0:10:55 > 0:11:00the first painter who thought that horses were important to paint.
0:11:00 > 0:11:05The five pictures are now being cleaned and Warwick is here leading a team of Tate conservators.
0:11:05 > 0:11:09Longleat's curator of historic collections, Kate Harris,
0:11:09 > 0:11:11has been watching the progress.
0:11:11 > 0:11:17- They're looking much better. - They were filthy when we began to clean them. Very, very dirty.
0:11:17 > 0:11:24- I think the prescription of my glasses has changed - they're that much clearer and more animated.- Yes.
0:11:24 > 0:11:29- Yes.- The time of day has changed and the quality of the light in the pictures.- Yes.
0:11:29 > 0:11:31- They're very nice paintings.- Yes.
0:11:31 > 0:11:36Cleaning is a painstaking process which has to be done slowly
0:11:36 > 0:11:39and carefully, using very small tools.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42The paintings were filthy.
0:11:42 > 0:11:47There was a thick layer of dark grime on them when we started.
0:11:47 > 0:11:51In a large room like this, with a lot of people passing through,
0:11:51 > 0:11:55the dirt floats up and settles on all surfaces,
0:11:55 > 0:11:59and particularly on paintings and paint frames.
0:11:59 > 0:12:03It's a big job, because they are massive paintings.
0:12:03 > 0:12:07To the 2nd Viscount, Thomas Thynne, that may have been the point.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10He was an awful show-off!
0:12:10 > 0:12:14He spent money like water but they, even in his terms,
0:12:14 > 0:12:16are a very grand commission indeed.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18I think they're very important.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21There are three great halls in England
0:12:21 > 0:12:26that have sporting picture sequences by John Wootton.
0:12:26 > 0:12:30There's a sequence at Althorp - it's actually called the Wootton Hall at Althorp -
0:12:30 > 0:12:32and another sequence at Badminton.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34We're not always entirely original.
0:12:34 > 0:12:40When one stately home's doing something, one has a quick think, "Should we do that too?"
0:12:40 > 0:12:44For example, the new gates they've put in
0:12:44 > 0:12:47at the top of Longcombe Drive.
0:12:47 > 0:12:49That is by the same artist
0:12:49 > 0:12:54who has done some things in the garden at Chatsworth.
0:12:54 > 0:12:59So we do look around and keep up with the Joneses, yes.
0:12:59 > 0:13:03But keeping up with the Joneses never hurt anyone,
0:13:03 > 0:13:07unlike some of Thomas Thynne's other character traits.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10There was a dark side to the 2nd Viscount,
0:13:10 > 0:13:14one that, according to legend, led to murder and tragedy,
0:13:14 > 0:13:19so that, along with the Wootton paintings, the other great legacy he left Longleat
0:13:19 > 0:13:21was its most famous ghost.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24The story continues a little later on.
0:13:27 > 0:13:30In Pets' Corner, keeper Bev Allen
0:13:30 > 0:13:33is foster mum to a little baby wallaby
0:13:33 > 0:13:38who has, for some unknown reason, been rejected by his real mother.
0:13:38 > 0:13:42The problem is, the substitute milk doesn't contain the antibodies
0:13:42 > 0:13:44that his mother's milk would have.
0:13:44 > 0:13:49Without them, the joey's vulnerable to all sorts of illnesses.
0:13:49 > 0:13:54So, today, Bev is going to try once more to reunite him with his mother, Adelaide.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58It's too early to be out of the pouch.
0:13:58 > 0:14:03It's usually at the stage where it would look out of the pouch,
0:14:03 > 0:14:06maybe come out briefly and then back in.
0:14:06 > 0:14:10But it hasn't got a lot of fur, so it hasn't much protection from the cold.
0:14:10 > 0:14:16I think, where it is so cold and it's come out, it's just a shock to the system for the little joey.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23I'll just step away...
0:14:26 > 0:14:31Bev has been fostering the infant for only a few days.
0:14:31 > 0:14:35But already, he's drawn to her rather than to Adelaide.
0:14:35 > 0:14:36Come on!
0:14:38 > 0:14:40A minute later,
0:14:40 > 0:14:45he remembers his real mother and the pouch that should be his home.
0:14:45 > 0:14:47But Adelaide won't let him in.
0:14:49 > 0:14:53This is her first time actually having a young joey.
0:14:53 > 0:14:57I think a lot of it is to do with the weather and the time of year.
0:14:57 > 0:14:59Usually, they will be in the pouch
0:14:59 > 0:15:03until the weather starts to get warmer.
0:15:03 > 0:15:07So I think, you know, she's probably a bit unsure now.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11Adelaide continues to shun her baby,
0:15:11 > 0:15:16and after a few minutes, it becomes clear that the attempt to reunite them has failed.
0:15:16 > 0:15:21Me and Amy decided it's best to go and get the young joey in his pouch now,
0:15:21 > 0:15:25cos it is quite cold. We've tried... sadly, hasn't worked.
0:15:25 > 0:15:29But we'll keep bringing him back over here when he's a bit older,
0:15:29 > 0:15:33and let him get used to Mum and Dad and let him know he is a wallaby.
0:15:33 > 0:15:35For now, we'll put him back in this pouch.
0:15:35 > 0:15:40We hoped everything was going to go well, cos it looked like it would,
0:15:40 > 0:15:43and then, all of a sudden, it went pear-shaped.
0:15:43 > 0:15:48Sadly, that's what happens with animals.
0:15:48 > 0:15:52Of course, he would be a lot better with Mum looking after him,
0:15:52 > 0:15:55but it's not gonna happen.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58So gonna have to hand-rear,
0:15:58 > 0:16:03and then when he's a bit older and stronger, he can come back out with Mum and Dad where he belongs.
0:16:06 > 0:16:10But before any of that can happen, the little joey must simply survive.
0:16:10 > 0:16:14And unfortunately, he's still very small and very vulnerable.
0:16:14 > 0:16:18We'll return to the wallabies a little later on.
0:16:32 > 0:16:37I'm out at Meerkat Mountain with head of section Darren Beasley.
0:16:37 > 0:16:41- I gather you're going to do a little meerkat taunting.- Yes!
0:16:41 > 0:16:45It's a behaviour experiment, there's some teasing involved.
0:16:45 > 0:16:50Basically, with our meerkats, they were born and bred in captivity.
0:16:50 > 0:16:55We've looked to see what natural behaviours they still have left -
0:16:55 > 0:16:58what is natural and what's taught.
0:16:58 > 0:17:02We know they spot the birds of prey, and they bark and run for cover.
0:17:02 > 0:17:07They'll even see the guys in the microlights coming and run for cover!
0:17:07 > 0:17:11They've got that one, but also, on their travels in southern Africa,
0:17:11 > 0:17:15they will look for things that are out of place.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18They'll come across a big rock, tortoise or porcupine.
0:17:18 > 0:17:22Well, we've got my little friend here...
0:17:22 > 0:17:26- Oh!- Couldn't use a real one, of course.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29This is actually a rubber snake.
0:17:29 > 0:17:33What we're gonna do is, if they're in the wild and come across a predator,
0:17:33 > 0:17:38they should bark, they should mob it, I'm hoping they won't run for cover.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41They should try and distract it and chase it away.
0:17:41 > 0:17:45If they're really brave, they might lunge at it, bite it and attack it.
0:17:45 > 0:17:47The result will be interesting.
0:17:47 > 0:17:52If they ignore it, then they'll have lost some of their natural behaviour.
0:17:52 > 0:17:54I want lots of barking, lots of tail up and stuff.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57We're gonna hide this somewhere.
0:17:57 > 0:18:01Just over here, as well as the meerkats, you've got the mongoose.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04Beautiful animal.
0:18:04 > 0:18:08Now, "mongooses", I gather the plural is,
0:18:08 > 0:18:12mongooses are famous for attacking snakes.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15Would this particular sort of mongoose attack snakes?
0:18:15 > 0:18:21They'll eat anything from the tiniest bug up to the biggest rodent.
0:18:21 > 0:18:23Snakes in between that.
0:18:23 > 0:18:27If they think it's a danger, more often than not, they'll run away.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31If they think they can get a tasty meal, yes, by golly, they will.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34Just like the old Riki Tiki Tavi stories,
0:18:34 > 0:18:39these guys, if they come across a snake, hopefully they'll react as well as the meerkats would.
0:18:39 > 0:18:44OK, do you think the time has come to give it a go?
0:18:44 > 0:18:49- Do you want to do it?- Yeah.- Place it near the stump on the floor.
0:18:49 > 0:18:51Somewhere obvious he can see.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54Yeah, brill.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57- Make it look fierce. - Scary, isn't it?
0:18:57 > 0:18:59- Oh!- Oh!
0:18:59 > 0:19:01HE CHUCKLES
0:19:01 > 0:19:04OK, experiment over.
0:19:04 > 0:19:06They don't look fooled, Darren.
0:19:06 > 0:19:11I actually wonder - they've taken no notice of it at all.
0:19:11 > 0:19:14- No fear - hang on... - This one's having a sniff,
0:19:14 > 0:19:18but there is definitely no fear there.
0:19:18 > 0:19:23What does that mean? Is that a good thing, a bad thing?
0:19:23 > 0:19:26It's somewhere in between.
0:19:26 > 0:19:31The bad thing is they are blase, they feel safe and relaxed, which is what we want.
0:19:31 > 0:19:35We want to protect them from fear and distress.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38On the same thing, I want them to still be a meerkat.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41I still want them to have the reactions that their wild cousins
0:19:41 > 0:19:44in Namibia and Angola and those places where they come from,
0:19:44 > 0:19:47that they would still react the same way.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50Probably because that's just an object and it's sat there,
0:19:50 > 0:19:52they pay it no attention, but it is a result, you know.
0:19:52 > 0:19:54It's a result, a quick experiment,
0:19:54 > 0:19:57something we can do perhaps with other animals as well,
0:19:57 > 0:20:00and we now know that these guys, they don't care about it.
0:20:00 > 0:20:03Well, I think you can safely say
0:20:03 > 0:20:06you have some very happy, very chilled-out meerkats.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09- You're right.- Darren, thank you very much indeed.
0:20:12 > 0:20:14Up in the East Africa reserve,
0:20:14 > 0:20:16there may soon be some very exciting news.
0:20:16 > 0:20:21Of the ten female giraffes here, at least four are expecting a calf.
0:20:23 > 0:20:25The first one due is Jolly,
0:20:25 > 0:20:28and if all goes well, it will be not only her tenth calf,
0:20:28 > 0:20:32but also the 100th baby giraffe born at Longleat,
0:20:32 > 0:20:35since the safari park opened back in the 1960s.
0:20:36 > 0:20:40The keeper in charge of the giraffes is Andy Hayton.
0:20:40 > 0:20:42You've gotta be positive.
0:20:42 > 0:20:44All going to plan, it'll be a good year.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47And it's the 40th year of Longleat this year,
0:20:47 > 0:20:50so 40 years and 100 giraffe births.
0:20:50 > 0:20:52Pretty cool.
0:20:53 > 0:20:55But Andy is staying cautious,
0:20:55 > 0:20:58because they've had some difficult times
0:20:58 > 0:21:00with the babies here in the Giraffe House.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02Last year, Becky had little Evelyn.
0:21:02 > 0:21:06It was all going well until Mother began to lick her baby's ears.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09That's normal bonding behaviour,
0:21:09 > 0:21:11but Becky was doing it obsessively.
0:21:11 > 0:21:16Evelyn's ears became infected and, despite powerful antibiotics,
0:21:16 > 0:21:19that led to septicaemia - blood poisoning.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22Sadly, the baby died.
0:21:23 > 0:21:27Then, more recently, when Imogen went into labour,
0:21:27 > 0:21:30it soon became clear that something was very wrong.
0:21:30 > 0:21:32Her calf was dead inside
0:21:32 > 0:21:34and had become hopelessly stuck.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37The only option was to perform an emergency Caesarean.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43And, against all the odds, Imogen survived.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48An absolute miracle of nature.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51And she's recovered so well.
0:21:51 > 0:21:52Fantastic, it is.
0:21:52 > 0:21:56That was a small compensation in a difficult season.
0:21:56 > 0:22:00It was a disappointing year, cos we thought we were gonna do better.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02The year previously, we had three females born.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05OK, yeah, we lost one, but, you know, that was good
0:22:05 > 0:22:09and the next year we thought we were gonna do pretty well again.
0:22:09 > 0:22:13We didn't, so it's up and down. It's peaks and troughs, you know.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16But this year, hopefully - not getting too overexcited,
0:22:16 > 0:22:19which you don't - you've been doing this a while,
0:22:19 > 0:22:22you know what can happen - but we've got some good breeders.
0:22:22 > 0:22:26The difficulties taught Andy and his team valuable lessons.
0:22:26 > 0:22:30There's no text-book rules of how this should go.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33We have to make sure we do the best for them and you always feel
0:22:33 > 0:22:36that you should be doing better every time.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39And if you learn from every experience you have
0:22:39 > 0:22:43of calving, or illness, or lameness or whatever,
0:22:43 > 0:22:46you can only make it better. But yeah, you are gonna have problems.
0:22:46 > 0:22:50And now, with Jolly's calf expected very soon,
0:22:50 > 0:22:51the big question is -
0:22:51 > 0:22:54will Longleat's 100th giraffe birth go smoothly?
0:22:56 > 0:22:58We'll find out later on.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06Winter in the safari park.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09Most of the animals here don't mind the cold at all,
0:23:09 > 0:23:12but for the ageing residents of Gorilla Island,
0:23:12 > 0:23:14the bad weather can be life-threatening.
0:23:14 > 0:23:18The keeper in charge of them is Mark Tye.
0:23:18 > 0:23:21It's prolonged days of rain, wind and general cold
0:23:21 > 0:23:25that's not very nice for them, like it isn't for us either.
0:23:25 > 0:23:28I mean, nearly 46 years old,
0:23:28 > 0:23:32and you know, they're sort of coming to the end of their lives
0:23:32 > 0:23:35and, like old people, they have to be wary
0:23:35 > 0:23:37and take precautions for cold weather.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42In the wild, a Western Lowland gorilla would be very unlikely
0:23:42 > 0:23:44to live into its late 30s.
0:23:44 > 0:23:48So at 45, Nico, the male, and Samba, his mate,
0:23:48 > 0:23:51really are a very elderly couple.
0:23:51 > 0:23:55In fact, they're the oldest gorillas in Britain.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58They've lived here on the island for 20 years now,
0:23:58 > 0:24:01and Mark has been looking after them for most of that time.
0:24:01 > 0:24:02They mean a lot to me.
0:24:02 > 0:24:06You know, I've been working with them for a long, long time now.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09And you know, you do want to care for them as best you can,
0:24:09 > 0:24:11do as much as you can.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14Their house is kept cosy with central heating,
0:24:14 > 0:24:16and they have their own TV.
0:24:16 > 0:24:20Research has shown that gorillas enjoy watching the telly.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23Nico and Samba are particularly keen on the cartoons.
0:24:23 > 0:24:27It's not too surprising, really, cos in evolutionary terms,
0:24:27 > 0:24:29gorillas are very close to humans.
0:24:29 > 0:24:33Our DNA is almost 98% identical.
0:24:33 > 0:24:37Unfortunately, that means we're prone to many of the same illnesses.
0:24:37 > 0:24:39Because they are our closest relative,
0:24:39 > 0:24:42they can catch pretty much everything that we can.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45They can suffer from the same health problems -
0:24:45 > 0:24:47heart problems, strokes, cancer,
0:24:47 > 0:24:49anything like that.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52It's one of the things that us as keepers have to be very aware of,
0:24:52 > 0:24:55that if we've got any problems, particularly colds, flu,
0:24:55 > 0:24:58you know, we won't come over here.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00Or if we have to, we'll wear a mask,
0:25:00 > 0:25:03so we're hopefully not transmitting anything to them.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06Also, particularly, they can catch stomach viruses as well,
0:25:06 > 0:25:08the same as us.
0:25:08 > 0:25:10And also they can pass it to us.
0:25:10 > 0:25:12So we have to be particularly careful.
0:25:14 > 0:25:18So a few days later, when Samba came down with a nasty cough,
0:25:18 > 0:25:22the vet was called and no-one else was allowed in.
0:25:22 > 0:25:26But deputy head warden Ian Turner is keeping us posted.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30His diagnosis - she's got cold-cum-flu symptoms,
0:25:30 > 0:25:34which wouldn't be too bad, but when you're a 45-year-old gorilla,
0:25:34 > 0:25:36in Samba's case, it could be quite serious.
0:25:36 > 0:25:40One of the main hiccups with Sam is she doesn't like taking medication.
0:25:40 > 0:25:45It's the age thing - you know, you look at 45 years of age on a gorilla,
0:25:45 > 0:25:49you're talking a real senior citizen, 80-plus on a human being.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52If a senior citizen gets a cold, it always takes 'em down, really.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55The good thing about them, we just keep them in.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58They're not one of those animals what get really stressy,
0:25:58 > 0:25:59being kept inside.
0:25:59 > 0:26:03They've got heating inside. We're just gonna have to mollycoddle her.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06The worry's gonna be - does she take the medication?
0:26:06 > 0:26:08If she won't take the medication,
0:26:08 > 0:26:10we'll have to think of something else.
0:26:10 > 0:26:12We've got little tricks - put it in yoghurt,
0:26:12 > 0:26:14jam sandwiches, stuff like that.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17Ian is hoping it's going to be straightforward,
0:26:17 > 0:26:21but Duncan Williams, the vet, is not so sure.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24Obviously, because of her age, it's affected her a lot more seriously
0:26:24 > 0:26:27than maybe it would have done a few years ago, yeah.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30The danger with illnesses like that is, you know,
0:26:30 > 0:26:32if they don't eat and drink properly,
0:26:32 > 0:26:35they're in danger of becoming dehydrated
0:26:35 > 0:26:38and that can, you know, often be pretty serious
0:26:38 > 0:26:43and possibly even fatal if it goes on for too long, yeah.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48We'll be back on Gorilla Island later
0:26:48 > 0:26:51to see how it goes for poor old Samba.
0:26:56 > 0:27:00In order to survive in the harsh lands of the frozen North,
0:27:00 > 0:27:03the wolf has evolved a very special strategy -
0:27:03 > 0:27:04the pack.
0:27:04 > 0:27:07In the wild, they need each other for protection
0:27:07 > 0:27:09and to hunt their prey.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13In fact, wolves have evolved to rely so much on a social group
0:27:13 > 0:27:17that without it they become disorientated and stressed.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20But the pack is a complex hierarchy,
0:27:20 > 0:27:23where relationships are constantly developing.
0:27:23 > 0:27:25Here at Longleat, we've been able
0:27:25 > 0:27:27to observe the group dynamics during the day,
0:27:27 > 0:27:30but now we're going to find out how they behave
0:27:30 > 0:27:33when they think that no-one can see them.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37I'm out in Wolf Wood with keeper Bob Trollope
0:27:37 > 0:27:39and we're gonna be trying a bit of an experiment
0:27:39 > 0:27:42in the depths of the night tonight, Bob, aren't we?
0:27:42 > 0:27:43What are we gonna be doing?
0:27:43 > 0:27:47- We're gonna come here when it's absolutely pitch black.- Yeah.
0:27:47 > 0:27:50Er...with a few gadgets on the vehicle.
0:27:50 > 0:27:52Hopefully, we're gonna put some food down
0:27:52 > 0:27:54- and just see how they behave.- Right.
0:27:54 > 0:27:58Now, the gadgets that Bob mentioned are things like this.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01This is an infrared camera and an infrared light.
0:28:01 > 0:28:04If you come over to the Animal Park wagon,
0:28:04 > 0:28:07we've got another infrared camera up there and another light.
0:28:07 > 0:28:11Now, the great thing about infrared lights is that we can't see them
0:28:11 > 0:28:13and neither can the wolves.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16To all intents and purposes, they won't really know that we're here.
0:28:16 > 0:28:20And what you're hoping, Bob, is that we might actually see
0:28:20 > 0:28:23different behaviour than we do during the day.
0:28:23 > 0:28:29Yeah, cos we know that the youngsters don't always come up to the feed straight away, during the day.
0:28:29 > 0:28:32We just want to see whether that's different at night.
0:28:32 > 0:28:37- Cos they do hunt at night.- Well, Bob and I are going to be sitting inside the vehicle here.
0:28:37 > 0:28:39We've got an infrared light, so you'll be able to see us,
0:28:39 > 0:28:42cos obviously it wouldn't be any good if you couldn't,
0:28:42 > 0:28:45and there's a monitor so we can watch the action.
0:28:45 > 0:28:48And so, we will be waiting
0:28:48 > 0:28:51until it all gets dark and scary here in Wolf Wood.
0:28:51 > 0:28:55But in the meantime there's lots more coming up on today's programme.
0:28:55 > 0:28:58A tragic tale of bankruptcy,
0:28:58 > 0:28:59adultery, murder,
0:28:59 > 0:29:02and the ghost with a broken heart.
0:29:02 > 0:29:06We'll find out what's happened to the little baby wallaby.
0:29:06 > 0:29:10And down on the farm, they need to know which of the cows are pregnant.
0:29:10 > 0:29:13I'll be helping the vet find out,
0:29:13 > 0:29:14the traditional way.
0:29:14 > 0:29:16COW MOOS LOUDLY
0:29:20 > 0:29:21But now, up at the Giraffe House,
0:29:21 > 0:29:25everyone has been looking forward to the next birth with some excitement
0:29:25 > 0:29:27and a little anxiety.
0:29:27 > 0:29:33Jolly is 22 years old and she's had nine calves before.
0:29:33 > 0:29:36The keeper in charge, Andy Hayton, was hoping
0:29:36 > 0:29:39that her being an experienced mum would help.
0:29:41 > 0:29:45And, as it turned out, it did.
0:29:45 > 0:29:50Longleat's 100th baby giraffe arrived with no problems at all.
0:29:50 > 0:29:52The keepers got these shots
0:29:52 > 0:29:55before anyone else was allowed inside the house,
0:29:55 > 0:29:58when the baby was still just a few hours old.
0:30:01 > 0:30:06This is Jolly's... The most recent addition to the herd.
0:30:06 > 0:30:12A little bull calf, that we came in the other morning,
0:30:12 > 0:30:15and just found in here, stood up, staring at us.
0:30:15 > 0:30:20So absolutely perfect birth, didn't really know, she wasn't showing any signs the evening before.
0:30:20 > 0:30:23Came in in the morning, there's a calf stood up in here.
0:30:23 > 0:30:27She's just got on and done it, absolutely fine. Textbook job.
0:30:27 > 0:30:30First one of the year, she's pretty much
0:30:30 > 0:30:36on the dates that we had for her. The 100th live birth giraffe at Longleat.
0:30:36 > 0:30:42So, excellent. And it's her tenth calf as well. Good on her, really.
0:30:42 > 0:30:44She deserves the laurels.
0:30:51 > 0:30:57When a calf is born, it's already about six feet tall.
0:30:57 > 0:31:02Within an hour, it will be standing, and looking for milk soon after.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09The youngster won't be fully weaned for almost a year
0:31:09 > 0:31:13and in the wild, would stay close to Mum for another year after that.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16But looking that far forward is dangerous,
0:31:16 > 0:31:20because the first days of life are the most precarious.
0:31:21 > 0:31:24We have this superstitious weird thing at Longleat
0:31:24 > 0:31:27that we never name a calf until it's two weeks old.
0:31:27 > 0:31:33If you get them to two weeks, they probably will be OK.
0:31:33 > 0:31:37He's fine. You can almost write him off and put him to bed now,
0:31:37 > 0:31:40he's drinking, he's dunging, what's going in is coming out.
0:31:40 > 0:31:43He's following Mum now, finally, he's just great.
0:31:43 > 0:31:47Just typical one of Jolly's calves, just gets on and does it.
0:31:47 > 0:31:51So now, Andy is more worried about Mum.
0:31:51 > 0:31:55Our main concern with this calving and pregnancy is Jolly.
0:31:55 > 0:31:59What the problem is now is her lactating, her producing milk.
0:31:59 > 0:32:01That takes a lot of energy.
0:32:01 > 0:32:05For an old animal like Jolly, we have to give her a good diet.
0:32:05 > 0:32:08But she does have a little bit of arthritis,
0:32:08 > 0:32:12so we make sure she doesn't get too heavy - that will affect her joints.
0:32:12 > 0:32:17It's a juggling act, keeping a close eye on her, making sure she's OK.
0:32:17 > 0:32:20The next couple of weeks will be critical.
0:32:20 > 0:32:24We'll be back later to see whether or not Jolly can manage to feed
0:32:24 > 0:32:26and look after such a big baby.
0:32:36 > 0:32:39There are more calves on the way elsewhere at Longleat,
0:32:39 > 0:32:42but not in the safari park.
0:32:42 > 0:32:48The estate also includes over 8,000 acres of woodland and working farms.
0:32:48 > 0:32:52And I've come down to Mill Farm to catch up with farmer Steve Crossman
0:32:52 > 0:32:55- and safari park vet Duncan Williams. Hi, guys.- Hi.
0:32:55 > 0:32:58- What's going on today? - We're going to PD our cows today.
0:32:58 > 0:33:01- What does that mean? - It's a pregnancy diagnosis.
0:33:01 > 0:33:03- OK.- Duncan's come out to do that.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06- How many cows do you have? - I'm running 100 at the moment.
0:33:06 > 0:33:12- And we've calved about 30.- How many are you expecting to calve?
0:33:12 > 0:33:14- I'd like to calve 100!- Of course!
0:33:14 > 0:33:16In an ideal world. I'm not sure it'll happen.
0:33:16 > 0:33:19Duncan, that's one of the reasons you're here,
0:33:19 > 0:33:22- to help with that diagnosis? - That's right.
0:33:22 > 0:33:26We've got to internally examine every cow that we're worried about,
0:33:26 > 0:33:30- and see if you can feel a calf.- We often see you in the safari park,
0:33:30 > 0:33:33looking after the lions, or the tigers.
0:33:33 > 0:33:36This, presumably, is the majority of your work?
0:33:36 > 0:33:38That's right. This is what I do most of the time,
0:33:38 > 0:33:41and the safari park only takes up one day a week,
0:33:41 > 0:33:44and any extra calls that they need us in there for.
0:33:44 > 0:33:48Most of the time, I'm out and about on the farms in the area.
0:33:48 > 0:33:51You're dressed for a mucky job. How do you do this?
0:33:51 > 0:33:56Well, this is not very nice for the cow. Plenty of lubricant.
0:33:56 > 0:34:00Right. And literally, you're going to feel for a calf inside?
0:34:00 > 0:34:03That's right, we've just got to pop our hand inside.
0:34:03 > 0:34:06And what are you feeling for, Duncan?
0:34:06 > 0:34:10I'm going to find the cow's uterus, and then feel...
0:34:10 > 0:34:14This one's got a big calf in her, I can feel its head.
0:34:14 > 0:34:17She's going to calve in about three weeks' time.
0:34:17 > 0:34:20- You can tell straight away?- Just from the size of the calf, yeah.
0:34:20 > 0:34:23- Would you like to have a go?- Um...
0:34:23 > 0:34:24- Er... - HE LAUGHS NERVOUSLY
0:34:24 > 0:34:27I don't want to say "Can I?"
0:34:27 > 0:34:29I don't know what Steve will think of me!
0:34:29 > 0:34:32- I've got no objections.- OK.
0:34:32 > 0:34:36- Duncan will see you through.- Plenty of lubricant. There's the glove.
0:34:36 > 0:34:37I'll take one of these gloves.
0:34:37 > 0:34:42OK, you'll have to explain exactly what to feel for.
0:34:42 > 0:34:44Just put this on.
0:34:45 > 0:34:47OK.
0:34:50 > 0:34:54If you follow where I was, pull the tail up with your left hand,
0:34:54 > 0:34:57and then gently ease your hand in.
0:34:57 > 0:35:00- Is she going to poo on me?- No, no. - Are you sure?
0:35:00 > 0:35:02Sorry, I'm not... So, just do what?
0:35:02 > 0:35:04- Yeah.- Like that?- That's right.
0:35:04 > 0:35:07- And then you want to go in that way. - Like that?
0:35:07 > 0:35:08- Yeah. Push it in now.- OK.
0:35:08 > 0:35:10Go on, push further.
0:35:10 > 0:35:12Keep going forward, keep going forward.
0:35:12 > 0:35:14- Yep.- You've got to go...
0:35:14 > 0:35:17almost up to your elbow.
0:35:17 > 0:35:19OK.
0:35:19 > 0:35:21And what am I feeling for?
0:35:21 > 0:35:25If you pat your hand down, you might feel the calf's head.
0:35:25 > 0:35:28- I'd imagine you'll find a head. Feel a solid lump?- I can!
0:35:28 > 0:35:31- There's the calf's head.- Whoo! That's amazing.
0:35:31 > 0:35:33And you could tell...
0:35:33 > 0:35:36You could tell from that the actual size? OK, there we go.
0:35:36 > 0:35:38Yeah, I mean, it's pretty rough.
0:35:38 > 0:35:42I wouldn't be too far out, I don't think.
0:35:42 > 0:35:45The other way you can tell, she's got an udder developing.
0:35:45 > 0:35:48She's probably only about three or four weeks off.
0:35:48 > 0:35:51She'll be fine, Steve'll keep her in and let her calve in the shed.
0:35:51 > 0:35:56Excellent. Duncan, thank you very much for letting me try!
0:35:56 > 0:36:00You've got a lot of work to do, to go through all these cows here.
0:36:00 > 0:36:02- Yeah.- Blimey! I'll leave that to you!
0:36:02 > 0:36:04Thank you, guys.
0:36:04 > 0:36:07And hopefully this cow will be a very proud mum too.
0:36:07 > 0:36:11- I'll let you know when she calves. - Please do. We'll leave you to it.
0:36:11 > 0:36:14COW MOOS
0:36:18 > 0:36:20There was a time when, if you were an aristocrat,
0:36:20 > 0:36:22you could get away with murder.
0:36:22 > 0:36:25Thomas Thynne, the 2nd Viscount Weymouth,
0:36:25 > 0:36:28left Longleat with two very different legacies.
0:36:28 > 0:36:31There are the paintings by John Wootton that adorn the walls
0:36:31 > 0:36:33of the Tudor great hall.
0:36:33 > 0:36:38And then, there's the house's most famous ghost.
0:36:38 > 0:36:41Thomas had a difficult childhood.
0:36:41 > 0:36:43He was only four years old when his father died,
0:36:43 > 0:36:47and he inherited the vast wealth of the estate.
0:36:47 > 0:36:49It wasn't good for his character,
0:36:49 > 0:36:53and the present Lord Bath, his great-great-great-great- great-grandson,
0:36:53 > 0:36:58can still see the evidence of that around him on the walls.
0:36:58 > 0:37:03He did rather get himself painted on every possible occasion.
0:37:03 > 0:37:07It makes me frightened of something, accepting another portrait,
0:37:07 > 0:37:11because it looks... There's a feeling of too much vanity and concern
0:37:11 > 0:37:15that his face is everywhere around the walls.
0:37:15 > 0:37:19He inherited Longleat as a very young boy.
0:37:19 > 0:37:24And he was both pampered at the same time as being, er...
0:37:24 > 0:37:27disciplined to become a young nobleman.
0:37:27 > 0:37:29It was important to them, apparently,
0:37:29 > 0:37:31that that should be his image of himself.
0:37:31 > 0:37:35In some of the expressions on his portraits,
0:37:35 > 0:37:38I fear that that was ingrained too well,
0:37:38 > 0:37:40that he felt he ought to...
0:37:40 > 0:37:45There's an arrogance and a posturing in some of the portraits.
0:37:45 > 0:37:50So, it's no surprise to see Thomas, along with his influential friends
0:37:50 > 0:37:55and favourite horses, included in the famous paintings by John Wootton.
0:37:55 > 0:37:59With a taste for ostentatious living, the 2nd Viscount
0:37:59 > 0:38:01soon ran up massive debts,
0:38:01 > 0:38:05and poor Wootton had to wait years to be paid.
0:38:05 > 0:38:09Longleat's curator of historic collections, Kate Harris,
0:38:09 > 0:38:12has some interesting documents.
0:38:12 > 0:38:15By 1740,
0:38:15 > 0:38:20his debts were so many that they had to be reorganised,
0:38:20 > 0:38:24for him to start to sort them out. This is the book that shows it.
0:38:24 > 0:38:28It dates from September 1740,
0:38:28 > 0:38:33and it's an alphabetical arrangement of his creditors,
0:38:33 > 0:38:35organised by place.
0:38:35 > 0:38:37So it's got London creditors,
0:38:37 > 0:38:41Longleat creditors, and Tilshead creditors as well.
0:38:41 > 0:38:46What appears in the London list, right at the end of the list,
0:38:46 > 0:38:50we see Wootton, painter, Cavendish Square,
0:38:50 > 0:38:56and a debt of £323 8s.
0:38:56 > 0:38:59The book also reveals where most of the money went.
0:38:59 > 0:39:03Thomas spent a fortune on the sport of kings.
0:39:03 > 0:39:06Horseracing had become, really, THE vogue thing
0:39:06 > 0:39:09for the aristocracy because of Charles II's love of it.
0:39:09 > 0:39:13There had been thoroughbreds in England before,
0:39:13 > 0:39:16James I had one of the important Arabians,
0:39:16 > 0:39:19but the Royal stud had been wiped out by the Civil Wars.
0:39:19 > 0:39:24For Charles II, it was really one of his key things, after women.
0:39:24 > 0:39:27It then became the sport of kings.
0:39:27 > 0:39:31So, the 2nd Viscount was an inveterate gambler.
0:39:31 > 0:39:35But he also had another character fault.
0:39:35 > 0:39:39If legend is to be believed, it was one that led to tragedy and murder.
0:39:39 > 0:39:44Thomas was horribly jealous of his wife, Louisa.
0:39:46 > 0:39:51She had her favourite footman,
0:39:51 > 0:39:55and he, eventually, sent him away.
0:39:55 > 0:39:57Or that's what he told her.
0:39:57 > 0:40:05It was only much later we found a skeleton under the cellar flagstones
0:40:05 > 0:40:09and so he was probably bumped off, or fell, broke his neck,
0:40:09 > 0:40:11some story like that.
0:40:13 > 0:40:17But that wasn't the end of it. Louisa died shortly after.
0:40:17 > 0:40:20Everyone said it was from a broken heart.
0:40:20 > 0:40:25Since then, her ghost has been reported many, many times,
0:40:25 > 0:40:28still walking the corridors in search of her lost love.
0:40:28 > 0:40:31Thomas was never the same again.
0:40:32 > 0:40:37After her death, he no longer wanted to live in the house,
0:40:37 > 0:40:41possibly because he was a bit sensitive to the ghost stories around her,
0:40:41 > 0:40:44and he went and lived in Horningsham.
0:40:45 > 0:40:47The house was closed down, shuttered up.
0:40:47 > 0:40:51For ten years, until his death aged just 41,
0:40:51 > 0:40:53the house was left to fall into decay.
0:40:53 > 0:40:56It could easily have been the end of the place,
0:40:56 > 0:40:58but it was saved in the nick of time
0:40:58 > 0:41:01by the heir, also named Thomas Thynne,
0:41:01 > 0:41:04who later became the 1st Marquess of Bath.
0:41:04 > 0:41:06But that's a story for another day.
0:41:06 > 0:41:13There's...frequently a near miss. We survive!
0:41:24 > 0:41:28Earlier, in Wolf Wood, we set up night vision cameras
0:41:28 > 0:41:31and infrared lights, so that we could check on the pack's
0:41:31 > 0:41:34social structure during a night-time feed.
0:41:34 > 0:41:37In order to reinforce the bonding of the pack,
0:41:37 > 0:41:41it's sometimes necessary to bring in an entire carcass.
0:41:41 > 0:41:45It's the best way to simulate the experience of a whole pack feed.
0:41:45 > 0:41:49It's the middle of the night, and I'm out in Wolf Wood with keeper Bob Trollope.
0:41:49 > 0:41:53Ahead of us are the entire pack - is the entire pack -
0:41:53 > 0:41:59reacting amazingly quickly to the carcass that's just been brought in.
0:41:59 > 0:42:01Yeah, it's amazing. And they're all on it.
0:42:01 > 0:42:05Normally, during the day, they're tentative to approach it,
0:42:05 > 0:42:07but they're straight in there.
0:42:07 > 0:42:10This is what we hope to achieve by seeing that
0:42:10 > 0:42:12they're all doing what they're supposed to.
0:42:12 > 0:42:17- Here we've got a few wandering round, but they're all here.- Yeah.
0:42:17 > 0:42:21You can see right in the very bright white light,
0:42:21 > 0:42:24there's Two Tips, who's the dominant male. Is that right?
0:42:24 > 0:42:27Two Tips is the boss, yeah.
0:42:27 > 0:42:30You've got all of them, you've got Zeva in there having a good old go.
0:42:30 > 0:42:34That's probably because the carcass is too big for any one wolf
0:42:34 > 0:42:37- to guard and take away.- Right.
0:42:37 > 0:42:40When we see them during the day,
0:42:40 > 0:42:44running around, they're beautiful-looking creatures.
0:42:44 > 0:42:50But it's hard not to think of them as being a pack of domestic dogs.
0:42:50 > 0:42:53I think when you see this sort of behaviour,
0:42:53 > 0:42:55you suddenly notice the differences.
0:42:55 > 0:42:59- It's eerie.- Yeah, it is. - It's very eerie, I think.
0:43:01 > 0:43:04They do look incredible in this infrared light.
0:43:04 > 0:43:08- They all seem quite calm, don't they? At the moment!- Very calm.
0:43:08 > 0:43:14I'm quite surprised that we haven't heard... We've got the windows open.
0:43:14 > 0:43:19There hasn't been a great deal of noise, a little bit of yapping,
0:43:19 > 0:43:23but not howling or anything like that. Is that what you expected?
0:43:23 > 0:43:27I thought there'd be a little bit more aggression, I must admit.
0:43:27 > 0:43:30- But then, they're still trying to get into it.- Yeah.
0:43:30 > 0:43:33I should imagine when they split it open a bit more,
0:43:33 > 0:43:35that should start getting to the better bits.
0:43:35 > 0:43:39Then, that's when the hierarchy steps in,
0:43:39 > 0:43:42because the dominant animals will want to be at the best bit.
0:43:42 > 0:43:46That's when you'll more likely hear a lot of the snarling and barking.
0:43:47 > 0:43:53And they must have, without wanting to get into too gory detail,
0:43:53 > 0:43:58they must have incredibly strong jaws to get through hide and bone,
0:43:58 > 0:44:03- to get at the meat.- They've got very sharp teeth and the crushing power -
0:44:03 > 0:44:07- I think it's something like 500lb per square inch, which is...- Wow!
0:44:07 > 0:44:09Straight through our fingers, no problem.
0:44:09 > 0:44:13It's just incredible to see. If I didn't know
0:44:13 > 0:44:14I was sitting in Wolf Wood,
0:44:14 > 0:44:18you could imagine we're in the wilds of Canada or something.
0:44:18 > 0:44:21- It is incredible. - It's certainly cold enough!
0:44:21 > 0:44:23- Yeah, that's for sure!- Ooh, look!
0:44:23 > 0:44:27- There's a bit of fight there. - That's all dominance, you know.
0:44:27 > 0:44:31They're obviously a low-ranking member of the pack.
0:44:31 > 0:44:34It's obviously overstepping the mark and getting a better spot
0:44:34 > 0:44:36than he should be in.
0:44:36 > 0:44:40A higher-ranking animal is just, you know, telling him off.
0:44:40 > 0:44:44Putting him in his place. There's one or two wandering off.
0:44:44 > 0:44:47Do you think some of them have had their fill?
0:44:47 > 0:44:50They know that this carcass won't go anywhere,
0:44:50 > 0:44:54they'll come back later on and eat again at their leisure?
0:44:54 > 0:44:58They won't finish it all in one go, they'll come back through the night.
0:44:58 > 0:45:00Most probably be gone by the morning.
0:45:00 > 0:45:03Do you think? Completely clean down to the bones?
0:45:05 > 0:45:08Bob, thank you very much indeed for letting us see this.
0:45:08 > 0:45:11It's been a most amazing experience.
0:45:11 > 0:45:15I think we should leave the wolves to their midnight feast.
0:45:18 > 0:45:21Back in Pets' Corner, there's been some bad news
0:45:21 > 0:45:25about the baby wallaby that Bev Allen was looking after.
0:45:25 > 0:45:30He'd been rejected by his mother and all attempts to reunite them failed.
0:45:31 > 0:45:35Bev continued to feed him by hand every two hours day and night.
0:45:35 > 0:45:40But, sadly, all her efforts have been in vain.
0:45:40 > 0:45:42The little joey died.
0:45:42 > 0:45:49He was doing really well, he was taking the milk fine and everything.
0:45:49 > 0:45:52Then at six o'clock in the morning he started...
0:45:52 > 0:45:57not looking right at all and he just passed away quite quickly.
0:45:57 > 0:46:02It wasn't to be expected, really, because he was so strong.
0:46:02 > 0:46:05The last two weeks he'd been doing really well.
0:46:05 > 0:46:09There was no reason why we would suspect
0:46:09 > 0:46:11anything was going to happen like this.
0:46:11 > 0:46:14So it is sad.
0:46:14 > 0:46:17It's one of those things that do happen,
0:46:17 > 0:46:19it's not always a nice ending to a story.
0:46:19 > 0:46:22Sometimes things like this do happen,
0:46:22 > 0:46:24and it's happened for a reason.
0:46:24 > 0:46:28In a way, he's lasted two weeks, more than what he would have done
0:46:28 > 0:46:30if he was with Mum.
0:46:31 > 0:46:34A post-mortem was carried out which discovered
0:46:34 > 0:46:36an unusual bladder problem.
0:46:36 > 0:46:39It was something he was born with, so, in fact,
0:46:39 > 0:46:42little joey was doomed never to survive.
0:46:42 > 0:46:47There was nothing out of the ordinary that he was doing.
0:46:47 > 0:46:49He was very strong so it made it a bit harder that,
0:46:49 > 0:46:52all of a sudden, he did pass away.
0:46:55 > 0:46:58At least this shows that there's nothing wrong
0:46:58 > 0:47:00with Adelaide's maternal instincts.
0:47:00 > 0:47:02With almost every species in nature,
0:47:02 > 0:47:08it's perfectly normal for a mother to reject a baby with birth defects.
0:47:08 > 0:47:12They pick up on things before we do.
0:47:12 > 0:47:16So there probably was a problem with the joey,
0:47:16 > 0:47:20that's why it was too early for it to come out of the pouch.
0:47:20 > 0:47:25She knew, so it was something he had wrong with him from birth.
0:47:25 > 0:47:29There's nothing we or the vet could have done to put it right.
0:47:29 > 0:47:33But the knowledge doesn't make it any easier for Bev.
0:47:33 > 0:47:36It does get to you. I was hand-rearing him for two weeks,
0:47:36 > 0:47:40that's not long, but when you do it 24 hours a day,
0:47:40 > 0:47:43every three hours feeding him, it does get to you.
0:47:43 > 0:47:46But you have to pick yourself up and think
0:47:46 > 0:47:50there's nothing I could have done, so you have to carry on, really.
0:47:55 > 0:47:59Up in the Giraffe House, it's a happier story,
0:47:59 > 0:48:02with Jolly and her new calf. We've heard they're doing well.
0:48:02 > 0:48:06Now, Andy Hayton has brought me up for my first glimpse
0:48:06 > 0:48:09of their 100th baby giraffe.
0:48:09 > 0:48:11- What's his name?- Century.- Century!
0:48:11 > 0:48:13How did you come up with that name?!
0:48:13 > 0:48:16We thought he deserved something a little bit special,
0:48:16 > 0:48:21but trying to find something that pertained to 100 was difficult.
0:48:21 > 0:48:24- That is quite an achievement. - It's fantastic.
0:48:24 > 0:48:27That's the number of giraffes born at Longleat?
0:48:27 > 0:48:30Yep, 100 is the live births. We've had more born.
0:48:30 > 0:48:31We've had stillborns,
0:48:31 > 0:48:35we've had animals give birth prematurely and die.
0:48:35 > 0:48:38So we're probably up to about 130 pregnancies.
0:48:38 > 0:48:41But this is the 100th live calf.
0:48:41 > 0:48:44- How old is he now? - He's about seven weeks now.
0:48:44 > 0:48:48- Seven weeks! - He really is a big, big giraffe.
0:48:48 > 0:48:51I feel sorry for dear old Jolly because, er...she is old.
0:48:51 > 0:48:56- This is her tenth calf.- So not only is it the 100th giraffe here...
0:48:56 > 0:48:58It's Jolly's tenth. Out of anybody that
0:48:58 > 0:49:01deserves to give birth to the 100th giraffe here, it's Jolly.
0:49:01 > 0:49:03She has done so much for this place.
0:49:03 > 0:49:06How is she coping? She doesn't look in...
0:49:06 > 0:49:08She's not bad. She's 22 this year.
0:49:08 > 0:49:11- Is that a ripe old age? - That's a good age.
0:49:11 > 0:49:13It is a really good age for a giraffe.
0:49:13 > 0:49:15How long would they live in the wild?
0:49:15 > 0:49:17Not anywhere near as long as that,
0:49:17 > 0:49:20because illnesses that Jolly has had here
0:49:20 > 0:49:23may have killed her out in the wild.
0:49:23 > 0:49:26We're giving her a special diet now and keeping her away.
0:49:26 > 0:49:29If this had been one of the younger females,
0:49:29 > 0:49:31they'd go back in the big box very early.
0:49:31 > 0:49:35But as Jolly is old, and it's such a big calf,
0:49:35 > 0:49:39she does lose weight...it takes a lot of effort to make milk.
0:49:39 > 0:49:41- The calf must still be suckling from her.- Oh, yes.
0:49:41 > 0:49:44He'll keep going until seven or eight months old.
0:49:44 > 0:49:47But as he's such a chunky calf, we may wean him early
0:49:47 > 0:49:50to give Jolly a bit of extra help.
0:49:50 > 0:49:51Could she have more?
0:49:51 > 0:49:56I think, yeah, she went through this last one really well.
0:49:56 > 0:49:58The calf was delivered really easily
0:49:58 > 0:50:03and if the body's willing, let her do it. She'll let us know
0:50:03 > 0:50:07when she'll stop breeding. When she starts struggling, we'll stop.
0:50:07 > 0:50:10But you get little guys like this out of her,
0:50:10 > 0:50:14it is a shame to stop her doing it - she's a great mum, as well.
0:50:14 > 0:50:17Absolutely. Andy, thank you very much.
0:50:17 > 0:50:20We'll keep you posted on how Century does.
0:50:20 > 0:50:22Well done, Jolly.
0:50:27 > 0:50:29Back on Gorilla Island,
0:50:29 > 0:50:33Samba the elderly female has been sick with the flu for a week.
0:50:35 > 0:50:40Now deputy head warden Ian Turner and vet Duncan Williams
0:50:40 > 0:50:42have come to see how she's doing.
0:50:44 > 0:50:45- All right, babe?- Hello, Sam.
0:50:45 > 0:50:49- Not too bad. - No, she's looking all right.
0:50:50 > 0:50:54This is quite an improvement since Ian last saw her.
0:50:54 > 0:50:57She came in and buried herself under the straw,
0:50:57 > 0:51:00shoved a blanket over her head and that was it.
0:51:00 > 0:51:04Definitely stop the antibiotics and, er...
0:51:04 > 0:51:06and treat her as normal. God, look at that.
0:51:06 > 0:51:09- Hasn't got many teeth left, has she? - No! No.
0:51:09 > 0:51:12The gums just recede as they get older.
0:51:12 > 0:51:17You've heard the expression "long in the tooth" - that's what she is.
0:51:17 > 0:51:21She's took all this medication, hasn't she, really well?
0:51:21 > 0:51:25- Cos normally if it's Nico... - Unusual for her.- Yeah, quite.
0:51:25 > 0:51:28We worried we couldn't get the medication into her.
0:51:28 > 0:51:30She's been really good, haven't you?
0:51:30 > 0:51:34Maybe you realised it would do you good.
0:51:34 > 0:51:36Before he was deputy head warden,
0:51:36 > 0:51:38Ian was the keeper in charge of the gorillas,
0:51:38 > 0:51:41so he's known them longer than anyone.
0:51:41 > 0:51:44Just a treat for her. They don't normally get this.
0:51:44 > 0:51:46As she's feeling a bit down in the dumps,
0:51:46 > 0:51:49and I don't come across a lot...
0:51:49 > 0:51:50He's gonna get grumpy, aren't you?
0:51:50 > 0:51:54I might save you a finger, what do you reckon?
0:51:54 > 0:51:56You can have one each.
0:51:56 > 0:52:00She'll take this... Don't get grumpy, it's not yours, it's Samba's.
0:52:00 > 0:52:03NICO GRUNTS
0:52:03 > 0:52:05They get jealous.
0:52:05 > 0:52:10But you like a bit of chocolate, and it's not given all the time.
0:52:10 > 0:52:14But she's 45 years old now, so we don't have to worry about
0:52:14 > 0:52:16any more damage to the teeth.
0:52:16 > 0:52:19Do you want this? You've got to be good, then.
0:52:20 > 0:52:23What do we say, then, if you want this chocolate?
0:52:23 > 0:52:25Hey? What do you say?
0:52:25 > 0:52:28You got to be good, though, haven't you?
0:52:28 > 0:52:30Don't mess about. Clap your hands.
0:52:30 > 0:52:31Good boy.
0:52:31 > 0:52:35They're always jealous of each other. If I give Samba a treat,
0:52:35 > 0:52:37Nico gets stroppy.
0:52:37 > 0:52:39If I give Nico a treat, Samba gets stroppy.
0:52:39 > 0:52:43They've always been like... They're more brother and sister
0:52:43 > 0:52:45than husband and wife, put it that way.
0:52:48 > 0:52:52It took Samba a bit longer to shake off the last of the flu.
0:52:52 > 0:52:58Mark Tye kept her supplied with another favourite treat - figs.
0:52:58 > 0:53:03Literally in the last few days she's definitely perked up.
0:53:03 > 0:53:05And, as you can see now, she seems
0:53:05 > 0:53:09quite lively and with it and is definitely keen, much keener to eat,
0:53:09 > 0:53:13which is one thing she wasn't. She was leaving a lot of her food.
0:53:13 > 0:53:18I know this is a bit of a treat, but her appetite is much improved,
0:53:18 > 0:53:21and her general attitude is more back to normal.
0:53:21 > 0:53:25Today she's been extremely grumpy cos we've let Nico out.
0:53:25 > 0:53:27And she's stayed in!
0:53:27 > 0:53:31She's obviously very upset about the whole idea, she wants to go out.
0:53:31 > 0:53:33To help her through the flu,
0:53:33 > 0:53:36Mark has paid particular attention to Samba's diet.
0:53:36 > 0:53:43While she's been ill, she's steered well away from citrus fruits.
0:53:43 > 0:53:47You know, she's not been interested in oranges, which surprised me,
0:53:47 > 0:53:50cos I would have thought the vitamin C aspect,
0:53:50 > 0:53:55but she's kept well away from those and wanted to eat more fibrous foods,
0:53:55 > 0:53:58leafy greens, leeks, onions, things like that.
0:53:58 > 0:54:02Obviously we've pampered to her and given her what she wanted.
0:54:02 > 0:54:07We've given her the choice, but every day she's left what she doesn't want,
0:54:07 > 0:54:11like the oranges, and she's eaten all the green stuff.
0:54:11 > 0:54:16She is a massive fan of leeks and onions. And garlic!
0:54:16 > 0:54:19Which is good for her, but unpleasant for us in the morning.
0:54:19 > 0:54:22It seems to have done the trick,
0:54:22 > 0:54:26she's definitely much chirpier, much more normal.
0:54:26 > 0:54:28I'm very happy about that, very pleased.
0:54:51 > 0:54:55Kate and I are at Monkey Jungle with keeper Kevin Nibbs
0:54:55 > 0:54:58to glimpse the monkeys having their evening feed.
0:54:58 > 0:55:02- What are they munching on now?- Just selected fruit and veg, really.
0:55:02 > 0:55:07It's a lot of nutrition in there... vitamin C in the oranges.
0:55:07 > 0:55:09How many monkeys are in here?
0:55:09 > 0:55:11At the moment about 80.
0:55:11 > 0:55:14Do they work in a hierarchy,
0:55:14 > 0:55:18or is it a free for all and everyone just piles in?
0:55:18 > 0:55:21It looks like that, but they're very well organised.
0:55:21 > 0:55:24Normally, the big males are in charge.
0:55:24 > 0:55:26We have a big male called Timmy -
0:55:26 > 0:55:31- he's at the end of the log there. - The big one right at the end.- Yes.
0:55:31 > 0:55:34- Will he be taking the prime cuts of fruit?- Exactly.
0:55:34 > 0:55:37He sifts through it all first. He's in charge.
0:55:37 > 0:55:41After him are the sub-adults of the males, they take second place.
0:55:41 > 0:55:44After that you get the females.
0:55:44 > 0:55:47So the females are right down in the pecking order?
0:55:47 > 0:55:50- Yeah, the lowest females... - Don't laugh!- It's funny.
0:55:50 > 0:55:53But the females have to do all the work.
0:55:53 > 0:55:55There are a lot of youngsters,
0:55:55 > 0:55:58we can see a few babies attached to the females.
0:55:58 > 0:56:01- How do they fit in? - They fit in with the mums.
0:56:01 > 0:56:05The mums have a position in the group, the more dominant females
0:56:05 > 0:56:08are higher up and their babies fit in with them.
0:56:08 > 0:56:13So if your mum's dominant, you get a high place in the pecking order.
0:56:13 > 0:56:15- Yeah.- Do you think any of these guys are pregnant?
0:56:15 > 0:56:19They're bound to be, yeah. They give birth all the time.
0:56:19 > 0:56:20We've got quite a few to come.
0:56:20 > 0:56:23Do you think 80 is about what you like to keep in...?
0:56:23 > 0:56:2680 is a good number for us at the moment, yeah.
0:56:26 > 0:56:29- They certainly seem to be enjoying that fruit.- They do.
0:56:29 > 0:56:31We have more bits and pieces here.
0:56:31 > 0:56:33We ought to carry on chucking this out.
0:56:33 > 0:56:36That's all we've got time for on today's programme.
0:56:36 > 0:56:39Here's what's coming up on the next Animal Park.
0:56:39 > 0:56:44It's time for the lion cub to venture into the great outdoors -
0:56:44 > 0:56:47if only she wasn't such a scaredy cat.
0:56:49 > 0:56:52Dung beetles love dung, so why is the one named
0:56:52 > 0:56:55Hercules turning his nose up at the stuff?
0:56:56 > 0:57:00And the otter pups would be ready for their first solid food,
0:57:00 > 0:57:03except that Mum keeps scoffing the lot.
0:57:06 > 0:57:09So don't miss the next Animal Park.
0:57:40 > 0:57:43Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd 2006
0:57:43 > 0:57:46E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk