0:00:05 > 0:00:08Today, we've got big plans for Monkey Jungle.
0:00:08 > 0:00:12A way of keeping the monkeys happy, busy and off the cars.
0:00:12 > 0:00:16It's a fun food source and a puzzle all wrapped up into one.
0:00:16 > 0:00:20Join us to find out what the monkeys make of their new treat.
0:00:42 > 0:00:44There's more than monkey business
0:00:44 > 0:00:47going on on today's Animal Park.
0:00:47 > 0:00:49I catch up with the giraffes
0:00:49 > 0:00:53and discover it's not only their necks that are exceptionally long.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59And I'll be calling on Nico the gorilla,
0:00:59 > 0:01:01to see if there's life in the old dog yet.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04Don't you even think about pinching my bum!
0:01:07 > 0:01:11But first, we're going to Monkey Jungle.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14A very perilous place for cars.
0:01:15 > 0:01:20Of all the species in the park, the troop of over 70
0:01:20 > 0:01:23Rhesus Macaque monkeys must be the most inquisitive.
0:01:23 > 0:01:27You could also call them cheeky, even mischievous,
0:01:27 > 0:01:30or possibly something untransmittable.
0:01:32 > 0:01:34While he's patrolling Monkey Jungle,
0:01:34 > 0:01:36keeper Ross Ellis has to stay on his toes.
0:01:36 > 0:01:41The monkeys are probably the most active animals in the safari park.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44We've always got to look for ideas to keep them occupied.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48Otherwise, they'll keep ripping cars apart.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51Anything that can keep them occupied, stimulated, is a plus.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54Windscreen wipers is a popular one.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56We get them come off all the time.
0:01:56 > 0:02:01There's a monkey on top of that one there, after an aerial.
0:02:01 > 0:02:03One on a wing mirror here,
0:02:03 > 0:02:05just checking it out.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08The monkeys are always ripping stuff off.
0:02:08 > 0:02:10We're forever picking bits up.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23Ford Mondeo.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26This lot has taken Ross only about a day to collect.
0:02:26 > 0:02:30So you see, the monkeys really are right little vandals.
0:02:30 > 0:02:34The only way to curb their wicked ways is to distract them.
0:02:34 > 0:02:36Deputy head warden Ian Turner
0:02:36 > 0:02:41is always trying to come up with new things to keep them busy.
0:02:41 > 0:02:43We want to enrich the monkeys' lives.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46There are 70 to 80 monkeys, plus babies.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49They're always playing on trees.
0:02:49 > 0:02:53I'm hoping if can I get a couple of good logs for them to play on,
0:02:53 > 0:02:54it's gonna be good for them.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57The other idea I've had is to drill some holes in them,
0:02:57 > 0:02:58so we can put food inside.
0:02:58 > 0:03:00We can put the mix in there,
0:03:00 > 0:03:02which may stop the seagulls from pinching it.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05Then in the afternoon, we can put fruit in there.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08Once we've found the logs, it should be no trouble getting them in here -
0:03:08 > 0:03:10dig a hole and putting two logs in.
0:03:10 > 0:03:12It should be easy.
0:03:12 > 0:03:16Should be easy, but are those famous last words?
0:03:24 > 0:03:28Two gorillas used to live on the island in Half Mile Lake.
0:03:28 > 0:03:32Nico, the silverback male, and Samba, his mate.
0:03:32 > 0:03:36They were both 46 years old, which is a very great age for a gorilla.
0:03:36 > 0:03:40They had spent almost their entire lives together.
0:03:40 > 0:03:45But recently, Samba passed away.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49The keepers were all pretty upset.
0:03:49 > 0:03:53After all, she was a big part of their lives.
0:03:54 > 0:03:58But perhaps the blow fell hardest on Nico.
0:03:58 > 0:04:02Since Samba died, everyone's been putting a lot of effort
0:04:02 > 0:04:06into getting him through this difficult time.
0:04:06 > 0:04:11I've come up to Gorilla Island to meet head of section Mark Tighe
0:04:11 > 0:04:13and to see how Nico is getting on.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15- Morning, Mark.- Morning, Kate. - How are you?
0:04:15 > 0:04:17I'm fine.
0:04:17 > 0:04:21- Good. He's actually looking better than I thought.- He is.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24He's, amazingly, doing really well.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27I was so worried as to how he'd cope.
0:04:27 > 0:04:32Initially, obviously, it was very distressing for him and us.
0:04:32 > 0:04:37Slowly, but surely, he's really picked himself up and has
0:04:37 > 0:04:41kind of changed into a much lighter individual, if you like.
0:04:41 > 0:04:45- Really? So you've noticed changes in his character?- Definitely.
0:04:45 > 0:04:50As you know, he had his stroppy tendencies every now and again.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53He seems much calmer now.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57Much more relaxed. He doesn't eat all his food in five seconds flat.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59He takes time over it.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01He uses the island a lot more,
0:05:01 > 0:05:06spends a lot more time foraging, which he never used to do.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08He used to leave that for Samba.
0:05:08 > 0:05:09Let Samba do the work and he sat and ate.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12He did go for all the easy pickings.
0:05:12 > 0:05:16How about... You and Michelle have both worked with him
0:05:16 > 0:05:19for a very long time. Particularly you.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22Have you noticed his relationship,
0:05:22 > 0:05:26for want of a better word, changing towards you two as well?
0:05:26 > 0:05:30He went right off us initially.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33- Really?- After she'd died, he was
0:05:33 > 0:05:36very angry with us all.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39Almost as if he thought we'd done something to her.
0:05:39 > 0:05:43It took a long time, a good few months, for him to come back
0:05:43 > 0:05:46and start being nice again, particularly with me.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49He's become much more relaxed and much more vocal again.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52So what's the plan for today?
0:05:52 > 0:05:56The girls particularly have come up with a lot of new ideas
0:05:56 > 0:05:59for keeping him occupied while he's outside.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02Don't you even think about pinching my bum!
0:06:02 > 0:06:05He still likes to have a cheeky go.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07He hasn't lost his spirit completely.
0:06:07 > 0:06:11The girls have come up with a lot ideas for giving him
0:06:11 > 0:06:14more to do while he's outside, and also inside, in the house.
0:06:14 > 0:06:19- One of them is this novel lump of wood with some holes in.- OK.
0:06:19 > 0:06:21They've been filling the holes
0:06:21 > 0:06:23with all sorts of different flavoured things.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26Chocolate spread, peanut butter, honey.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28Put them in the holes and he dips his finger in.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32This is like the gorilla equivalent
0:06:32 > 0:06:34of doing the crosswords.
0:06:34 > 0:06:36- Keeping his brain active.- Yes.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38Brilliant. Well, shall we start?
0:06:38 > 0:06:42I'll give you the chocolate spread, cos I think that stuff's evil.
0:06:42 > 0:06:44I'll try the honey.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47This doesn't look like the most low-calorie of snacks.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50This is not something we give him on a regular basis.
0:06:50 > 0:06:52Right. So it's a kind of a treat.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54A treat thing, yeah.
0:06:54 > 0:06:58Some of the other ideas, we have a small cage feeder,
0:06:58 > 0:07:02which we put all his fruit and vegetables in,
0:07:02 > 0:07:07in oversized pieces that he has to push out with his fingers,
0:07:07 > 0:07:10which takes a long time for him to do.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13This is a bit of fun for him, and a nice flavour.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15I quite like the chocolate myself.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18Does this go into his cage?
0:07:18 > 0:07:20We can put it in there if we want to,
0:07:20 > 0:07:23but we've been putting it outside for him.
0:07:23 > 0:07:25And hanging it from one of the trees.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28- Shall we hang this up and see what he makes of it?- Absolutely.
0:07:28 > 0:07:30All right, shall I grab it?
0:07:30 > 0:07:32It's a bit hefty.
0:07:32 > 0:07:36Weighs a tonne. Hold on, mate, we're gonna send you a treat out.
0:07:36 > 0:07:41- OK.- Put it down a minute. Let's take these
0:07:41 > 0:07:42shackles out.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46There you go.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51Well, I guess, what we need to do now
0:07:51 > 0:07:54is let Nico out and see if he likes it.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57Join us a little bit later to find out
0:07:57 > 0:08:02whether Nico goes for peanut butter, honey or yucky chocolate spread.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05- No way is he gonna go for the chocolate spread.- He will.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13Keeper Ross Ellis and deputy head warden Ian Turner
0:08:13 > 0:08:15have come up with a similar plan
0:08:15 > 0:08:20to enrich feeding time for their troop of Rhesus Macaque monkeys.
0:08:20 > 0:08:21The more time they spend eating,
0:08:21 > 0:08:26the less time they'll have to vandalise the visitors' cars.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29Dave found a couple of tree trunks in the forestry yard.
0:08:29 > 0:08:33The idea is to turn them into a kind of climbing frame cafe.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36But first, they have to be moved.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41So Ian's called in the professionals.
0:08:49 > 0:08:53Here's Mike Wooley and his heavy mover.
0:08:54 > 0:08:58It won't be that big a job, as long as we can lift them up.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01But they shouldn't be that heavy, cos they're softwood.
0:09:04 > 0:09:08Mike's machine clears the small logs out of the way like matchwood.
0:09:08 > 0:09:14After all, this baby can shift up to 1½ tonnes, no problem.
0:09:14 > 0:09:16Now for the main mission.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19To pick up Ian's tree trunks, carry them up the yard
0:09:19 > 0:09:22and then put them onto the back of a flat bed lorry.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26I'm hoping it weighs about a tonne-and-a-half,
0:09:26 > 0:09:28which is what he can lift.
0:09:28 > 0:09:32If it weighs more than that, we'll need a different machine.
0:09:40 > 0:09:42It's tricky to get a grip.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45But when he does, there's a problem.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48Mike's machine must admit defeat.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51- Too heavy?- Too heavy. Yeah.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55There's about three tonne there.
0:09:55 > 0:09:57It's amazing, isn't it, what you think it is.
0:09:57 > 0:09:59And that's the hollow one!
0:09:59 > 0:10:02We're going to have to go to Plan B now. It was too big for the JCB.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04We'll get a telly handler in now
0:10:04 > 0:10:07and hopefully we don't have to go to Plan C.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14This is the telehandler.
0:10:14 > 0:10:19When it comes to heavy loads, it's a real monster.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22Capable of lifting up to three tonnes.
0:10:29 > 0:10:33But even the telehandler can't handle it.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36So now the two machines are going to have a go together.
0:10:44 > 0:10:46Come to keep an eye on his heavy metal
0:10:46 > 0:10:49is plant hire supremo, John Miles.
0:10:51 > 0:10:55And even the grounds and gardens manager is here, Tommy Parker.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57But despite their combined efforts
0:10:57 > 0:11:01and the fact that half the estate now seems to be involved,
0:11:01 > 0:11:04the logs still aren't shifting.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06Meanwhile back in Monkey Jungle,
0:11:06 > 0:11:09the little delinquents are getting restless.
0:11:09 > 0:11:13Bored with the cars, they've started on the buffalo.
0:11:13 > 0:11:16Never easy, though. Plan C.
0:11:16 > 0:11:22When we get to 26 in the alphabet, we're in trouble.
0:11:29 > 0:11:31If the trunk's just too heavy,
0:11:31 > 0:11:33the only thing to do is to chop a chunk off.
0:11:33 > 0:11:37It's a bit of a disappointment that we're gonna lose a bit of the tree.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40But we've still got another ten foot of it.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48It's funny, you look at a tree, you think, "I'll just pick it up,
0:11:48 > 0:11:51"shove it in the Monkey Jungle, the monkeys will be happy."
0:11:51 > 0:11:54It turns out it weighs 3.5 tonne.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57Or it did. Now it's a little lighter.
0:12:00 > 0:12:05So, much to Ian's relief, the truncated trunk can finally be lifted onto the lorry.
0:12:05 > 0:12:09The hardest part, we thought, was gonna be the drilling the holes
0:12:09 > 0:12:12so I'm hoping that's gonna be the easy part.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15Right, we're 50% done. That's one on the lorry.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18They'll finish off this one. I'll go and unload this one.
0:12:18 > 0:12:19Then we'll come back for that one.
0:12:19 > 0:12:24If Ian reckons his troubles are over, he could be in for a surprise.
0:12:24 > 0:12:26We'll be back later to see if
0:12:26 > 0:12:30the monkeys ever do get their fantastic new climbing frame cafe.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42I'm out in the East Africa Reserve with head of section Andy Hayton,
0:12:42 > 0:12:45who's come up with a rather interesting plan.
0:12:45 > 0:12:47Andy, what are we up to today?
0:12:47 > 0:12:49This is a bit of environment enrichment
0:12:49 > 0:12:51that we've been playing around with.
0:12:51 > 0:12:55We're gonna rig up a camera for you to see a giraffe's tongue.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58How long it is and how it actually works.
0:12:58 > 0:13:03That's what this unusual contraption is. Talk me through this.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05All it is, obviously, is a water bottle.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08We've drilled some holes in, put the food in the bottom
0:13:08 > 0:13:11and the giraffe will stick its tongue in there.
0:13:11 > 0:13:13So the tongue will be able to get...?
0:13:13 > 0:13:15I can't even get my hand in there.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18Absolutely. Their tongue is about 18 inches long.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20- Wow!- And they'll use it
0:13:20 > 0:13:25and they'll curl it around boughs and leaves to pull it off.
0:13:25 > 0:13:26Pretty incredible.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29- Where are we gonna put this? - We'll put it away up there.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32Knowing your giraffes, I've brought my own little treat
0:13:32 > 0:13:35to add to your cocktail, which I know are irresistible.
0:13:35 > 0:13:37Spoiling them.
0:13:37 > 0:13:41I'll put a few bananas in. That's probably enough.
0:13:41 > 0:13:43How are we going to get this up?
0:13:43 > 0:13:44I'll jump off the truck.
0:13:44 > 0:13:48- I'll lower this hook down with this winch.- Right.
0:13:48 > 0:13:50Then I can raise it right back up for you.
0:13:50 > 0:13:52I'll wait here. I'll let you do the...
0:13:52 > 0:13:56OK, so we're gonna put that on. Bev helping out there.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59So how high are you going to take this water bottle now?
0:13:59 > 0:14:02I'm not sure how tall this one is.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05It must be about 12 foot off the ground.
0:14:05 > 0:14:10It'll only be the bigger giraffe that can get this out, this bottle.
0:14:11 > 0:14:15That must be high enough, surely. You're making it so hard for them.
0:14:15 > 0:14:17We don't want to make life too easy.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21That's really is only for the very tallest giraffes.
0:14:21 > 0:14:25What we'll normally do is this will go inside the house
0:14:25 > 0:14:30- at night to keep them occupied in the evenings.- Right.- And a camel...
0:14:30 > 0:14:32The camels aren't going to reach it!
0:14:32 > 0:14:34Absolutely not. Bev, do you wanna pull forward?
0:14:34 > 0:14:38We're gonna move away a bit now and hopefully let the giraffes come in.
0:14:38 > 0:14:40Are they quite sensitive about humans?
0:14:40 > 0:14:43Not too bad. They're used to us. OK, Bev. Lovely.
0:14:43 > 0:14:45They're used to us being around.
0:14:45 > 0:14:49Hopefully we're actually going to see their tongues go in those holes
0:14:49 > 0:14:52and hoik out various bits of carrot and...
0:14:52 > 0:14:54Here we go. Look, look, here we go.
0:14:54 > 0:14:58We've got a tongue going in.
0:14:58 > 0:15:01- It was a piece of my banana that went in there.- Banana's winning.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04That is fantastic. Their tongues, remind me how long they are?
0:15:04 > 0:15:06About 18 inches long. They are huge.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09They can actually grip with their tongues.
0:15:09 > 0:15:11So they're using them almost like fingers?
0:15:11 > 0:15:14Essentially, yes.
0:15:14 > 0:15:19You'll also notice, if we get a good look at it, that the tongue's black,
0:15:19 > 0:15:20so it avoids sunburn.
0:15:20 > 0:15:25It spends so much time out of their mouth in hot African sun.
0:15:25 > 0:15:27There you go, you can see it's like a bluey-black colour.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29Isn't that amazing? There it goes.
0:15:29 > 0:15:36- Is it sticky or almost like sandpaper, I imagine?- It's roughish.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39A lot of saliva as well to help with digestion,
0:15:39 > 0:15:44because the acacia that they'll eat in the wild are thorns,
0:15:44 > 0:15:46probably three or four inches long.
0:15:46 > 0:15:50They're able to get the tongues... Eat everything around it.
0:15:50 > 0:15:52That's right, pull them off.
0:15:52 > 0:15:56We give them hawthorn occasionally here, because that's got quite big spikes on.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59That mimics the nearest you're gonna get to acacia.
0:15:59 > 0:16:01They treat that with a lot of respect when they eat it.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04- They eat that slowly. - That is incredible.
0:16:04 > 0:16:06Did you think they'd go for it as well as they have?
0:16:06 > 0:16:07I knew Imogen would.
0:16:07 > 0:16:12Imogen is definitely led by her stomach more than her brain.
0:16:12 > 0:16:16They're struggling for it. But that's the point. You don't want to make it easy.
0:16:16 > 0:16:20That's the whole point. If we made life easy and put food out on a
0:16:20 > 0:16:24plate for them and they never had to work to get it, they would be bored.
0:16:24 > 0:16:26A bored animal is not a happy animal.
0:16:26 > 0:16:30We have to keep them as motivated as we possibly can.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33Look at that. That is great.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36Andy, thank you very much for letting me help you out.
0:16:36 > 0:16:40I think these giraffes are going to be occupied for quite some time.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47Back up at the timber yard, Ian Turner and Ross Ellis
0:16:47 > 0:16:51have finally managed to get their tree trunks moved.
0:16:51 > 0:16:53But they've still got a lot to do
0:16:53 > 0:16:57before the monkeys can get their mitts on them.
0:16:57 > 0:17:02In the wild, Rhesus Macaque monkeys spend most of their days
0:17:02 > 0:17:05foraging for fruit or hunting for bugs.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08In order to make feeding more interesting here at Longleat,
0:17:08 > 0:17:13the plan is to drill holes in the trunks and stuff their food inside.
0:17:13 > 0:17:17Fishing it out should keep the monkeys busy for ages.
0:17:22 > 0:17:26Right, Ross. What do you reckon? Is that deep enough?
0:17:26 > 0:17:28She seems deep enough.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31It's not the adults so much, it's the young ones.
0:17:31 > 0:17:35We don't want it so deep that they can't get all the way in.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38It's the young ones, really. The adults, it wouldn't matter so much.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41- But the young ones. - That's about right.
0:17:41 > 0:17:43Well, I can't feel the bottom.
0:17:43 > 0:17:47- One down.- 20-odd to go.
0:17:49 > 0:17:51With so many holes to drill,
0:17:51 > 0:17:55Ross and Ian are going to be here quite a while.
0:18:03 > 0:18:08The next morning, everything's ready for the trunks to be put in place.
0:18:08 > 0:18:09Ian's picked the spot.
0:18:09 > 0:18:13The main reason why we're doing the holes here is we've done a lot of work on the other side.
0:18:13 > 0:18:17We thought for a change we'd do something over this side.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19We've done it in this position, so it's in the sun.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21They've got plenty of sunshine.
0:18:21 > 0:18:23We're doing it in two different places.
0:18:23 > 0:18:25So it's not all in one place.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27They've got a bit of interaction between the two logs.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31I may even put a log on top of the two to do a bit in between.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34It's going good, after yesterday's disaster.
0:18:34 > 0:18:38Driving the digger is heavy metal supremo, John Miles.
0:18:38 > 0:18:42He and Ian both have a good idea of how deep the hole should be.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45Unfortunately, it's not the same idea.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47How deep do you reckon that is? Four foot?
0:18:47 > 0:18:52- It's twice as deep as halfway.- Yeah.
0:18:52 > 0:18:53Trust me, I'm a digger driver.
0:19:12 > 0:19:14That way, then that way.
0:19:26 > 0:19:31So the trunk is finally upright, but Ian's still not happy.
0:19:31 > 0:19:32What do you reckon?
0:19:32 > 0:19:37In an ideal world, I'd like it a bit round that way. If possible.
0:19:37 > 0:19:39- Just tweak it round that way?- Yeah,
0:19:39 > 0:19:42so when the visitors come down, they can see this bit,
0:19:42 > 0:19:46whereas here, there's quite a few of them dotted round there.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48You just hold that side, Mike.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51You push it that way and I'll pull it that way, yeah?
0:20:01 > 0:20:07Just straighten up a bit. That's great.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10I'm really pleased with how it's looking.
0:20:10 > 0:20:14If we have the other one further down and maybe a big log in between,
0:20:14 > 0:20:15it'll look really good.
0:20:15 > 0:20:19Yes, this has worked out really well. Really pleased with it.
0:20:19 > 0:20:20Ian may be delighted,
0:20:20 > 0:20:24but it's up to the monkeys to pass the final verdict.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27We'll be back in Monkey Jungle at feeding time
0:20:27 > 0:20:33to see if they also think their new trunks are tree-mendous.
0:20:37 > 0:20:41Earlier, I joined head of section Mark Tighe on Gorilla Island,
0:20:41 > 0:20:44preparing a special treat for Nico.
0:20:44 > 0:20:48So, Mark, it's hanging up, ready. So now's the big test time.
0:20:48 > 0:20:52Is he gonna like it? Quite often, he comes bolting out of this door.
0:20:52 > 0:20:54- Does he still do that? - Sometimes. Yeah.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57Let's see how he behaves today.
0:20:57 > 0:20:59- Here he is.- Ooh, here he is.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02He's looking magnificent, Mark.
0:21:02 > 0:21:04He's looking very healthy.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07He had all of those health problems last year
0:21:07 > 0:21:12and he did begin to look, well, really quite old-mannish.
0:21:12 > 0:21:14But he's looking great. Look at him.
0:21:14 > 0:21:17He is. He's in fantastic shape. He spotted that straight away.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19He has spotted it straight away.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22Not quite sure whether to go straight for it.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25It's amazing, when you see him standing in that posture,
0:21:25 > 0:21:30you see that classic bent-back forearms or the forward forearms
0:21:30 > 0:21:34- and that power. - He has got immense power.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36He's very strong.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39Luckily for us, he's become quite...
0:21:39 > 0:21:41- Look at that.- Chocolate!
0:21:41 > 0:21:44He's gone straight... No, that looked like peanut butter to me.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46I think he went for the peanut butter.
0:21:46 > 0:21:50That's great. Oh, look at him. He looks so content.
0:21:50 > 0:21:51That's brilliant.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54That's quite good, cos that'll last quite a long time.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57He'll spend a lot of time messing about with it.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00Then he'll get bored, do something else and come back to it.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02Then come back and play around with it.
0:22:02 > 0:22:06- We know he's an old gorilla, he's mid 40s.- 47.- 47, wow!
0:22:09 > 0:22:12He's always had quite a lot of grey hair.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15- The grey hair isn't just age, is it? - No.
0:22:15 > 0:22:19The majority of that is the silver, what's known as the silverback,
0:22:19 > 0:22:21which is a mature adult male.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24It's a sign of dominance.
0:22:24 > 0:22:28Obviously, because there's no other males around, he's top dog.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30He got the silverback.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33But there is an awful lot, particularly if you notice his arms,
0:22:33 > 0:22:35that is just old age grey hair.
0:22:35 > 0:22:40- So the arms would normally be black? - A lot darker.
0:22:40 > 0:22:45- They are incredibly powerful animals. - They're incredibly powerful, yeah.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48Since Samba's gone, he's become much more relaxed.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51Much more chilled out, much more of a gentleman.
0:22:51 > 0:22:54Well, if that's a good thing
0:22:54 > 0:22:57to come out of the departing of Samba, that's great.
0:22:57 > 0:23:01He seems sort of content and happy
0:23:01 > 0:23:05and, as you say, quite chilled out, quite relaxed with his lot.
0:23:05 > 0:23:09He is. It's pleasing for us that's the way it's gone.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11It could have been a lot worse.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14He's taken to living on his own quite well.
0:23:14 > 0:23:17We do our best to pamper him in every way we can.
0:23:17 > 0:23:22Mark, thank you very much. Keep up the good work.
0:23:22 > 0:23:26Keep him happy, cos he's very special. I know you think so too.
0:23:26 > 0:23:30- He's still definitely going for the peanut butter over there.- Chocolate.
0:23:30 > 0:23:36So, Nico went for his tasty treat, but will the monkeys go for theirs?
0:23:37 > 0:23:42After 36 hours of hard work, Ian Turner and Ross Ellis's
0:23:42 > 0:23:46new tree trunk climbing frame cafe is finally ready.
0:23:46 > 0:23:50It's all finished now, all ready to try.
0:23:50 > 0:23:55It's gonna take a little bit of a while to feed this morning,
0:23:55 > 0:23:59but the longer we take, it means the more time the monkeys have to take to get it all out.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03Normally, we just scatter this all over the floor.
0:24:07 > 0:24:09A lot of it goes to birds.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12Hopefully we'll cut that out a bit.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15But they're very inquisitive. They're already looking.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17As soon as we walk away, they'll be here.
0:24:17 > 0:24:21In fact, they'll probably be here before we finish.
0:24:21 > 0:24:23They're gonna wonder what it is.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26As soon as we've gone, they'll be straight over here to check it out.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29Hopefully, they will enjoy it. Finger crossed.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35I'm looking forward to seeing it in action.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38Obviously, we've put a lot of effort into this.
0:24:38 > 0:24:40More than we thought we should have.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43But it should keep them occupied for a little while at least.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48Right, step back and see what happens.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50I don't think they're gonna be very long.
0:24:50 > 0:24:52No, they'll be there straight away.
0:25:03 > 0:25:07Normally, it takes about five minutes to eat this.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10Hopefully, with this new apparatus, it'll take a bit longer.
0:25:10 > 0:25:12Normally that'd be finished.
0:25:12 > 0:25:16He's sat there, perched on there, taking it a bit at a time.
0:25:16 > 0:25:18Normally, when we do a scatter feed,
0:25:18 > 0:25:20the buffalo will pinch a bit of the food.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23This way, hopefully, the buffalo won't get so much.
0:25:23 > 0:25:27The monkeys are just using them as springboards.
0:25:31 > 0:25:36Once the food has gone, the young ones might use it as a play thing.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39You might find this turns into the juvenile kids' corner.
0:25:39 > 0:25:41They'll all hang around this side more.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43So was all the effort worth it?
0:25:43 > 0:25:48Considering how much effort it did take to get it all here
0:25:48 > 0:25:50and get it working, I'm pleased.
0:25:50 > 0:25:54Yeah. I'm more than pleased. Definitely.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57Only time will tell if this is going to keep the monkeys
0:25:57 > 0:26:01off the cars and curb their vandalistic tendencies.
0:26:01 > 0:26:05But certainly monkey meal times will never be quite the same again.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21They're up there with Romeo and Juliet,
0:26:21 > 0:26:23or even Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26But unlike those star-crossed lovers,
0:26:26 > 0:26:31Trevor and Honey are still living their happy-ever-after ending.
0:26:31 > 0:26:33Because, after three years together,
0:26:33 > 0:26:36it looks like she hasn't lost that loving feeling,
0:26:36 > 0:26:39and, frankly, my dear, he DOES give a damn.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42Kate and I are out in the East Africa Reserve
0:26:42 > 0:26:46with head of section Andy Hayton and Honey, the ostrich.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49- She's obviously sitting on a nest here, isn't she?- Yep.
0:26:49 > 0:26:51How many eggs are under there?
0:26:51 > 0:26:54- There's about 17-18 eggs under that at the last count.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56Wow. That sounds like an amazing number.
0:26:56 > 0:27:00We've done really well. It's all down to those two.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03They're such dedicated parents. They're really good.
0:27:03 > 0:27:08Just over here, Trevor has taken an even more active interest in us.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11Is this something you want to be aware of?
0:27:11 > 0:27:12We don't want to stress them out.
0:27:12 > 0:27:16It's just that dedicated parent thing, Trev sees us over here,
0:27:17 > 0:27:19she's vulnerable at the moment, laid there on the nest,
0:27:19 > 0:27:24so Trev's here to protect her and his interests, which are his eggs.
0:27:24 > 0:27:28It seems very strange that she's lying there with her head so flat.
0:27:28 > 0:27:30You'd think she'd have her head up
0:27:30 > 0:27:32and be looking around for potential predators.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35That's an ostrich burying its head in the sand.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37- That's where it came from. - Of course.
0:27:37 > 0:27:41She makes a low profile. You see all the long grass.
0:27:41 > 0:27:42I've cut some of the grass short.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44But if she was in the longish grass
0:27:44 > 0:27:47and she sits like that, nobody can see her.
0:27:47 > 0:27:49So she's less vulnerable.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51It does look like a pile of feathers.
0:27:51 > 0:27:53A really good defence mechanism is stay still.
0:27:53 > 0:27:58Thanks, Andy. I know you'll keep us to date with developments as they happen.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01That's all we've got time for on today's programme.
0:28:01 > 0:28:03Here's what it coming up on the next Animal Park.
0:28:03 > 0:28:09Could the latest technology save the life of Winston, the OAP rhino?
0:28:09 > 0:28:16We find out just how much food it takes to feed the 900 hungry mouths of the safari park.
0:28:16 > 0:28:22And there's a whole lotta otter going down in pet's corner with some unexpected new arrivals.
0:28:22 > 0:28:26So don't miss the next Animal Park.
0:28:41 > 0:28:45Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:28:45 > 0:28:48E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk