0:00:03 > 0:00:06It's first thing in the morning and the vets have arrived.
0:00:09 > 0:00:11We're at the lion enclosure
0:00:11 > 0:00:15and it's a big day for two of Longleat's young lions.
0:00:36 > 0:00:42Coming up, one of Britain's rarest and wisest birds gets in a flap.
0:00:42 > 0:00:49Lionesses Jazira and Melika both need an operation, but getting them on their own proves a real challenge.
0:00:49 > 0:00:53So the one that we don't want has gone through?
0:00:53 > 0:00:56And, back in Africa, an orphaned hyena must be drugged
0:00:56 > 0:01:02in order to return her to the wild, but something goes horribly wrong.
0:01:02 > 0:01:04Why isn't she waking up though?
0:01:06 > 0:01:10But first, two of Longleat's youngest lionesses
0:01:10 > 0:01:12are in for a difficult day.
0:01:12 > 0:01:16We've come to the lion house to meet Deputy Head of Section, Bob Trollope,
0:01:16 > 0:01:21and to see this extraordinary expanding lion family, Bob.
0:01:21 > 0:01:25I can't believe how many lions there suddenly seem to be!
0:01:25 > 0:01:28When we left last year, there were four little bundles,
0:01:28 > 0:01:32two medium sized ones and the family. Now you can barely tell them apart.
0:01:32 > 0:01:39- Well, this is one of the little bundles here.- Little bundles!? Look at the size of them!
0:01:39 > 0:01:42So they must be almost exactly a year old now?
0:01:42 > 0:01:48- Yeah, about a year old, yep.- And Melika and Jazira, the medium sized ones when we left, how old are they?
0:01:48 > 0:01:52They're just getting up to about two years old. Hello, darling.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55- Ah!- Now, Melika is what today's all about, isn't it?
0:01:55 > 0:01:57Melika and Jazira is what today's all about.
0:01:57 > 0:02:02They're getting to that age now where, let's just say, Dad's taking an interest
0:02:02 > 0:02:05- and obviously we want to prevent any unwanted births.- Yep.
0:02:05 > 0:02:10So, what we're going to be doing is putting what they call a melengestrol implant,
0:02:10 > 0:02:14which is a contraceptive implant, into Melika and Jazira.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18OK. Now, that sounds relatively simple, but I guess it's not.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20What's going to be involved?
0:02:20 > 0:02:25Well, the main thing that we have to do right at this moment is obviously separate Melika and Jazira.
0:02:25 > 0:02:27If everything goes to plan,
0:02:27 > 0:02:30then it might be five minutes.
0:02:30 > 0:02:35If they decide to play up, then we could be here for 20 minutes.
0:02:35 > 0:02:38Tell you what, we'll let you be the brains and we'll be the brawn.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41- How about that?- Yeah, exactly. All right, Bob, we'll follow you.
0:02:41 > 0:02:46The first lion we need to move out is Kabir, the big pride male.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52Separating individual lions from the pride
0:02:52 > 0:02:54is done using a whole series of doors and gates -
0:02:54 > 0:02:58inside the house and in the run that leads to the paddock.
0:03:00 > 0:03:02OK, Bob, so what's going to happen out here?
0:03:02 > 0:03:07- Well, Kabir is going to be coming out of that tunnel up there.- Yep.
0:03:07 > 0:03:11- I'll stay up by the house so I can stop him from going back up the tunnel.- Right.
0:03:11 > 0:03:15- Once he's out here, I might have to chase him down a bit.- Right.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18- Shut this one, which is very important.- OK.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21- It's just a case of just pushing it. - Yep.
0:03:21 > 0:03:25While Bob and Ben get ready to man the gates outside,
0:03:25 > 0:03:29Head of Section, Brian Kent, is showing me the ropes indoors.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31So you want me to pull this one, is it this one here?
0:03:31 > 0:03:33- No.- This one here? OK.
0:03:36 > 0:03:39OK, that back slide's now open.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45Go on, Kabir, out you go!
0:03:45 > 0:03:49So, we just need to wait for him to decide that he wants to go out.
0:03:49 > 0:03:54- What we need to do is open and shut the door again.- OK, and make a racket?- Make some noise.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56I shall give that a go.
0:04:06 > 0:04:07Kabir!
0:04:10 > 0:04:13- Maybe if we walk round the back. - Shall we try?- He might come up then.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15OK, let's give that a go.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17Come on! Come on! Look!
0:04:17 > 0:04:19It's lovely out here, Kabir.
0:04:19 > 0:04:21- Here he comes.- Come on.
0:04:21 > 0:04:25- Oh, fantastic! I'll whiz round, Brian, and shut the door.- All right.
0:04:25 > 0:04:29And tell Bob that he's coming. ..Bob! He's coming!
0:04:29 > 0:04:32Tell me when, Bob. Now?
0:04:32 > 0:04:33Yeah.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37There you go.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40Ah! One out, six to go.
0:04:41 > 0:04:45And this is going to be the really tricky part.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48If you open that one up slightly.
0:04:48 > 0:04:50- OK.- See what goes through. We don't want that one.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53OK, the one that we don't want has gone through.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56- If you open it back up again.- Yeah.
0:04:56 > 0:04:58Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!
0:04:58 > 0:05:00So, what can I do?
0:05:00 > 0:05:03- Can I...- Go on!
0:05:03 > 0:05:06That's it!
0:05:07 > 0:05:11We've got to try and persuade mum out of this hatch over here now.
0:05:11 > 0:05:13- Yep. That's it, she's gone.- Go on!
0:05:13 > 0:05:16- Oh, she's on her way.- Thank you.
0:05:16 > 0:05:18I'll take the smaller one.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20You're so un-chivalrous!
0:05:21 > 0:05:23That's it! That's the job done.
0:05:23 > 0:05:25Great!
0:05:25 > 0:05:27Well, that was a bit of a jigsaw, wasn't it?
0:05:27 > 0:05:32I'm breathless just by separating them. I can't imagine the actual procedure later on.
0:05:32 > 0:05:36Absolutely! Join us in a bit when Duncan the vet will be here
0:05:36 > 0:05:39and Melika and Jazira will have their little operations.
0:05:47 > 0:05:51Four Longleat keepers are on a fact-finding mission in Tanzania.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55Ryan Hockley, Bev Allan and Michelle Stevens
0:05:55 > 0:05:58are led by Head Warden, Keith Harris.
0:06:00 > 0:06:07But this is no safari, it's been an opportunity to work and live with Tony Fitzjohn,
0:06:07 > 0:06:11one of the all-time greats of African conservation.
0:06:11 > 0:06:15Ryan and Keith have helped move a pack of endangered hunting dogs
0:06:15 > 0:06:19as part of a release programme to save them from extinction,
0:06:19 > 0:06:23and Bev encountered her first ever wild tortoise.
0:06:23 > 0:06:30Fitz was the apprentice of this man, George Adamson, made famous through the book and film, Born Free,
0:06:30 > 0:06:33and Michelle has the chance to continue Adamson's work
0:06:33 > 0:06:37by helping release a striped hyena back to the wild today.
0:06:37 > 0:06:44Fisi was taken to the snake park just outside of Arusha as an orphan, when she was really quite small,
0:06:44 > 0:06:47and reared by two South Africans that owned the place.
0:06:47 > 0:06:51She was always causing trouble, she'd come up and chew your leg
0:06:51 > 0:06:54and chew your ankles and chew your hand,
0:06:54 > 0:07:01- and then she'd break out and eat the little day-old chicks that were...- Snake food.- Right.
0:07:02 > 0:07:07Although native to Africa, the striped hyena is increasingly rare due to hunting
0:07:07 > 0:07:11and the destruction of their natural habitat.
0:07:11 > 0:07:1518 month old Fisi arrived at Mkomazi just four weeks ago
0:07:15 > 0:07:21so Fitz could release her into the park to breed with the other striped hyenas.
0:07:21 > 0:07:26I think putting her back in the rhino sanctuary, where there's more striped hyena and bags of room,
0:07:26 > 0:07:32will give us more time to find out about her.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34There's very little known about these animals.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37So Fitz can monitor Fisi's movements once she's been released,
0:07:37 > 0:07:42he's fitting her with a special collar with a radio location device.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45Even though she's used to her keeper, Simon,
0:07:45 > 0:07:48Fisi is still a potentially dangerous animal,
0:07:48 > 0:07:52so the collar can only be fitted when she's under sedation.
0:07:53 > 0:07:58Fitz has over 40 years experience working with African wildlife,
0:07:58 > 0:08:03but anaesthetising wild animals is always a potentially risky procedure.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06She's never had a dart in her, so I don't know how she'll react.
0:08:06 > 0:08:10Maybe it would be a good thing if people stand back a bit.
0:08:13 > 0:08:19We'll aim for her hind quarters, it's the safest place to put the dart in.
0:08:19 > 0:08:20Hello, big girl.
0:08:22 > 0:08:24The darting may look uncomfortable,
0:08:24 > 0:08:30but it's the simplest way to alleviate any distress for Fisi when the tracking collar is fitted.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34Yeah, it all went in,
0:08:34 > 0:08:38but we may have to distract her so she doesn't pull the dart out.
0:08:40 > 0:08:42Within a couple of minutes,
0:08:42 > 0:08:47the sedative starts to take effect and the team can get to work.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51Breathing's steady, Michelle.
0:08:51 > 0:08:56- Can I touch her?- Yes, please. - Oh, she's really rough!
0:08:56 > 0:08:58Yes.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04Once the special tracking collar is in place,
0:09:04 > 0:09:11Fitz has a chance to make sure Fisi's in good health before she's released, and Michelle gets the chance to help.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14OK, now, let's check her for tics.
0:09:14 > 0:09:20OK, fleas, she seems amazingly free of all sorts of things.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23Teeth are all good. OK, gums are good.
0:09:23 > 0:09:29At Longleat, Michelle normally looks after sea-lions, hippos and gorillas,
0:09:29 > 0:09:35so by coming to Mkomazi, she's getting an invaluable opportunity to broaden her knowledge.
0:09:35 > 0:09:40This is really... I can't describe this, it's just amazing being this close.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43I've never been this close to anything like this before,
0:09:43 > 0:09:48so it's always a good opportunity when an animal is under anaesthetic
0:09:48 > 0:09:52just to have a good look at them and just to explore them.
0:09:52 > 0:09:56I mean, look at this long hair, it's amazing.
0:09:56 > 0:10:00Fitz is satisfied that Fisi is in good health
0:10:00 > 0:10:04and so it's time to give her another injection to bring her round.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07Do you want to inject the antidote?
0:10:07 > 0:10:09Can do! Where to?
0:10:09 > 0:10:11- In the rump.- Yep.
0:10:11 > 0:10:16- Nice juicy bit in the rump, straight in.- Up here?- Yeah.
0:10:23 > 0:10:28Thank you. Now, because we don't know what's going to happen, we should all stand back a bit.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31This is always a nervous time, isn't it?
0:10:31 > 0:10:33It can go either way, can't it?
0:10:33 > 0:10:37It should only take a few minutes for Fisi to wake up,
0:10:37 > 0:10:42but bringing an animal out from sedation is always an anxious moment.
0:10:42 > 0:10:48However many animals you sedate, for whatever reason, you always worry.
0:10:48 > 0:10:53Every now and then you get caught by surprise, there's a bad reaction or something.
0:10:53 > 0:10:55There's some big breaths going on.
0:10:55 > 0:11:00Worryingly, there's still no sign of Fisi coming round.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04Why isn't she waking up though?
0:11:06 > 0:11:11We'll find out if Fisi comes out of the anaesthetic later.
0:11:19 > 0:11:24Just like Fisi in Africa, the lions of Longleat also need sedation
0:11:24 > 0:11:30so that the vets can operate on them safely and implant their contraceptives.
0:11:30 > 0:11:35Now that Jezira and Melika have been isolated into separate pens, the sedation can begin.
0:11:35 > 0:11:39So, these are basically general anaesthetic?
0:11:39 > 0:11:43- Yeah, yeah.- And the idea is to administer them with a blow pipe?
0:11:43 > 0:11:46Blow pipe into the muscle of the back leg.
0:11:46 > 0:11:50- Right, so you'll be aiming for her hind quarters presumably?- Yeah.
0:11:50 > 0:11:52Well, I'll let you get started.
0:11:52 > 0:11:56- Look at her, she's looking very alert suddenly.- All right, girl.
0:11:56 > 0:12:00Each lion's dose of anaesthetic drug has been split into two separate darts,
0:12:00 > 0:12:05that way the darts can be lighter with smaller needles.
0:12:06 > 0:12:08Oh, good shot, Brian.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14- All right, all right! - All right, girl.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17- All right, that's her done. - OK, there's the next one.
0:12:17 > 0:12:22Now, Jazira here is looking a little bit hunched and a little bit unhappy.
0:12:22 > 0:12:27- She's obviously seen what's happened and wants to get out of the way. - Yes, so this one could be trickier.
0:12:27 > 0:12:29GROWLING
0:12:29 > 0:12:31Shh, shh, shh. Jazira.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35That's one gone.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44If we look over at Melika now,
0:12:44 > 0:12:47- she's definitely beginning to look a little bit dopey.- Mm.
0:12:47 > 0:12:51All right. Well, girls, sleep well and we'll see you in a bit.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53Thanks, Brian.
0:12:59 > 0:13:03Back in the Mkomazi Game Reserve in Tanzania,
0:13:03 > 0:13:09Fitz and Michelle are waiting to see if Fisi, the striped hyena, is going to come round from her sedation.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18She's moving now, her ears are back.
0:13:20 > 0:13:25Sedating a wild animal is always a risky procedure,
0:13:25 > 0:13:28so Fitz and Michelle are relieved when she gets back on her feet
0:13:28 > 0:13:33and groggily stumbles to the safety of her den.
0:13:33 > 0:13:36I mean, talk about heading for home!
0:13:36 > 0:13:39- Safety.- Wey!
0:13:39 > 0:13:44Fisi has been fitted with a special collar with a radio location device
0:13:44 > 0:13:50that will enable Fitz to monitor her movements once she's released back into the wild.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53There she goes! Now, this is better.
0:13:53 > 0:13:57Simon's the one she likes to bite, and that's what she's doing.
0:13:57 > 0:14:01- Everything...- As normal?- Yeah.
0:14:01 > 0:14:06Simon was saying that she's biting a little bit harder than normal when she normally plays with him,
0:14:06 > 0:14:09but that's understandable.
0:14:09 > 0:14:11That's happened before with other animals,
0:14:11 > 0:14:17they just want to let you know that something funny has gone on and they're not impressed.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21So, now Fisi's almost back to her normal, playful self,
0:14:21 > 0:14:26Fitz and Michelle leave her to rest overnight as tomorrow's a big day.
0:14:34 > 0:14:39Back in Pet's Corner, I've come up to see one of Britain's rarest birds.
0:14:40 > 0:14:45This is Harriet the barn owl and I'm with keeper, Val McGruger,
0:14:45 > 0:14:48to give her an MOT, a kind of once-over, isn't it?
0:14:48 > 0:14:52Yes, that's right. We're going to weigh her, have a look at her, see she's looking OK.
0:14:52 > 0:14:57A little while ago she was sitting on eggs which proved to be infertile,
0:14:57 > 0:14:59so there was no young in there at all,
0:14:59 > 0:15:03but just keeping a general check on her, making sure she's back to normal.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06OK, so what's the first thing you'll do when you're giving her a check?
0:15:06 > 0:15:09- What do you look for? - Well, as with lots of animals,
0:15:09 > 0:15:12you usually look at their eyes, see if they're bright, which hers are.
0:15:12 > 0:15:18- We're looking at her wing feathers. - Yep, that was a perfect display, right on cue.- Yeah.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21Lovely wing feathers, all nice and smart and fluffy.
0:15:21 > 0:15:25She's cleaned herself up now, she's had a bath.
0:15:25 > 0:15:27Talons, of course, have got to be nice and sharp.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30They look incredibly sharp actually, which is why you wear that glove.
0:15:30 > 0:15:36Exactly, yeah, although she's quite happy sat on a hand, it would still make pinpricks in your hand.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40- So how old do you think Harriet is? Do you know her age?- She's ten.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43She's ten, and what is the life expectancy of an owl?
0:15:43 > 0:15:51Well, in the wild it would only be two to three years on average, but in captivity it can be 20, 25 years.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53- Is it that much more? - There's a huge difference.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56- A lot of that is due to people unfortunately.- Right.
0:15:56 > 0:16:00The first year we lose a lot anyway. Natural causes. Whoa! Sorry, Ben.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03- Don't worry.- There we go, flapping in the face there.
0:16:03 > 0:16:08- Yeah, but the rest of it is down to us and the way we live today, really.- Right.- You know,
0:16:08 > 0:16:12- roads, a lot of barn owls get killed on the roads.- Do they?
0:16:12 > 0:16:15Because they go backwards and forwards looking for food.
0:16:15 > 0:16:19Of course, and food being mice and little rodents presumably?
0:16:19 > 0:16:24- Yes, small rodents would be their favourite. 95% of their diet would be small rodents.- OK.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27But having said that, they will eat other things if that's not available.
0:16:27 > 0:16:32- So, what next?- Right, if you would like to put this T-stand on first.
0:16:32 > 0:16:36- OK, so pop this on... - That's it, there we go.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39Why do we need to weigh her?
0:16:39 > 0:16:44Just to check she's eating properly and, also, because she's had eggs in her,
0:16:44 > 0:16:46just checking that she hasn't got one retained in her.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49Oh, and you'd be able to identify that if she gained weight?
0:16:49 > 0:16:52With the weight, yeah, if she had the weight. Also, you'd go on behaviour.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55There's lots of ways of telling, but weighing is one.
0:16:55 > 0:17:01- So we've got there... - 379 grams I think.
0:17:01 > 0:17:03So, you're happy with that weight?
0:17:03 > 0:17:07Yes, I am. Wild barn owls tend to be a little lighter.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10Mm-hm.
0:17:10 > 0:17:11But she...
0:17:11 > 0:17:16she averages 380 to 400, so that's not bad at all.
0:17:16 > 0:17:20And there is the possibility then that she could lay more eggs?
0:17:20 > 0:17:25- It is possible, she has laid eggs in the past, but none of them have been fertile.- Right.
0:17:25 > 0:17:27She does live here with Ollie.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30Yeah, Ollie is just hiding up in the corner there.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33- Unfortunately, she's not terribly fond of him.- Oh, really?
0:17:33 > 0:17:37- Yes.- OK, but happy then with her once-over?
0:17:37 > 0:17:43I think so. She's looking very perky and everything, she's back to normal now, so I think that's really good.
0:17:43 > 0:17:46She does, she looks beautiful. Val, thank you very much.
0:17:46 > 0:17:48- You're welcome.- Thank you, Harriet.
0:17:51 > 0:17:55Back up at the lion enclosure and all the vets have arrived.
0:17:55 > 0:18:02Duncan Williams, Paul Higgs and Sarah Balsdon will be performing the operations on Melika and Jazira,
0:18:02 > 0:18:06but the most important thing to find out is if the anaesthetic has worked.
0:18:06 > 0:18:12- Bob and Brian are both here. Is there a risk that she could still be a little bit alert?- It's possible.
0:18:12 > 0:18:17What we're going to do is with a broom handle, we're going to give her a bit of a tap.
0:18:17 > 0:18:23Duncan, while they're testing her, not much of a reaction there.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26I think she'll be all right, Brian.
0:18:26 > 0:18:30Now, this anaesthetic, will it last for a long time?
0:18:30 > 0:18:33It'll probably last 20 minutes, half an hour,
0:18:33 > 0:18:35before you start getting recovery, probably longer.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37- Right.- But even if the procedure did take longer,
0:18:37 > 0:18:40we could top it up by giving them a bit more injection.
0:18:40 > 0:18:46But now, Melika is well and truly out, so the team move in.
0:18:46 > 0:18:50She and her sister must each have a slow-release contraceptive implant
0:18:50 > 0:18:56and the first thing is to shave a patch behind her shoulder blades where it needs to go.
0:18:56 > 0:19:00So, Paul, you're going to be actually doing the procedure.
0:19:00 > 0:19:02Why don't you just give her a pill?
0:19:02 > 0:19:05Why go through the risk of putting her under anaesthetic?
0:19:05 > 0:19:10Usually the pill is every day and that's not something we can guarantee,
0:19:10 > 0:19:13but this implant's going to last for up to two years.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16- Right.- So it makes life a lot easier that way.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26So this is the implant here.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29How does it work, Duncan, this implant?
0:19:29 > 0:19:32Does the drug just seep gradually out?
0:19:32 > 0:19:35I think so, it's a sort of silicon pipe
0:19:35 > 0:19:39and basically it's permeable and the drug just gets absorbed
0:19:39 > 0:19:45at a very low level for basically two years, that's what they recommend they last for.
0:19:45 > 0:19:49- It's all in by the looks of things. - Yeah. It's lying under the skin now.
0:19:49 > 0:19:53- It looks very neat.- So, we now just need to stitch up that little hole
0:19:53 > 0:19:58and we're going to hopefully try and do it without getting any stitches
0:19:58 > 0:20:01- actually showing outside the skin at all.- OK.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04They are absorbable so it wouldn't matter if we did,
0:20:04 > 0:20:08but it just actually makes it a bit less uncomfortable for them,
0:20:08 > 0:20:13and also when you've got the risk of mutual grooming and things,
0:20:13 > 0:20:17we don't want our stitches to be licked out by another lion.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19Of course.
0:20:19 > 0:20:21You're doing a very neat job there, Paul.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24- Were you a good sewer at school? - Absolutely useless!
0:20:27 > 0:20:29Suddenly, Melika starts to twitch.
0:20:31 > 0:20:33But Duncan's not worried.
0:20:34 > 0:20:39This is the just the anaesthetic doing this, she's not coming round.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43That's the voice of experience.
0:20:43 > 0:20:48I've been with you when you've anaesthetised a lot of cats and I will believe you,
0:20:48 > 0:20:51but it does look a little alarming.
0:20:51 > 0:20:54In fact, just moments later the stitches are finished
0:20:54 > 0:20:58and the team can safely leave her to come round on her own.
0:20:58 > 0:21:03Melika's all done, Jazira is now having her little procedure.
0:21:03 > 0:21:07- Everything going OK, Bob? - Yeah, it seems to be.
0:21:07 > 0:21:13Good, good. Well, while she's out and we have this wonderful privileged view of being so close to her,
0:21:13 > 0:21:16I just wanted to have a look at her paws, if I can,
0:21:16 > 0:21:20because I think it is one of the most impressive parts of a lion.
0:21:20 > 0:21:27Yes, well, these things here are the things that do most of the damage.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30If they were chasing a buffalo or whatever,
0:21:30 > 0:21:35they would hold onto that buffalo by piercing into the skin and gripping onto it,
0:21:35 > 0:21:37and that's what they would do.
0:21:37 > 0:21:42But with claws that size, you can see why a buffalo wouldn't last very long.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45No, you can just feel the ends there.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47Be careful because they are really, really sharp.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50They really are sharp, and that's with no pressure at all.
0:21:50 > 0:21:55They look, even now, they're two years old,
0:21:55 > 0:21:58but they almost look too big for their bodies.
0:21:58 > 0:22:03- Is this a sign that they've still growing to do?- They've a lot more growing to do, yeah.
0:22:03 > 0:22:07They are very, very pretty. It's something quite alarming,
0:22:07 > 0:22:11even though I know she's completely under anaesthetic,
0:22:11 > 0:22:15she's breathing very steadily, but her eyes are open
0:22:15 > 0:22:19and even under anaesthetic, she just looks so alert, doesn't she?
0:22:19 > 0:22:23There's no kind of cloudiness or drugged look at all,
0:22:23 > 0:22:25she looks absolutely on the ball.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28Well, Duncan, two very successful-looking operations.
0:22:28 > 0:22:36- Yep, we'll give the reversal agent now and reposition them, make them a bit more comfortable.- OK.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39And how long do you think it'll take for her to come round?
0:22:39 > 0:22:42She'll probably come round in half an hour to an hour I think.
0:22:42 > 0:22:46OK, well, we will leave both these girls in peace
0:22:46 > 0:22:50and look forward to catching up with them again a little bit later.
0:22:50 > 0:22:54Thank you all very much indeed for letting us be here. Good girl.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03Earlier on in the Mkomazi Game Reserve,
0:23:03 > 0:23:06following the fitting of her special radio transmitting collar,
0:23:06 > 0:23:11it was time for Fisi, the striped hyena, to be released back into the wild.
0:23:11 > 0:23:17Now Fitz and Michelle have come back to see how Fisi's keeper, Simon, has got on.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20THEY SPEAK IN NATIVE LANGUAGE
0:23:24 > 0:23:30She came out, went through the fence into the main part of the sanctuary and she's gone into the bush there.
0:23:30 > 0:23:35- We've got the machinery, we know the collar's working, let's look for her.- Let's go.
0:23:36 > 0:23:42Fitz has fitted Fisi with the radio-transmitting collar so that he can track her progress in the wild.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48It doesn't take him long to pick up a signal.
0:23:48 > 0:23:50BEEPING
0:23:53 > 0:23:58The strength and frequency of the beeps tells Fitz which direction to look in.
0:24:03 > 0:24:07- I can see something, I don't know if that's her.- Here she is!- Yes.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10- Right here! - I saw her.- Here we are, Fis!
0:24:10 > 0:24:12I thought I could see something.
0:24:12 > 0:24:16- Yeah, well done! - Apart from a bloody nose,
0:24:16 > 0:24:20Fisi seems in perfect health and has found a new, comfortable home.
0:24:20 > 0:24:25She's found a beautiful sandy place, beneath a rocky outcrop,
0:24:25 > 0:24:27protected from rain
0:24:27 > 0:24:30and...shade
0:24:30 > 0:24:35and just a classic place for a striped hyena to lie out.
0:24:35 > 0:24:41It couldn't be better than that, Simon. She has every chance now to become a real hyena.
0:24:41 > 0:24:44She's never hunted before, has she?
0:24:44 > 0:24:47She hasn't, but I don't think she'll bother.
0:24:47 > 0:24:54They scavenge, they have a very simple diet, they eat very small crustaceans and ants.
0:24:54 > 0:24:56She's not fussy at all?
0:24:56 > 0:25:02- Maybe even lizards. - Will you feed her initially? Just a little bit?- Of course! Of course!
0:25:02 > 0:25:07If she heads back, she'll get fed, and then after a couple of days,
0:25:07 > 0:25:13if she hasn't headed back, we'll look for her and give her something if she needs it, make sure she's OK.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17So, Fisi's release has been a success.
0:25:17 > 0:25:21I hope she just continues to explore the environment.
0:25:21 > 0:25:26I hope she meets up with other striped hyena, maybe in the long-term have a family of her own.
0:25:26 > 0:25:32She's got her life ahead of her now, she's a young hyena, she's got everything to look forward to.
0:25:32 > 0:25:36Being involved in the tagging and release of an orphaned animal
0:25:36 > 0:25:41has been an amazing chance for Michelle to learn about conservation first-hand.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44This has been a really excellent experience for me.
0:25:44 > 0:25:48Not many people get hands-on experience doing this sort of thing
0:25:48 > 0:25:52and it's a positive thing to do, it is conservation as its best.
0:25:52 > 0:25:56You always want animals to be where they naturally should be
0:25:56 > 0:26:00and it's been achieved today, and it's really been brilliant.
0:26:00 > 0:26:02It's great, a really good feeling.
0:26:10 > 0:26:16It's been some time now since Jazira and Melika, the two lions, underwent surgery.
0:26:16 > 0:26:22So, Kate and I have come back up to the lion reserve to find out how they're doing.
0:26:22 > 0:26:24Now, Bob, this is Jazira, is that right?
0:26:24 > 0:26:26- No, this is Melika. - This is Melika.- Yep.
0:26:26 > 0:26:30And obviously much more perky than when we last saw her.
0:26:30 > 0:26:35- Yes, she was pretty groggy. - They both were. They both looked incredibly sleepy.
0:26:35 > 0:26:40It was obviously too dangerous for them for us to let them out.
0:26:40 > 0:26:46Yeah. How long did they have to stay in before you felt it was safe to let them out again?
0:26:46 > 0:26:47We left them in overnight,
0:26:47 > 0:26:51we assessed the situation in the morning. So, yeah, she was fine,
0:26:51 > 0:26:56- she was up and about and she was not very happy to see us!- I'm sure.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59But, yeah, we decided at that time to let her go.
0:26:59 > 0:27:05Bob, I know one of your concerns was about reintegrating back into the pride here,
0:27:05 > 0:27:10but judging by how close she is to the others, has she settled back in?
0:27:10 > 0:27:15- We were more concerned about Kabir, because he's a big animal.- Yeah.
0:27:15 > 0:27:20And when we let him out, he just went up, sniffed them and carried on in his stride really.
0:27:20 > 0:27:22Didn't seem too bothered at all?
0:27:22 > 0:27:26- Not too fazed at all.- And Jazira? - Jazira, yeah, she's up there.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29- Could we pop around?- Yeah. - Why is she on her own up here?
0:27:29 > 0:27:32Because she's been chasing our food vehicle around.
0:27:32 > 0:27:37So she's obviously back on form too! Looking great actually, isn't she?
0:27:37 > 0:27:41No, don't stalk us as well, Jazira, just because you're cross with us.
0:27:41 > 0:27:46That must be a fantastic sign for you, Bob, to see them up like this, alert.
0:27:46 > 0:27:51- Back to normal, yeah, brilliant. That's what we want after an operation.- Absolutely.
0:27:51 > 0:27:55- And, above all, no unwanted lions. - Hopefully.
0:27:55 > 0:27:59Well, Bob, I'm delighted they've made such a full recovery.
0:27:59 > 0:28:03Thank you very much, and, sadly, that's all we've got time for today,
0:28:03 > 0:28:06but here's what's coming up on the next Animal Park.
0:28:06 > 0:28:08There's a new arrival at the park,
0:28:08 > 0:28:12but this one's got a face surely only a mother could love.
0:28:12 > 0:28:18We find out why Deputy Head Warden Ian Turner also assumes the role of park paparazzo.
0:28:19 > 0:28:25And Kadu, Longleat's oldest tiger, has to go under anaesthetic.
0:28:25 > 0:28:30Last time she nearly died, will she survive again?
0:28:30 > 0:28:34So don't miss the next Animal Park.
0:28:39 > 0:28:41Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd