0:00:03 > 0:00:06The meerkats are some of the most popular animals here at Longleat,
0:00:06 > 0:00:10but following their story has been a heartbreaking experience.
0:00:10 > 0:00:16There have been many glorious births but also tragically many deaths here at Meerkat Mountain.
0:00:16 > 0:00:20Everyone has their fingers crossed as their journey continues today.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45Coming up on today's Animal Park,
0:00:45 > 0:00:52head of section Mark Tye is feeling the pressure of 900 mouths that need feeding.
0:00:52 > 0:00:54Animals don't wait for anybody.
0:00:54 > 0:00:58They expect their food on time, at the right time and in the right way.
0:00:58 > 0:01:04And just when there's cause for celebration, tragedy strikes Meerkat Mountain.
0:01:07 > 0:01:13But first, it's straight down to the new area, where an unbelievable scene is about to unfold.
0:01:13 > 0:01:19Right now, the whole safari park has just gone on to red alert.
0:01:20 > 0:01:28One of their animals is on the loose and of course, an escape is the keeper's worst nightmare.
0:01:28 > 0:01:34Kate and I have just rushed down because we've had an urgent message from deputy head warden Ian Turner
0:01:34 > 0:01:38that Darcy the bongo has escaped from his enclosure.
0:01:38 > 0:01:44He crossed, remarkably, a cattle grid and he's now between the entrance to the park
0:01:44 > 0:01:47and the main entrance, where the cars come in to the safari park.
0:01:47 > 0:01:54There's a tiger enclosure just down there with the tigers out, so what the keepers are now trying to do,
0:01:54 > 0:02:00you can see that people are standing around here, they're trying to shut the tigers back into their house
0:02:00 > 0:02:07so that they can drive Darcy down this safe route here and back into the park, not over a cattle grid.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11If he crosses a cattle grid again he could break a leg,
0:02:11 > 0:02:16so it's a very delicate, very calm operation,
0:02:16 > 0:02:20although it doesn't feel very calm sitting here at the moment.
0:02:20 > 0:02:24The tigers must be driven out of their enclosure and down into their house.
0:02:24 > 0:02:30Not because they could get at Darcy, but because there's a chance HE might see THEM through the fence.
0:02:32 > 0:02:37And if he did, who knows where he'd be when he eventually stopped running?
0:02:39 > 0:02:44- Tigers in.- Oh, that's tigers in. OK.
0:02:44 > 0:02:48The tigers are in, we've just heard Ian on the radio.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51Kevin is out with Darcy now. What's the plan?
0:02:51 > 0:02:53I think it's just changed.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56We're going to try and walk her through this wooded bit
0:02:56 > 0:02:58and then take the fence down the other side.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01He's just got a bucket of food there.
0:03:01 > 0:03:06- The problem of course as well is the safari park is still open so we've got cars coming through.- Absolutely.
0:03:06 > 0:03:12It looks like Kevin isn't having a great deal of luck with his bananas.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15It would work with most animals.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18I don't know what plan that was, whether it was A, B, C or D.
0:03:18 > 0:03:23So he'll happily cross cattle grids but he won't go on tarmac.
0:03:23 > 0:03:24He won't go on tarmac.
0:03:24 > 0:03:28Even though he's walked across it once, if anything spooks him,
0:03:28 > 0:03:32because they're very easily spooked, he just takes off - it's a broken leg.
0:03:32 > 0:03:36It's extraordinary that he managed to cross it at all.
0:03:36 > 0:03:40I mean, they're lethal things, even for us to try and cross one.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43The next plan of action is they're going to try
0:03:43 > 0:03:47and slowly walk it towards the car because it's so quiet.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50They're hoping that it'll just walk across nice and peacefully.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54They've just got to watch the vehicles so they don't get spooked.
0:03:54 > 0:04:00Crossing the road near the gate means Kevin can use the fence to help block Darcy from turning away.
0:04:00 > 0:04:04But it does mean taking him perilously close to that cattle grid.
0:04:06 > 0:04:12It's a very tense moment and we'll be back shortly to see what happens.
0:04:24 > 0:04:30Meerkat Mountain is one of the most dangerous places in the park.
0:04:30 > 0:04:34The collective name for a gang of meerkats is a mob,
0:04:34 > 0:04:40which is quite appropriate after all the violence and tragedy that's happened here in recent times.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43- Hi, guys.- Darren Beasley is the keeper in charge.
0:04:43 > 0:04:49His mission has always been to get them to breed, but before that could ever happen,
0:04:49 > 0:04:53the mob had to become a settled and stable family group.
0:04:53 > 0:04:55We've been trying to get the meerkat balance right
0:04:55 > 0:04:59and it's been a real trial for all the keepers down here.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01We brought in some new blood.
0:05:01 > 0:05:06We brought some from two collections, some girls and a single boy, a breeding male.
0:05:06 > 0:05:10And it was a nightmare. There was fighting, there was squabbling.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13In the end, I'm afraid, very sadly there was a murder.
0:05:13 > 0:05:18There was a fatality and they fought so bad that they killed each other.
0:05:18 > 0:05:22Meerkats come from the barren deserts of southern Africa,
0:05:22 > 0:05:26a landscape so harsh that the only rule is kill or be killed.
0:05:26 > 0:05:31But after that murder, the mob did settle down.
0:05:31 > 0:05:36An alpha male and female emerged as leaders and finally they began to breed.
0:05:36 > 0:05:42Three pups from their first litter have survived and are now four months old.
0:05:42 > 0:05:47It's taken years and tears and heartache along the way, but we're there.
0:05:47 > 0:05:53Once there's an established alpha couple, there's no reason why they shouldn't just keep breeding.
0:05:53 > 0:05:57A mob can easily have over 30 family members
0:05:57 > 0:06:02but at Meerkat Mountain, it seems that tragedy is never far away.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05When the next litter came, there were two pups,
0:06:05 > 0:06:10but one soon died and the other was abandoned by her parents.
0:06:10 > 0:06:18So keeper John Reynolds took on the labour intensive and emotionally charged task of hand rearing.
0:06:18 > 0:06:25He looked after the baby for five weeks and then the time came to try to reintegrate her into the mob.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31I think she's ready to go back in with them now.
0:06:31 > 0:06:35She's old enough now, she's strong enough, she's healthy enough,
0:06:35 > 0:06:39she really needs to be back with her own kind. It's good for her.
0:06:39 > 0:06:45I can't teach her to dig in the ground, I can't teach her how to stand up on two legs,
0:06:45 > 0:06:47I can't teach her how to be a meerkat.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54Don't need that any more.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58This is the moment of truth.
0:06:58 > 0:07:03Will the mob accept the baby back or kill her as an intruder?
0:07:13 > 0:07:16So far, this is looking good.
0:07:18 > 0:07:22I'm thrilled what's happened here. It's gone better than I imagined.
0:07:22 > 0:07:25They've taken to her like she was never gone.
0:07:25 > 0:07:27It really is absolutely incredible.
0:07:31 > 0:07:36But sadly, this early success was short-lived.
0:07:36 > 0:07:40Nobody knows why or how it happened,
0:07:40 > 0:07:45but a few days later, John's little baby was found dead.
0:07:45 > 0:07:52But this wasn't the last drama on Meerkat Mountain, because the alpha female is now pregnant again
0:07:52 > 0:07:57and we'll be back soon to see what happens when the next litter of pups comes along.
0:08:06 > 0:08:10Back at the bongo breakout, everyone's being quiet and gentle
0:08:10 > 0:08:13so that Darcy won't get spooked and charge off.
0:08:13 > 0:08:18The keepers are concerned not just because he weighs more than two sumo wrestlers
0:08:18 > 0:08:21and has pointy horns over half a metre long,
0:08:21 > 0:08:26but also if he tried to run over the cattle grid, he'd almost certainly break a leg.
0:08:28 > 0:08:32Well, it looks like the keepers have now successfully got Darcy the bongo
0:08:32 > 0:08:37to the other side of the road and they've now got one of the workmen
0:08:37 > 0:08:41to start taking down part of the fence so that they can then persuade him
0:08:41 > 0:08:44to go through the woods and back in on the other side.
0:08:44 > 0:08:50The park's head warden Keith Harris has rushed down to deal with the emergency.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53So, Keith, this is proving to be much more complicated
0:08:53 > 0:08:57than actually it first looked. What's happening now?
0:08:57 > 0:09:01The way we wanted to go through the undergrowth is very, very thick,
0:09:01 > 0:09:04so he keeps looking to come back the easy way.
0:09:04 > 0:09:11So we're just going to alter some more fencing, take a bit more fencing and then we can bring him out,
0:09:11 > 0:09:16take him through a fence in the corner and then back out the fence the other side.
0:09:16 > 0:09:22So essentially you're going to weave him back out here, back over and then out on the other side.
0:09:22 > 0:09:24- That's it. - Easier said than done.
0:09:24 > 0:09:29At the moment, as I say, he's being quiet
0:09:29 > 0:09:34- and we don't mind if it takes an hour, if it takes two, it takes two. - It's just about patience.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38We've got the rest of the day, to be honest. Because he's not upset,
0:09:38 > 0:09:41He'll probably go down and fill his belly, anyway.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43It's action stations still.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46The fence is being brought down, but the truth is the bongo
0:09:46 > 0:09:49is still on the loose and it could run across the cattle grid at any time.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53We'll keep you updated with the progress a little bit later.
0:10:02 > 0:10:07Whether there's a bongo on the loose or monkeys making mischief,
0:10:07 > 0:10:10keeping the safari park running smoothly seven days a week,
0:10:10 > 0:10:1452 weeks a year is a massive logistical operation.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18There are over 100 members of staff responsible for everything
0:10:18 > 0:10:21from caring for the animals to maintaining the grounds.
0:10:21 > 0:10:27But of all the jobs, one of the most important is just keeping the animals well-fed.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32With 900 animals in the park, there's a lot of mouths to feed,
0:10:32 > 0:10:35about 90 species. It's a big operation.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38Mark Tye is the keeper in charge of looking after
0:10:38 > 0:10:45all the lake animals, but he's also responsible for supplying food to the entire safari park.
0:10:45 > 0:10:50We have to make sure it's all done and ordered and delivered on time.
0:10:50 > 0:10:54Animals don't wait for anybody. They expect their food on time, at the right time
0:10:54 > 0:10:56and in the right way,
0:10:56 > 0:11:00so we just have to make sure that we're all on the ball and we all get it sorted every day.
0:11:02 > 0:11:06Hardly a day goes by without a food delivery of some sort.
0:11:08 > 0:11:12With so many different species, each with their own dietary requirement,
0:11:12 > 0:11:17lake animals keeper Michelle Stevens also has a lot on her plate.
0:11:17 > 0:11:19This is the feed store. This is where it all happens.
0:11:19 > 0:11:25This is where we make all feed up for the whole safari park and we distribute it out to everyone.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28It's important to keep the pantry organised.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31Dog biscuits and whole maize, which are given to the monkeys.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34Bran, in this one, which is given to the giraffe.
0:11:34 > 0:11:40We've got some primate pellets. This is very good specialist diet for the monkeys and our gorilla as well.
0:11:40 > 0:11:45This is something called cattle crunch, what some of the hoof stock have as well.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47This is the fruit and vegetables.
0:11:47 > 0:11:51The monkeys in particular are obviously big fruit eaters.
0:11:51 > 0:11:55We get a lot of boxes of apples and oranges a year just for those alone.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59In this bin here, we've got the flamingo food.
0:11:59 > 0:12:03Specialist diet for the flamingos. It's got a colouring agent
0:12:03 > 0:12:06in it which keeps the flamingos nice and pink.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09In the wild, flamingos go pink because
0:12:09 > 0:12:13of a natural substance in their food, but here they need that supplement.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16These are linseed lozenges. This is what we give to the giraffe.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18This is a supplementary diet.
0:12:18 > 0:12:22We have chinchilla pellets.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25The other major thing is the fish delivery,
0:12:25 > 0:12:28which is important to me for my animals, the sea lions and pelicans.
0:12:31 > 0:12:33We get this every six to eight weeks.
0:12:33 > 0:12:38It's a fair amount. It keeps us going for a little while.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42Also here, I've got some salt licks and some copper licks.
0:12:42 > 0:12:46This is given to the hoof stock, just a bit of a vitamin boost for them really.
0:12:46 > 0:12:50We've actually got large mixed nuts, things like walnuts.
0:12:50 > 0:12:54The parrots absolutely love these in Pets Corner. It's a treat they get.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57And that's basically the whole feed room.
0:12:57 > 0:13:01Every year between them, the animals consume 44 tons of meat...
0:13:03 > 0:13:04..13 tons of fish...
0:13:06 > 0:13:08..42 tons of high-fibre food,
0:13:08 > 0:13:148,000 bales of hay, 3,600 apples, 29,000 oranges,
0:13:14 > 0:13:2023,000 bananas, 21,000 cabbages and 1,500 lettuces
0:13:20 > 0:13:26plus a whole host of other fruit, vegetables, nuts, maize, bran, corn, biscuits
0:13:26 > 0:13:31and some very juicy bugs.
0:13:31 > 0:13:37First thing every morning, Mark loads up his van and heads off round the park.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40All the sections are keen that they get their food as early as they can,
0:13:40 > 0:13:46so obviously we've got to get in early and get it all delivered as quick as possible.
0:13:46 > 0:13:48- Anything else you need?- That's all.
0:13:48 > 0:13:50That's all, all right. Cheers, then.
0:13:50 > 0:13:54People expect their food to arrive every morning
0:13:54 > 0:13:57and sometimes they don't appreciate what it takes to get it there.
0:13:57 > 0:14:02There's a lot of work that goes into making sure all this food is delivered on time.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05It's quite a big job really to make sure that we don't forget anything,
0:14:05 > 0:14:08because if we do then it's on our heads be it, you know.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11We'll be back with Mark and Michelle later
0:14:11 > 0:14:13to discover who's the greediest feeder
0:14:13 > 0:14:17and to find out some of the strange things that animals eat.
0:14:24 > 0:14:32Back up in the park, the operation to rescue Darcy the escaped bongo has reached a critical stage.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34We've been allowed out of the Land Rover,
0:14:34 > 0:14:38although Keith has given us specific instructions
0:14:38 > 0:14:41that if anything goes wrong, we've got to head straight back.
0:14:41 > 0:14:49Just in front of this Land Rover here, you can see that Kevin Bibbs, the deputy head of section
0:14:49 > 0:14:50who looks after the bongos,
0:14:50 > 0:14:55is managing to lead Darcy through the gap that they've opened up in the fence.
0:14:55 > 0:14:57This is the crucial point now.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00If they can get him through here,
0:15:00 > 0:15:04he's almost back in the enclosure where he belongs.
0:15:04 > 0:15:06But most importantly,
0:15:06 > 0:15:09they won't need to worry about him bolting over the cattle grid.
0:15:11 > 0:15:12Go on, Darcy.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16It's really nerve-racking, isn't it?
0:15:16 > 0:15:19Once they've got him through on that side,
0:15:19 > 0:15:24they then have to attract him back out on the other side.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26There he goes, he's through the gap.
0:15:26 > 0:15:30And now he'll come through
0:15:30 > 0:15:34back into the enclosure. Keith, that seemed like a great success.
0:15:34 > 0:15:36What can you do about this?
0:15:36 > 0:15:40This is an animal that clearly hasn't bonded with the other three bongos
0:15:40 > 0:15:43and he seems to be able to get over cattle grids -
0:15:43 > 0:15:48your main device for keeping the hoofed animals in the park.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51- You're going to have to come up with a plan, aren't you?- We are.
0:15:51 > 0:15:56With him bonding, things like that take time and bongos in the wild
0:15:56 > 0:15:59are quite solitary so it's not unusual that they walk off on their own.
0:15:59 > 0:16:03But he's back out almost safely away now
0:16:03 > 0:16:08and you just have a bit of fencing to repair and a bit of a mystery to solve as to how he got out.
0:16:08 > 0:16:13Seriously, we'll put all the fencing back, get everything sorted out.
0:16:13 > 0:16:17We'll slowly feed him on down to the house.
0:16:17 > 0:16:21He's undamaged. He's not hurt, so that's the main thing. His health is good.
0:16:21 > 0:16:25He's quite relaxed, the boys are feeding him and pushing him on home.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28It may look easy, but it's not.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31It's a little bit more awkward than what people think.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33Everybody has done what they should do.
0:16:33 > 0:16:35A well-oiled machine.
0:16:35 > 0:16:39- That's it, yes.- Brilliant, Keith. Thank you very much indeed.
0:16:39 > 0:16:44We're going to let Darcy get settled and we'll catch up with him a little bit later in the programme.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55It's not obvious, but Meerkat Mountain is hollow.
0:16:55 > 0:16:57Underneath is the mob's indoor pen.
0:16:57 > 0:17:04This is where the pregnant alpha female has been hiding out and the keeper in charge, Darren Beasley,
0:17:04 > 0:17:10- has just made a rather exciting discovery.- Can you hear the noise?
0:17:14 > 0:17:17One, two, three, four, five.
0:17:20 > 0:17:24Five brand-new babies and Mum has been brilliant.
0:17:24 > 0:17:28She's been nursing them so they've had their colostrum, they've had their first milk.
0:17:28 > 0:17:32Hopefully this is going to boost our numbers again.
0:17:32 > 0:17:36That's what we want. We'll leave them in peace now.
0:17:36 > 0:17:41In the wild, it would be very unusual for all five to survive.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44We always have this problem with any baby animal.
0:17:44 > 0:17:45We get all excited on day one,
0:17:45 > 0:17:49but it's just the beginning of Mum and Dad's real hard work,
0:17:49 > 0:17:53so the thing with the meerkats if they get it right like we know these guys can,
0:17:53 > 0:17:57is that the older brothers and sisters will help out, but in warm weather,
0:17:57 > 0:18:02they'll be out and they'll be like little teddy bear miniature meerkats very soon
0:18:02 > 0:18:06and it's looking excellent, absolutely ten out of ten.
0:18:08 > 0:18:11But Darren knows only too well that when there's good news
0:18:11 > 0:18:15on Meerkat Mountain, bad news is often not far behind.
0:18:15 > 0:18:19We'll be back very soon.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29Pets Corner is home to a huge array of animals,
0:18:29 > 0:18:36from the sweet to the not so sweet, but hidden behind the scenes is one rather special creature.
0:18:36 > 0:18:43- I've joined keeper Bev Allen with this very impressive African land snail.- Yes, that's right.
0:18:43 > 0:18:45He's absolutely enormous.
0:18:45 > 0:18:49He is. He's the biggest land snail we have here at Longleat and he lives
0:18:49 > 0:18:55with five other snails in a glass tank and he's called Geoff.
0:18:55 > 0:18:57- Geoff.- Geoff the snail. - Is Geoff fully grown?
0:18:57 > 0:18:59We think he's about fully-grown now.
0:18:59 > 0:19:04They can get to about 15 to 20 centimetres long, which is about eight inches long.
0:19:04 > 0:19:08Wow, we're probably talking almost twice his size.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11Yes, he's about eight years old now.
0:19:11 > 0:19:14He used to be someone's pet and he's just arrived to us.
0:19:14 > 0:19:19But I understand you think there's been a bit of a problem in his diet in earlier times.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22We think he might have had a lack of calcium in his diet.
0:19:22 > 0:19:28The reason for this is because the shell's quite long and thin and so what we've done since
0:19:28 > 0:19:33he's been here is to give him lots more calcium in the diet to strengthen the shell out, really.
0:19:33 > 0:19:38So that if he's in his tank, if he moves around it's not going to damage
0:19:38 > 0:19:41the shell, so more calcium means the shell will be a lot stronger.
0:19:41 > 0:19:45Obviously when you're feeding snails out of their natural environment,
0:19:45 > 0:19:48you have to make sure that you give them
0:19:48 > 0:19:50exactly the same minerals they would have in the wild.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53Yes, so we have to supplement their diet.
0:19:53 > 0:19:58We give them cuttlefish and also a special supplement we sprinkle on their food and it helps
0:19:58 > 0:20:02to get calcium into their diet, to make that shell nice and strong for them.
0:20:02 > 0:20:08He's the most extraordinary creature and there'll be plenty more like him coming up on today's programme.
0:20:08 > 0:20:09Here's what's still to come.
0:20:09 > 0:20:14We're going back to Meerkat Mountain to find out if all five babies survive.
0:20:16 > 0:20:22Down in Pets Corner, the otters are shocked by some unexpected arrivals.
0:20:22 > 0:20:26And Jamie Oliver's got nothing to beat Alexa's secret recipe.
0:20:26 > 0:20:28Just ask the ferrets.
0:20:37 > 0:20:42There are about 900 animals at Longleat and most of them are fussy eaters.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46The job of supplying food to the whole safari park
0:20:46 > 0:20:50falls on the shoulders of Mark Tye and his team.
0:20:50 > 0:20:52The making up of the feeds and stuff
0:20:52 > 0:20:55is probably not my most enjoyable part of my job.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57It's a job that's got to be done.
0:20:59 > 0:21:05First thing every morning, the food is distributed to all the different sections of the safari park,
0:21:05 > 0:21:09then the keepers in each section make up the meals for each of their animals.
0:21:09 > 0:21:13And food at Longleat can be served in any number of ways.
0:21:13 > 0:21:17It can be dropped from the back of a tractor, thrown off the side of a boat,
0:21:17 > 0:21:20trailed out of the door of a car, hidden up the tree,
0:21:20 > 0:21:25dangled from a tree, stuffed in a tree or sprinkled on the ground.
0:21:25 > 0:21:29Carefully chopped, hand-fed, bottle-fed, spoon-fed
0:21:29 > 0:21:35and even sometimes, just for a change, served up on a plate.
0:21:35 > 0:21:39Down in Pets Corner, head of section Darren Beasley and his team
0:21:39 > 0:21:41have got food preparation down to a fine art.
0:21:41 > 0:21:45We've got more animals in Pets Corner than the rest of the park.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48They may be small but they all have their own dietary requirements.
0:21:48 > 0:21:53We have so many animals, so many hungry animals all the time, it's a never-ending cycle.
0:21:53 > 0:21:55Morning, guys! Breakfast.
0:21:55 > 0:21:59Everything from exotic fruit, from papaya and mango,
0:21:59 > 0:22:03all the way down to whole chickens and things like that.
0:22:03 > 0:22:05It's an incredible amount of food.
0:22:05 > 0:22:10You've got to remember how many animals are in that enclosure, what time they need their food,
0:22:10 > 0:22:14how they need it presented, do they need multivitamins sprinkled on it,
0:22:14 > 0:22:18do they like it chopped lengthways or in segments? This is just skimming the surface.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21We tease the guys up in the lion reserve.
0:22:21 > 0:22:23They do the most dangerous job on the whole park,
0:22:23 > 0:22:27but they drive a tractor around and chuck meat out. What's the skill in that?
0:22:27 > 0:22:32Today, in addition to the regular order, keeper Alexa Fairbairn
0:22:32 > 0:22:35has asked Mark for some special ingredients for the ferrets.
0:22:35 > 0:22:39We get requests, get things that they don't normally
0:22:39 > 0:22:43have on an everyday basis. The ferrets, for example.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45So we've gone off and had to go round the
0:22:45 > 0:22:50supermarkets and shops, looking for the necessary things they require.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52See how much he weighs.
0:22:52 > 0:22:54'A few months ago we did have a problem with them,
0:22:54 > 0:22:56where a mystery illness
0:22:56 > 0:22:59'swept in, basically, and a few of them did get very poorly,
0:22:59 > 0:23:01so we requested from Mark'
0:23:01 > 0:23:02to bring down
0:23:02 > 0:23:04a few different treats for them,
0:23:04 > 0:23:07just to build them up that little bit more,
0:23:07 > 0:23:08and hopefully they'll like it.
0:23:08 > 0:23:13Back in the kitchen, Alexa has her recipe for today's special,
0:23:13 > 0:23:15ferret food cordon bleu.
0:23:15 > 0:23:19Simply take one finely-chopped cucumber.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24Toss in a spattering of raisins.
0:23:25 > 0:23:29Two spoonfuls of creamy peanut butter.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32They love peanut butter. But it does have to be the smooth variety.
0:23:32 > 0:23:36Anything with the chunks can get lodged in their digestive systems.
0:23:36 > 0:23:40Gently squeeze on some delicious multivitamin paste.
0:23:42 > 0:23:47Add a generous dollop of succulent dog food, stir briskly,
0:23:47 > 0:23:50and then, the finishing touch -
0:23:50 > 0:23:53drench with aromatic cod-liver oil.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56This isn't just ferret food,
0:23:56 > 0:24:00this is special dietary-supplement ferret food!
0:24:01 > 0:24:03And there we go.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06That's all very well, but will they like it?
0:24:06 > 0:24:10There, boys. This is brilliant to see.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13A lot of them are tucking in, particularly some of the older ones,
0:24:13 > 0:24:15which is brilliant.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17They obviously like it.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20We'll weigh them every couple of weeks, particularly the older ones,
0:24:20 > 0:24:22like little Angus. We'll keep weighing him
0:24:22 > 0:24:24just to make sure he's OK.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27We'll try out another recipe in a couple of weeks,
0:24:27 > 0:24:28see how they get on with
0:24:28 > 0:24:31that one as well, then pick out their favourites,
0:24:31 > 0:24:33and maybe try and make it into a more regular thing.
0:24:33 > 0:24:37But the ferrets aren't the only ones with special requests.
0:24:37 > 0:24:41The keepers always try to give the animals just what they want,
0:24:41 > 0:24:46whether that's hot potatoes to keep the monkeys warm in the winter,
0:24:46 > 0:24:48- or blackcurrant squash.- Nice?
0:24:50 > 0:24:53Dates and natural yogurt for Nico the gorilla.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56His medicine has to be disguised. The only way
0:24:56 > 0:25:01we've found to get him to take it every day is mix it with yoghurt.
0:25:01 > 0:25:07But out of Longleat's 90 species, who has the largest appetite of all?
0:25:07 > 0:25:09In fact, there's no mystery.
0:25:09 > 0:25:11The biggest eater is the biggest animal.
0:25:11 > 0:25:13Winston the bull rhino weighs
0:25:13 > 0:25:16two and a half tonnes, and every day
0:25:16 > 0:25:21he consumes 25 kilos of hay and up to four and a half kilos
0:25:21 > 0:25:24of high-fibre pellets.
0:25:24 > 0:25:28But while Winston eats the most food, he's not the greediest.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31In fact, that title goes to one of the smallest animals here,
0:25:31 > 0:25:33the Egyptian fruit bats.
0:25:33 > 0:25:37Every day, each of them will eat their own body weight in fruit.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40That's like me eating 100 pineapples
0:25:40 > 0:25:46or 600 bananas, or even 1,000 plums, each day.
0:25:56 > 0:26:00Down in the otter enclosure, for over 30 years the keepers
0:26:00 > 0:26:05have waited for the pitter-patter of tiny paws, but sadly,
0:26:05 > 0:26:06none have come.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09Then, earlier this season, to everyone's delight,
0:26:09 > 0:26:14Rosie produced her first litter, and baby fever hit town.
0:26:14 > 0:26:18Months later, there were more celebrations when a second litter
0:26:18 > 0:26:20arrived, and we've just heard
0:26:20 > 0:26:22there's even more news,
0:26:22 > 0:26:26so Ben's heading down to meet keeper Rob Savin.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29Morning, Rob. Tell me what's happened.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32It's brilliant stuff, we've got two new additions to the big family.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35The big family is huge already!
0:26:35 > 0:26:39Huge already, yes. Eight already, and now an extra two little ones.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42- Really recent? When was this? - Only just under two weeks ago.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45- Incredible.- They're small at the minute.
0:26:45 > 0:26:46Shall we have a look at them?
0:26:46 > 0:26:48- They're inside? - Yes, I check every morning.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51What we have to do first of all, if I give you a pair of these,
0:26:51 > 0:26:53I'll let you go on in and do it.
0:26:53 > 0:26:55- We're OK going close to them? - You should be.
0:26:55 > 0:26:57What I like to do every morning is,
0:26:57 > 0:27:00while I can get the others out, the adults out, and
0:27:00 > 0:27:02give them a bit of grub, they'll come out for that.
0:27:02 > 0:27:06I just lock them out very briefly so I can go in and give it a clean,
0:27:06 > 0:27:08because I don't want to go in for too long.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11I go in and give it a clean and check that they're all right.
0:27:11 > 0:27:15These gloves are so that I don't put my smell anywhere near them?
0:27:15 > 0:27:18Yeah, absolutely. If you just rummage your hands gently into the straw,
0:27:18 > 0:27:20you'll get a bit of the otters'
0:27:20 > 0:27:23smell on them so that they know it's nothing to worry about.
0:27:23 > 0:27:25Because they can't see at the moment.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27They're pretty helpless for a while.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30Just get in there, have a little check.
0:27:30 > 0:27:34Probably somewhere at the back. I'll let you go on in.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37Rummage your hands first of all in the straw.
0:27:37 > 0:27:39- Just gently step in. - Just over here somewhere?
0:27:39 > 0:27:42Just have a little rummage around, very gently move some of the straw.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44Have you found them? There you go.
0:27:44 > 0:27:48I can see them over in the corner there. They're absolutely tiny.
0:27:48 > 0:27:49They are at the moment.
0:27:49 > 0:27:53I've just seen some movement, that's probably what you're looking for.
0:27:53 > 0:27:55They're both all right at the moment.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58They have been so far, so fingers crossed.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01- I don't want to disturb them. - It's early days at the moment.
0:28:01 > 0:28:04Shall I put this back on them now?
0:28:04 > 0:28:06Yeah, just gently cover them back over,
0:28:06 > 0:28:09and we'll let mum back in and she can come and have a smell.
0:28:09 > 0:28:11And that's what you'll do, check that they're OK,
0:28:11 > 0:28:13there's no problems?
0:28:13 > 0:28:14Literally, that's it at the moment.
0:28:14 > 0:28:17They're doing everything on their own.
0:28:17 > 0:28:20The first time when we had the babies in the past, I was like
0:28:20 > 0:28:23a worried father, trying to get involved, "Should I intervene
0:28:23 > 0:28:27"in some way?", but they're perfectly capable of sorting themselves out.
0:28:27 > 0:28:31How long will they be suckling from Rosie?
0:28:31 > 0:28:34It's around 40 days, but to be honest, the first time
0:28:34 > 0:28:38she had pups, almost two years ago now, everything was by the book.
0:28:38 > 0:28:42It was eyes open 40 days, start eating solids around the same sort of
0:28:42 > 0:28:45time, outside at the appropriate time, about six or seven weeks.
0:28:45 > 0:28:47But last year it was a bit different.
0:28:47 > 0:28:51She was bringing them out after about two weeks, and we were thinking,
0:28:51 > 0:28:54"What are they doing so early?," and worrying,
0:28:54 > 0:28:56but there's no need to worry - it happened before.
0:28:56 > 0:28:59Are you confident they'll interact with the others?
0:28:59 > 0:29:00I think they'll be fine.
0:29:00 > 0:29:03The initial thing when they do get a little bit bigger,
0:29:03 > 0:29:06when they do start eating the solid food,
0:29:06 > 0:29:09I'm just going to have to make sure they're getting a fair share
0:29:09 > 0:29:11and the original big pups aren't
0:29:11 > 0:29:15getting greedy and taking it from them, but they should all be helping,
0:29:15 > 0:29:16the whole family should help.
0:29:16 > 0:29:19- Fantastic. Well, congratulations. - Thank you very much.
0:29:19 > 0:29:21Thank you for letting me see them.
0:29:32 > 0:29:36At Meerkat Mountain, the five new babies are now six weeks old,
0:29:36 > 0:29:40and it's a very special day for them and their keeper, John Reynolds.
0:29:40 > 0:29:42It's a lovely day today, so we've decided that
0:29:42 > 0:29:44we're going to let the meerkats out.
0:29:44 > 0:29:46We have let them out in the past,
0:29:46 > 0:29:48but this is the first full day they've been out.
0:29:48 > 0:29:52It's very rare for them to have five, and to be honest we didn't really
0:29:52 > 0:29:56expect all of them to survive, and we've got the results now.
0:29:56 > 0:30:00We've got all five still living, and absolutely incredible.
0:30:01 > 0:30:04And now, here they come.
0:30:05 > 0:30:08Meerkats don't start to get their adult markings until
0:30:08 > 0:30:10they're three months old.
0:30:10 > 0:30:14But they're born with those black patches around their eyes,
0:30:14 > 0:30:17which makes them look like little gangsters.
0:30:19 > 0:30:22There's a large enclosure to be explored,
0:30:22 > 0:30:25and plenty of mischief to get up to.
0:30:39 > 0:30:43Already, their personalities are starting to show through.
0:30:43 > 0:30:46Some are more adventurous than others,
0:30:46 > 0:30:50and at the end of the day, they're all exhausted and ready to go back
0:30:50 > 0:30:53in their house under the mountain.
0:30:53 > 0:30:57Eagle-eyed John has been watching them closely and has spotted that
0:30:57 > 0:30:59one has a minor injury.
0:30:59 > 0:31:01They've been bounding around,
0:31:01 > 0:31:04having a whale of a time, but unfortunately one of them has
0:31:04 > 0:31:06hurt his eye or something.
0:31:06 > 0:31:08It's got caught on a stick or something outside,
0:31:08 > 0:31:12possibly been fighting, so it's gone a bit sore so we're going to
0:31:12 > 0:31:14put some medication on it.
0:31:14 > 0:31:17If there's any infections, it will clear any infections, but also
0:31:17 > 0:31:19just for our peace of mind, really.
0:31:19 > 0:31:25Meerkats identify each other mainly by smell, so John makes sure he gets
0:31:25 > 0:31:29the mob's scent on his hands before he administers the eye drops.
0:31:29 > 0:31:31Come on, here we go.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35Here he is. You don't really want to pick them up unless
0:31:35 > 0:31:36we absolutely have to,
0:31:36 > 0:31:40but we're trying to step in there before anything happens.
0:31:47 > 0:31:48You all right?
0:31:51 > 0:31:55Over the next few days, John keeps a close eye on them.
0:31:55 > 0:31:59By watching their parents, the babies quickly learn to
0:31:59 > 0:32:00eat bugs and fruit,
0:32:00 > 0:32:02the staples of a meerkat diet.
0:32:02 > 0:32:06And because there are five brothers and sisters, there's a lot of rough
0:32:06 > 0:32:09- and tumble at dinner-time. - From a young age,
0:32:09 > 0:32:12the babies will fight amongst themselves - they want more food,
0:32:12 > 0:32:14they want to be the strongest,
0:32:14 > 0:32:17and in the wild it's survival of the fittest.
0:32:17 > 0:32:22In the barren deserts where they come from, food is very scarce, and
0:32:22 > 0:32:25an extra mouthful can be the difference between life and death.
0:32:25 > 0:32:30Meerkat Mountain is a much safer place to grow up, but it's not
0:32:30 > 0:32:32completely without hazards.
0:32:32 > 0:32:35One's had a fall and is limping.
0:32:35 > 0:32:38Although John's concerned, he knows it could be
0:32:38 > 0:32:40more dangerous to intervene.
0:32:40 > 0:32:41We'll keep a close eye on it
0:32:41 > 0:32:45for now, and in the next couple of days make sure it's all right.
0:32:45 > 0:32:47We'll do it from a distance at first.
0:32:47 > 0:32:49We don't want to go in there and pick it up every day.
0:32:49 > 0:32:53It will stress it out, it'll stress the mum out. We don't
0:32:53 > 0:32:56really want that, so we'll keep an eye on it and see how it goes.
0:32:56 > 0:32:58So far, there's only been a couple
0:32:58 > 0:33:04of minor injuries, but these little ones still have a long way to go.
0:33:04 > 0:33:07We'll be back later to see if they all survive.
0:33:15 > 0:33:18Roaming across the safari park are a variety of different antelope.
0:33:18 > 0:33:22Since Darcy the bongo is now thankfully safe back in his
0:33:22 > 0:33:24enclosure, it means I can head off
0:33:24 > 0:33:28in search of the notoriously shy black buck family.
0:33:28 > 0:33:31Once hunted almost to extinction,
0:33:31 > 0:33:35getting close to these rare creatures is near impossible.
0:33:35 > 0:33:40So I've joined head of section Tim Yeo to entice them over
0:33:40 > 0:33:41with a little food.
0:33:41 > 0:33:45We're creeping about a little bit because we've come here
0:33:45 > 0:33:47to see the black buck.
0:33:47 > 0:33:50There's a beautiful family, just over there.
0:33:50 > 0:33:52But they're very, very shy, so Tim
0:33:52 > 0:33:56and I went out and fed them a little bit earlier, snuck back in here,
0:33:56 > 0:33:58and now we're watching them,
0:33:58 > 0:34:02- although the buffalo have slightly scuppered our plans.- They have,
0:34:02 > 0:34:05- as they often do! - They're looking quite calm.
0:34:05 > 0:34:08It's a much bigger herd than it was last year.
0:34:08 > 0:34:12- Yes.- I noticed just as we were looking over there that there's
0:34:12 > 0:34:16one that looks very much smaller than the rest. How old is that one?
0:34:16 > 0:34:19That little kid there is about two months old now.
0:34:19 > 0:34:24We're not quite sure whether a boy or girl at the moment.
0:34:24 > 0:34:26Black buck, where are they from?
0:34:26 > 0:34:31Some years ago, you would have found them very widely populated in India.
0:34:31 > 0:34:36- Right.- But I think, because of hunting, and poaching
0:34:36 > 0:34:40more so, I think now you'd probably have to go to northern Nepal, really.
0:34:40 > 0:34:43I was going to ask you about the name, because black buck
0:34:43 > 0:34:44seems a little odd.
0:34:44 > 0:34:49You've got one quite dark brown, chocolaty-coloured, clearly a male,
0:34:49 > 0:34:52with the big horns, but the rest of them are sort of beige.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55Shouldn't they be called beige buck, really?!
0:34:55 > 0:35:00Yes, it's an interesting one, because even adult males, if they haven't
0:35:00 > 0:35:06quite reached sexual maturity, they will retain that beigey colour.
0:35:06 > 0:35:09Oh, really? So it's only the dominant male in the herd that
0:35:09 > 0:35:13will get that lovely, dark, chocolaty colour.
0:35:13 > 0:35:18Exactly, and that apparently is due to the testosterone level.
0:35:18 > 0:35:22As that rises, he gets this lovely, dark coat.
0:35:22 > 0:35:24It can also change back.
0:35:24 > 0:35:28They're incredibly swift, aren't they? Look at the little one.
0:35:28 > 0:35:30That's fantastic.
0:35:30 > 0:35:32Really elegant animals.
0:35:32 > 0:35:36They would have been hunted, many years ago, by cheetah.
0:35:36 > 0:35:43They apparently can achieve speeds of about 110 kilometres per hour.
0:35:43 > 0:35:45That's extraordinary!
0:35:45 > 0:35:49That leaping is a very good defence mechanism, isn't it?
0:35:49 > 0:35:53- It breaks up the line of concentration.- Quite.
0:35:53 > 0:35:56Oh, they're giving us a great show, this is fantastic.
0:35:56 > 0:35:59Do you ever have problems with the males fighting?
0:35:59 > 0:36:01That will certainly happen,
0:36:01 > 0:36:05particularly as a young male comes up through the group,
0:36:05 > 0:36:08and when he feels that he's strong enough to take on the herd male,
0:36:08 > 0:36:11then we would certainly get fighting.
0:36:11 > 0:36:14It's severe fighting, it's pretty nasty.
0:36:14 > 0:36:17So if this little young one does prove to be a male,
0:36:17 > 0:36:20will you then need to think about maybe splitting
0:36:20 > 0:36:22the herd up or moving him away
0:36:22 > 0:36:26so that you don't have this big clash between father and son?
0:36:26 > 0:36:29That certainly is an issue.
0:36:29 > 0:36:33We'll have some time before that is necessary.
0:36:33 > 0:36:36Well, it's just been wonderful to see them, Tim.
0:36:36 > 0:36:39They are the most difficult things to film at Longleat,
0:36:39 > 0:36:41but they've given us a great show.
0:36:41 > 0:36:43Thank you very much indeed, and thank you, black buck.
0:37:05 > 0:37:08At Meerkat Mountain, the mob are in mourning.
0:37:08 > 0:37:11Although all five babies survived for two months,
0:37:11 > 0:37:16and seemed to be doing well, there's now been some very bad news.
0:37:16 > 0:37:18A few days ago, Darren Beasley
0:37:18 > 0:37:21arrived to find that the baby with the poorly eye
0:37:21 > 0:37:23had died in the night.
0:37:24 > 0:37:27If that wasn't bad enough, the next day
0:37:27 > 0:37:32he discovered another of the pups had succumbed to a mystery ailment.
0:37:32 > 0:37:35One minute everybody's really elated and really happy
0:37:35 > 0:37:37and we're raising the roof
0:37:37 > 0:37:40cos we've got babies, and the next minute it's all very sad
0:37:40 > 0:37:43because nature can be so cruel and heartless,
0:37:43 > 0:37:47and we've lost a couple of babies, which is really quite sad.
0:37:47 > 0:37:51It's yet another blow for meerkat keeper John Reynolds.
0:37:51 > 0:37:56It was a shock to begin with. We were absolutely
0:37:56 > 0:38:01devastated, but we've got used to the fact that they've gone.
0:38:01 > 0:38:03We've got to get on with it and focus on
0:38:03 > 0:38:04the three that are here.
0:38:04 > 0:38:08John doesn't have time to dwell on these sad events,
0:38:08 > 0:38:11because right now they're expecting a special visitor.
0:38:16 > 0:38:20Lord Bath himself has come down from the great house
0:38:20 > 0:38:22to meet the meerkat pups.
0:38:22 > 0:38:25He's concerned to find there's now only three.
0:38:25 > 0:38:30Can you be sure it's not the parents killing them?
0:38:30 > 0:38:32We don't think so, because if it was,
0:38:32 > 0:38:35there would be bite marks and blood.
0:38:35 > 0:38:39We'll keep a close eye on the rest of these ones and hope for the best.
0:38:39 > 0:38:41Yes. Hello!
0:38:43 > 0:38:47Now they've got this far... Which is what, three months old?
0:38:47 > 0:38:49Two months old, nearly, eight weeks.
0:38:49 > 0:38:52How good are the chances they'll reach adult?
0:38:52 > 0:38:55In a month or so, they'll be more or less self-sufficient.
0:38:55 > 0:38:58Hopefully, they'll all survive, the rest of them.
0:38:58 > 0:39:01Hello! Do they nip?
0:39:01 > 0:39:04You wouldn't ever put your hand underneath and pick up?
0:39:04 > 0:39:08Er, no, not without gauntlets. For a very, very good reason.
0:39:08 > 0:39:13I think I'm liable to a surreptitious attack from behind!
0:39:18 > 0:39:22Of course, the meerkats aren't really little gangsters or bandits,
0:39:22 > 0:39:26despite the names that John's suggested for the three little ones.
0:39:26 > 0:39:28The Good, the Bad and the Ugly!
0:39:29 > 0:39:31It's just that they look so mischievous,
0:39:31 > 0:39:35and, despite all the tragedies, there's something about the mob
0:39:35 > 0:39:38that people can identify with.
0:39:38 > 0:39:40We can relate to them, cos they're a family,
0:39:40 > 0:39:42everybody looking after each other.
0:39:42 > 0:39:43I could spend hours in here.
0:39:43 > 0:39:48If I didn't have a real job to do, earn my pennies, I just sit in here
0:39:48 > 0:39:50for hours and watch and enjoy this.
0:39:50 > 0:39:52It's nice. It's nice to have things
0:39:52 > 0:39:56to be proud of, and I'm really proud of this, really am.
0:40:13 > 0:40:17Earlier today, Darcy, the new bongo to the safari park,
0:40:17 > 0:40:18tried to exit Longleat.
0:40:18 > 0:40:23Yes, a whole group of keepers had to work very closely together to try
0:40:23 > 0:40:27and coax him back into the safari park and into safety.
0:40:27 > 0:40:29You may think that is Darcy.
0:40:29 > 0:40:32But oh no, he has been confined to quarters,
0:40:32 > 0:40:35and deputy head warden Ian Turner is here.
0:40:35 > 0:40:38Ian, the operation seemed to go extremely well.
0:40:38 > 0:40:41It was actually very calm and very ordered.
0:40:41 > 0:40:43Yeah, one of the lucky things is, he's quiet.
0:40:43 > 0:40:44That's one of the good things.
0:40:44 > 0:40:46The hiccup is, because he's quiet,
0:40:46 > 0:40:50he caused the problem he caused, by walking across a cattle grid.
0:40:50 > 0:40:52One of the problems was that Darcy
0:40:52 > 0:40:55likes to keep himself to himself and away from the other bongo.
0:40:55 > 0:40:59Behind us is evidence they rather like him. Is that so?
0:40:59 > 0:41:01They know something's happened.
0:41:01 > 0:41:03Today he's been on a bit of a journey,
0:41:03 > 0:41:06so they've just come to see what's going on.
0:41:06 > 0:41:08What's going to be the plan?
0:41:08 > 0:41:12Because clearly he can't stay shut in here forever?
0:41:13 > 0:41:17Well the plan is, we'll just keep him in a little bit longer
0:41:17 > 0:41:18so he gets a little bit used to them,
0:41:18 > 0:41:22and we'll maybe try and mix one of them inside, which we did before.
0:41:22 > 0:41:23They got on quite well.
0:41:23 > 0:41:26As soon as they came outside, he just wandered off on his own.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29- Right.- He doesn't seem to mix well very, do you?
0:41:29 > 0:41:32Ian, you've been here for...
0:41:32 > 0:41:34We won't say how many years,
0:41:34 > 0:41:38but you must have had animals breaching fences in the past?
0:41:38 > 0:41:41How do you think the whole exercise earlier went?
0:41:41 > 0:41:44Lovely. I mean, he was a bit of a pain when we got him back in
0:41:44 > 0:41:46and walked him towards the house.
0:41:46 > 0:41:49As soon as we got him towards here, he ran off again,
0:41:49 > 0:41:51straight towards the cattle grid,
0:41:51 > 0:41:55but we managed to stop him in time again, and got him in a trailer.
0:41:55 > 0:41:57We put him in a trailer, didn't we?
0:41:57 > 0:42:00One of the things we'll have to do is sort out the cattle grid,
0:42:00 > 0:42:01cos that one is broken.
0:42:01 > 0:42:05So that wants fixing. Maybe we'll have to do some fencing at the side.
0:42:05 > 0:42:08One of the things they don't like is walking on concrete.
0:42:08 > 0:42:11- Ah!- Which is why we wanted to get him out of the paddock
0:42:11 > 0:42:13as early as we can, and back into the open.
0:42:13 > 0:42:15While we've been talking,
0:42:15 > 0:42:18another bongo has also come up to check on Darcy!
0:42:18 > 0:42:20They can all be reassured that he's fine.
0:42:20 > 0:42:23They can, and so can we. He's looking fantastic, Ian.
0:42:23 > 0:42:25I'm glad everything went well.
0:42:25 > 0:42:28Sadly, that's all we've got time for on today's programme,
0:42:28 > 0:42:31but here's what's coming up on the next Animal Park.
0:42:32 > 0:42:35Last year, the pregnant sea lions defended their territory against
0:42:35 > 0:42:41the keepers, but it's birthing time again, and another fight is brewing.
0:42:41 > 0:42:44They've decided now they want my bridge.
0:42:44 > 0:42:47So, I'm not having it, I will win!
0:42:47 > 0:42:50We're up with the giraffes to see
0:42:50 > 0:42:53the other part of their body that's very long.
0:42:53 > 0:42:57And we turn back the clock over 50 years to a time when being
0:42:57 > 0:43:01a visitor at Longleat was quite a different experience.
0:43:09 > 0:43:11Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:43:11 > 0:43:13E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk