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 > 0:00:15There have been many glorious births, but also, tragically, many deaths at Meerkat Mountain.
0:00:15 > 0:00:20Everyone has their fingers crossed as their journey continues today.
0:00:42 > 0:00:47'Today on Animal Park, I'll be helping to put up new toys for the lions,
0:00:47 > 0:00:51'to prove they're just big pussycats.'
0:00:51 > 0:00:56'The pygmy goats have had a baby boom. We'll be meeting the new kids on the block.'
0:00:56 > 0:01:01And Kate goes in search of the world's most dangerous tortoise food.
0:01:01 > 0:01:06But we're starting off with high drama on Meerkat Mountain.
0:01:16 > 0:01:20Meerkat Mountain is one of the most dangerous places in the park.
0:01:22 > 0:01:26The collective name for a gang of meerkats is a mob,
0:01:26 > 0:01:32which is quite appropriate, after all the violence and tragedy that has happened here in recent times.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35- Hi, guys.- Darren Beasley is the keeper in charge.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38His mission has always been to get them to breed.
0:01:38 > 0:01:45But before that could ever happen, the mob had to become a settled and stable family group.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48We've been trying to get the meerkat balance here right,
0:01:48 > 0:01:50and it's been a real trial for all the keepers down here.
0:01:50 > 0:01:55We brought in some new blood from two collections -
0:01:55 > 0:01:58some girls and a single boy, a breeding male.
0:01:58 > 0:02:02And it was a nightmare. There was fighting, there was squabbling,
0:02:02 > 0:02:06and in the end, very sadly, there was a fatality.
0:02:06 > 0:02:08They fought so badly that they killed each other.
0:02:08 > 0:02:14Meerkats come from the barren deserts of southern Africa,
0:02:14 > 0:02:18a landscape so harsh that the only rule is kill or be killed.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21But after that murder, the mob did settle down.
0:02:21 > 0:02:28An alpha male and female emerged as leaders, and finally, they began to breed.
0:02:28 > 0:02:34Three pups from their first litter have survived, and they're now four months old.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37It's taken years, and tears and heartache along the way,
0:02:37 > 0:02:38but we're there, and long may it reign.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42Once there's an established alpha couple,
0:02:42 > 0:02:45there's no reason why they shouldn't just keep breeding.
0:02:45 > 0:02:49A mob can easily have over 30 family members.
0:02:49 > 0:02:54But at Meerkat Mountain, it seems that tragedy is never far away.
0:02:54 > 0:02:58When the next litter came, there were two pups.
0:02:58 > 0:03:03But one soon died, and the other was abandoned by her parents.
0:03:03 > 0:03:11So, keeper John Reynolds took on the labour intensive and emotionally charged task of hand rearing.
0:03:11 > 0:03:13He looked after the baby for five weeks.
0:03:13 > 0:03:17And then, the time came to try to reintegrate her into the mob.
0:03:17 > 0:03:22'I think she is ready to go back in with the male.
0:03:22 > 0:03:27'She is old enough now, she is strong enough, she is healthy enough.
0:03:27 > 0:03:31'She really needs to be back with her own kind, it's good for her.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33'I mean, I can't teach her to dig in the ground
0:03:33 > 0:03:38'or stand up on her two legs. I can't teach her to be a meerkat.'
0:03:47 > 0:03:50This is the moment of truth.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54Will the mob accept the baby back, or kill her as an intruder?
0:04:05 > 0:04:08So far, this is looking good.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11I'm absolutely thrilled with what's happened here,
0:04:11 > 0:04:14it's gone better than I could have possibly imagined.
0:04:14 > 0:04:17They've taken to her like she was never gone.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19It really is absolutely incredible.
0:04:23 > 0:04:27But sadly, this early success was short-lived.
0:04:27 > 0:04:32Nobody knows why or how it happened, but a few days later,
0:04:32 > 0:04:35John's little baby was found dead.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40But this wasn't the last drama on Meerkat Mountain,
0:04:40 > 0:04:43because the alpha female is now pregnant again.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46And we'll be back soon to see what happens
0:04:46 > 0:04:49when the next litter of pups comes along.
0:04:55 > 0:04:59They may be ferocious killers who'd as soon rip your throat out as look at you,
0:04:59 > 0:05:04but lions also like nothing more than a good play.
0:05:04 > 0:05:09So last year, we helped put up some giant cat toys,
0:05:09 > 0:05:13and it was fantastic to see how much they enjoyed the apparatus.
0:05:13 > 0:05:18Unfortunately, it didn't take the lions long to tear the lot to shreds,
0:05:18 > 0:05:23though the toys may have lasted longer if only they'd been a bit bigger.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26Over there are some very keen lions.
0:05:26 > 0:05:30I'm out in the lion enclosure with a very unusual toy,
0:05:30 > 0:05:33and I've come to catch up with keeper Bob Trollope.
0:05:33 > 0:05:35- Hi, Bob.- Hi, Ben.
0:05:35 > 0:05:40- A lion toy.- Yes.- Mark two, because we have done this before, haven't we?
0:05:40 > 0:05:45Yes, we have, and they absolutely love this sort of stimulation.
0:05:45 > 0:05:49- We've got a few new designs.- OK. So, presumably, this is a swing.
0:05:49 > 0:05:53A swingy-type thing, obviously, with added extras.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55You won't find that in your normal playground!
0:05:55 > 0:05:58And I've noticed the rope here is really solid.
0:05:58 > 0:06:02- That is a think rope.- This is thicker than we've used in the past.
0:06:02 > 0:06:08Several reasons for that - lions have got sharp teeth and they do tend to eat it!
0:06:08 > 0:06:13OK. So, where are we going to put this enormous ball?
0:06:13 > 0:06:18We're going to hang it from this log here, so that they can swing and dangle on it.
0:06:18 > 0:06:23But this is basically to keep them busy and occupied...
0:06:23 > 0:06:26- Yeah.- It's not just for show, is it?
0:06:26 > 0:06:29No. They have each other to play with, obviously,
0:06:29 > 0:06:33but we do try to stimulate them with other things.
0:06:33 > 0:06:38- And toys are something that we can... - We've got Craig there, helping us. Morning, Craig.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41Just pass that up and over.
0:06:41 > 0:06:46- I think we've have to wrap this round a few times. - Shall we put that through there?
0:06:46 > 0:06:52- And pull that back.- Then if we let that down and tighten that up around...
0:06:52 > 0:06:54So, just remind me which pride this is.
0:06:54 > 0:06:59This is Kabir's pride. One of the reasons why we do it in this pride
0:06:59 > 0:07:03is because there's a lot of youngsters. If we go over that way...
0:07:03 > 0:07:07We have to send this over now, so Craig, if you can get that.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10We have to send it round quite a few times until we get it to the right height.
0:07:10 > 0:07:15So this is Kabir's pride. And of course, there are some youngsters in with them now,
0:07:15 > 0:07:21- who last year could barely even reach...- They were too small last year to play with the toys we had.
0:07:21 > 0:07:26- So this is going to be really new to them.- Yeah.
0:07:26 > 0:07:32- They played with the remains!- Yeah. - Because lions, as we know, are...
0:07:32 > 0:07:35- Now, let's just see... - Will that swing?
0:07:35 > 0:07:39- I think...- I reckon they could do a lot with that, yeah.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42Because if we go any higher, it's going to be too close to it.
0:07:42 > 0:07:44I think that'll be a pretty good level.
0:07:44 > 0:07:49And do you think it's going to be those youngsters that will come out here first of all,
0:07:49 > 0:07:54- and just jump on it? Because walking in, they were all looking at me. - They're keen to get out,
0:07:54 > 0:07:59you can see them there. Youngsters will definitely play with this.
0:07:59 > 0:08:03More likely, mum... I like to think Kabir will come over and investigate,
0:08:03 > 0:08:08but whether he plays with it or not... He might just watch the kids playing, I think.
0:08:08 > 0:08:12OK. Well, shall we get in?
0:08:12 > 0:08:16And join us later in the programme,
0:08:16 > 0:08:21and we'll find out what Kabir's pride make of their new toys.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23OK, take her away, Craig!
0:08:34 > 0:08:37It's not obvious, but Meerkat Mountain is hollow.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40Underneath is the mob's indoor pen.
0:08:40 > 0:08:47And that's where the keep in charge of them, Darren Beasley, has just made an exciting discovery.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50HIGH PITCHED YELPING (You can hear the noise!)
0:08:55 > 0:08:57(One, two, three, four five.)
0:09:01 > 0:09:03Five brand new babies.
0:09:03 > 0:09:08And mum's been brilliant, she's been nursing them, so they've had their first milk.
0:09:08 > 0:09:13Hopefully this will boost our numbers again and it'll be a happy little meerkat mob.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16That's what we want. So we'll leave them in peace now.
0:09:16 > 0:09:21In the wild, it would be very unusual for all five to survive.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24We always have this problem with any baby animal -
0:09:24 > 0:09:29we get all excited on day one, but it's just the beginning of mum and dad's real hard work,
0:09:29 > 0:09:33so the thing with the meerkats, if they get it right, which we know these guys can now,
0:09:33 > 0:09:36is that the older brothers and sisters will help.
0:09:36 > 0:09:41Bit of nice weather and they'll be out like little teddy bear miniature meerkats very soon.
0:09:41 > 0:09:47And touch wood - I know it's only the first couple of hours they've been born - but it's looking excellent.
0:09:47 > 0:09:52But Darren knows only too well that when there's good news on Meerkat Mountain,
0:09:52 > 0:09:56bad news is often not far behind.
0:09:56 > 0:09:59We'll be back very soon.
0:10:08 > 0:10:13Earlier in the series, we saw what happened when Sour, the nanny goat, had triplets.
0:10:13 > 0:10:19Unfortunately, she just couldn't cope with three, and so rejected the smallest one.
0:10:19 > 0:10:24The little kid would certainly have died if senior warden Bev Evans hadn't intervened.
0:10:24 > 0:10:28And for a while there, it was still touch and go.
0:10:31 > 0:10:36But the baby did survive, was named Bubble, and has had to be bottle fed ever since.
0:10:36 > 0:10:41But that was just the start of this year's pygmy goat birthing season,
0:10:41 > 0:10:45so Kate has gone to meet Bev and catch up with developments.
0:10:45 > 0:10:50- There seem, suddenly, to be thousands of them!- Yes, we've got quite a lot at the moment.
0:10:50 > 0:10:55We've got about 21. We had a bit of a prosperous year this year for breeding,
0:10:55 > 0:10:58- we had nine kids born. - That's fantastic.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01Although you would think that goats could breed very easily,
0:11:01 > 0:11:04pygmy goats are quite difficult to breed, is that right?
0:11:04 > 0:11:09They can be. They conceive quite well, but the breed does have
0:11:09 > 0:11:14quite a high stillborn and mortality rate with the youngsters.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17So it can be quite a difficult birth for them, because they are so small.
0:11:17 > 0:11:22And all of them doing well, all the parents doing the things they should do?
0:11:22 > 0:11:25Er, kind of. We do have two hand reared females.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29Basically, two of our girls had triplets.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32One didn't have enough milk, so we took one of the females off,
0:11:32 > 0:11:36and the other one just kind of abandoned one of the little ones.
0:11:36 > 0:11:42Oh, really? Quite often with sheep, they'll take one away and give it to another mother.
0:11:42 > 0:11:46So why did you hand rear and not give it to one of the other adults?
0:11:46 > 0:11:49We didn't have anyone, really, who could take one on.
0:11:49 > 0:11:56They all had enough babies of their own, so we were able to hand rear them from powdered milk instead.
0:11:56 > 0:12:01So which two need feeding, and how on earth do you manage to feed them and not all the others?
0:12:01 > 0:12:07- Well, there are two, you can see... - These two!- ..they're the two keenest. This is Dora and Bubble.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10Bubble was the one who was abandoned by her mum, Sour.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13We don't really know why, she just was,
0:12:13 > 0:12:16so we had to intervene quite dramatically.
0:12:16 > 0:12:22Now, I heard that really, you were key in saving Bubble's life, she wasn't going to make it.
0:12:22 > 0:12:27Yes, Andy and I kept an eye on her throughout the day, but she went downhill.
0:12:27 > 0:12:34She got a little bit cold, and generally, she was kind of at death's door, to be blunt.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37But we just kept rubbing her with a towel, things like that,
0:12:37 > 0:12:40syringed some colostrum, which we milked off Sour,
0:12:40 > 0:12:44and just tried to keep her spirits up.
0:12:44 > 0:12:48And it didn't take too long, just a few hours, until she stood up on her own.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51Shall we try giving them some food now, and see what they want to do?
0:12:51 > 0:12:55I don't think I've ever hand fed a goat before! Lambs, yes, goats, no.
0:12:55 > 0:12:59This is Bubble, she has a little less milk as she's a bit smaller.
0:12:59 > 0:13:00Is there a knack to it?
0:13:00 > 0:13:04Just head it towards her mouth and just lift up slightly,
0:13:04 > 0:13:07she kind of does the rest, but she's incredibly strong for her size.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09As you can see!
0:13:09 > 0:13:12It must be quite hard being a mother goat, actually!
0:13:12 > 0:13:16They really do push to get the milk out, don't they?
0:13:16 > 0:13:22Yeah, and as you can see, it doesn't take them very long to actually drink most of the milk.
0:13:22 > 0:13:26They're absolutely adorable. It must be very rewarding for you
0:13:26 > 0:13:33to get them to this stage, get them to the stage where they can almost go and be completely independent.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35They've done very well the whole way through,
0:13:35 > 0:13:38we haven't had any problems with them at all, touch wood!
0:13:38 > 0:13:40So yeah, it's been really good.
0:13:40 > 0:13:42You're getting it all over your head!
0:13:42 > 0:13:46That's it, crikey! Absolutely done and dusted, Bubble,
0:13:46 > 0:13:50you can keep sucking on that, but I don't think you're going to find any more.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53Bev, they're a complete credit to you, very well done.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56You're not going to give up, are you, little one?
0:13:56 > 0:14:01And we look forward to seeing her out and grazing on the grass very, very soon.
0:14:01 > 0:14:05Well done, you two! Aren't you brilliant? Yes!
0:14:06 > 0:14:11Keeping the safari park running smoothly seven days a week, 52 weeks a year
0:14:11 > 0:14:14is a massive logistical operation.
0:14:14 > 0:14:18There are over 100 members of staff responsible for everything
0:14:18 > 0:14:22from caring for the animals to maintaining the grounds.
0:14:23 > 0:14:29But of all the jobs, one of the most important is just keeping the animals well fed.
0:14:29 > 0:14:33With 900 animals in the park, there's a lot of mouths to feed,
0:14:33 > 0:14:36about 90 species, you know, it's a big operation.
0:14:36 > 0:14:41Mark Tye is the keeper in charge of looking after all the lake animals.
0:14:41 > 0:14:46But he's also responsible for supplying food to the entire safari park.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49We have to make sure that it's all done and ordered,
0:14:49 > 0:14:55and delivered on time. Animals don't wait for anybody, they expect their food on time,
0:14:55 > 0:14:59at the right time and in the right way, so we have to make sure we're on the ball
0:14:59 > 0:15:01and we all get it sorted every day.
0:15:03 > 0:15:07Hardly a day goes by without a food delivery of some sort.
0:15:08 > 0:15:13With some many different species, each with their own dietary requirement,
0:15:13 > 0:15:17Lake animals keeper Michelle Stephens also has a lot on her plate.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20'This is the feed store, this is where it all happens.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23'This is where we make all the feed up for the whole safari park,
0:15:23 > 0:15:26'and we distribute it out to everyone.'
0:15:26 > 0:15:28And it's important to keep the pantry organised.
0:15:28 > 0:15:32Dog biscuits and whole maize, which are given to the monkeys.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35Bran in this one, which is given to the giraffes.
0:15:35 > 0:15:39We've got some primate pellets - this is a very good specialist diet for the monkeys
0:15:39 > 0:15:41and our gorilla, as well.
0:15:41 > 0:15:46This is something called cattle crunch, and it's what some of the hoof stock have.
0:15:46 > 0:15:51- Over here, we've got the fruit and vegetables.- The monkeys in particular are big fruit eaters.
0:15:51 > 0:15:57And we get a lot of boxes of apples and oranges a year, just for those alone.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59In this bin here, we've got the flamingo food.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02It's a specialist diet for the flamingos.
0:16:02 > 0:16:06It's got a colouring agent in it, which keeps the flamingos nice and pink.
0:16:06 > 0:16:11In the wild, flamingos go pink because of a natural substance in their food.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13But here, they need that supplement.
0:16:13 > 0:16:17Here we've got linseed lozenges, which we give to the giraffes,
0:16:17 > 0:16:21as a supplementary diet. We have chinchilla pellets...
0:16:23 > 0:16:27'The other major thing is the fish delivery, which is important to me, for my animals,
0:16:27 > 0:16:29'the sea lions and pelicans.'
0:16:32 > 0:16:34We get this about every six to eight weeks.
0:16:34 > 0:16:38It's a fair amount, keeps us going for a little while.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42Also, here, we've got some salt licks and some copper licks.
0:16:42 > 0:16:46This is given to the hoof stock, just a vitamin boost for them.
0:16:46 > 0:16:50We've got large mixed nuts, things like walnuts, brazil nuts, that sort of thing.
0:16:50 > 0:16:55The parrots in Pets Corner absolutely love these, it's like a treat that they get.
0:16:55 > 0:16:57And that's basically the whole feed room.
0:16:57 > 0:17:01Every year, between them, the animals consume 44 tonnes of meat...
0:17:04 > 0:17:0513 tonnes of fish...
0:17:06 > 0:17:0842 tonnes of high fibre food,
0:17:08 > 0:17:108,000 bales of hay,
0:17:10 > 0:17:123,600 apples,
0:17:12 > 0:17:1429,000 oranges,
0:17:14 > 0:17:1723,000 bananas,
0:17:17 > 0:17:1921,000 cabbages,
0:17:19 > 0:17:21and 1,500 lettuces.
0:17:21 > 0:17:25Plus a whole host of other fruit, vegetables, nuts, maize, bran,
0:17:25 > 0:17:29corn, biscuits... and some very juicy bugs.
0:17:33 > 0:17:38First thing every morning, Mark loads up his van and heads off round the park.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41All the sections are keen that they get their food as early as they can.
0:17:41 > 0:17:47so we have to get in early and get it all delivered as quick as possible.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50- Anything else you need?- That's all. - That's all? All right, cheers, then.
0:17:50 > 0:17:55It's one of those things, people just expect their food to arrive every morning,
0:17:55 > 0:18:00and sometimes they don't appreciate what it takes to get it there, so, you know, there's a lot of work
0:18:00 > 0:18:04that goes into making sure that all of this food is delivered on time.
0:18:04 > 0:18:09It's a big job to make sure we don't forget anything, because if we do, then on our heads be it, you know!
0:18:09 > 0:18:11We'll be back with Mark and Michelle later
0:18:11 > 0:18:15to discover who's the greediest feeder,
0:18:15 > 0:18:18and to find out some of the strange things that animals eat.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26I am out in Wolf Wood,
0:18:26 > 0:18:30and I mean OUT in Wolf Wood, with Deputy Head Warden, Ian Turner.
0:18:30 > 0:18:32Ian, this seems very, very unwise!
0:18:32 > 0:18:35Usually, we only ever get out to feed the wolves
0:18:35 > 0:18:37and then get back into the feed truck.
0:18:37 > 0:18:41- But we're just here with our Land Rover - why? - We need tortoise food.
0:18:41 > 0:18:43- Tortoise food?! - This is tortoise food.
0:18:43 > 0:18:49Plantain, which we need to get. We haven't been able to do this for the last three or four weeks,
0:18:49 > 0:18:54- because of the wolf pups.- Right. - The parents have got a bit better now, they're letting us do this.
0:18:54 > 0:18:58When you say, "a bit better," what were they like before?
0:18:58 > 0:19:02- You literally couldn't get on the grass. If you did, they would be over here now.- Really?
0:19:02 > 0:19:08Quite aggressive. I mean, they are beginning, in a slightly nerve-wracking way,
0:19:08 > 0:19:11to move round, in a sort of pincer movement!
0:19:11 > 0:19:14I'm just looking over there...OK, so we'd better pick this grass.
0:19:14 > 0:19:20OK, why is this good for tortoises, and surely, it grows somewhere else in the park?
0:19:20 > 0:19:24It does, but because we haven't been able to do this for the last four weeks,
0:19:24 > 0:19:27I've been depleting the stocks of it everywhere else.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30And now the wolves have quietened down, it's the ideal time to grab it.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33And what's so good about it for tortoises?
0:19:33 > 0:19:36It's got all the vitamins they need. Perfect tortoise food.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40- OK. So we need to get this whole sackful?- Yeah.
0:19:40 > 0:19:45Blimey. That's quite a lot, Ian. I'll pick, you just keep an eye on the wolves!
0:19:45 > 0:19:48- Go for this big stuff, it's always best.- OK.
0:19:48 > 0:19:54So, I mean, presumably, the wolves are a bit more relaxed now
0:19:54 > 0:19:59- because the cubs are a little bit... - Bit bigger, they can defend for themselves now.
0:19:59 > 0:20:01They're not worried about us doing anything to them.
0:20:01 > 0:20:03Right.
0:20:03 > 0:20:05..He says with his fingers crossed. LAUGHTER
0:20:05 > 0:20:09Now these are Canadian timber wolves. What would their prey be?
0:20:09 > 0:20:14They'd look for rabbits and stuff like that in the wild and they'd look out for moose.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17- Right.- So, if you've got a sick moose they would follow it
0:20:17 > 0:20:21maybe for 20, 30 miles until it collapses and then they'll be on it.
0:20:21 > 0:20:26OK, well we've got a pretty good amount there. How many tortoises have we got to feed?
0:20:26 > 0:20:28- We've got lots, we need a bit more. - We need more.
0:20:28 > 0:20:30- If you bring the sack here.- OK.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33So, is this a special treat for tortoises
0:20:33 > 0:20:37or something that you try and give them as often as possible?
0:20:37 > 0:20:42- Dandelions which are more or less coming out of season now.- Right.
0:20:42 > 0:20:44And plantain as I say is a big one.
0:20:44 > 0:20:48We don't want to take too much, we can always come back another day.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50- That's a good sackful, all right?- OK.
0:20:50 > 0:20:52We're going to run back in.
0:20:59 > 0:21:00Fine. So...
0:21:00 > 0:21:06Mission successfully accomplished, now all we've got to do is go and feed the tortoises.
0:21:06 > 0:21:07Join us later.
0:21:17 > 0:21:21At Meerkat Mountain, the five new babies are no six weeks old
0:21:21 > 0:21:25and it's a very special day for them and their keeper John Reynolds.
0:21:25 > 0:21:29It's a lovely day today so we've decided that we're going to let the meerkats out.
0:21:29 > 0:21:33We have let them out before but this is going to be the first full day.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36It's very rare for them to have five
0:21:36 > 0:21:39and, to be honest, we didn't expect all of them to survive.
0:21:39 > 0:21:43And we've got the results now, we've got all five still living
0:21:43 > 0:21:45and absolutely incredible.
0:21:47 > 0:21:48And now, here they come.
0:21:50 > 0:21:54Meerkats don't start to get their adult markings until they're around three months old
0:21:54 > 0:21:59but they are born with those black patches round their eyes
0:21:59 > 0:22:02which make them look like little gangsters.
0:22:05 > 0:22:09There's a large enclosure to be explored and plenty of mischief to get up to.
0:22:26 > 0:22:30Already their personalities are starting to show. Some are more adventurous than others.
0:22:30 > 0:22:34And, at the end of the day, they're all exhausted
0:22:34 > 0:22:37and ready to go back into their house under the Mountain.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40Eagle-eyed John has been watching them closely
0:22:40 > 0:22:42and has spotted that one has a minor injury.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46They've been bounding around, playing,
0:22:46 > 0:22:51having a whale of a time out there but one of them has hurt his eye or something.
0:22:51 > 0:22:55It's either got caught on a stick or something outside or possibly been fighting.
0:22:55 > 0:22:56So it's gone a bit sore.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59So we're just going to put some medication on it
0:22:59 > 0:23:02if there's any infection to clear any infections
0:23:02 > 0:23:04but also just for our peace of mind, really.
0:23:04 > 0:23:08'Meerkats identify each other mainly by smell
0:23:08 > 0:23:11'so John makes sure he gets the mob's scent on his hands
0:23:11 > 0:23:13'before he administers the eye drops.'
0:23:13 > 0:23:16Come on. Here we go.
0:23:17 > 0:23:18Right, here he is.
0:23:18 > 0:23:22We don't really want to work unless we absolutely have to
0:23:22 > 0:23:25but we're just trying to step in there before anything happens.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34You all right?
0:23:37 > 0:23:41Over the next few days, John keeps a close eye on them.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44By watching their parents, the babies quickly learn
0:23:44 > 0:23:46to eat bugs and fruit, the staples of a meerkat diet.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49And because there are five brothers and sisters,
0:23:49 > 0:23:52there's a lot of rough and tumble at dinner time.
0:23:52 > 0:23:57From a young age, even in the wild, the babies, they would fight amongst themselves
0:23:57 > 0:24:00cos they want more food, they want to be the strongest and biggest.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03In the wild, it would be survival of the fittest.
0:24:03 > 0:24:07In the barren deserts where they come from, food is very scarce
0:24:07 > 0:24:11and an extra mouthful can be the difference between life and death.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14Meerkat Mountain is a much safer place to grow up
0:24:14 > 0:24:17but it's not completely without hazards.
0:24:18 > 0:24:20One has had fall and is limping.
0:24:20 > 0:24:21Although John's concerned,
0:24:21 > 0:24:24he knows it could be more dangerous to intervene.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28We'll keep an eye on it for now, the next couple of days -
0:24:28 > 0:24:30monitor it, make sure it's all right.
0:24:30 > 0:24:35We'll do it from a distance to begin with, we don't really want to go in there, picking it up every day.
0:24:35 > 0:24:39For one thing, it'll stress it and the mum out and we don't want that
0:24:39 > 0:24:41so we'll just keep an eye on it, see how it goes.
0:24:41 > 0:24:45So far there's only been a couple of minor injuries
0:24:45 > 0:24:48but these little ones still have a long way to go.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51We'll be back later to see if they all survive.
0:25:03 > 0:25:08Earlier on, I helped keeper Bob Trollope put out some cat toys for the lions
0:25:08 > 0:25:10and not it's time to release them.
0:25:10 > 0:25:14So, Bob, we've got all of the rope out there.
0:25:14 > 0:25:18It's all looking pretty good. So, are we ready to let the lions out?
0:25:18 > 0:25:20Yeah, I'll just give Craig a shout.
0:25:20 > 0:25:22Can you let them out now, Craig, please.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24And any idea which... Here they come!
0:25:24 > 0:25:27I was going to ask which one might come first.
0:25:27 > 0:25:29So who is that that's come straight in?
0:25:29 > 0:25:34That's Jasira and then you've got the small ones, last year's youngsters.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37So they like the swing. Straightaway!
0:25:37 > 0:25:38Oh, that's it!
0:25:38 > 0:25:41Wow, look at the power of that.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44So, they're not nervous about new things, are they?
0:25:44 > 0:25:46No, there's curiosity.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49Straightaway one them gets on the top and starts chewing.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52And it's almost like it's co-ordinated,
0:25:52 > 0:25:55that a few have gone up to the top and the rest are down at the bottom.
0:25:55 > 0:25:57Using their mouths and claws,
0:25:57 > 0:26:01are they feeling it or are they playing with it still?
0:26:01 > 0:26:05That's... Everything that they would use is as if that was a prey animal.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08Oh, here they go for the middle one.
0:26:08 > 0:26:10So, who's that playing there?
0:26:10 > 0:26:14That is Jasira again. She seems to be the one that investigates them first.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17And there's a lot of weight on that.
0:26:17 > 0:26:18So, obviously...
0:26:18 > 0:26:23She's weighing in the region of about 150 pounds and that's taking that easily.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26Look at those teeth going into it and the claws!
0:26:26 > 0:26:27They have actually...
0:26:27 > 0:26:30They haven't spotted the ball which is my favourite.
0:26:30 > 0:26:32But as soon as they do...
0:26:32 > 0:26:34See a lot of them want to go up the top and play.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37And is that partly because the smell from us
0:26:37 > 0:26:39when we were actually putting them up?
0:26:39 > 0:26:42Yeah, we've been clambering all over the top of them
0:26:42 > 0:26:46and actually there's a vegetable oil soaked into the rope as well,
0:26:46 > 0:26:49so that'll be wafting around as well.
0:26:49 > 0:26:54They put that on there to keep the rope supple, so it's easier to work.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56Bob, it's such a fantastic sight
0:26:56 > 0:26:59just seeing them all playing like little household cats.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02Yeah, and that will keep them going for hours and hours and hours.
0:27:02 > 0:27:06And it's only when they actually chew through the rope
0:27:06 > 0:27:08that they become defunct.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11And, obviously, that's the big debate, you know,
0:27:11 > 0:27:14how long these are realistically going to last.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17What do you think will be the first thing to give way?
0:27:17 > 0:27:20Probably that one that Zazzie's playing on.
0:27:20 > 0:27:26The thing is, you know, you've got to use rope that is degradable.
0:27:26 > 0:27:30If they're biting it and then they're going to get little bits of them,
0:27:30 > 0:27:32if that was nylon rope then...
0:27:32 > 0:27:35Now, we've got going over to the ball... Who is that?
0:27:35 > 0:27:39- That is Luna.- So Luna's going over to test out...
0:27:39 > 0:27:42- Oh, it's moving!- Not really quite sure what to make of that.
0:27:42 > 0:27:43Might need a bit of backup!
0:27:43 > 0:27:47Exactly what I was going to say, the others are busy.
0:27:47 > 0:27:49Look, look, look! That's so cool!
0:27:49 > 0:27:51That is so cool!
0:27:54 > 0:27:57Look, now we've got a little bit more confidence with the ball
0:27:57 > 0:28:00over there with Luna although she still would like some backup.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03As soon as they realise that there's another toy,
0:28:03 > 0:28:06then they're going to play with that as well.
0:28:06 > 0:28:07They get hours of enjoyment.
0:28:07 > 0:28:10It's almost as if they're trying to take them down.
0:28:10 > 0:28:13Up on the top of the tree stump there,
0:28:13 > 0:28:16they're tearing at the rope that we tied around the top.
0:28:16 > 0:28:19They obviously remember from last time that,
0:28:19 > 0:28:23"If I chew this bit then that falls off and we can run around with it."
0:28:23 > 0:28:25And they loved running around with it, didn't they?
0:28:25 > 0:28:29- They did.- And that's not a worry for you because it's all safe...
0:28:29 > 0:28:31It's safe. That will break down
0:28:31 > 0:28:35and any little bits that are left on the ground, they will rot
0:28:35 > 0:28:37and that is ultimately what we want.
0:28:37 > 0:28:42If you were using nylon then that would stay there for years and years and years as you know.
0:28:42 > 0:28:44But this all rots down to nothing.
0:28:44 > 0:28:50Fantastic. Well, Bob, thank you for letting me help you
0:28:50 > 0:28:54and I think we have some very, very contented lions.
0:29:04 > 0:29:08This is a fantastic new addition to Pets Corner.
0:29:08 > 0:29:13I'm here with keeper, Jo Hawthorn and this beautiful, beautiful snake.
0:29:13 > 0:29:15- What is it Jo?- It's a corn snake.
0:29:15 > 0:29:19What? I'm amazed, I thought corn snakes are usually smaller than this.
0:29:19 > 0:29:24They are. They're really colourful, Kate, and they start off like little colour pencils if you like.
0:29:24 > 0:29:29Obviously he's nine now and, believe it or not, although they stay very long and thin,
0:29:29 > 0:29:31they can go up to kind of five, six foot long.
0:29:31 > 0:29:33He's incredible!
0:29:33 > 0:29:35The colours are stunning, aren't they?
0:29:35 > 0:29:37- They are.- Absolutely stunning.
0:29:37 > 0:29:40He's a he, as you say. Has he got a name?
0:29:40 > 0:29:42Yeah - MC.
0:29:42 > 0:29:44- MC?- Which is short for something.
0:29:44 > 0:29:45THEY LAUGH
0:29:45 > 0:29:46OK! Come on, what is it?
0:29:46 > 0:29:48Mischievous Corn Snake.
0:29:48 > 0:29:50- A-ha!- He's always trying to escape.
0:29:50 > 0:29:55- Really?- So, we all lock him away in his vivarium, lock the lock...
0:29:55 > 0:30:00- Yeah.- ..And he's just got that tiny head there and, obviously, these are very strong.
0:30:00 > 0:30:05- And he always, he just manages to get out.- Really?!
0:30:05 > 0:30:07He is, he's like Houdini.
0:30:07 > 0:30:09We should have called him Houdini!
0:30:09 > 0:30:11- Can get out of everything! - Yeah, definitely.
0:30:11 > 0:30:15How amazing, I mean, he is incredibly strong, just holding him.
0:30:15 > 0:30:18He's a constrictor like the pythons that you've got.
0:30:18 > 0:30:25He is. So he's really strong. It's obviously mostly muscle and you can feel round your arm now.
0:30:25 > 0:30:27They really do catch on.
0:30:27 > 0:30:31He's absolutely gorgeous but to humans, presumably, no danger at all.
0:30:31 > 0:30:34They're not normally seen out in daytime.
0:30:34 > 0:30:38They normally come out at night anyway and if you were walking where these hang out
0:30:38 > 0:30:42they will get out your way, they are a very secretive kind of snake.
0:30:42 > 0:30:44They're not harmful in any way to us.
0:30:44 > 0:30:48He is absolutely gorgeous even if you are mischievous!
0:30:48 > 0:30:51Well, Jo, thank you very much for introducing me.
0:30:51 > 0:30:56Do you think you'll stick around long enough to tell us what's on the rest of the programme?
0:30:57 > 0:30:59Still to come on today's Animal Park...
0:31:01 > 0:31:05..we're going back to Meerkat Mountain to find out if all five babies survive.
0:31:05 > 0:31:10Will Winky the one-wheel tortoise go for the wolves' weeds?
0:31:11 > 0:31:15And Jamie Oliver's got nothing to beat Alexa's secret recipe -
0:31:15 > 0:31:16just ask the ferrets.
0:31:21 > 0:31:24Just a few months ago, three brothers arrived at Longleat
0:31:24 > 0:31:28to begin a reign of terror in the East Africa reserve.
0:31:28 > 0:31:29Their names -
0:31:29 > 0:31:31Vlad The Impaler,
0:31:31 > 0:31:32Attila The Hun
0:31:32 > 0:31:34and Genghis Khan.
0:31:36 > 0:31:38# What's that coming over the hill?
0:31:38 > 0:31:42# Is it a monster? Is it a monster?
0:31:42 > 0:31:43# What's that... #
0:31:43 > 0:31:47They're warthogs, the first ones they've ever had here.
0:31:47 > 0:31:53The keeper in charge of them is Andy Hayton and he's still getting to know the brothers.
0:31:53 > 0:31:57Already he's found their names are not completely silly.
0:31:57 > 0:31:59When we got hold of them we did think,
0:31:59 > 0:32:01"Oh, yes. Pigs with big teeth" kind of thing.
0:32:01 > 0:32:05We weren't that blase we knew that they were aggressive, we had read up on them.
0:32:05 > 0:32:09We've learnt very quickly that these guys go from flat calm
0:32:09 > 0:32:14to absolutely freaking and running around at 1,000 miles an hour in the bat of an eye.
0:32:14 > 0:32:19And full speed is flying and they can be three or four feet off the ground.
0:32:19 > 0:32:21Pigs can't jump.
0:32:21 > 0:32:23Well, these guys can.
0:32:23 > 0:32:29Very hard, you don't get any warning when they're going to get frightened or start running around.
0:32:29 > 0:32:34You do have to treat them with kid gloves but they are aggressive, they're pretty scary when they start.
0:32:36 > 0:32:40One of these guys here, it would be like getting hit by a steamroller at 40 miles an hour.
0:32:40 > 0:32:44I really do not want one of these guys to get a hold of me, they're scary!
0:32:44 > 0:32:49For now, Vlad, Attila and Genghis are being kept in a paddock by themselves
0:32:49 > 0:32:54until Andy can assess just how wild and dangerous they really are.
0:32:54 > 0:32:56We haven't got anything else like them.
0:32:56 > 0:33:00You say warthog to somebody, they know exactly what you mean!
0:33:00 > 0:33:04You know, they're characters and these three boys are something else.
0:33:04 > 0:33:08When you're with them in the morning and you go and check them,
0:33:08 > 0:33:11they'll come over the brow of the hill and they're looking at you.
0:33:11 > 0:33:15There's stuff going on inside their heads and they're so ugly that they're cute.
0:33:16 > 0:33:22In Africa where they come from warthogs are omnivorous. You name it, they'll eat it!
0:33:22 > 0:33:25In turn, they are a favourite foodstuff for lions
0:33:25 > 0:33:30and because of that, warthogs have evolved an unusual posture for grazing.
0:33:30 > 0:33:33They've got pads, thick pads on their knees.
0:33:33 > 0:33:37So, they graze down on their knees. Plus if they were to bow their head a lot to eat,
0:33:37 > 0:33:40predators, obviously, would be able to take a shot at them a lot easier
0:33:40 > 0:33:42but as they go on their knees,
0:33:42 > 0:33:44they keep their heads up so their vision's better.
0:33:47 > 0:33:48Come on, boys!
0:33:48 > 0:33:53The three brothers were about a year old when they came here from Colchester Zoo.
0:33:53 > 0:33:55Keeper Ryan Hockley has noticed
0:33:55 > 0:33:59they've calmed down a lot since they first arrived.
0:33:59 > 0:34:00I think they're getting there.
0:34:00 > 0:34:03Much better than they were to start with.
0:34:03 > 0:34:06But it's just been a matter of them sort of settling into their area
0:34:06 > 0:34:08and just giving them time to settle down.
0:34:08 > 0:34:12I don't think there'll ever be any sort of physical contact.
0:34:12 > 0:34:17You know, we'll never be petting them or anything like that, I don't think.
0:34:17 > 0:34:22They have their little squabbles in the day, but like I say, it's pretty good natured.
0:34:22 > 0:34:25But at the end of the day, they are definitely a trio.
0:34:25 > 0:34:29Ryan and Andy are still getting to know the terrible trio
0:34:29 > 0:34:34and later on we'll join them to find out what Vlad, Attila and Genghis
0:34:34 > 0:34:37get up to when no-one's looking.
0:34:46 > 0:34:49There are about 900 animals at Longleat
0:34:49 > 0:34:51and most of them are fussy eaters.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55The job of supplying food to the whole park
0:34:55 > 0:34:58falls on the shoulders of Mark Tye and his team.
0:34:58 > 0:35:01The making up of the feeds and stuff
0:35:01 > 0:35:04is probably not my most enjoyable part of my job.
0:35:04 > 0:35:06It's a job that's got to be done.
0:35:06 > 0:35:08We do it, hopefully very well.
0:35:08 > 0:35:10First thing every morning,
0:35:10 > 0:35:14the food is distributed to all the different sections of the safari park.
0:35:14 > 0:35:18Then, the keepers in each section make up the meals for each of their animals.
0:35:18 > 0:35:22And food at Longleat can be served in any number of ways.
0:35:22 > 0:35:24It can be dropped from the back of a tractor,
0:35:24 > 0:35:26thrown off the side of a boat,
0:35:26 > 0:35:29trailed out the door of a car, hidden up a tree,
0:35:29 > 0:35:32dangled from a tree, stuffed in a tree,
0:35:32 > 0:35:34or sprinkled on the ground.
0:35:34 > 0:35:37Carefully chopped, handfed, bottle-fed,
0:35:37 > 0:35:41spoon-fed and even sometimes, just for a change,
0:35:41 > 0:35:43served up on a plate.
0:35:44 > 0:35:48Down in Pets Corner, head of section Darren Beasley and his team
0:35:48 > 0:35:51have got food preparation down to a fine art.
0:35:51 > 0:35:55We've got more animals in Pets Corner than the rest of the park put together.
0:35:55 > 0:35:57They all have their own dietary requirements.
0:35:57 > 0:36:01We are up against it here. We have so many hungry animals all the time,
0:36:01 > 0:36:02it's a never-ending cycle.
0:36:02 > 0:36:04Breakfast!
0:36:04 > 0:36:08Everything from exotic fruit from papaya and mango,
0:36:08 > 0:36:12all the way down to whole chickens and things like that.
0:36:12 > 0:36:14It's an incredible amount of food.
0:36:14 > 0:36:17You've got to remember, how many animals have I got in that enclosure?
0:36:17 > 0:36:21What time do they need their food? How do they need it presented?
0:36:21 > 0:36:25Do they like it with multivitamins sprinkled on it? Chopped lengthways
0:36:25 > 0:36:28or in segments? And this is just skimming the surface.
0:36:28 > 0:36:30We tease the poor guys up in the lion reserve -
0:36:30 > 0:36:32they probably do the most dangerous job in the park,
0:36:32 > 0:36:36but they drive a tractor and chuck meat out! What's the skill in that?
0:36:36 > 0:36:40Today, in addition to the regular order,
0:36:40 > 0:36:44keeper Alexa Fairbairn has asked Mark for some special ingredients for the ferrets.
0:36:44 > 0:36:50We get requests to get things that they don't normally have on an everyday basis -
0:36:50 > 0:36:52the ferrets, for example,
0:36:52 > 0:36:55so we've gone off and had to go around the supermarket and shops
0:36:55 > 0:36:59looking for the necessary things they require.
0:36:59 > 0:37:01Let's see how much he weighs.
0:37:02 > 0:37:06A few months ago, we did have a problem. A mystery illness
0:37:06 > 0:37:09swept in, basically and a few of them did get very poorly.
0:37:09 > 0:37:13So we requested for Mark to bring down some different treats for them,
0:37:13 > 0:37:16to build them up a little bit more, and hopefully, they'll like it.
0:37:16 > 0:37:22Back in the kitchen, Alexa has a recipe for today's special -
0:37:22 > 0:37:24ferret food cordon bleu.
0:37:24 > 0:37:28- MUSIC: M&S ADVERT - Simply take one finely chopped cucumber,...
0:37:30 > 0:37:32..toss in a spattering of raisins...
0:37:35 > 0:37:38..two spoonfuls of creamy peanut butter.
0:37:38 > 0:37:42They love peanut butter but it does have to be the smooth variety.
0:37:42 > 0:37:45Anything with chunks can get lodged in their digestive system.
0:37:45 > 0:37:49..Gently squeeze on some delicious multivitamin paste,...
0:37:51 > 0:37:54..add a generous dollop of succulent dog food,
0:37:54 > 0:37:56stir briskly,
0:37:56 > 0:37:59and then, the finishing touch -
0:37:59 > 0:38:01drench with aromatic cod liver oil.
0:38:01 > 0:38:04This isn't just ferret food,
0:38:04 > 0:38:08this is special dietary supplement ferret food.
0:38:10 > 0:38:12And there we go.
0:38:12 > 0:38:15That's all very well but will they like it?
0:38:15 > 0:38:17There we are.
0:38:17 > 0:38:18There, boys.
0:38:18 > 0:38:22Well, this is brilliant to see, a lot of them are tucking in,
0:38:22 > 0:38:24particularly some of the older ones,
0:38:24 > 0:38:26they obviously like it.
0:38:26 > 0:38:28We'll keep weighing them every couple of weeks,
0:38:28 > 0:38:32particularly the older ones like little Angus here.
0:38:32 > 0:38:34We'll keep weighing him to make sure he's OK.
0:38:34 > 0:38:36We'll try another recipe in a couple of weeks,
0:38:36 > 0:38:39and see how they get on with that one as well.
0:38:39 > 0:38:41Pick out their favourites
0:38:41 > 0:38:44and maybe make it into a more regular thing.
0:38:44 > 0:38:47The ferrets aren't the only ones with special requests.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50The keepers always try to give their animals just what they want -
0:38:50 > 0:38:54whether that's hot potatoes to keep the monkeys warm in the winter,
0:38:54 > 0:38:56or blackcurrant squash.
0:38:56 > 0:38:59Nice?
0:38:59 > 0:39:02Dates and natural yoghurt for Nico the gorilla.
0:39:02 > 0:39:05'Medicine for Nico has to be disguised.'
0:39:05 > 0:39:08So the only way we've found to get him to take it every day
0:39:08 > 0:39:10is to mix it with yoghurt.
0:39:10 > 0:39:16But out of Longleat's 90 species, who has the largest appetite of all?
0:39:16 > 0:39:20In fact, there's no mystery. The biggest eater is the biggest animal.
0:39:20 > 0:39:25Winston, the bull rhino weighs two and a half tonnes.
0:39:25 > 0:39:29And every day, he consumes 25 kilos of hay,
0:39:29 > 0:39:33and up to four and a half kilos of high-fibre pellets.
0:39:33 > 0:39:35But while Winston eats the most food,
0:39:35 > 0:39:37he's not the greediest.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40In fact, that title goes to one of the smallest animals -
0:39:40 > 0:39:42the Egyptian fruit bats.
0:39:43 > 0:39:48Every day, each of them will eat their own body weight in fruit.
0:39:48 > 0:39:52That's like me eating a hundred pineapples or 600 bananas
0:39:52 > 0:39:54or even a thousand plums
0:39:54 > 0:39:57each day!
0:40:06 > 0:40:09Well, I'm back with Deputy Head Warden, Ian Turner.
0:40:09 > 0:40:13We're out in Pets Corner with lots of hungry tortoises.
0:40:13 > 0:40:16A sackful of plantain, which you've washed, Ian.
0:40:16 > 0:40:18Why did you bother to do that?
0:40:18 > 0:40:21Just to get the smell of wolves off it, just in case they've marked it.
0:40:21 > 0:40:25Oh, yes, of course, because wolves do scent-mark quite a lot.
0:40:25 > 0:40:28And presumably, that wouldn't be very tasty for the tortoises!
0:40:28 > 0:40:30So that's washed now, so...
0:40:30 > 0:40:32So let's put this out, do we, into these trays...
0:40:32 > 0:40:33Into these trays.
0:40:33 > 0:40:36They're probably not going to eat so much today,
0:40:36 > 0:40:38because of the weather, and being a bit cold.
0:40:38 > 0:40:40Do we need to leave it whole?
0:40:40 > 0:40:42Yeah, they'll just tuck in.
0:40:43 > 0:40:46- Here we are.- 34's coming in already.
0:40:46 > 0:40:49Look at that. Oh, yeah! Already heading in.
0:40:49 > 0:40:52And is this, as well as being really good for them,
0:40:52 > 0:40:54is it a bit of a favourite?
0:40:54 > 0:40:55Yeah, yeah. It is.
0:40:55 > 0:40:59This and dandelions...is probably their favourite two things.
0:40:59 > 0:41:03And apart from this wild food that you give them,
0:41:03 > 0:41:06what else is it important to feed tortoises to keep them healthy?
0:41:06 > 0:41:10Well, literally, the best thing that you can do is get the wild stuff.
0:41:10 > 0:41:12- Oh, is it?- By a long way.
0:41:12 > 0:41:15I mean, lettuce isn't very good because it's got no goodness in it,
0:41:15 > 0:41:19tomatoes is a bit of extra stuff you can do,
0:41:19 > 0:41:22but literally, it's the wild stuff from your garden.
0:41:22 > 0:41:27Dandelions. They like cuttlefish, it's good for them,
0:41:27 > 0:41:31which birds get and nibble on, so all that sort of thing's good,
0:41:31 > 0:41:36so it's all natural stuff, really. You've just got to get something which you can naturally get.
0:41:36 > 0:41:40Right, I'll tell you what I'll do. I'm gonna do a little bit of a help here,
0:41:40 > 0:41:44because one of my favourite tortoises, Winky down here,
0:41:44 > 0:41:48so called because he's got a wheel instead of his back leg,
0:41:48 > 0:41:50haven't you, mate? I'm just going to help you over...
0:41:50 > 0:41:54and see if you would like a go at this plantain,
0:41:54 > 0:41:58which Ian and I picked at great peril to ourselves.
0:41:58 > 0:42:00Is he impressed?
0:42:00 > 0:42:02Not really, Ian!
0:42:02 > 0:42:06Oh, Winky! Show some gratitude!
0:42:06 > 0:42:10Well, Ian, thank you very much, that was indeed an experience.
0:42:10 > 0:42:15Probably the most dangerous way to collect tortoise food there is in the world.
0:42:15 > 0:42:18Just enjoy it and be grateful, you lot!
0:42:28 > 0:42:32At Meerkat Mountain, the mob are in mourning.
0:42:32 > 0:42:36Although all five babies survived for two months,
0:42:36 > 0:42:38and seemed to be doing well,
0:42:38 > 0:42:40there's now been some very bad news.
0:42:40 > 0:42:43A few days ago, Darren Beasley arrived
0:42:43 > 0:42:46to find that the baby with the poorly eye had died in the night.
0:42:48 > 0:42:50If that wasn't bad enough,
0:42:50 > 0:42:53the next day, he discovered that another of the pups
0:42:53 > 0:42:56had succumbed to a mystery ailment.
0:42:56 > 0:42:59One minute, everyone's really elated, and really happy,
0:42:59 > 0:43:02and we're all raising the roof and swapping the cigars,
0:43:02 > 0:43:03cos we've got babies,
0:43:03 > 0:43:05and the next minute it's all very sad
0:43:05 > 0:43:08because nature can be so cruel and heartless,
0:43:08 > 0:43:12and we've lost a couple of babies, which is really quite sad.
0:43:12 > 0:43:15It's yet another blow for meerkat keeper, John Reynolds.
0:43:15 > 0:43:21It was just shock to begin with, but we were absolutely devastated.
0:43:21 > 0:43:24But we've got used to the fact that they've gone.
0:43:24 > 0:43:28So we've just got to get on with it and focus on the three that are still here.
0:43:28 > 0:43:31John doesn't have time to dwell on these sad events,
0:43:31 > 0:43:35because right now, they're expecting a special visitor.
0:43:40 > 0:43:44Lord Bath himself has come down from the Great House
0:43:44 > 0:43:46to meet the meerkat pups.
0:43:46 > 0:43:49He's concerned to find there's now only three.
0:43:49 > 0:43:53Can you be sure it's not the parents killing them?
0:43:53 > 0:43:56We don't think it's the parents killing them,
0:43:56 > 0:43:59because if it was, there'd be bite marks and blood.
0:43:59 > 0:44:03We'll keep a close eye on the rest of these ones, and hope for the best.
0:44:03 > 0:44:05Hello!
0:44:07 > 0:44:11Well, now they've got this far, which is what, three months old?
0:44:11 > 0:44:13Two months old, nearly. About eight weeks.
0:44:13 > 0:44:16How good are the chances that they'll reach adulthood?
0:44:16 > 0:44:19Another month or so, they'll be more or less self-sufficient.
0:44:19 > 0:44:22And hopefully, they will survive, the rest of them.
0:44:22 > 0:44:24Hello!
0:44:24 > 0:44:25Do they nip?
0:44:25 > 0:44:28You wouldn't ever put your hand underneath and pick up?
0:44:28 > 0:44:32Er, no. Not without gauntlets or for very good reason.
0:44:32 > 0:44:37I think I'm liable to surreptitious attack from behind!
0:44:42 > 0:44:46Of course, the meerkats aren't really gangsters or bandits,
0:44:46 > 0:44:50despite the names that John suggested for the three little ones.
0:44:50 > 0:44:53Possibly the Good, the Bad and the Ugly!
0:44:53 > 0:44:55It's just that they look so mischievous.
0:44:55 > 0:44:58And, despite all the tragedies,
0:44:58 > 0:45:02there's something about the mob that many people can identify with.
0:45:02 > 0:45:07We can relate to them because they're a family group. Everybody looking after each other.
0:45:07 > 0:45:11I could spend hours in here, if I didn't have a real job to do!
0:45:11 > 0:45:15If I didn't have to do proper work, I'd just sit in here for hours and enjoy this.
0:45:15 > 0:45:20It's nice to have things to be proud of, and I'm really proud of this.
0:45:30 > 0:45:32CLOCK BELLS RING
0:45:38 > 0:45:41I'm in the hall with head cleaner, June Windass,
0:45:41 > 0:45:45and we've just listened to one of the fantastic clocks in this house.
0:45:45 > 0:45:47Now, they can't all do that, surely?
0:45:47 > 0:45:48No, not all of them.
0:45:48 > 0:45:51This one is the oldest clock in the house.
0:45:51 > 0:45:53It's the original clock,
0:45:53 > 0:45:58and it is still able to do all the functions that it's always been carried out to do.
0:45:58 > 0:46:02And this dates back to practically when this house was first built.
0:46:02 > 0:46:05It's hundreds and hundreds of years old.
0:46:05 > 0:46:07It's a 17th-century clock. Beautiful.
0:46:07 > 0:46:10Now, I'm assuming this isn't the only clock in the house.
0:46:10 > 0:46:11Oh, no. We've got lots more.
0:46:11 > 0:46:14All different shapes and sizes.
0:46:14 > 0:46:16- Shall we go and see some?- Yes. - OK. Lead the way.
0:46:16 > 0:46:19- First one's in the ante-library. - OK, down this way.
0:46:24 > 0:46:30'In fact, there are nearly 30 clocks in Longleat's 128 rooms,
0:46:30 > 0:46:33'many of them very rare and precious.'
0:46:36 > 0:46:40Ah, now, this looks slightly more manageable. A slightly smaller clock here.
0:46:40 > 0:46:46- Now, I'm assuming you have a number of different keys for all the different clocks in the house.- Yes.
0:46:46 > 0:46:53- That's this one.- So do you have a special collection for all the other ones?
0:46:53 > 0:46:55- Yes.- Is this the key bag?
0:46:55 > 0:46:57Oh, yes!
0:46:57 > 0:47:00The biggest one of the collection is this one.
0:47:00 > 0:47:02Look at that! That is quite a key.
0:47:02 > 0:47:06And how do you know how far you can wind?
0:47:06 > 0:47:11I wind them just so much. Just enough to know that the clock will work,
0:47:11 > 0:47:13but not to overwind it and bust the springs.
0:47:13 > 0:47:15We just go very carefully.
0:47:15 > 0:47:19Then we check the time. That is a little bit fast, but I'll leave it as is.
0:47:19 > 0:47:24Now, June, I know you've been working here for 25 years! I have to whisper it.
0:47:24 > 0:47:27You must obviously have your favourite parts of the house,
0:47:27 > 0:47:29favourite rooms, favourite clocks.
0:47:29 > 0:47:31Where is your favourite, then?
0:47:31 > 0:47:34My favourite room is the state drawing room.
0:47:34 > 0:47:37It is so opulent. It's beautiful.
0:47:37 > 0:47:40- And my clock's in there, too. - Is it?- Yes.
0:47:40 > 0:47:43- Can we go?- Yes, we can. - OK. I'll follow you.
0:47:47 > 0:47:50CLOCKS TICK AND CHIME
0:47:56 > 0:47:59So, June, this is your favourite room, is it?
0:47:59 > 0:48:01Yes, it is. It's beautiful.
0:48:01 > 0:48:04It's comfortable, it's homely...
0:48:04 > 0:48:07and it's got so many lovely things in it.
0:48:07 > 0:48:09I can hear the clock before I can actually see it.
0:48:09 > 0:48:12This is fantastically ornate, isn't it?
0:48:12 > 0:48:13It is. It's gorgeous.
0:48:13 > 0:48:16This is your favourite of all the clocks you have to wind up?
0:48:16 > 0:48:18- Yes.- This is what the enormous key is for?
0:48:18 > 0:48:23- Yes, that's right!- I'll let you do the winding of this one.
0:48:23 > 0:48:26While you're doing that, before you came along in the house,
0:48:26 > 0:48:28who would have done this in days of old?
0:48:28 > 0:48:33Well, there used to be a chap, Eddie, his name was,
0:48:33 > 0:48:36and he used to come round and do all the clocks for us.
0:48:36 > 0:48:40When he retired, it was handed down to me.
0:48:40 > 0:48:44And we take care of them as much as we can.
0:48:44 > 0:48:47We don't wind them any more than we feel is necessary.
0:48:47 > 0:48:51Once it starts becoming tight, we stop.
0:48:51 > 0:48:55With so many clocks to look after, you must be a very good timekeeper!
0:48:55 > 0:48:56- I'm always late!- Are you?
0:48:56 > 0:49:00Speaking of late, Jane, I think we've got a lot more clocks to do.
0:49:00 > 0:49:02You'd better leave us to it.
0:49:02 > 0:49:05Just look at the number of keys still left to go!
0:49:10 > 0:49:16When Vlad the Impaler, Attila the Hun and Genghis Khan arrived a couple of months ago,
0:49:16 > 0:49:20it was the first time they'd ever had warthogs at Longleat.
0:49:20 > 0:49:24To start with, the three brothers charged around like monsters,
0:49:24 > 0:49:26but they've calmed down a bit.
0:49:26 > 0:49:30Andy Hayton and the other keepers are still getting to know them.
0:49:30 > 0:49:34Now, he wants to find out what they get up to while no-one's looking,
0:49:34 > 0:49:37after dark, in the warthog house.
0:49:37 > 0:49:40Can you turn that infra-red lamp on, mate?
0:49:41 > 0:49:45This is the small camera, that's wired up to a hard drive. Infra-red camera.
0:49:45 > 0:49:48So we should hopefully be able to see when they come in
0:49:48 > 0:49:51how many come in, when they lie down...
0:49:51 > 0:49:53the more that we can learn about the animals we look after,
0:49:53 > 0:49:55hopefully, the better we can do for them.
0:49:55 > 0:49:59Some mornings you come in and this place is absolutely trashed,
0:49:59 > 0:50:02so I think there are a few parties now and again. Must be.
0:50:02 > 0:50:05In the wild, warthogs sleep in burrows.
0:50:05 > 0:50:09Usually, it's one they've taken over from whoever actually dug it.
0:50:09 > 0:50:12Often, some poor aardvark.
0:50:12 > 0:50:17But for Vlad, Attila and Genghis, does sundown mean party time?
0:50:20 > 0:50:25Early next morning, the brothers are back outside in their paddock as usual,
0:50:25 > 0:50:29while Andy and keeper Ryan Hockley rendezvous at the house
0:50:29 > 0:50:31to see what the spy camera has recorded.
0:50:31 > 0:50:33There's only one at the moment.
0:50:33 > 0:50:35But I think this was about ten o'clock.
0:50:35 > 0:50:41We put their food in the pen next door, so they may have come in and eaten. We haven't seen that.
0:50:41 > 0:50:45This is just when they're coming in, kind of almost settling down for the night.
0:50:45 > 0:50:51As you can tell when you go in in the morning, if the bed's been laid in or not, cos they normally...
0:50:51 > 0:50:56We've heard they huddle together to keep warm. So that'll be quite interesting if we see this.
0:50:56 > 0:50:58See if they do do it at night.
0:50:58 > 0:51:02Spinning on an hour, it looks like bedtime.
0:51:02 > 0:51:07- This guy down here's really pulling it around.- Pulling hay?- Yeah, yeah.
0:51:07 > 0:51:11- It's almost like they're nesting, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:51:11 > 0:51:14Nice to see all three of them in there, though.
0:51:14 > 0:51:15Mmm.
0:51:15 > 0:51:20So we know that nobody...nobody gets pushed out or anything.
0:51:20 > 0:51:21Settling down now.
0:51:21 > 0:51:24See them going backwards a lot into these corners, as well.
0:51:24 > 0:51:28- Almost like they're backing into a hole.- Into a burrow, yeah.
0:51:28 > 0:51:33Quite interesting, they're eating a lot of straw as well. Really filling up on the straw.
0:51:33 > 0:51:38But if they eat their bedding, how are they going to keep warm?
0:51:38 > 0:51:42They'll actually huddle together like this to keep warm,
0:51:42 > 0:51:46because they find it quite hard to regulate their body temperature.
0:51:46 > 0:51:49That's why you'll see this. But there is only two here...
0:51:49 > 0:51:54Unless the other one is actually tucked right down in the corner or they're laid on top of him.
0:51:54 > 0:51:58Possibly one of them is out there, staying awake, standing guard.
0:51:58 > 0:52:00Exactly. Sort of like a sentry, almost.
0:52:00 > 0:52:05Lots of animals will do it. One will stay awake watching the rest of the group sleep.
0:52:05 > 0:52:08Maybe these guys do it too.
0:52:08 > 0:52:12Yeah, it's always fascinating, really, to see your animals at night.
0:52:12 > 0:52:15Things you've worked with for donkey's years during the day,
0:52:15 > 0:52:18it may seem completely different at night. It's a very strange thing,
0:52:18 > 0:52:22it's hard to put your finger on it, but it's quite weird.
0:52:23 > 0:52:25They look quite cute when they're asleep!
0:52:25 > 0:52:27Like most things.
0:52:27 > 0:52:30I wouldn't like to go and wake 'em up quick, mind.
0:52:31 > 0:52:35We knew they were coming in, because like I say, the bed has been disturbed
0:52:35 > 0:52:41and obviously food disappears. Just nice to see animals when we're not here. It's kind of their place
0:52:41 > 0:52:42in the middle of the night.
0:52:42 > 0:52:47Very rarely do we see what's going on here then, so it is quite intriguing.
0:52:47 > 0:52:51With Vlad, Attila and Genghis looking so peaceful,
0:52:51 > 0:52:54you almost wonder if they've got the names wrong.
0:52:54 > 0:52:58How about Flopsy, Mopsy and Cottontail?
0:53:02 > 0:53:04Or maybe not.
0:53:12 > 0:53:16I'm out in the deer park with head of section Tim Yeo.
0:53:16 > 0:53:20Something that the public love, Tim, is coming in here
0:53:20 > 0:53:25and feeding the deer from their cars. So we're snuck in
0:53:25 > 0:53:29to our Land Rover here, watching these beautiful if rather skittish
0:53:29 > 0:53:32fallow deer, Tim, the one with the spots.
0:53:32 > 0:53:37That's right, Kate, yes. They're actually in regrowth at the moment.
0:53:37 > 0:53:41Annually, their antlers fall off, and very, very quickly after that,
0:53:41 > 0:53:45you start to get the regrowth coming.
0:53:45 > 0:53:51It takes...I think about four months for it to be fully regrown again.
0:53:51 > 0:53:54And what I notice from these antlers
0:53:54 > 0:53:59is that they're obviously very smooth and bony,
0:53:59 > 0:54:05but looking at the ones out here, they look like they're almost furry.
0:54:05 > 0:54:08It's a protective layer of skin and hair
0:54:08 > 0:54:13which has a vast amount of blood vessels within it,
0:54:13 > 0:54:19which is constantly feeding that growing bone, as it were.
0:54:19 > 0:54:22Right, so that is...it's giving the bone, there...
0:54:22 > 0:54:26it's almost like the sort of fertiliser surrounding the bone.
0:54:26 > 0:54:30What about - I mean, we've obviously got very different sizes here.
0:54:30 > 0:54:33What determines the size of an antler?
0:54:33 > 0:54:38Well, we certainly...we have a very young animal here.
0:54:38 > 0:54:43- This animal is about two to three years old.- Right.
0:54:43 > 0:54:48About three years old. And then we go into an animal
0:54:48 > 0:54:51- about four or five years old.- Yep.
0:54:51 > 0:54:56And then we come into a rather impressive-looking monster, this thing!
0:54:56 > 0:55:02I mean, I hasten to add that not all bucks grow antlers quite like this,
0:55:02 > 0:55:06but that really is a very good example of a fallow deer's antler.
0:55:06 > 0:55:09This is where the antler casts from what is known as the pedicle,
0:55:09 > 0:55:12which grows from the skull of the animal.
0:55:12 > 0:55:14And it's actually here, when it's cast,
0:55:14 > 0:55:17it's broken a bit of the pedicle away there.
0:55:17 > 0:55:21It's quite a brutal thing, it's not just like breaking a fingernail.
0:55:21 > 0:55:24It must be a very strange feeling when they get rid of them.
0:55:24 > 0:55:27Oh, very much, because they often don't cast them -
0:55:27 > 0:55:32we call it casting when they fall off. It often doesn't happen simultaneously,
0:55:32 > 0:55:33so they're left with...
0:55:33 > 0:55:38So they could be completely lopsided? They're incredible things,
0:55:38 > 0:55:44it's absolutely fascinating. All our males have now left us, so maybe that should be our sign to go too.
0:55:44 > 0:55:47Tim, thank you very much indeed. Beautiful things.
0:55:56 > 0:56:01Earlier in the programme, I helped to put out some brand new toys for the lions here.
0:56:01 > 0:56:05And now, Kate and I have come back up to see what they've made of them!
0:56:05 > 0:56:08- Er, they've done a pretty good job, Craig.- Yes!
0:56:08 > 0:56:11- Pretty much finished them off. - They did.
0:56:14 > 0:56:18This is marine rope. Ships ply the world with this,
0:56:18 > 0:56:21and they've shredded it. They've just pulled it apart.
0:56:21 > 0:56:27- Look at that!- So this, Kate, cos you didn't necessarily see it in its former glory, was a swing...
0:56:27 > 0:56:30- Right.- ..which they've eaten most of the wood.- They have, yes.
0:56:30 > 0:56:35Now, just down this way, we had a big ball that seems to have totally gone.
0:56:35 > 0:56:41- Is there anything left?- Is this the remains of it, do you think? - That's it, yep.
0:56:42 > 0:56:47Was there one lion in particular that you think did most of this damage, or was it teamwork?
0:56:47 > 0:56:52Mainly teamwork. The little ones, mainly. Kabir, he didn't really pay much attention to it.
0:56:52 > 0:56:55- Right.- He just sat in the background.- Yeah, and...
0:56:55 > 0:56:57This is gone as well!
0:56:57 > 0:57:01- This is actually the remains of one of the balls.- One of the balls!
0:57:04 > 0:57:08That is as... I mean, joking apart, it's quite funny,
0:57:08 > 0:57:10- but can you imagine if this was you? - Urgh.
0:57:10 > 0:57:14It really shows you how powerful they are, doesn't it?
0:57:14 > 0:57:17You can see one of the claw marks as well on the trees.
0:57:17 > 0:57:19Look at that! That is astonishing.
0:57:19 > 0:57:24- And this is young lions just playing.- Yeah. About a year old, year old ones.- Amazing.
0:57:24 > 0:57:27I tell you what, last year when we put them up,
0:57:27 > 0:57:31we thought we had to build them even stronger this time, which we did,
0:57:31 > 0:57:34- and no difference at all. - Yeah. No, Fogle, you're hopeless.
0:57:34 > 0:57:36Next year they're gonna be this big!
0:57:36 > 0:57:39Ha-ha! Well, Craig, thank you very much indeed.
0:57:39 > 0:57:43We'll have to, as you say, think of something new for the lions next year.
0:57:43 > 0:57:46Sadly, though, that's all we've got time for on today's programme,
0:57:46 > 0:57:49but here's what's coming up on the next Animal Park.
0:57:51 > 0:57:56When it's feeding time for the tigers, you'd think they'd go for the meat, not our tyres!
0:57:56 > 0:57:57Oi!
0:57:57 > 0:58:01Is this the latest food fad from the Far East?
0:58:01 > 0:58:05No. It's a fiendish plot to make the otters work harder.
0:58:07 > 0:58:12And four keepers from Longleat have volunteered to help with conservation projects deep in
0:58:12 > 0:58:18the African Bush. We'll be following the action when their trip turned into the adventure of a lifetime.
0:58:18 > 0:58:21So don't miss the next Animal Park.
0:58:28 > 0:58:31Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:58:31 > 0:58:34E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk