0:00:02 > 0:00:05If you have a cat at home, keep it amused with a scratching post.
0:00:05 > 0:00:06However, if your cat is a little
0:00:06 > 0:00:10larger than the average moggy, that isn't going to be any use at all.
0:00:10 > 0:00:13What you need is a scratching post like this.
0:00:13 > 0:00:17But will it survive the lions?
0:00:41 > 0:00:44Coming up on today's Animal Park...
0:00:44 > 0:00:49it's a keeper's worst nightmare, as a lion tries to go over the top.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52Come on. Come on, mate.
0:00:52 > 0:00:56Thomas and Michelle may be giant tortoises,
0:00:56 > 0:00:59but are they giant enough? A vital weigh-in suggests not.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04And Ben is let loose on
0:01:04 > 0:01:0840 tonnes of runaway train packed full of passengers.
0:01:08 > 0:01:12- So we're just creeping up to 5mph.- That's lovely.
0:01:17 > 0:01:21There are species of every shape and size at the safari park...
0:01:21 > 0:01:23from A...
0:01:23 > 0:01:26to Z.
0:01:26 > 0:01:30But for many people, there's only one thing they come to see. The lions.
0:01:32 > 0:01:34The park opened with the lions,
0:01:34 > 0:01:3740 years ago and they caused a sensation.
0:01:37 > 0:01:39In the ten years that we've been filming here,
0:01:39 > 0:01:44we've tried a lot of different ideas to keep them busy.
0:01:44 > 0:01:46At least we put it in sturdy enough.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51She's coming up. Look at that. Oh, wow. She did.
0:01:51 > 0:01:53- She's going for the camera. - She stood up there. Look.
0:02:05 > 0:02:09Well, this year, Ben and I have joined forces to make the ultimate
0:02:09 > 0:02:12cat gym for the ultimate cats.
0:02:12 > 0:02:16Over 45 metres of rope.
0:02:16 > 0:02:22And three metres of solid tree trunk sunk a metre in the ground. Yes.
0:02:22 > 0:02:28We're out in the lion enclosure and this is proper lion toys.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32Now, guys, 20 hours of hard graft have gone into this and this is
0:02:32 > 0:02:37basically the new version of the giant scratching post for the lions.
0:02:37 > 0:02:39It is. Yeah. We had to go bigger and better.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42OK. So we're putting the finishing touches. Sorry, I'm leaving you,
0:02:42 > 0:02:44- Kate, to do all of this. - Can you untangle this bit of rope?
0:02:44 > 0:02:46So just talk us through what we've got here.
0:02:46 > 0:02:50We've got this enormous post in the ground. Am I going this way?
0:02:50 > 0:02:51No. Ben, you're being hopeless.
0:02:51 > 0:02:55- Go there.- Go round this way. See, this is why never get me involved.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57Yeah. Round that way. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
0:02:57 > 0:02:59That's better. That's better. OK, then. Keep going. Keep going.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02- OK. So I just keep going round. - Follow me round, Ben.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05OK. I'm following you round. There we go. We're here now.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08So just talk us through, Bob, what we've actually got here.
0:03:08 > 0:03:10You've got about 45 metres of rope.
0:03:10 > 0:03:12- Yeah.- And it's been wrapped round
0:03:12 > 0:03:15tightly and it's sisal rope, so it's natural rope.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18- Yeah.- So that if they do bite bits off, which they're bound to...
0:03:18 > 0:03:22they can pass it through without any problems, obviously.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25And you're wrapping it round there nice and tight.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28I'm getting dizzy, I don't know about you.
0:03:28 > 0:03:30And what about these things?
0:03:30 > 0:03:34These look like fenders that are used on boats and things.
0:03:34 > 0:03:35It's exactly what they are.
0:03:35 > 0:03:40- Yeah.- We've just hung them on other lengths of rope to dangle.
0:03:40 > 0:03:46And this, basically, is going to be a toy to swing on, they can jump up.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49And it's quite high off the ground. It shows you how big they are.
0:03:49 > 0:03:54- Yeah. That's nothing for them.- And this is, of course, a pride led now
0:03:54 > 0:03:56by one of the youngsters, by Nookie.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58Kabir's not here any more.
0:03:58 > 0:04:02So this will be the first time, will it, that this pride have
0:04:02 > 0:04:06- taken on these giant cat toys?- We've done the toys in here before,
0:04:06 > 0:04:08but we've never done the scratching post.
0:04:08 > 0:04:12That's always been in Charlie's pride, so this part of it is
0:04:12 > 0:04:16- completely new to them.- OK, Brian. I'm up here ready to take this up.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20So, Brian, what do you think the big cats are going to make of this new
0:04:20 > 0:04:24version, cos they've often destroyed it pretty soon after setting it up.
0:04:24 > 0:04:26I think they're going to enjoy it, cos they're out
0:04:26 > 0:04:29in the paddock at the moment and they're knowing what's going on.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32So they're watching us, aren't they? They're keeping a beady eye.
0:04:32 > 0:04:34They're going to be straight up to here.
0:04:34 > 0:04:36And I don't think it'll last that long, to be honest.
0:04:36 > 0:04:40- No.- And who's most likely to come out first?
0:04:40 > 0:04:43I would imagine most of the females.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46I reckon the boys'll probably be last.
0:04:46 > 0:04:48- What sort of height do we think? Is that good?- That's brilliant.
0:04:48 > 0:04:50- That's pretty good, that one. - That one'll be all right.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53The little cubs might be able to get on to that one, as well.
0:04:53 > 0:04:54I reckon Jazeera will be the one.
0:04:54 > 0:04:56- Do you think?- Yeah.
0:04:56 > 0:05:00Well, what we're going to do now is just finish off, attach that rope
0:05:00 > 0:05:04nice and firmly, so they can't take it straight off the trunk
0:05:04 > 0:05:06and then Bob, Brian, Ben and I
0:05:06 > 0:05:10are all going to sit and watch the lions play with their brand-new toys.
0:05:10 > 0:05:11Join us later.
0:05:25 > 0:05:29There are over 900 animals at the safari park,
0:05:29 > 0:05:32but not all of them are cute and cuddly.
0:05:39 > 0:05:44The park is packed with predators of unimaginable ferocity.
0:05:44 > 0:05:48Lions, like we've just seen, that could kill in an instant.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51Gorillas with the strength to rip you limb from limb.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55And hippos that could sink a boat.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58Kate and I are certainly no wimps
0:05:58 > 0:06:01and have laughed in the face of danger on countless occasions.
0:06:01 > 0:06:04Can you promise me they don't eat presenters?
0:06:04 > 0:06:06No. I promise.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09Well, mostly. But there is one place that even
0:06:09 > 0:06:12we have found too much on occasions.
0:06:14 > 0:06:15Pets Corner.
0:06:18 > 0:06:22Home to the smaller creatures. Pets Corner is a breeding ground for any
0:06:22 > 0:06:25number of lethal creepy crawlies.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28And it's not just us who lose our cool.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32Today, Bev Allan is one of the most experienced and calm keepers
0:06:32 > 0:06:37in Pets Corner, but ten years ago, she was the new girl and was
0:06:37 > 0:06:40absolutely terrified of spiders.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43She'd never even handled one.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47Head keeper Darren Beasley thought it was time she and Kate
0:06:47 > 0:06:50faced their fears.
0:06:53 > 0:06:54How you feeling, Bev?
0:06:54 > 0:06:56- A little bit scared. - A little bit scared.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59- Me, too. Come on then, Darren.- OK.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02I've a horrible feeling this isn't cheese and pickle sandwiches.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05No. This is Chily, our Chilean Rose tarantula.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08Now, if we have a drum, roll it.
0:07:08 > 0:07:10Are you ready?
0:07:10 > 0:07:12And here he is.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14She's awfully active.
0:07:14 > 0:07:16Now, first thing, I'm going to be really mean to Bev.
0:07:16 > 0:07:18Oh, it's out, anyway.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21Can you hold the pot for me, just for a moment, please?
0:07:21 > 0:07:23You're all right, Bev. I've got you.
0:07:23 > 0:07:25Slight technical hitch, here.
0:07:29 > 0:07:31Chily, where are you going?
0:07:31 > 0:07:33Now, of course, this is a baptism by fire.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36I can't get it. Bev, do you really fancy...
0:07:36 > 0:07:40I need someone to take it off of my back. Can you get her?
0:07:40 > 0:07:41Put your hand gently in front of her.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44Bev has actually been cleaning it out, as well, for the last week.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46- Hang on, Darren. - I'll bend over. Be nice to me.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48OK.
0:07:50 > 0:07:52What do you think of that, Jordan?
0:07:52 > 0:07:55She's just coming over to your hand.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58I think we've gone off like Linford Christie here rather than Chily,
0:07:58 > 0:08:01- the Rose tarantula. That's better. - Are they usually this active?
0:08:01 > 0:08:03I thought they sort of sat around a lot.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06She normally does, where she's been in the little
0:08:06 > 0:08:09sandwich pot for a couple of minutes, she's got a lot of energy.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12- Have you got her? - Bev, you are brilliant.
0:08:12 > 0:08:14- Bev's doing it.- You got her, Bev?
0:08:14 > 0:08:17Well done. Oh, Bev. Fantastic.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22Put your hand there, as well.
0:08:22 > 0:08:24Oh, wow. That was brilliant.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27Now, of course, Bev, I can say has officially passed.
0:08:27 > 0:08:28Give her a pass certificate here.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31A pass certificate? She's going to need a huge drink.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34And we have to build on that now.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36How did it feel, Bev?
0:08:36 > 0:08:39- There's only one way to find out. - Not very nice.
0:08:39 > 0:08:43Do you fancy? Hold your hands out.
0:08:43 > 0:08:47- I'm really scared of dropping her. - I won't let you drop her.
0:08:47 > 0:08:51- Will you do the catching on the other side?- Promise you.
0:08:51 > 0:08:53God, somebody hold my hand, for heaven's sake.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55There we go.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58That's brilliant. That's really good.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00Hang on. There she is.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03It's not what you think, is it? You're shaking.
0:09:03 > 0:09:07I'm absolutely shaking but she's quite sweet, really.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13Five years later,
0:09:13 > 0:09:17Kate summoned up the courage to confront her fears once again.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19This time, alongside Mike Holloman
0:09:19 > 0:09:22and a tarantula, by the name of Samantha.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25In the years that had passed, however,
0:09:25 > 0:09:28Kate's confidence hadn't grown.
0:09:28 > 0:09:30Would you like to get her out?
0:09:30 > 0:09:31- No, I wouldn't.- You sure?
0:09:31 > 0:09:36No. Actually, because I am really quite scared of her,
0:09:36 > 0:09:38I don't want to hurt her.
0:09:38 > 0:09:41I mean, they look quite tough, but are they?
0:09:41 > 0:09:43Yeah, but they don't do very well if you drop them.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46- It usually kills them. - How can you call her sweetheart?
0:09:46 > 0:09:51- Cos she's beautiful. Look.- I mean, she's an amazing looking animal.
0:09:51 > 0:09:53Oh, Mike, I really don't think I can hold her, though.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55- Are you sure?- Yeah.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58Why curly hair? They don't look... oh, she's quite active, too.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00- There she is.- Oh, no, Mike, I don't think I can do it.
0:10:00 > 0:10:02Would you like to clean her out?
0:10:02 > 0:10:06OK. Well, let's have a good look at her first. I'm going to admire her.
0:10:06 > 0:10:08I'm not sure I can quite hold her.
0:10:08 > 0:10:12What do they eat? Do they eat people?
0:10:12 > 0:10:14Only if their name's Kate Humble.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18No. She'll eat grasshoppers and stuff
0:10:18 > 0:10:20like that in the wild, crickets.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23And how do they catch them? Do they use any sort of poison?
0:10:23 > 0:10:24All tarantulas are slightly venomous.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27- Right.- Enough to sort of quieten their prey down.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29Not actually stun them, but that sort of thing.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31OK, Mike.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34Right, what you do, do you want to try and put her in?
0:10:34 > 0:10:36- If we do it over the bowl... - OK. That's a good idea.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38- in case she drops. - I can't believe I'm doing this.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41Go on. Put your hand in front. Go on, sweetie.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44And then you can put her in.
0:10:44 > 0:10:48Ooh, she's got little sort of claws on the front.
0:10:48 > 0:10:50Come on, girl.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53I've got a hand underneath.
0:10:53 > 0:10:55That's it.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57Well done, Kate.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00Can someone make me a gin and tonic?
0:11:01 > 0:11:04You're brilliant. Thank you, sweetheart.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06You're a good girl, too.
0:11:16 > 0:11:20Unlike Pets Corner, the East African reserve
0:11:20 > 0:11:23isn't home to anything scary at all.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27In fact, its residents are a much gentler lot...
0:11:27 > 0:11:31like the pair of giant African spur thigh tortoises.
0:11:31 > 0:11:35But in the colder months, they're nowhere to be seen
0:11:35 > 0:11:38and their paddock is deserted.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44Well, apart from a few free-range guinea fowl.
0:11:44 > 0:11:48So, if they're not here, where are they?
0:11:50 > 0:11:54They're tucked away up in a corner of the giraffe house.
0:11:54 > 0:12:00Spur thigh tortoises come from hot, dry areas of Northern Africa,
0:12:00 > 0:12:03so the Wiltshire winter is far too cold for them.
0:12:03 > 0:12:08During the chillier months, keeper Bev Evans brings them indoors.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10Every winter, we bring our two tortoises
0:12:10 > 0:12:12up from their summer paddock.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15Basically, because they don't hibernate.
0:12:15 > 0:12:17They just need somewhere which is reasonably warm
0:12:17 > 0:12:21and dry, that we can keep them here throughout the winter months.
0:12:21 > 0:12:23Bev does her best to make
0:12:23 > 0:12:26their winter residence as comfortable as possible.
0:12:26 > 0:12:30Well, up here, we tend to just put sand down, basically,
0:12:30 > 0:12:34it's much more comfortable for them than concrete and a lot warmer.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36We try and make a little heating area.
0:12:36 > 0:12:41We've got two red bulbs here which will warm up the two tortoises, one
0:12:41 > 0:12:44each, cos they can squabble if there is just the single bulb.
0:12:44 > 0:12:48And also, we'll have a UV bulb, as well, which basically
0:12:48 > 0:12:50is just like sunlight.
0:12:50 > 0:12:54Because they're not out and about very much, in the winter, they tend
0:12:54 > 0:12:57to stay in here a lot so we do need to give them that UV
0:12:57 > 0:12:59so they can soak up the vitamin D.
0:13:05 > 0:13:10When winter's over and spring is in the air, it's time for the tortoises
0:13:10 > 0:13:12to leave the giraffe house and
0:13:12 > 0:13:18migrate a few hundred metres across the park to their outdoor enclosure.
0:13:18 > 0:13:22However, on the way, Bev has a very important health check to do.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25Weighing them to make sure over the winter
0:13:25 > 0:13:28they haven't lost too much weight.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31With tortoises, it's hard to keep an eye on their health, but weighing
0:13:31 > 0:13:33them can give us a good idea.
0:13:33 > 0:13:36We can expect them to lose a little bit of weight
0:13:36 > 0:13:39over winter and that isn't a worry, but we just need to keep an eye.
0:13:39 > 0:13:43If it's too severe then we know we need to get the vet in.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46We'll return to Bev when she finds out how her tortoises
0:13:46 > 0:13:48have fared over the winter.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59Earlier on, Kate and I helped Bob and Brian put up a giant
0:13:59 > 0:14:01lion scratching post and now
0:14:01 > 0:14:04is the moment of truth, to release the lions.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07OK, Sarah, can you let them out now, please?
0:14:07 > 0:14:12This is the youngest, largest and most active pride at the park.
0:14:12 > 0:14:17It's ruled by two brothers, Nookie and Mr Dudley.
0:14:19 > 0:14:23- Here they come.- Yeah. Racing up. - They're playing as well on
0:14:23 > 0:14:26- the way up so that's a good sign. - One of them's gone up the top.
0:14:26 > 0:14:28Who's that up the top?
0:14:28 > 0:14:30- That's Jazeera. - One hitting the ball.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33One hitting the ball.
0:14:33 > 0:14:35Jazeera at the top, is it?
0:14:35 > 0:14:39Look at the youngster behind, really unsure about what to make of it.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42- Who have we got at the top? - That's Jazeera on the top.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45Jazeera on the top. Who's playing with the ball?
0:14:45 > 0:14:49Look at the weight that's being put... you can see the power...
0:14:50 > 0:14:53- That's virtually mimicking what they would do...- We've
0:14:53 > 0:14:56got someone else on the top here. I don't know whether you can see.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59- They're stretching that rope. - We've got two up there.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05- Oh, look, look.- Look at that.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08- That's showing off. - That's just brilliant.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11"Get out the way. Let me show you how it's done!"
0:15:15 > 0:15:18Look, look. There's a little cub sort of going...
0:15:18 > 0:15:21"If you can do that, maybe I can get up there, too."
0:15:21 > 0:15:25Look at that lion's face pulling on that ball. Absolutely blissful, that.
0:15:25 > 0:15:29- I'm going to get you.- We've got this youngster up on the side, here.
0:15:29 > 0:15:31Oh, no!
0:15:31 > 0:15:33- He's taken a bit away.- He's taken it.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36He's skinned it.
0:15:36 > 0:15:38He's got the innards, there.
0:15:38 > 0:15:40That'll take a while to unravel.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43It looks like a golf ball in there.
0:15:43 > 0:15:49But look, isn't it funny? So typical, Ben, boys just lying there.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52I'm exhausted now. Yeah.
0:15:52 > 0:15:54Great entertainment for him, though.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57Completely shredding that ball now.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00Well, at least the structure is holding up, so in theory
0:16:00 > 0:16:02you can just keep replacing the rope
0:16:02 > 0:16:07and the toys that hang off it and this can be a permanent fixture.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09He's actually pulling the stuffing
0:16:09 > 0:16:11- out of that ball. - They are, aren't they?
0:16:11 > 0:16:14So those fenders managed to survive enormous yachts and boats, but they
0:16:14 > 0:16:18- haven't survived your lion pride. - No. Not lion-proof, that's for sure.
0:16:21 > 0:16:23Look. He's hanging.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27They're showing
0:16:27 > 0:16:32really wild behaviour, attacking the toys with vice-like jaws and
0:16:32 > 0:16:35then disembowelling them with their five centimetre long back claws.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44- He's doing the same with that.- Oh, look. Here we go.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47He's gonna skin that one.
0:16:56 > 0:16:58One of them's jumping up now.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01Real boxing going on.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16Don't you think, Ben, that the hardest thing to imagine,
0:17:16 > 0:17:20is when you see them all playing like this
0:17:20 > 0:17:21like this... I mean, look at that lion.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23Look at Nookie now,
0:17:23 > 0:17:24with that shredded ball.
0:17:24 > 0:17:28I mean, all you have to do is scale that down by what, 100 times
0:17:28 > 0:17:31and it could be a domestic cat playing with a ball of wool.
0:17:31 > 0:17:36It's almost frightening to think that we're sitting within inches
0:17:36 > 0:17:40of animals that could kill us with one swipe of the paws
0:17:40 > 0:17:44- and yet...- They're showing domestic cat behaviour.- Yeah.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46Yeah. Amazing. Absolutely amazing.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50Well, thank you, both, very very much indeed. What a fantastic way
0:17:50 > 0:17:53to spend a morning watching lions happy with their new toys.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01That's well and truly destroyed.
0:18:08 > 0:18:13Over in the East Africa reserve, Bev Evans is ready to weigh Michelle.
0:18:13 > 0:18:17We need to keep an eye on their weight, because with tortoises,
0:18:17 > 0:18:20it's one of the most essential things that you can do that gives
0:18:20 > 0:18:22a really good accurate picture.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27So, hopefully, she hasn't lost too much weight.
0:18:27 > 0:18:30Right. That's about 23.06.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33She was 23.35. She's lost a very small amount, really.
0:18:33 > 0:18:35She's lost .3 of a kilogram
0:18:35 > 0:18:38which over winter is kind of expected, to be honest.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41So, no, I'm quite happy with that.
0:18:41 > 0:18:46Weigh-in over and with no cause for concern, Michelle can complete her
0:18:46 > 0:18:48journey down to the paddock.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54Going to put her straight into the house.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57Basically because it's a little bit cool out here.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00At the moment, we'd like her to get warmed up, leave the ramp open.
0:19:00 > 0:19:02If she wants to come out and graze, it's up to her, but want
0:19:02 > 0:19:05to make sure she's up to the right temperature first.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13Thomas the tortoise
0:19:13 > 0:19:17hasn't been at the park long and has struggled to put on much weight.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20So how has he fared over the winter?
0:19:20 > 0:19:25Right. He's about 21.16,
0:19:25 > 0:19:28which,
0:19:28 > 0:19:33looking back, isn't brilliant, because comparing it with this time
0:19:33 > 0:19:36last year, he's lost weight.
0:19:36 > 0:19:38And we expect him to lose weight from his summer weight,
0:19:38 > 0:19:43but he's lost even more weight than this time last winter, so that
0:19:43 > 0:19:45means he's not putting any on each year.
0:19:45 > 0:19:50African spur thigh tortoises have similar life spans to humans,
0:19:50 > 0:19:52living well into their 80s.
0:19:52 > 0:19:57Thomas is currently in his teens so he should be growing.
0:19:57 > 0:20:01One day, he could weigh up to 60 kilos, but the fact that he's not
0:20:01 > 0:20:05gaining weight now is a real concern.
0:20:05 > 0:20:09The problem, mainly, is that eventually he might just stop
0:20:09 > 0:20:12eating altogether and that's a really serious problem.
0:20:12 > 0:20:16Once the tortoise stops eating and doesn't have the will to eat,
0:20:16 > 0:20:17you have to tube feed and that...
0:20:17 > 0:20:20so we're not at that stage, at the moment.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23We just need to keep an eye on
0:20:23 > 0:20:28our records and make sure, eventually, he turns it around.
0:20:28 > 0:20:32He may be underweight but he appears to have some energy.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35This tortoise can't wait to hare around.
0:20:56 > 0:21:00Thomas is already wandering around in the paddock, all over the place,
0:21:00 > 0:21:02but to be honest, we'd rather him just warm up slightly,
0:21:02 > 0:21:04because he's actually quite cold.
0:21:04 > 0:21:06So we'll just make sure
0:21:06 > 0:21:08he knows the house is open and it's there for him.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11If he comes back out again, then that's fine. It's up to him, really.
0:21:11 > 0:21:15Even though there's a lot of grazing here, a lot of nice grass,
0:21:15 > 0:21:18we can supplement him a lot with clover and dandelions and plants,
0:21:18 > 0:21:22which is very high calcium-rich food, which is perfect for Thomas.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25He loves being handfed, so we come down here,
0:21:25 > 0:21:27give him a lot of attention, give him a lot of hand feeding
0:21:27 > 0:21:30and just get him interested. So we just want to encourage that, really.
0:21:30 > 0:21:32Bev must now spend the next few months
0:21:32 > 0:21:38trying to get Thomas to eat before he becomes critically ill.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52Last year, Ben took to the water. He weighed anchor for his maiden
0:21:52 > 0:21:55voyage in the park's newest vessel, alongside Bill Lord,
0:21:55 > 0:22:00head of the tour boats and known to most simply as the Admiral.
0:22:02 > 0:22:06- Forward gear.- Forward gear. - Forward gear. You're out of gear.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09Don't have it out of gear or you're going to go... Don't panic.
0:22:09 > 0:22:14- Oh, you've stopped the engine. - Oh, dear. - BEEPING
0:22:14 > 0:22:17They made it back to dry land, but this year, one of Bill's
0:22:17 > 0:22:21colleagues has a challenge for Ben.
0:22:21 > 0:22:23The narrow gauge railway is one of
0:22:23 > 0:22:29the most popular attractions and they recently acquired a brand-new engine.
0:22:29 > 0:22:34Train driver Simon has bravely let Ben drive his new pride and
0:22:34 > 0:22:39joy today, but will he know his dead man's handle from his smoke sack
0:22:39 > 0:22:41and avoid a total train wreck?
0:22:43 > 0:22:47It's very much like a car, but there's no steering wheel.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50And we only use one gear. A forward gear and a reverse gear.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53OK. Another more important question.
0:22:53 > 0:22:55- Does this have a horn?- Yes.- Can I?
0:22:55 > 0:22:58Please practise. Yes.
0:22:58 > 0:22:59HORN BLARES
0:22:59 > 0:23:02- Loud enough?- Yes. We like that.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04- No-one's getting in our way, are they?- Definitely not.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07And what's the maximum speed we can take this to?
0:23:07 > 0:23:09Today, 6mph.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11- Only six?- It will seem faster.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14- OK.- It will seem faster. - Maybe we can go for seven.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16- Release the handbrake, please.- Yeah.
0:23:16 > 0:23:18- Now I'll check to see.- OK.
0:23:18 > 0:23:20- Platform is clear.- Platform's clear.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24- Two toots on the whistle... the horn, rather.- Ready. - HE TOOTS HORN
0:23:24 > 0:23:26Lovely. That's just great.
0:23:30 > 0:23:31How's that? It's quite
0:23:31 > 0:23:35strange doing the accelerating with your hands, not your foot.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38I kind of feel I want to do that. Are we happy with this speed?
0:23:38 > 0:23:41I think that's quite sensible, at the moment, actually.
0:23:41 > 0:23:43So we're doing about 3mph or so.
0:23:43 > 0:23:453mph. That's fine.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48And presumably, I mean, the track here is one and a half miles long.
0:23:48 > 0:23:50- Is that right?- About one and a quarter, actually.- One and a quarter.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56- So we're just creeping up to 5mph.- That's lovely.
0:23:57 > 0:24:00- Right. - You just passed a sign that said BT.
0:24:00 > 0:24:02- Right. - I want you to do a brake test.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05- A brake test. - By that brake, about 20 pounds.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08- Now, can you feel the brakes coming in?- Yeah.- Release, please.- OK.
0:24:08 > 0:24:10It's very cosy in here, isn't it?
0:24:10 > 0:24:13Yes. It's nice today but on
0:24:13 > 0:24:15a cold day you've got to be a bit careful about condensation.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18You've got to wipe the windows if you've got the door shut.
0:24:18 > 0:24:20Will you look around the back of the train and see
0:24:20 > 0:24:23if it's following nicely? No arms and legs. Nobody hanging out.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26Yeah. No. It all looks good. So what's its maximum speed?
0:24:26 > 0:24:29- What can you get up to in here? - The gear lever is
0:24:29 > 0:24:32marked up for four gears and there are four gears there.
0:24:32 > 0:24:37We only use second. I'd imagine this would do 15mph, easily, in top gear,
0:24:37 > 0:24:39but it is not intended for that.
0:24:39 > 0:24:42We've got some little deer in there.
0:24:42 > 0:24:46We see those every day and we keep a keen interest in them.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48- Are they completely wild? - Absolutely wild.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51- They're not quite part of the safari park.- Isn't that amazing?
0:24:51 > 0:24:53- Yeah. It's lovely.- You see everything on here.- You do, indeed.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56- Now, we're coming up to a bend.- Yeah.
0:24:56 > 0:25:00And I want you to keep a close eye on the speed cos this is about
0:25:00 > 0:25:03the tightest bend. We go through 180 degrees here and in to a tunnel.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06So, what sort of speed do you think we want on here?
0:25:06 > 0:25:10I think you need to get down to about 4.5mph and maintain it.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13- OK.- Because the gradient will toll against you.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16We have a train full of passengers.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19- Must be about 40 tonnes on the back, I reckon.- 40 tonnes.
0:25:19 > 0:25:21OK. Here we go. Ready. Good speed.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24Absolutely smashing. HORN BLARES
0:25:26 > 0:25:29Wow. That's pretty good, isn't it?
0:25:29 > 0:25:30Yes.
0:25:30 > 0:25:33You've even got lights on the front of the train.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36That's right.
0:25:36 > 0:25:40When we pass the pelican sign, I'd like you to ease
0:25:40 > 0:25:43the throttle a bit and keep the speed at about 5mph.
0:25:43 > 0:25:47OK. You must have seen some funny things over the years.
0:25:47 > 0:25:49We have seen some funny things.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52I like seeing Nikko, the gorilla...
0:25:52 > 0:25:57- particularly as the ducks land on his island and eat his food.- Yeah.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59He comes at the ducks like King Kong.
0:25:59 > 0:26:03- It's really good.- So it's a miniature railway but with a big railway
0:26:03 > 0:26:06sort of safety standards checklist.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08This is a great system here.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11It's one of the most sophisticated outside of a main line railway.
0:26:11 > 0:26:13Isn't that amazing?
0:26:13 > 0:26:16- Did you always want to drive trains? - I'm afraid I did.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21Yes. And another sound whistle sign because we've got...
0:26:21 > 0:26:24There's the turkey. Turkey!
0:26:26 > 0:26:29You've got a full platform here. Lots of people.
0:26:29 > 0:26:31We have, indeed. Lots of people.
0:26:31 > 0:26:33- Yeah. Hello.- Hello!
0:26:33 > 0:26:35Keep going, very gently.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38How much further? Just up to this point here, presumably?
0:26:38 > 0:26:41A little bit further and start to apply the brake.
0:26:41 > 0:26:43And whoa.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46- Fantastic. Thank you very much. Thank you.- It's a pleasure.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49- Thank you. - You're welcome.
0:26:51 > 0:26:56It's been a few months now since Bev weighed Thomas
0:26:56 > 0:26:59and became concerned he was underweight. Well, Kate joined her
0:26:59 > 0:27:05today to get the latest, armed with a few tasty morsels.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08We've got a bucketful of dandelions,
0:27:08 > 0:27:10which tortoises seem to love, don't they?
0:27:10 > 0:27:12- They do and it's the best thing for them, as well.- Is it?
0:27:12 > 0:27:16Yeah. Its naturally very high in calcium and it's perfect for them.
0:27:16 > 0:27:18I don't know how much he's eaten this morning.
0:27:18 > 0:27:21We'll see if he starts to tuck into these dandelions.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24So this should be like putting
0:27:24 > 0:27:27a great big bar of chocolate in front of someone. Absolutely irresistible.
0:27:27 > 0:27:29There we are. He's going for it.
0:27:29 > 0:27:33But if you compare him to Michelle, where Michelle would go in, bite
0:27:33 > 0:27:38something and just take a lot in at a time, he'll take two, three bites
0:27:38 > 0:27:41and just struggle to eat it.
0:27:41 > 0:27:44Basically, we don't think he's got the best eating action
0:27:44 > 0:27:47action compared to Michelle who just demolishes anything in her path.
0:27:47 > 0:27:51Yeah. Looking at her jaw there, she's eating, it's almost like
0:27:51 > 0:27:53a pair of secateurs, isn't it?
0:27:53 > 0:27:58She's sort of really cutting through that vegetation, effortlessly.
0:27:58 > 0:28:02Whereas he looks a little bit gummy, doesn't he, almost, like he's sort of
0:28:02 > 0:28:04isn't biting through quite as effectively as her.
0:28:04 > 0:28:06It could possibly be the way they've been brought up.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09You know, Michelle came from a lawned garden.
0:28:09 > 0:28:11- Thomas came from a patio garden. They're both ex-pets.- Right.
0:28:11 > 0:28:15So she might be more used to browsing and grazing and
0:28:15 > 0:28:18he was more used to being handfed, so it could be a behavioural thing.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21Or it could be something to do with his beak, but we've just got
0:28:21 > 0:28:23to keep an eye on it, really.
0:28:23 > 0:28:26What's the plan today with him?
0:28:26 > 0:28:29We weighed them back in March, now we want to weigh them
0:28:29 > 0:28:31again. Just Thomas, really. We're not worried about Michelle.
0:28:31 > 0:28:34So to see if this is physically affecting his weight.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37Yes. Yeah. And really, with tortoises, weight
0:28:37 > 0:28:40is the main thing you can check to make sure they're doing all right.
0:28:40 > 0:28:44Well, Tom Tom... so we can't weigh him here?
0:28:44 > 0:28:46No. We haven't got the scales or facilities up here, so we're just
0:28:46 > 0:28:49going to pop him down and weigh him down in the yard.
0:28:49 > 0:28:51OK. Well, come on then, chum. Shall I do the lifting?
0:28:51 > 0:28:53SHE GROANS
0:28:53 > 0:28:58He certainly doesn't seem to be underweight, do you, mate? Crikey.
0:28:58 > 0:29:00Good boy.
0:29:00 > 0:29:01There we go.
0:29:01 > 0:29:05I'm going to give you some of that to keep you busy on the journey.
0:29:10 > 0:29:13Come on, mate. There we go.
0:29:13 > 0:29:15Oops, sorry, Bev.
0:29:15 > 0:29:18Right. Can you remember what he was last time?
0:29:18 > 0:29:23Yeah. I've got it written down. He was 21 kilograms - 21.16.
0:29:23 > 0:29:29- He's put on weight.- Yeah. So 21.16 to 21.46 is actually doing really well.
0:29:29 > 0:29:35- That's great.- Cos I was expecting him to either be the same or worse.
0:29:35 > 0:29:37Cos to be honest, he hasn't really eaten a lot since he's come out
0:29:37 > 0:29:42of winter and started to pep up a bit. But that's good.
0:29:42 > 0:29:43That's very good news.
0:29:43 > 0:29:47So despite the fact he's not eating quite as ferociously as Michelle,
0:29:47 > 0:29:50you're not worried about him, healthwise, now.
0:29:50 > 0:29:54We will weigh him throughout the year, keep an eye on him.
0:29:54 > 0:29:56He should go up and up and up in the summer.
0:29:56 > 0:30:00It's the winter when they possibly lose weight which is the norm.
0:30:00 > 0:30:03So, as long as he keeps carrying on going up,
0:30:03 > 0:30:05I don't see too much of a problem.
0:30:05 > 0:30:10- We'll keep an eye on things like his beak and general appetite.- Yeah.
0:30:10 > 0:30:12Just make sure he's eating all right.
0:30:12 > 0:30:17Well, that's very very good news, Tom. Keep eating those dandelions.
0:30:17 > 0:30:19Thank you very much indeed, Bev.
0:30:19 > 0:30:21I'm delighted that he's so healthy.
0:30:21 > 0:30:24And we've got lots more coming up on today's programme.
0:30:25 > 0:30:28It's Ben's turn to be a scaredy-cat.
0:30:28 > 0:30:30SHOUTING
0:30:30 > 0:30:32- If you get back.- OK.- Hey, go on!
0:30:32 > 0:30:35OK. This is rather a tense moment.
0:30:35 > 0:30:39And two keepers push themselves to the limit to find one of Britain's
0:30:39 > 0:30:43most endangered bats.
0:30:43 > 0:30:45But first, we're going to look back
0:30:45 > 0:30:50at some of the times that Kate and I have been incredibly brave.
0:31:05 > 0:31:09If I looked a little bit scared of spiders earlier in the programme,
0:31:09 > 0:31:10you haven't seen anything yet.
0:31:10 > 0:31:14Wow. That's a powerful kick that she's got there.
0:31:14 > 0:31:16Ben has almost needed a new pair of
0:31:16 > 0:31:19trousers on countless occasions since he's been on Animal Park.
0:31:19 > 0:31:24- She's generally the angry one. - ROARING
0:31:24 > 0:31:27But, like me, it's often been the smaller creatures that have been
0:31:27 > 0:31:31the most terrifying and once again,
0:31:31 > 0:31:34Darren Beasley was on hand with his creepy critters.
0:31:34 > 0:31:37If I lift this, you'll see one of my
0:31:37 > 0:31:39favourite, favourite handling animals.
0:31:39 > 0:31:42- Oh, my golly.- Do you like those?
0:31:42 > 0:31:45- These are death's head cockroaches. - What are they called, sorry?
0:31:45 > 0:31:47- Death's head. - Death's head cockroaches.
0:31:47 > 0:31:51The markings on the outer shell are meant to look a bit like a skull.
0:31:51 > 0:31:55I think you need a vivid imagination for that, but we've got adults,
0:31:55 > 0:31:59sub-adults and I've just seen babies. See the little babies.
0:31:59 > 0:32:02You're so excitable about cockroaches.
0:32:02 > 0:32:08I love these because they're very handlable and they do make you
0:32:08 > 0:32:11feel "erghh" and a lot of people feel very uncomfortable around them,
0:32:11 > 0:32:13but they're great to show children.
0:32:13 > 0:32:16There's nothing to be scared of a bug. This bug cannot hurt me.
0:32:16 > 0:32:19It can't sting, bite, anything?
0:32:19 > 0:32:21- No.- That one's coming out. - Of all the hundreds of species
0:32:21 > 0:32:24of cockroach in the world, only a few cause problems,
0:32:24 > 0:32:27only a few cause germs and eat on the rotten food.
0:32:27 > 0:32:29- These come from the tropical world. - Right.
0:32:29 > 0:32:31And they eat leaf litter, like worms.
0:32:31 > 0:32:33They eat all stuff on the forest floor.
0:32:33 > 0:32:35Are there lots of different types of cockroaches?
0:32:35 > 0:32:37There are, hundreds and hundreds.
0:32:37 > 0:32:39And they've got some amazing facts about them.
0:32:39 > 0:32:41If I give you that. Go on, be brave.
0:32:41 > 0:32:44Oh, Darren, don't.
0:32:44 > 0:32:45Sorry. No no, I'm going to be brave.
0:32:45 > 0:32:48Be brave. I'll do one now.
0:32:48 > 0:32:50I want to tell you the most important fact of these
0:32:50 > 0:32:52is that they're quite heavy.
0:32:52 > 0:32:54You think? They're fairly big bugs but actually,
0:32:54 > 0:32:57these would survive a nuclear war.
0:32:57 > 0:32:58God forbid we ever have one.
0:32:58 > 0:33:00They're survivors.
0:33:00 > 0:33:03They've been around for millions of years.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06I can feel all their little legs and things.
0:33:06 > 0:33:09Well, if you don't like these, you'll need the gloves now
0:33:09 > 0:33:11because I'm going to ask... Julie!
0:33:11 > 0:33:14Julie's outside with something else.
0:33:14 > 0:33:16Something else. It can't be worse than that.
0:33:16 > 0:33:17These are nice.
0:33:17 > 0:33:20- These are nice. - Let's put him in there. Off you get.
0:33:20 > 0:33:23Julie's got something else that lives on the forest,
0:33:23 > 0:33:25the tropical floor of the forest.
0:33:25 > 0:33:27- Hello, Julie.- Hello, Ben.
0:33:27 > 0:33:29Another nice box of...
0:33:29 > 0:33:31- It's a box of tricks in here, I'm afraid.- What have we got?
0:33:31 > 0:33:35- Right.- Oh, one of those!
0:33:35 > 0:33:38Looks like a small snake, doesn't it? But it's not, it's a millipede.
0:33:38 > 0:33:42You can tell that because it's got hundreds... I don't say thousands.
0:33:42 > 0:33:44Does it not have the thousand then?
0:33:44 > 0:33:49Hundreds of little legs and in fact, the millipede that's recorded with
0:33:49 > 0:33:55the most legs has roughly around 700 legs, so not even one, 000.
0:33:56 > 0:33:58But there's only one thing
0:33:58 > 0:34:02that's more scary than a creature with 700 legs.
0:34:05 > 0:34:11And that's being locked in a room with nearly 30 bats in the dark...
0:34:14 > 0:34:18which is exactly what poor old Ben and Darren had to do
0:34:18 > 0:34:23when the Egyptian fruit bats first arrived at the park.
0:34:23 > 0:34:25So we've got two boxes here and there's some in both.
0:34:25 > 0:34:28Some in both. I'll open the bottom slider cos I think they're probably
0:34:28 > 0:34:30least likely to dash out that one.
0:34:30 > 0:34:34OK. I'm a little bit nervous. They're not dangerous, are they?
0:34:34 > 0:34:36Not at all. I mean, they have got sharp teeth.
0:34:36 > 0:34:40- They're fruit eaters.- OK. They don't suck your blood, then.- No.
0:34:40 > 0:34:42There is some bats in South America that do that.
0:34:42 > 0:34:46These don't do it. If you're a banana, you might be in trouble.
0:34:46 > 0:34:48So they exclusively just eat fruit, do they?
0:34:48 > 0:34:51Maybe a bit of meat protein, some bugs and flowers, whatever they
0:34:51 > 0:34:55can get. Wonderful sense of smell. And in fact, they pong a little bit.
0:34:55 > 0:34:59I was just going to say...there's quite a strong smell around now.
0:34:59 > 0:35:01Lucky you can't smell that at home.
0:35:01 > 0:35:04You're a braver man than me, I must say. Do you like bats?
0:35:04 > 0:35:06I have seen these and handled these. We sex these.
0:35:06 > 0:35:07This is going to be... here we go.
0:35:07 > 0:35:10This is going to be a male group. Here we go, here we go.
0:35:10 > 0:35:13I can hear it. Look at that.
0:35:13 > 0:35:16- How about that? - Look at its little face.
0:35:16 > 0:35:20They really do look like kind of rats or mice with their faces.
0:35:20 > 0:35:23Mice. Yeah. You're fine.
0:35:23 > 0:35:25- You're fine.- Sorry. I'm very brave, actually.
0:35:25 > 0:35:27There we go. There's another one.
0:35:27 > 0:35:29It's not true. They will not land in your hair.
0:35:29 > 0:35:32They've got fantastic echo location. Aren't they active?
0:35:32 > 0:35:34Is this a good sign that they're flying around?
0:35:34 > 0:35:36This is super. Lots of energy.
0:35:36 > 0:35:37They should go and eat and drink now.
0:35:37 > 0:35:41And what we'll do is we'll probably leave this open. Here's another one.
0:35:41 > 0:35:43- Is it coming out?- Yeah. Are you coming out, my friend?
0:35:43 > 0:35:48You can see him just there. We'll leave them in peace now.
0:35:48 > 0:35:51Let them settle in and we'll see how they're getting on later on.
0:35:51 > 0:35:56But fruit bats aren't the only ones at the park.
0:36:01 > 0:36:03British bats have been banging
0:36:03 > 0:36:06around the belfries of the great house for centuries.
0:36:06 > 0:36:08And the keepers have been monitoring them.
0:36:08 > 0:36:12Over half of all British bat species are now under threat
0:36:12 > 0:36:15and several have now been declared extinct.
0:36:20 > 0:36:24Keepers John Ovens and Alexa Fairben want to know as much as they can
0:36:24 > 0:36:29about the UK's bats to keep their visitors informed.
0:36:29 > 0:36:32So they've travelled to Cheddar Gorge, where bats are thriving.
0:36:32 > 0:36:36Their guides, John Hill and Roger Martindale.
0:36:36 > 0:36:39We'll get you kitted up and off to see the bats.
0:36:39 > 0:36:40- OK.- Thank you.
0:36:42 > 0:36:46The two types of bats that John and Alexa will see today are the lesser
0:36:46 > 0:36:49and greater horseshoe varieties.
0:36:49 > 0:36:51But to see them, the keepers will have
0:36:51 > 0:36:53to get into some awkward spaces.
0:36:56 > 0:36:59Lesser horseshoe bats are one of the most vulnerable species,
0:36:59 > 0:37:02with only a few hundred left.
0:37:02 > 0:37:05To put it into perspective back at the park,
0:37:05 > 0:37:10the Amur tigers are probably less at risk than these bats.
0:37:11 > 0:37:14They're now extinct in the South East of England
0:37:14 > 0:37:17but are hanging on in the South West.
0:37:17 > 0:37:19So the ones in this cave represent
0:37:19 > 0:37:22a significant number of the population.
0:37:22 > 0:37:26And Roger monitors them very carefully.
0:37:26 > 0:37:28When we're in roosts like this,
0:37:28 > 0:37:31what we try and do is use a red filter on the torch.
0:37:31 > 0:37:35You can actually observe them for quite a long time with that on.
0:37:35 > 0:37:37Whereas if you use white light,
0:37:37 > 0:37:43that's something that the bats are aware of and they'll fly off.
0:37:43 > 0:37:45So when we're observing them we try to give ourselves
0:37:45 > 0:37:48the best opportunity to count them and things like that
0:37:48 > 0:37:50so we can see if there's any trends,
0:37:50 > 0:37:54changes in population, population crashes and things like that.
0:37:54 > 0:37:56Despite living in dark caves,
0:37:56 > 0:38:00bats don't actually have much better eyesight than we do.
0:38:00 > 0:38:04They hear where they're going by emitting a high frequency sound,
0:38:04 > 0:38:10which bounces back to them off obstacles or insects when hunting.
0:38:10 > 0:38:12So to hear the lesser horseshoes,
0:38:12 > 0:38:16you need a bat detector in your utility belt.
0:38:16 > 0:38:20So what the detector does is it takes that sound and it converts it back
0:38:20 > 0:38:25down to our hearing range so that we can actually physically hear it.
0:38:25 > 0:38:28- That's amazing. - STRANGE GURGLING NOISES
0:38:28 > 0:38:32So it's a really important mechanism for them and even
0:38:32 > 0:38:37in pitch-dark conditions, they can find incredibly small things.
0:38:37 > 0:38:40You know, I've found them in mine systems,
0:38:40 > 0:38:43roosting on a piece of string.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46Now, that's how clever the echo location systems are,
0:38:46 > 0:38:50they can actually physically find - in a 36-mile long cave system -
0:38:50 > 0:38:53they can find a piece of string.
0:38:53 > 0:38:55- It's amazing.- He's going back again.
0:38:57 > 0:39:02We'll be back with John and Alexa as they scale new heights to find
0:39:02 > 0:39:04one of the biggest bats in Europe.
0:39:13 > 0:39:18This series, some of the biggest stars of the show have been the five
0:39:18 > 0:39:22new baby otters and I was lucky enough to be introduced to them.
0:39:24 > 0:39:27- I can't get over how... - SQUEAKING
0:39:27 > 0:39:29I'm lost for words. Absolutely lost for words.
0:39:29 > 0:39:31- How old are they? - They're eight weeks now.
0:39:31 > 0:39:34Coming on really really well.
0:39:34 > 0:39:39Two out of the five were very small in comparison to the others.
0:39:39 > 0:39:42They've all caught up. They've all got their eyes open.
0:39:42 > 0:39:45It's almost time now for them to be going outside.
0:39:45 > 0:39:47And returned when the feisty little bundles
0:39:47 > 0:39:51were sexed and health checked.
0:39:51 > 0:39:52This is a real squirmy little one.
0:39:52 > 0:39:57- We'll send you back in a moment. - LOUD SQUEAKING
0:39:57 > 0:40:01The keepers were delighted to have three boys and two girls and they
0:40:01 > 0:40:02went from strength to strength.
0:40:02 > 0:40:05He's a boy.
0:40:05 > 0:40:08But now, Kate has gone over to get the latest.
0:40:10 > 0:40:14I'm here at Pets Corner with head of section Darren Beasley,
0:40:14 > 0:40:19by the otter enclosure, with lots of very happy adult otters.
0:40:19 > 0:40:21But, Darren, there's been a bit of a tragedy.
0:40:21 > 0:40:25Yeah. I'm afraid it's been a pretty dire time down here.
0:40:25 > 0:40:31We had five babies born to Rosie and rather sadly, in the last fortnight,
0:40:31 > 0:40:33we've lost all five.
0:40:33 > 0:40:34They all passed away.
0:40:44 > 0:40:47The last one passed away just the day before yesterday
0:40:47 > 0:40:49and it was pushing 12 weeks old.
0:40:49 > 0:40:51They were weaning. I think, obviously,
0:40:51 > 0:40:55we've had the vet look seriously and the initial thing that we're
0:40:55 > 0:41:01thinking is for some unknown reason, mum and dad decided they were no
0:41:01 > 0:41:04longer going to supply the milk, that wasn't going to be available.
0:41:04 > 0:41:07It's really sad even to talk about
0:41:07 > 0:41:10because as a keeper, these animals are in your charge.
0:41:10 > 0:41:13You know, you want to do always
0:41:13 > 0:41:18what's best for them and to have no control over something like that...
0:41:18 > 0:41:22We have this policy where we will only pull animals for
0:41:22 > 0:41:26rearing or something like feeding if it is the very very last resort.
0:41:26 > 0:41:28We had to do it with these. Even then, they were too weak.
0:41:28 > 0:41:32That's extraordinary because Rosie has proved to be such a good mum.
0:41:32 > 0:41:38I mean, you've had successful litters and maybe not all the cubs surviving,
0:41:38 > 0:41:41but successful litters for the last three years, haven't you?
0:41:41 > 0:41:44I totally agree and the strange thing is that of...
0:41:44 > 0:41:49a good pair of parent otters, nobody could be better than these.
0:41:49 > 0:41:53They're proven. They've got the track record. He is such a good dad.
0:41:53 > 0:41:56He takes food in to all the youngsters and for the first ten, 11
0:41:56 > 0:41:59and 12, up to nearly 12 weeks, that's what they were doing.
0:41:59 > 0:42:04And so, in that fortnight, cos we originally, we looked for infections
0:42:04 > 0:42:06and bacteria. There's nothing.
0:42:06 > 0:42:09- Nothing.- No.- So the vet presumably did post mortems
0:42:09 > 0:42:13- and they proved to be absolutely healthy animals.- It wasn't a worm.
0:42:13 > 0:42:18The organs were all fully formed so it wasn't a congenital thing.
0:42:18 > 0:42:23It's obviously that this handover from milk to solids
0:42:23 > 0:42:26just for some unknown reason, this time hasn't happened.
0:42:26 > 0:42:30I know Rob, who looks after the otters, he's devastated.
0:42:30 > 0:42:33He must be absolutely devastated.
0:42:33 > 0:42:35Always, with animals, you're on this rollercoaster,
0:42:35 > 0:42:36up and down with emotions.
0:42:36 > 0:42:39We're on rock bottom now with these and lo and behold,
0:42:39 > 0:42:43what did they go and do yesterday? They start mating again.
0:42:43 > 0:42:45So, already, they're thinking,
0:42:45 > 0:42:47animalwise, oh, well, that's happened,
0:42:47 > 0:42:50this is over, let's get on, our mission in life is to carry on.
0:42:50 > 0:42:56So, anyway, they're thinking of the next litter now, already. And so,
0:42:56 > 0:43:00I've got to put some silver lining on this because we felt so helpless.
0:43:00 > 0:43:02- Yeah.- I felt... We wanted to do something and
0:43:02 > 0:43:05just couldn't and failed miserably.
0:43:05 > 0:43:10Let's hope the next ones prove that it was a glitch or it was a blip.
0:43:10 > 0:43:15Well, Darren, I'm sort of lost for words, really, cos
0:43:15 > 0:43:19as you say, it's been so successful and this is a wonderful home for them
0:43:19 > 0:43:22and you look after them all so beautifully, you all do.
0:43:22 > 0:43:26So our condolences to you and to Rob and to everyone here at Pets Corner
0:43:26 > 0:43:29and let's hope they continue mating
0:43:29 > 0:43:33and next year will, once again, be a proper successful otter year.
0:43:33 > 0:43:35We'll keep our fingers crossed.
0:43:46 > 0:43:49Back at Cheddar Gorge, keepers Alexa
0:43:49 > 0:43:53and John are risking life and limb to find the greater horseshoe bat.
0:43:53 > 0:43:57It's quite a climb but it's worth it.
0:43:57 > 0:44:0310% of the entire UK population is believed to live in this cave.
0:44:03 > 0:44:06It's too dangerous for public access
0:44:06 > 0:44:09and was only discovered about 100 years ago.
0:44:09 > 0:44:13The limestone stalactites create the perfect conditions for
0:44:13 > 0:44:17one of the largest bats in Europe to call this place home.
0:44:17 > 0:44:19You can see the size of these ones.
0:44:19 > 0:44:21- Huge.- I'm quite taken with how big they were,
0:44:21 > 0:44:23compared to the ones we saw earlier on.
0:44:23 > 0:44:26Yeah. Now, they will use this site all year round.
0:44:26 > 0:44:29So they use it for hibernation,
0:44:29 > 0:44:32use it for general roosting and they also use it for maternity, as well.
0:44:32 > 0:44:36So it's a really important cave system, all year round.
0:44:36 > 0:44:39All species of British bat live on a diet of insects.
0:44:39 > 0:44:44And they might be small but they're certainly hungry and can eat up to
0:44:44 > 0:44:473,000 insects a night.
0:44:47 > 0:44:50You would think that there were plenty around to sustain them,
0:44:50 > 0:44:54but sadly, bats are endangered in this country.
0:44:54 > 0:44:57The greater horseshoe's population's
0:44:57 > 0:45:00estimated to have gone down 90% in the last 100 years.
0:45:00 > 0:45:02And it's all down to human intolerance.
0:45:02 > 0:45:07There's lots of terrible stories about bats flying into your hair.
0:45:07 > 0:45:10They're always tied in with witchcraft and vampires
0:45:10 > 0:45:12and dark things. So general intolerance.
0:45:12 > 0:45:14Also, mass use of insecticides.
0:45:14 > 0:45:18Again, we're intolerant of insects so we take away the bats' food supply.
0:45:18 > 0:45:20But at Cheddar, they've been
0:45:20 > 0:45:24actively trying to boost bat numbers and they've been very successful.
0:45:24 > 0:45:28We monitored 40 in hibernation and what, was it nine years ago, John?
0:45:28 > 0:45:31When I first started, there was 40.
0:45:31 > 0:45:35There was 40 and this year we counted 427 in hibernation.
0:45:35 > 0:45:38So you can see the numbers have gone up significantly.
0:45:38 > 0:45:42Now that's not due to better accounting.
0:45:42 > 0:45:45It's just the fact that the landscape's improved,
0:45:45 > 0:45:49some of the conservation methods around the area have improved.
0:45:49 > 0:45:53The change in farming practices has helped the insect numbers
0:45:53 > 0:45:55which the bats critically feed on.
0:45:55 > 0:45:57If we've got bats in our gardens,
0:45:57 > 0:46:00what can we do to get more bugs in our garden?
0:46:00 > 0:46:03I think one of the critical things you can do is
0:46:03 > 0:46:06the encouragement of native plants within your garden.
0:46:06 > 0:46:10Rather than going for a Leylandii hedge, you may want to plant
0:46:10 > 0:46:14a native species that will have much more association with insects and
0:46:14 > 0:46:18therefore you've got a better chance of getting bats in your garden.
0:46:18 > 0:46:22As dusk falls, the team head out of the caves with bat detectors
0:46:22 > 0:46:25at the ready to observe these very special creatures,
0:46:25 > 0:46:27as they come out for their evening feed.
0:46:29 > 0:46:33So we're here outside the roost of the greater horseshoes,
0:46:33 > 0:46:37but we're also picking up, at the moment, lesser horseshoes and
0:46:37 > 0:46:40common pipistrelles, as well, so there's quite a lot of bat activity.
0:46:40 > 0:46:42So that one... TAPPING SOUND
0:46:42 > 0:46:44..that's a common pipistrelle.
0:46:44 > 0:46:47That warbling one is a greater horseshoe.
0:46:47 > 0:46:51And I think you've got on yours, John, some lesser horseshoes.
0:46:51 > 0:46:53TWITTERING
0:46:53 > 0:46:57Obviously, people can buy these but would they be able to use one
0:46:57 > 0:47:00in their garden without any training, or do you need to have
0:47:00 > 0:47:04a bit of knowledge on what different bats make different sounds?
0:47:04 > 0:47:07There's lots with just a little bit of guidance and going on a bat walk,
0:47:08 > 0:47:10you would pick things up quite quickly.
0:47:13 > 0:47:17Armed with a wealth of new bat facts, Alexa and John can return
0:47:17 > 0:47:19to their bat cave in Pets Corner
0:47:19 > 0:47:22with plenty of new information for the visitors.
0:47:39 > 0:47:41'Fear is a funny old thing.'
0:47:41 > 0:47:45Ooh, she's got little sort of claws on the front.
0:47:45 > 0:47:49'We're often afraid of the most harmless and placid of creatures,
0:47:49 > 0:47:51'but in some cases, our fear is well-placed,
0:47:51 > 0:47:54'like with big cats, for example.'
0:47:54 > 0:47:57- Who have we got in here? - This is Shouri.
0:47:57 > 0:48:00- ROARING - Oh, my gosh.
0:48:00 > 0:48:02SNARLING Over the years,
0:48:02 > 0:48:07we've discovered that filming with lions CAN go badly wrong.
0:48:09 > 0:48:14The keepers that look after the lions and tigers need nerves of steel to
0:48:14 > 0:48:17work in close proximity to these powerful beasts...
0:48:19 > 0:48:22with suitable protection, of course.
0:48:22 > 0:48:26When Ben joined Bob Trollope for the routine task of collecting lion poo,
0:48:26 > 0:48:32to check for worms, things became anything but routine.
0:48:34 > 0:48:37- This is Charlie's pride, isn't it? - This is Charlie's pride.
0:48:37 > 0:48:40Charlie and six females just a short distance away from us.
0:48:40 > 0:48:44I was going to say, they are a matter of 30 feet away.
0:48:44 > 0:48:50Yeah. It's a bound away. You know, they could obviously get us.
0:48:50 > 0:48:52We've got all the doors open so that
0:48:52 > 0:48:54we can jump in to any of the vehicles.
0:48:54 > 0:48:58We've all got vehicles. We've got two extra patrol vehicles here
0:48:58 > 0:49:00because we're actually near them.
0:49:00 > 0:49:05OK. I suppose we have to find some first, as well.
0:49:05 > 0:49:08We know that Charlie did leave us a little something earlier,
0:49:08 > 0:49:11- so we know where it is.- Great.
0:49:11 > 0:49:14- Just down there... So just a case of picking it up.- OK.
0:49:14 > 0:49:17I've got some gloves on so this'll be OK. Am I OK to go closer?
0:49:17 > 0:49:19- Yeah. You're fine.- Sure?
0:49:19 > 0:49:21Yeah, I'll keep an eye on him while you're picking up...
0:49:21 > 0:49:25- ROARING - Hey! Yah!
0:49:25 > 0:49:27- If you get back.- OK.
0:49:27 > 0:49:30- Hey! Go on!- Sit down!
0:49:30 > 0:49:36OK. This is rather a tense moment. One of the lions has just got up.
0:49:36 > 0:49:40Obviously, when you bend down you're vulnerable, so that's why,
0:49:40 > 0:49:42obviously, we've got all this security.
0:49:42 > 0:49:44I feel even more vulnerable now.
0:49:47 > 0:49:49But my experience with the lions
0:49:49 > 0:49:52paled in comparison with Kate's experience
0:49:52 > 0:49:56with Charlie and his girls, a few years earlier,
0:49:56 > 0:50:00which even caused big brave Bob Trollope to break into a sweat.
0:50:00 > 0:50:05- Is that him there?- That's Charlie. Yeah. He's a four-year-old male.
0:50:05 > 0:50:08- Right. His pride of six females, you say.- Yeah. Six females.
0:50:08 > 0:50:12And Charlie, is that roughly the structure you would get in the wild?
0:50:12 > 0:50:15- That many females?- That is a nice-sized pride. Yes.- Right.
0:50:15 > 0:50:19Oh, dear. The feed wagon's broke down.
0:50:19 > 0:50:21THEY LAUGH Shall I drop one down?
0:50:21 > 0:50:25- Here...- Better not, just in case the lions come over.- OK.
0:50:25 > 0:50:27ENGINE FAILS TO FIRE
0:50:30 > 0:50:32We've potentially got a problem now
0:50:32 > 0:50:35cos it doesn't sound like the feed wagon wants to start.
0:50:35 > 0:50:37ENGINE TURNS OVER
0:50:43 > 0:50:47We've still got quite a bit of meat on. We didn't chuck it all out,
0:50:47 > 0:50:51- so they're potentially just waiting for more meat.- Right.
0:50:51 > 0:50:55Craig is doing a grand job. He's keeping them away.
0:50:59 > 0:51:01No. It's not going to work, is it?
0:51:01 > 0:51:03'291 here.'
0:51:03 > 0:51:06RADIO CRACKLES 'Yes?'
0:51:06 > 0:51:11'We've come across a problem. The feed wagon's broken down.
0:51:11 > 0:51:14'In the middle of Charlie's pride.
0:51:14 > 0:51:17'Could you come and assist, please?'
0:51:19 > 0:51:23With the distress call put into deputy head warden Ian Turner,
0:51:23 > 0:51:25the gravity of the situation quickly sunk in.
0:51:25 > 0:51:29It would now be a major operation to get Bob and Kate
0:51:29 > 0:51:33out of the enclosure safely through a field of hungry lions.
0:51:37 > 0:51:38Help, Ian!
0:51:40 > 0:51:43What's going to happen now?
0:51:43 > 0:51:45I'll tow you through.
0:51:45 > 0:51:47We're going to be towed out.
0:51:47 > 0:51:50Yeah.
0:51:50 > 0:51:51This is a very dangerous moment,
0:51:51 > 0:51:56- actually, cos someone's got to get out to put the tow rope on.- Right.
0:51:56 > 0:52:00- Craig. Have you got a row rope handy?- Yeah.
0:52:00 > 0:52:04If you just look through here...
0:52:04 > 0:52:06what's happening now, which is
0:52:06 > 0:52:10quite terrifying really is that someone's going to have to get out...
0:52:10 > 0:52:12Ian's getting out...
0:52:12 > 0:52:15and he's going to put a tow rope on here.
0:52:15 > 0:52:19If I shout, get back in, cos we've got three or four behind us.
0:52:19 > 0:52:21I'll look at these two, if you like.
0:52:21 > 0:52:23Yeah. I'll keep an eye on these two.
0:52:23 > 0:52:26Luckily, they've got some meat so they're a bit distracted.
0:52:26 > 0:52:29They're still keeping an eye on us. Look, can you see that female there?
0:52:29 > 0:52:31Keeping an eye on everything.
0:52:34 > 0:52:38- Female coming up behind us! - Just be careful, Craig.
0:52:38 > 0:52:40Hey, hey, hey, come on.
0:52:44 > 0:52:48I wonder if one of the car breakdown services would be prepared
0:52:48 > 0:52:50to come and do this...
0:52:50 > 0:52:52with a pride of lions. What do you reckon, Bob?
0:52:52 > 0:52:57- Well, they'd be a very brave patrol person.- It would, wouldn't it?
0:52:57 > 0:53:00It would be quite a challenge. She's coming right in under the car.
0:53:00 > 0:53:03- I'd like to see the fourth emergency service in here.- Yeah.
0:53:03 > 0:53:05- We're actually going.- OK.
0:53:05 > 0:53:10Ooh, going to be a little jerky now. We're just trying to...
0:53:10 > 0:53:13- trying to get started. - We'll just chuck this out.
0:53:13 > 0:53:15- OK.- You can see they're coming straight over.- Right.
0:53:15 > 0:53:17Here they come. Here you are, girls.
0:53:17 > 0:53:19That's it. Feed wagon's going.
0:53:19 > 0:53:21We're going. We're up and running.
0:53:21 > 0:53:23Slow down a bit, John.
0:53:25 > 0:53:27- Fantastic.- There's one more bit.
0:53:30 > 0:53:34That's it. We can actually be towed into a safe area now.
0:53:34 > 0:53:36OK. Wow.
0:53:36 > 0:53:38That was quite an excitement.
0:53:38 > 0:53:40Well, Bob, thank you very much.
0:53:40 > 0:53:44- That's OK.- I have to say that not at any time did I feel in danger.
0:53:44 > 0:53:49- There's one trying to get out in Mfue's pride.- BLEEP.- Oh, my word.
0:53:49 > 0:53:51Craig, get in there and push him back.
0:53:52 > 0:53:54No, no, stop. Stop!
0:53:57 > 0:53:59- HORN HOOTS - Lacani, come on! Come on, mate.
0:53:59 > 0:54:02HORN HOOTS LOUDLY
0:54:08 > 0:54:11- What an affair. - THEY LAUGH
0:54:11 > 0:54:16What's happened is because we actually broke down in there,
0:54:16 > 0:54:19Mfue's pride are getting anxious cos they can see what's going on,
0:54:19 > 0:54:21they can see that the other pride are being fed.
0:54:21 > 0:54:23And they haven't been fed.
0:54:23 > 0:54:26Young Lacani, which is a young male,
0:54:26 > 0:54:30bit ambitious, he obviously thought...
0:54:30 > 0:54:32- He'll jump over and steal their lot. - Yeah.
0:54:34 > 0:54:37Even though Mfue and Charlie's prides are neighbours,
0:54:37 > 0:54:39they must be kept separate.
0:54:39 > 0:54:43If they met in the wild, they'd fight to the death.
0:54:43 > 0:54:47So if Lacani had made it over the fence, it could have been fatal.
0:54:47 > 0:54:51If he'd have come over the fence when he was up to
0:54:51 > 0:54:54and jumped over, he would have still been in a safe area.
0:54:54 > 0:54:57Either way, if he'd come left or right, he'd have been
0:54:57 > 0:54:59in an area where, once we'd gone into his section,
0:54:59 > 0:55:02we could have opened gates and he would have followed back through.
0:55:02 > 0:55:06The worst scenario would have been if he'd jumped over the fence
0:55:06 > 0:55:10and climbed over the next fence and come into the first section pride
0:55:10 > 0:55:13and then we'd have had a massive fight between the lions.
0:55:13 > 0:55:16Thankfully, due to the quick thinking of the keepers
0:55:16 > 0:55:19and their reaction to a potentially very dangerous scenario,
0:55:19 > 0:55:21all the keepers and the lions were safe and sound.
0:55:21 > 0:55:26But while Kate coped courageously with the situation, let's see how
0:55:26 > 0:55:29her nerves are doing now because we're heading back to Pets Corner
0:55:29 > 0:55:33to confront her once more with her biggest fear.
0:55:33 > 0:55:39Well, Bev, ten years ago when we first started on Animal Park,
0:55:39 > 0:55:43can you believe that you would have been doing this as confidently
0:55:43 > 0:55:44- as you are now?- No.
0:55:44 > 0:55:46I never thought I'd be doing this.
0:55:46 > 0:55:49It's taken a long time just to get my confidence up,
0:55:49 > 0:55:52being able to work with them and hold them.
0:55:52 > 0:55:54She's got a lot of energy.
0:55:54 > 0:55:56- Have you got her? - Bev, you are brilliant.
0:55:56 > 0:55:58- Bev's doing it.- Got her, Bev?
0:55:58 > 0:56:00Well, done.
0:56:00 > 0:56:02Oh, Bev, fantastic! CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:56:04 > 0:56:06Literally, we've seen some of that
0:56:06 > 0:56:10old footage of you and you were shaking like a leaf and
0:56:10 > 0:56:15I have to also say that I have full sympathy for you and empathy because
0:56:15 > 0:56:19both of us have struggled with animals over the years.
0:56:19 > 0:56:22These, like Bev, I'm exactly the same.
0:56:22 > 0:56:26It's spiders for me and I remember doing a piece with one of the
0:56:26 > 0:56:30- Chilean Rose tarantulas with Darren. Do you remember?- Yeah.
0:56:30 > 0:56:33And I was sitting there with it on my hand and it was very very still
0:56:33 > 0:56:37like that and it was kind of fine and then it started to move up my arm
0:56:37 > 0:56:41and I just said, "Darren, Darren, Darren, you've got to take it off!"
0:56:41 > 0:56:44I had to go and have a cry behind one of the enclosures.
0:56:44 > 0:56:46I'm really impressed with you, Bev.
0:56:46 > 0:56:50- Thank you.- It was a triumph but it is one of those things.
0:56:50 > 0:56:53Lots of people, like you and me, are scared of spiders.
0:56:53 > 0:56:57But how brave are you feeling today?
0:56:57 > 0:56:59I'm actually not feeling that brave, really.
0:56:59 > 0:57:01Are you not? I will if you will.
0:57:01 > 0:57:05OK. How are you going to pass it from me to you? OK, Bev.
0:57:05 > 0:57:09- Are you going to have a go? Yeah. - Yeah, go on.
0:57:09 > 0:57:12- I might just have to hold...- I'll take it very quickly.- Will you?
0:57:12 > 0:57:14We want to prove that...
0:57:14 > 0:57:18- All right?- OK.- There goes the foot.
0:57:18 > 0:57:21- That's brilliant. Well done.- And then I'll put my hand there.- OK.
0:57:21 > 0:57:24Oh! I don't like that move.
0:57:24 > 0:57:25- OK. There we go.- We did it.
0:57:25 > 0:57:27Aren't we brave presenters?
0:57:27 > 0:57:29Not half as brave as Bev.
0:57:29 > 0:57:31Bev, you're amazing.
0:57:31 > 0:57:32Thank you very very much.
0:57:32 > 0:57:34I'm a bit croaky.
0:57:34 > 0:57:37On that note, that's all we've got time for.
0:57:37 > 0:57:40Here's what's coming up on the next Animal Park. Let's get out of here.
0:57:40 > 0:57:45There's unease in the rhino house as Marashi is taken ill.
0:57:45 > 0:57:46I think she's very very poorly.
0:57:46 > 0:57:52The bats get in a flap as Kate serves up some tropical delights.
0:57:52 > 0:57:56And Bob and Brian have a falling out with their tigers.
0:58:20 > 0:58:22Subtitles by RED BEE MEDIA LTD