0:00:01 > 0:00:04Around half a million people a year take the boat trip
0:00:04 > 0:00:07at the safari park, and the keepers need to be ready and prepared
0:00:07 > 0:00:10should a passenger fall into the water.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14And it's not just drowning you need to worry about.
0:00:14 > 0:00:18Yes, in the middle of the lake lives a 30 stone gorilla on the island.
0:00:18 > 0:00:21In the water are six very strong sea lions
0:00:21 > 0:00:25and two of Africa's biggest killers, the hippo.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28All of which probably makes this the most dangerous lake in the country
0:00:28 > 0:00:31but today, we'll be finding out what the keepers do
0:00:31 > 0:00:33if somebody really does fall in.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59On Animal Park today, we'll be setting up a surprise for
0:00:59 > 0:01:03the young tigers, but it's not as big as the surprise they've got for us.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06- There she goes! Wow!- Look at that.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09- She makes it look completely effortless.- Amazing.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12We'll be revisiting the heart-wrenching tale of Bev
0:01:12 > 0:01:15and her little orphan babies.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18And, statistically speaking, the African hippo
0:01:18 > 0:01:22is about 100 times more dangerous than the great white shark.
0:01:22 > 0:01:26So would you throw someone in with them?
0:01:29 > 0:01:32But first stop is tiger territory.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35It's been a few weeks now since dear Kadu passed away.
0:01:35 > 0:01:40She was the last one left from the old gang and when she died,
0:01:40 > 0:01:42it was the end of an era.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48But that doesn't mean there are no tigers at Longleat,
0:01:48 > 0:01:52because, last year, three newcomers arrived from a zoo in France.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55All three are sisters from the same litter.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58At two years old, they're still just youngsters
0:01:58 > 0:02:00and they are certainly full of bounce.
0:02:00 > 0:02:07MUSIC: "The Love Cats" by Jamie Cullum
0:02:24 > 0:02:28Today, there's a plan afoot to find out just what they're capable of.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32The tigers are still in their night-time quarters
0:02:32 > 0:02:35and Kate and I have come to help get things ready.
0:02:35 > 0:02:37Bob and I are here in tiger territory,
0:02:37 > 0:02:40walking, completely unprotected with a large crate of meat,
0:02:40 > 0:02:42which doesn't seem to be a brilliant idea.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45I think Ben's got the right idea, being right up a ladder.
0:02:45 > 0:02:49I am rigging the cameras, Kate, so hopefully those are all set.
0:02:49 > 0:02:53So basically, Bob, the plan today is for us to try and film
0:02:53 > 0:02:56the tigers doing something a little bit different.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59Yes, what we're going to do is hide a few pieces of meat
0:02:59 > 0:03:02- in different places to what they used to.- OK.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05And we're going to stick some up the tree
0:03:05 > 0:03:08- and some on the fallen tree down there.- OK.
0:03:08 > 0:03:12You know, it's something that we used to do with the old tigers.
0:03:12 > 0:03:18I remember, I remember. Well, Ben, shall I leave you some stuff here?
0:03:18 > 0:03:21- That's to go up into the tree? - I'll give you about half.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24I'll give you the heavy ones, so you've got some work to do.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27- Is that for me or the tigers? - There you go. Will that do?
0:03:27 > 0:03:30- Perfect.- Lovely, and we'll go on and put them up here.
0:03:30 > 0:03:34Yes, because I remember doing it with the old three,
0:03:34 > 0:03:36and they were sort of relatively
0:03:36 > 0:03:39enthusiastic about it, but I think they preferred their meat
0:03:39 > 0:03:42being delivered by the meat wagon, really.
0:03:42 > 0:03:43They do prefer it.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46Obviously, that is a much easier way of feeding them.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49But we like to do a bit of enrichment from time to time,
0:03:49 > 0:03:50and by hiding their meat,
0:03:50 > 0:03:54they have to actually use their senses,
0:03:54 > 0:03:57rather than just see the feed wagon and chase it.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00We don't have the opportunity of feeding them every day, so on days
0:04:00 > 0:04:03that we don't feed them, we like to hide their food.
0:04:03 > 0:04:05This is a really good tree here.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08Now, it seems strange, Ben's halfway up a large tree,
0:04:08 > 0:04:10and we're putting them up here.
0:04:10 > 0:04:14Shouldn't we be hiding them on the ground, really?
0:04:14 > 0:04:18Well, if they use their nose and follow our scent,
0:04:18 > 0:04:19they'd find it straight away.
0:04:19 > 0:04:23So the can follow our scent and then, "Well, where's the meat?"
0:04:23 > 0:04:25So they have to actually look for it as well.
0:04:25 > 0:04:29So by sticking chunks of meat up in high places,
0:04:29 > 0:04:31up on the end there, it's ideal.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34- So you're really making them work for it?- Yeah.
0:04:34 > 0:04:37OK. Well, I'll put this first bit out. Where do you suggest?
0:04:37 > 0:04:41Well, if you put a couple on the trunk as well, they'll follow it
0:04:41 > 0:04:43up here, find this piece,
0:04:43 > 0:04:46and then instead of just laying there eating it, jump off.
0:04:46 > 0:04:50Jump off! That would be amazing.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53Well, we'll carry on spreading this out, Bob,
0:04:53 > 0:04:56and see what Ben's got up his sleeve and up his tree.
0:04:56 > 0:04:57How do you think we should do this?
0:04:57 > 0:05:00We've got larger chunks and smaller ones.
0:05:00 > 0:05:02I reckon if we can get some big ones on the branches
0:05:02 > 0:05:05below the cameras, because they're only young tigers,
0:05:05 > 0:05:08so hopefully they'll have lots of climbing.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11And the smaller bits we'll put down the bottom to encourage them over.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14I'll do this first. Round the bottom of the tree?
0:05:14 > 0:05:17- Yeah, and if you can lift some onto here.- Like that?
0:05:17 > 0:05:21It's about getting their attention, so they know it's over here.
0:05:21 > 0:05:23That's right, yeah.
0:05:23 > 0:05:27So bearing in mind that these are the three youngsters,
0:05:27 > 0:05:29what do you envisage they're going to do?
0:05:29 > 0:05:31Who's going to come over?
0:05:31 > 0:05:34More than likely, Soundari'll come over. She'll come over.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37All three are young, so they're all active.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39A lot more active than our old ones were.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42I can see any reason why shouldn't get to where the cameras are.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44That high?
0:05:44 > 0:05:47One bound, grip, next down, meat, and jump off.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50So Soundari, you think, is going to be the first?
0:05:50 > 0:05:53She's the more lively one, the one that looks about,
0:05:53 > 0:05:57so she'll be the one to spot there's something different with this tree.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00Straight away. The ones will watch her and follow her lead.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03And you think they're going to go all the way up here?
0:06:03 > 0:06:07I reckon you could probably even go to the branch above that.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10Let's put that one there. Hopefully it's not going to fall off.
0:06:10 > 0:06:12Do you want to pass me another piece as well?
0:06:12 > 0:06:15Can go higher than this, Ian?
0:06:15 > 0:06:19Right where the ladder is, at the top there, go to there.
0:06:19 > 0:06:21- About that?- Wow!
0:06:21 > 0:06:24Are you sure they're going to get all the way up there? It's amazing.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27You think of leopards being the cats that climb,
0:06:27 > 0:06:29but tigers, they're so big and heavy.
0:06:29 > 0:06:31Are they really go to get up there?
0:06:31 > 0:06:33Yes, it shouldn't be too difficult for them.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36We don't want to make it easy, but then, we don't want to
0:06:36 > 0:06:39make it too hard or we're wasting our time.
0:06:39 > 0:06:40So the cameras are ready then?
0:06:40 > 0:06:44The cameras are all set. Let's just hope the tigers don't have vertigo.
0:06:44 > 0:06:45Are you on there?
0:06:45 > 0:06:50Right, hopefully we're going to get some good tiger action.
0:06:50 > 0:06:54We'll find out what the big cats make of their tiger treats later.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56But now, we're going back in time
0:06:56 > 0:07:00to revisit one of the most touching tales we've ever seen.
0:07:15 > 0:07:21To many people, working in a safari park would be a dream job.
0:07:21 > 0:07:25Certainly, keepers have a wonderful opportunity to get close to exotic
0:07:25 > 0:07:30animals, cuddly youngsters and some very unusual pets.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34It's almost inevitable that the keepers will form strong bonds
0:07:34 > 0:07:36with the creatures they care for.
0:07:36 > 0:07:40But that can be very stressful,
0:07:40 > 0:07:44because animals do get sick and, of course, they can die.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49Illness and accidents can strike at any time
0:07:49 > 0:07:53and that's when the keepers are truly tested.
0:07:53 > 0:07:57Mike Holloman used to work with the wallabies and a few years ago,
0:07:57 > 0:08:03we followed what happened when he saw one of them was in a bad way.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06I saw her the other day, noticed that she was off her food.
0:08:06 > 0:08:08We tried to give her a bit of food,
0:08:08 > 0:08:11and she sort of picked it up, looked at it, dropped it.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13We noticed a swelling under her neck
0:08:13 > 0:08:17and realised that was sort of constricting her breathing.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20When we tried to catch her,
0:08:20 > 0:08:27her breathing got very laboured and we thought, she's not at all well.
0:08:27 > 0:08:30The sick wallaby was isolated in an indoor pen
0:08:30 > 0:08:34and the safari park vet Duncan Williams was called in.
0:08:34 > 0:08:38Come on, sweetheart, come and see Uncle Duncan.
0:08:38 > 0:08:42That's very swollen underneath there.
0:08:47 > 0:08:49Ow! All right, sweetheart.
0:08:49 > 0:08:54She's got some sort of abscess problem right underneath her jaw.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56It's very, very swollen
0:08:56 > 0:08:59and I don't suppose she'd be able to eat an awful lot.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05It's also pressing
0:09:05 > 0:09:08on her larynx, causing that awful breathing.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11I'm going to give her an injection,
0:09:11 > 0:09:13a long-acting antibiotic injection,
0:09:13 > 0:09:15to try to settle down this infection a little bit.
0:09:22 > 0:09:26If it doesn't respond, the chances are she'll die from the problem.
0:09:26 > 0:09:30Obviously, if things aren't going particularly well and she's not
0:09:30 > 0:09:33responding, we'll probably put her to sleep rather than let her suffer.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36To survive, she'll need
0:09:36 > 0:09:42her strength, but with such a sore mouth, it was hard for her to eat.
0:09:42 > 0:09:47Mike prepared the softest thing he could find, some well ripe fruit.
0:09:47 > 0:09:52Mike was finding it hard to remain detached.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55It is sort of worrying when they're sick.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58You go home and you think, when you're lying in bed,
0:09:58 > 0:10:01"What can I do to sort of improve the situation?" - things like that.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04Come on then, it's your favourite.
0:10:04 > 0:10:08It's a nice bit of banana. You love it. A nice squishy, squashy one.
0:10:08 > 0:10:09Come on then. There you go.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12We'll leave you to peace. There we are, my love.
0:10:12 > 0:10:16There was nothing else that Mike could do for the little wallaby
0:10:16 > 0:10:19but leave her to rest quietly overnight.
0:10:23 > 0:10:27However, the next day, there was some very sad news.
0:10:27 > 0:10:32We came in this morning and had a look at her and her breathing had
0:10:32 > 0:10:38got very rapid and husky, so we thought we'd better call Duncan out.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40And he had a good look.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43We caught her, had a good look at her, and sadly decided
0:10:43 > 0:10:46the kindest thing would be to put her down.
0:10:46 > 0:10:48Unfortunately, the wallaby was a lot worse.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51The swelling had increased quite a lot.
0:10:51 > 0:10:56There was actually pus sort of burst out inside her mouth.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59She couldn't eat at all and she was a lot of pain, so we did
0:10:59 > 0:11:02the kindest thing, which was to put her down,
0:11:02 > 0:11:06put her out of the suffering and that's it, I'm afraid.
0:11:06 > 0:11:08They're all sort of like a little family here,
0:11:08 > 0:11:10all the little animals, even wallabies.
0:11:10 > 0:11:12When there's a lot of them,
0:11:12 > 0:11:16each one's an individual and it's very sad when one of them dies.
0:11:16 > 0:11:18I was really upset this morning
0:11:18 > 0:11:22and so were the rest of the staff as well. But there we are.
0:11:28 > 0:11:32But nobody could have known that this death was only the beginning
0:11:32 > 0:11:36of the darkest time they've ever seen in Wallaby Wood.
0:11:36 > 0:11:37We'll be returning
0:11:37 > 0:11:41to follow the dramatic developments later in the programme.
0:11:52 > 0:11:56Each year, almost half a million visitors take a trip around
0:11:56 > 0:11:58Half-mile Lake on board one of their tour boats.
0:11:58 > 0:12:04And although the boats may be safe as houses, with that many people in
0:12:04 > 0:12:07close proximity to this much water,
0:12:07 > 0:12:12there's always the risk that one day, they'll have a, "Man overboard!"
0:12:12 > 0:12:16The thought of someone falling in would be a worry, even if this was
0:12:16 > 0:12:20just an ordinary sort of lake, with deep water and maybe some big fish.
0:12:20 > 0:12:23But this isn't your average lake.
0:12:23 > 0:12:28It's home to a pair of one of the most dangerous mammals in the world,
0:12:28 > 0:12:31Spot and Sonia, the African hippos.
0:12:31 > 0:12:35Then there are the six hungry Californian sea lions.
0:12:35 > 0:12:36I'm going to go bitten!
0:12:41 > 0:12:44The keeper in charge of the lake animals is Mark Tye,
0:12:44 > 0:12:48and he knows just how dangerous they could be to a person in the water.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53Sea lions are naturally inquisitive animals,
0:12:53 > 0:12:57so anything that falls in the water, they want to go and have a look at.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00They have got a very, very powerful bite,
0:13:00 > 0:13:03and it's not something you really would want to have.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06I've been bitten by a baby sea-lion with little needle teeth,
0:13:06 > 0:13:10and that hurts enough, so a big adult would do you a bit of damage.
0:13:10 > 0:13:14One person who was unfortunate enough to learn this the hard way
0:13:14 > 0:13:16is head of boats Bill Lord.
0:13:16 > 0:13:18I think it was about ten years ago now.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20I was standing on the quay here.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23The bull was in his breeding mode. He jumped up, decided I was
0:13:23 > 0:13:26a good target and actually bit the back of my leg.
0:13:26 > 0:13:30They wouldn't normally do that, but he was in an unusual attitude,
0:13:30 > 0:13:33you know, anything in his way, especially a man, I suppose!
0:13:33 > 0:13:36Don't know what he thought I was going to do with the girls.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38He did have a go at my leg.
0:13:38 > 0:13:42That big brown patch, that is the bite, which still irritates,
0:13:42 > 0:13:44even today, ten years later.
0:13:44 > 0:13:46They're lovely creatures, but they have teeth.
0:13:50 > 0:13:52Then there are the hippos. In the wild,
0:13:52 > 0:13:56more people are killed by hippos each year than by lions,
0:13:56 > 0:13:59tigers and great white sharks put together.
0:13:59 > 0:14:00If you get in their way,
0:14:00 > 0:14:02they will flatten you, pretty comprehensively.
0:14:02 > 0:14:06They're very aggressive, particularly between themselves.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09When you see big groups of them in ponds in Africa,
0:14:09 > 0:14:12they're generally either sleeping or bickering.
0:14:13 > 0:14:17Even our two girls, they quite often have fall-outs and will
0:14:17 > 0:14:20go to opposite ends of the lake to stay out of each other's way.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23They've got a habit of moving around without you seeing them
0:14:23 > 0:14:25and they just appear from nowhere.
0:14:25 > 0:14:28And it just could be one of those days, you know,
0:14:28 > 0:14:31when someone got in the way. And it would be, I don't know,
0:14:31 > 0:14:34I wouldn't like to say what the end result would be.
0:14:35 > 0:14:40Luckily, they've never had a serious incident with a visitor in the water.
0:14:40 > 0:14:44But it's vital that the staff know what to do in case the worst happens.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51The boats are run by the keepers from Pets Corner,
0:14:51 > 0:14:54and every month they practise their rescue drills.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57The head of the section is Darren Beasley.
0:14:57 > 0:15:01Someone going in the water is always in the driver's and crew's mind.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04So they practise a procedure called man overboard.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07And basically, that means they have to retrieve a float ring,
0:15:07 > 0:15:10it's called a perry buoy, from the water.
0:15:10 > 0:15:15The thing is, they get so good at it, we like to challenge them and push their limits a little bit.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17So today we're going to up the ante.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20We're going to make this man overboard a bit more dangerous
0:15:20 > 0:15:26to really test this lot and see how good or, hopefully not how bad, but how good they really are.
0:15:26 > 0:15:31We borrowed a dummy, and this dummy is a big, heavy model of a man
0:15:31 > 0:15:35that I'm going to try and heave into the water,
0:15:35 > 0:15:39because actually, the crew are very good at receiving these perry buoys,
0:15:39 > 0:15:44but what happens if this person or object couldn't splash and hang on to a perry buoy?
0:15:44 > 0:15:48What happens if this person, their body was just floating?
0:15:48 > 0:15:51We've got all different shapes and sizes working down here.
0:15:51 > 0:15:55So we want to know that we've got some practice and procedure in place
0:15:55 > 0:15:59to be able to get a heavy thing either onboard or back to the shore.
0:15:59 > 0:16:03So it'll be interesting to see how they react when they see this doll.
0:16:03 > 0:16:05We've got the added value -
0:16:05 > 0:16:07the hippos have gone in the water as well.
0:16:07 > 0:16:11We go days sometimes with the hippos being in the mud or on the land.
0:16:11 > 0:16:15Now they're in the water, so they're out there somewhere as well.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18So with a pair of two-and-a-half ton hippos
0:16:18 > 0:16:21each sporting tusks like pickaxes,
0:16:21 > 0:16:23six dangerously boisterous sea lions
0:16:23 > 0:16:29and half a mile of lake, what would happen if there really was a man overboard?
0:16:29 > 0:16:32We'll find out later on.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46Well, we're back up in the tiger enclosure.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49All the meat is up in the trees, the cameras are rolling
0:16:49 > 0:16:51and all we need now, Bob, I think, are the tigers.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54- So shall we let them out? - Can you let them out please, Sarah?
0:16:54 > 0:16:59So she's going to open up and they're going to come straight out, are they, Bob?
0:16:59 > 0:17:05Hopefully. They would have seen us mooching about, and hopefully they'll smell our scent as well.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09Who's this, bounding over there?
0:17:09 > 0:17:11- This is Soundari.- That is Soundari.
0:17:11 > 0:17:13And who have we got coming in now?
0:17:13 > 0:17:16We've got Svetli coming in as well.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19She's normally the more placid one.
0:17:19 > 0:17:22Right. Look at that!
0:17:22 > 0:17:26There was I, Bob, saying, "Can they really reach up that high?"
0:17:26 > 0:17:32but suddenly, when you see them at full stretch on their back legs, you realise what enormous cats they are.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35It is incredible. These have still got some growing to do.
0:17:35 > 0:17:40- Really?- These are only just two years old, so they have a bit more to do.
0:17:40 > 0:17:44What do you think she was doing there? Just testing out the tree to see what grip...?
0:17:44 > 0:17:50She can see those big pieces up there, but she's not going any higher than her body will actually let her.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53She's trying to find her easiest route up there.
0:17:53 > 0:17:55It's not going to be easy for her.
0:17:55 > 0:18:00If we make it too easy, they just jump up there, get it away and gone.
0:18:00 > 0:18:02She'll take the easy option.
0:18:02 > 0:18:04- There she goes, there she goes!- Wow!
0:18:04 > 0:18:07- Look at that!- She makes it look completely effortless.- Amazing.
0:18:07 > 0:18:12She's got a prize now, and that's what we want. She worked for it.
0:18:12 > 0:18:17She's not going to go very far away from that tree because she knows there's more up there.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31It does seem strange, Bob, that given that these are tigers
0:18:31 > 0:18:35that were born in captivity, they've never come across predators
0:18:35 > 0:18:40and even if they had, you can't get further up the food chain than them.
0:18:40 > 0:18:42And yet they are so wary.
0:18:42 > 0:18:43Why would that be?
0:18:43 > 0:18:48I think they're very cautious, because it is something totally new to them.
0:18:48 > 0:18:52If you were to do that daily, then they'd obviously come out
0:18:52 > 0:18:54and be quite blase about it.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57But it's something new to them, so I suppose,
0:18:57 > 0:19:00rather than jump in at the deep end and find out you can't swim,
0:19:00 > 0:19:03they are just paddling.
0:19:03 > 0:19:07- Here she goes.- So she's almost eating as she goes along,
0:19:07 > 0:19:11but that's a slightly bigger chunk, so does she have to get off to eat that?
0:19:11 > 0:19:14She could lay there, but she'd most probably...
0:19:14 > 0:19:16She's just proved me wrong by turning around!
0:19:16 > 0:19:19It's a slightly wider part of the tree, isn't it?
0:19:19 > 0:19:23She'd generally just go off to a safe area where she finds it
0:19:23 > 0:19:26comfortable and reasonably safe to eat.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28There she goes.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31Now, this is the really high bit, so she's thinking,
0:19:31 > 0:19:35"I've eaten a lot now. I'm not sure if I can haul my body back up that tree."
0:19:35 > 0:19:37She's put on a few pounds since this morning.
0:19:37 > 0:19:41She's just trying to find the easier way around, look.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44No, don't go up behind there, we can't see. She's got some, though.
0:19:44 > 0:19:49That's one of the smaller pieces I think I put at the bottom of the tree.
0:19:49 > 0:19:51She's not letting anything go to waste.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53- And there she goes. - There she is, wow.
0:19:53 > 0:19:55Look at her, going all the way up.
0:19:55 > 0:19:59That is just incredibly high.
0:20:02 > 0:20:06She's struggling to grip and move up, because the pieces are a little bit higher.
0:20:06 > 0:20:08- There goes, she's got it. - She's got it.
0:20:08 > 0:20:14I know nothing will replace the other three, but it is lovely.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16Bob, thank you very much indeed
0:20:16 > 0:20:21for letting us join in this tiger experiment,
0:20:21 > 0:20:24and I think we shall leave them in peace
0:20:24 > 0:20:26to keep finding their meat throughout the day.
0:20:26 > 0:20:28- That's a lot.- Thanks, Bob.
0:20:32 > 0:20:37A few years ago, we followed a series of dramatic events as they unfolded in Wallaby Wood.
0:20:37 > 0:20:41It began when a young female died from an infection in the mouth.
0:20:41 > 0:20:48Then, not long after, keepers Paul Pettenden and Mel Newby made another terrible discovery.
0:20:48 > 0:20:55Just went to feed the wallabies, check on them, and actually found a dead one just in the corner.
0:20:55 > 0:21:02It is quite upsetting, yeah, but you've got to get on with it
0:21:02 > 0:21:04and make sure the others get through.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09But could this case be linked to the first death?
0:21:09 > 0:21:12Duncan the vet was called in to do a post-mortem.
0:21:12 > 0:21:17He discovered that the second wallaby was suffering from a completely different problem.
0:21:17 > 0:21:22There's a horrible bloody fluid in the small intestine
0:21:22 > 0:21:25and I think, basically, she has died from enteritis.
0:21:25 > 0:21:29Enteritis is basically inflammation of the intestine,
0:21:29 > 0:21:34so it's just sort of a severe gut upset.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36I mean, if it's an infectious disease,
0:21:36 > 0:21:41there's always a possibility it could spread through the whole colony.
0:21:41 > 0:21:43And that would be a catastrophe.
0:21:43 > 0:21:49So tissue samples from the dead female were sent for urgent analysis.
0:21:49 > 0:21:57With the spectre of a mysterious disease hanging over Wallaby Wood, it looked like grim times lay ahead.
0:21:57 > 0:22:01But sometimes, at the darkest hour, there is a ray of light.
0:22:01 > 0:22:05When Paul and Mel took a closer look at the dead female,
0:22:05 > 0:22:10they discovered something that was little short of a miracle.
0:22:10 > 0:22:15We heard some breathing and then we noticed that the stomach was moving.
0:22:15 > 0:22:19So we went and got some gloves on, and checked the pouch
0:22:19 > 0:22:23and found a baby wallaby inside the pouch, still alive.
0:22:25 > 0:22:30Against all the odds, a joey was still alive inside the pouch.
0:22:30 > 0:22:34They had lost the mother, but the race was now on to save her baby.
0:22:36 > 0:22:42The baby was rushed straight to Pets' Corner, where keepers have experience caring for little orphans.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49The joey was a female and only about five months old.
0:22:49 > 0:22:53Darren Beasley knew how vital it was to get her feeding.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56It's always a big worry when you have to hand-rear an animal.
0:22:56 > 0:23:00You never know whether you're going to do the right thing,
0:23:00 > 0:23:04because obviously, some animals, if you hand-rear them, they can't be reintroduced.
0:23:04 > 0:23:06Is it going to live, is it going to eat?
0:23:06 > 0:23:11From what I understand, it's been without its mum for a couple of hours,
0:23:11 > 0:23:15a few hours, so it might be touch-and-go for the first 24 hours.
0:23:15 > 0:23:20The baby would need milk every two hours because that's how often she would have fed from her mother.
0:23:20 > 0:23:27Cow's milk is too rich, so keeper Bev Allen had goat's milk in the bottle.
0:23:27 > 0:23:29You have to try and get her to feed off the bottle.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32And of course, this is not natural for a wallaby,
0:23:32 > 0:23:37so it's sort of a gradual thing that you've got to do by putting the milk in
0:23:37 > 0:23:40and getting the baby used to it.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43And then eventually, it should latch on to the bottle
0:23:43 > 0:23:49and just start drinking naturally, basically, so hopefully it will get the hang of it.
0:23:49 > 0:23:56Hopefully she will survive and grow up, but we've just got to wait and see, really.
0:23:56 > 0:24:00Tonight is the first night, basically, so it's going to be
0:24:00 > 0:24:02whether she will survive or not.
0:24:03 > 0:24:07For Bev, This would be the most demanding duty she'd ever taken on
0:24:07 > 0:24:13and we'll be back in Pets' Corner later to find out if the youngster survived.
0:24:22 > 0:24:24For the last four and a half centuries,
0:24:24 > 0:24:27almost every Lord of Longleat got themselves painted
0:24:27 > 0:24:32at least once so that they could join all the ancestors on the walls of the great house.
0:24:36 > 0:24:41But Alexander Thynn, the seventh Marquess of Bath,
0:24:41 > 0:24:46is not only the most colourful family member, but he's also the most painted.
0:24:46 > 0:24:50There are dozens of portraits of him dotted around the house.
0:24:50 > 0:24:55And now there's a brand-new one, painted by a local artist Robert Tilleard,
0:24:55 > 0:25:02so I've met up with Lord Bath and his faithful companion Boudicca for a private viewing.
0:25:02 > 0:25:03So this is the latest portrait.
0:25:03 > 0:25:07Oh, it's brilliant! I really like that.
0:25:07 > 0:25:11I think Boudicca is the selling-point of the picture.
0:25:11 > 0:25:15Now, you see, you're doing yourself a disservice there.
0:25:15 > 0:25:22I think the two of you... What's so lovely about it is that so often these sort of ancestral portraits,
0:25:22 > 0:25:28if you like, are sort of stiff and formal, but that is absolutely you and your dog. It's lovely.
0:25:28 > 0:25:34And also, I expect I'm the first one in the family to sit on the stairs for the portrait.
0:25:34 > 0:25:36With bare feet.
0:25:36 > 0:25:38- Yes.- Which is very important.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40It is very much her expression.
0:25:40 > 0:25:45But I love the fact that he has allowed you very much to be you.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47- Yes.- Is that important?
0:25:47 > 0:25:53If you're asking an artist to paint you, do you have a say in how you are portrayed?
0:25:53 > 0:25:58That sounds silly, but artists do have very fixed ideas sometimes.
0:25:58 > 0:26:03I certainly liked to go along with this completely.
0:26:03 > 0:26:08I think sometimes, one wonders, couldn't it have been another expression?
0:26:08 > 0:26:10Don't I have any other expressions?
0:26:10 > 0:26:14But in this case, I'm really quite happy with my expression.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17But I think the selling-point is Boudicca's expression.
0:26:17 > 0:26:21She does, she looks the picture of a very content dog.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24How on earth did you get her to sit?
0:26:24 > 0:26:28- Did you both have to sit for hours on end?- Many photographs were taken.
0:26:28 > 0:26:35And I think, as far as she was concerned, it was practically all done from the photograph.
0:26:35 > 0:26:39Cos she's not very good at standing still. She's sort of sniffing around here.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42She's a very curious dog, isn't she?
0:26:49 > 0:26:52So there's a great tradition, isn't there,
0:26:52 > 0:26:55for ancestral portraits in the house? The house seems to be full of them.
0:26:55 > 0:27:01Well, I think that once Sir John had set the pattern that there was a portrait of him...
0:27:01 > 0:27:03We're missing his wife.
0:27:03 > 0:27:05- That was destroyed in a fire.- Right.
0:27:05 > 0:27:09But there has been practically every one since.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12They're there, but they don't have their doggies.
0:27:12 > 0:27:14It's quite recent we have the doggies.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17You've definitely started a new trend.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27Thank you very much for showing me this latest portrait,
0:27:27 > 0:27:31and we've got lots more coming up on today's programme.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37We'll find out what happened to Bev's little baby.
0:27:37 > 0:27:41I'll be making a strange discovery up in the woods.
0:27:41 > 0:27:44Look, look at that!
0:27:44 > 0:27:48And I'll be meeting a bird named Lucky Chestnut
0:27:48 > 0:27:52to see why a turkey is for life, not just for Christmas.
0:27:54 > 0:27:57But first, we're going back to the lake,
0:27:57 > 0:27:59because there is about to be an emergency.
0:27:59 > 0:28:04Driving the boat is Alexa Fairbairn, and Bill Lord is here to assess
0:28:04 > 0:28:07her performance, while crewing is John Reynolds.
0:28:07 > 0:28:10He is being watched by Darren.
0:28:11 > 0:28:17And there's just one passenger on board, though he's not going to be a passenger for long.
0:28:17 > 0:28:18His name is Kyle.
0:28:18 > 0:28:22He's on loan from the Royal National Lifeboat Institute.
0:28:22 > 0:28:27- He weighs 30 kilos and he's about to need rescuing.- Good luck, mate.
0:28:30 > 0:28:32Man overboard on the starboard side!
0:28:32 > 0:28:35Ladies and gentlemen, if I can ask everyone to retake their seats.
0:28:35 > 0:28:41If everyone can remain calm and keep the gangways clear just in the meantime,
0:28:41 > 0:28:46- while we sort this situation out. - That's good, that's good, he got control of passengers straightaway.
0:28:46 > 0:28:48That's crucial.
0:28:48 > 0:28:51While John throws perry buoys out to Kyle,
0:28:51 > 0:28:55Alexa is struggling to spot exactly where the dummy is,
0:28:55 > 0:28:59so that she can keep the boat's lethal drive motors away.
0:28:59 > 0:29:01Here it is, right behind you.
0:29:05 > 0:29:08We're doing a very quick turn.
0:29:08 > 0:29:13Get the boat to him in a very fast manner, but then stop it before we get to him.
0:29:13 > 0:29:17And the reason we've turned is to keep him out of the way of the outdrive
0:29:17 > 0:29:20cos otherwise it would cut him up.
0:29:25 > 0:29:31In reality now, our big worry is he's got to try and stop people jumping in the water,
0:29:31 > 0:29:33cos obviously people are going to try and help.
0:29:33 > 0:29:37One person in the water is bad enough. More than one...
0:29:37 > 0:29:41I noticed he glanced over and he got a sighting of the hippos. I am hoping he's looking.
0:29:41 > 0:29:46With the territorial hippos and over-boisterous sea lions so close, it's vital that John and Alexa
0:29:46 > 0:29:50work together to get the dummy out of the water as soon as possible.
0:29:52 > 0:29:54Reverse, and...
0:29:58 > 0:30:03Meanwhile on the bank, staff from the quay are moving into position to help
0:30:03 > 0:30:05in case John can't get the dummy on board
0:30:05 > 0:30:08and the only way to rescue it is to drag it over to the side.
0:30:14 > 0:30:16The dummy weighs 30 kilos.
0:30:16 > 0:30:19That's the equivalent of a ten-year-old boy.
0:30:19 > 0:30:23But with waterlogged clothing, he'll feel much heavier.
0:30:24 > 0:30:27The weight of it takes John by surprise
0:30:27 > 0:30:29and almost pulls him into the lake.
0:30:32 > 0:30:33The pressure's on.
0:30:33 > 0:30:37John has only a few seconds to get Kyle back on board.
0:30:37 > 0:30:39If he was a real person,
0:30:39 > 0:30:43he might be close to drowning by now, or to being attacked.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54That went very, very well. That's a heavy old dummy.
0:30:54 > 0:30:57I think the water added 30 kilos.
0:30:57 > 0:30:59130 kilos I think, the way that was.
0:30:59 > 0:31:03That was pretty quick. Alexa manoeuvred the boat very well.
0:31:06 > 0:31:07Come in.
0:31:07 > 0:31:09'We've managed to get him on board,
0:31:09 > 0:31:11'so we'll meet you back at the quay.'
0:31:11 > 0:31:13Yep, OK.
0:31:13 > 0:31:15First aider may be required.
0:31:15 > 0:31:17That's it, well done.
0:31:17 > 0:31:18That's good.
0:31:18 > 0:31:20That's A, B and C done.
0:31:20 > 0:31:24Now we've go to, D, make sure these guys get the boat landed.
0:31:24 > 0:31:26I can see we've got Kim waiting.
0:31:26 > 0:31:27She's a first aider.
0:31:27 > 0:31:30We would have got an ambulance on the way anyway.
0:31:30 > 0:31:33We've not done it today, even though, obviously,
0:31:33 > 0:31:34we would in real time.
0:31:37 > 0:31:39Slow it a bit now.
0:31:39 > 0:31:41It's gonna be a six-minute retrieval.
0:31:41 > 0:31:45When you think we were right at the far end of the lake, that's really jolly good.
0:31:45 > 0:31:46Stop.
0:31:46 > 0:31:49Brilliant, brilliant. That's rope on.
0:31:49 > 0:31:50Well done, Johnny.
0:31:50 > 0:31:52How are you feeling?
0:31:54 > 0:31:56- He's a bit wet, mate.- A bit soggy.
0:31:56 > 0:32:00Once back at the quay, the practice rescue is over.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03Time to assess how it went.
0:32:03 > 0:32:04It wasn't easy, actually.
0:32:04 > 0:32:07Once I'd got both the arms hooked, it wasn't so bad,
0:32:07 > 0:32:09but until I got both the arms hooked,
0:32:09 > 0:32:14it was quite difficult to keep hold of the person.
0:32:14 > 0:32:18Doing it with a doll is a lot more realistic, it's a lot heavier,
0:32:18 > 0:32:20so it means a lot more work for John.
0:32:20 > 0:32:22A lot more work for me to be able to spot him as well,
0:32:22 > 0:32:25because he's not wearing a fluorescent jacket.
0:32:25 > 0:32:29It could be so much more dangerous if you don't get things right.
0:32:29 > 0:32:33One mistake by the driver or by the crew member, he goes in the plop,
0:32:33 > 0:32:37Alexa actually hits the casualty in the water with the boat...
0:32:37 > 0:32:41There's so much to worry about. I take my hat off to these guys.
0:32:41 > 0:32:42They're doing a sterling job
0:32:42 > 0:32:46and I'll be coming on his boat for a ride in the future, I can tell you.
0:33:04 > 0:33:06Today, we're looking back
0:33:06 > 0:33:09at one of the most heart-wrenching tales we've followed
0:33:09 > 0:33:13since we first started filming ten years ago.
0:33:13 > 0:33:16It began when a wallaby died of an infection in the mouth.
0:33:16 > 0:33:18A couple of weeks later,
0:33:18 > 0:33:23another was found dead from a mysterious illness in the gut.
0:33:23 > 0:33:25But it was the strangest thing.
0:33:25 > 0:33:30In the dead mother's pouch, her baby was still alive.
0:33:30 > 0:33:33It was rushed to Pets Corner, where keeper Bev Allen
0:33:33 > 0:33:36started trying to feed her by hand
0:33:36 > 0:33:41with goat's milk in a bottle, every two hours round the clock.
0:33:41 > 0:33:44The next day, I was there when tragedy struck again.
0:33:44 > 0:33:47I've come up to find safari park vet Duncan Williams,
0:33:47 > 0:33:50because there's been more bad news about the wallabies.
0:33:50 > 0:33:51Duncan, what's happened?
0:33:51 > 0:33:55Well, we lost another female overnight.
0:33:55 > 0:33:56So that's two in two days?
0:33:56 > 0:33:59That's right. I've just post-mortemed the second one.
0:33:59 > 0:34:03Unfortunately, we haven't found the same signs as we did on the first one.
0:34:03 > 0:34:06There wasn't the extensive gut infection
0:34:06 > 0:34:09going on in the second one as there was in the first.
0:34:09 > 0:34:12Presumably, you're gonna have to wait for results
0:34:12 > 0:34:14to find out exactly the cause of death.
0:34:14 > 0:34:18But are you worried that this could be some sort of contagious bug?
0:34:18 > 0:34:21I should get results towards the end of this week.
0:34:21 > 0:34:23It will be good to know exactly what's doing it,
0:34:23 > 0:34:26because the implications for the others are quite major.
0:34:26 > 0:34:29If it is an infectious thing, we have to get in there
0:34:29 > 0:34:31and try and prevent it from spreading.
0:34:31 > 0:34:35Have you ever come across anything like this before?
0:34:35 > 0:34:38No, not to this extent.
0:34:38 > 0:34:41To lose animals as quick as this, we haven't really seen this.
0:34:41 > 0:34:45- So it's a real mystery?- Yeah. - They both had joeys, I gather?
0:34:45 > 0:34:47That's right, yeah.
0:34:47 > 0:34:50It was another female joey just now.
0:34:50 > 0:34:52I think it's going down to Pets Corner
0:34:52 > 0:34:55and Bev's going to try and hand rear that one as well.
0:34:55 > 0:34:57She's going to look after two?
0:34:57 > 0:35:00She's gonna have her work cut out. Unfortunately, they are very young.
0:35:00 > 0:35:04They haven't got much hair, so it's going to be a harder job for her
0:35:04 > 0:35:08to recreate pouch conditions sufficient for them to survive.
0:35:12 > 0:35:14With two joeys to be hand-reared
0:35:14 > 0:35:16and the illness still unexplained,
0:35:16 > 0:35:20the park was mobilised, ready to deal with a major crisis.
0:35:20 > 0:35:24Deputy Head Warden Ian Turner went to conduct a grim search
0:35:24 > 0:35:26for more bodies.
0:35:26 > 0:35:33Just got to check around everywhere, just to make sure that there's nothing tucked away.
0:35:36 > 0:35:39That's fine. They've been in here last night.
0:35:39 > 0:35:41You can see where they shuffled the straw up a bit.
0:35:41 > 0:35:46Ian is about as experienced a keeper as you can get,
0:35:46 > 0:35:49but was still affected by the situation.
0:35:49 > 0:35:52When stuff gets old or it's poorly,
0:35:52 > 0:35:55when you're prepared for it because it's been ill, it's a lot easier.
0:35:55 > 0:35:57When you turn up every morning
0:35:57 > 0:36:00and you have to look round like this...
0:36:00 > 0:36:02We do a check every morning anyhow,
0:36:02 > 0:36:05so it's a normal check, but now it's a bit more tense,
0:36:05 > 0:36:07because you're expecting to find something.
0:36:11 > 0:36:15Back in Pets Corner, Bev was working hard to save the two baby wallabies,
0:36:15 > 0:36:18but despite her best efforts,
0:36:18 > 0:36:21the chance of them both surviving was never good.
0:36:24 > 0:36:27I'm afraid the first wallaby did pass away.
0:36:27 > 0:36:30It was pretty upsetting,
0:36:30 > 0:36:32but it was sort of touch-and-go, early days.
0:36:32 > 0:36:38It's sort of all that hard work I put into it.
0:36:38 > 0:36:40It gets to you a little bit.
0:36:40 > 0:36:41It is very sad.
0:36:41 > 0:36:45I've got to say, on a personal note, Bev is doing brilliant.
0:36:45 > 0:36:48I mean, it's quite heart-wrenching to put your heart into something
0:36:48 > 0:36:51and then lose it, but she's done it.
0:36:51 > 0:36:53She's pulled through
0:36:53 > 0:36:56and, hopefully, she's gonna concentrate on the second one now.
0:36:56 > 0:37:00Poor Bev was back to square one.
0:37:00 > 0:37:04She had to start the two-hourly feeds all over again
0:37:04 > 0:37:06with the new little orphan.
0:37:08 > 0:37:12It's just sort of got used to taking the bottle now,
0:37:12 > 0:37:15so, as you can see, she's drinking quite well.
0:37:17 > 0:37:20It's just like a human baby,
0:37:20 > 0:37:22because you've got to get up, you've got to feed it.
0:37:22 > 0:37:26If she gets too dirty, we've got to give her a quick wash
0:37:26 > 0:37:28to make sure she's clean.
0:37:28 > 0:37:31It does take a lot of time, but it's worth it.
0:37:31 > 0:37:36Bev made an artificial pouch with a hot-water bottle, sheets and towels
0:37:36 > 0:37:38to keep the orphan safe and warm.
0:37:38 > 0:37:41Meanwhile, back up in Wallaby Wood,
0:37:41 > 0:37:46Ian finished his search and, at last, there was some good news.
0:37:46 > 0:37:48Today, there's nothing. Nothing yesterday.
0:37:48 > 0:37:51If there's nothing tomorrow and nothing at the weekend,
0:37:51 > 0:37:54we can start thinking we're in the clear,
0:37:54 > 0:37:56and it was something and nothing.
0:37:56 > 0:37:59But this tale is far from over.
0:37:59 > 0:38:02Find out later on what happened in Wallaby Wood
0:38:02 > 0:38:06and if Bev's remaining little orphan ever survived.
0:38:15 > 0:38:17There's a new boy in the park
0:38:17 > 0:38:20and it looks like he may be a bit of a psycho!
0:38:24 > 0:38:27At first, they were holding him in Pets Corner,
0:38:27 > 0:38:31but he kept escaping and attacking pushchairs with babies in them.
0:38:31 > 0:38:34So now, they've moved him somewhere safe.
0:38:34 > 0:38:38But is he really bad or is he just misunderstood?
0:38:40 > 0:38:45It is, of course, the turkey and just over here is Lucky Chestnut.
0:38:45 > 0:38:49Now, John, you're Lucky Chestnut's keeper. What kind of turkey is he?
0:38:49 > 0:38:54- He is an English Buff.- Right, the markings on the head are incredible.
0:38:54 > 0:38:56They are. they do change colour.
0:38:56 > 0:38:57What's he doing now?
0:38:57 > 0:39:01- He's just displaying right now.- OK.
0:39:01 > 0:39:03- He's about a year old.- Right.
0:39:03 > 0:39:06What are we doing down here with these apples on strings?
0:39:06 > 0:39:09- Well...- We're not gonna stuff the turkey, are we?
0:39:09 > 0:39:10Not today, I'm afraid, no.
0:39:10 > 0:39:14- We're gonna give him a little bit of enrichment.- Right.
0:39:14 > 0:39:18We just like to make sure he's always got something to do to,
0:39:18 > 0:39:21keep him occupied and entertained throughout the day.
0:39:21 > 0:39:23OK, so what are we doing with the apples then?
0:39:23 > 0:39:27We've got some pieces of bamboo. One over there and one over there.
0:39:27 > 0:39:29We'll just stick them on there, hang them,
0:39:29 > 0:39:31so he's got something to peck away at.
0:39:31 > 0:39:33So, obviously, they like apples.
0:39:33 > 0:39:37- What sort of height do you think we want to go at?- Just...
0:39:37 > 0:39:41- About there?- That's about right. - So they like apples, what else?
0:39:41 > 0:39:45What else does he like? Cabbage, carrots, grasses.
0:39:45 > 0:39:48We don't give him too much grass though.
0:39:48 > 0:39:50And how long has he been here now?
0:39:50 > 0:39:52He's only been here a couple of weeks.
0:39:52 > 0:39:55He was in Pets Corner originally, but he kept escaping.
0:39:55 > 0:39:59- Did he? Are they good escape artists? - He is a very good escape artist.
0:39:59 > 0:40:01He escaped at least three times down there.
0:40:01 > 0:40:04Having a look at his face again, there are these incredible,
0:40:04 > 0:40:08sort of red bits that hang down from the neck, what is that?
0:40:08 > 0:40:10They are the caruncles.
0:40:10 > 0:40:15- And those are the things that change colour according to its mood?- Yes.
0:40:15 > 0:40:18He goes very, very bright red, or he goes blue.
0:40:18 > 0:40:20On occasion, he goes white as well.
0:40:20 > 0:40:22They are an extraordinary colour.
0:40:22 > 0:40:28And there's one little feather that looks like it's falling out at the front, it's black. What's that?
0:40:28 > 0:40:32- I believe it's just called the beard.- And it does look beard-like.
0:40:32 > 0:40:33It does.
0:40:33 > 0:40:37It looks like a paint brush, sort of... Bristles, I think.
0:40:37 > 0:40:41It might sound like a daft question, can they be slightly aggressive?
0:40:41 > 0:40:43The whole crew are running away now.
0:40:43 > 0:40:48They look terrified as this turkey chases them around the enclosure.
0:40:48 > 0:40:50Could they do any damage?
0:40:50 > 0:40:53I wouldn't have thought he'd do much damage,
0:40:53 > 0:40:56but if you stand your ground, generally he'll leave you alone.
0:40:56 > 0:40:59But if you keep on running away from him, like the crew are...
0:40:59 > 0:41:01Stay still, everybody!
0:41:01 > 0:41:04- Then he thinks he's boss.- Right.
0:41:04 > 0:41:08While Lucky Chestnut is chasing Ben and the crew around,
0:41:08 > 0:41:12I thought I'd let you know a couple of interesting facts about turkeys.
0:41:12 > 0:41:14They came originally from America
0:41:14 > 0:41:18and may have got their name because people believed
0:41:18 > 0:41:20they were related to a kind of guinea fowl
0:41:20 > 0:41:24that was introduced to Western Europe from Turkey.
0:41:24 > 0:41:30By the way, a female turkey is called a hen, but a male is called a stag.
0:41:30 > 0:41:34There is a possibility you'll get him a mate here? That is on the cards?
0:41:34 > 0:41:36Hopefully we'll get him a mate.
0:41:36 > 0:41:38My only suggestion is if you do,
0:41:38 > 0:41:40you'll have to call it Lucky Brussels Sprout.
0:41:40 > 0:41:41Yes!
0:41:41 > 0:41:43- Thank you very much. - You're very welcome.
0:41:43 > 0:41:45You're all so scared!
0:41:49 > 0:41:54The East Africa reserve is home to the safari park's biggest animals.
0:41:54 > 0:41:58But it's also the natural habitat to thousands of other creatures,
0:41:58 > 0:41:59very small ones.
0:41:59 > 0:42:04All those British species we sometimes take for granted.
0:42:06 > 0:42:09Recently, the East Africa team,
0:42:09 > 0:42:10led by Andy Hayton,
0:42:10 > 0:42:16has been working on some schemes to encourage our own native wildlife.
0:42:16 > 0:42:19So as well as the stuff that you're doing down there,
0:42:19 > 0:42:21the bird boxes and the feeders,
0:42:21 > 0:42:24it looks like you've been going to town up here
0:42:24 > 0:42:26with the much more natural habitat.
0:42:26 > 0:42:29Yeah, some people may say it looks like a mess,
0:42:29 > 0:42:32but these are all natural deadwood habitats.
0:42:32 > 0:42:37So in your normal woodland, you would get all this breaking down,
0:42:37 > 0:42:39which then encourages invertebrates,
0:42:39 > 0:42:42which then encourages voles and hedgehogs and this kind of thing.
0:42:42 > 0:42:45- You can see the fungus growing.- Yeah.
0:42:45 > 0:42:50This sort of thing is brilliant for things like beetles,
0:42:50 > 0:42:51and if you get stag beetles,
0:42:51 > 0:42:54which are having a really hard time at the moment,
0:42:54 > 0:42:56because they don't have habitat.
0:42:56 > 0:43:00- The problem is that people think they have to be tidy.- Absolutely.
0:43:00 > 0:43:02And this certainly isn't tidy,
0:43:02 > 0:43:05but when you start explaining to people what it is...
0:43:05 > 0:43:08You can do so much in here.
0:43:08 > 0:43:13Look, just pecking away at these leaves here,
0:43:13 > 0:43:18you've got, basically, dinner for all sorts of things.
0:43:18 > 0:43:20Of course, I've lost it... But woodlice in there.
0:43:20 > 0:43:24And there's a little worm in there.
0:43:24 > 0:43:26So, as you say, this is going to encourage in
0:43:26 > 0:43:30all sorts of birds, little mammals.
0:43:30 > 0:43:35It's absolutely brilliant. Why did you get so enthused by this?
0:43:35 > 0:43:40I've really, really got into it now. It's great.
0:43:40 > 0:43:42There's a log over there,
0:43:42 > 0:43:43we've put some chainsaw cuts in.
0:43:43 > 0:43:47- Again, brilliant for insects. - They can hide.
0:43:47 > 0:43:48Nice that you've kept nettles.
0:43:48 > 0:43:54People always want to obliterate nettles, and they do take over, but they're great for butterflies.
0:43:54 > 0:43:55Absolutely, yeah.
0:43:55 > 0:43:58Even if people have got a tiny little garden...
0:43:58 > 0:44:00It doesn't have to be anything as big as this.
0:44:00 > 0:44:04Half a dozen logs stacked up fairly neatly with leaves in there,
0:44:04 > 0:44:07they'll start rotting down, and you'd be amazed at what moves in.
0:44:07 > 0:44:09For kids, as well. You'll see...
0:44:09 > 0:44:12- Shall we see if there's anything under these?- Yeah.
0:44:12 > 0:44:16For children to go rooting through this is kind of treasure.
0:44:16 > 0:44:18Look, we've got a great little beetle there.
0:44:18 > 0:44:20Worms, lots of woodlice here.
0:44:20 > 0:44:23Loads of different larvae, slugs...
0:44:23 > 0:44:26All this kind of stuff will attract other animals in.
0:44:26 > 0:44:31We've had lots of toads down under these things.
0:44:31 > 0:44:36Newts. In this pile, I was messing around and I found a couple of newts.
0:44:36 > 0:44:38Oh, fantastic!
0:44:38 > 0:44:40- Ooh, look!- A little toad. - Look at that.
0:44:40 > 0:44:44You mentioned you'd found newts. I think that's exactly what that is.
0:44:44 > 0:44:47- Quite a tiddler. - Fantastic, isn't it?
0:44:47 > 0:44:49Look at that lovely orange belly. Flick over...
0:44:49 > 0:44:52I think that would mean...
0:44:52 > 0:44:55There we go. You're not going to show it off, are you?
0:44:55 > 0:44:58That is a common newt, I would have a guess at.
0:44:58 > 0:45:00What a great little thing.
0:45:00 > 0:45:02It's fantastic to find little ones.
0:45:02 > 0:45:06That is great, cos they're obviously breeding right here.
0:45:06 > 0:45:09You don't really need to say a huge amount more than that,
0:45:09 > 0:45:11seeing that little guy.
0:45:11 > 0:45:13Let's pop him back
0:45:13 > 0:45:15and cover them up again.
0:45:17 > 0:45:19- That's really good. - That's great news.
0:45:19 > 0:45:21It's nice to find something like that.
0:45:21 > 0:45:24It kind of shows what you're doing is right.
0:45:24 > 0:45:28- And basically in one season. - Yeah, yeah.- So quick.
0:45:28 > 0:45:32And it's only going to get better and better and better, hopefully.
0:45:45 > 0:45:49One week after the last unexplained death in Wallaby Wood,
0:45:49 > 0:45:54it began to look as if they were finally past the worst.
0:45:54 > 0:45:58The lab results confirmed that all three adults died from unconnected infections.
0:45:58 > 0:46:01It was all just pure bad luck.
0:46:03 > 0:46:06Down in Pets Corner, there was more good news.
0:46:06 > 0:46:09Bev Allen's little orphan joey was doing very well,
0:46:09 > 0:46:12apart from a minor problem with dry skin.
0:46:12 > 0:46:17Bev named her Kimberley, or just Kim for short.
0:46:17 > 0:46:20I'm going to put some aloe vera cream onto her skin,
0:46:20 > 0:46:21because she's quite flaky.
0:46:21 > 0:46:26She's got very dry skin, so it just helps her skin out.
0:46:26 > 0:46:29She's still very wobbly on her feet.
0:46:29 > 0:46:31But she's getting better.
0:46:32 > 0:46:34She don't like coming out,
0:46:34 > 0:46:37so she tries to find somewhere to hide when she's out.
0:46:37 > 0:46:38Here she comes.
0:46:40 > 0:46:42Hello.
0:46:43 > 0:46:44That's it, it's OK.
0:46:48 > 0:46:53I usually do it two to three times a day,
0:46:53 > 0:46:54just to help out.
0:46:54 > 0:46:57It has got a lot better, cos we've been doing it for about a week
0:46:57 > 0:47:01and it's a lot better than it was, which is really good.
0:47:03 > 0:47:07Under Bev's care, Kim went from strength to strength.
0:47:10 > 0:47:12And a few months later,
0:47:12 > 0:47:15Kate was there when it was time for some exercise.
0:47:15 > 0:47:17OK, we'll just pop her down here.
0:47:21 > 0:47:24Have you been doing this reasonably regularly?
0:47:24 > 0:47:26Is this an important part of her development?
0:47:26 > 0:47:28Yeah, I basically do it every day.
0:47:28 > 0:47:32She's at that stage where she would come out of the mum's pouch,
0:47:32 > 0:47:35run around and then go back in when she wants to.
0:47:35 > 0:47:37- Right.- So it's just getting her used to it, basically.
0:47:37 > 0:47:42And presumably getting strength into her limbs and all of that?
0:47:42 > 0:47:44She's a lot faster than she used to be.
0:47:44 > 0:47:47She's had practice running around, so she's getting a lot better now.
0:47:47 > 0:47:49Look at her! She's so...
0:47:49 > 0:47:55Her coat's really grown. Wow, Kimberley, look at you!
0:47:55 > 0:47:58- She's enormous, Bev! - She's getting a lot bigger now.
0:47:58 > 0:48:00- Isn't she?!- She's getting there.
0:48:00 > 0:48:03She just looks fantastic.
0:48:03 > 0:48:06Look at you! Aren't you a beautiful girl?
0:48:07 > 0:48:10But Bev couldn't keep Kim forever.
0:48:10 > 0:48:13That wouldn't be a full life for a wallaby.
0:48:13 > 0:48:15So after all they'd been through,
0:48:15 > 0:48:21the day finally came to cut the bonds and take Kim back to Wallaby Wood.
0:48:36 > 0:48:38Yeah, big day for Kim and me.
0:48:38 > 0:48:42Her age is good, because she's about a year and two months now,
0:48:42 > 0:48:44so that's a good age to put her back.
0:48:44 > 0:48:49It is a bit scary for me to leave her overnight. It's a big worry.
0:48:49 > 0:48:52I think once tonight's over and done with
0:48:52 > 0:48:54and I can see her in the morning,
0:48:54 > 0:48:57it's gonna be a relief on myself, really.
0:49:08 > 0:49:13I think she's always going to be a bit friendly and tame,
0:49:13 > 0:49:16because she has been hand-reared.
0:49:16 > 0:49:20Which isn't a bad thing, because you can get close to her,
0:49:20 > 0:49:24you can monitor her and if you need to give her medication, you can.
0:49:24 > 0:49:26She is mixing with the other wallabies,
0:49:26 > 0:49:29No problem with her being hand-reared.
0:49:29 > 0:49:30They don't mind.
0:49:30 > 0:49:32So really pleased, really good.
0:49:34 > 0:49:37When she came to me, she was very weak.
0:49:38 > 0:49:42So I did think, was she going to make it?
0:49:42 > 0:49:44But she did.
0:49:44 > 0:49:47The first couple of days, I was trying to keep her warm.
0:49:47 > 0:49:50To get her to drink as well was critical, basically.
0:49:50 > 0:49:52She had to drink the milk.
0:49:52 > 0:49:56After the first couple of weeks, because she was very strong.
0:49:56 > 0:49:59Look at her now. She's eating.
0:50:02 > 0:50:06A bit sad in a way that she has to come back with the other wallabies,
0:50:06 > 0:50:10but I can come up and visit her, and just watch her grow and get bigger,
0:50:10 > 0:50:13and hopefully have little joeys of her own!
0:50:20 > 0:50:22In the year since that fateful day,
0:50:22 > 0:50:26Kim has settled well, and led a full life with all the other wallabies.
0:50:26 > 0:50:31But with all the time that's passed, how are Bev and Kim getting on now?
0:50:31 > 0:50:34I've come to join a rendezvous in Wallaby Wood.
0:50:40 > 0:50:43Now, it's not often that keepers from different sections
0:50:43 > 0:50:45here in the safari park get to meet,
0:50:45 > 0:50:48but today it's a meeting of Bevs.
0:50:48 > 0:50:51Over here, we have got Bev Allen from Pets Corner,
0:50:51 > 0:50:56- with Bev Evans from Wallaby Wood, effectively.- Yes.
0:50:56 > 0:50:59Now, Bev, you're here meeting an old friend, this is Kim the wallaby,
0:50:59 > 0:51:01who you hand-reared.
0:51:01 > 0:51:05Yeah, I hand-reared her quite a few years ago now, when she was only
0:51:05 > 0:51:10about five months old, so, as you can see, she's a lot bigger now.
0:51:10 > 0:51:15What I loved is that you suggested this Bev comes in first to give her
0:51:15 > 0:51:18a piece of banana, because she remembers her so well.
0:51:18 > 0:51:20Yes, she does, definitely.
0:51:20 > 0:51:23Kim is incredibly friendly to us guys up here, but
0:51:23 > 0:51:26there's definitely still a bond between Bev and Kim.
0:51:26 > 0:51:31Tell me, whenever you come up and see her, do you get a warm feeling,
0:51:31 > 0:51:33that, "Wow, I hand-reared her!"
0:51:33 > 0:51:39Yeah, I'm really pleased that she has done so well, and I'm just...
0:51:39 > 0:51:43I'm pleased that she's been accepted back in with the group,
0:51:43 > 0:51:44which is amazing.
0:51:44 > 0:51:48Because it was really hard to say goodbye to her all those years ago,
0:51:48 > 0:51:50to get her mixed back in.
0:51:50 > 0:51:53I was worried something might go wrong or they might not accept her.
0:51:53 > 0:51:57But seeing her now, how she is now, is amazing.
0:51:57 > 0:51:58You've got a beaming smile!
0:51:58 > 0:52:03Just remind me, you literally had her in a rucksack.
0:52:03 > 0:52:05Oh, look, she's dashing off now.
0:52:05 > 0:52:08You had her in a rucksack for a long period of time.
0:52:08 > 0:52:11I was hand-rearing her up to about 10 months,
0:52:11 > 0:52:14so it was a very long time that she was with me.
0:52:14 > 0:52:17Getting up every two hours to feed her to begin with,
0:52:17 > 0:52:20and then bringing her up here to meet the other wallabies as well,
0:52:20 > 0:52:24and getting her introduced to the group. Yeah, it's hard work.
0:52:24 > 0:52:27And how has she settled in here, pretty well?
0:52:27 > 0:52:29Yeah. She's had a joey or two.
0:52:29 > 0:52:33Haven't seen anything pop up the pouch just as yet this year,
0:52:33 > 0:52:37but she gets on with her adult male here and the rest of the girls.
0:52:37 > 0:52:41Would you ever consider doing the work that Bev did with the wallaby?
0:52:41 > 0:52:43Because Bev's so good at it,
0:52:43 > 0:52:46all we can do is give her all the random joeys from now on!
0:52:46 > 0:52:50- You'll get on to the phone down to Pets Corner.- Emergency.
0:52:50 > 0:52:54- Emergency mum!- Exactly.- Listen, I hope it doesn't happen again,
0:52:54 > 0:52:57let's hope they do look after them themselves,
0:52:57 > 0:53:00- and fantastic to see Kim doing so well.- Thank you.
0:53:05 > 0:53:09Last year, they had some trouble with Trevor the ostrich.
0:53:09 > 0:53:13It started when the keepers called in construction boss John Miles
0:53:13 > 0:53:17to make a new water hole in the East Africa Reserve.
0:53:17 > 0:53:22But the work coincided with the ostriches' breeding season,
0:53:22 > 0:53:25and for some reason Trevor got it into his head
0:53:25 > 0:53:28that John and his truck were some kind of threat.
0:53:28 > 0:53:30Don't you kick my truck!
0:53:30 > 0:53:33Trev, we can talk about this!
0:53:35 > 0:53:39This year, there's been some more trouble.
0:53:39 > 0:53:42Ben and I went to find out what's going on.
0:53:42 > 0:53:46Well, here is everybody's favourite ostrich. It is of course Trevor.
0:53:46 > 0:53:49I say everybody's favourite, Andy,
0:53:49 > 0:53:52but not much of a favourite with you at the moment.
0:53:52 > 0:53:55The amount of love and hate I've got for that animal
0:53:55 > 0:53:58- is unbelievable at the moment.- What's he been up to?
0:53:58 > 0:54:04As you can see on his beak, he is really, really pink at the moment.
0:54:04 > 0:54:06And the lower legs, actually.
0:54:06 > 0:54:09He is in full-on breeding mode at the moment.
0:54:09 > 0:54:13So he gets this pink colour when he's in breeding mode?
0:54:13 > 0:54:17And just a complete surge of nuttiness.
0:54:17 > 0:54:22And I'm his main rival, I think, in Trev's mind, at the moment.
0:54:22 > 0:54:25We've even had to sneak you in undercover in our vehicle,
0:54:25 > 0:54:27because you can't go near him.
0:54:27 > 0:54:31My truck, he had a lash at me this morning, and he's dented the wing,
0:54:31 > 0:54:35and if I ever drive in here to look around the animals,
0:54:35 > 0:54:38you can see the patrolmen, "For God's sake..."
0:54:38 > 0:54:42It's got really outrageously out of hand, it really has.
0:54:42 > 0:54:47I really like Trev, but he's got a major problem with my vehicle.
0:54:47 > 0:54:51I think it's...myself and Ian Turner darted him earlier in the year -
0:54:51 > 0:54:53we did it from my truck this year,
0:54:53 > 0:54:57and I don't know whether, being darted from my vehicle,
0:54:57 > 0:54:59Trev had a bit of trust for my truck
0:54:59 > 0:55:02and all of a sudden it's bit him, and now he's...
0:55:02 > 0:55:05- And that was a vaccine? - He had to have a vaccination,
0:55:05 > 0:55:07and we thought "We'll do it from my truck,
0:55:07 > 0:55:10"Trev's pretty thick and he won't remember."
0:55:10 > 0:55:14I was going to say, it's everybody's favourite fact about ostriches
0:55:14 > 0:55:17that their eye is bigger than their brain,
0:55:17 > 0:55:19but maybe he's proving everybody wrong,
0:55:19 > 0:55:22that ostriches don't forget that easily.
0:55:22 > 0:55:26I think I'm in a pretty exclusive club now, with Johnny Miles,
0:55:26 > 0:55:29me and him are brothers in arms with Trev.
0:55:29 > 0:55:32- And John Miles is of course... - The contractor.
0:55:32 > 0:55:37He'll spot John's green truck from a mile away, and just cause mayhem.
0:55:37 > 0:55:41He despises John for some reason, and his vehicle.
0:55:41 > 0:55:44Now I've joined that very exclusive club!
0:55:44 > 0:55:47Presumably, if he's got this bright pink bill,
0:55:47 > 0:55:51he's mating again, this is good news for the ostriches of Longleat.
0:55:51 > 0:55:54It's great news, he's doing exactly what a male ostrich
0:55:54 > 0:55:58should do, he's just unfortunately taken me as his main rival!
0:56:00 > 0:56:03Have you been looking at Honey in a way that you shouldn't?
0:56:03 > 0:56:05She's a good-looking bird!
0:56:07 > 0:56:10He comes out of it, but at the moment, it's annoying,
0:56:10 > 0:56:13because it goes to show, animals are no respecter of position.
0:56:13 > 0:56:17I'm supposed to be in charge and I'm the lowest of low with Trevor,
0:56:17 > 0:56:20I can't do anything with him with my vehicle.
0:56:20 > 0:56:23That's the way it goes with animals, so I've just got to back off.
0:56:23 > 0:56:26But it's just...rage.
0:56:26 > 0:56:28There's no other way to describe it,
0:56:28 > 0:56:31when he starts getting hold of me, it's absolute blind rage.
0:56:31 > 0:56:35And I'm driving as fast as I dare, which is about 30 miles per hour,
0:56:35 > 0:56:38and he's still running alongside me, kicking the truck.
0:56:38 > 0:56:40Can we he heal this rift?
0:56:40 > 0:56:43You're going to have to make up!
0:56:43 > 0:56:46I think I'll have to get him a really nice Christmas present.
0:56:46 > 0:56:48See what happens.
0:56:48 > 0:56:50We'll try and come up with ideas.
0:56:50 > 0:56:53I know you've got the engine running!
0:56:53 > 0:56:57It's got to be my truck, cos he's right there.
0:56:57 > 0:57:00If we were sat here in my vehicle, he'd be all over it.
0:57:00 > 0:57:02I can forgive him.
0:57:02 > 0:57:05Good luck with everything. Sadly we've run out of time,
0:57:05 > 0:57:09but here's what's coming up on the next Animal Park.
0:57:09 > 0:57:12It's all change in lion country,
0:57:12 > 0:57:15because Kabir, the king of the pride,
0:57:15 > 0:57:19is in danger of being attacked and killed by his own children.
0:57:22 > 0:57:28There's a life and death struggle to save a red deer and her newborn baby.
0:57:28 > 0:57:32'And down in the bat cave there's a tricky operation under way
0:57:32 > 0:57:35'to give the residents their MoTs.'
0:57:37 > 0:57:39- Well done!- You got it!
0:57:39 > 0:57:42'We'll have all that and more on the next Animal Park.'
0:58:02 > 0:58:04Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:58:04 > 0:58:05E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk