0:00:02 > 0:00:06Pere David's deer are extremely rare and are on the critically endangered
0:00:06 > 0:00:09list, but Longleat is involved in a vital reintroduction programme.
0:00:09 > 0:00:13So, as the birthing season approaches, the keepers are
0:00:13 > 0:00:17bracing themselves because every live birth could well contribute
0:00:17 > 0:00:20to the survival of the species.
0:00:44 > 0:00:46Coming up on today's Animal Park...
0:00:49 > 0:00:52there's an emergency in the deer park, as the vet battles to save
0:00:52 > 0:00:54the life of an unborn calf.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00I get a good look at the meerkat babies,
0:01:00 > 0:01:02but they just show me their teeth.
0:01:02 > 0:01:05Gorgeous, even though you want to kill me.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07And down at Half Mile Lake,
0:01:07 > 0:01:12keeper Mark Tye's preparing for two precious new arrivals.
0:01:13 > 0:01:16But first, it's straight over to Pets Corner.
0:01:20 > 0:01:24Up on meerkat mountain, life is good.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29Ever since Basil turned up, it's been a happy place,
0:01:29 > 0:01:33as they've been having lots of babies.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38The most recent additions were born a few months ago,
0:01:38 > 0:01:41so Kate's gone to see how they're getting on.
0:01:41 > 0:01:43It's great great news this year.
0:01:43 > 0:01:45It's been the most successful breeding year so far.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48Yeah. These four are doing really well,
0:01:48 > 0:01:50so we're looking forward to the future,
0:01:50 > 0:01:52and these ones are growing stronger by the day.
0:01:52 > 0:01:56So, presumably, we've got these gloves on because they need handling.
0:01:56 > 0:01:58What are you doing with them?
0:01:58 > 0:02:00Today, we're going to attempt to sex them.
0:02:00 > 0:02:02OK, but how do you catch a meerkat, John?
0:02:02 > 0:02:05Basically, you've just got to be very quick.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07- Do you get in?- Yeah. You can get in. - Shall I try?
0:02:07 > 0:02:10- Do you want to have a go at getting in?- Shall I have a go?
0:02:10 > 0:02:13I'm going to make a complete mess of this, I imagine.
0:02:13 > 0:02:16But, let's see, cos the last time we were with them...
0:02:16 > 0:02:18You've got to be very brave and go straight for one.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20Gotcha.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23Oh, look at you!
0:02:23 > 0:02:26- So, presumably, you need to look under the tail, do you?- Yeah.
0:02:26 > 0:02:30And what are you actually looking for?
0:02:30 > 0:02:33- Any signs of testicles, or anything like that?- Yeah.
0:02:33 > 0:02:39Males have particularly large scent glands, as well.
0:02:39 > 0:02:41OK, John.
0:02:41 > 0:02:45- That's fairly big.- That's the scent gland...- Could possibly be.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48- opening at the bottom there.- Yes.- OK. - So that's possibly a male.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51All right. Do you want to hold on to that one?
0:02:51 > 0:02:56- Now, this one, by contrast, is a lot quieter.- Yeah.
0:02:56 > 0:02:57Very sweet. A little bit smaller.
0:02:57 > 0:02:59Yes.
0:02:59 > 0:03:03- There we go. That does look smaller, doesn't it?- It does. Yeah.
0:03:03 > 0:03:07That little opening at the back, so we think this one is probably female.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09- Possibly. Yeah.- And that one male.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12- So you put them back in with the adults.- Yes, we will.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14Just wait. MEERKAT SQUAWKS
0:03:14 > 0:03:16You are fierce. Come on.
0:03:16 > 0:03:18A little fighter with you.
0:03:18 > 0:03:20I know. Oh, yes. Look at those teeth.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22It's always the last one, isn't it?
0:03:22 > 0:03:26- Wow.- Little drawing pins. - I'm very glad I am wearing gloves.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29Look at you. Don't be so cross! Look at those amazing teeth.
0:03:29 > 0:03:33And these teeth presumably, very important for catching insects,
0:03:33 > 0:03:35holding on to wriggly prey.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37Yeah. Ripping up meat.
0:03:37 > 0:03:42Now, I'd like to say you're probably a male. What do you think?
0:03:42 > 0:03:46- It is fairly big and substantial, isn't it?- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:03:46 > 0:03:48So we think you might be a boy.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51- Yeah.- So two boys, so far. What do you think? And that's...?
0:03:51 > 0:03:53Could possibly be a boy, as well.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56So you think three boys...
0:03:56 > 0:03:57- And a girl.- And a girl.
0:03:57 > 0:04:01Is that going to be a good mix in with the family?
0:04:01 > 0:04:03It should be. Yes. They should get on quite well together.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06Well, they're quite sociable animals, aren't they?
0:04:06 > 0:04:08In the wild, they would live in big groups.
0:04:08 > 0:04:13Yeah, in big groups and then as and when they need to, they'll either
0:04:13 > 0:04:16- kick members out their group or members will leave.- Right.
0:04:16 > 0:04:17John, that was a real treat.
0:04:17 > 0:04:21I know you're furious with me but I'm just going to enjoy the moment
0:04:21 > 0:04:25and because it's not every day you get to hold a tiny little meerkat,
0:04:25 > 0:04:30and again, congratulations for such a successful breeding year.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33You're all gorgeous, even though you want to kill me.
0:04:39 > 0:04:43From one animal that's certainly not endangered in the wild to one
0:04:43 > 0:04:45that's on the brink of extinction...
0:04:45 > 0:04:48the Pere David deer.
0:04:48 > 0:04:52The name Pere David comes from a 19th century French missionary...
0:04:52 > 0:04:57Father David, who told the western world about this new species of deer
0:04:57 > 0:05:00found in China.
0:05:01 > 0:05:05Just 100 years later and the entire Chinese population of Pere David deer
0:05:05 > 0:05:11had totally disappeared. And it's only still on the planet today
0:05:11 > 0:05:14thanks to another English animal park.
0:05:16 > 0:05:21This herd of about 300 lives on the Duke of Bedford's estate at Woburn,
0:05:21 > 0:05:25but they died out in China when the walls of the park were beached
0:05:25 > 0:05:26by floods in 1894.
0:05:26 > 0:05:28There were only five left in the world
0:05:28 > 0:05:30which were all collected at Woburn
0:05:30 > 0:05:32and from them, the present flock has grown.
0:05:32 > 0:05:38In 1980, Woburn gave Longleat 20 of their herd so that they could
0:05:38 > 0:05:41do their part in saving this species.
0:05:41 > 0:05:45Today, they're still part of a successful breeding programme
0:05:45 > 0:05:50and they've just been celebrating the birth of a new male calf.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53He was born a week ago and for head of section Tim Yeo,
0:05:53 > 0:05:56this baby is extra special.
0:05:56 > 0:06:00I think the calf is so terribly important to our very small herd
0:06:00 > 0:06:07here simply because our numbers have decreased to the level now.
0:06:07 > 0:06:12There are now only seven Pere David deer left at the safari park.
0:06:12 > 0:06:17Some were actually reintroduced to China, while others sadly died from
0:06:17 > 0:06:19disease and natural causes.
0:06:19 > 0:06:24It's not the easiest animal to raise and with only two females now capable
0:06:24 > 0:06:28of breeding, the keepers are desperate to increase the herd.
0:06:28 > 0:06:33One of the biggest problems they've had over the years has been
0:06:33 > 0:06:35with the females giving birth.
0:06:35 > 0:06:39They're able to carry a lot of fat reserve and it's stored around the
0:06:39 > 0:06:44animal's birthing canal, causing huge problems when they go into labour.
0:06:46 > 0:06:51If these hinds carry the foetus to full-term and they're ready to calf,
0:06:51 > 0:06:55when it comes out it has to go through a very narrow canal.
0:06:55 > 0:07:01And it's there it gets stuck because there is too much fat lying there
0:07:01 > 0:07:06and then you're left with the nightmarish situation where
0:07:06 > 0:07:11the mother, whatever she does, she can't deliver the calf,
0:07:11 > 0:07:14so you've got to get in there quickly and deliver it.
0:07:15 > 0:07:20So, the recent healthy birth was a fantastic boost.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24But this morning, the park's on red alert as there's an emergency
0:07:24 > 0:07:27with the other breeding female.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30I've just heard that one of the Pere David deer is
0:07:30 > 0:07:34going into labour, but there seems to be a complication,
0:07:34 > 0:07:36so I've come up to try and find keepers Tim and Kevin
0:07:36 > 0:07:41and safari park vet Duncan to find out what's going on.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46It appears she went into labour last night but there's no sign of a calf.
0:07:48 > 0:07:49The deer is clearly distressed,
0:07:49 > 0:07:53so Tim and Duncan are having to act quickly.
0:07:54 > 0:07:59Taking aim from a car, Tim is using a tranquiliser as a gun in an attempt
0:07:59 > 0:08:01to temporarily knock out the deer.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12Ben has joined them back at the yard to get the latest.
0:08:12 > 0:08:14Hi, there.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17I don't want to disturb too much. Obviously, something's going on.
0:08:17 > 0:08:19What's happened?
0:08:19 > 0:08:23We're trying to knock out the Pere David deer and we think
0:08:23 > 0:08:25she's got a baby stuck inside her.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28And presumably, it's pretty important
0:08:28 > 0:08:30that you get to her as soon as possible, I imagine.
0:08:30 > 0:08:34Well, the chances of having a live baby now are probably pretty remote,
0:08:34 > 0:08:39I think... She should probably have had it last night, or overnight.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42So this morning, by now, it's already too late.
0:08:42 > 0:08:43We've probably already got a dead calf.
0:08:43 > 0:08:47- Her own health is obviously... - We want to save her, really.
0:08:47 > 0:08:49And Tim, I don't want to disturb you
0:08:49 > 0:08:52too much, but obviously, quite a tense time for you, really.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55One of your precious deer.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58Yeah. It's an awful shame, Ben,
0:08:58 > 0:09:03because this was a first-time calfer and as you say,
0:09:03 > 0:09:09we need every Pere David we can get and so, it's not good.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12- Yeah.- But the sort of emphasis now is just sort of tunnel vision
0:09:12 > 0:09:17and you're just trying to capture her really, as quickly as we can.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20'Before Duncan can start treating the deer,
0:09:20 > 0:09:23'he needs to be sure that she's fully sedated.'
0:09:25 > 0:09:31Well, we're following behind Tim, Duncan and Kevin,
0:09:31 > 0:09:33who are all in the park vehicle.
0:09:33 > 0:09:38It's now just a case of getting as close to the Pere David deer
0:09:38 > 0:09:41as we can.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44Always a very tense time for any of the keepers.
0:09:44 > 0:09:48They might have to dart it anyway, just to ensure that...
0:09:48 > 0:09:50They're getting very close to it.
0:09:52 > 0:09:56Tim is just touching it, but a tense moment because the safari park vet,
0:09:56 > 0:09:59Duncan, doesn't know if he should administer any more medicine or not.
0:09:59 > 0:10:04It's strange that they're moving on, but we should probably
0:10:04 > 0:10:06follow suit, do the same thing.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17So, Tim, can I quickly ask whether
0:10:17 > 0:10:20it has been successfully anaesthetised from before?
0:10:22 > 0:10:24At the moment, Ben, we don't really know.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27Kev's going to rush off and get a net and we'll put a net over it.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30- Right.- I've prodded her and she's not reacted to that.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33- You would have thought she'd have got up and gone off.- Yeah.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36But we have to move quite quickly now because obviously,
0:10:36 > 0:10:39we don't want the anaesthetic to wear off, you know,
0:10:39 > 0:10:41then she could be up and away again.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44So, it's a race against time to save this precious deer
0:10:44 > 0:10:47before the anaesthetic wears off.
0:10:47 > 0:10:51But will they be able to save the calf or even the mother?
0:11:08 > 0:11:12One hugely important role many animal parks now concentrate on
0:11:12 > 0:11:14is conservation.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22Longleat is home to many animals, like the Pere David,
0:11:22 > 0:11:25that are perilously close to extinction,
0:11:25 > 0:11:28due to hunting and the destruction of their habitats.
0:11:32 > 0:11:36Soundari, Svetli and Shouri are Amur tigers
0:11:36 > 0:11:39found in North Eastern Russia.
0:11:39 > 0:11:41There are just 400 left in the wild.
0:11:42 > 0:11:47Rothschild giraffe, like Imogen, have been breeding well at the park,
0:11:47 > 0:11:50but there are less than 500 of these left in Africa.
0:11:51 > 0:11:56And barbary lions, like Kabir, were hunted so viciously
0:11:56 > 0:12:01that today, this species of lion is actually extinct in the wild.
0:12:01 > 0:12:06But one species at the park has been to the edge of extinction
0:12:06 > 0:12:07and actually come back.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09The white rhino.
0:12:11 > 0:12:13The slaughter of white rhinoceros in
0:12:13 > 0:12:19Africa for their highly-prized horn was so ruthless that 100 years ago,
0:12:19 > 0:12:23there were only 14 individual white rhino left in the world.
0:12:27 > 0:12:31But, thanks to pioneering protected breeding and careful animal
0:12:31 > 0:12:36management programmes in South Africa, the species just survived.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39And head warden Keith Harris knows that captive breeding has never
0:12:39 > 0:12:42been so important for this animal.
0:12:43 > 0:12:47What they're doing is they're moving rhinos all over the world,
0:12:47 > 0:12:50starting new breeding groups, so if anything ever happens again, either
0:12:50 > 0:12:56poaching, disease, there are stocks from the breeding captive population
0:12:56 > 0:12:58that can then be taken back.
0:12:58 > 0:13:02So it's almost a safety valve for the future of these beautiful animals.
0:13:02 > 0:13:06And we're going to take a look back to a time when Longleat
0:13:06 > 0:13:09played an important part in securing their future.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15White rhino have been at the park since 1970
0:13:15 > 0:13:18and there were many successful births,
0:13:18 > 0:13:22but by 2004, there was a problem.
0:13:22 > 0:13:26Winston, Babs and Gingen were all wild-born rhino from South Africa,
0:13:26 > 0:13:29but they were becoming too old to breed.
0:13:31 > 0:13:35Keith needed some new blood and that was going to come from South Africa,
0:13:35 > 0:13:40where saving the rhino all started.
0:13:40 > 0:13:45He embarked on an incredible mission, to capture three wild rhino
0:13:45 > 0:13:47and bring them back to Longleat.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50I haven't done this for many years, so it's bringing back the memories
0:13:50 > 0:13:53of all the planning and getting everything right, which is
0:13:53 > 0:13:56the most important thing. Doesn't matter how long that bit takes...
0:13:56 > 0:14:01it's better to do the planning than something go wrong on route.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04So, yeah, just building up now.
0:14:04 > 0:14:06In South Africa,
0:14:06 > 0:14:09the white rhino were breeding well, but raising some young calves
0:14:09 > 0:14:15in captivity would secure the species an even brighter future.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19The capture team, lead by Dr Charles Van Niekerk,
0:14:19 > 0:14:23had done this many times, but they had to be careful.
0:14:23 > 0:14:27The sedative they use is extremely powerful.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32The sedative we use is highly highly toxic to humans.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35We as a species are very very susceptible to it and,
0:14:35 > 0:14:37as a result, I've just got to be very careful when I work with it.
0:14:37 > 0:14:41We've got specific antidote for humans on standby,
0:14:41 > 0:14:45as there's a risk you'll end up dead!
0:14:45 > 0:14:47We don't want any casualties.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50Vet Will Dowling was in charge of the ground team.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52I'm going to be...
0:14:52 > 0:14:55obviously in contact with Charles who will be in the helicopter
0:14:55 > 0:14:58and they'll give us an indication of when the animal's gone down,
0:14:58 > 0:15:02in which case we'll move in quite quickly.
0:15:04 > 0:15:06Charles used a gas-powered gun
0:15:06 > 0:15:10to shoot the rhino with a sedative-filled dart.
0:15:10 > 0:15:12It wasn't easy.
0:15:15 > 0:15:19For the ground team, it was a bumpy two-mile ride through the bush to
0:15:19 > 0:15:23where the young female they planned to capture, was last sighted.
0:15:33 > 0:15:35Charles spotted the target.
0:15:35 > 0:15:37A young female with her mother.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40RADIO: OK, you guys, you can come down.
0:15:43 > 0:15:45RADIO CHATTER
0:15:48 > 0:15:50It was the daughter they were after.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53But getting a clean shot was not easy.
0:15:53 > 0:15:58They're struggling to get in a shot at the moment. She's either...
0:15:58 > 0:16:01planted herself under a tree and is not going anywhere
0:16:01 > 0:16:03or they're just struggling to get in a shot.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06The calf was approaching two years of age,
0:16:06 > 0:16:10the time when in the wild, the mother would drive the baby away.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13RADIO: OK, dart's in.
0:16:13 > 0:16:15'Copy that.'
0:16:15 > 0:16:20Having got the news that the dart was in, a race against time
0:16:20 > 0:16:24began to get to the sedated rhino as quickly as possible.
0:16:24 > 0:16:28Meanwhile, the chopper attempted to shoo the mother away.
0:16:35 > 0:16:39Cotton wool was put in the rhino's ears and a cloth over her eyes
0:16:39 > 0:16:41to keep her calm.
0:16:41 > 0:16:45It looks like a textbook catch by the look of it, so far.
0:16:45 > 0:16:47Ever so good condition.
0:16:49 > 0:16:51Very good.
0:16:51 > 0:16:53She seems to be pretty stable.
0:16:53 > 0:16:58She's lying OK so we don't need to panic too much about that.
0:16:58 > 0:17:03So far, I've just treated the dart wound and I've given her
0:17:03 > 0:17:07a small dose of a partial reversal.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09And that basically just
0:17:09 > 0:17:13stimulates their respiration, keeps their respiration going.
0:17:13 > 0:17:17But she's fairly stable at the moment. The respiration is OK.
0:17:17 > 0:17:21She went down in the middle of the bush,
0:17:21 > 0:17:22so to get the crate to her,
0:17:22 > 0:17:25they had to hack a path through to the capture site.
0:17:25 > 0:17:29The mother could have returned at any minute.
0:17:31 > 0:17:35One two three four, up.
0:17:35 > 0:17:37To get the young female into the transporter,
0:17:37 > 0:17:40she was given an injection to bring her round.
0:17:40 > 0:17:44But only enough so she could be led into the transporter.
0:17:44 > 0:17:48This was still a totally wild animal.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58Just given it the reviver to wake it up properly.
0:17:58 > 0:18:02And then I think they'll just leave it quiet now, not interfere any more.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07With a successful capture under their belt,
0:18:07 > 0:18:11the team breathed a sigh of relief.
0:18:11 > 0:18:13But three rhino were going with Keith,
0:18:13 > 0:18:16so there was plenty more work to do.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34Back now to the dramatic events up in the deer park.
0:18:34 > 0:18:38One of the incredibly rare Pere David deer has gone into labour,
0:18:38 > 0:18:40but it's in trouble
0:18:40 > 0:18:45and the keepers and safari park vet Duncan are having to intervene.
0:18:46 > 0:18:48Here comes Kevin.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50Now, hopefully, he'll have a net.
0:18:50 > 0:18:52And a...
0:18:52 > 0:18:55tense moment now...
0:18:55 > 0:18:58for all the keepers because they don't want
0:18:58 > 0:19:01to harm the deer and they don't want to be harmed themselves,
0:19:01 > 0:19:04so they're just being very slow...
0:19:04 > 0:19:07pulling the net over.
0:19:07 > 0:19:09And they're on it.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12We'll wait for a minute. I don't want to interfere.
0:19:12 > 0:19:16Can we come out now? Yeah. We can get out now.
0:19:16 > 0:19:18See if I can be of any help.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26All right. Please tell me if I can help with anything.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29- Do you want me to?- Could you grab the bucket and the water?
0:19:29 > 0:19:31Yeah. Sure.
0:19:33 > 0:19:36So we think she's successfully sedated enough
0:19:36 > 0:19:39- to be working on her now. - It appears so. It appears so.
0:19:39 > 0:19:40So you've put the cloth on her eyes.
0:19:40 > 0:19:45That's just in case her eyes open up and she becomes distressed.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48It helps an awful lot if they're not aware of what's going...
0:19:48 > 0:19:51movement and different things around them.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53So, presumably, this is some iodine
0:19:53 > 0:19:56you've put in there for sterile water.
0:19:56 > 0:19:58Yeah, for disinfectant.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01So should you be able to feel almost straightaway?
0:20:01 > 0:20:03Can't even get my hand in.
0:20:05 > 0:20:06I can't feel a calf yet.
0:20:09 > 0:20:10Oh, yeah, here it is.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13- The calf's there, is it? - Yeah. The calf's here.
0:20:13 > 0:20:17Cos she's never had a baby before, it's just ever so tight.
0:20:17 > 0:20:20God...
0:20:20 > 0:20:21I can hardly get my hand in,
0:20:21 > 0:20:24but you know the size of calves that come out of these.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27- They're huge compared to...- So do you think that's the problem?
0:20:27 > 0:20:30Yeah.
0:20:30 > 0:20:34And do you think the calf is dead in there?
0:20:34 > 0:20:36With the discharge like that coming out, yeah.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39Be surprised if it's still alive.
0:20:39 > 0:20:41It's not moving.
0:20:41 > 0:20:45- Can you tell which way the calf is inside?- Yeah.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48This is the back end I've got here.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50- Right.- Is it?
0:20:50 > 0:20:53These legs are so long it's hard to tell. No. It's a front leg.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59There we go.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02- You can see the size of it. - It's enormous.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05That's just a foot there.
0:21:05 > 0:21:09So have you basically got to gently try and...
0:21:09 > 0:21:12Try and find the other leg and head...
0:21:14 > 0:21:17It's right in. My hand's all the way down there.
0:21:17 > 0:21:21You can probably take the net off now.
0:21:21 > 0:21:23Can we shift her?
0:21:23 > 0:21:26If we put her downhill.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29Shall I give you a hand?
0:21:29 > 0:21:31Where do you want her moved to?
0:21:31 > 0:21:34Where shall we move her head?
0:21:34 > 0:21:37Leave her head where it is. We'll just turn the back end round.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46- Just use gravity, basically.- Yeah.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49- Can somebody watch?- Keep an eye out.
0:21:49 > 0:21:51Absolutely. Yeah. Keep an eye out.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54I will keep an eye out for anything.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00- Why is there so much blood there? - That's just...
0:22:03 > 0:22:07the fluid around the placenta.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10So that's not too bad for her.
0:22:12 > 0:22:16Oh... I've pulled the legs out,
0:22:16 > 0:22:20and I can't get my hand in far enough to get the neck.
0:22:20 > 0:22:24'Duncan is having trouble getting the calf out because its head is bent
0:22:24 > 0:22:28'back instead of facing forward.'
0:22:28 > 0:22:33I think, basically, it hasn't had it because the head's bent back and
0:22:33 > 0:22:36I can't get my hand in far enough.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39As you can see, things are not looking good, at the moment.
0:22:39 > 0:22:44The calf, sadly, did die inside the mother, but they're working to get
0:22:44 > 0:22:47the calf out and hopefully, the mother will make a full recovery.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50Join us later in the programme when we find out what happens.
0:22:59 > 0:23:01Every morning, at the beach on
0:23:01 > 0:23:06Half Mile Lake, the six Californian sea lions come for their breakfast.
0:23:06 > 0:23:10It's a great opportunity for head of lake animals, Mark Tye,
0:23:10 > 0:23:15to see them all out of the water and make sure they're all healthy.
0:23:15 > 0:23:19But in early summer, there's an extra-special reason
0:23:19 > 0:23:22to keep a close eye on the girls.
0:23:22 > 0:23:26We've hopefully got two pregnant sea lions.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28This one here, Sealia,
0:23:28 > 0:23:32and one of the other young females in the pen next door, Zook.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35That'll be her first baby.
0:23:35 > 0:23:40The ideal case scenario for us is that both of them give birth
0:23:40 > 0:23:43down here, either on the beach or in the pen, there.
0:23:43 > 0:23:46Preferably, one here, one there, because mums
0:23:46 > 0:23:50can get a little bit anxious with each other when they've got babies.
0:23:50 > 0:23:54Sealia, I have no real worries with, at all. She's such a good mother,
0:23:54 > 0:23:58you know, an old hand at this, done it plenty of times before.
0:23:58 > 0:24:04My only concern is Zook and how she takes to a new baby.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07She's a little bit skitzy, you know, a bit young
0:24:07 > 0:24:10and sometimes, a firstborn can be a bit shocking for them.
0:24:10 > 0:24:12They're not really sure about it.
0:24:12 > 0:24:16In that case, the ideal scenario would be that she had it in there,
0:24:16 > 0:24:20cos we could then shut her in with it and give them time to bond.
0:24:20 > 0:24:25Sea lions are born on the land and it may be a few days before
0:24:25 > 0:24:28they even get close to water.
0:24:28 > 0:24:32Whether they go in the water is normally dependent on the mother.
0:24:32 > 0:24:36Some mums really don't mind, like Sealia, she's such a good mother,
0:24:36 > 0:24:39she knows it can go in the water.
0:24:39 > 0:24:42They can swim, instinctively, from birth.
0:24:42 > 0:24:46They're not very good at it but they can do it.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48Whereas some mothers can be a little bit neurotic.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51I had one mum, years ago, who didn't let her pup near the water
0:24:51 > 0:24:55for nearly a month and as soon as the baby was inquisitive,
0:24:55 > 0:24:57wanting to go and have a look, she'd drag it away.
0:24:57 > 0:25:04Mark can't wait to see the new pups and this year he has a secret wish.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07It would be really nice to have some females for a change.
0:25:07 > 0:25:09We had two males last year.
0:25:09 > 0:25:11Females would be nice,
0:25:11 > 0:25:13because we've got
0:25:13 > 0:25:17our old girl, Ozzie, who probably won't see out many more years.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20She's coming up to 30, which is a very good age for a sea lion,
0:25:20 > 0:25:25so it would be nice to have young females to bring on, once she goes.
0:25:25 > 0:25:31And we'll keep you posted on Sealia and Zook's imminent arrivals.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42Is this a face only a mother could love?
0:25:42 > 0:25:44Well, Sarah certainly loves her.
0:25:44 > 0:25:48This is Gladys, the iguana and we're here in the iguana house which is a
0:25:48 > 0:25:51- very lovely warm place to be, Sarah. - It is, isn't it?- Woo!
0:25:51 > 0:25:57Now, I know these animals look absolutely spectacular,
0:25:57 > 0:26:01but they're not the ideal pet, are they?
0:26:01 > 0:26:03Not really. I don't think so.
0:26:03 > 0:26:07As you can see, they grow to quite a substantial size,
0:26:07 > 0:26:10so you would need a lot of space if you were going to have one at home.
0:26:10 > 0:26:12So if you went in to a pet shop
0:26:12 > 0:26:15and saw an iguana, what would it look like?
0:26:15 > 0:26:19Usually, the little baby ones are absolutely tiny and they're a lovely
0:26:19 > 0:26:23bright green colour because in the wild they need more camouflage.
0:26:23 > 0:26:27So, they're really cute, really small, lovely colour and people
0:26:27 > 0:26:30tend to fall in love with them on first sight, take them home.
0:26:30 > 0:26:34They don't realise that they do grow to that size... His size.
0:26:34 > 0:26:38So it's quite a large animal to have in your house, I think.
0:26:38 > 0:26:40It is a very large animal to have in your house.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43And I mean, looking at Gladys here...
0:26:43 > 0:26:48big claws, quite nasty teeth in there, long tail.
0:26:48 > 0:26:52Again, perhaps not the friendliest animal if it's not handled right.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55That's it. If they don't get a lot of handling from a young age,
0:26:55 > 0:26:57they can be a bit nasty, as well.
0:26:57 > 0:27:02We have got a couple in here that are a bit more feisty than Gladys.
0:27:02 > 0:27:06But yeah, they've got a very strong tail and what they can do as defence
0:27:06 > 0:27:10- is swing it back and whip as well, which is quite nasty.- Very nasty.
0:27:10 > 0:27:12Very sharp claws, as well.
0:27:12 > 0:27:17So, if you had to handle an iguana for any reason, it can be quite...
0:27:17 > 0:27:20dangerous, cos they're such a large animal, it's hard to overpower them
0:27:20 > 0:27:22if they do get nervous.
0:27:22 > 0:27:25They look very healthy, but as you say, I think they're probably
0:27:25 > 0:27:27better off in Pets Corner or in the wild.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30Sarah, thank you very much for introducing me to Gladys.
0:27:30 > 0:27:32Thank you, Gladys, for being so good
0:27:32 > 0:27:35and we've got lots more coming up on today's programme.
0:27:35 > 0:27:40Two new arrivals in Half Mile Lake are attracting a crowd.
0:27:40 > 0:27:44Oh, look and we've got the swan family coming down. That's great.
0:27:44 > 0:27:50And head of section Tim Yeo has to make a decision every keeper dreads.
0:27:50 > 0:27:55But first, we're heading back in time to when the park welcomed through its
0:27:55 > 0:27:59doors, three wild white rhino.
0:28:08 > 0:28:12'The three animals came from a protected area
0:28:12 > 0:28:14'within the South African bush
0:28:14 > 0:28:17'and were the perfect age to be caught and moved into
0:28:17 > 0:28:20'Longleat's breeding programme, as they were of an age
0:28:20 > 0:28:23'that they would soon naturally leave their mother's side.
0:28:26 > 0:28:29'Following their capture, the rhino were put in quarantine.
0:28:31 > 0:28:33'Kate was lucky enough to be on hand when they started
0:28:33 > 0:28:37'their journey to the UK, but also, when deputy head warden
0:28:37 > 0:28:40'Ian Turner met his new rhinos.'
0:28:40 > 0:28:43- Disinfected.- Yep.
0:28:43 > 0:28:46This is where the three rhino that are going to Longleat have been kept
0:28:46 > 0:28:50quarantined for two months and Ian is about to see them for the first time.
0:28:50 > 0:28:53- How you feeling?- Excited. - Are you?- Really. Yeah.
0:28:53 > 0:28:55This is Charles Van Niekerk. Good morning. How are you?
0:28:55 > 0:28:59Welcome to our country and let's introduce you to your new babies.
0:28:59 > 0:29:03'Two females and a male were due to be sent back to the park
0:29:03 > 0:29:05'in the hope that they would breed.'
0:29:05 > 0:29:08These are two of the three and they've settled down fantastically.
0:29:08 > 0:29:12I've been very happy with their progress through the quarantine.
0:29:12 > 0:29:15Grab some hay, there. They'll actually eat out of your hand.
0:29:15 > 0:29:17- Really.- It's unbelievable. Yeah.
0:29:17 > 0:29:19Just watch your fingers.
0:29:19 > 0:29:22If they accidentally jam them against the poles with their horns,
0:29:22 > 0:29:25it can be quite painful, but stick your hand through.
0:29:27 > 0:29:31Two months earlier, these were completely wild rhinos.
0:29:31 > 0:29:34By breeding them in captivity, it would help to ensure that
0:29:34 > 0:29:38the white rhino never goes to the brink of extinction ever again.
0:29:41 > 0:29:44Ian was smitten by his new charges.
0:29:44 > 0:29:47Really, really good. Better than I thought. I mean, you know,
0:29:47 > 0:29:51sizewise, about the right size I would have thought they were.
0:29:51 > 0:29:52But so quiet.
0:29:52 > 0:29:56For two months, from completely in the wild to like, this.
0:29:56 > 0:30:00Really excited. Hopefully, they'll never have to come back to Africa.
0:30:00 > 0:30:02They'll never get in the state in Africa
0:30:02 > 0:30:04that they'll need stuff to come back,
0:30:04 > 0:30:07but if it ever happens, then we've got rhinos to do that.
0:30:07 > 0:30:10You know, this is a big step for us and it's really exciting.
0:30:13 > 0:30:16The time to start the big move had finally arrived.
0:30:16 > 0:30:19To reduce the stress on the animals during loading,
0:30:19 > 0:30:24wildlife vet Charles Van Niekerk gave them a mild sedative.
0:30:35 > 0:30:39It's not a hassle for them. Just that fright as the dart goes in,
0:30:39 > 0:30:41that's all it is. Make sure it's gone through.
0:30:41 > 0:30:45- See the plunger's gone in.- Yeah.
0:30:45 > 0:30:47After a few minutes, the drug
0:30:47 > 0:30:52began to take effect and the rhino were tempted into the travel box.
0:30:52 > 0:30:56Charles, why are you waving a pillowcase at them?
0:30:56 > 0:30:58It's meant to be a white flag.
0:30:58 > 0:31:04Peace. No. Jokes aside, what it basically does is when they get to
0:31:04 > 0:31:09a semi-state of immobilisation, they tend to follow something white.
0:31:09 > 0:31:11So no other colour works?
0:31:11 > 0:31:14I don't know. I haven't tried anything other than white.
0:31:14 > 0:31:15It works for us.
0:31:24 > 0:31:26It walks in incredibly calmly.
0:31:26 > 0:31:31Is it a risk that if he's still a little bit lively and
0:31:31 > 0:31:34you start putting the bars in, that he tries to break out
0:31:34 > 0:31:36- and hurt himself?- Yeah. That's our biggest concern.
0:31:36 > 0:31:38If they can't go backwards
0:31:38 > 0:31:41and they try and go forwards, then the horn is their weapon.
0:31:41 > 0:31:44They'll just use it to try and smash their way out
0:31:44 > 0:31:47and they won't get out of the crate but they'll hurt themselves.
0:31:54 > 0:31:58All that stood between Ian and a future in white rhino breeding
0:31:58 > 0:32:02was a 5,000-mile journey.
0:32:02 > 0:32:05We'll be back later when they touch down in the UK.
0:32:13 > 0:32:16After his long-term partner, Samba, died,
0:32:16 > 0:32:19Nico has been at a bit of a loose end.
0:32:21 > 0:32:23Always looking for something to occupy him.
0:32:23 > 0:32:25Oi, oi. Nico!
0:32:25 > 0:32:28He may not be very physically active these days,
0:32:28 > 0:32:30but mentally, he's still alert.
0:32:30 > 0:32:36If he's not watching TV, then he's being cheeky with the likes of me.
0:32:36 > 0:32:38Don't you even think about pinching my bum.
0:32:38 > 0:32:42- He still has to have a cheeky go, doesn't he?- He does!
0:32:42 > 0:32:46As he doesn't have anyone to play with, his keeper Michelle Stevens,
0:32:46 > 0:32:52is constantly thinking up ingenious ways of keeping him entertained.
0:32:52 > 0:32:55Nico's a very intelligent animal so it's very much a challenge for us
0:32:55 > 0:32:58keepers to make sure that we think of things that will
0:32:58 > 0:33:00be a challenge for him.
0:33:00 > 0:33:02One very good way of enriching his daily routine
0:33:02 > 0:33:05is to include feeding enrichments.
0:33:05 > 0:33:07Feed time to him is the best time of day,
0:33:07 > 0:33:09so trying to figure different ways of
0:33:09 > 0:33:13hiding his food and making it last longer, making it more interesting
0:33:13 > 0:33:17when he finds his food, so that's our basis of the enrichment.
0:33:17 > 0:33:20But striking the right balance is all-important.
0:33:20 > 0:33:24The last thing Michelle wants is to overfeed him.
0:33:24 > 0:33:27Being that he's on his own, you sometimes feel a bit sorry
0:33:27 > 0:33:29for him because you think, "Bless him,"
0:33:29 > 0:33:32give him an extra apple or something like that.
0:33:32 > 0:33:36Even though you do care for him, you have to not kill him with kindness.
0:33:36 > 0:33:39You have to make sure that you're not overdoing certain types of food.
0:33:39 > 0:33:41It can actually work in a negative way.
0:33:44 > 0:33:47To spread out his diet and spice up his mealtimes,
0:33:47 > 0:33:51she's come up with some unusual serving suggestions.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55First of all here, we've got this sock.
0:33:55 > 0:34:00Nice texture to it. What I'm going to put inside is some chilli powder,
0:34:00 > 0:34:03which sounds quite mean. He probably won't eat it but it's
0:34:03 > 0:34:06a different smell, so it's different in his normal environment.
0:34:06 > 0:34:09So it's just to really make him think, "Oh, what's that?"
0:34:09 > 0:34:12He's very much a sweet tooth, so it makes him kind of think that not
0:34:12 > 0:34:16everything we give him is actually really nice and sweet and lovely.
0:34:16 > 0:34:19It's just a different stimulus for him, basically.
0:34:19 > 0:34:21In the wild, they'd experience
0:34:21 > 0:34:24different tastes and so it's to try and replicate that in captivity.
0:34:24 > 0:34:26We've got some peanut butter here.
0:34:26 > 0:34:30He'll put his fingers in, like that.
0:34:30 > 0:34:33He's an impatient gorilla. He won't work at things for very long,
0:34:33 > 0:34:36so he'll probably just put the whole thing in his mouth and start
0:34:36 > 0:34:39sucking the peanut butter out and chewing it a little bit
0:34:39 > 0:34:42which is fine. It's not really enough to make him
0:34:42 > 0:34:45overweight or anything, so he's getting the same amount of food
0:34:45 > 0:34:48but it's lasting longer. That's what we're trying to achieve.
0:34:50 > 0:34:54We do give him, occasionally, things like jam and chocolate.
0:34:54 > 0:34:56We've got this tyre...
0:34:56 > 0:35:03bit of banana, wrap it up, stuff it all around and you don't have to
0:35:03 > 0:35:06put food in every single bit of paper bag, you can just put
0:35:06 > 0:35:09balls of paper bag in there so it's always a little bit of a surprise.
0:35:09 > 0:35:11We've got this cardboard box.
0:35:11 > 0:35:13Put the pine cones in there.
0:35:13 > 0:35:16And then just hide it in the box.
0:35:16 > 0:35:19Pop these little divides in there, as well.
0:35:19 > 0:35:23We'll be back with Michelle a little later to find out what Nico
0:35:23 > 0:35:25thinks of his treats.
0:35:33 > 0:35:36Earlier on, we got an emergency message that one of the Pere David
0:35:36 > 0:35:39had gone into labour, but there were complications.
0:35:39 > 0:35:41The deer's been subdued
0:35:41 > 0:35:45and I'm now joining the team to hopefully find out what's going on.
0:35:47 > 0:35:51As you can see, he's having a hell of a struggle to remove the calf,
0:35:51 > 0:35:53which is dead now.
0:35:53 > 0:35:58We've established that it's too late for the calf and
0:35:58 > 0:36:03the real priority is to remove the calf as soon as possible
0:36:03 > 0:36:07for this one's sake. Every thought is with her, at the minute.
0:36:07 > 0:36:11- She's going through an awful ordeal. - Yeah.
0:36:11 > 0:36:17It's not a very pleasant aspect of the job.
0:36:19 > 0:36:22I suppose it's the reality of working with animals.
0:36:22 > 0:36:24It is, Ben. It is. Definitely.
0:36:24 > 0:36:30A caesarean is not an option, as this animal is totally wild. The
0:36:30 > 0:36:36stress could kill it and the keepers wouldn't be able to administer drugs.
0:36:36 > 0:36:40Duncan is worried the anaesthetic may be wearing off.
0:36:40 > 0:36:45I don't really want her running off
0:36:45 > 0:36:48before we've finished.
0:36:51 > 0:36:55Pere David deer are incredibly endangered in the wild
0:36:55 > 0:36:59and every individual is precious to the survival of the species,
0:36:59 > 0:37:02especially breeding females, which is why Duncan
0:37:02 > 0:37:08and Tim are prepared to go to such lengths to try and save this one.
0:37:12 > 0:37:15Well, we've been out here for the best part of an hour now and as you
0:37:15 > 0:37:19can see, vet Duncan Williams and his assistant are still working,
0:37:19 > 0:37:21alongside Kevin and Tim.
0:37:21 > 0:37:25They've got to get that dead calf out so that mum can
0:37:25 > 0:37:29come round from her anaesthetic and hopefully make a recovery.
0:37:29 > 0:37:31And all we can really do is keep our fingers crossed.
0:37:40 > 0:37:43It's the end of the afternoon and keeper Michelle Stevens is
0:37:43 > 0:37:47heading across to Half Mile Lake for one of her last jobs of the day...
0:37:47 > 0:37:51to lay on dinner for Nico, the gorilla.
0:37:51 > 0:37:55But rather than dishing it up on a plate, the idea is to replicate the
0:37:55 > 0:37:59way he would have to work for and think about his food in the wild,
0:37:59 > 0:38:04by hiding, wrapping and disguising it in all sorts of unusual ways.
0:38:08 > 0:38:12What's left to do now is just basically let Nico in to see what
0:38:12 > 0:38:14he finds most interesting, to see
0:38:14 > 0:38:17which ones he goes for first, which will be interesting.
0:38:32 > 0:38:34First thing's the tyre.
0:38:36 > 0:38:39He'll always have a look through the paper
0:38:39 > 0:38:42and pick out all the nice bits, the nuts and things like that.
0:38:44 > 0:38:46HE GROWLS
0:38:46 > 0:38:49The grumble's a really good sign that it's happy noises.
0:38:49 > 0:38:53That's what we want to hear, really. See the look on his face, as well.
0:38:53 > 0:38:55It's a sort of interested.
0:38:57 > 0:38:59Obviously, that didn't take his fancy.
0:39:04 > 0:39:07It's just like Christmas, really.
0:39:07 > 0:39:10And what will he make of the chilli flavoured sock?
0:39:13 > 0:39:17Sniffing it. Hope he doesn't get a fit of sneezes.
0:39:22 > 0:39:25I think he wasn't that interested in the sock.
0:39:25 > 0:39:29He'll have sniffed, decided there was nothing edible in it
0:39:29 > 0:39:30and then just decided to leave it.
0:39:31 > 0:39:35So this is the last thing, the box, with the pine cones in.
0:39:35 > 0:39:37He'll probably rip it to pieces.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40He's not very patient. He doesn't really think about it.
0:39:40 > 0:39:44He'll just tend to go hell for leather and just rip it apart.
0:39:44 > 0:39:46He's just investigating.
0:39:54 > 0:39:57So he hasn't actually looked inside the pillowcase
0:39:57 > 0:39:59which surprised me, actually.
0:39:59 > 0:40:01I thought he would go for that.
0:40:01 > 0:40:04But then he's got all night to go back to it if he wants to.
0:40:04 > 0:40:06With most of the food explored,
0:40:06 > 0:40:11if not eaten, how does Michelle think the experiment has gone?
0:40:11 > 0:40:14Overall, I think the enrichment has been quite a success.
0:40:14 > 0:40:16Anything that's going to
0:40:16 > 0:40:20make him spend longer over his food is a good thing, I think.
0:40:20 > 0:40:24Anything that's going to stimulate his environment and just make him
0:40:24 > 0:40:27think differently, even if it's for a few minutes or a few seconds.
0:40:27 > 0:40:31You just strive to make his life a bit more, kind of, enjoyable
0:40:31 > 0:40:33and a bit happier, really.
0:40:49 > 0:40:52It's our final look back to when three white rhinos
0:40:52 > 0:40:56were brought to the park all the way from South Africa.
0:41:05 > 0:41:075,000 miles,
0:41:07 > 0:41:12two tonnes of rhino, ten hours of flying and a team of vets.
0:41:12 > 0:41:17Finally, the three white rhinos landed on British soil.
0:41:17 > 0:41:22The rhinos settled down very, very quickly once we were in flight.
0:41:22 > 0:41:26A little bit agitated on the landings and take-off and so on,
0:41:26 > 0:41:30but as soon as you feed them they settle down fine and I think
0:41:30 > 0:41:31they've done fantastically.
0:41:36 > 0:41:40But at least the final leg of their journey was not a long one.
0:41:40 > 0:41:43Their new home was the lush Wiltshire countryside
0:41:43 > 0:41:47and there to meet them was deputy head warden Ian Turner.
0:41:51 > 0:41:55But getting them unloaded was not easy.
0:41:55 > 0:41:58We've got the forklift. We'll push the forks through with extensions
0:41:58 > 0:42:01on with the crate and lift him up, take him to the rhino house.
0:42:01 > 0:42:05We've then got to turn the box round cos they're going to back out
0:42:05 > 0:42:08and we'll have them pushed up against the door and we'll
0:42:08 > 0:42:11leave her quiet and then we'll just take the doors off,
0:42:11 > 0:42:14take the slides away and they can easily just back out.
0:42:14 > 0:42:16It's the opposite to what we did in Africa.
0:42:16 > 0:42:19They walked in forwards. This way, they're going to back out
0:42:19 > 0:42:21and reverse out. It's just as easy that way.
0:42:21 > 0:42:24Head warden Keith Harris had been planning for this day
0:42:24 > 0:42:26for nearly two years.
0:42:26 > 0:42:31He was there when these rhino were caught from the wild.
0:42:31 > 0:42:34I've been like an expectant father since Friday, when I knew that they
0:42:34 > 0:42:36were travelling from South Africa.
0:42:36 > 0:42:38And then to have them here unloaded,
0:42:38 > 0:42:41it's nice.
0:42:41 > 0:42:45Haven't seen rhinos in the bush,
0:42:45 > 0:42:47seeing these over there when we were in Africa,
0:42:47 > 0:42:50you know, and the fact that now they're in England
0:42:50 > 0:42:52is really something.
0:42:52 > 0:42:54So, yeah, very excited.
0:42:54 > 0:42:56I mean, this is a major thing.
0:42:56 > 0:43:00Ten rhinos from Africa coming over and Longleat's got three
0:43:00 > 0:43:04new young rhinos, one male and two females, perfect for breeding.
0:43:04 > 0:43:06So two years down the line
0:43:06 > 0:43:10we should have two young 'uns. There's nothing to say we shouldn't.
0:43:17 > 0:43:20I'll be glad when they're in the house and settled down
0:43:20 > 0:43:23but, you know, they're here now and everything's fine.
0:43:23 > 0:43:24They seem quite quiet.
0:43:24 > 0:43:27The drugs will obviously start wearing off soon,
0:43:27 > 0:43:29so then they're going to get a bit more boisterous.
0:43:29 > 0:43:33The rhino were given a long-lasting sedative to reduce the stress
0:43:33 > 0:43:35of the journey, but the keepers wanted to
0:43:35 > 0:43:38get them settled in to their new home as soon as possible.
0:43:38 > 0:43:40They're still quiet, no noise,
0:43:40 > 0:43:43so going to plan.
0:43:43 > 0:43:46Their sedation will probably wear off some time this afternoon
0:43:46 > 0:43:49so then we'll see what they're really like.
0:43:49 > 0:43:53We've just took all the doors off the back of this one so...
0:43:53 > 0:43:55be nice to see them out and about.
0:43:55 > 0:43:58They shared the house with Longleat's two elderly rhino,
0:43:58 > 0:44:00Winston and Babs.
0:44:00 > 0:44:04The keepers kept them at opposite ends to start with,
0:44:04 > 0:44:08but the animals were still able to see and smell each other.
0:44:08 > 0:44:12Well, everything's new to them. You know, it's a new house, new smells.
0:44:12 > 0:44:15They know there's two other rhinos up the other end of the house.
0:44:15 > 0:44:18It's just a bit of excitement for a while.
0:44:18 > 0:44:23Hopefully, we'll let them bide quiet and they'll settle in to it.
0:44:24 > 0:44:28The two females were safely unloaded, so the rhino house was now
0:44:28 > 0:44:33a quarantine area and our crew were no longer allowed past the doors.
0:44:33 > 0:44:38But we gave the rhino keepers a small camera to film inside for us.
0:44:40 > 0:44:42They did 60 days in South Africa and they
0:44:42 > 0:44:44have to do 30 days isolation here.
0:44:44 > 0:44:46So it's very important now...
0:44:46 > 0:44:50obviously, once we start unloading them, that becomes a quarantine area.
0:44:50 > 0:44:55And only specific staff can go in.
0:44:55 > 0:44:58This is the bull we're just unloading.
0:45:07 > 0:45:09He's off.
0:45:11 > 0:45:13He came out.
0:45:13 > 0:45:15They came off with a bang.
0:45:15 > 0:45:19Well, with a bang, he decided he wasn't going to wait like the girl.
0:45:19 > 0:45:22But no, he's fine.
0:45:22 > 0:45:24Ian told me it was the quietest one.
0:45:24 > 0:45:27When we first met the male over there, he said the quietest
0:45:27 > 0:45:30of the three. I mean, at the moment, you think he's the worst,
0:45:30 > 0:45:34but then it's because he's a male and he likes to show off.
0:45:34 > 0:45:38He's met another male in there who's bigger than him so, obviously,
0:45:38 > 0:45:41there will be a bit of shouting and screaming going on in a minute.
0:45:41 > 0:45:45But the two girls seem really quiet. Settled in. Tucking into some hay.
0:45:45 > 0:45:49Things we're going to have to watch for, is that cos our two rhinos
0:45:49 > 0:45:50are in there, if they start
0:45:50 > 0:45:54winding each other up then they might start getting into a bit of trouble.
0:45:54 > 0:45:57And the keepers didn't have long to wait.
0:45:57 > 0:45:59CRASHING
0:46:02 > 0:46:03Hey.
0:46:03 > 0:46:05Hey.
0:46:08 > 0:46:10That was Winston, our bull.
0:46:10 > 0:46:13He was throwing his bed up in the air and you've got plastic
0:46:13 > 0:46:16matting down on the floor and he's chucking that about.
0:46:16 > 0:46:18It's cos he can see the other bull in there.
0:46:18 > 0:46:22That's what we expected, to get a bit stroppy in that sense, but he's just
0:46:22 > 0:46:26banging and crashing about. It's a lot of noise for nothing, really.
0:46:33 > 0:46:37That was five years ago. And the South African rhino quickly settled
0:46:37 > 0:46:41in well with the older animals and their new home, where Ian grew
0:46:41 > 0:46:46increasingly fond of Injanu, Marashi and Rosina.
0:46:48 > 0:46:52Sadly though, there have been no baby rhinos.
0:46:52 > 0:46:55There's been plenty of mating, just no pregnancies.
0:46:55 > 0:46:58The keepers are now working alongside the vets to see if there's
0:46:58 > 0:47:03some biological reason why, in five years, there hasn't been any babies.
0:47:03 > 0:47:07We want baby rhinos, but they'll produce them
0:47:07 > 0:47:09when they're good and ready, really.
0:47:09 > 0:47:12So, with fingers crossed and a little help from their friends,
0:47:12 > 0:47:17one day soon, there may well be baby rhinos at the park once again.
0:47:37 > 0:47:40Back in the deer park, Duncan and his assistant, Chris,
0:47:40 > 0:47:43have been trying to deliver the dead calf
0:47:43 > 0:47:46for over an hour now, but with no success.
0:47:47 > 0:47:51Well, I think that's not coming.
0:47:52 > 0:47:56Because of this, Tim now has to make the most difficult decision
0:47:56 > 0:47:59a keeper ever has to face.
0:48:00 > 0:48:04So, Tim, what's happening?
0:48:04 > 0:48:07We've come to a situation where the calf's...
0:48:07 > 0:48:09No way is it coming out, it's dead in her,
0:48:09 > 0:48:12the shoulders are too large.
0:48:12 > 0:48:16These animals usually give birth in the spring and this one has been...
0:48:17 > 0:48:21..set back a bit and we've come up against a situation where,
0:48:21 > 0:48:24with a domestic animal, you would do a...
0:48:24 > 0:48:27I guess, Duncan would do a caesarean, remove the calf.
0:48:27 > 0:48:30These animals are different in the sense they're extremely wild,
0:48:30 > 0:48:33very, very shy and to close her in a box, she's never
0:48:33 > 0:48:37been closed in, she's never been, so she's going to be more stressed.
0:48:37 > 0:48:41She's never been taken away from the others. They're a herd animal.
0:48:41 > 0:48:45You put her on her own, you isolate her, which you have to do to try
0:48:45 > 0:48:49and give her the drugs that would be needed for her to recover.
0:48:49 > 0:48:53You'd possibly lose her. You know, stress can be a
0:48:53 > 0:48:55big killer in these animals.
0:48:55 > 0:49:00They can die just of that alone, so you know, it's not good.
0:49:00 > 0:49:05I feel, probably, it's better that we euthanase her now.
0:49:05 > 0:49:07So you're going to put her down, are you?
0:49:07 > 0:49:11That's the decision that I think we've come to,
0:49:11 > 0:49:13talking amongst ourselves.
0:49:13 > 0:49:17I don't envy you having to make a decision like that but
0:49:17 > 0:49:20you've obviously had so many years of experience.
0:49:20 > 0:49:23You know how to weigh up the pros and cons.
0:49:23 > 0:49:26It's an extremely difficult thing to do.
0:49:29 > 0:49:31I think if we operated now,
0:49:31 > 0:49:36she's probably too sick to get over it, anyway and because of the nature
0:49:36 > 0:49:39of the Pere Davids, we can't give her the aftercare that she'd need to
0:49:39 > 0:49:42get over an operation like this.
0:49:42 > 0:49:44If we did the operation and left her out in the field,
0:49:44 > 0:49:48it would be a long slow-lingering death, so the kindest thing really
0:49:48 > 0:49:50is to put her to sleep now.
0:49:54 > 0:49:58Kevin, it's probably a daft question but do you ever get used to
0:49:58 > 0:50:02- scenarios like this?- No. You don't. You never get used to it.
0:50:02 > 0:50:06We're all here to try and breed them and save the species
0:50:06 > 0:50:09and this is probably one of the rarest animals we've got in the park
0:50:09 > 0:50:13and to lose one to something that should happen so naturally is
0:50:13 > 0:50:16awful, really, for us.
0:50:16 > 0:50:18Well, I'm sorry, guys.
0:50:35 > 0:50:39It's terrible. I've worked here for eight years, or so, and that's the
0:50:39 > 0:50:42first time that's ever had to happen, first time I've ever
0:50:42 > 0:50:48seen that and as an animal lover, it's really hard to understand how
0:50:48 > 0:50:52you can come up to a decision like that, but what you must remember is
0:50:52 > 0:50:56the keepers here really know their animals, they're wild animals
0:50:56 > 0:51:00and I suppose, ultimately, it's for the better.
0:51:00 > 0:51:04But it doesn't make it easier for anyone, for me, for these guys,
0:51:04 > 0:51:10for you watching, but sadly, that really is life with wild animals.
0:51:26 > 0:51:29Over on Half Mile Lake, Sealia and Zook,
0:51:29 > 0:51:33the two sea lions were due to give birth any day.
0:51:33 > 0:51:36Sealia has already had lots of pups
0:51:36 > 0:51:39but for Zook, this was going to be her first.
0:51:39 > 0:51:43Well, I'm delighted to say that a week later,
0:51:43 > 0:51:47they've both had their babies and everyone is doing really well.
0:51:49 > 0:51:53Well, I've come down to Sea Lion Beach to meet the new arrivals.
0:51:53 > 0:51:55I'm here with head of section Mark Tye.
0:51:55 > 0:52:00And Zook is our first-time mum this year.
0:52:00 > 0:52:04- Yes.- Very, very exciting and looking like she's doing a pretty good job.
0:52:04 > 0:52:05She's been fantastic, Kate.
0:52:05 > 0:52:07I'm really, really pleased with her.
0:52:07 > 0:52:10I was a little worried cos she's still young.
0:52:10 > 0:52:11She's only a five-year-old.
0:52:11 > 0:52:16Sometimes they've haven't got the best of ideas of what to do.
0:52:16 > 0:52:18But she's exceeded my expectations.
0:52:18 > 0:52:21She has been a model mother, she really has.
0:52:21 > 0:52:23That's brilliant, but what about this little pup,
0:52:23 > 0:52:27all on her own, which is just about to disappear under the boardwalk?
0:52:29 > 0:52:31Now, that doesn't look good.
0:52:31 > 0:52:35- That's, "Get away from me."- Right.
0:52:35 > 0:52:38She's a little protective of her own.
0:52:38 > 0:52:41- OK.- And this is Sealia's pup.
0:52:41 > 0:52:45Sealia being a much better mother has quite happily gone off
0:52:45 > 0:52:46and left it.
0:52:46 > 0:52:52Sealia's pretty regular every year, isn't she? How many has she had now?
0:52:52 > 0:52:55Well, she's 15 years old and this one will be her eighth.
0:52:55 > 0:52:58Wow. Wow. So she's very happy just to leave it on the beach.
0:52:58 > 0:53:01Yeah. Sometimes with both mums,
0:53:01 > 0:53:04I mean, Sealia has done it to Zook's pup, it's just to...
0:53:04 > 0:53:08"You're not mine, go away, do your own thing."
0:53:08 > 0:53:11That's all that is, really.
0:53:11 > 0:53:15But did Sealia actually give birth on the beach this year,
0:53:15 > 0:53:18cos I know there's been problems with where the sea lions
0:53:18 > 0:53:21choose to give birth, despite building this lovely beach for them.
0:53:21 > 0:53:23There have been in the past. Yes. But no,
0:53:23 > 0:53:25Sealia gave birth in the pen behind us,
0:53:25 > 0:53:28which is where she has had the last three.
0:53:28 > 0:53:30OK. So that's become a good habit.
0:53:30 > 0:53:33That's a good habit. It's a nice safe place
0:53:33 > 0:53:36cos there's a nice gradient on the ramp there for the pups.
0:53:36 > 0:53:39And she kept it there for a few days
0:53:39 > 0:53:41and now she's moved it round here.
0:53:41 > 0:53:44And presumably, all their food is coming from suckling mum.
0:53:44 > 0:53:47They're not taking any fish or anything, at this stage.
0:53:47 > 0:53:51No. No. It's all purely milk from mother.
0:53:51 > 0:53:55We find that they do start chasing small fish in the lake
0:53:55 > 0:53:57- at about six months.- Right.
0:53:57 > 0:54:01So you notice a definite ballooning effect once they find small fish.
0:54:01 > 0:54:03They do get a lot bigger very quickly.
0:54:03 > 0:54:07We've got the hippos frighteningly close.
0:54:07 > 0:54:09I'm slightly on the back foot here,
0:54:09 > 0:54:11thinking I'm going to run for it any minute.
0:54:11 > 0:54:14Is there any conflict when you've got little pups like this
0:54:14 > 0:54:16that are inexperienced with the hippos?
0:54:16 > 0:54:19We haven't had any problems.
0:54:19 > 0:54:23Normally by the time pups are out and about swimming in the lake,
0:54:23 > 0:54:27they're more than quick enough to be three steps ahead of a hippo.
0:54:27 > 0:54:30- Right.- You know, hippos are generally quite slow and they
0:54:30 > 0:54:32are very used to the sea lions now.
0:54:32 > 0:54:36They've had sea lions around them the whole time they've been here.
0:54:36 > 0:54:38We've seen them sitting on their heads, haven't we?
0:54:38 > 0:54:41Oh, look and we've got the swan family coming down.
0:54:41 > 0:54:43That's great. So all looking good.
0:54:43 > 0:54:49And again, an adult swan, protective birds, very territorial birds, would
0:54:49 > 0:54:54they have a go at a sea lion pup that was being a little overcurious?
0:54:54 > 0:54:55- Yes. They would.- Really.
0:54:55 > 0:54:57I've seen it happen quite a lot.
0:54:57 > 0:55:01I mean, sea lion pups, when they get swimming, are quite fond of
0:55:01 > 0:55:05cygnets' feet, from underneath and they do try to pull them under.
0:55:05 > 0:55:09- Right.- But you notice that the adults are very protective and will have a
0:55:09 > 0:55:13- go at even an adult sea lion, never mind a baby.- Really?- Yeah.
0:55:13 > 0:55:17- Look at that. That is just the most heavenly, heavenly sight.- It's great.
0:55:17 > 0:55:20I think it's everybody's favourite time of the year, isn't it?
0:55:20 > 0:55:22You know, loads of offspring.
0:55:22 > 0:55:24They're both females as well, which is a bonus.
0:55:24 > 0:55:26- Both the babies are females?- Yes.
0:55:26 > 0:55:28- That's such good news.- Yeah.
0:55:28 > 0:55:31That's such good news. No wonder you're smiling from ear to ear.
0:55:31 > 0:55:34Any names yet or are we still a little too early?
0:55:34 > 0:55:37No. I like to give them a good headstart in life
0:55:37 > 0:55:41and sometimes it's nice, they come out with little characters that
0:55:41 > 0:55:43the name will fit quite nicely to.
0:55:43 > 0:55:48Yeah. OK. We'll wait and see what happens but Mark, thank you very much
0:55:48 > 0:55:52for introducing me to them, although I have to say you're not showing me
0:55:52 > 0:55:54your best side down there. Go on.
0:55:54 > 0:55:56Give us a wave. Bye bye, little one.
0:55:56 > 0:55:57See you later.
0:56:11 > 0:56:13The tragic tale of mother and calf
0:56:13 > 0:56:17was a real blow for the herd of Pere David deer.
0:56:17 > 0:56:20But there's a glimmer of hope for this endangered species,
0:56:20 > 0:56:24with the loan male calf born this season still flourishing.
0:56:26 > 0:56:29Just behind us are some of Longleat's Pere David deer
0:56:29 > 0:56:31and Kate and I have joined Tim
0:56:31 > 0:56:34who's had quite a time of it lately, haven't you?
0:56:34 > 0:56:37We have, Ben, yes. With the Pere David, we've had
0:56:37 > 0:56:38a few problems along the way.
0:56:38 > 0:56:42But things are picking up and we're going to
0:56:42 > 0:56:44receive some more Pere David deer.
0:56:44 > 0:56:46- Oh, are you?- Fantastic.
0:56:46 > 0:56:48- Some young hinds. Yes.- Fantastic.
0:56:48 > 0:56:50So we can really, perhaps,
0:56:50 > 0:56:53safeguard our breeding population.
0:56:53 > 0:56:55Cos they're really rare, aren't they?
0:56:55 > 0:56:56Well, they are, Ben.
0:56:56 > 0:57:01Still not out of danger, by any means, in the wild state and I think
0:57:01 > 0:57:04these captive herds are extremely important
0:57:04 > 0:57:06throughout the world, really.
0:57:06 > 0:57:10So even though we have a few here, we need to keep breeding them so
0:57:10 > 0:57:14- that one day, perhaps, some of them can go back.- Absolutely.
0:57:14 > 0:57:19And when you get the hinds, do you imagine that they'll integrate
0:57:19 > 0:57:21well with the herd immediately?
0:57:21 > 0:57:24Are they quite a tricky deer to manage?
0:57:24 > 0:57:28There are two very old hinds there, long in the tooth.
0:57:28 > 0:57:31They're going to
0:57:31 > 0:57:35express their dominance over those animals, so
0:57:35 > 0:57:39I think possibly, they'll just be kept on the edge of the group
0:57:39 > 0:57:43for a little while, but they'll come in, they'll find their place.
0:57:43 > 0:57:46They certainly do look like the picture of contentment out there,
0:57:46 > 0:57:50eating the clover, so Tim, congratulations on one very
0:57:50 > 0:57:53successful birth and we hope that the Pere David go
0:57:53 > 0:57:56- from strength to strength. - Thanks very much.
0:57:56 > 0:57:59Sadly, that's all we've got time for in today's programme,
0:57:59 > 0:58:02but here's what's coming up on the next Animal Park.
0:58:03 > 0:58:06Kate rolls out the barrel to find out how hard a monkey
0:58:06 > 0:58:08will work for its lunch.
0:58:08 > 0:58:10Oh, look, look, look.
0:58:11 > 0:58:15Ben goes to Wolf Wood to try and spot some very cute youngsters.
0:58:17 > 0:58:20And we struggle to even start identifying three tigers
0:58:20 > 0:58:24that, to us, look exactly the same.
0:58:24 > 0:58:27I spent long enough working out the last three. I guess I'm going to
0:58:27 > 0:58:30- start all over again.- They were completely different!
0:58:30 > 0:58:32So this one fills me with horror.
0:58:36 > 0:58:38Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:58:38 > 0:58:40E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk