0:00:06 > 0:00:09Summer is here and Ben and I are back.
0:00:09 > 0:00:11SEAL BARKS
0:00:11 > 0:00:13And our team have been working round the clock
0:00:13 > 0:00:15to bring you closer than ever
0:00:15 > 0:00:18to the thousand or so exotic species that live here.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28We've captured every exhilarating moment in high definition,
0:00:28 > 0:00:32bringing you within a hair's breadth of the action.
0:00:34 > 0:00:36For this series,
0:00:36 > 0:00:39we'll be filming animals like we've never filmed them before.
0:00:39 > 0:00:43And feeding them in ways we've never fed them before.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48We've tried to understand them more than ever.
0:00:48 > 0:00:50And been wowed by them more than ever.
0:00:51 > 0:00:55We've been here for every heart-wrenching moment.
0:00:55 > 0:00:57That's it, that's it.
0:00:57 > 0:00:59Seeing the extraordinary lengths keepers go
0:00:59 > 0:01:01for the animals in their care.
0:01:03 > 0:01:07- I don't know about you, but I'm getting really excited.- Me too.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10So, join us for a very special brand-new series of...
0:01:10 > 0:01:12- TOGETHER:- Animal Park.
0:01:14 > 0:01:19We've got five fun-packed summer specials coming your way this week,
0:01:19 > 0:01:24bringing you the very best action as the park begins its busiest period.
0:01:26 > 0:01:30And on today's show, the park's 14 giraffe make their first steps
0:01:30 > 0:01:33towards their summer pasture...
0:01:33 > 0:01:35Bit nervous about this interaction.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38..only for baby Evan to cause a stampede.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45- Our old friend Ian Turner...- All we need is the wolves to perform.
0:01:45 > 0:01:49..heads deep into Wolf Wood to capture a killer shot.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52WOLVES HOWL
0:01:53 > 0:01:57And Jean comes face-to-face with one of Africa's fastest feeders.
0:02:07 > 0:02:12With the arrival of long, hot days and an abundance of fresh food,
0:02:12 > 0:02:14new life is bursting across the park.
0:02:16 > 0:02:21As a result, today's episode has been overrun with babies
0:02:21 > 0:02:24and I, for one, couldn't be happier.
0:02:24 > 0:02:28This adorable little thing is a black-tailed marmoset
0:02:28 > 0:02:33and the tiny one is only about six weeks old.
0:02:33 > 0:02:35You want a mealworm as well, don't you?
0:02:35 > 0:02:40It's one of about 100 animals that's born at Longleat every year.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42Now, whether endangered or not,
0:02:42 > 0:02:45every animal born here is very special,
0:02:45 > 0:02:51but when it is a first for the park, everyone gets really excited.
0:02:55 > 0:02:59Meet the park's four reindeer - females Willow and Gretel,
0:02:59 > 0:03:02and males Chester and Wilbur.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06They came to the park three years ago,
0:03:06 > 0:03:08as part of an international breeding programme.
0:03:08 > 0:03:13But, much like buses, after waiting ages for a birth,
0:03:13 > 0:03:16suddenly two pregnancies came along at once.
0:03:18 > 0:03:23Today, keeper Tim has been given the news he's been waiting for.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27I've just found that we've got a calf down there,
0:03:27 > 0:03:32a newborn calf, and I want to put some water in for the mother
0:03:32 > 0:03:36and watch to see if everything's OK.
0:03:36 > 0:03:38In the 30 years that he's worked here,
0:03:38 > 0:03:42Tim has never helped rear a reindeer before,
0:03:42 > 0:03:46but he knows what a critical time this can be.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50The first few days, particularly the first few hours,
0:03:50 > 0:03:52very much watching, from a distance,
0:03:52 > 0:03:57and try and establish whether the calf starts to feed from mum,
0:03:57 > 0:03:59starts to suckle.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02Tim doesn't want to spook Willow and her new calf,
0:04:02 > 0:04:05so is keeping his distance for now.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08There's no reason why mum doesn't rear the calf,
0:04:08 > 0:04:10but you just have to be a bit careful
0:04:10 > 0:04:13and you have to make sure that that is happening.
0:04:13 > 0:04:17While making sure mum has plenty of fresh drinking water,
0:04:17 > 0:04:21he also wants to know if the calf has fed.
0:04:21 > 0:04:25The mother's first milk contains a protein-rich substance,
0:04:25 > 0:04:26known as colostrum,
0:04:26 > 0:04:30essential for protecting the calf against life-threatening infections.
0:04:30 > 0:04:32It needs colostrum.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35It gives the antibodies for the immune system to work
0:04:35 > 0:04:36and that's very important.
0:04:36 > 0:04:38If it doesn't have the colostrum,
0:04:38 > 0:04:40it can be extremely dangerous to a calf.
0:04:42 > 0:04:44But mum's very attentive.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47It looks a very good picture to me, at the moment.
0:04:47 > 0:04:52In actual fact, the little one is trying to find milk at the moment.
0:04:52 > 0:04:56This first mother's milk is so important
0:04:56 > 0:05:00that no mammal in the wild could survive without it.
0:05:00 > 0:05:04The first few feeds are, quite literally, a gateway to life.
0:05:07 > 0:05:10A day later, the calf is already up on its feet.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16Reindeer are highly social animals,
0:05:16 > 0:05:19often living in herds of up to 1,000 individuals.
0:05:19 > 0:05:24In the wild, a healthy calf would be expected to rejoin the herd
0:05:24 > 0:05:26within a day of being born.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30But this can be an extremely dangerous time,
0:05:30 > 0:05:34as the herd have an aggressively enforced hierarchy.
0:05:35 > 0:05:40- I fear, very much, that if we just put them together...- Mm-hmm.
0:05:40 > 0:05:44..that little one could be endangered at that stage,
0:05:44 > 0:05:50- because of the fact of whacking each other with their front feet.- Yeah.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53Tim and his colleague, Tara, are concerned
0:05:53 > 0:05:56that if Willow and Gretel clash,
0:05:56 > 0:05:58Tilly might get caught in the crossfire.
0:05:58 > 0:06:02I just don't want there to be any problem with aggression,
0:06:02 > 0:06:05particularly with Gretel, who's the other female.
0:06:05 > 0:06:09She's also heavily pregnant and expecting any day now
0:06:09 > 0:06:13and she may well be aggressive towards Tilly.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16I think I probably will just let Tilly come out a minute
0:06:16 > 0:06:18and just see what happens, I think, really.
0:06:18 > 0:06:22As Tilly takes her first steps out of the pen, all eyes are on Gretel.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24You're being very good, Gretel, aren't you?
0:06:24 > 0:06:27Not worrying about her, are you?
0:06:27 > 0:06:31This is when something can happen, when they approach like this.
0:06:31 > 0:06:33And she's not going to, so that's very good.
0:06:33 > 0:06:34Very encouraging to see that.
0:06:36 > 0:06:41When Tilly approached... Ooh, did he have a go? I didn't see that.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44That was Chester, Tilly's dad.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47Just had a little go at Tilly, maybe just saying,
0:06:47 > 0:06:51"Keep your distance a little bit."
0:06:52 > 0:06:55It's clear Reindeer Wood is an unpredictable place.
0:06:56 > 0:06:58With another birth due any day,
0:06:58 > 0:07:01the keepers must be prepared for anything.
0:07:10 > 0:07:12After humans, the rhesus macaque is
0:07:12 > 0:07:16the second most common primate on the planet.
0:07:16 > 0:07:18And, here at the park,
0:07:18 > 0:07:21they've recently experienced a sharp increase in numbers.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26- There are babies everywhere, Ian. - We had a massive baby boom.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29Three years ago, we had one baby
0:07:29 > 0:07:32and this year, we've probably had 15 to 20 babies
0:07:32 > 0:07:35- in a period of about five days. - No way!
0:07:35 > 0:07:37They self-regulate themselves in this monkey zoo.
0:07:37 > 0:07:39We don't do anything for them and they seem to regulate
0:07:39 > 0:07:43between 90 to 120, and we reckon we've got about 122 at the minute.
0:07:43 > 0:07:45- Isn't that incredible?- Yeah, it is.
0:07:45 > 0:07:49So, they know the optimum population for this kind of area.
0:07:49 > 0:07:51Everywhere you look, you can see little babies,
0:07:51 > 0:07:53on the fronts there, the mothers picking them up.
0:07:53 > 0:07:57- A tiny, tiny one, look, there. - How sweet.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00- Do they all get on? - They all squabble over food.
0:08:00 > 0:08:02If I put a bit more food out, that'll keep them quiet.
0:08:02 > 0:08:04There you go, monkeys.
0:08:04 > 0:08:06MONKEYS SQUAWK
0:08:06 > 0:08:09Oh, yes. This give us a good opportunity to see them.
0:08:09 > 0:08:13Have all the mothers been getting on? Is it all peace and quiet?
0:08:13 > 0:08:15- We lost one mother through old age. - Right.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18And one of the mothers has adopted the baby,
0:08:18 > 0:08:20so you may see one with twins.
0:08:20 > 0:08:22- No way!- It's an older one who's looking after both of them.
0:08:22 > 0:08:26- She just chose to do that herself? - She just picked it up and took over.
0:08:26 > 0:08:28There's a larger one on there. Is that two?
0:08:28 > 0:08:32That one is really amazing cos that is Phil, the dominant male,
0:08:32 > 0:08:36- and he's started mothering little ones.- He's a proper modern father.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39- Yeah.- So, he's actually stay-at-home dad.- Yeah.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41What do you think happened this year
0:08:41 > 0:08:43to lead to such a population explosion?
0:08:43 > 0:08:45I just think they thought it was time to build up the numbers
0:08:45 > 0:08:48and luckily, it's come in the nice weather,
0:08:48 > 0:08:52so in the last few days, we've had 20-odd babies, which is amazing.
0:08:52 > 0:08:54Just to be clear, he is the father to all these youngsters.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56Yeah, that's what he's telling us all.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59He's in charge and he dominates the whole of this place, yeah.
0:08:59 > 0:09:00Ian, thank you very much.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03With such a population explosion, if you visit next year,
0:09:03 > 0:09:06you'd better watch out. There's a few more vandals about.
0:09:09 > 0:09:11Back now to Reindeer Wood,
0:09:11 > 0:09:15where a second calf, a boy, has just been born.
0:09:16 > 0:09:18Tara is on lookout.
0:09:18 > 0:09:22She's asked to use our cameras to try and see
0:09:22 > 0:09:24if the calf has taken its first vital feed.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29We've put the camera up, just to try and see if she's letting it suckle
0:09:29 > 0:09:32cos, obviously, she doesn't do it when people are around.
0:09:32 > 0:09:33We just want to make sure
0:09:33 > 0:09:35she is actually letting the baby feed from her.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37It's really important, within the first couple of hours,
0:09:37 > 0:09:39that it has a good suckle.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42Right away, Tara notices a problem.
0:09:42 > 0:09:47It's not looking amazing. It's a lot smaller and weaker than Tilly was.
0:09:48 > 0:09:50She's reluctant to intervene.
0:09:50 > 0:09:54If she does, the mother is likely to reject the baby.
0:09:54 > 0:09:56At the moment, it's quite stressful.
0:09:56 > 0:09:59You just want it to... You don't want to intervene too quickly
0:09:59 > 0:10:02because that will ruin the bond between mum and baby
0:10:02 > 0:10:04but, at the same time, you don't want to leave it too late
0:10:04 > 0:10:07because then you might not get enough chance to actually get it
0:10:07 > 0:10:10to a strong level to be able to survive.
0:10:10 > 0:10:12I actually don't think it's going to survive.
0:10:12 > 0:10:16She's so worried that she decides to call her colleague, Tim.
0:10:16 > 0:10:21Hi, Tim. Just an update. Little new reindeer doesn't look too good.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23If you can pop down, if you can.
0:10:23 > 0:10:25I think we're going to have to intervene.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34Tim heads straight in to examine the calf.
0:10:34 > 0:10:38- You all right, Gretel? Good girl. - Hello, hello.- She's stressed.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40It was completely flat and it wouldn't move.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42GRETEL BLEATS
0:10:42 > 0:10:46This intervention could make the difference between life or death.
0:10:46 > 0:10:48We've got to get milk in, haven't we?
0:10:48 > 0:10:52- I think we need milk.- Absolutely. That's where we are.
0:10:52 > 0:10:56- Have we watched footage yet?- No. - We do need to watch some footage.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02Tara and Tim review the footage from our cameras.
0:11:02 > 0:11:06They need to know if the calf is feeding.
0:11:06 > 0:11:08The calf is down a tremendous amount of the time.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11In fact, I think all the footage so far, he's been down.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14- The whole footage.- That tells the whole story, doesn't it?
0:11:14 > 0:11:18The footage makes for grim viewing. It's Tim's worst nightmare.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21The little calf hasn't fed at all.
0:11:21 > 0:11:26I think we can safely say that the calf hasn't fed from mum.
0:11:26 > 0:11:31The situation is now critical. What the calf needs is colostrum.
0:11:31 > 0:11:35If Tim can catch Gretel, he might be able to force the calf to feed.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38Let it go under her by her chest,
0:11:38 > 0:11:41as she runs through, hopefully, yeah.
0:11:41 > 0:11:43That's it, that's it. Join them up.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45Way-up, steady, steady.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48- Whoa, whoa, steady. Whoa, whoa.- Stop.
0:11:48 > 0:11:53But restraining a stressed 100-kilo reindeer is a challenge.
0:11:53 > 0:11:54Steady, steady, steady.
0:11:54 > 0:11:58Whoa, steady, steady. Steady, steady, steady.
0:11:58 > 0:11:59Gretel, steady.
0:11:59 > 0:12:03This action is the absolute last resort.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05All right, all right.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08It's not nice to have to do this at all,
0:12:08 > 0:12:11but it may well make the difference.
0:12:11 > 0:12:13If we don't get this little thing feeding...
0:12:14 > 0:12:18..then it's end of the game for the poor little fellow.
0:12:20 > 0:12:24We're some way away, at the moment, from getting things on track,
0:12:24 > 0:12:28I think, really. It could go either way at this time.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31We'll be back later to find out
0:12:31 > 0:12:35if Tim can manage to save the life of this poor little calf.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43This series, Jean Johansson will be joining the keepers
0:12:43 > 0:12:45to encourage their animals' natural instincts...
0:12:47 > 0:12:50..while also helping to answer some of the burning questions
0:12:50 > 0:12:52we all have about their incredible abilities.
0:12:55 > 0:13:00Today, she's in Animal Adventure, catching up with an old friend.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03Last Easter, I met the magnificent secretary bird.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05With its long powerful legs and hooked beak,
0:13:05 > 0:13:08it's perfectly adapted for killing snakes.
0:13:08 > 0:13:09So, it's feeding time
0:13:09 > 0:13:12and Graeme and I are going to put some of these skills to the test.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15Yeah, so we've got a few different things to trial him on today.
0:13:15 > 0:13:17Because he's quite new to us, we're not 100% sure
0:13:17 > 0:13:19what he likes and what he doesn't like.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22In the wild, they would naturally eat small insects.
0:13:22 > 0:13:24He's already seen them. He's coming towards us now.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27- He's on his way over.- I have a bit of a surprise, in a rubber snake.
0:13:27 > 0:13:31Ah, yes, I remember you said they like to stamp on snakes.
0:13:31 > 0:13:33That's how they kill them. So, we'll see some of those skills later?
0:13:33 > 0:13:35Yeah, I hope so. We'll see.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38He's never done it before, so I'll present him with the snake
0:13:38 > 0:13:40and if he does get it, we'll give him a bit of a reward for it
0:13:40 > 0:13:42and tell him, "Well done".
0:13:42 > 0:13:44He's a really young bird. He's never been taught to hunt,
0:13:44 > 0:13:47he's never even been to Africa to see it, so it will be interesting
0:13:47 > 0:13:50to see what he does with the rubber snake or with the insects.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53- OK, let's start with the insects. - OK.
0:13:55 > 0:13:56Here's the locust.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59We'll just throw it away from us, cos we don't want kicked.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02Our super slow-motion camera allows us to see things
0:14:02 > 0:14:05which are almost invisible to the naked eye.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17Just exactly as you said, he spotted that really quickly
0:14:17 > 0:14:20- with his eyesight and gave it three really quick stamps.- Yeah.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23These guys can fly as well, so he's watching it in the sky
0:14:23 > 0:14:25as it lands and the minute it lands, very precise,
0:14:25 > 0:14:28down with the legs and kicking until it's good enough to eat.
0:14:28 > 0:14:30I know you have a bit of a prop in your pocket.
0:14:30 > 0:14:32Why are you keeping it so well hidden?
0:14:32 > 0:14:35He doesn't really know the difference between a rubber snake
0:14:35 > 0:14:37- and a live snake. - Let's get our snake in place.
0:14:37 > 0:14:41OK, we'll just throw it out for him and see what he does.
0:14:45 > 0:14:47Right on the head!
0:14:52 > 0:14:55- It's almost like martial arts, watching him.- Yeah, that's it.
0:14:55 > 0:14:57Really powerful, into the head.
0:14:57 > 0:14:59Tries to get rid of the dangerous end,
0:14:59 > 0:15:02so if you think, if that's a really venomous snake in Africa,
0:15:02 > 0:15:03he's killed it straightaway,
0:15:03 > 0:15:06he's making sure that the venomous part of it can't bite him.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09He's got really long legs, covered in scales,
0:15:09 > 0:15:12like armour plating, almost, just in case he misses.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15His body is so high up as well, that if the snake was to strike out
0:15:15 > 0:15:18and protect itself, it's away from his vital organs.
0:15:18 > 0:15:20And if he needs to, as well,
0:15:20 > 0:15:23the big plume of feathers around his head acts as a distraction,
0:15:23 > 0:15:25so the snake doesn't know exactly where his head is
0:15:25 > 0:15:27and just sort of sees a bundle of feathers coming towards him.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30He's just perfectly designed for this type of predator,
0:15:30 > 0:15:34- and he really took care of that snake really quickly.- He did, yeah.
0:15:34 > 0:15:36I wouldn't have liked to be a real snake in that situation.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39- He definitely killed the rubber snake.- Thank you.
0:15:39 > 0:15:40It was nice to see those adaptations at work.
0:15:40 > 0:15:42He really is an incredible bird.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52It's breakfast time and, as the keepers begin their rounds,
0:15:52 > 0:15:56I've joined the mob of meerkats as they're let out for the day.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59And here they come. Good morning, everybody.
0:15:59 > 0:16:03Straight out, upright, looking to see if there's any danger
0:16:03 > 0:16:06and then immediately, they're off out, looking for food.
0:16:06 > 0:16:08But not every animal at the park leaves its enclosure
0:16:08 > 0:16:10with such confidence.
0:16:14 > 0:16:18The park's 14-strong giraffe herd spent the winter
0:16:18 > 0:16:20in the giraffe house and paddock.
0:16:22 > 0:16:24Today, they'll be heading down to the main African reserve
0:16:24 > 0:16:27for the first time this year.
0:16:28 > 0:16:30And, for the youngest, Evan,
0:16:30 > 0:16:33it'll be his first ever encounter with other species.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36In the wild, giraffe live alongside
0:16:36 > 0:16:39some of Africa's most dangerous animals.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42Here at the park, they'll be living
0:16:42 > 0:16:44with two young male wildebeest or gnu,
0:16:44 > 0:16:46which have only just moved to this enclosure.
0:16:48 > 0:16:51As the giraffe have never come across gnu before,
0:16:51 > 0:16:54Head of Safari, Jon Merrington, is in pole position
0:16:54 > 0:16:56to oversee their introduction.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59It's a little bit tense, but they'll be coming down shortly,
0:16:59 > 0:17:01so we'll see how they get on.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06If threatened, the gnu are likely to kick out,
0:17:06 > 0:17:08delivering powerful blows with their hooves,
0:17:08 > 0:17:11as well as using their horns to attack.
0:17:13 > 0:17:15Obviously, we're a bit more concerned with the gnu.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18This is the first time they'll be mixed in the exhibit,
0:17:18 > 0:17:19and they do have horns
0:17:19 > 0:17:22and that's what they will use to protect themselves,
0:17:22 > 0:17:25so we are a little bit concerned, more so for the smaller giraffes.
0:17:25 > 0:17:27We don't want them to get into a fight,
0:17:27 > 0:17:30so we're going to monitor their interaction very carefully.
0:17:32 > 0:17:34But, before they meet their new park mates,
0:17:34 > 0:17:38it'll be keeper Tina's job to usher the notoriously nervous giraffes
0:17:38 > 0:17:41down this fenced-off passage called "the race".
0:17:41 > 0:17:44The giraffe, they're really quite nervous.
0:17:44 > 0:17:48They are looking a little tense. You can kind of feel it in the air.
0:17:48 > 0:17:52The one thing about giraffe is they're incredibly scatty animals.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55If there's anything new, they're like, "Oh, my God, what is that?
0:17:55 > 0:17:57"It's the end of the world!"
0:17:57 > 0:18:00Coming down the race, if there's a rogue bit of litter,
0:18:00 > 0:18:01caught by the wind and blows up,
0:18:01 > 0:18:04that can completely turn things on its head,
0:18:04 > 0:18:06so hopefully, we'll have no events like that,
0:18:06 > 0:18:08and the giraffe will calmly stroll down,
0:18:08 > 0:18:10but with giraffe, anything can happen.
0:18:11 > 0:18:15Behind me, one of the keepers has lured the zebras and the gnu
0:18:15 > 0:18:18to the furthest point away from the raceway.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21That's so it doesn't spook the giraffe as they're coming down,
0:18:21 > 0:18:24and also, we don't want the zebras or the gnu charging up there
0:18:24 > 0:18:26when we've got the giraffe trying to come the other way,
0:18:26 > 0:18:30so it just sets us up to succeed, hopefully, a little bit more.
0:18:31 > 0:18:33It's time to go.
0:18:35 > 0:18:39With a little persuasion, the herd start to head towards the reserve.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41It's been seven months since they were last here.
0:18:43 > 0:18:45We can just see some of the first giraffe coming down now,
0:18:45 > 0:18:47so we're getting there.
0:18:48 > 0:18:51All the giraffes are on the move.
0:18:51 > 0:18:53Pregnant six-year-old Kate is leading the way,
0:18:53 > 0:18:57and four-month-old Evan bringing up the rear.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01Maybe he's letting all the others go first. He's a bit unsure.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03I think he's letting his bigger cousins come out
0:19:03 > 0:19:06and check it's safe before he's venturing further away.
0:19:08 > 0:19:09Everything's calm so far.
0:19:09 > 0:19:11The giraffe are just making their way out.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13The other animals haven't noticed yet,
0:19:13 > 0:19:16and I don't think the giraffe have noticed the others yet.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19Oh, they're starting to charge.
0:19:19 > 0:19:21Hopefully, that's just excitement.
0:19:25 > 0:19:26That is all of them.
0:19:33 > 0:19:36Giraffes and zebra would naturally encounter each other in the wild,
0:19:36 > 0:19:41but the keepers here have noticed the zebra also become quite playful.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44Some of our zebras are stallions.
0:19:44 > 0:19:45They like chasing young giraffe,
0:19:45 > 0:19:48which Evan obviously hasn't experienced yet
0:19:48 > 0:19:50so, hopefully, he takes to that quite well.
0:19:53 > 0:19:57It looks like the zebras have just clocked where the giraffe are.
0:19:59 > 0:20:01They're just about coming up to our giraffe.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04It'll be interesting to see how they interact.
0:20:04 > 0:20:06They're not charging over,
0:20:06 > 0:20:09so I think it's more curiosity than aggression.
0:20:09 > 0:20:13Oh, bless, yeah, they've all spotted Evan.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15He's just sort of having a look.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19Oh, they're chasing a bit.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22Some of the giraffe have just made a bit of a run for it,
0:20:22 > 0:20:26away from the zebras, and some of the zebras are making chase.
0:20:28 > 0:20:30They're having a bit of a charge around.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33After spending the winter months away from here,
0:20:33 > 0:20:36the giraffe are certainly making the most of it now.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39To see that sense of enjoyment for them is incredible.
0:20:40 > 0:20:42Giraffe are huge animals.
0:20:42 > 0:20:44It's incredibly impressive when you see them
0:20:44 > 0:20:46going at full pace as a group.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49As a keeper, it always puts you on tenterhooks,
0:20:49 > 0:20:52cos if a giraffe does slip, they're such tall animals
0:20:52 > 0:20:54that, if they go crashing down to the ground,
0:20:54 > 0:20:56there's always a risk of injury.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01The zebras have now met the giraffe
0:21:01 > 0:21:03and Evan seems to be doing really well,
0:21:03 > 0:21:05but our next challenge looks like it's coming.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10We've just got the gnu heading over now.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13The zebra and the giraffe are all in one big group now.
0:21:14 > 0:21:17It will be interesting to see what the giraffe make,
0:21:17 > 0:21:19cos they've never seen the gnu before.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22There's always an apprehension with horned animals cos, of course,
0:21:22 > 0:21:26they've got those tools to create some damage, if they choose to.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31We have got one giraffe and the gnu
0:21:31 > 0:21:33just fronting each other off a little bit.
0:21:33 > 0:21:38It looks, from here, it's Percy, one of our young bulls.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42He's taking an interest and he's going to say...
0:21:42 > 0:21:44Wait, oh...
0:21:44 > 0:21:46No, he's backed off, bless him.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49He wanted to have a look but his confidence wasn't quite there
0:21:49 > 0:21:51and he's backed off and moved away from the gnu.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57But then, the youngest member of the herd, Evan,
0:21:57 > 0:22:01decides to investigate these new creatures for himself.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04Bit nervous about this interaction cos Evan is quite small.
0:22:08 > 0:22:12Unlike his cousin, Evan shows no sign of standing down.
0:22:14 > 0:22:16He's quite a brave little soul,
0:22:16 > 0:22:20taking on two gnu the first time he's been down in the reserve.
0:22:20 > 0:22:22Bit tense, but very amusing.
0:22:25 > 0:22:27When animals meet each other for the first time,
0:22:27 > 0:22:30it's important you let THEM sort it out, not get in the way.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33Then they know who's in charge and who gives way to who.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35I'm very happy with how it's gone so far.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38We've got all the animals together in one big group
0:22:38 > 0:22:40and they all seem relatively relaxed,
0:22:40 > 0:22:42especially with our young giraffe there,
0:22:42 > 0:22:46which we were always on tenterhooks about. He's doing very well.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49It's looking like these animals can live in harmony
0:22:49 > 0:22:53in this little slice of Africa in the heart of Wiltshire.
0:22:53 > 0:22:58But with the ever-playful Evan around, who knows what'll happen.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05It's been three months since the giraffe were first let out
0:23:05 > 0:23:08and Kate has gone to catch up with keeper Ryan
0:23:08 > 0:23:11to see how young Evan has been getting on.
0:23:11 > 0:23:15It is such a fantastic moment, isn't it, that first day of summer
0:23:15 > 0:23:18when the giraffe come out into the big enclosure for the first time?
0:23:18 > 0:23:21It's always a big intake for us.
0:23:21 > 0:23:25Every time, particularly a calf comes down and meets everything else
0:23:25 > 0:23:28for the first time, we're always nervous cos they're all individuals.
0:23:28 > 0:23:32Generally, they kind of stick to a plan where they stick with mum,
0:23:32 > 0:23:35but we've had ones in the past that come out, just amble off
0:23:35 > 0:23:37and do their own thing or say, "Wow, this is a huge space.
0:23:37 > 0:23:39"I'm going to go for a huge run-around."
0:23:39 > 0:23:42- And they can get isolated sometimes. - Right. And Evan...
0:23:42 > 0:23:44The last time I was here, back in the spring,
0:23:44 > 0:23:48- he was, literally, just a few weeks old.- Yeah.
0:23:48 > 0:23:50And now, he looks really confident.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53He looks like he's really very much part of the group.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55- Would that be true? - You've hit the nail on the head.
0:23:55 > 0:23:57He's a confident character.
0:23:57 > 0:24:00We tend to find the males generally are a little more confident
0:24:00 > 0:24:03than the females, but that's not necessarily so.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06But certainly with Evan, he's a very bold character. Knows his own mind.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08He's, literally, out of the traps straightaway, saying,
0:24:08 > 0:24:11"I like that, I don't like that, I don't want any mucking around."
0:24:11 > 0:24:15And do you think his confidence is down to his mum a bit,
0:24:15 > 0:24:19- and to her brilliant parenting skills?- Definitely, I think so.
0:24:19 > 0:24:21Gertie's a fantastic mum.
0:24:21 > 0:24:25She's always been one of the bolder characters in the group
0:24:25 > 0:24:27and I think she's passed that onto him really well.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30It is going to be fascinating how things unfold
0:24:30 > 0:24:31over the next couple of years.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34- I don't envy you having to be the referee, though.- Thank you!
0:24:34 > 0:24:37Thanks, Ryan. It's always lovely to be here.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42Back now to Tara and Tim,
0:24:42 > 0:24:46who are battling to save the life of a newly-born reindeer calf.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51He hasn't suckled and if they can't get him to feed,
0:24:51 > 0:24:54there's little chance he'll survive much longer.
0:24:54 > 0:24:59If you can get a bit on your hand or on his muzzle, that's what we want.
0:24:59 > 0:25:04With mum held firmly, Tara lifts the calf up to Gretel's teat.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08It's a race against time to save a life.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11If we can just get him to take her milk,
0:25:11 > 0:25:15potentially, we could start to climb the ladder
0:25:15 > 0:25:18and go in the right direction, really.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21- Are you getting him to it? - He's on. No, he's dropped it.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24Are you on? No, don't lay down.
0:25:25 > 0:25:27Up.
0:25:27 > 0:25:31He's now incredibly weak and doesn't even have enough energy to stand.
0:25:31 > 0:25:35- He's deciding to lay down all the time.- He's isn't holding himself up.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38- No.- And he just can't latch on to her teat.- No.
0:25:38 > 0:25:42But he's had the smallest amount. It's not really enough.
0:25:42 > 0:25:45- He just doesn't seem to get the gist of it.- Yeah.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48Without milk, he will almost certainly die.
0:25:51 > 0:25:52As the calf can't latch on,
0:25:52 > 0:25:55Tim decides to express milk from Gretel,
0:25:55 > 0:25:58in an attempt to handfeed him.
0:25:58 > 0:26:02We've just been milking mum, into the bottle.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05Just squeeze a little bit in.
0:26:06 > 0:26:11Obviously, the more milk we can get in, the better.
0:26:11 > 0:26:15Even with a syringe, he's too weak now to even swallow.
0:26:15 > 0:26:19- He's just not suckling. - It really could go either way.
0:26:19 > 0:26:23- I do hope it goes the right way for us.- He just has no energy.
0:26:23 > 0:26:25Tara's odds of saving the calf's life
0:26:25 > 0:26:28seem impossibly stacked against her,
0:26:28 > 0:26:30but she isn't calling it a day.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33Definitely won't be giving up on this little man.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36We'll keep going with milking mum as long as she lets us
0:26:36 > 0:26:39and trying to syringe it into him cos he's just so tired.
0:26:39 > 0:26:41Where he's had no milk,
0:26:41 > 0:26:44he hasn't got the energy reserves to get up and suckle properly, so...
0:26:44 > 0:26:46We'll never give up.
0:26:48 > 0:26:50But Mother Nature can be cruel.
0:26:50 > 0:26:53Every fibre of this little reindeer is telling him
0:26:53 > 0:26:55to close his eyes and fade away.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59Over the next few hours,
0:26:59 > 0:27:02Tara tries to give the calf as much of its mother's milk as possible.
0:27:04 > 0:27:07However, it simply isn't taking enough in.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13And to make matters worse, night-time is fast approaching.
0:27:13 > 0:27:17If it gets to the point of darkness, and we're not happy with him,
0:27:17 > 0:27:19we'll have to make a decision.
0:27:19 > 0:27:21Sometimes you do have to take them home and feed them,
0:27:21 > 0:27:23but that is our last, last resort.
0:27:23 > 0:27:25We don't want to do that cos it's unnatural for him
0:27:25 > 0:27:28and it's a long time for mum to be without him.
0:27:28 > 0:27:32Despite her best efforts, the calf still isn't strong enough
0:27:32 > 0:27:34to face the night alone with its mother,
0:27:34 > 0:27:38leaving Tara with no option but to take him home.
0:27:40 > 0:27:42It's going to be a long night,
0:27:42 > 0:27:45as the calf will need feeding every two hours.
0:27:47 > 0:27:51OK, it's 9.25pm and I've got to do the next feed for this little man.
0:27:51 > 0:27:54As you see, he's asleep, so I'm going to wake him up
0:27:54 > 0:27:56and try and get some milk into him.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59The calf's energy levels are still so low,
0:27:59 > 0:28:03he's barely conscious as Tara begins the first feed.
0:28:05 > 0:28:11- SHE WHISPERS:- So, it's half past 11 and I'm going to try the next feed.
0:28:11 > 0:28:15Two hours later and the calf still isn't suckling on its own.
0:28:19 > 0:28:22Feed after feed, Tara isn't giving up.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27Reindeers are associated with the magic of Christmas
0:28:27 > 0:28:30and what this calf needs is a miracle.
0:28:30 > 0:28:36Dawn breaks and with it, the calf has finally got to its feet.
0:28:37 > 0:28:40Tara's dedication is rewarded.
0:28:40 > 0:28:43Good boy. He's improved a lot.
0:28:43 > 0:28:45Still very wobbly and very sleepy,
0:28:45 > 0:28:46but he's drinking a lot better.
0:28:48 > 0:28:51He just had his 7 o'clock feed.
0:28:51 > 0:28:53Finished it and now he's wandering around.
0:28:53 > 0:28:58We're going to head back to work and try and introduce him
0:28:58 > 0:29:01back to his mum so, hopefully, it'll work.
0:29:02 > 0:29:05It's wonderful to see the calf up on its feet.
0:29:06 > 0:29:10But this success may have come at a terrible price.
0:29:10 > 0:29:13Separated from his mother for so long,
0:29:13 > 0:29:17when they're reunited, there's a strong chance she'll reject him.
0:29:17 > 0:29:19We'll find out what happens later on.
0:29:26 > 0:29:29This incredible building dates back to 1580.
0:29:29 > 0:29:31It's packed full of treasures,
0:29:31 > 0:29:34collected by the Thynn family over several generations.
0:29:34 > 0:29:36In fact, this building replaced another
0:29:36 > 0:29:39that burnt down in a great fire.
0:29:39 > 0:29:43Staff here still hold regular drills to ensure it never happens again.
0:29:44 > 0:29:46The man responsible for ensuring
0:29:46 > 0:29:48these drill are carried out correctly
0:29:48 > 0:29:51is Assistant House Steward Jeff Goodby.
0:29:53 > 0:29:55Today is test day for the fire alarms.
0:29:57 > 0:29:59It's really important we protect the house,
0:29:59 > 0:30:01so every Friday, bang-on half past nine,
0:30:01 > 0:30:02we test a different call point,
0:30:02 > 0:30:06and we're making sure the roof siren and the bells in the house work
0:30:06 > 0:30:08and it's really important we do it on time,
0:30:08 > 0:30:09so everyone knows that is the test
0:30:09 > 0:30:11and it's not actually a real fire alarm.
0:30:12 > 0:30:15- Matt, stand by for fire test. - Understood.
0:30:16 > 0:30:19FIRE ALARM WAILS
0:30:19 > 0:30:23When tested, the alarm can be heard right across the park.
0:30:24 > 0:30:28The sound is made by Second World War air raid sirens
0:30:28 > 0:30:29and they're meant to be loud.
0:30:29 > 0:30:32The air raid siren on the roof would literally fill the valley
0:30:32 > 0:30:35and you can hear it, on a good day, three or four miles away.
0:30:35 > 0:30:37That was actually put in to warn all the villagers
0:30:37 > 0:30:40that there was a fire at the house. Obviously, in the old days,
0:30:40 > 0:30:42most of the village would have actually worked
0:30:42 > 0:30:45or been associated with the estate, so when the fire alarm went off,
0:30:45 > 0:30:47they were all expected to come out of the village
0:30:47 > 0:30:49and come and support the house if there was actually a fire.
0:30:49 > 0:30:51But of course, these days,
0:30:51 > 0:30:54Longleat has a pretty exotic set of neighbours,
0:30:54 > 0:30:58and recently, something extraordinary has started happening.
0:30:58 > 0:31:02When the siren sounds, sometimes the wolves start howling.
0:31:02 > 0:31:06SIREN WAILS AND WOLVES HOWL
0:31:06 > 0:31:09Once the alarm starts, they can be heard joining in.
0:31:09 > 0:31:12SIREN WAILS AND WOLVES HOWL
0:31:17 > 0:31:20This phenomenon is exactly the reason
0:31:20 > 0:31:23why senior warden Ian has come into work early today.
0:31:23 > 0:31:25A fanatical photographer,
0:31:25 > 0:31:28even though he's worked here for over 40 years,
0:31:28 > 0:31:31there are a few shots that still elude him.
0:31:31 > 0:31:34One is the iconic howling wolf.
0:31:36 > 0:31:38He's hoping that, with help from the alarm,
0:31:38 > 0:31:40today's the day he'll get that shot.
0:31:40 > 0:31:43But even if the wolves do actually howl today,
0:31:43 > 0:31:48it's all about being in the right place at the right time.
0:31:48 > 0:31:50The first signs are promising.
0:31:50 > 0:31:53Where they are now is a good area to howl.
0:31:55 > 0:31:59So, if they stay there, that looks good.
0:32:01 > 0:32:05But Ian's many years of nature photography have taught him
0:32:05 > 0:32:08that he can't rely on his subjects to stay put.
0:32:08 > 0:32:10This is the hiccough.
0:32:10 > 0:32:13Just before it's time for the alarm to go off,
0:32:13 > 0:32:15they'll move and go somewhere stupid.
0:32:16 > 0:32:19Ian sits tight and so do the wolves.
0:32:21 > 0:32:23All we need is the wolves to perform
0:32:23 > 0:32:26cos one of the hiccoughs is they don't do it every single day
0:32:26 > 0:32:30so, fingers crossed that today is a good day for howling.
0:32:30 > 0:32:32We'll be back later to see
0:32:32 > 0:32:36if Ian can get the shot he's waited over 40 years to capture.
0:32:41 > 0:32:43Meanwhile, on the other side of the park,
0:32:43 > 0:32:47a very tired Tara has arrived for work.
0:32:47 > 0:32:51It's time to return the tiny calf back to his mother, Gretel.
0:32:51 > 0:32:53Fingers crossed,
0:32:53 > 0:32:55he'll go back to her and she will accept him,
0:32:55 > 0:32:59without, obviously, thinking he's anyone else's calf.
0:33:01 > 0:33:03After being separated from his mother for so long,
0:33:03 > 0:33:05when Tara reunites them,
0:33:05 > 0:33:09there's a strong chance Gretel could reject him.
0:33:09 > 0:33:11It wasn't too long ago we witnessed
0:33:11 > 0:33:16how dad Chester kicked out at HIS calf whilst being territorial.
0:33:19 > 0:33:23Tara is rubbing straw that smells of Gretel on the calf
0:33:23 > 0:33:26in the hope that she will accept him.
0:33:30 > 0:33:32Be gentle.
0:33:32 > 0:33:34So far, so good.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37She's cleaning him, exactly what I've been doing over the night.
0:33:37 > 0:33:40So, she's been smelling him, licking him,
0:33:40 > 0:33:43and I hope he'll go under and have a drink.
0:33:43 > 0:33:46It would be lovely to see but, obviously, cos we're around,
0:33:46 > 0:33:49she might not let him do it straightaway anyway.
0:34:01 > 0:34:05Amazingly, the calf starts to suckle.
0:34:05 > 0:34:07We have got there in the end.
0:34:07 > 0:34:09Because I took him away for the night,
0:34:09 > 0:34:11she could have totally just said no to him.
0:34:11 > 0:34:13She might not have accepted him back.
0:34:13 > 0:34:15To be able to get him back and suckling to her,
0:34:15 > 0:34:18this is exactly what we wanted in the first place.
0:34:23 > 0:34:27On busy days, as many as 9,000 people pass though the park,
0:34:27 > 0:34:30getting to see some of the rarest animals on the planet.
0:34:32 > 0:34:35But over in the Long Hall, a new species has just arrived
0:34:35 > 0:34:39and, so far, only keeper James has been able to spot it.
0:34:41 > 0:34:45We do get quite a lot of visitors that come over in here and go,
0:34:45 > 0:34:47"That's just a bunch of flowers." It's not.
0:34:47 > 0:34:51They're here, they're watching you, they know exactly where YOU are.
0:34:51 > 0:34:55It's only when James gives them a bath that they truly break cover.
0:34:57 > 0:34:59It's an orchid mantis
0:34:59 > 0:35:03and it's one of Malaysia's most fearsome predators.
0:35:03 > 0:35:06All species of mantis use blistering speed
0:35:06 > 0:35:10and powerful, spike-filled forearms to catch their prey
0:35:10 > 0:35:12before devouring it alive.
0:35:14 > 0:35:17But what makes these new orchid mantis so special
0:35:17 > 0:35:19is their beautiful disguise.
0:35:19 > 0:35:24It's called aggressive mimicry, so they're mimicking a generic flower.
0:35:24 > 0:35:28Perfectly adapted to look like a tasty flower,
0:35:28 > 0:35:33the orchid mantis uses its body to attract its prey right towards it.
0:35:33 > 0:35:36They are just insane.
0:35:36 > 0:35:39But you can't really get the level of detail and intricacy
0:35:39 > 0:35:41that they have on their anatomy
0:35:41 > 0:35:45and I, for one, would love to be able to see
0:35:45 > 0:35:47everything that's going on.
0:35:47 > 0:35:49Well, help is on hand
0:35:49 > 0:35:52because joining us again this summer, is Jean.
0:35:52 > 0:35:54And with the help of some of our nifty cameras,
0:35:54 > 0:35:57she's going to help keeper James get closer than ever before.
0:35:58 > 0:36:00And they're so camouflaged
0:36:00 > 0:36:03our cameraman's having a bit of a problem finding one.
0:36:04 > 0:36:09- If we point it out there. - There you go. Wow, look at that!
0:36:09 > 0:36:12You can really see the spines on their legs already.
0:36:12 > 0:36:15Lots of detail, really intricate in design, actually.
0:36:15 > 0:36:18She's just cleaning herself at the moment.
0:36:18 > 0:36:22It's amazing just watching her mouth move. That's just incredible.
0:36:22 > 0:36:25This is what mantises do for a large portion of their day.
0:36:25 > 0:36:27They'll clean their entire bodies.
0:36:27 > 0:36:29They want every part of them pristine,
0:36:29 > 0:36:34- so nothing affects them when a prey item gets too close.- Ah, OK.
0:36:34 > 0:36:36So, at that moment when they need it,
0:36:36 > 0:36:38they can grab it and they're ready.
0:36:38 > 0:36:40And from here, look how sharp they look.
0:36:40 > 0:36:44She's quite dainty and feminine and white and innocent looking
0:36:44 > 0:36:47- but close up, like this... - Those forelimbs are just...
0:36:47 > 0:36:51- Yeah, fearsome.- Yes.- And moving down to the tail there, that's gorgeous.
0:36:51 > 0:36:54Yes. So, eventually, once she's fully grown,
0:36:54 > 0:36:56she'll have wings that cover all this,
0:36:56 > 0:36:59and she'll be, instead of having it upright, like that,
0:36:59 > 0:37:02it'll be flat, so you wouldn't really see it too much.
0:37:02 > 0:37:03Tell me more about the eyes,
0:37:03 > 0:37:05cos we're getting such a good close-up on them.
0:37:05 > 0:37:09Those eyes are just amazing. They're compound eyes.
0:37:09 > 0:37:13She's seeing multiple things at once. It's absolutely incredible.
0:37:13 > 0:37:16But she also has these three smaller eyes on top of her head there.
0:37:16 > 0:37:19- Three eyes, yeah.- So, she can tell
0:37:19 > 0:37:21if a predator is flying above her or anything like that.
0:37:21 > 0:37:23See her little head turn there.
0:37:23 > 0:37:26Yeah, and to us, that doesn't seem too impressive,
0:37:26 > 0:37:27but the mantis is the only insect
0:37:27 > 0:37:30that can actually turn their head side to side...
0:37:30 > 0:37:32- I didn't know that. - ..which is really cool.
0:37:32 > 0:37:35If you think about it, it's a great little adaptation.
0:37:35 > 0:37:39Great to see it close-up like this as well. She is very beautiful.
0:37:39 > 0:37:41- Yeah, definitely. - Happy with that, James?- For sure.
0:37:41 > 0:37:42- Good.- That's awesome.
0:37:45 > 0:37:47On the other side of the park,
0:37:47 > 0:37:49House Steward Jeff is beginning his rounds.
0:37:49 > 0:37:53He'll start the fire alarm test in ten minutes.
0:37:53 > 0:37:56This is often the wolves' cue to howl.
0:37:57 > 0:37:59Ian's in position.
0:37:59 > 0:38:02But then the wolves start to move away.
0:38:02 > 0:38:05They've moved off from over here.
0:38:05 > 0:38:08They're heading to just kind of the far side.
0:38:08 > 0:38:10They're right by the fence.
0:38:11 > 0:38:14Ian starts to reposition to find a decent angle,
0:38:14 > 0:38:16avoiding the fence in the background.
0:38:18 > 0:38:20Then the wolves move off again.
0:38:20 > 0:38:22Ian's in pursuit.
0:38:24 > 0:38:26In the wild, Canadian timber wolves have territories
0:38:26 > 0:38:28of hundreds of square miles
0:38:28 > 0:38:32and can cover over 50 miles a day, usually at a fast trot.
0:38:34 > 0:38:38Even in here, Ian has his work cut out to keep up with them.
0:38:40 > 0:38:43The siren's due to go off in seven minutes.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46Jeff's making his final checks before sounding the alarm.
0:38:48 > 0:38:50Ian needs to park up before then.
0:38:54 > 0:38:55Finally, they come to a stop.
0:38:56 > 0:38:59Where they are now, they're on a little hill
0:38:59 > 0:39:01and it looks like a great big hill from where we are
0:39:01 > 0:39:03cos we're just down a little bit lower.
0:39:04 > 0:39:07It's just five minutes until the siren.
0:39:07 > 0:39:09WOLVES HOWL
0:39:09 > 0:39:12But suddenly, the wolves start howling.
0:39:12 > 0:39:15CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS
0:39:15 > 0:39:18The wolves are howling and it's not even half past nine yet,
0:39:18 > 0:39:20so they started without the alarm.
0:39:22 > 0:39:24It's thought wolves howl for a number of reasons -
0:39:24 > 0:39:27to mark their territory, assemble their pack,
0:39:27 > 0:39:30communicate their position, attract a mate,
0:39:30 > 0:39:32or even scare off their enemies.
0:39:34 > 0:39:37They're literally stretching their necks right to the sky,
0:39:37 > 0:39:40to the moon, and howling away.
0:39:40 > 0:39:42It's a fantastic sound.
0:39:44 > 0:39:47Ian's got some shots but the wolves were in a shady spot.
0:39:47 > 0:39:51For the perfect shot, they'd be in full sunlight.
0:39:51 > 0:39:55Jeff is less than three minutes away from hitting that button.
0:39:55 > 0:39:58Ian's hoping they'll change position in time.
0:39:58 > 0:40:01Hello, Dave. Where you going?
0:40:02 > 0:40:05The wolf pack are moving away, but time is running out.
0:40:05 > 0:40:08It's...one minute to half past.
0:40:10 > 0:40:12Ian has to reverse to keep up with them.
0:40:12 > 0:40:14There are seconds to go.
0:40:17 > 0:40:20Wolves are in a great sunny spot, Ian gets ready to shoot...
0:40:21 > 0:40:23..but will they howl again?
0:40:25 > 0:40:27Matt, stand by for fire test.
0:40:28 > 0:40:30FIRE ALARM WAILS
0:40:30 > 0:40:34House alarm's going off. Just getting together, look.
0:40:37 > 0:40:39CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS
0:40:39 > 0:40:42WOLVES HOWL
0:40:43 > 0:40:45CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS
0:40:45 > 0:40:48Listen to that! Absolutely fantastic.
0:40:48 > 0:40:52They do that little "woo-woo-woo", and then stretch.
0:40:52 > 0:40:54WOLVES HOWL
0:40:56 > 0:40:59With a double whammy of howling wolves,
0:40:59 > 0:41:03it seems Ian could not have picked a better day for the photoshoot.
0:41:03 > 0:41:07That was absolutely brilliant, really great sound.
0:41:07 > 0:41:10And it's nice and still today, so it's a perfect day to get it.
0:41:10 > 0:41:15Sun was nice, wolves were good. It's really great.
0:41:15 > 0:41:19MUSIC: Closer by The Chainsmokers
0:41:25 > 0:41:28It's almost the end of the programme, but we couldn't go
0:41:28 > 0:41:32without coming to check up on the miracle reindeer calf
0:41:32 > 0:41:35- and say a huge congratulations to you, Tara.- Thank you.
0:41:35 > 0:41:37That was an extraordinary turnaround.
0:41:37 > 0:41:40When you took this little calf home,
0:41:40 > 0:41:44- were you optimistic that you could save it?- Not really, no.
0:41:44 > 0:41:47From the minute that we had to intervene with mum and calf,
0:41:47 > 0:41:49he was very weak and as soon as I took him home,
0:41:49 > 0:41:52I didn't think he had much chance either.
0:41:52 > 0:41:54So, he's done extremely well to pull it around, bless him.
0:41:54 > 0:41:57- Well, and so did YOU!- Absolutely.
0:41:57 > 0:41:59Tim, you've worked with all kinds of hoofstock over the years.
0:41:59 > 0:42:02- Did you think he was going to survive?- No, I didn't, Ben.
0:42:02 > 0:42:05I really thought it was going to be a horrible outcome.
0:42:05 > 0:42:09- You must be thrilled then.- Very much so.- And, Tara, is there a name?
0:42:09 > 0:42:10Yeah, the team have been thinking
0:42:10 > 0:42:12and I made the final decision yesterday
0:42:12 > 0:42:14- that he's going to be called Reuben. - Reuben!
0:42:14 > 0:42:18- Lovely, to go with his sort of lovely red coat.- Yes, definitely.
0:42:18 > 0:42:19Absolutely beautiful.
0:42:19 > 0:42:23- He is looking majestic, even in the middle of summer.- Yes.
0:42:23 > 0:42:26I'm feeling slightly Christmassy already, just looking at them.
0:42:26 > 0:42:28- Listen, guys, Tara, congratulations. - Thank you.- Well done, Tim.
0:42:28 > 0:42:32Sadly, that's all we've got time for on today's programme,
0:42:32 > 0:42:34but here's what's coming up on the next Animal Park.
0:42:36 > 0:42:39It's double trouble, as the park's cheetah cubs are introduced
0:42:39 > 0:42:42to traffic for the first time.
0:42:42 > 0:42:43That was close.
0:42:43 > 0:42:48Kate has a close encounter with one of the world's deadliest arachnids.
0:42:48 > 0:42:50They have potent venom.
0:42:50 > 0:42:52People have described it as having
0:42:52 > 0:42:54broken glass running through your veins.
0:42:54 > 0:42:59And Jean attempts to settle a feud within a pride of feisty lionesses.
0:42:59 > 0:43:01Ooh, that was a leap.
0:43:01 > 0:43:04Hopefully, they've realised what some teamwork can do.