0:00:02 > 0:00:0450 years ago, the most exotic tourist attraction
0:00:04 > 0:00:06in British history opened to the public.
0:00:06 > 0:00:07It was an audacious plan
0:00:07 > 0:00:11to allow visitors to come to an African safari park,
0:00:11 > 0:00:15here in the rolling hills of the Wiltshire countryside.
0:00:15 > 0:00:1950 lions lay in waiting, and no-one knew what was going to happen.
0:00:19 > 0:00:21Now you can picture the scene, can't you?
0:00:21 > 0:00:24It would have looked exactly like this back in 1966,
0:00:24 > 0:00:28and since then, millions of visitors have passed through these gates,
0:00:28 > 0:00:32in search of the wonderful and the weird, the cute and the cuddly.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35And this week, we're inviting you along for the ride.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38We are back to find out how much has changed here,
0:00:38 > 0:00:41but also to catch up on all the latest animal stories,
0:00:41 > 0:00:45as we return to Britain's wildest animal park.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48So, ladies and gentlemen, start your engines!
0:00:48 > 0:00:50RATTING, RUMBLING, ROARING
0:00:50 > 0:00:51Listen to that.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53Open the gates!
0:00:53 > 0:00:55- It's like the olden days!- I know!
0:00:56 > 0:00:58I'm so excited to be back, aren't you?
0:00:58 > 0:01:00Welcome to Animal Park!
0:01:02 > 0:01:07We've got a series of action-packed summer specials coming your way,
0:01:07 > 0:01:11bringing you the most exciting and adorable animals you can imagine.
0:01:11 > 0:01:12And today...
0:01:12 > 0:01:15England won the football in '66,
0:01:15 > 0:01:18but would the first visitors stand a chance against the lions?
0:01:19 > 0:01:22The kids are screaming because this lioness had put her chest
0:01:22 > 0:01:24onto the back window.
0:01:24 > 0:01:26The locals were all terrified.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29A vital giraffe baby is due.
0:01:29 > 0:01:31It's the stress of watching them give birth
0:01:31 > 0:01:33and hoping it's all going to be all right.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35But can it survive the six-foot drop?
0:01:36 > 0:01:39And one of the world's greatest wildlife photographers
0:01:39 > 0:01:43gives us a unique chance to see how he gets his killer shots.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47I thought she was going to come straight to...
0:01:47 > 0:01:48straight at the door!
0:02:02 > 0:02:04It's absolutely brilliant to be back,
0:02:04 > 0:02:07and we can't wait to catch up with what's been happening at the park
0:02:07 > 0:02:09this summer, and what better way is there
0:02:09 > 0:02:13to get reacquainted with the nation's first safari park
0:02:13 > 0:02:18than by driving through a pride of wild lions in a tiny vintage car?
0:02:20 > 0:02:24I've been here dozens and dozens of times,
0:02:24 > 0:02:27and yet the thrill of seeing lions
0:02:27 > 0:02:30just outside your windscreen never goes away.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33And to be in a little car like this,
0:02:33 > 0:02:36I'm really getting a sense of what it must have been like
0:02:36 > 0:02:38for the first visitors.
0:02:38 > 0:02:39SHE LAUGHS
0:02:39 > 0:02:44To be here in these rather smaller, lower-slung cars,
0:02:44 > 0:02:48and it feels like a much more visceral
0:02:48 > 0:02:50and slightly scary experience.
0:02:54 > 0:02:58Incredibly, it was close encounters with these magnificent lions
0:02:58 > 0:02:59that held the key to saving
0:02:59 > 0:03:02one of the country's greatest country estates.
0:03:03 > 0:03:07And that is, of course, the very estate we're at today.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11Longleat House has been the seat of the Thynne family
0:03:11 > 0:03:12for over 500 years.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17The current heir to the estate, Lord Weymouth,
0:03:17 > 0:03:20lives at the estate today with his wife, Lady Emma, and their family.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27And he's incredibly proud of its rather unusual history.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31It is difficult to imagine that, when this happened,
0:03:31 > 0:03:33it had never been done before.
0:03:33 > 0:03:34Because the park you see today
0:03:34 > 0:03:37is all down to Lord Weymouth's grandfather,
0:03:37 > 0:03:40the sixth Marquess of Bath.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43He made the unique decision to turn the grounds of his country estate
0:03:43 > 0:03:46into a wild safari park 50 years ago.
0:03:49 > 0:03:56The original safari park opened in 1966, with 50 lions roaming free,
0:03:56 > 0:04:00while excited and often terrified customers drove through the gates.
0:04:02 > 0:04:07This was the first-ever safari park to exist outside of Africa,
0:04:07 > 0:04:08and the grounds of this estate
0:04:08 > 0:04:12were suddenly home to wild and exotic animals.
0:04:12 > 0:04:14I know you want to go walkies, come along.
0:04:14 > 0:04:16Come along here. No.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20But the nation had never seen anything like this before.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23- Oh, Michael.- It caused complete uproar across the country,
0:04:23 > 0:04:27with the press labelling Lord Bath "the Mad Marquess".
0:04:27 > 0:04:31There was a big body of public opinion that thought my grandfather
0:04:31 > 0:04:33was completely off his rocker!
0:04:33 > 0:04:36But, of course, the park was an instant hit.
0:04:38 > 0:04:42And we have invited some of those first visitors back today,
0:04:42 > 0:04:44complete with the original vintage cars they would have been in.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49When we came to the big gates,
0:04:49 > 0:04:54I remember feeling...quite scary, you know?
0:04:55 > 0:04:58When you first come in, the very first time you come in,
0:04:58 > 0:05:00it's a totally unique experience.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03It's something that you've never experienced before.
0:05:03 > 0:05:04Something you never forget.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07Something you never forget, that's right.
0:05:08 > 0:05:12It was of course the lions that were causing the biggest stir.
0:05:13 > 0:05:17When you first went through the gates of the lion enclosure,
0:05:17 > 0:05:19it was that feeling of...
0:05:20 > 0:05:23..awe, and what are we going to see, and is it going to be safe?
0:05:24 > 0:05:27And we came to a halt, because the car in front halted,
0:05:27 > 0:05:31and a group of lions crossed the road.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33And I clearly remember this lion
0:05:33 > 0:05:36walking along the outside of the car,
0:05:36 > 0:05:39and a big beast it is, you know, and I was sort of holding,
0:05:39 > 0:05:42I was holding the steering wheel.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45So it was a very exciting first time.
0:05:47 > 0:05:51With 50 wild lions suddenly roaming round the grounds of the estate,
0:05:51 > 0:05:54it was up to the first head warden, Mike Lockyer,
0:05:54 > 0:05:56to try and maintain some kind of order.
0:05:58 > 0:06:02We had some basic knowledge of what animals would do,
0:06:02 > 0:06:04but because nothing quite like it had been done,
0:06:04 > 0:06:06we didn't know exactly what might happen.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09It was the unknown that was the sort of thrilling bit.
0:06:09 > 0:06:13Back then, the 100-acre lion enclosure was surrounded
0:06:13 > 0:06:15by a heavy-duty chain-link fence,
0:06:15 > 0:06:19army surplus from prisoner of war camps in Korea,
0:06:19 > 0:06:20to stop the beasts from escaping.
0:06:22 > 0:06:26But inside the enclosure, the lions did exactly what they wanted.
0:06:28 > 0:06:29We were just driving through,
0:06:29 > 0:06:32and the kids were excited because we were seeing the lions,
0:06:32 > 0:06:34and they were actually getting up close,
0:06:34 > 0:06:36and they were getting up closer.
0:06:36 > 0:06:40And then I looked in the mirror and the kids are screaming
0:06:40 > 0:06:42because this lioness had come up,
0:06:42 > 0:06:45and she'd actually leaned onto... put her chest onto the back window.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48She put one paw on one side of the window,
0:06:48 > 0:06:50and one paw on the other side of the window,
0:06:50 > 0:06:53at which the kids thought she was going to come in, or crush the Mini.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56And then we went through the gate and everybody goes...
0:06:57 > 0:06:59"But wasn't that exciting!"
0:06:59 > 0:07:01THEY LAUGH
0:07:01 > 0:07:02It may have been exciting,
0:07:02 > 0:07:05but the keepers were forced to create stunts
0:07:05 > 0:07:09to ensure the public were aware of the very real danger.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11Such as this dummy up against a car.
0:07:15 > 0:07:17That was the object of the exercise,
0:07:17 > 0:07:20was to show the public how dangerous it is if they don't obey the rules,
0:07:20 > 0:07:24because if you get out of the car, you will be eaten alive.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28And the legendary lions still lie at the heart of
0:07:28 > 0:07:31the safari experience today.
0:07:31 > 0:07:32SNARL
0:07:36 > 0:07:38I'm about to catch up with an animal
0:07:38 > 0:07:41who's even older than this golden anniversary.
0:07:43 > 0:07:45Nico, the western lowland gorilla,
0:07:45 > 0:07:49lives by himself on an island in the middle of Half Mile Lake.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54Now, it may be the safari park's 50th birthday,
0:07:54 > 0:07:58but there is another birthday that I'm even more excited about.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01It is Nico the gorilla's, and I made him a cake,
0:08:01 > 0:08:06because he is a staggering 55 years old this year.
0:08:06 > 0:08:08And I have come to see my old mate, Mark Tye...
0:08:08 > 0:08:10"Old" being the operative word.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13We're both, look at us both, we're getting a little bit old...
0:08:13 > 0:08:14As... NICO GRUNTS
0:08:14 > 0:08:16Hello, mate.
0:08:16 > 0:08:18He's looking amazing, Mark.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21- He's super, isn't he? - He really, really is.
0:08:21 > 0:08:27I mean, 55 makes him, is it, the oldest male gorilla in Europe, now?
0:08:27 > 0:08:29Yes, he is, oldest male in Europe,
0:08:29 > 0:08:32and he is about the sixth oldest in the world overall.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34And, yes, you are right to give yourself a round of applause, Nico,
0:08:34 > 0:08:38I think that's absolutely an incredible feat.
0:08:38 > 0:08:43And, I mean, yes, he's a bit greyer than when I last saw him.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45Every bit as feisty.
0:08:45 > 0:08:49Absolutely, he still is completely sharp as a razor.
0:08:49 > 0:08:53Mentally, there's absolutely no difference in him whatsoever.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56You know, he still got that... You can see that edge,
0:08:56 > 0:08:57he's looking at the camera, thinking,
0:08:57 > 0:09:00"Get a bit closer and I'm going to grab that!"
0:09:00 > 0:09:01LAUGHTER
0:09:01 > 0:09:04So he's still absolutely all there.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06And he looks physically...
0:09:06 > 0:09:09I mean, I would have expected him maybe to be a little bit creakier,
0:09:09 > 0:09:11like you and me.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14I'm not sure how long we're going to be able to stay kneeling down!
0:09:14 > 0:09:17But physically, he actually looks in very good shape.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19He is. You know,
0:09:19 > 0:09:23he has lost a small amount of muscle tone around his sort of backside,
0:09:23 > 0:09:25and the tops of his legs,
0:09:25 > 0:09:27but the top part of him is still very strong.
0:09:27 > 0:09:31He still goes out every day, he still walks all round the island,
0:09:31 > 0:09:34you know, chasing ducks, getting annoyed with sea lions,
0:09:34 > 0:09:36all those things that he always ever did.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39So, you know, he's really good.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42He's just, like all of us, a little older,
0:09:42 > 0:09:44a little greyer and a little fatter!
0:09:45 > 0:09:48You guys, you do have the most extraordinary relationship.
0:09:48 > 0:09:49How long have you been together now?
0:09:49 > 0:09:54Well, I've been working with him since 1989, so quite a few years.
0:09:54 > 0:09:55Quite a few years!
0:09:55 > 0:09:59I don't know whether you can tell, but do you think he remembers me?
0:09:59 > 0:10:00NICO GRUNTS
0:10:00 > 0:10:02He just said so. Yes.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04Nico, you old charmer.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08Now, you're looking over my shoulder, aren't you, Nico?
0:10:08 > 0:10:10Do you think it's about time we cut it?
0:10:10 > 0:10:11What's the best way to do this?
0:10:11 > 0:10:13Well, I think we'll just...
0:10:14 > 0:10:17Which bit do you want? All of it.
0:10:17 > 0:10:18- All of it, please.- Yes.
0:10:20 > 0:10:22'This cake is entirely made up of fruit,
0:10:22 > 0:10:24'Nico's favourite.'
0:10:25 > 0:10:27Look at this. See what you think.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29Oh, look, Nico.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32That didn't touch the sides, did it?
0:10:33 > 0:10:34THEY CHUCKLE
0:10:36 > 0:10:38Happy birthday, old boy.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42It's very, very good to see you again.
0:10:42 > 0:10:43What do you think?
0:10:45 > 0:10:46HE GRUNTS
0:10:50 > 0:10:54From ancient gorillas to cuddly lemurs basking in the sun,
0:10:54 > 0:10:57the park is currently home to over 1,000 animals.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03And another addition is expected any day now...
0:11:04 > 0:11:08..because the 121st giraffe is due to be born.
0:11:08 > 0:11:12Keeper Bev Evans has come to check up on heavily pregnant Ella.
0:11:12 > 0:11:14Hello, ladies.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18Since the first 19 giraffe arrived at this country estate
0:11:18 > 0:11:20nearly 50 years ago,
0:11:20 > 0:11:24the park has built a superb reputation for giraffe breeding.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29Currently, there are 12 giraffe here including Ella and her mother.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35We are very, very lucky with our giraffe breeding.
0:11:35 > 0:11:36We do incredibly well.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39We've had a very successful birth rate.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42It's the keeping them alive sometimes we had difficulty with.
0:11:43 > 0:11:47Unfortunately, quite a few years back, Ella being a first-time mum,
0:11:47 > 0:11:48she lost that first calf.
0:11:48 > 0:11:52She had it out in the reserve, middle of the day, very quickly,
0:11:52 > 0:11:56all a bit of a shock to her, and she abandoned it.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59We brought the calf up on the truck,
0:11:59 > 0:12:02bought it back in the house, and put Ella and calf back together
0:12:02 > 0:12:03and she wasn't having any of it.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05She was just not happy with it at all.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08She just did not want it anywhere near her.
0:12:08 > 0:12:12The team did their best to hand-rear the calf, but sadly,
0:12:12 > 0:12:14it didn't survive.
0:12:14 > 0:12:18Ella went on to have her healthy daughter, Adele, a few years later,
0:12:18 > 0:12:21but Bev is still feeling worried.
0:12:21 > 0:12:23It's the stress of watching them give birth
0:12:23 > 0:12:25and hoping it's all going to be all right,
0:12:25 > 0:12:26can be quite traumatic.
0:12:27 > 0:12:29To try and help all giraffe births,
0:12:29 > 0:12:32the park recently had a new birthing pen installed.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35So, this is quite a thick bed.
0:12:35 > 0:12:37It's got its own water, its own food source.
0:12:37 > 0:12:41We've got hydraulic feeders as well, with new hay racks.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44But even in here, Bev can't help feeling anxious.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49Everybody knows I do favour and worry and stress
0:12:49 > 0:12:53about the giraffes a lot more than any other animal we've got
0:12:53 > 0:12:56because there is so much that has gone right with our giraffes here
0:12:56 > 0:13:00at Longleat, and so much that's gone wrong with them as well,
0:13:00 > 0:13:02so the worst-case scenario is we come in and we find
0:13:02 > 0:13:06mum hasn't mothered her at all, she's abandoned her in the corner.
0:13:06 > 0:13:08Even worse than that, you know,
0:13:08 > 0:13:10all the afterbirth is still over her face
0:13:10 > 0:13:13and she hasn't been able to take that first breath.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15It's a big responsibility.
0:13:15 > 0:13:17In the end of the day, it is up to you whether you call a vet out,
0:13:17 > 0:13:20it's up to you whether you're going to save mum and baby,
0:13:20 > 0:13:22or are you going to lose both.
0:13:24 > 0:13:26Looking at Ella now,
0:13:26 > 0:13:29she looks nice and quiet and calm and her tail isn't cocked,
0:13:29 > 0:13:32her udder's tight but not completely balloon tight,
0:13:32 > 0:13:33as we call it.
0:13:33 > 0:13:38So I would like to say, from the progression of all the signs,
0:13:38 > 0:13:39that it would be in the next week.
0:13:50 > 0:13:54Worrying about new mothers and their babies doesn't stop after the birth,
0:13:54 > 0:13:56as Ben is about to find out.
0:13:57 > 0:14:01Sometimes, keepers have to actually become Mum themselves.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08I have come along to Penguin Island to meet head of section, Georgia.
0:14:08 > 0:14:12- Hello, Georgia.- Hi, Ben.- And some of her 34 Humboldt penguins.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15- They are beautiful, aren't they? - They are indeed.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18Now, we're going to do a quick checkup today on two individuals.
0:14:18 > 0:14:20- Who are they?- Yep. So, these two were actually hand-reared,
0:14:20 > 0:14:22so we are going to do a quick checkup
0:14:22 > 0:14:25cos we've just introduced them, make sure they're doing well.
0:14:25 > 0:14:26OK, how do we get close to them?
0:14:26 > 0:14:29So, they're quite friendly cos they are hand-reared,
0:14:29 > 0:14:32so we're just going to pick them up and lift them up under their wings
0:14:32 > 0:14:35- and we will take them to the rocks cos it's best when we're sitting down.- OK.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38- How are we going to encourage them? - It's actually these two here.
0:14:38 > 0:14:40We'll just... See the ones chatting?
0:14:40 > 0:14:43- Yes.- So, what you do... Just under the wing, pick them up.
0:14:43 > 0:14:45- And this one here? - And that one there, yes.
0:14:45 > 0:14:46Hello. Hello.
0:14:46 > 0:14:47Do you want to come here? Hello.
0:14:47 > 0:14:49There we go.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51And hold it under my arm like...
0:14:51 > 0:14:53- Oh, look! I've fallen in love. - There we go.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57- Hello. So, who have I got here? - You've got Echo.
0:14:57 > 0:14:59- Echo.- And I have got Ant.
0:14:59 > 0:15:01Echo and Ant.
0:15:01 > 0:15:03- Pop them up. - We will perch over here.
0:15:04 > 0:15:06Here we go. There we go, there we go.
0:15:06 > 0:15:07So why did they need to be hand-reared?
0:15:07 > 0:15:10So, unfortunately the parents didn't parent-rear.
0:15:10 > 0:15:11They were not very attentive,
0:15:11 > 0:15:13it was their first time so it was to be expected
0:15:13 > 0:15:16that a few of the parents didn't do that well.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18Georgia, to make that decision, to hand-rear an animal,
0:15:18 > 0:15:22take it from its mother for whatever reason, that is a big one to do.
0:15:22 > 0:15:23It is a very tough decision.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26We keep an eye on them really closely
0:15:26 > 0:15:28in the first few days of parent-rearing
0:15:28 > 0:15:32and it's a last resort to hand-rear, it really is,
0:15:32 > 0:15:35cos we would like the parents to do it naturally
0:15:35 > 0:15:38and it is not a bane on us to hand-rear as well, then.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41So you effectively became a surrogate penguin mum?
0:15:41 > 0:15:44- Yes.- Sleepless nights, all of that?
0:15:44 > 0:15:46Luckily it wasn't that bad.
0:15:46 > 0:15:48The penguins eat early in the morning,
0:15:48 > 0:15:51throughout the day and we can just do a late feed and go home
0:15:51 > 0:15:53and come back in the morning again.
0:15:53 > 0:15:55But would you say you have a pretty unique bond with these guys?
0:15:55 > 0:15:57Definitely. They talk to us quite a lot.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00They see us as their parents, effectively.
0:16:00 > 0:16:01How do you talk to a penguin?
0:16:02 > 0:16:06Give them cuddles. So they will come up to us and they will start begging
0:16:06 > 0:16:09for food and they like a little scratch behind the head.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13- OK, scratching. Here we go.- Little tickle under the neck as well.
0:16:13 > 0:16:14- Just like that.- Yep.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17And they do like to sit on your lap as well and just relax.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20Do they? Shall we see whether this is...
0:16:20 > 0:16:22This is Ant. Let's have a little sit on here.
0:16:22 > 0:16:23You are beautiful.
0:16:24 > 0:16:28These are just two of 242 animals born here last year.
0:16:28 > 0:16:30In fact, over the last 50 years,
0:16:30 > 0:16:33thousands of animals have been born to the park.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39Ever since the gates first opened 50 years ago,
0:16:39 > 0:16:42breeding programmes have been at the heart of the safari park's work.
0:16:45 > 0:16:47And over the years they've had some great successes.
0:16:51 > 0:16:55Breeding is especially important for the endangered species,
0:16:55 > 0:16:57but any baby is always welcome,
0:16:57 > 0:17:00because many animals just won't start a family
0:17:00 > 0:17:03unless they're happy with the accommodation.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05So if their animals are breeding,
0:17:05 > 0:17:07it shows the keepers are getting things right.
0:17:09 > 0:17:14But the biggest problem with babies is sometimes the birth itself,
0:17:14 > 0:17:16because while they usually go perfectly smoothly,
0:17:16 > 0:17:18they can go horribly wrong.
0:17:21 > 0:17:25A few years ago, we followed a life and death drama up in the Deerpark.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30Tim Yeo was the keeper in charge of all the deer,
0:17:30 > 0:17:33and he became concerned when one of the red deer hinds
0:17:33 > 0:17:35seemed to be having a problem giving birth.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41After she had been in labour for over 30 hours,
0:17:41 > 0:17:44Tim called in the vet, Nanja Verkuijl.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49A long labour like this could be because the calf was breech,
0:17:49 > 0:17:50twisted in the womb,
0:17:50 > 0:17:52or caught, with its head bent backwards.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58If it is the head back then we do have to interfere
0:17:58 > 0:18:00and get down to her
0:18:00 > 0:18:03and actually get the head in a normal position, get her out.
0:18:05 > 0:18:09But then, two feet started to come out.
0:18:09 > 0:18:13They should be the front ones, and these were the back feet.
0:18:13 > 0:18:15The baby was breech.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18Tim and Nanja knew they must act immediately.
0:18:20 > 0:18:24I'm not completely convinced that the calf is still alive either.
0:18:24 > 0:18:28It might well be that she has been so restless and nothing's happening.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31Also the other reason could well be because the calf is actually dead.
0:18:31 > 0:18:33The hind was suffering,
0:18:33 > 0:18:36but she wouldn't let them get close enough to help.
0:18:36 > 0:18:38They would have to catch her, and to do that,
0:18:38 > 0:18:42she'd have to be darted with a careful dose of anaesthetic.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45We're just going to go up to her and try and put the dart in.
0:18:45 > 0:18:46So if the crew could stay here,
0:18:46 > 0:18:48I think that would be the best thing.
0:18:48 > 0:18:51Until we've hopefully done that.
0:18:51 > 0:18:53Tim had to get as close as possible.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55For the dart to work properly,
0:18:55 > 0:18:58it must hit the hind in the rear haunch.
0:18:58 > 0:19:00Luckily, Tim was always a very good shot.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11The sedative would be passed from the mother to the unborn calf,
0:19:11 > 0:19:13and if the baby was already weak,
0:19:13 > 0:19:16a full dose of the drug could kill it,
0:19:16 > 0:19:19so to be cautious they used a minimum dose.
0:19:19 > 0:19:24It took 20 minutes before the hind went down.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26To stop her from struggling, they used a net.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33But she was more lively than they expected.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37We're never, ever going to get her.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40The only way to catch her would be to dart her again
0:19:40 > 0:19:42with a stronger dose of sedative.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45But that could prove fatal for the unborn calf.
0:19:46 > 0:19:50We're just working out, the vets are just working out doses now...
0:19:50 > 0:19:51to...
0:19:51 > 0:19:54to go again, and we are going to try and dart her again.
0:19:54 > 0:19:58This time they're using a stronger, faster-acting sedative.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01It's extremely powerful, so must be handled carefully,
0:20:01 > 0:20:03and the dose calculated exactly.
0:20:04 > 0:20:08The tiniest of spillages, you know, can be fatal to us so...
0:20:09 > 0:20:11I'm ready.
0:20:12 > 0:20:14With just an hour left before darkness,
0:20:14 > 0:20:17there was no time for any more second chances.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19We'll find out very soon
0:20:19 > 0:20:22if they save the mother, and perhaps the baby too.
0:20:29 > 0:20:30For nearly a decade,
0:20:30 > 0:20:34Kate and I met every unforgettable animal the park has had to offer,
0:20:34 > 0:20:37so it's time to introduce a new face this summer.
0:20:37 > 0:20:42- How lovely!- Jean Johansson is here to get to know all the creatures,
0:20:42 > 0:20:46great and small, cute and scary.
0:20:46 > 0:20:50But the difference is not always that obvious.
0:20:50 > 0:20:51- Hi, Kim.- Hiya.
0:20:51 > 0:20:56Now, I thought I was coming to meet one of the most ferocious animals
0:20:56 > 0:20:58on the park, but...
0:20:58 > 0:21:00This is Marooni.
0:21:00 > 0:21:05She is a category one so she is just as dangerous as keeping a lion.
0:21:05 > 0:21:07As you can see now, it's because of these very large claws.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11Marooni may look friendly, but South American giant anteaters
0:21:11 > 0:21:15can fight off pumas and jaguars with those claws.
0:21:15 > 0:21:19Now I can see why you might put her in the same category as a lion.
0:21:19 > 0:21:24And something else I'm noticing is a very long tongue.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27Yes. The tongue is about roughly 60cm.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29When they open termite mounds,
0:21:29 > 0:21:33they just use their claws to make one hole and use the tongue to just
0:21:33 > 0:21:36go straight into there and get as many as they can.
0:21:36 > 0:21:38The reason they don't destroy them is obviously if they destroy
0:21:38 > 0:21:41the termite mounds then they can't come back and eat it again later.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44- I'd love to feed her.- I'm just giving her some avocado now.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46- What we can use is a bottle, here.- OK.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48And then that will show you her tongue a little bit more.
0:21:48 > 0:21:50You will have to tip it up slightly for her,
0:21:50 > 0:21:53- just so she can obviously get it. - And she'll get her tongue right inside.
0:21:53 > 0:21:55- You can see her tongue right in there.- Oh, wow.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58This tongue is going super, super fast.
0:21:59 > 0:22:03It's sticky, it's spiky and that tongue can flick over 150 times
0:22:03 > 0:22:05a minute to suck up those bugs.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08And tell me some of her favourite foods. Oh.
0:22:08 > 0:22:09So, this is definitely one.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12We've got a mixture of mealworms, egg and avocado in there.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14That is something quite different for her.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17It makes it a bit of a challenge because it's not just mealworms.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20It's quite sticky, so she has to work for it a little bit.
0:22:20 > 0:22:22As you can see, she's shutting her eyes,
0:22:22 > 0:22:24- so she's enjoying it quite a lot.- Really enjoying it.
0:22:24 > 0:22:26- And are there any teeth in there? - They have no teeth at all.
0:22:26 > 0:22:31This has got to go down as one of the most weird but wonderful feeds
0:22:31 > 0:22:33on Animal Park. Well done.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39To celebrate the 50th anniversary,
0:22:39 > 0:22:43the park want to get closer than ever to the incredible animals
0:22:43 > 0:22:44that live here.
0:22:45 > 0:22:49Who better to ask than world renowned naturalist
0:22:49 > 0:22:51and award-winning photographer Simon King?
0:22:54 > 0:22:58He's a man who'll stop at nothing in his quest to reveal the most
0:22:58 > 0:23:00exciting and dangerous animals on the planet.
0:23:02 > 0:23:06But it's here on this country estate that he's trying to
0:23:06 > 0:23:09capture the animal kingdom as it's never been seen before.
0:23:11 > 0:23:12But it's no easy task.
0:23:14 > 0:23:17It's a challenge. It's a real challenge trying to get a view of
0:23:17 > 0:23:20these animals that, let's face it, have been photographed thousands,
0:23:20 > 0:23:22tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of times.
0:23:22 > 0:23:24A fresh perspective, a fresh view.
0:23:24 > 0:23:29It was childhood trips here that ignited Simon's love of wildlife and
0:23:29 > 0:23:34he's determined to capture the awe and amazement he felt years ago
0:23:34 > 0:23:36in this project.
0:23:36 > 0:23:40He's got a completely bonkers plan.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42It's important that you get to the level
0:23:42 > 0:23:45or below the level of the creature and that was particularly the case
0:23:45 > 0:23:49with the predators. The tigers, the lions, the wolves.
0:23:49 > 0:23:53In order to do that, I would have to be within a metre or so of an animal
0:23:53 > 0:23:56that, let's face it, could kill me.
0:23:56 > 0:23:57And the only way of achieving that
0:23:57 > 0:23:59was to build a specialist camera mount.
0:24:02 > 0:24:07But when Simon says camera mount, he actually means camera cage.
0:24:10 > 0:24:14Because he decided that in order to really showcase the animals' world,
0:24:14 > 0:24:16he needed to get inside it.
0:24:18 > 0:24:19Similar to a shark cage,
0:24:19 > 0:24:23Simon's contraption is attached to the side of a four-by-four and it
0:24:23 > 0:24:28allows him to be mere centimetres away from the deadly big cats.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31The only access point from the camera point of view is what
0:24:31 > 0:24:35I fondly refer to as the cat flap, which is a small hole
0:24:35 > 0:24:39just big enough for me to push the largest of my lenses.
0:24:39 > 0:24:42And I thought a cat flap was to encourage cats to come in!
0:24:42 > 0:24:44Well, let's hope not...
0:24:44 > 0:24:48because today Simon is in with the tigers.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53The park's home to three female Siberian tigers.
0:24:55 > 0:24:59Siberian tigers are the world's largest cats and are known
0:24:59 > 0:25:00for their power and stealth.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06I'm just looking at the conditions in the tiger enclosure,
0:25:06 > 0:25:12the light conditions and where I think they may come and play.
0:25:13 > 0:25:17Stopping to photograph these animals is actually more dangerous here
0:25:17 > 0:25:19than out in the wild.
0:25:19 > 0:25:24The cats here are familiar with humans so are more curious and bold.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27But that's not stopping Simon.
0:25:27 > 0:25:29It's looking good. I'm going to drop the cage here.
0:25:30 > 0:25:33PNEUMATIC WHINE
0:25:33 > 0:25:35Good, isn't it?
0:25:35 > 0:25:39But can this cage really protect Simon from three fully grown tigers?
0:25:41 > 0:25:42I am armed...
0:25:43 > 0:25:51..with this. This is not to protect me if the tigers decide to attack me
0:25:51 > 0:25:55but if they do think about popping a tyre and chewing the car
0:25:55 > 0:25:58and I can see them from here, then a little squirt of water in the ear
0:25:58 > 0:26:02can just detract and deflect their behaviour.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05So, yeah, armed and dangerous.
0:26:08 > 0:26:12So with the cat flap wide-open and his secret weapon at the ready,
0:26:12 > 0:26:15it's time to release the tigers.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17This is Simon to Tiger Team.
0:26:17 > 0:26:18Ready when you are. Over.
0:26:20 > 0:26:22I love this moment. This moment of waiting.
0:26:25 > 0:26:27They come out of the house straightaway.
0:26:29 > 0:26:31Do you know, it does tickle some kind of...
0:26:32 > 0:26:37..primeval reptile brain fear triggers.
0:26:37 > 0:26:43I'm not afraid, but there's no doubt that there's a heightened sense
0:26:43 > 0:26:46of awareness, a heightened sense of being alive.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48Here she comes.
0:26:48 > 0:26:50CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS
0:26:50 > 0:26:51TIGER ROARS
0:26:51 > 0:26:53HE LAUGHS NERVOUSLY
0:26:54 > 0:26:57That was a rev! Straight at the car!
0:26:57 > 0:27:00Simon might be laughing but the tigers aren't.
0:27:02 > 0:27:04Yeah. That's quite cool.
0:27:04 > 0:27:06Wow! I wasn't expecting that.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09That was dramatic. The last one was...
0:27:10 > 0:27:13..somewhat marred by me getting out of the way.
0:27:13 > 0:27:15I thought she was going to come straight...
0:27:15 > 0:27:16Straight at the door.
0:27:18 > 0:27:19I'd do that again.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24It looks like Simon will get another chance, because one of them's
0:27:24 > 0:27:26heading straight for the cat flap.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28Hello, sweetheart.
0:27:28 > 0:27:30CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS
0:27:32 > 0:27:34Simon has to act fast.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37This one's getting a bit too interested.
0:27:37 > 0:27:38It's getting too close.
0:27:39 > 0:27:40METAL CLUNK
0:27:43 > 0:27:46Naughty. She was trying to get my beanbag.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48That's a paw in through the window.
0:27:48 > 0:27:49HE LAUGHS
0:27:49 > 0:27:53I tell you what, that's a big paw!
0:27:53 > 0:27:55It's almost the size of her face.
0:27:55 > 0:27:59And you know that shrouded in that velvet glove are daggers.
0:28:01 > 0:28:05Tigers are powerful hunters that get close enough to attack their prey
0:28:05 > 0:28:09with a quick spring and a fatal pounce.
0:28:15 > 0:28:19So, as you can see, it's a very, very intimate experience when you've
0:28:19 > 0:28:23got a tiger's face here and you're a few centimetres away.
0:28:25 > 0:28:26You know you're alive.
0:28:27 > 0:28:29You want to stay that way.
0:28:33 > 0:28:37Simon needs to raise the cage but he isn't taking any chances.
0:28:40 > 0:28:44One of the things tigers do with their prey, of course,
0:28:44 > 0:28:46is attack it from behind
0:28:46 > 0:28:50so that it has absolutely no way of knowing that there's a tiger
0:28:50 > 0:28:52about to jump on its back.
0:28:53 > 0:28:56But has today's life or death experience been worth it?
0:28:57 > 0:28:59That's got some energy.
0:28:59 > 0:29:00That's got some dynamism.
0:29:00 > 0:29:03That's the shot of the day. That was worth it.
0:29:03 > 0:29:06Simon lives on to photograph another day.
0:29:13 > 0:29:16A few years ago, we followed dramatic events
0:29:16 > 0:29:20when a pregnant red deer hind got into difficulty giving birth.
0:29:20 > 0:29:24When Tim Yeo and the team finally got her sedated,
0:29:24 > 0:29:27it was clear that the baby was the wrong way round in the womb.
0:29:28 > 0:29:32So vet Nanja Verkuijl had to try to guide it out.
0:29:32 > 0:29:36In the wild, both hind and calf would have died.
0:29:36 > 0:29:39This way, there was at least some hope for the mother,
0:29:39 > 0:29:44perhaps even an outside chance for the baby.
0:29:44 > 0:29:47Nanja was joined by her colleague, vet Martin Bores.
0:29:49 > 0:29:51At last, the calf was born.
0:29:58 > 0:29:59It wasn't breathing.
0:30:01 > 0:30:05Nanja gave an injection to reverse the effect of the sedatives.
0:30:08 > 0:30:11While the team urgently rushed to massage the heart
0:30:11 > 0:30:15and try to stimulate the breathing.
0:30:15 > 0:30:17Just lift it up again, Martin, and I'll try and see
0:30:17 > 0:30:19if we can get some...
0:30:21 > 0:30:22It wasn't working.
0:30:22 > 0:30:25The baby was still lifeless.
0:30:25 > 0:30:26Come on there, little one.
0:30:29 > 0:30:32There was just one thing left to try.
0:30:32 > 0:30:35As a last resort, Nanja gave the kiss of life.
0:30:57 > 0:31:00Slowly, the calf started to revive...
0:31:01 > 0:31:05..and then the rest of the red deer herd came over to see
0:31:05 > 0:31:06what was going on.
0:31:07 > 0:31:11Although the calf was still weak, it was quite alert.
0:31:11 > 0:31:15It looked like the baby and the mother were going to be all right.
0:31:15 > 0:31:18It was going to go either way there and, fortunately, I mean,
0:31:18 > 0:31:21there was some life there and for all the calf's been through...
0:31:21 > 0:31:24I mean, it's been through a tremendous amount of trauma.
0:31:24 > 0:31:28It's quite amazing that it's managed to come through like this.
0:31:42 > 0:31:46Back at the park today, Jean has been continuing her initiation into
0:31:46 > 0:31:49the wild and wonderful world of Animal Park.
0:31:52 > 0:31:56And she's about to get up close and personal with those famous lions.
0:31:58 > 0:32:01Forgive me if I seem a little nervous but right here
0:32:01 > 0:32:05is the big cat feeding wagon and 50 years since they started feeding
0:32:05 > 0:32:09the lions on Longleat, I'm going to find out first-hand
0:32:09 > 0:32:11how they do it today.
0:32:11 > 0:32:12Wish me luck.
0:32:19 > 0:32:22The park is currently home to 31 lions.
0:32:24 > 0:32:28Currently, these majestic cats represent the largest group of lions
0:32:28 > 0:32:33in the UK, and right now, this pride are hungry.
0:32:34 > 0:32:35What are we going to do today?
0:32:35 > 0:32:39How are we going to get this meat to those lions?
0:32:39 > 0:32:42The tractor averages out, maybe, 30mph, if it's lucky,
0:32:42 > 0:32:45to get to the top speed, so we are going to circle around
0:32:45 > 0:32:49the lion section, try and get them running at those top speeds.
0:32:49 > 0:32:5251mph is how fast the lion can go for short periods of time and we've
0:32:52 > 0:32:54definitely got a couple of girls in there
0:32:54 > 0:32:56which will have a good go at it.
0:32:56 > 0:32:59And then once Caleb's happy that they've worked hard enough for it,
0:32:59 > 0:33:02we'll start dropping this meat out down through the chute and they'll
0:33:02 > 0:33:04all pick it up piece by piece.
0:33:06 > 0:33:09Right, we're actually entering the lion enclosure now so they're
0:33:09 > 0:33:12about to be let out so especially now, don't put your fingers through,
0:33:12 > 0:33:13don't lean up against the cage.
0:33:13 > 0:33:15We've got to get a nice good centre of gravity
0:33:15 > 0:33:17and hold on to these bars.
0:33:17 > 0:33:20- They can see us, I can't see them? - Yes, they can.
0:33:20 > 0:33:23If you look down over there, they're in that paddock and so they're
0:33:23 > 0:33:26going to wait for our cue to get let out and then they'll
0:33:26 > 0:33:28start chasing after us, but if you can just about see,
0:33:28 > 0:33:31they're already running up and down the fence line.
0:33:31 > 0:33:36- Ready and raring.- There are 15 huge lions waiting to be fed.
0:33:47 > 0:33:49- Come on, lions!- Here they come!
0:33:49 > 0:33:51We're actually being chased by lions.
0:33:53 > 0:33:55Come on, lions!
0:33:55 > 0:33:57They look really hungry, Eloise.
0:33:57 > 0:34:00Yep, they are. We are their prey. We're going to try and make
0:34:00 > 0:34:04- them work as hard as possible.- I can feel them bumping against the cage.
0:34:04 > 0:34:06It's amazing to be this close to a pride of lions.
0:34:06 > 0:34:10If you look into their eyes, they are clearly being like,
0:34:10 > 0:34:12- "You are my food."- They are hungry.
0:34:12 > 0:34:15They've got that predatory look about them for sure.
0:34:19 > 0:34:21- HORN BLARES - Right.
0:34:21 > 0:34:24That beep of the horn is our sign to start throwing out the meat to them.
0:34:24 > 0:34:25- OK.- So, Jean, get going.
0:34:25 > 0:34:29There is a lot of meat down here so this is a big job.
0:34:29 > 0:34:32They seem to be enjoying it.
0:34:32 > 0:34:35It's pretty heavy but you don't want to keep 15 lions
0:34:35 > 0:34:38- waiting for their lunch. - Definitely not.
0:34:40 > 0:34:43Obviously, they can go long lengths of time without eating
0:34:43 > 0:34:46because in the wild they would find prey not every day,
0:34:46 > 0:34:50so what's the longest you can leave them without feeding them?
0:34:50 > 0:34:53In captivity, a week, probably even two
0:34:53 > 0:34:56because in the wild that's what they potentially have to do.
0:34:56 > 0:34:59And they've actually got these extra flaps of skin on their belly as well
0:34:59 > 0:35:03so when they do find their food, they'll eat as much as possible
0:35:03 > 0:35:06and so their belly will expand and the flap of skin will expand over it
0:35:06 > 0:35:09rather than stretching their skin.
0:35:09 > 0:35:12So everything about them is designed to eat as much as possible because
0:35:12 > 0:35:14they never know when their next meal's going to be.
0:35:14 > 0:35:19But it seems the lions aren't ready for this meal to be over yet.
0:35:19 > 0:35:21Although we've chucked out all the meat,
0:35:21 > 0:35:23we still have some lions chasing after us.
0:35:23 > 0:35:26There's still a couple of stragglers who maybe didn't get enough.
0:35:26 > 0:35:27They definitely got enough.
0:35:27 > 0:35:31- They're just greedy.- Do you have any indicators for them
0:35:31 > 0:35:33that the feed is over? Because there are some hungry faces
0:35:33 > 0:35:34up at these bars.
0:35:34 > 0:35:37The fact we're trying to move them away and go into the gate,
0:35:37 > 0:35:39they sort of know, but...
0:35:39 > 0:35:42But obviously it's not working as well as we'd hoped.
0:35:42 > 0:35:44They're really not leaving us.
0:35:44 > 0:35:45We are actually surrounded.
0:35:45 > 0:35:47All I can see is lions.
0:35:49 > 0:35:52It's going to take the whole keeper team to restrain them.
0:35:56 > 0:35:58Look at that blockade all of our trucks have formed now
0:35:58 > 0:36:01so that our lions can't pass them.
0:36:01 > 0:36:04Quite relieved, I didn't think we were going to lose them.
0:36:04 > 0:36:08As adorable as they are, that was getting a little bit hairy.
0:36:08 > 0:36:11But there's one casualty after the hunt.
0:36:11 > 0:36:14It sounds like one of our lions might have popped a tyre.
0:36:14 > 0:36:16Oh, I can hear a hissing sound.
0:36:16 > 0:36:19I think it's a front tyre by the looks of it.
0:36:19 > 0:36:21But they've definitely popped a tyre!
0:36:21 > 0:36:24I'm so glad we're out here and not in there.
0:36:24 > 0:36:25Scary stuff!
0:36:30 > 0:36:31Over at the giraffe house,
0:36:31 > 0:36:35it's time to find out how Ella is coping with her pregnancy.
0:36:35 > 0:36:38Keeper Bev has got some news.
0:36:38 > 0:36:40Ella finally went into labour.
0:36:44 > 0:36:48Bev and the team used a small video camera to bring us exclusive footage
0:36:48 > 0:36:50of the nerve-racking event.
0:36:51 > 0:36:54First, the feet and head appeared.
0:36:54 > 0:36:55But then, nothing.
0:37:00 > 0:37:02Eventually, the birth started to progress.
0:37:04 > 0:37:08But giraffe are the tallest animals in the world and give birth
0:37:08 > 0:37:13standing up, leaving the babies to negotiate a terrifying six-foot drop
0:37:13 > 0:37:15to the ground.
0:37:15 > 0:37:19Would the baby survive the fall and would Ella accept her baby
0:37:19 > 0:37:20this time?
0:37:31 > 0:37:34Thankfully, Ella felt the bond straightaway.
0:37:35 > 0:37:39In the wild, young giraffe are never left alone and live in
0:37:39 > 0:37:42a nursery group, where all the females
0:37:42 > 0:37:44look after each other's calves.
0:37:44 > 0:37:47The baby was protected as it adjusted to the world.
0:37:47 > 0:37:48It was a little girl.
0:37:52 > 0:37:54I'm thrilled it's a little girl
0:37:54 > 0:37:56because we can keep them in our herd long-term.
0:37:56 > 0:37:59You can watch them grow up, have babies of their own,
0:37:59 > 0:38:03and all the way up to the end of their life here.
0:38:03 > 0:38:07We've seen her first steps and feeding for the first time.
0:38:07 > 0:38:10Now, we'll be her first guests.
0:38:10 > 0:38:12She's only four days old,
0:38:12 > 0:38:17so this is a bit of a nerve-racking time for mum to meet new people.
0:38:17 > 0:38:19She's used to the people that she knows on a regular basis
0:38:19 > 0:38:23but this is the first time we have popped someone in just to see her
0:38:23 > 0:38:24who she doesn't know.
0:38:24 > 0:38:27So she's going to come across as a little bit nervous,
0:38:27 > 0:38:31flaring nostrils, flicky tail and she's going to be watching the calf.
0:38:31 > 0:38:32Hi, Elles.
0:38:36 > 0:38:39OK, so you can see standing next to her is the little calf.
0:38:39 > 0:38:42So that's the little girl. She hasn't got a name yet
0:38:42 > 0:38:46because she's only four days old. We never name anything until it's over
0:38:46 > 0:38:50a week old. It's kind of a giraffe tradition, really.
0:38:50 > 0:38:54Ella and her baby have got a young male giraffe called Kaiser
0:38:54 > 0:38:58in with them as a companion animal to help create a calm atmosphere
0:38:58 > 0:38:59for them both.
0:38:59 > 0:39:03Kaiser's been really sweet actually. Because there's different people
0:39:03 > 0:39:06in the house, he's gone to stand next Ella and he's helping Ella
0:39:06 > 0:39:07protect the calf.
0:39:10 > 0:39:14Baby giraffe would be an easy target for predators, such as lions,
0:39:14 > 0:39:17in the wild, so it's completely normal for Ella
0:39:17 > 0:39:18to be feeling nervous.
0:39:21 > 0:39:23So the little calf is doing really well.
0:39:23 > 0:39:26She's very strong, she's definitely finding her feet.
0:39:26 > 0:39:28I think she's quite small,
0:39:28 > 0:39:30personally, but that's only in stature.
0:39:30 > 0:39:32You get tall giraffes, you get short giraffes.
0:39:32 > 0:39:35At the minute, if you look at the little calf's head,
0:39:35 > 0:39:37her horns aren't quite upright.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40When she came out, they were flat, and as each day goes on,
0:39:40 > 0:39:43they can straighten up and they'll fuse to the skull
0:39:43 > 0:39:44and they'll be part of the skull.
0:39:44 > 0:39:46But, obviously, when you're being born,
0:39:46 > 0:39:50you don't want big old pointy horns to hurt the female as she's calving,
0:39:50 > 0:39:52so it's a great design.
0:39:52 > 0:39:55Her markings are great. You can tell she's Rothschild because she's got
0:39:55 > 0:39:58the white socks, so the marking doesn't go all the way down
0:39:58 > 0:40:00to the toe, like it does in other subspecies.
0:40:00 > 0:40:04All the giraffe here are Rothschild subspecies.
0:40:04 > 0:40:07Poaching of Rothschild giraffe continues to be a
0:40:07 > 0:40:09very serious problem
0:40:09 > 0:40:12and today there are only a few hundred left in the wild...
0:40:14 > 0:40:17..which is why this baby is so important.
0:40:21 > 0:40:23And it's a little girl, so she can carry on and breed
0:40:23 > 0:40:26and we'll have more giraffes, so it's win-win, really.
0:40:32 > 0:40:35And, a few weeks later, Ben is on his way to meet the new baby
0:40:35 > 0:40:37out with the herd.
0:40:38 > 0:40:4112 weeks later and I've joined up with the very proud Bev,
0:40:41 > 0:40:47and just over there is our young giraffe, looking very healthy,
0:40:47 > 0:40:49very confident and outdoors.
0:40:49 > 0:40:51Yes, she's out and about.
0:40:51 > 0:40:53She's doing really, really, really well.
0:40:53 > 0:40:55Hiding behind a jumble of legs and necks.
0:40:55 > 0:40:59- Yes.- Now, you said you never name a giraffe before a week.
0:40:59 > 0:41:02- That's right. It's tradition. - It's a giraffe tradition.
0:41:02 > 0:41:05So it's quite clearly more than a week now, does she have a name?
0:41:05 > 0:41:07She certainly does and as it's our 50th anniversary,
0:41:07 > 0:41:12we've named her after Lady Emma, and we've called her Lady Emma.
0:41:12 > 0:41:15Very nice, so named after Lady Weymouth.
0:41:15 > 0:41:18- That's right.- We've got someone. Who's this coming over to say hello?
0:41:18 > 0:41:21- This is Gertie.- Gertie.- This is her auntie, so this is Auntie Gertie.
0:41:21 > 0:41:24So Auntie Gertie wants to come and see what's going on.
0:41:24 > 0:41:27- For a 12-week-old...- Mm-hm. - ..she is incredibly tall.
0:41:27 > 0:41:29Have you any idea... I mean she's over six foot, is she?
0:41:29 > 0:41:31She is. When she was born, she was six foot
0:41:31 > 0:41:33and she's definitely done some growing,
0:41:33 > 0:41:36so I would say she's teetering on towards seven foot, easily.
0:41:36 > 0:41:38You're beaming with pride just talking about this.
0:41:38 > 0:41:40Do you have this kind of maternal instinct
0:41:40 > 0:41:42just because you're so invested in the giraffes in particular?
0:41:42 > 0:41:45Yep, all of the giraffe team, we're here, you know, Christmas Day,
0:41:45 > 0:41:48bank holidays. We're here all the time, we see them being born.
0:41:48 > 0:41:49In fact, Gertie's due in November.
0:41:49 > 0:41:51- Is she?- So we've got another one on the way.
0:41:51 > 0:41:54- Gertie, who's here now?- That's right.- Congratulations, Gertie.
0:41:54 > 0:41:56Gertie, can I say congratulations?
0:41:56 > 0:41:58She's too busy licking someone in the car,
0:41:58 > 0:42:00hassling them, wanting some food, presumably.
0:42:00 > 0:42:03- Hey, poppet.- Congratulations. - Say hi to Ben.- Hey.
0:42:03 > 0:42:05You all right? Good girl.
0:42:05 > 0:42:07Yeah, look. Oh, look at you.
0:42:07 > 0:42:11They are the most magnificent looking creatures, aren't they?
0:42:11 > 0:42:14Do you know what, I could look at giraffe all day long.
0:42:14 > 0:42:15They are beautiful.
0:42:16 > 0:42:18There you go, Gert. Bev, thank you so much.
0:42:18 > 0:42:22- No worries.- Gert, I am thrilled that another baby is on its way,
0:42:22 > 0:42:25keeping everyone on their toes and in the meantime,
0:42:25 > 0:42:28here's what's coming up on tomorrow's Animal Park.
0:42:28 > 0:42:29Thanks, Bev.
0:42:31 > 0:42:34A keeper's worst nightmare comes true
0:42:34 > 0:42:36as a sea lion breaks out of the park.
0:42:36 > 0:42:38By this point, we're starting to get worried.
0:42:38 > 0:42:40She could end up following this river all the way,
0:42:40 > 0:42:43and this eventually goes to the sea.
0:42:43 > 0:42:47It's double trouble over in the African Village.
0:42:47 > 0:42:49This morning when I came in to check on them,
0:42:49 > 0:42:52she had two little twins in her arms.
0:42:52 > 0:42:54And Jean comes under attack
0:42:54 > 0:42:57as the biggest birds on the planet defend their nest.
0:42:58 > 0:42:59What are we going to do?
0:43:02 > 0:43:04They'll be all that and more coming up on the next...
0:43:04 > 0:43:06Animal Park.