0:00:02 > 0:00:0450 years ago, the first lions arrived at Longleat,
0:00:04 > 0:00:08but it was a further three years till Monkey Jungle opened her gates.
0:00:08 > 0:00:10Back then, it was baboons living here.
0:00:10 > 0:00:13There were 200 of them, but they had to leave
0:00:13 > 0:00:17because they proved to be such good escape artists,
0:00:17 > 0:00:22they even got out, raided a milk float and drank its entire contents.
0:00:23 > 0:00:26Today, there are 160 monkeys here,
0:00:26 > 0:00:29and they still leave a trail of destruction in their path as they
0:00:29 > 0:00:31dismantle visitors' cars.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34They are led by a notorious monkey known as Phil,
0:00:34 > 0:00:36with a fearsome reputation.
0:00:36 > 0:00:38Even the keepers are terrified of him.
0:00:38 > 0:00:40And Phil is here,
0:00:40 > 0:00:44so I'm going to be busy distracting him to keep him out of Ben's hair
0:00:44 > 0:00:47while you find out what's on today's Animal Park.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51A keeper's worst nightmare comes true
0:00:51 > 0:00:53as a sea lion breaks out of the park.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55At this point, we were starting to get worried,
0:00:55 > 0:00:58because he could end up following this river all the way.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00And this eventually goes to the sea.
0:01:01 > 0:01:03It's double trouble in the African Village.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07This morning when I came in to check on them,
0:01:07 > 0:01:09she had two little twins in her arms.
0:01:09 > 0:01:11And Jean comes under attack
0:01:11 > 0:01:15as the biggest birds on the planet defend their nest.
0:01:15 > 0:01:17What are we going to do?
0:01:27 > 0:01:31'After almost a decade away, we're back for the summer.'
0:01:33 > 0:01:34'50 years on from the opening,
0:01:34 > 0:01:40'the nation's first safari park is now home to over 1,000 animals,
0:01:40 > 0:01:44'from the weird and the wacky to the wild and the wonderful.
0:01:44 > 0:01:45'And this place has been famous
0:01:45 > 0:01:49'for its menagerie of inhabitants right from the very beginning.'
0:01:51 > 0:01:54When the sixth Marquis of Bath suggested introducing lions
0:01:54 > 0:01:57into this landscape, it caused a national outcry.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00The press went wild, locals feared for their lives.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03Questions were even asked in Parliament.
0:02:03 > 0:02:04But in more recent times,
0:02:04 > 0:02:08it was a new arrival that captured the public's imagination.
0:02:12 > 0:02:13This is Anne.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18Anne is one of the oldest Asian elephants in Europe,
0:02:18 > 0:02:20and for the past five years,
0:02:20 > 0:02:23she's been enjoying these leafy surroundings.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28They say an elephant never forgets,
0:02:28 > 0:02:31but this is one who perhaps wished she could.
0:02:34 > 0:02:36Brought over from Sri Lanka as a calf,
0:02:36 > 0:02:41she performed for most of her life in Bobby Roberts' Super Circus.
0:02:46 > 0:02:52But when footage emerged in 2011 of Anne being horrifically mistreated,
0:02:52 > 0:02:54there was a public outcry.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58Anne was rescued and given a police escort to Longleat,
0:02:58 > 0:03:01where she was housed temporarily in a rhino house.
0:03:01 > 0:03:05Keeper Ross was with her from the very beginning.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08When she first came, she never said a word.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11She wouldn't, she just wouldn't. She wouldn't look at you,
0:03:11 > 0:03:12she always looked at the floor.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14And if you looked at her, she would look away.
0:03:14 > 0:03:16She was sad, and you could see that.
0:03:16 > 0:03:21And sadness was over every aspect of her, like her body language,
0:03:21 > 0:03:23her condition, everything.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30The moment she arrived at the park five years ago,
0:03:30 > 0:03:33a long and gruelling process of rehabilitation began.
0:03:37 > 0:03:41We've been granted special access behind the scenes to meet Anne,
0:03:41 > 0:03:46and the three keepers dedicated to her 365 days of the year.
0:03:49 > 0:03:51She's all right, isn't she?
0:03:51 > 0:03:52She's looking good.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55Anne's survival relied on her trusting humans,
0:03:55 > 0:03:58but no-one knew if she would ever do that again.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02That was the hardest bit about the beginning, was learning her.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04Because you had to gain her trust.
0:04:04 > 0:04:06There were times when we thought,
0:04:06 > 0:04:09"This isn't going to happen. She's just not there."
0:04:10 > 0:04:16Anne showed no connection other than fear, but the boys were determined.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20After a whole year with no change, something happened.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24Anne was coming back to life.
0:04:24 > 0:04:26There was logs, and there was sort of like an angled log.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28She started just pushing it.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30And every time she pushed it,
0:04:30 > 0:04:32she'd look over at us, like, "You all right?"
0:04:32 > 0:04:35Then she would push it again, and she would keep looking.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38We would just go, "Go on, do it. "It'd be brilliant."
0:04:38 > 0:04:39Then she finally snapped it,
0:04:39 > 0:04:42and she looked at us like, "Oh, my God, I've broke it."
0:04:42 > 0:04:43And we were just laughing,
0:04:43 > 0:04:46and it was that moment where she started looking at us
0:04:46 > 0:04:50in the eye and started...was, like, "You guys are all right."
0:04:50 > 0:04:52That is the moment for me where it kind of changed a little bit.
0:04:54 > 0:04:59No change is fast with an elephant that has been through so much,
0:04:59 > 0:05:02but every day, they are all getting to know each other better.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06She's quite inquisitive. She'll always investigate. Sometimes
0:05:06 > 0:05:07she won't like something you make,
0:05:07 > 0:05:10but she'll go and investigate it, see what she thinks of it.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13She's cheeky. She likes to pull our laces and undo them
0:05:13 > 0:05:15and pull them so hard that they knot up.
0:05:19 > 0:05:21Last year, Anne was moved into
0:05:21 > 0:05:26a specialist purpose-built home in the park, called Anne's Haven.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29And this morning, it's bath time.
0:05:31 > 0:05:32Like most people,
0:05:32 > 0:05:34they don't really want a bath first thing in the morning.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37Anne particularly, she's like a kid in that respect.
0:05:38 > 0:05:39She doesn't want to do it,
0:05:39 > 0:05:42but once she started, "I'm wet now, it's all right."
0:05:45 > 0:05:48Anne's part of the group, so when we are having a laugh,
0:05:48 > 0:05:53we'll always tell Anne about it, whether or not she listens or cares,
0:05:53 > 0:05:56it doesn't matter. She's just in on the fun.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58She does understand what we're saying sometimes,
0:05:58 > 0:06:01and it's that sort of relationship we have with her,
0:06:01 > 0:06:03which is, to me, fundamental.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08Improving her mind was the first step,
0:06:08 > 0:06:10but the next challenge would be her body.
0:06:10 > 0:06:14We'll join the boys later as we get a chance to see her next stage of
0:06:14 > 0:06:16recovery here at the park.
0:06:20 > 0:06:22SEA LIONS BARKING
0:06:27 > 0:06:30Hear that? That should be a clue as to where I'm going.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32This is Sea Lion Beach
0:06:32 > 0:06:36and Mark Tighe has just got in contact with me to say,
0:06:36 > 0:06:39"Rush down, because they have got..."
0:06:39 > 0:06:44Oh, my goodness! A new arrival, look at this.
0:06:44 > 0:06:45Oh, Mark!
0:06:45 > 0:06:47Hello, poppet.
0:06:47 > 0:06:49Look at that little face.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51So, Mark, when was this one born?
0:06:51 > 0:06:53- A week ago.- Really?
0:06:53 > 0:06:54A week old.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57Look at her. And who is her mum?
0:06:57 > 0:06:58Her mother's Jo-Jo.
0:06:58 > 0:06:59So Jo-Jo's still around?
0:06:59 > 0:07:01Jo-Jo's still around.
0:07:01 > 0:07:02That's great to know.
0:07:02 > 0:07:06Was it Jo-Jo who used to give birth in really difficult places?
0:07:06 > 0:07:07No, that was her mum, Ozzy.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10Ozzy always used to give birth from the boats,
0:07:10 > 0:07:12and anywhere that was awkward.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14That's right. So, has Jo-Jo inherited
0:07:14 > 0:07:16any of her mother's difficult traits?
0:07:16 > 0:07:18No, she's pretty good at birthing.
0:07:18 > 0:07:22She's got the same traits in that she is not the most into-it mother.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24Oh, really?
0:07:24 > 0:07:28She has a baby and after about a day, she's like,
0:07:28 > 0:07:31"Send me back to the lake. I'll come back in the evenings, feed it."
0:07:31 > 0:07:34- She pretty much leaves it all day long.- That's amazing, isn't it?
0:07:34 > 0:07:39And I mean, again, would that be a similar situation in the wild,
0:07:39 > 0:07:43that the adult females would give birth, leave them in a safe place,
0:07:43 > 0:07:45go off and feed and then just come back?
0:07:45 > 0:07:47Yes. That's so much the case,
0:07:47 > 0:07:50and you would probably find that all these pups would be together
0:07:50 > 0:07:52- on a beach somewhere. - She's looking very fat,
0:07:52 > 0:07:54so she is clearly being well fed.
0:07:54 > 0:07:56They are all still growing, so they don't really moult...
0:07:56 > 0:07:58- Is it this one here? - No, this is Nancy.
0:07:58 > 0:08:00Is it? Oh, Nancy, hello!
0:08:00 > 0:08:02I haven't seen you for ages.
0:08:02 > 0:08:04- Auntie Nancy.- Auntie Nancy.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07Now, she seems a little bit perturbed by Auntie Nancy.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09Are you coming to hide under here with us?
0:08:09 > 0:08:12- Under our feet.- And have you got a name for this one yet?
0:08:12 > 0:08:15We did sort of... Not really.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17The other day when we came down here,
0:08:17 > 0:08:19she came running towards us, bouncing.
0:08:20 > 0:08:22So we thought "Roo".
0:08:22 > 0:08:24That's a brilliant name.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26I think Roo would do.
0:08:26 > 0:08:28What do you think, Roo?
0:08:28 > 0:08:30She says, "I don't know, but I'm going to be very shy."
0:08:30 > 0:08:32Well, Mark, congratulations.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34Another great success,
0:08:34 > 0:08:38another new life to continue hopefully another...
0:08:38 > 0:08:40half century here at the park.
0:08:40 > 0:08:42Roo, you're amazing.
0:08:45 > 0:08:50But now our latest recruit to the animal park team, Jean Johansson,
0:08:50 > 0:08:51is on her way to find breakfast
0:08:51 > 0:08:54for some of the Park's most ravenous inhabitants.
0:08:57 > 0:08:59There are three Amur tigers here -
0:08:59 > 0:09:03Svetli, Shouri and Soundari.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06In the wild, these top predators
0:09:06 > 0:09:09would hunt large deer and even bears,
0:09:09 > 0:09:13overcoming their prey by force and eating them as quickly as possible.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18So here at the park, the keepers are always on the lookout for a meal
0:09:18 > 0:09:20they can't devour in a matter of minutes.
0:09:23 > 0:09:24You can imagine my excitement
0:09:24 > 0:09:27when they said I'd be working with big cats,
0:09:27 > 0:09:31but there seems to be a lot of deer and rhino in this enclosure,
0:09:31 > 0:09:34so I'm guessing there's no big cats here, Jenna.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37- Has there been a change of plan? - There's not been a change of plan.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40We're not in the big cat enclosure, but we are still working for them,
0:09:40 > 0:09:42so we're going to pick up some ostrich eggs today.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44And they live in here. They're quite a good source of protein for the big
0:09:44 > 0:09:47cats, so we're going to go and grab some for them
0:09:47 > 0:09:48and see if they can crack them open.
0:09:48 > 0:09:54The park's two ostriches, Smithy and Stacey, aren't a breeding pair,
0:09:54 > 0:09:56which means their infertile eggs won't hatch.
0:09:58 > 0:09:59So, rather than go to waste,
0:09:59 > 0:10:02the super strong eggs are what the keepers are after.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06Right, so the ostrich are up by their nest.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09- Yeah.- We're just going to radio Dan and Nicky in the truck and we'll get
0:10:09 > 0:10:12you in there so that we can go and distract them away.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14So...
0:10:14 > 0:10:15Giraffe three, Dan.
0:10:17 > 0:10:19Weighing as much as two fully grown men,
0:10:19 > 0:10:22the ostrich is the world's largest bird.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24Unfortunately for Jean,
0:10:24 > 0:10:28they are also equipped with the largest eye of any land animal.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31So there's little chance of her sneaking up on them.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35Smithy is liable to protect the nest and Stacey.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38You can see him getting a bit flappy now, and he's already spotted us.
0:10:38 > 0:10:43The plan is simple - Nicky drives towards the nest,
0:10:43 > 0:10:45then Jean lures Smithy away with some food.
0:10:47 > 0:10:51But unfortunately, things aren't going to the simple plan.
0:10:51 > 0:10:53Come on, ostriches. Come on.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59- He's not happy.- You can see, he's just staying with his wings down.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02He's making himself look bigger, like, you know, he can get us.
0:11:05 > 0:11:07You know, I don't think she's going to leave, bless her.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10- What are we going to do? - Luckily, we've got another nest.
0:11:10 > 0:11:12Ah, plan B.
0:11:12 > 0:11:13Let's do it.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22Ah, great. Nest number two.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24Got the two eggs.
0:11:24 > 0:11:26And not an ostrich in sight,
0:11:26 > 0:11:29because it did get a little bit hairy up there.
0:11:29 > 0:11:30They are really protective of the nest.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33And why do these make such a good treat for big cats?
0:11:33 > 0:11:35They are better for you than chicken eggs.
0:11:35 > 0:11:37I think it's lower cholesterol and saturated fats.
0:11:37 > 0:11:41I don't know whether they will be able to break them, though.
0:11:41 > 0:11:43They are meant to be quite strong.
0:11:43 > 0:11:46I'm wondering, even with the big teeth of a tiger,
0:11:46 > 0:11:48will they be able to crack this?
0:11:48 > 0:11:50I'm going to do a test.
0:11:50 > 0:11:51Come here.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53Wow! That is amazing.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56That can easily take my full body weight.
0:11:56 > 0:12:00So even if predators do get a hold of these, and the tigers,
0:12:00 > 0:12:03they are going to have a bit of a job getting them cracked open.
0:12:03 > 0:12:07We'll catch up with Jean later in the show as we find out
0:12:07 > 0:12:12what three hungry tigers will make of their "egg-cellent" surprise.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26I have to confess that my favourite time of day here in the park
0:12:26 > 0:12:29is when it's closed to the public and it's silent.
0:12:29 > 0:12:33And sometimes you can walk around and hear the lions roaring,
0:12:33 > 0:12:37and it reminds you that there's just this little bit of fence between you
0:12:37 > 0:12:40and some of the most magnificent big cats in the world.
0:12:40 > 0:12:45Now, one of the biggest fears here has always been lions escaping,
0:12:45 > 0:12:47but mercifully, that's never happened.
0:12:47 > 0:12:52However, I'd be lying if I told you that no animals have ever breached
0:12:52 > 0:12:54these fences in the last 50 years.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58Back when the park opened in 1966,
0:12:58 > 0:13:02people were most worried about the lions getting out.
0:13:02 > 0:13:06Hippos may appear placid, but they have an aggressive streak.
0:13:06 > 0:13:09This, coupled with their heavy weight,
0:13:09 > 0:13:11can make them a scary opponent.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14Back in 1970, the head warden at the time, Mike Lockyer,
0:13:14 > 0:13:16had a pretty close encounter.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20He recounted the tale for us a few years ago.
0:13:20 > 0:13:26In those days, the lake wasn't as well shored up as it is now,
0:13:26 > 0:13:28and it was relatively, I suppose,
0:13:28 > 0:13:31easy for them to get out and go walkabout.
0:13:31 > 0:13:33And when one was missing,
0:13:33 > 0:13:36an animal that's quite used to people shouting and saying,
0:13:36 > 0:13:38"Come on, come on",
0:13:38 > 0:13:40and give them a loaf of bread and that kind of thing.
0:13:40 > 0:13:44If suddenly one is missing you think, "Where is that one?"
0:13:44 > 0:13:48We start looking further, and as the time goes on, you think,
0:13:48 > 0:13:52"It's gone", and wonder where it will turn up next.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55About a mile from the safari park is the village of Horningsham,
0:13:55 > 0:13:59where local farmer Steve Crossman made a curious discovery.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04I came out one morning to check my cows,
0:14:04 > 0:14:06about half past seven.
0:14:07 > 0:14:11I was walking down where we're walking now, and...
0:14:11 > 0:14:16I came to the gateway and noticed there were some very strange
0:14:16 > 0:14:19and odd-looking footprints on the ground.
0:14:19 > 0:14:23And they obviously weren't anything to do with my cattle...
0:14:23 > 0:14:26so I went and got my father,
0:14:26 > 0:14:29and we had a look and we couldn't work out quite what was going on.
0:14:29 > 0:14:30We followed the tracks.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33They went up to the pond, up at the top there, by the bridge.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38Something quite large had obviously gone in the lake, moved around,
0:14:38 > 0:14:40moved out and came back down,
0:14:40 > 0:14:42and the footprints went back down there.
0:14:42 > 0:14:47Strangely, the footprints led right back to Steve's own farmyard.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50We had a phone call. I think it was from someone called Crossman down at
0:14:50 > 0:14:52the farm here, who said, "I've got your hippo down here.
0:14:52 > 0:14:54"I've shut at in the yard."
0:14:54 > 0:14:55Of course, he'd shut it in the yard
0:14:55 > 0:14:58in the same that he would shut cows in the yard,
0:14:58 > 0:15:01by simply closing a wooden five-bar gate.
0:15:01 > 0:15:02We went rushing down there,
0:15:02 > 0:15:05and there was a sort of hinges on one side
0:15:05 > 0:15:08and the gate latch on the other, and a more or less hippo shape
0:15:08 > 0:15:12in the middle where he had just walked straight through it.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15It eventually ended up in this wood here and
0:15:15 > 0:15:17then came back to the lake again.
0:15:17 > 0:15:19All it was really interested in was getting back to the water,
0:15:19 > 0:15:21or coming out for grazing.
0:15:21 > 0:15:23They broke a couple of fences.
0:15:23 > 0:15:27Going through a barbed wire fence is nothing to a hippo.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29But they didn't cause any lasting damage.
0:15:29 > 0:15:31Caused a bit of a laugh and a stir round the village,
0:15:31 > 0:15:33but it was just a one-off, I think.
0:15:35 > 0:15:39But that wasn't the only daring escape there's been from this park.
0:15:39 > 0:15:43As you'll see later on, another animal got an awful lot further.
0:15:54 > 0:15:56Now, it's over to tiger territory,
0:15:56 > 0:15:58where Jean is about to find out
0:15:58 > 0:16:02whether the tigers fancy scrambled ostrich eggs for breakfast.
0:16:02 > 0:16:07- Hi. I have some ostrich eggs here for you.- Perfect.
0:16:07 > 0:16:11To mask the sight and smell of the eggs, they'll be buried in sawdust.
0:16:11 > 0:16:15The longer the tigers spend searching, the better.
0:16:15 > 0:16:17And how are we going to go about hiding them?
0:16:17 > 0:16:21Just pop it on top, then you can cover some sawdust over.
0:16:21 > 0:16:23We still want them to find them,
0:16:23 > 0:16:25so you don't want to mask the smell too much.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27Just for fun, shall we put some dotted around
0:16:27 > 0:16:29without any eggs in them?
0:16:29 > 0:16:33Definitely, spread it out a bit so they won't have to fight or anything.
0:16:33 > 0:16:34That would be perfect.
0:16:34 > 0:16:39These Siberian, or Amur tigers have never seen ostrich eggs before,
0:16:39 > 0:16:42so there's no way of knowing quite what they'll make of it all.
0:16:43 > 0:16:45- Lion reserve, Hannah.- 'Come in.'
0:16:45 > 0:16:48Yeah, Hannah, we are all good to let them go.
0:16:48 > 0:16:50- 'Tigers on the way out.' - Oh, I see one.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58They just came bounding round the corner.
0:17:01 > 0:17:02This is the searching behaviour.
0:17:02 > 0:17:04This is what we try to do an enrichment.
0:17:04 > 0:17:06There really searching,
0:17:06 > 0:17:09really searching for what's around their environment.
0:17:09 > 0:17:10It's so strange to them.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13We've never, ever done anything like this with them before.
0:17:13 > 0:17:15This is Svetli.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17Just having a little play around with it.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20There she goes. Fantastic.
0:17:20 > 0:17:24I know from experience these are really hard eggs.
0:17:24 > 0:17:26She's just not quite sure of
0:17:26 > 0:17:29what to do with it, so she's trying out different methods.
0:17:29 > 0:17:31And it's perfect enrichment.
0:17:31 > 0:17:32This is exactly the kind of behaviour
0:17:32 > 0:17:34we are trying to instil in our animals.
0:17:34 > 0:17:38There's no point just giving them a plate of food.
0:17:38 > 0:17:42We really have to try and make them work for it, so this is fantastic.
0:17:42 > 0:17:47So, Shouri's now realised that something's going on.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49Maybe two heads are better than one?
0:17:49 > 0:17:51- Yeah.- Is this going to cause a conflict?
0:17:51 > 0:17:53I don't know. Before, if you'd asked me,
0:17:53 > 0:17:55I would have said absolutely yes.
0:17:55 > 0:17:56She's got up and left.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59This is really different behaviour from them.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02I wouldn't expect Soundari to walk away from something,
0:18:02 > 0:18:05- because we do... - Wow, she's staring right at me.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07- Wow.- This is good.
0:18:07 > 0:18:09This is really good. It will keep them busy all day,
0:18:09 > 0:18:12rather than just for half an hour period in the morning.
0:18:13 > 0:18:14In fact, it was quite a while
0:18:14 > 0:18:18before the tigers discovered the contents of the eggs.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20They are right in there.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22Their faces are right in the yolk.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25Just lapping up. Their little tails are twitching.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27- What does that mean?- It means they're enjoying themselves.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31- They're happy. - I'm so glad it went well.
0:18:31 > 0:18:33You've put a lot of hard work into that. And thank you so much.
0:18:33 > 0:18:37It's been amazing to get to see tigers up close like this.
0:18:37 > 0:18:38I'm so glad.
0:18:43 > 0:18:45Whether the park's open or closed,
0:18:45 > 0:18:48there are 1,000 animals that need to be fed every day
0:18:48 > 0:18:52by an army of 114 keepers.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55They come in each day because of their bond with the animals,
0:18:55 > 0:18:58but also because they never know what they're going to find.
0:19:00 > 0:19:05And keeper Tina has found something extra special today.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08This morning was a very nice surprise.
0:19:08 > 0:19:13We were expecting a birth of a pair of our ring tailed lemurs,
0:19:13 > 0:19:15and today was her due date,
0:19:15 > 0:19:20and usually due dates overrun or come early,
0:19:20 > 0:19:23but Haseena, our mum-to-be, was bang on time.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26And this morning, when I came in to check on them,
0:19:26 > 0:19:28she had two little twins in her arms.
0:19:30 > 0:19:34For most people, having twins is a pretty big deal.
0:19:34 > 0:19:35But not for Haseena the lemur.
0:19:37 > 0:19:42Haseena, now, this is her seventh birth but her sixth set of twins.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44So, it's quite a norm for her.
0:19:44 > 0:19:48You walk in in the morning and she's like, "Look, I've had another one,"
0:19:48 > 0:19:51and you pass some food for her breakfast and she almost offers you
0:19:51 > 0:19:53a baby in return for the food.
0:20:01 > 0:20:03Ringtailed lemurs are female dominant
0:20:03 > 0:20:06and generally give birth to one baby a year.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10Newborns are carried on their mother's chest
0:20:10 > 0:20:12for one to two weeks before moving round to her back.
0:20:15 > 0:20:20And, at less than a day old, these two are happily settled on to mum.
0:20:20 > 0:20:24When lemurs are born, as you can see from the twins,
0:20:24 > 0:20:26they kind of come out as mini little lemurs.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29You see, they've already got the grey back and the white tummy,
0:20:29 > 0:20:32like the adults do but they have the distinctive black and white tail
0:20:32 > 0:20:34which is what ring tails are well known for.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37They use it for communication in the wild,
0:20:37 > 0:20:38to keep in touch with one another.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41Mum's using her tail right now to protect the babies
0:20:41 > 0:20:44but they will use it when they're older to act as a scarf
0:20:44 > 0:20:47to keep themselves warm in our British winter days.
0:20:47 > 0:20:52This species of lemur are very sociable and tend to live in groups.
0:20:52 > 0:20:57All her children will participate and help the youngsters grow up,
0:20:57 > 0:20:59learn what it means to be a lemur,
0:20:59 > 0:21:01learn to forage for their own food
0:21:01 > 0:21:04and they will become part of the family.
0:21:04 > 0:21:06Lemurs are very strong bonded.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08But there is one lemur in this group
0:21:08 > 0:21:10who sometimes likes a bit of me time.
0:21:10 > 0:21:12Julian! It's all right.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15And that's Dad, Julian.
0:21:15 > 0:21:17We're currently looking for Dad,
0:21:17 > 0:21:19who is father to all of the youngsters
0:21:19 > 0:21:21that you can see running around here.
0:21:21 > 0:21:23There's one easy way to spot Dad.
0:21:24 > 0:21:28His most distinctive feature is his tail but not for the usual reasons.
0:21:28 > 0:21:30He's only got half of a tail.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33We're not sure how he lost his tail exactly.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36We all have our own brave stories.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39He was protecting his family against a bear or something like that
0:21:39 > 0:21:41but, to be honest, with his character,
0:21:41 > 0:21:43he probably just got it shut in a door.
0:21:45 > 0:21:49With Mum, Dad and all the babies doing well,
0:21:49 > 0:21:52Tina is feeling pretty happy with the whole family.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55I love the lemurs. I've been here since they arrived
0:21:55 > 0:21:59and it's lovely to be able to see the life cycle of the lemurs.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01This is how they progress,
0:22:01 > 0:22:03this is what they look like in a year's time
0:22:03 > 0:22:06and it's just nice to see animals flourish, really.
0:22:09 > 0:22:11Meanwhile, over in lion country...
0:22:14 > 0:22:16..the vet's been called.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20One of the lion cubs has got a growth on its nose
0:22:20 > 0:22:23which needs removing under anaesthetic.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26Not knowing what this is, we'll take the opportunity to remove it
0:22:26 > 0:22:28and get it gone before it gets too big
0:22:28 > 0:22:30or turns into anything more nasty,
0:22:30 > 0:22:32that might require more extensive surgery.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36Today at the park, a highly skilled team,
0:22:36 > 0:22:40specialist caging and an anaesthetic dart gun
0:22:40 > 0:22:42makes a job like this routine for the team
0:22:42 > 0:22:45and as painless as possible for the animals.
0:22:52 > 0:22:53It's a well-oiled machine.
0:22:57 > 0:23:01So, how can they be so calm working with such a ferocious creature?
0:23:04 > 0:23:09Well, in part, it's due to one man, Gerry Benbow.
0:23:10 > 0:23:14When the Safari Park first opened its gates 50 years ago...
0:23:16 > 0:23:18..Gerry was just the local vet.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22Gerry Benbow was the vet when I first started here.
0:23:22 > 0:23:27He started as a normal vet, just looking after cats and dogs and cows
0:23:27 > 0:23:29and then Longleat came and said,
0:23:29 > 0:23:31"Would you come and look at our lion?"
0:23:39 > 0:23:43After years of routine work with pets and farm animals,
0:23:43 > 0:23:47Gerry suddenly had to take on dozens of completely new species.
0:23:49 > 0:23:53His widow, Valerie, remembers how unfazed Jerry was.
0:23:54 > 0:23:59Gerry loved animals of all kinds, from a mouse to an elephant.
0:23:59 > 0:24:05He loved them all and when he was working, that was his world.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10Perhaps the biggest operation Gerry took on
0:24:10 > 0:24:13was one not dissimilar to the one performed by James today.
0:24:14 > 0:24:18But the setting was very different and far more dangerous.
0:24:18 > 0:24:20When he first treated a lion,
0:24:20 > 0:24:25they had no facilities of course and he was actually out in the park in
0:24:25 > 0:24:29the open with a range of guns around him
0:24:29 > 0:24:31and everybody watching the lions.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37I think when we treat any new species,
0:24:37 > 0:24:39it presents problems for us.
0:24:39 > 0:24:41Yes, but this is not just any new species, this is a lion,
0:24:41 > 0:24:43so how do you feel about handling one of them?
0:24:43 > 0:24:47Well, of course, the smaller ones, we can handle fairly readily
0:24:47 > 0:24:51by holding them by the scruff of the neck and at the rear end.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54But, of course, those in the reserve roam wild
0:24:54 > 0:24:55and present far more of a problem.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00Things were pretty different back then.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03Gerry didn't have a hi-tech dart gun
0:25:03 > 0:25:05or even a fence between him and the lion.
0:25:05 > 0:25:09In fact, the only effective way to administer anaesthetic
0:25:09 > 0:25:13to a lion was via the crossbow out in the open.
0:25:13 > 0:25:15It often took several attempts
0:25:15 > 0:25:17because the crossbow had a limited range.
0:25:19 > 0:25:20Even when the dart did go in,
0:25:20 > 0:25:24it didn't deliver enough sedative to knock an animal out completely.
0:25:26 > 0:25:31The keepers had to take the risk of roping a still semiconscious animal.
0:25:31 > 0:25:33Hang on, he's pretty lively.
0:25:37 > 0:25:41Gerry needed to remove a growth from Abraham the Lion's lip,
0:25:41 > 0:25:44without Abraham removing Gerry's arm.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47Just be careful of your fingers.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53No, he had no experience at all
0:25:53 > 0:25:56and it was something completely different.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58I suppose a challenge, really.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02The operation on Abraham was a success
0:26:02 > 0:26:05and, for 31 years, Gerry tended the park's animals
0:26:05 > 0:26:07with great dedication.
0:26:08 > 0:26:13He died in 2004 but Valerie still remembers
0:26:13 > 0:26:15how important his time here was to him.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18I think he made an enormous impact
0:26:18 > 0:26:21because he wasn't just the vet.
0:26:23 > 0:26:27He was almost part of the establishment, if you like.
0:26:27 > 0:26:35It was so ground-breaking that to be involved in it, he felt very proud,
0:26:35 > 0:26:37very proud to have been able to do that.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42The legacy of dedication and devotion Gerry left
0:26:42 > 0:26:45has passed to all the vets who followed in his footsteps.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51Like James today and Duncan Williams.
0:26:52 > 0:26:53Gerry was a great pioneer.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56He really developed the health and welfare of the animals.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59All our decisions are based around
0:26:59 > 0:27:02what is in the best interests of the animals.
0:27:02 > 0:27:0430 years' experience, he would have had great knowledge
0:27:04 > 0:27:06and would have been able to share that
0:27:06 > 0:27:08with new and upcoming keepers all the time.
0:27:10 > 0:27:16He loved Longleat and his ashes are actually scattered in the park.
0:27:29 > 0:27:35Today we've been invited to meet Anne, a mistreated circus elephant.
0:27:35 > 0:27:39The keepers have dedicated thousands of hours to gain her trust.
0:27:41 > 0:27:46When she arrived at the park, her body was in a terrible state.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48She couldn't lift her trunk above her head,
0:27:48 > 0:27:50which is, like... The main part of an elephant is their trunk.
0:27:50 > 0:27:54She had a lot of dead skin on her and her feet were overgrown.
0:27:54 > 0:27:55She had a lot of problems.
0:27:57 > 0:27:59But that was five years ago.
0:27:59 > 0:28:03Today, it's 8am and that means one thing.
0:28:03 > 0:28:05It's Ka-trunk time.
0:28:05 > 0:28:07This is just like a child's game,
0:28:07 > 0:28:09so we've got sticks to go through the holes.
0:28:09 > 0:28:11We put some hay in it to make it a layer
0:28:11 > 0:28:13and put some fruit on top of that.
0:28:13 > 0:28:15The idea is, she pulls the sticks out and the food falls
0:28:15 > 0:28:17out the bottom here so it's like a win, really.
0:28:17 > 0:28:21But this is designed and built so she can actually exercise her trunk.
0:28:22 > 0:28:26An elephant's trunk contains over 40,000 muscles.
0:28:28 > 0:28:31But when Anne first arrived at the park five years ago,
0:28:31 > 0:28:33she couldn't lift hers off the ground.
0:28:39 > 0:28:42Now Anne's trunk muscles have improved so much
0:28:42 > 0:28:46she can reach as high as the top level of the sticks.
0:28:48 > 0:28:51Are you going to cheat? Yeah, you're going to cheat.
0:28:52 > 0:28:53Don't cheat, Anne.
0:28:56 > 0:28:57No, no, no.
0:29:00 > 0:29:06She's cheating! She's decided to come in in a destructive mode
0:29:06 > 0:29:08and, rather than being all nice and ladylike and elegant
0:29:08 > 0:29:11about the whole thing, she's decided to be
0:29:11 > 0:29:13the destroyer of all destroying things.
0:29:16 > 0:29:18She's just won, she's just won a prize.
0:29:19 > 0:29:21So she's going to eat that first.
0:29:22 > 0:29:27Senior team leader Ryan is incredibly proud of his team.
0:29:27 > 0:29:29They've given Anne her whole world back.
0:29:29 > 0:29:31An elephant without a trunk,
0:29:31 > 0:29:33it's like a dog without a tail and a bark.
0:29:33 > 0:29:36It's like a cat without its senses.
0:29:36 > 0:29:38The trunk is everything.
0:29:38 > 0:29:39But although the keepers
0:29:39 > 0:29:42have achieved miracles with Anne's recovery,
0:29:42 > 0:29:46Anne is in her 60s. She's a very old lady now.
0:29:46 > 0:29:49In the wild, Asian elephants only tend to live
0:29:49 > 0:29:52to around 60 or 70 years old.
0:29:52 > 0:29:54Anne suffers from severe arthritis
0:29:54 > 0:29:57and it's getting harder and harder to ensure
0:29:57 > 0:29:59she has the best level of care.
0:29:59 > 0:30:03Currently, for Anne's welfare and team health and safety,
0:30:03 > 0:30:05they've been working with Anne from behind bars.
0:30:05 > 0:30:09But after much deliberation, the park have decided
0:30:09 > 0:30:12to start a new system of free contact with Anne,
0:30:12 > 0:30:15which means working in the same space as her.
0:30:15 > 0:30:17It's not a decision taken lightly, no.
0:30:17 > 0:30:20It's not something we can just turn round and say,
0:30:20 > 0:30:22"Today we fancy going in there."
0:30:22 > 0:30:25I'd like to go in there and pat her or give her something or ask her to
0:30:25 > 0:30:28put a foot up or whatever. It's not like that at all.
0:30:28 > 0:30:32If you go and step in with a 3.5 tonne animal,
0:30:32 > 0:30:34you have to, 100%, be able to read that animal.
0:30:36 > 0:30:40For an elephant that has endured such cruelty in her former life,
0:30:40 > 0:30:42this is the ultimate test of the trust
0:30:42 > 0:30:44created between human and animal.
0:30:46 > 0:30:49With Anne now struggling to raise her feet high enough for them to be
0:30:49 > 0:30:50health checked from outside,
0:30:52 > 0:30:57Ross is going through the bars to work on them at close quarters.
0:30:58 > 0:30:59Anne, foot.
0:31:01 > 0:31:03As the heaviest ground mammal,
0:31:03 > 0:31:06the pressure pushing down on an elephant's foot is enormous.
0:31:07 > 0:31:09Good girl!
0:31:09 > 0:31:10Lovely stuff.
0:31:12 > 0:31:16If Anne's feet aren't in good condition, it could even be fatal.
0:31:17 > 0:31:21You get mud and stuff fester inside of it.
0:31:21 > 0:31:25Then you get a thing called foot rot which is one of those smells
0:31:25 > 0:31:27that any animal keeper anywhere
0:31:27 > 0:31:28will tell you, you never forget.
0:31:28 > 0:31:30It's a horrible smell. If you don't keep it clean,
0:31:30 > 0:31:34it can go further along and can get a little hole and that will track up
0:31:34 > 0:31:38into the digit, into the actual bone itself and then they get a thing
0:31:38 > 0:31:41called osteomyelitis, which
0:31:41 > 0:31:43is a really, really bad thing.
0:31:43 > 0:31:45It can kill her.
0:31:45 > 0:31:48But despite the seriousness of the situation,
0:31:48 > 0:31:52the whole process still has to be done on Anne's terms.
0:31:52 > 0:31:54We don't make her do any of this,
0:31:54 > 0:31:56this is something that she's willing to do,
0:31:56 > 0:31:58this is something she wants to do.
0:31:58 > 0:31:59If she wants to end the session
0:31:59 > 0:32:01or put her foot down at any time, she can.
0:32:02 > 0:32:05Because this is one very special elephant.
0:32:06 > 0:32:08The trust is there with her. She knows us, we know her.
0:32:08 > 0:32:11There is nothing, no secrets any more.
0:32:11 > 0:32:13She knows everything about me.
0:32:13 > 0:32:16It's only because of the bond that has been slowly built
0:32:16 > 0:32:20which allows Anne's health to continue to improve.
0:32:21 > 0:32:25We want the best for Anne and everyone does.
0:32:25 > 0:32:27Everyone in the world who knows Anne wants the best for her
0:32:27 > 0:32:29and we're the ones that can provide that.
0:32:29 > 0:32:33Whatever we have to do to do that, we'll do it in a heartbeat.
0:32:35 > 0:32:37If I couldn't be an elephant keeper,
0:32:37 > 0:32:40- I probably don't know what I would do.- I really don't know.
0:32:42 > 0:32:44There is no other job in the world like it
0:32:44 > 0:32:46and there's no other job I'd enjoy more.
0:33:00 > 0:33:04Some of the animals on the park are so big that the keepers need to come
0:33:04 > 0:33:06up with new and inventive ways of how to feed them.
0:33:06 > 0:33:09I'm guessing we're talking about the giraffes?
0:33:09 > 0:33:11- Yes.- So, how are we going to do this?
0:33:11 > 0:33:13At the moment, we've got a trailer load of browse
0:33:13 > 0:33:15behind us on the truck
0:33:15 > 0:33:17and we're going to go up to the browse hang-out
0:33:17 > 0:33:19and hang it really high for the girls to come over.
0:33:19 > 0:33:22Browse is a tree and I take it this is something they love?
0:33:22 > 0:33:24They love it. We've got maple,
0:33:24 > 0:33:26we've got beech and willow today and that's their top three favourites.
0:33:26 > 0:33:29They're all the way down at the bottom of the field at the minute
0:33:29 > 0:33:31so once they see us doing this,
0:33:31 > 0:33:34- they're going to come on up. - OK, out we go.
0:33:34 > 0:33:36I'll take this old one off, you put that new one on.
0:33:38 > 0:33:41It's pretty heavy, Bev.
0:33:41 > 0:33:44Now, they seem to be starting to just mosey on over.
0:33:44 > 0:33:48They generally don't run up unless they're very overexcited.
0:33:48 > 0:33:49How often do you do this?
0:33:49 > 0:33:51- We do this every day. - We're good to go.
0:34:00 > 0:34:05Seeing them this close, I'm noticing huge eyes and very long tongues.
0:34:05 > 0:34:07Yes, they've got very, very long tongues.
0:34:07 > 0:34:10They are over 40 centimetres in length
0:34:10 > 0:34:14and it helps them get all the leaves and things.
0:34:14 > 0:34:16There are also sort of blue-black in colour
0:34:16 > 0:34:19- to stop them getting sunburned as well.- Tell me again,
0:34:19 > 0:34:22- why do they have blue tongues?! - To stop it from getting sunburned
0:34:22 > 0:34:24because if you had a very, very pink tongue,
0:34:24 > 0:34:26there are always putting their heads up towards the sky,
0:34:26 > 0:34:28- there are always browsing.- It makes sense.
0:34:32 > 0:34:35As we're on our way out, we have a little bit of browse left.
0:34:35 > 0:34:38We'll see if any of the girls want to come over and say hello.
0:34:38 > 0:34:41- Is that all right?- I can feed them? - Yes.- I'd love to.
0:34:41 > 0:34:42- If you hold on to that.- OK.
0:34:42 > 0:34:44They'll come over and see us hopefully,
0:34:44 > 0:34:47if they're feeling in the mood.
0:34:47 > 0:34:48Hello, how are you?
0:34:48 > 0:34:50I'm feeling a little bit nervous.
0:34:50 > 0:34:53He's all right, he just tugs it quite hard.
0:34:53 > 0:34:54And he's off with it!
0:34:54 > 0:34:57- He's big, isn't he?- He is humongous.
0:34:57 > 0:35:00He's about 18 foot.
0:35:00 > 0:35:02- He shouldn't get any taller than that.- He's surprisingly friendly.
0:35:02 > 0:35:04You like that, don't you? There you are.
0:35:07 > 0:35:12I never, in a million years, thought I would be feeding a bull giraffe.
0:35:12 > 0:35:13He was so well behaved.
0:35:13 > 0:35:15He is a good boy. When he wants to be, he is very good.
0:35:15 > 0:35:17He is good 90% of the time.
0:35:17 > 0:35:20I did get the feeling, though, that he is the boss.
0:35:24 > 0:35:27The park has learned a lot over the 50 years since opening
0:35:27 > 0:35:29and today it would be pretty tricky
0:35:29 > 0:35:33for any of these animals to make it out of their compound.
0:35:33 > 0:35:36But it hasn't always been that way.
0:35:36 > 0:35:37We've been looking back at some of
0:35:37 > 0:35:41the few animal escapes from the safari park over the years.
0:35:41 > 0:35:45And by far, the most notorious breakout happened in 1988.
0:35:47 > 0:35:50A few years ago, the then head warden, Keith Harris,
0:35:50 > 0:35:52remembered how it all began.
0:35:55 > 0:35:59Well, every morning, all the staff in all the different sections go off
0:35:59 > 0:36:01and do a headcount so the people
0:36:01 > 0:36:03looking after the lake at the time came down,
0:36:03 > 0:36:06counted the sea lions and noticed one was missing.
0:36:06 > 0:36:10For a sea lion, there was only one possible escape route.
0:36:10 > 0:36:15Normally, the water comes over and cascades all down this concrete.
0:36:15 > 0:36:17We think she came down into the stream.
0:36:19 > 0:36:22This stream goes into the River Frome.
0:36:22 > 0:36:26So we thought, "Oh, dear, we've got a chase on our hands now."
0:36:26 > 0:36:29The fugitive was a female called Laddie.
0:36:29 > 0:36:32There was no telling how far she might go because of course,
0:36:32 > 0:36:35rivers lead to the sea.
0:36:35 > 0:36:39The first report came from the town of Frome, three miles downstream.
0:36:41 > 0:36:45Deputy head warden Ian Turner set off in hot pursuit.
0:36:45 > 0:36:47We got a call that a sea lion had been spotted in Frome,
0:36:47 > 0:36:51which obviously was a bit of a weird thing so we rushed down to see if we
0:36:51 > 0:36:53could see it and there was nothing.
0:36:53 > 0:36:55I spoke to a member of the public who was here
0:36:55 > 0:36:58and he said the sea lion was last seen swimming that way.
0:37:01 > 0:37:03We couldn't quite believe what was going on
0:37:03 > 0:37:06but we had a really good look around here and literally now
0:37:06 > 0:37:09the chase was on to try and find out where she is now.
0:37:11 > 0:37:14We had to try and follow her as best we could, which is not too easy
0:37:14 > 0:37:17because she can move a darn sight quicker down the river than we can
0:37:17 > 0:37:19get on the roads. We were just looking in every stream we could.
0:37:19 > 0:37:22We called in people's houses, knocking on people's doors
0:37:22 > 0:37:25and we went to this house and we said,
0:37:25 > 0:37:27"Have you seen a sea lion?" They said,
0:37:27 > 0:37:30"There's a bloke down fishing at the bottom of our trout farm and he said
0:37:30 > 0:37:33"he saw the sea lion there and it grabbed this massive big trout
0:37:33 > 0:37:34"and was just playing with it."
0:37:36 > 0:37:38Literally, we went and saw the bloke and said,
0:37:38 > 0:37:39"Yeah, he just came swimming along.
0:37:39 > 0:37:42"I've been fishing here for hours and caught nothing.
0:37:42 > 0:37:45"The sea lion comes up and grabs this massive great fish,
0:37:45 > 0:37:48"plays with it, throws it to one side and just carries on."
0:37:48 > 0:37:52At this point, we're starting to get worried because she could end up
0:37:52 > 0:37:55following this river all the way and this eventually goes to the sea
0:37:55 > 0:37:58so you could have a sea lion, and once she got that far, we would
0:37:58 > 0:37:59never ever catch her so this was
0:37:59 > 0:38:02starting to get quite a bit of tension and a bit nervous now.
0:38:02 > 0:38:05For two days, there was no sign of Laddie.
0:38:05 > 0:38:09Had she got clean away or was she lying low?
0:38:09 > 0:38:11Then Keith got a tip-off.
0:38:11 > 0:38:15We had a phone call that she was in an ornamental pond in Trowbridge.
0:38:15 > 0:38:17How she got there we don't know
0:38:17 > 0:38:20but she had obviously followed a stream somewhere along the line.
0:38:20 > 0:38:24By now, Laddie's breakout had made the headlines.
0:38:24 > 0:38:29Here is the BBC local news report from the 7th of July 1988.
0:38:29 > 0:38:31After swimming more than 17 miles,
0:38:31 > 0:38:34helping herself to fish caught on a trout farm and commanding the
0:38:34 > 0:38:36attention of a crowd of spectators,
0:38:36 > 0:38:40Laddie the sea lion wasn't about to give herself up easily.
0:38:40 > 0:38:42Are you optimistic that she's going to come back?
0:38:42 > 0:38:43We will get her sooner or later.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46It might be an all-day job but sooner or later, she's coming back.
0:38:46 > 0:38:50Her pup, Lindy, was brought in to try and tempt her over.
0:38:50 > 0:38:51But that didn't work.
0:38:51 > 0:38:54Eventually she sat on the side of a culvert.
0:38:56 > 0:38:59So what we did is, we pushed her off
0:38:59 > 0:39:01and then we were able to push in the box.
0:39:03 > 0:39:06Well, at the time, we were so relieved that we got her back
0:39:06 > 0:39:08without any injury or damage to her.
0:39:08 > 0:39:11I think in some ways, she was relieved to be back.
0:39:11 > 0:39:14As soon as we put her back with the other sea lions, she was fine.
0:39:14 > 0:39:18Laddie had clearly just been testing the keeper's wits and resolve.
0:39:19 > 0:39:22I'm glad to see that 28 years later,
0:39:22 > 0:39:24no other sea lion has tried
0:39:24 > 0:39:27to recreate this most greatest of escapes.
0:39:36 > 0:39:39Now it's time for Jean to catch up with a couple of youngsters.
0:39:40 > 0:39:45It's been 11 weeks since the arrival of our adorable twin lemurs
0:39:45 > 0:39:47and I can't wait to see how they're getting on.
0:39:49 > 0:39:51- Hi, Tina.- Hi, are you all right?
0:39:51 > 0:39:54I'm good and I spot our little babies.
0:39:54 > 0:39:56We've got Ronnie and Corby.
0:39:56 > 0:39:58Ronnie and Corby?
0:39:58 > 0:40:00- Great names. - They're doing really well.
0:40:00 > 0:40:02Starting to show their characters,
0:40:02 > 0:40:06so you've got Corby, who is very much out there,
0:40:06 > 0:40:09and you've got Ronnie, who is very much a mummy's boy.
0:40:09 > 0:40:12They can be quite mischievous as well?
0:40:12 > 0:40:14A little bit. This is Corby.
0:40:14 > 0:40:18Like I was saying, he is quite adventurous compared to Ronnie.
0:40:18 > 0:40:23So not as shy? He's really into our camera over there!
0:40:25 > 0:40:27What kind of things will they be eating when they start to eat?
0:40:27 > 0:40:31They start on anything that Mum picks up
0:40:31 > 0:40:33so we have a nice diet here.
0:40:33 > 0:40:37No fruit because they are prone to obesity in captivity.
0:40:37 > 0:40:39Really? They all look nice and slim.
0:40:39 > 0:40:41- This is Casper.- Hi, Casper!
0:40:41 > 0:40:43There you go.
0:40:43 > 0:40:46They are very much, you have to feed Mum first,
0:40:46 > 0:40:48because they are the bosses.
0:40:48 > 0:40:50Mum likes to see what's inside the bucket.
0:40:50 > 0:40:52Come on, you have to be patient!
0:40:52 > 0:40:54When do you think the little ones will be able to eat as well?
0:40:54 > 0:40:58They do try, so you can see they're trying to get some from Mum there.
0:40:58 > 0:41:02- That's great.- They're trying to eat a little bit.
0:41:02 > 0:41:05They all seem to be very polite and not grabbing food from each other,
0:41:05 > 0:41:07- which is good to see.- They do,
0:41:07 > 0:41:10they have a strict hierarchy which is really good.
0:41:10 > 0:41:12They do have their squabbles. Like a family.
0:41:12 > 0:41:13Sometimes they fall out.
0:41:13 > 0:41:17I guess that's going to happen in any gang or any family, isn't it?
0:41:17 > 0:41:20How has the behaviour of the two babies changed in the last 11 weeks?
0:41:20 > 0:41:24They are starting to learn what it means to be a lemur.
0:41:24 > 0:41:25Attacking things.
0:41:25 > 0:41:28They are very much like toddlers at this age.
0:41:28 > 0:41:30A handful?
0:41:30 > 0:41:32They try everything with their mouths
0:41:32 > 0:41:33and they have to touch everything
0:41:33 > 0:41:36so they are very much a handful at the moment.
0:41:36 > 0:41:38They're exploring and learning all about their new surroundings.
0:41:38 > 0:41:41It's so great to see how they are fitting in
0:41:41 > 0:41:42and see that they're getting on well.
0:42:03 > 0:42:05- Look at this.- Oh, look!
0:42:05 > 0:42:08- Can I do one as well?- Yeah. - Just for old times sake.
0:42:10 > 0:42:11Who would like a piece?
0:42:11 > 0:42:17I never, ever, ever get bored of getting this close to these animals.
0:42:17 > 0:42:18It is, I think,
0:42:18 > 0:42:23the biggest privilege of working here for the last ten years.
0:42:23 > 0:42:26It was. Whenever I look at a lion, I think if you!
0:42:27 > 0:42:29You do look a bit liony. It's the mane.
0:42:32 > 0:42:33Come on then, there you go.
0:42:35 > 0:42:37Here's what's coming up on the next Animal Park.
0:42:38 > 0:42:42The world's fastest land animal is put to the test.
0:42:42 > 0:42:43Go, go, go, go, go.
0:42:46 > 0:42:49Woohoo, look at her go!
0:42:49 > 0:42:54We go back to 1968 when giraffes first arrived at the park,
0:42:54 > 0:42:57and meet the people brave enough to rub shoulders with them.
0:42:58 > 0:43:02The smaller giraffe actually stood on Stephen's foot.
0:43:02 > 0:43:06And the life of a baby goat hangs in the balance.