Ben Fogle and Kate Humble are back for another sunny summer series, following the lives of the exotic animals at Longleat Safari Park and the keepers who look after their every need. \n\nThe keepers are nervously waiting for a new arrival - a capybara, the largest rodent in the world. He’s in a lovely new home, and after a month’s mandatory quarantine, he's allowed out into his very spacious enclosure. But this isn’t without risk. The keepers must ensure that every inch of the fence line is secure, because they want the capybara to explore his enclosure - not the rest of the Longleat estate. Our cameras capture his release, but within seconds the keepers’ fears are realised, and he disappears from view. Do they have an escaped animal?\n\nYesterday we showed the incredible story of the birth of Europe’s first southern koala joey, and today we continue to follow its journey. Now six months old, the keepers are nervously doing everything they can to ensure its survival. We find out why baby koalas eat their mum’s poo, and when they take their first steps to independence. But there’s one big question - is this joey a boy or a girl? A visit to the vet will provide the answer but that also means a first separation from mum. Will the keepers be able to safely lift the youngster from Violet without causing either too much stress? \n\nElsewhere in the park, Ben and Kate have been following the journey of Willow the aardvark since she was born at Christmas in 2020. Her mum couldn’t feed her, so she was hand-reared for five months, and since then she has grown to be bigger than the rest of her family. Ben helps with one of her regular check-ups, crucial to ensure her continued health.\n\nThe team are constantly trying to imitate natural environments and create fresh ways to keep the animals engaged. Megan McCubbin helps the keepers stimulate the meerkats' senses with a variety of smells. Will they prefer lavender, eucalyptus or fruit tea? Or the box they arrived in? Hamza Yassin uses his powerful macro lens to help keepers identify whether any of the lorikeet eggs have hatched.
Source: BBC 2
Summer 2024: Episode 10
Every year, visitors to Longleat Safari Park get to see thousands of exotic creatures from around the world, but three years ago a native species made an entrance like no other! ...
27-08-2024
BBC 2
Summer 2024: Episode 9
Along with feeding all the animals at Longleat Safari Park, the keepers need to keep an eye on their mood, behaviour, love life and, of course, their health. And that’s be ...
26-08-2024
BBC 2
Summer 2024: Episode 8
The keepers at Longleat Safari Park are getting to know three very special new arrivals – cheetah brothers Adjani, Temba and Lunis. They have a vital mission: to make a lo ...
23-08-2024
BBC 2
Summer 2024: Episode 7
It’s a truly momentous occasion for the keepers. They have incubated and successfully hatched one of the world’s most threatened bird species – the critically ...
22-08-2024
BBC 2
Summer 2024: Episode 6
One of Longleat Safari Park’s biggest achievements to date has been the work put into the crucial breeding programme of the endangered southern koalas. Previously on the p ...
21-08-2024
BBC 2
Summer 2024: Episode 5
Ben and Kate discover the importance of the keepers understanding every aspect of the lives of their animals, and in tiger territory, that’s more vital than ever. For the ...
20-08-2024
BBC 2
Summer 2024: Episode 4
A celebration of some of Longleat's legendary animals – in particular, Thorn the giraffe.\n\nMany of the keepers have cared for Thorn for over a decade, and in that time, ...
16-08-2024
BBC 2
Summer 2024: Episode 3
Lions Klaus and Simba are getting old, and some of the females in their pride can sense weakness, which could easily turn to violence as they fight for the top spot. The long-te ...
15-08-2024
BBC 2
Summer 2024: Episode 2
At the fennec fox enclosure, Zuri has just given birth to a litter of three kits. This should be a cause for celebration, but past problems with Zuri's pregnancies put the keepe ...
14-08-2024
BBC 2
Summer 2024: Episode 1
Kate Humble and Ben Fogle have raced back to Longleat safari park in time for a spectacular summer series, and it promises to be one of the busiest seasons ever. Every corner of ...
13-08-2024
BBC 2
Summer 2022: Episode 12
Kate Humble and Ben Fogle return to Longleat Safari Park for another spectacular summer series following the fascinating stories of the exotic animals and the keepers who look a ...
27-02-2024
BBC 2
Summer 2023: Episode 2
We follow Longleat’s keepers on a trip to Australia, with some astonishing news with global implications. \n\nLongleat is home to the only public southern koala breeding ...
11-06-2024
BBC 2
Christmas Special: Episode 1
For the very first time, in a special week of programmes, Animal Park is heading to Longleat Safari Park for Christmas. Kate Humble and Ben Fogle catch every magical moment as t ...
13-12-2021
BBC 2
Summer 2023: Episode 1
Kate Humble and Ben Fogle return to Longleat Safari Park for a glorious summer series following the remarkable lives of the exotic animals and the keepers committed to helping t ...
10-06-2024
BBC 2
Summer 2021: Episode 13
Today, aggression between the koalas is threatening the success of the park's breeding programme. It has been a year since the keepers started to notice mating behaviour in koal ...
03-04-2024
BBC 2
Summer 2020 (shortened Versions): Episode 15
The keepers in Koala Creek are on tenterhooks as they await news on the park’s southern koala breeding programme, the only one of its kind in Europe. After experienced dad ...
05-08-2021
BBC 2
Compilation Specials: Episode 5
In today’s episode, keeper Caleb wants to find out who are the heroes and who are the zeros in lion country with a test of their intelligence. Calling on departments from ...
15-02-2023
BBC 2
Summer 2020 (shortened Versions): Episode 12
Romance seems to be brewing in the cheetah house with new girl Rachel and ladies man Carl. But will the partnership result in babies? There’s a concern that Carl is too ol ...
02-08-2021
BBC 2