Main content

Episode 3

Episode 3 of 10

It’s a race against time to unify a pride of lions before they turn on one of the females. Can old boys Klaus and Simba save the day? And Megan McCubbin encourages a native to return to the woods.

In this episode, Kate and Ben reveal the challenges the keepers face in ensuring their animals live harmoniously with one other. But when those animals are ferocious lions, that’s easier said than done! The first lions arrived at the park nearly 60 years ago, and one of the biggest fears was that they would be uncontrollable, but in fact lions live within a strict hierarchy. Typically, a pride of lions is made up of a group of females, led by one or more of the largest males. That’s exactly the case in Klaus and Simba’s pride, but a problem is brewing. Klaus and Simba are getting old, and some of the females can sense a weakness, which could easily turn to violence as they fight for the top spot. The long-term plan for keeper Caleb is to retire the boys so that they can live the quiet life together – but first he needs their help to solve another problem within the pride. A weaker female called Zuri is being picked on by the other more dominant girls. If she is driven out of the pride her life could be in danger. So, in their final act as leaders, can Klaus and Simba reintegrate Zuri into the group before it’s too late?

Ben Fogle is trying to improve dynamics between the animals, but this time it’s with one of the world’s largest antelope – the Eland. They live in strict hierarchies, and anyone who steps out of line is liable to be put back in their place with a jab from their enormous horns. The most likely animal to do this is Norman, the leader of the herd. With a huge feed in place, Ben and Eloise retreat to a safe distance to see what unfolds. Will any of the eland try to overthrow the king?

Kate Humble is given the enviable duty of feeding the hand-reared fennec fox babies, while zoologist Megan McCubbin heads away from the exotic species to focus on the native ones. She joins the park’s resident conservationist to discover the lengths they are taking to encourage the return of the pine marten to the estate, a close but wild relation to the ferret.

7 months left to watch

43 minutes

Audio described

On TV

Wed 8 Jan 2025 14:30

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Kate Humble
Presenter Ben Fogle
Presenter Megan McCubbin
Series Producer Alastair Bazeley-Bell
Executive Producer Joff Wilson
Production Manager Charlotte Hanbury
Production Company Darlow Smithson Productions Ltd

Broadcasts