´óÏó´«Ã½

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 love-match with hand-reared female Xena. With only 7,000 cheetahs in the wild, they are at a real risk of extinction, so captive breeding is vital to secure their future.

Zoologist Megan McCubbin is tested when she is asked to identify which of the brothers is which, a task that sounds easy but is in fact incredibly difficult. Cheetahs have unique markings, but the differences can be subtle, and boys are even harder to distinguish from girls. But the longer Megan studies these beautiful cats, she starts to spot identifiable features. Will it be enough to pass the test?

Ben Fogle has the scary task of acting as prey for a cheetah hunt when they are encouraged to follow the tractor-pulled ‘feed wagon’. It’s an epic sight, as these cats reach top speeds in a matter of seconds. Temba appears to be the dominant brother in the group, but all three secure themselves a chunk of meat which they enjoy, camouflaged in the long grass.

The big test for these big cats comes when they are introduced to Xena. Wildlife cameraman Hamza Yassin is on hand with his kit to help the keepers monitor Wilma’s behaviour. Introducing her to a male cheetah is a risk, and they may need to act if the meeting turns too rough. First to mix with her is Adjani. The meeting starts well, but then the cats begin to ‘chirp’, which could be a sign of distress. The keepers decide to let them into a larger enclosure, but the evidence points to this first pairing not being a perfect love match. They’ll need to rethink their strategy. The future of the species could depend on it.

Elsewhere today, Kate Humble tries a feeding experiment with the zebras, but the giraffe muscle in on the action, and Megan attempts to serve dinner to a very shy new resident, a nine-banded armadillo.