The Secret Life of the Zoo

Chester Zoo's alpha male lion is having a crisis of confidence. There's been a bloodbath among the vampire crabs. And affable Andean bear Bernie has been kicked out of the family paddock.

Newcomer Safi, a rare bongo antelope from the mountains of Kenya, is giving enthusiastic breeding partner Moti the runaround. Very soon the keepers realise why - it seems she may be about to give birth earlier than expected. Sunda gharial crocodiles Frank and Frankie need to have their blood tested - but taking a sample from one of the world's largest and most dangerous reptiles is easier said than done - and George the giant rat needs to have surgery after an X-ray pinpoints a huge lump of hard faeces in his stomach.

Chester's chimps have lacked a dominant female for several years. Vila seems ready for the role, until she is attacked by Alice, a higher-ranking female. Four-year-old Sumatran tiger Kasarna is living in the shadow of her domineering mum Kirana. But if she is ever to mature into a healthy breeding female, she needs to find some confidence and make her own mark.

Young Moellendorff rat snake Sen is about to face male Jakob on her first ever date. But with snakes often eating the other one for dinner, will he be hungry for love or just hungry? The keepers are concerned about the health of orangutan Sarikei and Rothschild's giraffe Dagmar - both of whom have youngsters to care for - an otter pup is struggling to eat and struggling to walk.