 Though the Lazuli were forced to flee before they could kill the pups, the series producers and the project researchers believe Big Si killed Shakespeare during this attack, as Shakespeare was last seen putting himself between Big Si and the pups to protect them.Between the first and second series, Big Si contracted tuberculosis.While the researchers and camera crew normally do not interfere with the lives, or deaths, of the meerkats, they had to euthanise Big Si in order to prevent an outbreak that would have been devastating to both the meerkat populations and the local livestock.