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00:00When you see this symbol, you know you're watching television that's educational and
00:10informational. The more you know on NBC.
00:15Hey, I'm Chanel Jones. Get ready for a deep dive into our planet's water worlds. This is Wild
00:21Child. On today's episode, cuddle up with these adorable ocean babies. And from the moment they
00:29hatch, these fuzzy goslings are ready to get their feet wet. Plus lurking just below the surface is the
00:36largest reptile on Earth and surfs up penguins power through the break. All this and some incredible
00:45underwater magic just ahead on Wild Child.
00:59Our Earth is called the blue planet because 75% of its surface is water. And that blue liquid was
01:18home to the very first living organisms on Earth. Today, fresh and salt water even provide most of
01:25our oxygen. Living in these rich environments are some unforgettable aquatic animals and their
01:32water babies. Take a look.
01:36There's no doubt that the ocean is a vast and rich home for marine creatures, great and small.
01:43But parts of it can also act as a nursery.
01:46Because of it can also act as a nursery.
01:48Mangrove forests hug many coastlines in the warmer region of the world.
02:00Above the water line, there's plenty of mud for young crabs to sift through and below the surface,
02:06there's always something tasty floating along for the schools of growing fish to dine on.
02:12In the vast North American Mangrove Forest in the Florida Everglades, a sea mammal mother
02:26is teaching her calf how to manage underwater.
02:30These gentle giants are manatees, a close relative of the elephant.
02:43This calf is a true water baby.
02:51Using that powerful flat tail, it propels its body through the water.
02:58Come to learn how to use those smaller front flippers for steering.
03:05Mom helps to keep things on track.
03:10She's a multi-tasker, nibbling off back algae and giving an encouraging tap.
03:17Great lesson.
03:19Happy mom, happy family.
03:26Across the U.S. and Monterey Bay, California, another sea mammal mother and her baby are
03:32also having a leisurely paddle.
03:36Sea otter babies are treated to furry raft rides and they'll continue to sail around like this
03:41until they're two months old.
03:44The pups really do have it made, snoozing peacefully in mom's safe arms, getting the occasional groom
03:53as they float along.
03:57While sea otters do spend most of their lives at sea, they'd never break any speed limits.
04:03They paddle along at a very leisurely pace, 5 miles per hour tops.
04:10But with so much love to share, it's the perfect pace for mother and baby.
04:19The Falkland Islands off the coast of Argentina are rich with bird life that depends on a healthy
04:25ocean.
04:31These are kelp geese.
04:34And it's no surprise what their favorite food is.
04:41Apart from their namesake seaweed, kelp geese are also big fans of other coastal greens like
04:48algae and sea lettuce.
04:55These geese rarely stray far from the shoreline.
04:59The goslings are already experts at zeroing in on the tastiest morsels sprouting from the
05:05rocks.
05:06Right from the start, these babies are way ahead of other kinds of chicks.
05:12Kelp goslings are precocial.
05:15Precocial animals produce advanced, nearly fully independent young.
05:20That means these downy little ones can waddle, swim and feed themselves from the
05:25moment they hatch.
05:29This one's trying to cut in on its mother's breakfast spot.
05:35Oops.
05:39To help them keep a firm grip on the slippery rocks, their webbed feet have sharp toenails.
05:46Eventually, the goslings will be waddling around on vibrant yellow legs, just like their mom.
05:54Speaking of waddling, the mother goose has decided it's time for her brood to stretch their legs.
06:02The more adventurous ones have decided to take a dip and dabble in a rock pool.
06:10No need for goggles to find underwater treats.
06:13Since most of her brood is already in the water, the goose is joining in on the fun.
06:20But ultimately, warm rocks are a great spot for this ocean family to dry off and sun their all-important feathers.
06:31Coming up, get ready to meet the most colossal crocodile of them all.
06:40And this penguin posse is racing to shore.
06:43We'll find out why.
06:45Plus, what happens in the Great Barrier Reef when there's a full moon?
06:49It's a coral spectacular.
06:52All that and much more when Wildchild comes right back.
06:57We'll be right back to The More You Know on NBC.
07:00We now return to The More You Know on NBC.
07:06One water creature that has endured for millions of years is this ancient animal, the saltwater crocodile.
07:25These formidable reptiles can be found prowling the waterways of Southeast Asia and Northern Australia.
07:38As babies, they start off seemingly harmless and are small enough to hold like this captive bred hatchling.
07:48Eventually, this scaly tyke could grow up to 18 feet long and weigh close to a ton.
07:59In their watery domain, crocodiles are alpha predators.
08:08Despite their size, saltwater crocodiles are masters of stealth.
08:14With just their eyes and nostrils sitting above the waterline, they can effectively make the rest of their huge bodies disappear.
08:25Another clever adaptation to aquatic life is their extra eyelid.
08:33When needed, these natural goggles sweep over their eyes to protect them.
08:42Salties, as they're referred to in Australia, have a lot going for them.
08:49A lot of teeth.
08:51A lot of tough scales.
08:53And a whole lot of patience.
08:57A winning combination that's allowed these cold-blooded creatures to survive in ages.
09:07This afternoon, under the waves, there's a chance to catch a truly special moment.
09:14The birth of some seahorses.
09:18But there's a twist.
09:20The dad, not the mom, will be bringing these petite creatures into the world.
09:26To carry out the job, these special fathers come equipped with a brooding pouch.
09:36The female deposit her eggs, then the male incubates them.
09:41After about a month's wait, the male cuda, or common seahorse, is finally giving birth.
09:50This father has plenty to be proud about, as he could have anything from 20 to 1,000 little wrigglers to call his own.
10:00Measuring just one quarter of an inch, these delicate babies are able to look after themselves as soon as they emerge.
10:10Riding the currents like many horses, they use their tails lasso style to anchor themselves onto seaweed.
10:19An amazing start to life for a truly unique fish.
10:28In Australia's Great Barrier Reef, new life can be something truly spectacular.
10:35This is the annual coral spawn.
10:42Every summer, the outer reefs put on this phenomenal show.
10:48A full moon helps the reef to synchronize this romance at sea to ensure maximum results.
10:56Coral DNA can detect moonlight.
10:59Since corals are anchored in place and can't move to find themselves a mate,
11:04this moonlit mass spawning really is a clever dating technique.
11:13Even a giant clam is making sure it gets the chance to repopulate the reef with more of its kind.
11:23For other creatures that live in the area, all of this activity provides a feast.
11:30Coral reefs are always bursting with color and life.
11:39But in the summertime, even more so, it's truly magical to see.
11:48Coming up, they've just got their sea feathers and these young penguins are ready to take the plunge.
11:55And lying around with mom is exactly what these ocean babies are meant to do, at least for a while.
12:02Find out how they stay snug on shore when Wild Child comes right back.
12:09We'll be right back to the More You Know on NBC.
12:15For animals born near the ocean, the world is their oyster.
12:28A bounty of food, sun and fun makes living near the coast an incredible start to a newborn's life in the wild.
12:35Whether home is a nest, a reef, a river or even a rocky cliff, life's a beach for these tots of the tides.
12:48On a beach in South Africa, some of these smallest surfers around are spending the afternoon.
12:58Riding the waves in their best tuxedos are a group of African penguins.
13:07These stylish creatures are the only penguins that breed on this continent.
13:12And that makes them very special.
13:17These unique penguins are now endangered.
13:22That makes every new batch of chicks precious.
13:31The chicks emerge from their burrows when they are about a month old,
13:35then band together with other babies to form a crush or nursery group.
13:42Once they've shed their fluffy down, they'll be able to venture into the water
13:46and start foraging for family favorites like sardines and anchovies.
13:55Africa and heat go hand in hand.
13:59And apart from splashing about in the waves,
14:02these unusual penguins have another clever way to help them keep their cool.
14:11These pink patches of skin near their eyes are just about good looks.
14:16The hotter it gets, the redder the patches become
14:19because the penguins' blood travels there to get cooled off by airflow.
14:25It's natural air conditioning at its finest.
14:30With the help of conservationists, hopefully the beaches of South Africa will continue to host colonies
14:36of these charming, quirky birds for generations to come.
14:48On the shores of the North Atlantic, another coastal creature has also come ashore for a very important reason.
14:59The life cycle of gray seals starts out in a rookery like this.
15:08In pup season, the pregnant females head to the beach to give birth and nurse their babies.
15:15To start off, the white-furred newborns only weigh about 30 pounds.
15:22But thanks to their mother's 60% fat milk, they grow quickly.
15:28Within their first three weeks, gray seal pups quadruple in size,
15:34laying down a thick layer of blubber that will allow them to survive the chilly waters.
15:40At the end of this period, the pups are forced to wean, whether they're ready to or not.
15:48As their mothers are hungry and need to head back out to sea in search of food.
15:55This is also when the babies swap their silky white fur for a mature waterproof coat.
16:05They've been fully prepared to hit the waves and start fishing for themselves.
16:21Coming up, it starts with a cute baby and ends with an elephantine adult.
16:27A super-sized sea mammal story when Wildchild returns.
16:34We'll be right back to The More You Know on NBC.
16:39We now return to The More You Know on NBC.
16:43Let's head towards the South Pole and spend part of the afternoon lounging around with the elephant seals.
16:59Relaxing is what these large marine mammals do best on land, basking side by side on the coastline.
17:12These sunbathing beauties are the largest seal species on the planet.
17:18A mature southern elephant bull can top 8,000 pounds, bigger even than a walrus.
17:25The origin of their name is as plain as the nose on a bull's face.
17:31Their large trunk, or proboscis, really gives them a unique appearance.
17:39When it comes to good looks in this family, the little ones come out on top.
17:46With their large round eyes and whiskery muzzles, the elephant seal pups are hard to resist.
18:00Growing flippers are so versatile, they can be used as a chew toy or to have a good scratch.
18:21Few of the pups are having an early afternoon feed.
18:26The milk is very rich, over 50% fat, helping these babies quickly pile on lots of essential insulating blubber.
18:38There's no doubt there are plenty of sea adventures to come for these soon-to-be massive pups.
18:52Thanks for coming along to find lovable little ones that make their homes in or near the water.
18:57The world's aquatic habitats are an immense resource and the one and only precious home to many fascinating beings.
19:05I'm Chanel Jones.
19:06We hope you'll join us next week for another adventure on Wildchild.
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