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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. Hey everyone, I'm Chanel Jones. Join us as we
00:18trek into the wild to catch a glimpse of some of the rarest animals on earth. This is Wild
00:24Child. Today, this unmistakable marsupial has a tight relationship with its mom and one
00:31very special tree. And speaking of tree huggers, this great ape has a wild imagination. Plus,
00:39from the moment they hatch, these fuzzy goslings are ready to get their feet wet. And gray wolf
00:46cubs sniff out the best spring has to offer. Just ahead on Wild Child.
00:54The world's forests cover about one-third of our planet. Trees, woodlands, and meadows are home to
01:20animals who thrive in these leafy, oxygen-rich environments. But sometimes a single tree can
01:27provide not only shelter, but all the food an animal needs. Take a look.
01:35Forests are the lungs of the earth.
01:36Forests are the lungs of the earth. During photosynthesis, leaves take in carbon dioxide and
01:44then release the oxygen we breathe. Clean air and water keep forest habitats brimming with life.
01:54Arboreal animals spend most of their lives up in the trees.
02:03Arboreal animals spend most of their lives up in the trees.
02:07Some, like this koala joey and its mom, are quite picky.
02:13Not only do they live in eucalyptus trees, the leaves are about the only food they'll eat.
02:22Unlike other animals, koalas can digest these bitter, toxic leaves, which also double as a water source.
02:29These Australian fur balls spend most of their time in the safety of the trees.
02:39But they do come down to earth when they need to find new trees to munch on.
02:44Of course, wherever mom goes, baby goes too.
02:49Piggybacking is what these joeys do best, gripping on tight with their strong claws.
02:59Whoa, it's a bumpy ride.
03:04This little hitchhiker has branched out on its own.
03:10But it's had enough freedom for now.
03:15Mom can drive the rest of the way.
03:20Plentiful eucalyptus forests are key to the survival of these photogenic marsupials.
03:24But up to 80% of their natural habitat is already gone.
03:36As night approaches, the koala's main food source also serves as a safe spot to sleep.
03:42Koalas prefer higher branches where the leaves are best.
03:47It's time for some sweet koala dreams.
03:49But mom and joey will both be in the perfect spot for breakfast.
03:57Another animal born to life in the trees is the orangutan.
04:02Like humans, they're in the great ape family of primates.
04:07Native to rainforests in Borneo and Indonesia, their stretchy way of moving around is called
04:13arboreal clamoring.
04:14That's a fancy way of saying tree climbing.
04:20And orangutans do it by using their long,
04:23strong arms and grippy toes to move through the branches.
04:32Swinging hand over hand is useful too.
04:42Playtime in the tree tops is always entertaining.
04:54Mom is out to impress with her flexibility.
04:59But the baby orangutan has discovered that leaves are even more fun.
05:03They make excellent hats.
05:13Some moms don't understand the latest summer trends.
05:17But this one's got a great eye for fashion.
05:23Less is more?
05:26Definitely not.
05:33These expressive great apes prefer to eat fruit, but insects, eggs, and small animals might also be on the menu.
05:45If predators are scarce, orangutans may spend some time on the ground.
05:49But life in the safety of the branches suits most mothers and babies just fine.
06:06The bristly ancestor of domestic pigs, the wild boar is a fan of forest camouflage.
06:11The mothers, or sows, are kept very busy for a month nursing their active babies.
06:22The piglets are born with earthy stripes to help them blend in with the leaf litter.
06:37They'll lose their racing stripes when they're four months old.
06:40Regarded as intelligent and extremely adaptable, there's never a dull moment when these little ones are around.
06:59In another forest, this mossy log is like a cloud for these owl hatchlings.
07:04They're so young, they still have their egg teeth on the end of their beaks.
07:14That's what the chicks use to crack out of their shells when they're hatching.
07:20They drop off after a couple of days.
07:24Speaking of dropping off, this family looks snug.
07:28After all, owls are nocturnal, so daytime is mostly for napping.
07:34But after a rest, it's time to play.
07:41Owls bob their heads to more accurately judge distance.
07:45And it's time to shake those tail feathers.
07:51Coming up, a canine call of the wild is music to a growing pup's ears.
07:57And speaking of growing, these baby bison will grow up to be bigger than a grizzly bear.
08:02We'll find out all about these big grazers.
08:06Plus, baby baboons build big skills in the trees.
08:10And some colossal seals get in a little beach time in the southern ocean.
08:16More incredible animal stories when Wild Child returns.
08:20We'll be right back to The More You Know on NBC.
08:26We now return to The More You Know on NBC.
08:29In spring, the woodlands of North America are home to many new baby animals.
08:44One elusive keystone species is the gray wolf.
08:48These carnivores are the largest members of the canine family.
08:55Only the leaders of a pack, the alpha pair, have pups.
09:00But the rest of the family pitch in to care for the youngsters.
09:05Born blind and deaf, the pups are helpless for their first six weeks.
09:09Things change quickly, and by about six months of age, the young wolves are ready to hunt.
09:19As adults, they develop thick gray fur, sometimes with white or black markings.
09:27Males can weigh up to 175 pounds, while the females are much smaller.
09:33In a wolf pack, spring is a quiet time spent rearing playful pups.
09:41But no matter the season, wolves are always hungry.
09:45Adults are able to eat up to 20 pounds of meat in one sitting.
09:50To help them feed themselves, gray wolves have an amazing sense of smell.
09:55Their sensitive noses can detect potential meals up to a mile and a half away.
10:00Scent is also used to communicate with other members of their pack,
10:04or to inform visiting wolves that they are entering someone else's territory.
10:09Whatever territory they're in, these hardy travelers will soon set out for new adventures.
10:17Wolves are the largest canines, but bison are the largest mammal in North America.
10:24Vast herds are said to have roamed and even helped to shape the Great Plains.
10:30While modern populations are much smaller, life for American bison still follows age-old patterns.
10:39Males roam solo or in a small bachelor herd.
10:45Female herds are led by a dominant cow.
10:48The mothers spend spring and summer caring for their youngsters.
10:51Both bulls and cows develop horns, which are hollow caps growing over a bone-like core.
11:01Calfs don't start to sprout their horns until they're about two months old.
11:06So that's good news for mom. No pointy spikes to poke into her side.
11:12Conservationists are working hard to ensure these bison continue to retake their historic place on America's plains.
11:22Coming up, when it comes to baby baboons, the buddy system is rule number one.
11:28And lying around with mom is exactly what these ocean babies are meant to do, at least for a while.
11:35Find out how they stay snug on shore when Wild Child comes right back.
11:40We'll be right back to The More You Know on NBC.
11:49We now return to The More You Know on NBC.
11:52Many animal species go the extra mile to protect their young.
12:02Mammal mothers spend hours nursing, nudging, or even carrying their young.
12:07But just what's a parent to do when a little one has an urge to explore?
12:11It can be a real baby animal adventure.
12:15On the African savannah, spring falls in the wettest months of the year.
12:20It's a time of plenty for the world's largest monkey, the baboon.
12:24Five species of these Old World monkeys can be found roaming both Arabian and African savannahs.
12:31Large primates tend to be long living, so their life histories play out more slowly than smaller mammals.
12:42That gives young baboons plenty of time to grow and develop.
12:50After a six-month pregnancy, mothers give birth to a single infant.
12:56Baby baboons are too weak to walk, but they are born with a strong grip,
13:02allowing them to cling onto their mom's belly and nurse.
13:05When they're a few weeks old, the youngsters start exploring farther afield, but not too far.
13:19It doesn't take these little ones too long to find their confidence
13:23and build up enough strength to join the rest of the troop.
13:28But why walk when you can piggyback?
13:31Being primates, baboons are very social animals, living together in groups of about 50.
13:41That means there are always lots of other scamps to hang out with.
13:46Trees make the best playgrounds.
13:52Hoops.
13:54Nice save.
13:56Now back to wrestling.
13:58Trees make the best playgrounds.
14:00With a little grooming in between.
14:04By their second birthday, the growing baboons are classed as juveniles.
14:09These independent young baboons are able to forage for themselves.
14:15These omnivores like to dine on grasses, berries, and other vegetation, plus insects and fish.
14:22As adults, males disperse and find themselves a new circle of friends.
14:33While females tend to stay with their birth group and start bringing their own little monkeys into the troop.
14:40In the wild, baboons have about 30 years to enjoy their family's company.
14:45Coming up, it starts with a cute baby and ends with an elephant-time adult.
14:56A super-sized sea mammal story when Wild Child returns.
15:03We'll be right back to The More You Know on NBC.
15:05Let's head towards the South Pole and spend part of the afternoon lounging around with the elephant seals.
15:26Relaxing is what these large marine mammals do best on land.
15:34Basking side by side on the coastline.
15:40These sunbathing beauties are the largest seal species on the planet.
15:45A mature southern elephant bull can top 8,000 pounds, bigger even than a walrus.
15:54The origin of their name is as plain as the nose on a bull's face.
15:59Their large trunk, or proboscis, really gives them a unique appearance.
16:07When it comes to good looks in this family, the little ones come out on top.
16:15With their large round eyes and whiskery muzzles, the elephant seal pups are hard to resist.
16:22Growing flippers are so versatile, they can be used as a chew toy.
16:29Or to have a good scratch.
16:34A few of the pups are having an early afternoon feed.
16:38The milk is very rich, over 50% fat, helping these babies quickly pile on lots of essential insulating blubber.
16:51There's no doubt there are plenty of sea adventures to come for these soon-to-be massive pups.
16:59Meanwhile, in another part of the southern hemisphere, it looks like the kelp geese goslings are on a mission.
17:17A mission to find their dad.
17:23Success.
17:23The males are easy to spot with their bright white feathers.
17:32They are very different from the well-camouflaged females.
17:37Now that the whole gangs together, they can have a family outing.
17:43When it comes to mealtimes, these specialist feeders are ultimately at the mercy of the tides.
17:49Only when the water recedes can they access their favorite foods.
17:58Baby animals do have big appetites, but compared to them, the kelp is enormous.
18:06Good thing the goslings can find plenty of baby beak-sized greenery to munch on.
18:12Next, time for a swim to give those little webbed feet a workout.
18:17They're doing a great job keeping up with their parents.
18:22And the race is on.
18:26These downy babies will hang around with their parents until they're three months old.
18:32Then the fully-fledged goslings will be truly independent.
18:38Until then, they can enjoy a few more sunny snuggles with their mom.
18:43If you're lucky enough to be near wild animals with their newborns in springtime, remember,
18:50it's best to keep your distance.
18:53Many animal parents form strong bonds with their babies, just like we do.
18:57So it's better not to stress them out or risk anyone being hurt by venturing too close.
19:02Thanks for watching. I'm chanel jones. We can't wait to see you next time on wild child.
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19:44Transcription by CastingWords
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