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00:00When you see this symbol, you know you're watching television that's educational and informational.
00:11The more you know on NBC.
00:15Hey, I'm Chanel Jones. Get ready for a deep dive into our planet's water worlds.
00:20This is Wild Child.
00:22Coming up, these underwater crooners are singing for their supper.
00:26And from the moment they hatch, these fuzzy goslings are ready to get their feet wet.
00:33And lying around with mom is exactly what these ocean babies are meant to do.
00:39And surfs up, penguins power through the break.
00:44All this and much more right now on Wild Child.
00:56Our Earth is called the Blue Planet because 75% of its surface is water.
01:15And that blue liquid was home to the very first living organisms on Earth.
01:19Today, fresh and salt water even provide most of our oxygen.
01:24Living in these rich environments are some unforgettable aquatic animals and their water babies.
01:31Take a look.
01:31On a beach in South Africa, some of these smallest surfers around are spending the afternoon riding the waves in their best tuxedos are a group of African penguins.
01:52These stylish creatures are the only penguins that breed on this continent.
02:00And that makes them very special.
02:04These unique penguins are now endangered.
02:10That makes every new batch of chicks precious.
02:14The chicks emerge from their burrows when they are about a month old, then band together with other babies to form a crèche or nursery group.
02:30Once they've shed their fluffy down, they'll be able to venture into the water and start foraging for family favorites like sardines and anchovies.
02:39Africa and heat go hand in hand, and apart from splashing about in the waves, these unusual penguins have another clever way to help them keep their cool.
02:58These pink patches of skin near their eyes aren't just about good looks.
03:03The hotter it gets, the redder the patches become, because the penguins' blood travels there to get cooled off by airflow.
03:13It's natural air conditioning at its finest.
03:18With the help of conservationists, hopefully the beaches of South Africa will continue to host colonies of these charming, quirky birds for generations to come.
03:29On the shores of the North Atlantic, another coastal creature has also come ashore for a very important reason.
03:47The life cycle of gray seals starts out in a rookery like this.
03:52In pup season, the pregnant females head to the beach to give birth and nurse their babies.
04:03To start off, the white-furred newborns only weigh about 30 pounds.
04:10But thanks to their mother's 60% fat milk, they grow quickly.
04:15Within their first three weeks, gray seal pups quadruple in size, laying down a thick layer of blubber that will allow them to survive the chilly waters.
04:29At the end of this period, the pups are forced to wean, whether they're ready to or not.
04:36As their mothers are hungry and need to head back out to sea in search of food.
04:41This is also when the babies swap their silky white fur for a mature, waterproof coat.
04:52That makes them fully prepared to hit the waves and start fishing for themselves.
04:57Coming up, we listen in to a whale of a song.
05:13And man, oh, manatee, even marine mammals need to mind their manners.
05:19Plus, time for a cuddle cruise with some adorable ocean otters.
05:23These wildlife stories and more when Wild Child returns.
05:27We'll be right back to The More You Know on NBC.
05:34We now return to The More You Know on NBC.
05:44The animal kingdom is full of spectacular displays.
05:48But these majestic giants of the deep really know how to make a splash.
05:53Say hello to the humpback whale.
06:06Humpback babies weigh in at more than 2,000 pounds.
06:10That's one big newborn.
06:12By the time they're fully grown, these giant filter feeders can weigh 50,000 pounds.
06:20To help them get to that size, they're nursed on 100 gallons of high-fat milk a day for 6 to 12 months.
06:28During that time, mom doesn't eat at all.
06:31But she does seek out a quiet place in the ocean for nursing her baby.
06:40With all that together time, mothers and calves are very affectionate,
06:44often touching each other with their long pictorial fins or flippers.
06:48But imagine trying to communicate with your family underwater.
06:56In addition to touch and movement, humpback whales are known for their deep-sea sounds,
07:03which can travel long distances.
07:06These whales swim thousands of miles during a single migration,
07:10and they'll often call out to each other on the way.
07:12But male humpbacks not only call, they sing.
07:18Marine biologists say groups of male humpbacks sometimes sing the same melody together.
07:25The whales seem to sing more when they're cruising in plentiful feeding grounds
07:29and showing off for a potential mate.
07:34What's more, these songs get passed down from one humpback generation to the next
07:39and are gradually passed along to other whales halfway around the world.
07:51These world-traveling marine mammals are able to power through the water
07:55thanks to their massive tail fin, known as a fluke.
08:03And they love slapping the water's surface with their flippers.
08:09Humpback whale populations were once down by 95%
08:16until the moratorium on commercial whaling in 1985.
08:21Since then, they've increased in number,
08:24but they still face threats from vessel strikes, fishing gear,
08:28and man-made ocean noise that drowns out their calls.
08:33Humpback whales and their calves like to feed close to shore
08:36and are a favorite of whale watchers.
08:40Maybe you'll be lucky enough to spot one in person someday soon.
08:48Thanks to nature's diversity,
08:50not all ocean dwellers communicate in the same way,
08:53even when they're related.
08:56The humpback whale cetacean cousin, the dolphin,
08:59is a top predator who likes to hunt in a team.
09:04But unlike the gentle humpback,
09:06the dolphin has a sharp set of teeth.
09:10And while humpbacks use low frequencies to communicate long distance,
09:15dolphins and their calves use high frequencies
09:18which travel shorter distances.
09:21Dolphins use clicks for echolocation to navigate and find prey.
09:25After all, it's not so easy to see underwater.
09:33And on top of clicking, dolphins can even whistle.
09:38It's thought each dolphin has a unique signature whistle,
09:42almost like a name.
09:47Dolphin communication is so intricate,
09:50the researchers even gave it a name.
09:52Dolphin ease.
09:54As much as they are learning,
10:00marine biologists admit they are still mostly underwater
10:03when it comes to understanding the mysteries
10:05of these complex and beautiful marine mammals.
10:13Coming up, unusual creatures are living large
10:16in this mangrove lagoon.
10:18And sea otter moms go to extraordinary lengths
10:22to keep their kids warm.
10:24Plus, playful pups with some serious swimming skills
10:28when Wild Child comes right back.
10:34We'll be right back to The More You Know on NBC.
10:40We now return to The More You Know on NBC.
10:43For animals born near the ocean, the world is their oyster.
10:52A bounty of food, sun, and fun makes living near the coast
10:57an incredible start to a newborn's life in the wild.
11:00Whether home is a nest, a reef, a river, or even a rocky cliff,
11:05life's a beach for these tots of the tides.
11:08There's no doubt that the ocean is a vast and rich home
11:14for marine creatures, great and small.
11:18But parts of it can also act as a nursery.
11:23Mangrove forests hug many coastlines
11:25in the warmer region of the world.
11:27Above the waterline, there's plenty of mud
11:36for young crabs to sift through.
11:39And below the surface, there's always something tasty
11:43floating along for the schools of growing fish to dine on.
11:46In the vast North American mangrove forest
11:58in the Florida Everglades, a sea mammal mother
12:00is teaching her calf how to manage underwater.
12:05These gentle giants are manatees,
12:07a close relative of the elephant.
12:16This calf is a true water baby.
12:25Using that powerful flat tail,
12:27it propels its body through the water.
12:32Time to learn how to use those smaller front flippers
12:35for steering.
12:39Mom helps to keep things on track.
12:44She's a multitasker.
12:46Nibbling off back algae and giving an encouraging tap.
12:51Great lesson.
12:54Happy mom, happy family.
13:00Across the U.S. in Monterey Bay, California,
13:04another sea mammal mother and her baby
13:06are also having a leisurely paddle.
13:10Sea otter babies are treated to furry rack rides
13:13and they'll continue to sail around like this
13:16until they're two months old.
13:18The pups really do have it made,
13:21snoozing peacefully in mom's safe arms,
13:24getting the occasional groom as they float along.
13:31While sea otters do spend most of their lives at sea,
13:34they'd never break any speed limits.
13:37They paddle along at a very leisurely pace,
13:41five miles per hour tops,
13:43but with so much love to share,
13:46it's the perfect pace for mother and baby.
13:53The Falkland Islands off the coast of Argentina
13:56are rich with bird life that depends on a healthy ocean.
14:05These are kelp geese.
14:08And it's no surprise what their favorite food is.
14:16Apart from their namesake seaweed,
14:18kelp geese are also big fans of other coastal greens
14:22like algae and sea lettuce.
14:29These geese rarely stray far from the shoreline.
14:33The goslings are already experts at zeroing in
14:36on the tastiest morsels sprouting from the rocks.
14:40Right from the start,
14:42these babies are way ahead of other kinds of chicks.
14:46Kelp goslings are precocial.
14:49Precocial animals produce advanced,
14:52nearly fully independent young.
14:54That means these downy little ones can waddle,
14:57swim, and feed themselves from the moment they hatch.
15:03This one's trying to cut in on its mother's breakfast spot.
15:10To help them keep a firm grip on the slippery rocks,
15:17their webbed feet have sharp toenails.
15:21Eventually, the goslings will be waddling around
15:24on vibrant yellow legs, just like their mom.
15:29Speaking of waddling, the mother goose has decided
15:32it's time for her brood to stretch their legs.
15:36The more adventurous ones have decided
15:39to take a dip and dabble in a rock pool.
15:44No need for goggles to find underwater treats.
15:48Since most of her brood is already in the water,
15:52the goose is joining in on the fun.
15:57But ultimately, warm rocks are a great spot
16:01for this ocean family to dry off
16:03and sun their all-important feathers.
16:09Coming up, these furry seals come ashore
16:12to share our beaches.
16:13Find out all about these seaside neighbors
16:16when Wildchild comes right back.
16:18We'll be right back to The More You Know on NBC.
16:23We now return to The More You Know on NBC.
16:29Living by the beach is considered a luxury by many.
16:44Part of the appeal, having an aquatic playground
16:47right on your doorstep.
16:50Seaside communities often share their location
16:53with a wide variety of marine creatures,
16:59including large Galapagos sea lions.
17:09On islands off the coast of Ecuador,
17:12these marine mammals are often seen lounging around
17:15down on the sand, snoozing on docks,
17:22or anywhere else they like.
17:28Onshore rest is valuable because sea lions spend
17:32most of their lives at sea.
17:38Mothers and their babies form a very strong bond.
17:41They stay together for about three years.
17:45Even in a crowded colony, cows and pups can easily reunite
17:55by identifying each other's barks.
18:00After nursing their pups, moms often head out to sea
18:04for a few days to hunt.
18:08But the curious youngsters aren't left at home alone.
18:12A female babysitter keeps an eye on the pups
18:14in a nursery or rookery.
18:17So, if you're sharing the beach with these powerful sea mammals,
18:21it's best to back away slowly,
18:23no matter how playful a personality they put on.
18:27That helps keep all creatures, big and small, safe.
18:32Thanks for coming along to find lovable little ones
18:36that make their homes in or near the water.
18:39The world's aquatic habitats are an immense resource
18:41and the one and only precious home
18:44to many fascinating beings.
18:46I'm Chanel Jones.
18:47We hope you'll join us next week
18:49for another adventure on Wild Child.
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