- 6 weeks ago
Category
đ„
Short filmTranscript
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 there, I'm Chanel Jones. Pack your bags and
00:18get ready. It's all aboard for another amazing animal adventure right here on Wild Child.
00:24Coming up, we'll find out that animals, homes, and habitats might be closer than you think.
00:30Green Acres is the place to be for these many horses, but they've got a royal secret.
00:36And these climbers live high in an ancient mountain citadel. Plus, at this beach, you're guaranteed to find a buddy.
00:45And if you look outside, you might just see these stars of the skies putting on a mesmerizing show.
00:52All this and much more right now on Wild Child.
01:00Sometimes the most interesting baby animals aren't in the wilderness at all, but living on farms or in communities.
01:23Some are dependent on our care, while others are still wild, but have grown accustomed to our buildings, roads, and human habits.
01:31Let's meet some of the VIP animal families who make our everyday lives truly special.
01:37When it comes to real estate, both towns and countryside are full of choices for wild residents.
01:52Some like traditional homes, especially the do-it-yourself kind, while others are happy to move into pre-made construction.
02:02Once this woodpecker has finished making a few alterations, this building will make a fine home for its family.
02:13And while the excitement of city living is appealing, some independent thinkers enjoy living on the outskirts, where they can enjoy the best of both worlds.
02:28Here, they can dig spacious dens with plenty of room for the youngsters to play, while still having easy access to the convenience of town life, such as a steady food supply.
02:44But you never know when you'll need to run out for a quick snack.
02:52Suburbia is a happy medium, especially for growing families.
02:58Gardens are excellent places for residents to rest both above and below ground.
03:10Many feathery residents do, however, crave the high life.
03:14Humans give them a strong foundation to build on, or under, like the eaves of houses and apartment buildings.
03:30On a nearby farm, one baby animal is beginning to find its way around.
03:37This little lady is no ordinary foal.
03:40At only one month of age, she has a lot of growing up to do.
03:47But she'll never get very big, because she's a miniature horse.
03:53To qualify as a miniature horse, the adults have to measure less than 34 inches at the withers, the base of their mane.
04:02While they may be short in stature, miniature horses have a long history.
04:07The first specially bred miniatures date all the way back to the zoo of King Louis XIV at the Palace of Versailles.
04:18With royal heritage like that, you might expect their stables to be encrusted in gold and silver.
04:24But these petite horses are content with the simple life.
04:30There's even time set aside to meet the commoners, who fly in to say hello.
04:38Horses are born plant eaters.
04:42This shoot is presenting a surprising challenge.
04:44Mother's milk is always a good choice.
04:59But it's not all a walk in the paddock.
05:02This foal's still developing her trotting skills.
05:06She needs to be able to keep up with the team.
05:08But why keep up when you can take the lead?
05:14Look at that style.
05:17Some mini horses become show horses, but others share their love as companion and service animals.
05:23It's enough to make their royal patrons proud.
05:26For animals, the rustic look is always in.
05:41A bird's eye view of this farmland reveals a myriad of stone walls.
05:47In the northern regions of the United Kingdom, stone walls like this have been in place for 3,500 years.
05:54They've stood the test of time.
05:57Today, they continue to keep inquisitive little lambs safe from harm.
06:04And high in the Andes Mountains of Peru, another farm animal, the llama, also makes its home among stone walls.
06:12But these stone structures are world famous.
06:16The ancient remnants of the Inca citadel, Machu Picchu.
06:19Llamas have been domesticated for at least 5,000 years.
06:25They were brought here to help build this now deserted royal city in the 1500s.
06:34Just like their relative, the alpaca, llamas are highly valued for their strong and thick hair
06:40and their protective nature, guarding the herd and farm.
06:44Believe it or not, domesticated llamas are also close cousins of the camel.
06:52But these 6-foot-tall creatures definitely don't sport a camel's hump.
06:57At least today, they do seem blessed with an eternal patience, fitting for a gentle species first bred so long ago.
07:06Coming up, you never know who you might find living in a nearby tree.
07:13And it's easy to share our gardens with these magical beauties.
07:17Plus, these spitfires never let you forget.
07:20They are tiny but mighty.
07:23And some undersea dwellers just want to have fun.
07:27All that and more when Wildchild returns.
07:33We'll be right back to The More You Know on NBC.
07:36We now return to The More You Know on NBC.
07:55Each day is a new beginning for Earth's animals.
08:00As the sun's rays break across the horizon,
08:03the urban animals are slowly starting to warm up.
08:13Being in the habit of sleeping for close to 20 hours a day,
08:17it's hard for Australian koalas, young or old, to make an effort in the morning.
08:23But this mom and Joey are on the move,
08:26searching for the perfect place to hang out for the day.
08:29In North America, a raccoon is getting a different perspective on things from its tree bed.
08:41While mostly nocturnal,
08:43it's not unusual to see youngsters like this out and about during the day.
08:47Being part of a very rowdy family,
08:55there is no such thing as a sleep-in for ravens.
08:58Maybe their perch will give them a boost of energy.
09:07Closer to ground level,
09:09this eager youngster is already out for a morning climb.
09:13Mice are adaptable little creatures.
09:18Their nimble legs and feet allow them to move around these branches with ease.
09:26Elsewhere, in a garden shed, another mouse is having a good sniff around.
09:32A packet of seeds could equal breakfast.
09:35But what's the rush?
09:40Sometimes it's nice just to hang around with mom.
09:51One of the more delicate members of the animal kingdom,
09:54often seen flitting through our gardens and parks,
09:57are butterflies.
09:58These colorful insects float through busy neighborhoods
10:05in search of food,
10:08a partner,
10:09or a quiet place to lay their eggs.
10:15And they seem quite happy to ignore us
10:18and focus on the natural world.
10:21In most cases,
10:27butterfly eggs are laid on a host plant
10:29with leaves that are suitable for her future caterpillars
10:32to munch on.
10:42In some eggs,
10:43the growing caterpillars can be seen through the casing.
10:46When they emerge,
10:50these tiny babies have huge appetites.
10:54Some will even eat their way out of the egg.
11:00Using their mandibles,
11:02they will chomp their way through countless leaves.
11:07For caterpillars,
11:08getting enough energy for their upcoming transformation
11:11is their number one priority.
11:16As they grow,
11:18caterpillars will shed their skin,
11:21eventually entering the pupa stage.
11:24By hardening their bodies,
11:26the caterpillars form a chrysalis.
11:29There's not much to see from the outside,
11:32but within,
11:33a magnificent transformation,
11:36known as metamorphosis,
11:38has taken place.
11:41Complete,
11:42the emergence of a newly formed butterfly
11:44is a truly special moment.
11:48Blood pumping throughout their delicate bodies
11:51expands their wings.
11:57And within a few hours,
11:59they're strong enough to fly
12:01and begin their short but colorful lives
12:04as truly eye-catching adults.
12:06Coming up,
12:14if you've seen this in the sky,
12:17you won't soon forget.
12:19And who has the right-of-way
12:21when sea creatures want to share the beach?
12:24Find out more when Wild Child comes right back.
12:28We'll be right back to The More You Know on NBC.
12:31We now return to The More You Know on NBC.
12:43It's easy to forget that many animals
12:46lived on the land we now occupy
12:48way before we ever did.
12:50So you might say we're the intruders,
12:52not them.
12:53The animals we find in our streets,
12:56farms, and even houses
12:57all have a place in the ecosystem we share.
13:00And while some creatures are easy to overlook,
13:03others seem to make sure
13:05we know exactly who they are.
13:11Some animals tend to escape our notice,
13:15preferring to stay out of sight.
13:18But some can't help but put on a show.
13:23Winter is a great time
13:24to catch these feathery performers in action.
13:30A flock of starlings is known as a murmuration.
13:34These Eurasian birds have spread to continents worldwide.
13:42A flock of starlings is known as a murmuration.
13:46Each bird follows the other,
13:49turning when their neighbor turns,
13:51creating mesmerizing patterns in the sky.
13:54This safety in numbers strategy
13:58makes it harder for their top predator,
14:00the falcon,
14:01to single one out.
14:05These parents have broken away from the group
14:08to feed their family.
14:14Starlings like to roost in tree hollows
14:16and buildings,
14:17and do well in urban areas.
14:19In three short weeks,
14:29the chicks will fledge or fly from the nest,
14:32able to circle the skies with the rest of the flock.
14:35Sometimes our favorite animals
14:46are the ones living right under our roof.
14:50These two-month-old chihuahua pups
14:52are very popular pets,
14:54but they need dedicated people parents
14:56to make sure they have a good home.
14:59This litter has plenty of energy to burn,
15:07starting with a game of pin the puppy.
15:13The pups will weigh less than six pounds as adults,
15:16but right now, they're mini wrestlers.
15:23The chihuahua is one of the oldest dog breeds in Mexico.
15:28Their ancestors appeared to be favorites
15:31of the Toltec Kings a thousand years ago.
15:37Teething puppies always appreciate something to chew on.
15:41Apart from being fun, it also soothes their gums.
15:45Chihuahuas might be tiny,
15:57but they are big-hearted
15:59and seem to never give up.
16:09Finally, their puppy power
16:11is starting to run flat.
16:13Like most dogs,
16:16these fur babies need 12 to 14 hours of sleep a day.
16:21We can't wait to see what they'll be up to next.
16:25Coming up,
16:26a different kind of playful pup.
16:29This one can dive 200 yards straight down
16:32while holding its breath.
16:34Find out what happens
16:35when these wild babies come up for air
16:37when Wild Child returns.
16:41We'll be right back to The More You Know on NBC.
16:46We now return to The More You Know on NBC.
16:49Living by the beach is considered a luxury by many.
17:05Part of the appeal,
17:06having an aquatic playground
17:08right on your doorstep.
17:11Seaside communities
17:12often share their location
17:14with a wide variety
17:15of marine creatures,
17:19including large Galapagos sea lions.
17:30On islands off the coast of Ecuador,
17:33these marine mammals
17:34are often seen lounging around on the sand,
17:36snoozing on docks,
17:40or anywhere else they like.
17:48Onshore rest is valuable
17:50because sea lions spend most of their lives at sea.
17:58Mothers and their babies form a very strong bond.
18:02They stay together for about three years.
18:05Even in a crowded colony,
18:13cows and pups can easily reunite
18:16by identifying each other's barks.
18:21After nursing their pups,
18:23moms often head out to sea
18:24for a few days to hunt.
18:28But the curious youngsters
18:30aren't left at home alone.
18:32A female babysitter
18:33keeps an eye on the pups
18:35in a nursery or rookery.
18:38So, if you're sharing the beach
18:39with these powerful sea mammals,
18:41it's best to back away slowly,
18:44no matter how playful a personality they put on.
18:48That helps keep all creatures,
18:50big and small, safe.
18:54Sometimes hidden treasures
18:55are right in our own backyards.
18:57That's the way we feel
18:58about the farm animals
18:59and city critters
19:00who share our lives with us.
19:02The more we discover
19:03about these familiar animal friends,
19:05the more we realize
19:06they're just as unique
19:07and mysterious
19:08as any other animal.
19:10Thanks for joining us today.
19:11I'm Chanel Jones.
19:12We'll see you next time
19:13on Wildchild.
Be the first to comment