04x11 - Pangolin Rescue

[bunniefuu]

CHRIS: Out there on the continents of Africa and Asia,

in the savannahs and the rainforests,

lives a very rare and little-known creature.

Hey, it's us, the Kratt Brothers.

I'm Chris.

I'm Martin.

You've heard about creatures with great defenses, right?

Like porcupines with their barbed quills?

And skunks with that awesome stinky defense.

And who can forget the tortoises with that thick shell?

But there's one type of great defender

that you might not have ever heard of before.

That's because they're rare.

And people don't talk about them nearly as much as they should.

This is a pangolin here at the San Diego Zoo,

an African white-bellied tree pangolin to be exact.

And check out those scales.

He has scales on almost every part of his body.

And they form a super tough suit of armor that is so strong

that even big cats like lions can't bite through it.

Now the only part of his body not protected by scales

is his soft belly.

And the design and structure of these scales

make it that each individual one moves.

So, he's able to twist and bend his body.

And when danger's near,

he can just roll up into a ball and become a living rock.

This African white-bellied tree pangolin

comes from the tropical rainforests of Africa.

But there also ground pangolins on the African savannah

and pangolins in Asia too.

But wherever they live,

pangolins have to watch out for predators

that would love to eat them.

And that tough coat of scales?

That protects the pangolin

from even the sharpest teeth and claws.

Imagine if we had a suit of armor just like a pangolin.

Imagine if we had pangolin power.

What if? What if?

♪ On adventure with the coolest creatures ♪

♪ From the oceans to the trees ♪

♪ The Brothers Kratt are going places you never get to see ♪

♪ Hanging with their creature friends ♪

♪ Get ready, it's the hour ♪

♪ We're gonna save some animals today with ♪

♪ Creature Power ♪

♪ Gonna go wild, Wild Kratts ♪

♪ Gonna go wild, wild, Wild Kratts ♪

♪ Gonna go wild, Wild Kratts ♪

♪ Gonna go wild, wild, wild ♪

♪ Cheetah speed and lizard glide ♪

♪ Falcon flight and lion pride ♪

♪ Gonna go wild, Wild Kratts ♪

♪ Gonna go wild, wild, Wild Kratts ♪

♪ Gonna go wild, Wild Kratts ♪

♪ Gonna go wild, wild, Wild Kratts ♪

♪ Go wild, wild, Wild Kratts ♪

Okay, Aviva, I'm almost there,

a few more steps to scanning range.

Great, all I need is a quick scan of the hoof

so I can compare the chemical makeup of keratin.

Well, a zebra hoof is a good place to get it.

Keratin is what makes the hoof hard.

You'll have that scan in no time.

Sorry, Chris. I've got a better way: the zebra power suit!

But wait!

See? Keratin hoof, no problem.

Huh?

Ah!

Uh-oh.

You call that better?

(Groaning)

Keratin's hard.

Uh, rhino horn is made of keratin too.

Huh?

(Screaming)

Ow! Ow!

(Screaming)

Keratin hurts!

(Grunting)

(Screaming)

Ow! Keratin protects!

Yup, animals with hard features like quills, horns, hooves,

they owe it all to keratin.

Right, Quillber?

These quills are really special hairs

that are hardened with keratin.

And Nubs, his horn is made of keratin too.

(Engine revving)

Yup, all those, plus antelope horns--

(Squawking)

Bird beaks,

even our fingernails, all hardened with keratin.

Here are your scans.

I think we've pretty much seen, and felt,

all the keratin out here.

(Gasping)

What was that?

A pangolin! A pangolin!

(Laughing)

Wow!

A panga-what?

Pangolin, it's a kind of scaly anteater,

but not really related to anteaters.

They're pangolins, pure and simple.

They're in a family of their own.

And a pangolin has a really cool walk.

They walk on their hind legs

with their front paws in the air.

Like, like, a T. Rex.

Hey, that's what I'm going to call you, "T. Rex".

Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a second. Back up.

(Sighing)

No, I mean back up to the part where you explain to me

why you never told me about this creature.

I've never seen anything like it!

I've never heard of it, nothing!

You guys are supposed to tell me about cool animals, remember?

Well, I guess we forgot.

"Forgot"?

Yeah, now we feel bad.

It's not personal, T. Rex.

T. Rex? Over there!

Uh-oh.

Do something!

You can't let anything happen to that pangolin!

Hang on. Wait for it.

(Sniffing)

There!

A scaly suit of armor!

Those lions can't get through with their sharp claws?

Nope. It's all in the keratin!

Every scale is hard, thick and super tough.

AVIVA: You've got to be kidding me! A lion jaw can't get through?

Yeah, that's right.

And those lions better be careful

because the edges of the scales are sharp.

And they can cut a lion.

CHRIS: And they're almost impossible to pry open once they're rolled up.

AVIVA: Wow!

MARTIN: Yup, not easy to get through that rock-solid defense.

You don't mess with a pangolin.

Yes! A pangolin scale.

I've got to make a pangolin suit.

And with your scans and this scale,

I have everything I need to know about keratin to do it!

See you!

Amazing!

So, these scales grow out of her skin

a lot like hair and fingernails.

It's like she has a bunch of super strong fingernails

all over her body, all made of keratin.

Wow, and put together , of those scales

and you have a real suit of armor.

It's going to be the best defense ever!

Can we test it out yet?

Hmm. I shouldn't even let you test it out.

Why? That's what we do. Why? That's what we do.

Yeah, and you're also supposed to be the guys

who tell us all about cool animals.

And you really dropped the ball with pangolins.

Well, we didn't exactly forget about them.

Well, shouldn't people know about them?

Well, yeah, definitely, but--

(Beeping)

There's a Creature Alert coming in from southern China.

It's Yi and Duyi.

Hi, Koki.

We were out creature adventuring in the forest

and found something strange.

An animal trap!

Yeah, it looks like some kind of trap.

We think someone's trying to catch our chuanshanji.

"Chuanshanji"? What's that?

It's Chinese for pangolins.

There are pangolins in China too?

Yeah, a different kind.

In fact, there are eight species

found in small areas around Asia and Africa.

But all are really rare and endangered.

That's why we want to help them.

Right! We'd better check it out.

We're on our way, Yi and Duyi.

♪

They're here!

It's the Wild Kratts!

Quick, this way!

Lead us to it!

Come on, Duyi.

Thanks, Aviva.

It's just up ahead.

Oh no!

What? What?

There's something in the trap!

I don't believe it, a Chinese pangolin and her pup!

(Laughing)

Give them a sticky pangolin lick.

They're the ones that sent out the alert.

(Laughing)

Congratulations! You are creature heroes!

Yeah!

AVIVA: Ha, que lindo!

MARTIN: It's the pangolin version of a piggy-back ride:

a pangy-back ride!

Here, want to taste an artichoke?

(Laughing)

You really look like one now.

Hey, that's what I'll call you: "Artichoke"!

Doesn't taste good?

Uh, I guess you'll just stick to ants and termites then.

And check this out. That is a serious tongue.

The pangolin's tongue is one of the longest

in the creature world.

Our tongue can only stick out a few inches.

But a pangolin tongue can go out a foot and a half!

Oh, that's my kind of pangolin,

a climber with a prehensile tail for grabbing onto branches.

AVIVA: Does the amazing-ness of the pangolin ever end?

I've got to get back to that suit now!

Okay, we're going to stay here.

We've got to try to figure out who set that trap and why.

Sounds good.

Come on, Yi and Duyi.

To the creature rescue!

♪

If we don't find out who set this trap,

what's going to stop them from setting more?

You know, this almost looks like

some kind of spaghetti strainer or something.

"Spaghetti"? You're making me hungry.

Let's take a snack break.

Uh--

(Groaning)

Ah! I'm stuck.

Hmm.

This looks like a trap too.

Uh, a little help here?

And this log is covered with ants.

So, whoever set it was definitely after pangolins.

Hello! But they got me instead! I'm stuck!

(Gargling)

Martin!

(Grunting)

(Groaning)

Martin? Where are you now? Hmm.

Up here!

Come on, get down from there.

Uh, yeah, not so easy.

Listen, Bro. This operation is bigger than we thought.

I know. There must be traps all over the forest.

(Grunting)

Whoa! Whoa!

Ow.

Now that was a sticky pangolin trap.

Chris, are you thinking what I'm thinking?

Oh, yeah, I think I'm thinking what you're think-- Wait.

No, what are you thinking?

Artichoke and his Mom, they're not safe,

not if there are more traps in the forest!

Now I'm thinking what you're thinking.

We've got to go back and make sure they're okay!

Okay, Jimmy, let's see if this synthetic keratin mixture works.

Open it up, Yi.

Okay, let this cool for a second.

And-- now, Duyi!

Flexible...

And super strong! Yes! We've got it!

We've replicated the pangolin scale formula!

That's the last bit of programming I needed

for the pangolin suit!

It's Chris and Martin!

Tortuga, we've got a problem.

It's Artichoke's mom. She's gone!

We came back and found Artichoke but no Mom,

and this.

We've got to save her and take care of Artichoke while we do.

Well, I've got something right here that might help:

a pangolin power disc, ready for action!

Got it!

(Grunting)

And zap it!

(Gasping)

Ow!

Got it!

Aw, brother!

I get to test it out.

Activate pangolin power!

♪

Awesome! I feel so powerful!

Nothing can hurt me with these awesome scales!

(Laughing)

Good thing you got to test it out.

A naked pangolin!

(Laughing)

Oops. I may have to adjust the scale fasteners.

Uh-oh. What?

A clouded leopard!

Artichoke, look out!

(Gasping)

Jimmy, quick!

Teleport!

Scales, don't fail me now!

Nice one, Chris, just what a mother pangolin would do

to protect her baby who's scales aren't full strength yet.

Let's hope mine are!

Ow! Ow! Hey, wait! It doesn't even hurt!

The scales are working. They're super tough!

Oh, yes! What a defense!

Aviva, you did it!

I was worried there for a minute.

(Laughing)

Sorry, pal. You're never going to get through.

We can do this all day if you want.

Whoa!

(Sighing)

(Gasping)

Whoa! Whoa!

Uh-oh. Chris!

Whoa! Dizzy!

Oh!

(Groaning)

Huh?

(Whirring)

Don't worry! Hang on! I'll get you down!

(Grunting)

Wait! Leave me up here.

Uh , Brother, I know you like to be up in trees with creatures.

But we got work to do.

No, listen.

The only way to find Artichoke's mom

and figure out who's doing this is

to get into the heart of the operation.

A-ha!

So, if you stay in the trap, you'll get collected

and taken right to where Artichoke's mom is.

Then, I come to the rescue, as usual.

Exactly!

No, not as usual, but, yeah, that's the plan.

But Artichoke doesn't need to come on this mission.

Come on, Artichoke, I'll catch you.

Got you!

(Rustling)

Hide!

(Grunting)

(Gasping)

Gourmand!

(Sniffing)

I smell a creature in my trap.

(Laughing)

Ooh, interesting. What do we have here?

A new green species?

Let me have a look at you, huh?

(Grunting)

Come on, open up, scaly.

You can't just pry open a pangolin,

no matter how hard you try.

Oh, forget it!

I'll get you open back in the kitchen.

"The kitchen"!

Okay, Artichoke, let's get ready

to follow that endangered species chef, quick!

♪ To the city I sails ♪

♪ With a boat full of pangolin scales ♪

♪ They'll be the special health booster ♪

♪ For my smoothie juicy juice-ter ♪

(Chuckling)

Surely, people will believe

that the scales from a creature this strange

possess special health benefits.

So, I'll just grind up the scales as a health powder

for the greatest smoothie recipe ever!

Are you kidding me?

Pangolin smoothie for health? No!

Martin, come in! Chris here.

Did you get the coordinates I sent?

Got 'em, Chris. We're on our way.

T. Rex? He got you too?

Whoa, he's got pangolins from all over the world.

Martin, hurry.

The way Gourmand is collecting the pangolins,

they'll be gone before we ever even get a chance

to tell people about them.

That's not going to happen.

Trust me. I'll be bombing in real soon.

Hey, I'm looking for a certain Chinese pangolin.

She's the mom of a friend of ours.

Can you help me find her?

GOURMAND: You! Green grape!

I should've known. Hmph.

Who did you say you were looking for?

Uh, this one maybe?

Gourmand, let her go.

Now, now, I can't do that,

because then I wouldn't be able to use her

in my very first pangolin smoothie.

And you can watch me prepare it.

(Laughing)

KOKI: Okay, Jimmy, that's close enough.

Bring her up slowly.

Ready, Martin?

All set. Aim it straight, Aviva!

Remember, stay rolled up.

And the scale defense will see you through.

Let's do this!

Ready, aim, fire!

Whoa!

To the pangolin rescue!

(Laughing)

Ah, yes, an artichoke and berry smoothie

with ground up pangolin tail scales for healthy lungs.

Gourmand, why do you think that ground up pangolin scales

will help people's lungs breathe better?

Well, the scales are so unusual,

they must have special health benefits.

Just because it's an amazing feature,

doesn't mean you should eat it.

There's no science that says eating pangolin scales

makes you more healthy.

Besides, they're made of keratin.

And there's keratin in your fingernails too.

So, if you really want to eat it,

why don't you just put your fingernail clippings

in your smoothie instead?

No!

As long as people think pangolin booster smoothies are healthy,

I'm selling.

Huh? Now where did that pangolin go?

A-ha.

You thought you could get away, did you?

Huh?

(Clearing throat)

So, Gourmy, were you looking for her?

Why don't you try using pinecones

in your smoothie instead?

Because you're not using our friend.

(Grumbling)

Good one, Bro!

You, stop right there!

(Gasping)

Ha!

Good thing prehensile tails are great for grabbing things,

and in this case, picking locks too!

Pangolin defense!

Wha?

(Grunting)

(Coughing)

Don't mess with pangolins, Gourmand!

Come on, bro, back to the Tortuga!

(Grunting)

(Screaming)

No problem, we'll swim there, pangolin-style.

See you, Gourmand! Woo-hoo!

I'll get you next time, Kratt croutons!

Anchors up, we're out of here.

Let's get you pangolins home.

Well, it's mission accomplished, right, guys?

Yeah! Yeah!

We've been sending out messages

over the whole Wild Kratts network,

letting everybody know about pangolins.

We're really sorry it's takeso long

for us to tell people how amazing you pangolins are.

But we're making it up to you now.

(Laughing)

I think they forgive you guys.

(Laughing)

Thanks for the rescue, Wild Kratts.

Yeah, well, we couldn't have done it without you and--

Pangolin power! Pangolin power!

Okay, it's snack time.

And we've got the mushy paste that the pangolin loves.

This has all the vitamins, minerals and nutrition

that pangolins get from ants and termites in the wild.

Oh yeah, and if you get up close and look closely,

you can see his long, skinny tongue,

which is great for getting right down there into the ant tunnels.

It's also a good time to get a close look at his claws.

They have really great long sharp claws

for digging into ant and termite nests.

And these scales,

they look to me like fingernails almost, you know.

They're, like, crazy cool.

They're made of the exact same stuff as our fingernails,

keratin.

He even has little scales on his forehead right here.

So, when he rolls into a ball, he just tucks in his face.

And his head is protected too.

Now that is a really cool creature power:

being able to roll up into a ball of armor.

And he's done.

There he goes, up in the trees again.

That's where this kind of pangolin is most comfortable.

And check out this tail. It's a prehensile tail.

And that means it's grabby and can wrap around tree branches.

Now, other pangolins don't climb at all,

like the ground pangolins of Africa.

Oh, this guy wants to come down to the ground, too, right now.

Cool, let's check this out, off to hunt for ants.

(Laughing)

But whether they live on the ground or mainly in the trees,

one thing all pangolins have in common:

they're very rare and disappearing very, very quickly.

It's not their natural predators that are the problem.

Pangolin defense has that covered.

Instead, it's that their habitat is being destroyed.

And too many pangolins are being hunted for food

and for medicines that aren't scientifically proven.

MARTIN: If we want pangolins to keep surviving in the wild,

people are going to have to protect them

as well as pangolin scales protect them from predators.

Yeah pangolins are so incredibly cool.

We definitely need more people to know about them.

Keep on creature adventuring!

We'll see you on the creature trail!

♪

To find out more about cool animals...

And collect your own Wild Kratts creature powers...

Go to the Wild Kratts website...



BOTH: We'll see you there!