02x26 - Ground Hog Wake Up Call

[bunniefuu]

♪ Wild Kratts! ♪

CHRIS:
We're here in North America.

MARTIN:
Out in the eastern woodlands.

In this habitat,

there can be a mix of forests
and open meadows.

It's us,
the Kratt brothers!

I'm Chris.

I'm Martin,

and we're out here
looking for a creature

that goes by many
different names,

depending upon where in the
eastern woodlands you live.

In some places, they call
this animal a woodchuck.

Some people like to go
with "whistle pig."

And then, other people
like to call it a...

BOTH:
A groundhog!

Now, this is one
pretty cute creature.

Have you ever seen
groundhogs--

Uh, whistle pigs.

Or woodchucks grazing along
the side of the road?

These animals have no problem
living right around humans,

and you might see that one
has dug a burrow

and moved right into
your own backyard.

So, groundhogs
are pretty common animals,

but what kind of Creature Powers
do they have?

How about grazing teeth?

She's mowing down this clover
pretty well.

In fact, a groundhog spends
about seven hours a day eating.

But grazing teeth,
a creature power?

MARTIN:
Hey! She's climbing!

Let's see those climbing powers.

Not too fast.

Not exactly like her cousin,
the squirrel.

I don't think climbing is a
groundhog's creature power.

CHRIS:
Hey, she found something to eat!

Wait!

Eating to get ready
for hibernation!

Sleeping through the winter,

going through months
without eating a thing,

is a pretty amazing power.

We've got to find out more.

What hidden powers does this
round furry creature have?

Imagine if we could have
woodchuck...

Whistle pig...

Groundhog powers.

BOTH:
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 ♪

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♪ Gonna go wild, wild,
Wild Kratts ♪

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Wild Kratts ♪

♪ Go wild, wild, Wild Kratts ♪

Oof!

Nice boot, Koki.

One of my favorite parts
of spring!

Getting back
to playing soccer again.

Me too!

And I like when the robins
show up!

(Jimmy Z whistling)

(Chirping)

Uh, that's a candy worm.

Our adventure room could use
a little spring-cleaning.

Ah!

(Objects crashing)
Oof! Ow! Oh! Ugh!

(Groaning)

I have to get the kayaks ready
for the river,

the mountain bikes ready
for the trails,

and the tents ready for camping.

(Aviva yawning)

I love taking a nap outside
on the first warm day of spring.

(Rustling)

(Sniffing)

(Giggling)

Oh!
Who are you?

(Sniffing)

You are so cute,
whoever you are.

(Wind blowing)

I love spring!

Warm air, green grass,

flowers like buttercups
and dandelions

and fluffy, cute, little
baby animals.

Is that what you want your name
to be?

Dandelion?

(Aviva giggling)

Dandelion, it is.

Hello, everyone,

hope you're enjoying
this gorgeous spring day.

And guess what?

I've been inspired
by something wonderful,

and I'm going to make a new
Creature Power Suit.

What?

Oof!

Really?

(Crashing)

A new Creature Power Suit?!

Okay, so what Creature Powers
do you have in mind, Aviva?

Yeah, where is this
super-powered mystery creature?

Uh, he's right in front of you.

BOTH:
Huh? Hmm.

MARTIN:
Oh, you.

You mean, a groundhog?

And groundhog powers?

I mean,
he is impossibly cute,

but besides cutting
a really nice lawn,

what kind of super-cool power
does a groundhog have?

What are you talking about?

He's perfect.

Don't get us wrong.
We love groundhogs.

I'm just not sure if
a groundhog is a creature

that really inspires
a Creature Power Suit.

Well, I'm sure groundhogs
have some hidden superpower

that is so amazing.

Don't you have
an amazing superpower?

Yes, you do. Yes, you do!

Well, we could try!

Aviva is really
into groundhogs.

Yeah, and who knows?

Maybe...
possibly... somehow,

there is some cool ability to
make a groundhog power suit.

(Sniffing)

(Chittering)

MARTIN:
That must be Dandelion's mom!

Okay, let's get
creature adventuring.

Weight, pounds.

Body temperature,
degrees.

Just like us.

Heartbeat,
beats per minute.

And she eats and eats
and eats, ha ha!

Groundhogs eat so much grass
each day,

enough to fill up a sink,

but I don't think
that's a talent

that makes for a good
Creature Power Suit.

AVIVA:
Okay, thanks, Chris.

Those groundhog basics
are just what I need

to get a groundhog Power Suit
started.

Have a nice breakfast,
Dandelion!

I'll be back soon.

Oh, it is really cool
how a groundhog

digs a burrow into a field,

and then grazes out
from the burrow entrance.

A groundhog rarely eats grass

more than ten feet
from its burrow,

so whenever she senses
a predator...

she can quickly escape
to the safety of her burrow!

The burrow, ha!

Hey, that's something.

Groundhogs are great diggers.

See, the burrow is usually dug

under a pile of rocks
or tree roots.

There's a drop down
right after the entrance,

then a long tunnel
that opens up to a chamber.

There can also be a special
hibernation chamber,

and other escape entrances
and exits.

And a groundhog does all
that digging herself.

I mean, that's pretty
impressive.

Yeah, I don't know
if it's enough

to make a great
Creature Power Suit,

but at least it's something
for Aviva to start with.

Hey, Aviva,
we've got something here.

Groundhogs are great diggers.

A groundhog will dig
a burrow complex

that looks something like this.

And a single groundhog can dig
the whole thing

in just a couple days.

Perfecto, that's great!

So, what else do they do?

What other special abilities
and talents?

Give me more groundhog info

and I'll have something ready
for you to test out soon.

You wear it.

No way, you wear it.

Uh, Aviva, because you're so
excited about groundhogs

and can't wait to see
groundhog powers,

making one groundhog Power Suit
will give Chris the chance

to test the Power Suits out
right away!

That's a great idea, Martin,
but not really fair to you.

You two should flip for it,

and winner is the lucky one

who gets to test the groundhog
Power Suit.

(Laughing nervously)

Even though groundhogs
are super-awesome animals,

I really don't want to wear
a groundhog Power Suit.

Neither do I.

AVIVA:
What?!

"Want to"?

You guys don't want
groundhog powers?

Well, Dandelion and I
are insulted.

But if you don't want to test
groundhog powers, then we will!

Activate Creature Powers!

Hmm, it's a little big
and baggy.

Aww, but Dandelion likes it,
so I do too.

This is going to be
the best adventure yet.

Hmm, I can't think of any powers
that groundhogs have

that you could get
in trouble with.

Ah, what could go wrong?

Yeah.

They pretty much just eat
and dig.

Digging!

That's what I feel like doing.

This earth is so cool.

It feels good
and it's so easy to move.

I love digging!

So how far do I go before
I dig out the chamber?

About feet.

AVIVA:
Thanks.

You're welcome-- ugh!

Ptoo!

Ha, ha, ha!

(Chris coughing)

Ugh!

(Muffled talking)

Ha, ha, ha!

Ugh!
Whoa!

(Both coughing)

MARTIN:
Coyote!

Mudmouth to Groundhogger,
Mudmouth to Groundhogger.

Come in, Groundhogger.

Groundhogger here!

Aviva, cut it on the digging.

You've got a visitor.

CHRIS:
Of course!

The coyote is checking out
the groundhog hole.

Coyotes will use the holes
groundhogs have started

and dig them bigger,

expanding them to make them
into their own burrows.

Yeah, and because groundhogs

are the best diggers
in North America

and dig so many holes,

they get holes started for most
animals that live in burrows.

Hello!

I guess he's never seen
a giant groundhog before.

You know, Aviva, maybe you're
right about groundhog powers.

Digging is always a cool
Creature Power,

and groundhogs put it
to good use.

Yeah, for themselves

and for the many
other animals

who benefit by using
their burrows.

So, what's next, Aviva?

BOTH:
Aviva?

Wow.

Digging makes you so hungry.

(Stomach growling)

Whoa!

I never knew dandelion salad
tasted so good!

(Chomping loudly)

Uh-oh.

Ahh!

Every new Creature Power Suit
needs a mission.

Any ideas, animal experts?

Hmm, that's not a bad idea.

Maybe if we had a good mission,

we can uncover some hidden
creature powers

of the groundhog.

Hey, have you ever heard
of Groundhog Day?

You know, when the groundhogs
come out of their burrows

near the end of winter?

Supposedly if they see
their shadow,

they get scared
and run back down

and that means there will be
six more weeks of winter.

And if they don't see
their shadow and stay out,

it means it will soon
become spring.

Well, I never totally believed
that story.

Yeah, me either.

I always wondered if it was
another animal myth

or a folk story.

Well this is our chance
to find out.

What are groundhogs
really doing

when they first come out
of their dens

at the end of winter?

That's our mission!

And maybe that'll lead us to
some hidden groundhog powers!

BOTH:
All right!

Fantastico!

(Munching)

Hmm, how are we going
to do that?

We've missed winter;
it's already springtime.

Springtime has just started
down here in the south,

but it's still winter
up in the north,

and that's where we should go.

All right, let's go on
a groundhog mission!

Bye, Dandelion,
we'll be back soon.

♪

JIMMY Z:
We're here!

Up north where
it's still winter.

All right, let's go find
some groundhogs.

Uh, this decorative tooth
feature on my groundhog suit

grew crazy long.

I didn't program that.

Whoa!

Oof.

Nope, but nature did.

Of course!

One of the groundhog's powers
is ever-growing teeth!

Yep.

Groundhog teeth grow
continuously,

and the groundhog has to keep
grazing and chewing

to wear those teeth down.

Yeah, wearing them down
sounds like a good idea.

I can't even walk.

Okay, all you have to do is chew
on something harder than these.

(Tapping)

Like the floor.

Okay.

(Drilling sound)
Ahhhhh!

Hi.

What is going on here?

This groundhog suit
is out of control!

Sorry, Koki.

I didn't know that would happen,

but I am so ready to get out
there with my new powers

and find out why groundhogs
come up and look around

at the end of winter.

(Stomach growling)

Ha ha, but first,
I need a snack.

I'm even hungrier than before.

Yeah, dandelion and grass salad.

Mmm, that would hit the spot.

(Chomping)

It's so delicious!

Aviva is acting
a little strange.

Uh, maybe we should see about
taking that suit off.

Argh!

You think?

Oh, but she's so into
groundhogs.

Let's just go with it.

Am I the only one who
remembers how this happened?

Huh?

Uh, guys?

Where are all the groundhogs?

Where they always spend
the winter.

Come on!

All the groundhogs are
underground hibernating.

That means not eating,
not moving,

just sleeping through
the whole winter.

Hmm, but is this
a groundhog hole,

a rabbit hole, or a fox hole?

Hmm.

No tracks coming in or out,

so it could belong to
a hibernating groundhog.

Only one way to find out.

Miniaturization!

Groundhogs, here we come!

Whoo!

Okay, we're right here.

The entrance leads into
a steep downward tunnel,

just like the groundhog burrow
from this morning.

Looks like a groundhog
burrow to me.

So, that means we should find
the hibernation chamber

right at the end
of this... wall?

What?

It's just a dead end!

Huh, so no groundhogs
down here.

Guess not.

Wait a second!

Groundhogs wall themselves in
when they're hibernating.

That's it!

To protect themselves
from predators

while they're sleeping
and defenseless.

Come on,
let's dig through!

(Grunting)

Ah!

Ugh!

Yes, there!

A groundhog!

Hibernating!

He has no idea we're here.

Let's run diagnostics on
a hibernating groundhog

and see how they compare.

Normal heart rate
was beats per minute.

Hibernating heart b*at?
Four beats per minute!

That's so slow!

His temperature
is degrees Fahrenheit.

That's almost as cold
as ice.

He's hardly burning
any heat at all!

(Groundhog breathing)

He's breathing only one time
every six minutes.

Come on, that's impossible!

It's true!

He just took a breath

and he won't breathe again
for six minutes.

This is true hibernation!

The groundhog slows
his whole body down

so it doesn't have
to use much energy.

Yeah, all the energy he needs

is stored in the layer of fat
he put on in summer

when he stuffed himself with
as much grass as he could.

That fat is all he needs to
survive through the winter

when there is no grass to eat.

Aviva, you've got
to come see this.

We found a hibernating
groundhog!

Incredible!

I'm on my way.

(Panting)

(Yawning)

Ay, I've never felt
this sleepy.

(Yawning)
Good night.

Uh, Martin? Chris?

We've got a little problem.

Make that a big problem.

And she's heading your way!

(Loud rumbling)

Ah!

(Martin gasping)

(Yawning)

Sweet dreams.

Uh-oh.

Did we just find the hidden
groundhog Creature Power?

Is Aviva going into...
hibernation?

Uh, wake up, Aviva!

(Martin grunting)

Don't go to sleep yet!

Wake up!

(Snoring)

Oh! Ooh! Ugh!

Yeah, she's hibernating.

Just like the groundhog
who stores fat

that his body can feed off
during the winter,

the Creature Power Suit
has stored energy, too.

And that must be why Aviva was
eating so much dandelion salad,

to store energy
for hibernation.

There's only one way
to be sure.

Run a diagnostic.

Temperature,
degrees Fahrenheit.

Almost as cold as ice.

Heart rate,
four beats per minute.

(Aviva breathing)

One breath
every six minutes.

Those are the exact same very
low numbers as the groundhog!

Aviva is definitely hibernating.

She could sleep
for a long time!

We've got to get her out
of this Power Suit!

Deactivate!

Wait!
Oof!

We can't deactivate her
out of her hibernation.

We have no idea
what that would do.

The changes that hibernation
makes to somebody's body

is so severe that coming out of
it suddenly could hurt Aviva.

And even if we could fix
the Power Suit,

we can't because
it's not broken!

Its groundhog powers
are working

exactly like
they're supposed to!

Are you done?

Oh, yeah, sorry.

But I think you're right.

Aviva has to come out of
the hibernation naturally

like a groundhog.

But how does that happen?

And how long
will that take?

(Gulping)

BOTH:
Until springtime.

(Martin playing harmonica)

♪

(Bird chirping)

The snow's melting.

The days are getting longer;
there's more light each day.

CHRIS:
That's it!

That's the signal to hibernating
animals to wake up!

And somehow,
unknown to scientists,

groundhogs can sense the
increasing amount of daylight

even when they're burrowed
underground.

(Groundhog breathing)

Koki! Jimmy!

The groundhog's awake.

Meet us outside.

He's coming up.

JIMMY Z:
What's he doing?

He's not seeing his shadow.

Does that mean
it's an early spring?

Oh, no.

He's going to see
his shadow.

That means that winter's
coming back.

KOKI:
He could care less
about his shadow.

He's looking
for something else.

He's on the move!

He's up here
for some reason,

and it's not to check
the weather.

(Martin panting)
Koki, Jimmy!

He's arrived
at another burrow.

Get over here fast!

Okay.

Why is he going
into this burrow?

MARTIN:
Only one way to find out.

Woo-hoo!
Woo-hoo!

(Sniffing)

There must be another groundhog
on the other side.

We've got to check it out!

It is another groundhog!

A female.

And she's still hibernating.

But he, a male groundhog,
is awake.

The male groundhog comes up
from his burrow

not to check if spring
is here,

but to check out
his territory

and survey what females are
hibernating in his territory.

He's looking
for girl groundhogs!

And there's good reason
for it!

Groundhogs have to have their
babies early in the spring,

just as the grass is growing

so they can eat as much
grass as possible,

and put on all that
extra weight that they need

for hibernation
in the next winter!

Hey, the male groundhog
is heading off again!

Whoa!

This must be where the
Groundhog Day story comes from,

but actually,
the truth is the groundhog

isn't checking the weather
or watching for shadows.

He's looking for girl groundhogs
sleeping in his territory.

So, that's why male groundhogs
come out earlier

while it's still winter.

BOTH:
Creature mission accomplished!

Well, almost.

We're still waiting for one
more groundhog to wake up.

(Yawning)

Oh, hey, guys.

Good morning, Aviva.

(Yawning)

How long have I been sleeping?

MARTIN:
Put it this way.

That was not a catnap,
more like a groundhog nap!

Yeah, the hidden power
of the groundhogs

is to store fat for energy,

slow everything down like
heartbeat and breathing,

and bring
the body temperature low,

and sleep through the winter.

Aviva, you were hibernating.

Huh?

(Yawning)

And check it out.

The groundhog Power Suit
is back to normal size.

You were living off
the energy you stored

from eating all those
dandelion salads.

(Stomach growling)
Ooh, I'm hungry.

Deactivate.

But no more dandelion salad.

I've got to grab
something else to eat.

And let's head south.

I miss Dandelion!

Ah, nothing like lying around

in the fresh green grass
where the groundhogs graze.

I can't wait to tell everybody

that groundhogs come out of
their burrow late in the winter

to start looking
for girlfriends.

And one other thing
we learned, again,

is that every animal
has some cool,

sometimes hidden,
Creature Power.

What about turkeys?

Oh, that sounds like another
creature adventure!

(All laughing)

(Martin laughing)

Well, no doubt about it,

the groundhog is
a really cool creature,

and pretty cute too.

Now, she looks real roly-poly,
right, and round?

But you know,
when you hold her,

you realize that upper body
is pretty strong,

and has to be, for digging
those amazing burrow systems.

And look at these hands!

Look at the claws
on the hands.

Those are good for digging.

And the hind feet,
they push the dirt out.

When the front feet dig,

the back feet push out
the loose dirt.

Now, let's put her down so she
can find some more to eat.

A groundhog's body is designed
to be low to the ground

so she can eat
as much grass as possible

as fast as possible.

For groundhogs,
especially in the north,

summer is the time
to get as fat as you can.

Because when summer's over,

all of the groundhog's food
disappears.

There's no fresh grass.

Without fresh grass
and vegetation,

there is nothing to eat,

so how does a creature

who depends on eating
fresh vegetation survive?

CHRIS:
With all that extra weight
gained during the summer,

a groundhog enters
her burrow,

and goes into a super sleep
called hibernation.

MARTIN:
Her body slows way,
way down to save energy.

CHRIS:
Her heartbeat slows to only
four beats per minute.

She breathes in...
(Inhaling breath)

and then doesn't breathe again
until six minutes later.

And she gets cold,

her body temperature
dropping

until she's almost
as cold as ice.

And then when spring
finally comes,

she emerges from her burrow
and starts eating grass again!

With her head down in the grass,

a groundhog can be vulnerable
to predators.

And what predator
wouldn't want to eat

a nice, round,
tasty groundhog?

Well, let's see,
wolves eat them.

Bears, golden eagles,
coyotes...

Uh, done yet, bro?

Badgers,
great horned owls...

Okay, we get the point.

Everybody loves
to eat groundhogs!

Good thing they're always a
quick sprint away from a burrow.

So, we'll just let this
groundhog get back to eating.

Like she ever stops.

And get back to hibernating.

But no hibernating for us.

We've got to keep on going.

Keep on creature adventuring!

See you on
the creature trail!

♪