11x04 - The Salamander Room

[bunniefuu]

♪ Reading rainbow ♪

♪ Butterfly in the sky ♪

♪ I can go twice as high ♪

♪ Take a look ♪

♪ It's in a book ♪

♪ A reading rainbow ♪

♪ I can go anywhere ♪

♪ Friends to know ♪

♪ And ways to grow ♪

♪ A reading rainbow ♪

♪ I can be anything ♪

♪ Take a look ♪

♪ It's in a book ♪

♪ A reading rainbow ♪

♪ Reading rainbow ♪

Hi.

Welcome to one of earth's
most exotic places,

The rain forest.

Giant trees
tower overhead,

And birds...

Black leopards...

Turtles...

And monkeys live together
in this tropical environment.

So, where is
this rain forest?

Africa?

Costa rica?

Borneo?

No.

It's inside of a building
in new york city.

It's called jungleworld,

At the wildlife
conservation park, bronx zoo.

This jungle
is completely man-made,

Designed and built
by people

To be just like
a tropical rain forest.

This is my friend noreen.

She's a science teacher here,

And she knows all about
the animals here in jungleworld.

Tell me about
where we are.

[Noreen]
this is a very
specialized habitat.

It's called
the mangrove swamp.

These monkeys are
called proboscis monkeys.

They come from borneo,
in southeast asia.

This is exactly like
a mangrove forest

That they would
find at home.

It sure is.

You handcrafted
the trees

So the monkeys would
have what they need.

How'd you know
what to make?

They're so active,

Climbing and moving
through those swamps

Foraging
for their food.

We had to give them
strong, flexible branches,

And we made highways.

See how the branches
interlock?

They can travel
through them,

Never coming down
to the ground

If they choose
not to.

These guys
are fun to watch.

Check out
their noses--

Those big,
long snouts.

That's what
proboscis means,
right?

Absolutely.

Noreen, what are
these animals?

These are
malayan tapirs,

And they come
from asia.

That looks like
a recent delivery,

This baby tapir.

He's 2 weeks old
today.

And his coloration?

That color is
a special camouflage

That will fade
as he gets older.

It's so he can hide
from predators

While his mother
forages for food.

What environment
do tapirs live in?

What did you
create for them?

What we have here is
a riverbank.

They dwell
near rivers

On the soft,
sandy banks.

Wow. Where are we
now, noreen?

This is great.

This is the habitat
of the silver leaf langur,

A monkey that
only eats plants

In the asian
rain forest.

Wow.

This place is huge.

There's a whole
troop of langurs
living here.

I know it's man-made,

But this environment
looks so real.

What do langurs need
that you've provided?

They need
a big amount of space,

Lots of tall trees,

And these vines
called lianas
to climb on.

These monkeys swing.
They climb.

They teach their babies
to climb right here.

They seem to be
right at home.

This is
an incredibly
complex habitat.

Where
are we now?

This is my favorite.

We're on a mountain

Alongside a river
with a waterfall.

Beautiful.

Here in this habitat,

There's an animal
that looks like a crocodile.

It's called a garial.

Tell me about
the water system
you have here.

A lot of
the habitats
include water,

But this has to be
fresh water.

Nature has a beautiful
recycling system,

And it cleanses itself,

But here
in this habitat,

We need to
keep it clean.

Isn't that bird
in danger?

Absolutely not.

That bird
is perfectly safe.

Garials
don't eat birds.

They only eat fish.

Ahh...

Levar,

Look at that bird.

Isn't that neat?

That's a northern
pied hornbill.

That hornbill needs to use
those lianas, too,

Just like
the monkeys do.

You know, noreen,

It seems
you people here

Have a real feeling
for these animals.

We certainly do.

It's not just
the love for animals.

All of us--

The researchers,
the scientists,

The educators
like myself--

We all want to
educate people

And tell them
what's happening
in nature.

So if people
can come here

And experience
the value

In life
in the rain forest,

They'll be moved
to help.

The people
are our future.

They can decide
what happens
to this planet.

As you can see,

Making a home for animals
is complicated.

You have to give them
what they need.

That's what brian found out
in this book,

The salamander room.

Briafound a salamander
in the woods.

It was
a little orange salamander

That crawled through
the dried leaves

Of the forest floor.

The salamander
was warm and cozy

In the boy's hand.

"Come live with me,"
brian said.

He took
the salamander home.

"Where will he sleep?"
His mother asked.

"I will make him

"A salamander bed
to sleep in.

"I will cover him
with fresh leaves

"And bring moss
to be a pillow for his head.

"I'll bring crickets
to sing him to sleep

And bullfrogs to tell him
good-night stories."

[Ribbit ribbit]

[Rooster crows]

"When he wakes up,
where will he play?"

"I will carpet my room
with leaves

"And water them
so he can slide around.

"I will bring
tree stumps

"So he can climb up
and sun himself,

"And I will bring
boulders

That he can creep over."

"He will miss his friends
in the forest."

"I will bring salamander
friends to play with him."

"They will be hungry.
How will you feed them?"

"I'll bring insects
to live in my room.

"Every day, I'll catch some
and feed the salamanders.

"I will make pools of water
on the boulders

So they can drink
whenever they're thirsty."

[Slurp slurp slurp]

"The insects will multiply,

And soon there will be bugs
and insects everywhere."

"I will find birds

"To eat the extra bugs
and insects,

And the bullfrogs
will eat them, too."

"Where will the birds
and bullfrogs live?"

[Chirp chirp]

"I'll bring trees
for the birds to roost in

And make ponds
for the frogs."

[Ribbit ribbit ribbit]

"Birds need to fly."

"We can lift off
the ceiling.

"They will sail out
in the sky,

"But they'll come back
to my room for dinner

"Because they will know

The biggest, juiciest insects
are there."

[Chirp]

[Chirp]

"But the trees--
how will they grow?"

"The rain will come
through the open roof,

"And the sun, too.

"Vines will creep up
the walls of my room,

"And ferns will grow
under my bed.

"There will be
big white mushrooms

"And moss like little stars
growing around the tree stumps

That the salamanders
climb on."

"And you--
where will you sleep?"

"I will sleep on a bed
under the stars,

"With the moon shining

"Through the green leaves
of the trees.

"Owls will hoot,

"And crickets will sing,

"And next to me,
on the boulder,

"With its head resting
on soft moss,

The salamander will sleep."

Usually, nature provides
everything animals need to live,

But when you create
the habitat,

You have to provide it.

So, how do you make
a jungle?

Well, first,
you need trees.

Ha ha ha!

There are lots of them
here at jungleworld,

But only some are real.

This huge kapok tree
was completely made by hand.

The bark, branches--
everything was created.

Back in 1981,

These steel structures
became trees

When artists
plastered cloth

And gooey glue on them...

And rolled and etched

And scratched
the doughy surface

To make them look
like real trees.

The branches
had to look right, too,

So epoxy was rubbed
onto every inch of the tree.

This man even painted
an imitation fungus

Right onto the bark.

But what about...

That huge
fallen tree trunk?

It looks like
that just happened, right?

Wrong.

A big fake log
was put there

By the creators
of jungleworld

Because trees fall like that
in the rain forest.

See that person
on the ladder?

He added real plants
that would grow there.

If the trees are man-made,
what about the vines?

Well, they look authentic,

But the vines
are works of art, too.

Look how they were made.

Strands of rope
were coated with rubber

And patted down
to give the right texture.

In the jungle,
nature twists the vines,

But here, artists had to
do their own twisting,

And the monkeys
just love them.

Now, take a look
at these rocks.

Believe it or not,

These rocks
are sculpture.

They're made to look

Like the limestone
in the jungle,

But they're really formed
of steel and cement

And carved
to look real.

The artists used trowels

To make grooves
and layers.

Recognize this tool?

It's a regular sponge,
used for wiping

And smoothing.

Just like
in the real rain forest,

This jungle looks like
it goes on forever.

The walls are a painting
of the rain forest

Which makes you think
you're looking into the jungle.

These artists
studied photographs

So they would use
the right colors

For trees and rocks

And create backgrounds

That had a misty,
foggy look to them.

Not everything
in jungleworld is man-made.

There are trees
and plants here

That you'd find
in the real rain forest.

You want to know
how they got here?

These palms were grown
in nurseries

And carefully shipped
to jungleworld.

They were unloaded
and planted in specific spots

Where the trees would have

Enough light, warmth,
and moisture to live.

O.k., Lift away.

To create
a man-made jungle,

You need to know plenty
about the real thing.

How do we know so much

About the rain forest?

From the scientists
who go there.

The rain forest is a place
of vast mystery and beauty.

It's home to more plants
and animals

Than anywhere else.

Some of them
are unusual.

Just take a look
at this three-toed sloth.

In this rich, green jungle,

There are hundreds
of thousands of secrets

Waiting to be discovered.

Scientists come
from all over the world

To learn and study,
to test and probe.

They label trees,

Identify insects,

Study leaves that carpet
the forest floor.

They traipse
through mud...

Glide through rivers,

Asking, "who lives here,
and why?"

The hardest places to reach
often hide the most secrets,

So scientists invent
new ways to investigate.

One way is to rise
above the forest

And travel in
a hot-air dirigible, or blimp.

That's just what these explorers
are getting ready to do.

[Engine running]

A lightweight mesh raft

Will become
a treetop laboratory

When they reach
their destination.

The raft,
big as a baseball diamond,

Has six main ribs

Connected by
a strong fiber netting

That runs all the way
around it.

As the blimp cruises
over the forest,

The raft looks like
a giant spider web

Spinning in the sky.

There's fog
in the rain forest.

Landing the raft must be done
with precision and care.

The pilots choose
the best approach and descend.

The raft settles right
on the treetops,

Or forest canopy,
scientists came to study.

They undo
the ropes and ties

And set the raft free.

The blimp
will pick them up

After their treetop
exploration is done.

They're on their own.

The raft nestles
into a sea of green.

The scientists figure out
how to walk on the netting

And how to gather
the plants and animals

They want to study.

The researchers
are often surprised

To discover insects
no one has ever seen before.

The scientists
work round the clock

Because at night,
different insects

And animals come out,

Like this tiny tree frog
climbing on a fingertip.

But the raft is not only
the scientists' laboratory.

They will sleep
and eat here

Until the blimp
picks them up.

The pilots get ready
to make their approach.

They catch sight of the raft
and head in,

Tossing out lines
that will secure the raft

And lift it off the canopy.

Although this research trip
is over,

The search for rain forest
secrets has just begun.

The more we learn

About this
remarkable ecosystem,

The better chance we have
to help it survive.

You can see
the world's natural treasures

Without trekking all over.

Just hike to your library

And safari
through a science book.

But don't take
my word for it.

Hi. My name is andrew.

A rain forest
is a fabulous place.

It's too far away
to visit,

But I took a trip there

By reading
the great kapok tree.

The man wants to cut down
the great kapok tree.

The tree trunk
is so thick

That the man
has to rest.

The forest sounds
lull him to sleep.

A boa constrictor
whispers in his ear.

"Senor, this tree
is a tree of miracles."

Other animals
whisper to the man, too.

My favorite part

Is when the animals
and the rain forest child

Tell the man how much
the tree means to them.

You'll be fascinated
by this story.

It's like traveling
another world.

You'll love it!

Imagine being a chipmunk.

You're small, furry,

And when you eat acorns,

Your cheeks puff up
like balloons.

Read all about it

In this book,
chipmunk song.

It's fun pretending
you're a chipmunk.

You live under the trees,
under the grass,

And in holes
in the ground.

You make your bed
out of leaves

And hide food under it.

Do you see the acorns?

That's what a chipmunk eats.

One after another,

They stuff them
into their furry cheeks.

Doesn't he look silly?

I didn't know
being a chipmunk

Could be so much fun.

I'm annie,
and I read this book.

I think that it's great.

Hopping, jumping,
swimming, climbing--

I love doing that stuff.

Who else
likes those things?

Amphibians and reptiles,

Like the ones
in this book,

Frogs, toads, lizards,
and salamanders.

When y see these animals
scurrying by,

You never stop to think,

"How does that amal
survive another day?"

This boo
will tell you

Everything about
these animals.

I like salamanders,

Especially the hellbender.

They are giant salamanders,

And, boy, are they ugly!

This book will help you

Understand and appreciate
these animals.

The next time you see
one of these creatures,

Watch it, but don't try
to catch it.

Let it survive
in its own home.

I'm nowell zimmerman,

Telling you to take care of
our animal friends.

Thanks to scientists
who study the rain forest,

We can create a jungle
in a building.

Everyone can experience it.

Someday, maybe you'll
be a scientist

And bring
the mysteries of nature

One step closer
to us all.

I'll see you next time.

♪ Butterfly
in the sky ♪

♪ I can go
twice as high ♪

♪ Take a look ♪

♪ It's in a book ♪

♪ A reading rainbow ♪

♪ A reading rainbow ♪

♪ A reading rainbow ♪

♪ A reading rainbow ♪

♪ A reading rainbow ♪♪

Today's reading rainbow books
are...

The salamander room,
by anne mazer,

Illustrated by steve johnson,

Published
by alfred a. Knopf.

The great kapok tree: a tale
of the amazon rain forest,

By lynne cherry,
published by gulliver/hbj.

Chipmunk song,
by joanne ryder,

Pictures by lynne cherry,

Published by lodestar books,

An affiliate
of dutton children's books,

A division of
penguin books usa inc.

Frogs, toads, lizards,
and salamanders,

By nancy winslow parker
and joan richards wright,

Illustrations
by nancy winslow parker,

Published
by greenwillow books.