03x08 - Around Australia in Eight Days

[bunniefuu]

[Didgeridoo playing]

When australians say
they're going outback,

They don't mean
the backyard.

They mean a huge desert

That's millions
of square miles.

Sounds great, martin.
Keep it going.

But australia
isn't just desert.

It has lush rain forests
filled with crocodiles...

Eucalyptus forests
that are home

To the mysterious
tasmanian devils...

[Growling]

And the largest construction job
in the world--

The great barrier reef!

Keep it up, martin.
Sounds great.

All that and more
coming up...

[Gasp]

On this episode
of kratts' creatures.

Iarriba! Iandale!
Iandale!

Thanks a lot!

Don't worry, mate!

We're here in silverton
in the outback,

Australia's
huge, barren desert.

Australia is home

To a whole world
of unique creatures.

One of the reasons
for that

Is australia's
diverse landscape.

It's got everything

From coral reefs
to rain forests,

From deserts
to marshlands.

We'll discover it

And the people
and creatures
that inhabit it

In the best way
we know how--
by re-creating

The journey of one
of the earliest
explorers,

Don estoban.

Who?

[Martin]
don estoban,

The great spanish
explorer!

I've never heard of him.
Wait a minute.

If you're going to
check out

How the first explorers
came to australia,

You should re-create
the journey of the aborigines.

After all, they were
the first people in australia,

Not some
spanish explorer.

Yeah, we know that.

The aborigines lived

All over the australian
continent,

But here
in estoban's journal,

We have the first account
of europeans in australia,

When he crossed
the entire continent
in just eight days.

It says
that he started

At this very spot
in the outback.

He went this way!

Let me get this
straight.

You're going to try and retrace
this guy's steps

And go around all of australia
in eight days?

It can't be done,

And I'll bet you
it can't be done.

[Chris]
a chance to check out

All of australia and its
totally amazing creatures?

We'll take that bet, al,
anytime, anywhere.

They don't stand
a chance.

You just have to look
at the numbers.

I mean, australia's
not just a country.

It's an entire continent,
and it stretches--

Wow! 2,500 Miles across,


North and south.

If you're going to try
and cover that much ground,

Where do you start?

How did this don estoban guy
do it?

When in rome,
do as the romans do...

And when in the outback,
ride camels.

The reason don estoban
used camels

To start his journey

Is because camels
are perfectly suited

To the dry
and rugged terrain

Of the outback.

What modern vehicles
can't do even today,

Camels have been doing
for centuries.

[Chris]
how does a camel do it?

[Martin]
well, we have to take a look

At the camel's
special equipment.

[Chris]
let's start with their feet.

[Martin]
wow. See how wide they are?

Wide feet keep
the camel from sinking

Into the loose sand.

[Chris]
and their long legs

Carry them great distances
over the worst terrain.

Ha! Look at her chewing.

[Martin]
when it comes to chewing,

Camels have style.

[Chris]
she eats thorny plants

That some other creatures
wouldn't dream of touching.

That gives her
a survival edge.

[Martin]
but to stay alive out here,

You also have to
be able to find...

[Gasp]

Water...

Water...

[Chris]
and when camels do find water,

They'll drink
up to 25 gallons at one go.

If a human could even drink
that much water,

One thing's for sure.

He'd be peeing
until next september.

One of the great myths
about camels

Is that they store water
in their humps.

Actually,
they don't store water.

They store fat.

You got that right!
It's the ultimate storage space.

You store all the fat
and nutrients up there,

And you've got
enough food

To last you
a good six months

Without even wanting
to snack.

As the camel's body
eats up the fat,

The fat releases fluid.

So that's why he doesn't need
water that often. Cool.

It's the ultimate in convenient
one-stop shopping,

But if you're human
and you're crossing the outback,

You've got to have water,
or you know what.

Uh, chowtime
for the wedge-tailed eagles?

No, I mean...

Hey! Where did you
go, guys?

Chris,
he's over there.

[Martin]
a kangaroo!

[Chris]
and a wallaby.

[Martin]
hey, if you can't tell

The difference,

Don't worry about it.

[Chris]
even experts sometimes confuse

These creature cousins.

[Martin]
but here's how you can tell

Who's the wallaby
and who's the 'roo.

It's all about size.

An adult gray kangaroo
can weigh up to 110 pounds...

[Chris]
and wallabies

Are under 45 pounds.

[Martin]
wallabies are the smaller guys,

And kangaroos are
the bigger ones.

[Chris]
look, that's a wallaby.

[Martin]
and that's a 'roo.

[Chris]
what makes you so sure?

[Martin]
well, look at the size of him!

[Chris]
that guy's definitely a 'roo.

[Martin]
when you get to know these guys,

It's easy
to tell them apart.

Right, chris? Chris?

[Chris]
hey, martin!
Up here!

[Allison]
hey, what have you guys found?

These are
aboriginal stencils.

They must be
hundreds of years old.

They look like they were
spray-painted on,

But the aborigines
really made them

By placing their hand
against the rock

And blowing a mixture

Of crushed rock,
emu fat, and water.

Making hand stencils
on cave walls

Was the way
that the aborigines

Left
their signature.

[Allison]
that's what I call a great find.

Those aboriginal stencils
could be like

The aborigines' way of saying,
"I was here."

You might be wondering,
"who are the aborigines?"

[Playing didgeridoo]

[Martin]
they're a group of people

Who are a major part
of australia's history.

[Chris]
aborigines have close ties

To the creature world.

This ritual dance
is a story

About the emu
and the kangaroo,

Two of australia's
greatest creatures.

[Martin]
tens of thousands of years ago,

The aborigines traveled

From asia to australia,
probably by canoe.

Over time,
the aborigines split up

Into different tribes
with different beliefs.

[Allison]
but they all have great respect

Towards
the creature world.

[Man singing
in native language]

[Chris]
aborigines learned to survive

In every part
of australia,

And they know everything

About creatures
down under,

Even more
than old don estoban.

[Martin]
creature adventurers

Like myself, chris,
and don estoban before us--

We all have
a lot to learn

From the australian
aborigines.

And just play that
and try--

So you hear
that change.

O.k.

[Toot]

Like that?

Yeah, not so hard.
Just softly.

O.k.

[Toot toot]

Make your lips
just "brrr"
with more air.

Like a horse,
kind of?

Yeah, kind of--
kind of like that.

[Long toot]

You know what?

I can't find
any reference

To this guy don estoban
anywhere.

You'd figure
if he actually made his way

Around australia
in about eight days,

He'd at least make
the history books.

I mean, even if he wasn't
the first human

To discover australia,
you'd think that--

[Ttark]
"discover"?

Historical
human hysteria!

People can't discover
a continent, al.

The continents
were there

And crawling
with all sorts of creatures

Before humans
came along.

It's just
an expression, ttark.

And it's got to go!

If anyone "discovered"
anything,

Why not diprotodon?

Maybe he's lost
a little weight

And is going
by the name "wombat" now,

But you may
as well say

He "discovered"
australia.

Or procoptodon--
that's a kangaroo to you guys.

He used to roam
the forests

And was the height
of two humans.

Believe me, al,

A lot was going on
before man arrived.

O.k., I apologize.

Humans say
we discovered
the continents

Because we're
the first ones

To chart and write
about them.

Well, if you're
going to judge things
by writing, sure,

But not everybody
writes things down, al.

[Martin]
lucky for us, ttark,

The great
don estoban did.

[Chris]
we're using old don's journal

As a travel itinerary.

[Martin]
you got to admit, chris,

Old estoban,
he traveled fast.

[Chris]
if the don were around today,

He'd be eating
our dust.

You ever get
the sneaking suspicion

That chris and martin
made up don estoban

Just so they could take a try
at this crazy trip?

He couldn't have
existed,

And he sure couldn't have seen
all there was to see

In australia
in eight days.

He would have starved to death
in the outback.

Man, they're really
going to lose our bet.

How will they
make it in time?

Think of all the creatures
they haven't even seen yet.

In australia,
you've got koalas...

Red kangaroos...

Wombats, flying foxes...

[Ttark]
chomp!

Chomp?

We've made it
to the australian
forest,

Home to more amazing
animals

Than you can shake
a stick at.

Hey, chris! Look!
There's a flying fox!

[Chris]
and a tree kangaroo.

[Martin]
wow! A cassowary.

[Chris]
all right, a koala.

[Martin]
that's the thing

About australia--

Most people only think
of the outback

When you mention
australia.

Uh, martin...

When you see
the whole continent,

You realize it's
home to all sorts
of creatures--

Including
the indo-pacific
crocodile.

Oh, wow.
This doesn't look smart.

[Martin]
they're not just any crocodiles.

They're saltwater
crocodiles.

There are crocs
in that water,

And the guys
are in there with them.

All the guys have to do
is steer clear,

Keep their feet and arms
out of the water,

And there's
no problemo!

If you don't look
like a potential meal

And if you don't give them
the opportunity,

They won't chomp!

[Chris]
crocs are fast, powerful,

And you don't want
to get

Anywhere
near those jaws, but...

You know,
the crocodile's
reputation

As a ruthless
k*ller

Is pretty
undeserved.

Yeah. Unlike humans,
crocs don't just
hunt for fun.

A croc hunts
when it's hungry

Or when it's defending
its young or territory.

[Martin]
crocodiles are ambush hunters.

[Chris]
that means

They don't hunt
by chasing an animal.

[Martin]
they just lay in wait

And watch for movement.

[Growling]

[Chris]
then when they see

Something move,

They'll snap it up
in their powerful jaws.

[Martin]
and that is bad news

For whoever moved.

[Chris]
it looks like

This croc's about
to ambush someone...

But he's not.

He's sort of doing
what dogs do when they pant.

[Martin]
an open mouth

Is the crocodilian way
of cooling down.

[Chris]
you'd think

With all these crocs
around,

We'd be
a little nervous.

[Martin]
but we're fine

As long as we keep
our distance.

So crocodiles
and humans
can get along

As long as humans
realize

That crocodiles
need their space

And you better
steer clear of them.

[Martin]
did you know

The crocodile family was around
even before the dinosaurs?

[Chris]
and they haven't changed

Much since.

We're safely away
from the crocodiles now,

But the water is still
the best place to be

To understand what crocodiles
are all about.

First of all,
crocs are great swimmers,

And unlike some people,
they never need noseplugs

Because a croc
has special flaps

That cover its ears and its nose
when swimming.

Goggles?
Doesn't need them, either.

The crocodile has
special see-through eyelids

For checking things out
underwater.

Fingers aren't needed
by crocs, either,

Because they have
their own webbed feet

And a muscular tail

That help them
tear through the water.

Guys, this is amazing.

Do you realize how much ground
you've covered already?

Pretty good,
but the bet's still on.

They aren't going to
make it.

Hey, we'll make it.

We just have to get
to the coastline.

Australia has
of coastline,

And for 3/4
of the human population

Who live within
a two-hour drive
of the ocean,

That's the place
to be.

And it's not
just because

It's the most
hospitable region
of australia.

It's also
the place for--

Surfing!

[Martin]
I wish we could surf

Like that gnarly dude!

[Chris]
the sea lion!

[Barking]

Look
at those two babies.

I guess they're waiting
for their moms,

Who are out fishing.

[Martin]
I guess that's not his mother.

[Chris]
hey, maybe that's her.

[Martin]
she's calling for her baby...

And the baby's
answering back!

[Chris]
that's right.

They can recognize
each other's voices.

That's how they find
each other.

[Martin]
and then when night falls,

The little blue fairy penguins
come surfing in.

[Martin]
penguins in australia?

Most people have no idea
penguins live in australia.

[Martin]
hey, where are they going?

[Chris]
it looks like

They're headed
to the dunes,

But first they've got to get
past the rocks.

[Martin]
they made it!

Hey, there's another thing
most people don't know

About blue fairy
penguins.

They live in burrows.

We've made it
to the east coast
of australia,

And surrounding us

Is the largest
living creature
on earth--

The great barrier
reef.

It isn't just
a single creature.

It's a collection
of many millions of creatures.

Some people call
the coral reefs

The jungles
of the sea

Because of their
amazing diversity
of life.

The way
to see it properly

Is to do like
don estoban did

And hit the water.

Man, this is so cool.

There's only
one way

To get
a closer look.

[Martin]
the great barrier reef

Is made
by coral polyps.

[Chris]
coral polyps

Are actually
small living creatures

That have
a rocklike skeleton.

[Martin]
when they die,

Their skeletons
are left behind,

And another layer
of polyps

Will attach themselves
to it.

[Chris]
billions of polyps

Have done this,

And that's how
the great barrier reef,

The world's largest structure,
was created.

[Martin]
the reef provides

A rich environment

For roughly


And many other creatures.

[Chris]
it's a really cool place.

[Martin]
but unfortunately,

We don't have any more time
to check it out.

I got to hand it
to these guys.

When they want
to go exploring,

They'll use anything--
camels, dinghies, zodiacs.

What next?

I had to ask, right?

Do you guys really know
where you're going?

Of course we know
where we're going.
Martin?

Yeah, sure.
We're going that way!

Holy smoke!

What do you see?

Smoke!

Smoke?

Smoke?

Where are they?

Ttark, the guys
are seeing smoke.

I know that's not
a good thing.

[Ttark]
hey, where there's smoke,

There's fire.

In australia,
bushfires are a way of life.

Let me tell you,
if you're a creature,

You've got to learn
to deal with fire.

Well, one way to deal
with fire,

And my personally preferred
method,

Is this--run!

Fly, jump,
hop, anything.

[Howling]

Take my buddy
the kangaroo.

He hops long and hard
to avoid a fire.

Or emus, who will run
like heck.

And wombats will burrow.

Forest fires
are terrifying.

Trust me. I know.

But there is
another side to it.

Natural forest fires
actually do some good.

Listen, burnt
trees and plants

Make for
super-rich soil,

And if you hung around
long enough--

Who knows, maybe
a couple hundred years--

You'd see a fantastic forest
grow back,

Which means
more insects,

Birds, mammals,
more everything.

Not so scary
after all, is it?

But you're talking
about natural fires, right?

Man-made fires
aren't good.

Well, I'll bet fire
is not so hot

For that balloon
contraption.

Hey, where did they go?

The balloon's gone.
Chris? Martin?

One thing
to remember

About traveling
in australia...

Is that
if you're doing it
in a hot-air balloon,

Make sure
there's enough air
in the balloon.

Hey, martin,
look where we are.

Where?

Hey, isn't this
the same place
we started?

Yeah, it is.

There's the railway
crossing sign.
There's the hotel.

There's
the sign that says
"joey orphanage."

Joey orphanage?

Let's go.

Joey orphanage? An orphanage
for baby kangaroos?

That's the greatest thing
I ever heard of--

People helping out
little 'roos in trouble.

[Martin]
joeys are baby kangaroos,

And more often then not,
they're orphaned

Not by predators,
but by a greater thr*at...

[Chris]
the automobile.

Hundreds of joeys
are left motherless every year.

[Martin]
and that's where

The joey orphanage
comes in.

Here, the orphaned joeys

Are fed and cared for
by the staff.

[Chris]
the people here

Act as replacement mothers,

Helping the joeys grow up
healthy and strong.

[Martin]
and then when the time is right,

They're released to live out
the rest of their lives

As wild kangaroos.

Hey, not a bad way
to end our trip, huh?

Old don estoban
couldn't have
done it better.

Maybe he ended it
this way.

Let's just say
he did.

"Let's just say he did"?

They made
the whole thing up

Just to see
if I'd fall for it.

There never was
any don estoban.

They just wanted to see
more of australia.

You can't blame us
for trying.

Yeah, we got to see
the amazing southland

And have some
incredible adventures.

O.k., They got me,
and I lost the bet.

Man, what won't
these guys do?

[Engine starts]

Next stop--africa.

See you there, al.

I never realized before

Just how diverse the landscape
of australia is--

Deserts, rain forests,
coral reef--

And I also
never realized

Just how many amazing creatures
live there

Who have adapted themselves
to the land,

And I know
I never realized

Just how tricky
chris and martin can be

When it comes
to spanish explorers.

I mean, they'll do anything
to keep the adventure going.

[Martin]
next stop--africa!

Hey, look! A whole new continent
to explore!