Talking Andy's Baby Animals

# Andy's Baby Animals Andy's Baby Animals

# If you're a polar bear and you're going somewhere

# Andy's Baby Animals

# Or an elephant calf, then you better take care

# Andy's Baby Animals

# If you're a capuchin and you have to eat

# An ostrich chick trying to beat a retreat

# Andy's Baby Animals Andy's Baby Animals

# If you're a black bear looking for a tree to climb

# Andy's Baby Animals

# Or a penguin chasing Mum at breakfast time

# Andy's Baby Animals

# An orangutan trying to make a bed

# Or a meerkat struggling with a sleepy head

# Andy's Baby Animals Andy's Baby Animals

# We're growing stronger every day

# Watch them try and laugh and play

# Andy's Baby Animals Andy's Baby Animals. #

GROANING

What's that, Marvin? Oh, yes, I agree.

Hello, I'm Andy, and this is a baby meerkat.

Now, meerkats live in big family groups

and they love talking to each other.

Shall I see if I can talk meerkat?

HIGH-PITCHED GROAN

I think Marvin here knows that I'm not a meerkat.

Wouldn't it be great if we understood what animals were saying?

First stop, Kenya in Africa.

LION ROARS

Whoa!

How's that for a roar?

Lions are the loudest cats in the world.

GROANING Aw!

Not quite as noisy when they're that little, though.

These African lions live in a family called a pride.

You can tell which one's Dad.

He's got all that shaggy hair on his head.

It's called a mane.

He's also got a big mouth.

Perfect for a spot of roaring.

They're not just making all that noise for fun, though.

That's their way of saying to all the other lion families,

"Hey, you lot, stay off our patch."

Pity impressive, eh?

That roar is almost as loud as the siren on a fire engine.

Now Mum and her sisters are joining in too.

Your turn.

Good try, little one.

Every lion needs to know how to roar.

MUFFLED ROAR

They learn by copying the grown-ups.

It's a shouting school for lions.

I think you need a bit more practice

if you want to be as noisy as Mum and Dad, though.

# Andy's Baby Animals Andy's Baby Animals. #

In Antarctica, there are some babies that have a loud voice

when they're still little.

This ball of fluff is a penguin.

He lives in a big group called a colony.

These guys are chinstrap penguins.

They're called that because it looks like

they've got a black helmet strapped to their head.

I think Mum must be off getting breakfast.

Penguins like fish for breakfast...

and lunch...

and supper too.

She's got to bring breakfast home to her chick.

I hope she can find him again.

There are so many penguins here.

Luckily our chick has got a very noisy call,

especially when he's got an empty tummy.

Here she comes.

Oh, just look at her go.

PENGUINS CALL

Right, just that big hill to climb.

Oh!

Erm...

Hmm...

Maybe putting the colony at the top of a muddy, icy slope

wasn't such a good idea after all.

Whoops.

Oh, dear.

Whoa, whoa, ooh.

ANDY CHUCKLES

It's a pity penguins can't fly.

Come on, Mum, get a grip.

Oh!

Yes! She's made it.

Oh, well done, Mum.

Now all she and the other mums have to do

is to find their families again.

Shouldn't be too hard!

I mean, there's only 150,000 birds here.

Erm...

Er...

Ah.

Good idea, guys.

Use that loud voice of yours.

Over here, Mum!

Everyone knows that mums have great hearing.

PENGUIN CALLS

A penguin's ears are so good,

Mum can pick out her own chick's call,

even though everyone else is shouting too.

See? Clever Mum has found them.

She came straight to his call.

And now he can use that motor mouth for eating,

rather than shouting.

PENGUIN SQUAWKS

# Andy's Baby Animals Andy's Baby Animals. #

In Sri Lanka, some baby animals can talk without making a sound.

This baby macaque is only ten weeks old.

She lives in a big family too, called a troop.

These monkeys like to chat,

but they mainly communicate by pulling funny faces at each other.

Genius.

If you're raising your eyebrows, it means, "I'm a bit worried."

And this crazy smile is actually their way of saying,

"I don't want any trouble today, thanks."

I know. Amazing, isn't it?!

She's going to have to learn all these funny faces

if she wants to talk to the other monkeys.

Right, where to start?

Maybe try it out on her friends first.

She's asking them if she can join in.

Oh, dear. I don't think they want to play with her.

Maybe the grown-ups will understand her.

She needs to be careful to follow the rules, though.

This is the boss.

He's called the alpha male.

He's a bit full of himself, thinks he's a king or something.

When he looks you in the eye,

you have to chatter your teeth together to show respect.

Weird, isn't it?

I suppose it's the monkeys' way of doing a bow or a curtsy.

Uh-oh.

It looks like our little friend has caught his eye.

If she doesn't chatter her teeth, she'll be in trouble.

Come on.

Come on, you can do it.

Aw, yes.

She did it.

With funny faces like that,

she's going to fit right in around here.

Give her a big hug, Mum, to say well done.

Aw.

For a lion cub, a penguin chick or a young macaque,

it's really important to find your voice.

It's all part of growing up.

Isn't that right, Marvin?

He said yes. See you next time.