Getting Around Andy's Baby Animals

# Andy's Baby Animals Andy's Baby Animals

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

# Or an elephant cub Then you better take care

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

# An ostrich chick trying to beat a retreat

# Andy's Baby Animals

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

# Or a penguin chasing Mum at breakfast time

# 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. #

Hello. I'm Andy.

And this is Allie.

Allie is a baby alligator, or hatchling.

Now, alligators get around by walking, running, or swimming.

Now, this one's only small, so he can't run very fast,

but when he gets bigger, he'll get faster.

And he will get bigger, because, did you know,

alligators never stop growing.

When they're in the water, they don't just use their legs to swim.

They use these fantastic tails as well, a bit like a fish.

And in the water, they can hold their breath for four hours,

which is really handy when they're waiting for their food.

Getting around's a big challenge for little animals.

First stop, Tanzania in Africa.

Some animals have taken moving around to a truly epic scale.

These are wildebeest.

But you can also call them gnu.

One animal, two names. I know, confusing, isn't it?

They live together in huge groups called herds.

Sometimes up to a million animals.

And it takes an awful lot of grub to feed all those mouths.

So the wildebeest are always on the move,

looking for fresh grass to munch.

But how do you keep up with the herd

if you've never even stood up before?

This little wildebeest calf has only just been born.

But already its mum is getting ready to move on.

It'll have to learn to walk very

quickly if it doesn't want to get left behind.

Luckily, baby wildebeest know how to stand up all on their own.

For a while, at least.

That's it. Come on. Keep trying.

It takes a human baby almost a year to stand up.

But these clever calves can do it in just three wobbly minutes,

which makes them one of the quickest animals to get up on their

feet anywhere in the world.

And once they're up,

there's no stopping them.

Hee-hee!

Wildebeest can run as fast as a car, up to 50kph.

And running that fast is a lot of fun.

Hey-hey!

Now the calf can join its mum on the search for new grasslands.

And be part of one of the largest groups of animals on the planet.

Coming through, coming through!

I just hope the wildebeest at the front knows where he's going.

# Andy's Baby Animals

# Andy's Baby Animals

Now we're off to the South Pole.

Not all baby animals are so speedy on their feet.

These Adelie penguins don't seem to be going anywhere in a hurry.

They live in a very cold place called Antarctica,

right at the bottom of the world.

Penguins don't fly like most birds.

Their main way of getting around is to swim.

But they start their lives on land.

Penguin parents usually have two babies called chicks.

And it's up to Mum and Dad to show their youngsters how to walk.

Or waddle.

One way to teach the chicks how to

get around is to take them out for a race.

Waddle, waddle, waddle, waddle.

This parent has been fishing,

but it's only got enough food to feed one chick at a time.

The chick that catches up first gets the meal.

"Let me get to the food first!"

Now, that's what I call fast food!

"I'm coming! I'm coming!" "Come on!"

Running around like this is great exercise and will help the

chicks to build up their strength and speed,

ready to go and catch their own fish.

Go on, you can do it!

Oh, it doesn't seem to be improving their balance, though.

Ouch!

Oh, never mind.

The other chick may have won this time,

but he'll be much too full to win the next race.

# Andy's Baby Animals

# Andy's Baby Animals

Well, we've certainly been getting about. Last stop, Argentina.

Even the toughest animals sometimes

need help from their mum to get around.

This mum is a type of crocodile called a caiman.

And her babies are just hatching out of their eggs.

To keep them safe and warm, Mum has covered the eggs with dirt.

So when the caimans hatch, they need to cry out and get her attention.

SQUEAKING

That lets Mum know that she needs to dig them out.

SQUEAKING

The babies are much too small to get out on their own,

so unless Mum finds them, they'll be stuck.

Keep digging, Mum. They're in there somewhere.

Go on. You're so close.

Hooray! Well done.

But how's Mum going to get her new hatchlings down to the river?

Well, her babies may not like the answer to that question,

because caimans carry their young...

..in their jaws.

Don't worry, though. Mum is really gentle.

And it doesn't hurt the babies at all.

See? There it is.

Hello! Despite their scary looks,

caimans are actually brilliant mums.

Always looking out for their offspring.

Which is why the babies make sure they always stay close to Mum.

Sometimes really close.

In fact, caimans are so caring,

they'll even look after babies belonging to other mums.

Imagine having a crocodile as your baby-sitter.

Hm...

As long as they're in the water, the little caimans are safe.

But what happens in the summer when the rivers dry up?

It's up to caiman mums to save the day again.

This mum is moving her babies to find a bigger river.

SQUEAKING

As they walk, the babies call out.

SQUEAKING

And if they start to fall behind...

..Mum stops and waits for everyone to catch up.

It might be a slow way of getting around,

but it means that everyone makes it to the new river safe and sound.

See? I told you. Caimans are brilliant mums.

Wildebeest calves, caiman hatchlings

and penguin chicks all learn different ways to get around.

Allie's ready for a swim now. Aren't you, Allie?

See you next time.