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Transcript: Squirrel!
Text reads, “tvo kids + Fifth Ground Entertainment Original”
A kid says, WEE!
(Giggling)
A bee flies over dandelions in a field.
Text reads, “Leo’s Pollinators. TVOkids Presents”
Leo says,
IT'S ME, LEO!
THE EXPLORER CLUB
IS ON A NEW MISSION.
WE'RE HELPING THE POLLINATORS,
THOSE AMAZING CREATURES
WHO MOVE POLLEN
FROM ONE PLANT TO ANOTHER.
POLLEN IS THE STUFF
THAT HELPS MAKE OUR FRUITS,
VEGETABLES AND FLOWERS.
A bee pollinates a pink flower.
Text reads, “‘Nator Navigator”
Leo continues,
WITHOUT OUR POLLINATORS
FLYING, BUZZING,
SLITHERING AROUND,
WE'D ALL BE GOING HUNGRY,
EVEN ME!
HOUSTEN AND CHLOE ARE IN THE
FIELD HELPING THE EXPERTS,
SO GRAB YOUR BOOTS
AND YOUR NET,
AND YOU CAN BE
A POLLINHEAD TOO.
Text reads, “Leo’s Pollinators Explorer Club”
Leo, a red and blue fish, swims past two monitors at the bottom of a lake that read “Leo’s Pollinators Explorer Club”
Leo says,
HEY, POLLINHEADS.
IT'S ME, LEO, THE CATFISH.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE
YOU DIDN'T CONFUSE ME
WITH TODAY'S POLLINATING STAR,
THAT'S RIGHT, POLLINHEADS,
THE SOUTHERN FLYING SQUIRREL
IS AT THE TOP
OF THE 'NATOR NAVIGATOR.
DON'T TELL ME YOU CAN'T SEE
THE SIMILARITIES.
OKAY, OKAY, TECHNICALLY
I'M A POLLINHEAD,
NOT A POLLINATOR.
ASIDE FROM THAT,
WE'RE VIRTUALLY TWINSIES.
THE FLYING SQUIRREL
DOESN'T ACTUALLY FLY,
IT GLIDES, JUST LIKE ME.
I GLIDE THROUGH THE WATER.
THE FLYING SQUIRREL
HAS A FLAT TAIL
THAT IT USES AS A RUDDER
TO GUIDE ITS DIRECTION
IN THE AIR.
I USE MY TAIL TO GUIDE
MY DIRECTION IN THE WATER.
THE FLYING SQUIRREL
HAS SENSITIVE WHISKERS
THAT HELPS THEM DIRECT
THEIR FLIGHT.
MINE HELPS ME TO KNOW
IF THERE ARE SNACKS NEARBY.
THE FLYING SQUIRREL HAS BIG,
ROUNDED EYES
TO HELP IT SEE AT NIGHT.
I'VE BIG ROUNDED EYES
THAT HELP ME SEE UNDERWATER.
THE FLYING SQUIRREL
ISN'T YOUR AVERAGE SQUIRREL.
AND, WELL, I'M HARDLY
YOUR AVERAGE CATFISH,
SO THERE YOU GO,
WE COULDN'T BE MORE SIMILAR.
THE POLLINHEADS ARE MEETING UP
WITH MONTANNA AND TARRA,
FROM PARKS CANADA,
TO HELP WITH A FLYING
SQUIRREL SURVEY
IN POINT PELEE NATIONAL PARK.
THESE IMPORTANT POLLINATORS
HELP TO KEEP THE FOREST HEALTHY.
SO MAKING SURE THE POPULATION
IS DOING WELL IS KEY.
OFF TO THE FOREST WE GO!
Point Pelee National Park, Ontario is marked on a map with an orange flag. A white flower is displayed on the flag.
Chloe and Housten stand beside a picnic table in a dense forest. Chloe wears a sun hat and an orange safety vest over her purple t-shirt. Housten wears a safety vest over his bright green t-shirt. His dark hair is puffed up.
Text reads, “Montanna Diakun. Point Pelee National Park, Jr. Biologist”
Montanna leans on the picnic table in front of a bag of oats and a container of apples. She wears an orange safety shirt and a grey baseball hat over her braided dark hair.
Montanna reaches into the bag of oats.
She says,
ALL RIGHT, POLLINHEADS.
WE'RE GONNA GET THIS FOOD READY
FOR THE FLYING SQUIRREL TRAPS.
SO WE HAVE THESE SLICED APPLES,
SOME OATS, MOLASSES,
AND PEANUT BUTTER.
Housten mixes the ingredients.
Leo notes,
POLLINHEADS,
A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE SERIOUS
PEANUT ALLERGIES,
SO ALWAYS ASK YOUR FRIENDS
BEFORE YOU BRING OUT THE NUTS.
Housten says,
YUMMY, I'D BE SNACKING
ON THIS MYSELF.
Chloe adds,
I'M SURPRISED THAT FLYING
SQUIRRELS ARE POLLINATORS.
Montanna responds,
USUALLY WHEN YOU THINK OF
POLLINATORS, YOU THINK OF BEES.
BUT FLYING SQUIRRELS
ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
WHEN THEY EAT MUSHROOMS,
THEY PICK UP WHAT
ARE CALLED SPORES.
SO THEY'RE KIND OF LIKE
THE SEEDS OF MUSHROOMS,
OR FUNGI, AS THEY'RE MORE
PROPERLY CALLED.
AND SPREAD SPORES
ALL AROUND THE FOREST.
SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE THEY'RE
POLLINATING THE FOREST.
Housten responds,
SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE THEY'RE
DOING IT BY ACCIDENT.
Montanna says,
IT IS,
BUT IT'S A HAPPY ACCIDENT,
BECAUSE IT KEEPS THE FOREST
ECOSYSTEM HEALTHY.
Montanna picks up a rectangular metal trap and shows the opening to Housten and Chloe.
Montanna states,
THIS PART OF THE TRAP IS WHERE
THE SQUIRREL IS GONNA GO IN,
BECAUSE IT'S GOT THE DOOR.
SO WE PUT THE BAIT IN THE BACK
OF THE TRAP HERE.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE JUST
A LITTLE BIT OF THIS...
PEANUT BUTTER MIXTURE,
AND WE'RE GONNA STICK IT
IN THE UPPER CORNER
OF THIS TRAP. HERE.
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA TAKE
SOME OF THIS COTTON FLUFF
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA PUT IT
IN HERE,
AND THAT WILL BE THE FLYING
SQUIRREL'S BEDDING
FOR THE NIGHT.
THEN THE LAST THING WE'RE GONNA
DO IS TAKE THIS APPLE SLICE
AND WE'RE GONNA STICK IT
IN THE BOTTOM HERE,
AND THAT'S ALL SET UP.
Housten smiles.
He says, YEAH!
Montanna asks,
YOU GUYS WANNA TRY?
Chloe answers, YEAH!
Housten adds, YEAH.
Montanna replies, ALL RIGHT.
Montanna, Housten, and Chloe set up three squirrel traps with peanut butter, fluff, and apples.
Chloe asks,
WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT
THAT WE KEEP TRACK
OF THE FLYING SQUIRRELS?
Montanna responds,
WELL, IT WASN'T THAT LONG AGO
THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY
FLYING SQUIRRELS HERE AT ALL.
THEY'D ALL DISAPPEARED
FROM THE PARK.
SO WE TOOK NINETY-NINE FLYING
SQUIRRELS FROM A NEARBY AREA
AND WE BROUGHT THEM OVER HERE.
SO EVERY TWO YEARS WE SET THESE
TRAPS TO TAKE A LOOK
AT THE POPULATION.
WE WANT TO SEE
HOW THEY'RE DOING.
ARE THEY SURVIVING?
ARE THEY HEALTHY?
DO THEY LIKE IT HERE?
ARE THEY HAVING FAMILIES?
Housten asks, AND IS IT WORKING?
Montanna answers,
WE'RE HAPPY TO SAY THAT THE
DATA SHOWED THAT THE
POPULATION IS STABLE AND
HEALTHY, AND WE'RE HOPING THIS
TREND WILL CONTINUE.
Text reads, “Tarra Degazio. Point Pelee National Park, Ecologist”
Montanna and Tarra lean tall ladders against a tree. Tarra wears an orange safety vest over her green golf shirt. Her blonde hair is tucked under her tan baseball hat.
Housten and Chloe climb the ladders and place the traps in branches.
Leo says,
THE TEAM FROM PARKS CANADA
SETS TRAPS
RIGHT ALONG THE SIDE
OF THE MAIN ROAD
THAT RUNS THROUGH THE PARK.
AND EACH TREE WITH A TRAP
HAS A NUMBER.
SO WHEN THEY CATCH A SQUIRREL,
THEY KNOW WHERE IN THE FOREST
THE SQUIRRELS ARE HANGING OUT.
CLEVER, EH?
Montanna climbs down one of the ladders.
She says,
ALL RIGHT, SO I WANT YOU
BOTH TO MAKE SURE
YOU HAVE A GREAT NIGHT'S SLEEP,
BECAUSE WE'RE BACK HERE
TOMORROW BRIGHT AND EARLY
TO CHECK ALL THE TRAPS.
Housten replies, AWESOME!
Leo watches Montanna on a monitor at the bottom of the lake.
Leo notes,
IT'S EARLY,
BUT OFF TO BED YOU GO.
I'LL BE STAYING UP ALL NIGHT,
JUST LIKE THE FLYING SQUIRRELS.
Day turns to night as clouds pass over the forest.
(Snoring)
Leo sleeps as a squirrel jumps from one tree trunk to another on the monitor.
(Sleepy mumbling)
The sun rises.
(Wakening snort)
A white pick-up truck parks on the side of a tree-lined trail. A decal on the side of the truck reads “Parks Canada”
Leo wakes up.
He says, WHA-?
Montanna, Tarra, Chloe, and Housten hop out of the truck. Montanna and Tarra lean a ladder against a tree. Chloe and Housten watch as Montanna climbs it.
Montanna says,
WELL, THE TRAP IS CLOSED,
SO PREPARE TO HOP INTO ACTION.
Chloe replies, ALL RIGHT!
Montanna carries the trap down the ladder. Housten and Chloe peek inside.
Chloe asks, A MOUSE?
Montanna responds,
IT'S NOT UNUSUAL, WE ACTUALLY
CATCH QUITE A LOT OF MICE.
Montanna drops a squirrel into a large plastic tub. The squirrel hides under the fluff from the trap.
Montanna pulls another trap out of a tree.
Housten says,
I HOPE IT'S A SQUIRREL,
BUT IT MIGHT JUST BE A MOUSE.
Chloe replies,
I BET YOU A POPSICLE
THAT IT'S A FLYING SQUIRREL.
Housten responds, DEAL.
Montanna holds the trap over the container. Housten and Chloe look inside.
She says,
OKAY, I'M GONNA OPEN IT
SUPER SLOWLY.
Housten responds, WHOA!
Chloe adds,
HA! NOW YOU OWE ME
A POPSICLE.
Housten responds,
TO SEE A FLYING SQUIRREL
UP CLOSE,
I GIVE YOU A HUNDRED POPSICLES.
(Laughs)
Montanna pulls a toolbox off the back of the truck.
She says,
SO WE'RE GONNA OPEN
OUR MONITORING KIT HERE.
TARRA, DO YOU WANT TO COME GET
THIS SQUIRREL OUT WITH ME?
Tarra approaches Montanna.
Tarra replies, SURE.
Montanna adds,
AND WE WANNA GET THE SQUIRREL
OUT OF THE TRAP INTO THE BAG.
She covers the opening of the trap with a net.
Montanna asks,
ALL READY FOR CATCHING?
Tarra answers, YES.
She shakes the trap. The squirrel falls into the net.
Chloe responds,
OKAY. OH!
(Rattles)
Montanna says,
DID YOU GET IT?
HERE, GRAB IT, THERE YOU GO.
Housten says, WHOA!
(Gasps)
Chloe adds,
AWWW!
HE'S SO CUTE.
HI, THERE.
Montanna states, WE CAUGHT IT.
She weighs the squirrel in the net.
Montanna says,
CHLOE, SO COME RIGHT
OVER HERE.
I'M GONNA GET YOU TO HOLD ON
TO THE SCALE FOR ME.
THE TOP METAL PART, YEAH.
THERE WE GO,
AND WE'RE GONNA LET GO.
The squirrel climbs to the top of the bag as Chloe holds it.
Housten responds,
GOOD JOB, CHLOE.
Montanna adds,
IT'S GONNA JUMP AROUND A BIT.
Chloe replies,
OH MY GOSH!
Montanna looks at the scale.
She reads,
ONE HUNDRED.
SO, HOUSTEN.
Housten replies, YEAH?
Montanna continues,
THERE'S A COLUMN THAT SAYS,
"MASS" THERE.
WE'RE GONNA WRITE ONE HUNDRED.
Housten makes a note on a piece of paper.
He responds, MM-HMM.
Montanna examines the squirrel.
She adds,
SO WHEN WE CAPTURE SQUIRRELS,
WE GIVE THEM A HAIRCUT.
MAKE THAT V IN THE TAIL.
AND THAT WAY IF WE CATCH
THEM AGAIN,
WE KNOW THAT WE'VE CAUGHT
THEM ONCE BEFORE.
Housten says, OH, WHOA!
Montanna notes,
SO THIS GUY'S BEEN CAUGHT
BEFORE.
Chloe asks, CAN WE NAME IT?
Tarra answers, YEAH, SURE.
Housten and Chloe exchange glances.
They say, TOM!
Tarra replies,
THAT'S A GREAT NAME.
(All giggle)
The squirrel is held in a small clear container. It has large black eyes with a brown coat and beige markings.
The squirrel leaps out of the container and crawls off the back of the truck.
Tarra and Montanna set the ladder up beside another tree. Montanna collects a trap from a tree branch.
Tarra opens the trap slightly and Chloe and Housten peek inside.
Housten states,
IT'S A FLYING SQUIRREL.
(Housten and Chloe gasp)
Tarra says,
SO IF YOU LOOK CLOSE
YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE
THAT THERE'S PATAGIUM,
AND THAT'S A PIECE OF SKIN
THAT GOES FROM THEIR ANKLE
ALL THE WAY TO THEIR WRIST,
AND IT ALLOWS THEM GLIDE
FROM TREE TO TREE.
Housten responds,
THAT'S COOL, THAT'S LIKE
HAVING A BUILT-IN PARACHUTE.
Chloe adds,
THEY'RE ACTUALLY GLIDING
SQUIRRELS.
Tarra says, EXACTLY.
Text reads, “What’s the Buzz? With Leo”
A flying squirrel leaps from tree to tree.
Leo says,
THOSE BUILT-IN PARACHUTES
AREN'T THE ONLY COOL THING
ABOUT THIS SQUIRREL,
THEY GOT AN EXTRA FINGER
THAT THEY CAN USE TO EXTEND
OUT FROM THEIR WRISTS.
THIS HELPS THEM WHEN
THE DISTANCE BETWEEN TREES
MIGHT BE A LITTLE FURTHER
THAN THEIR NATURAL GLIDING
CAN TAKE THEM.
BUT THERE'S BREAKING NEWS,
POLLINHEADS.
A SCIENTIST IN THE U.S.
RECENTLY DISCOVERED
THAT FLYING SQUIRRELS GLOW
PINK!
THAT'S RIGHT, THESE AMAZING
FLYING, GLIDING CREATURES
ACTUALLY GIVE OFF A PINK GLOW
UNDER CERTAIN LIGHT CONDITIONS.
IT'S CALLED ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT,
AND HUMANS CAN'T SEE IT
WITH THEIR OWN EYES.
THEY NEED A SPECIAL LIGHT
TO DO IT.
SCIENTISTS AREN'T SURE WHY
THEY CAN DO THIS.
SOME THINK IT MIGHT BE TO HELP
THEM AVOID PREDATORS,
AND OTHERS THINK IT MIGHT BE
PART OF HOW THEY COMMUNICATE.
WHATEVER THE REASON,
IT'S JUST ONE MORE REASON
TO ADMIRE THE GLIDING RODENT,
AND THAT'S THE REAL BUZZ.
Tarra examines the tail of a squirrel in a net.
She notes,
IF WE SEE A V IN THE TAIL,
WE KNOW THAT WE'VE CAUGHT
THIS SQUIRREL BEFORE.
Chloe replies, THAT'S SO CLEVER.
Tarra says,
I THINK THIS IS A NEW ONE.
Montanna adds, IT LOOKS NEW.
Chloe says, COOL!
Tarra responds, NEW SQUIRREL!
Montanna says,
SO CHLOE, UNDER THE "NEW"
COLUMN,
WITH-BY TRAP FIFTEEN,
YOU CAN WRITE Y FOR "YES."
Chloe makes a mark on the piece of paper.
She asks, FIFTEEN?
Montanna adds,
AND NOW WE'RE GONNA GIVE IT
ITS HAIRCUT.
NICE AND NEAT, THERE WE GO.
SO NOW IT HAS A NICE V.
Montanna snips hair off the squirrel’s tail with scissors.
Housten says,
I WISH I WAS A FLYING SQUIRREL.
Montanna asks,
SO THAT YOU COULD HAVE
A SNACK AND A HAIRCUT?
(Laughs)
Montanna says,
HOUSTEN, YOU WANT TO HELP ME
WEIGH THIS SQUIRREL?
Housten answers, YEAH.
Montanna adds,
SO WE'RE GONNA TAKE THAT HOOK
AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SCALE.
She hooks the scale around the opening of the net.
Housten holds up the net.
He responds, OKAY.
Montanna says,
YES, THERE WE GO.
AND CHLOE, YOU'RE GONNA PUT
YOUR HANDS UNDERNEATH.
LIKE THAT. 85 GRAMS.
OKAY.
AND THEN CHLOE,
IF YOU CAN JUST WRITE S
UNDER "REPRODUCTIVE STATUS."
AND THAT MEANS
HE'S AN ADULT MALE.
SO WE'RE READY FOR THE RELEASE.
Housten replies, YEAH.
Montanna holds the net opening tightly with Housten.
Tarra says,
KEEP THAT PINCHED THERE,
OKAY, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT HIM
TO GET OUT AND CLIMB
ON MONTANNA'S FACE.
Montanna carries the squirrel in the net as she leads Chloe, Housten, and Tarra back to the ladder.
Montanna says,
SO WE'RE GONNA RELEASE HIM
ON THE SAME TREE
THAT WE CAUGHT HIM ON.
She opens the net. The squirrel crawls onto her gloved hand and then leaps onto a tree trunk.
(Gasps)
The squirrel crawls up into the branches above. It jumps off and glides to another tree.
Housten responds, WHOA!
Housten and Chloe stand with Montanna and Tarra beside the blue container on the side of the trail.
Montanna states,
WE CAUGHT TWO MALE
FLYING SQUIRRELS TODAY,
WHICH IS A LOT FOR ONE DAY.
NORMALLY WE SPEND A WHOLE
WEEK DOING THIS.
AND ONE OF THEM
WAS A NEW CAPTURE,
WHICH MEANS THERE'S PROBABLY
MORE OUT THERE.
Chloe responds,
AS GREAT AS IT IS SEEING
THESE FLYING POLLINATORS,
IT'S EVEN BETTER TO KNOW THAT
THEY'RE BACK IN THE FOREST
WHERE THEY BELONG.
Housten adds,
THIS CALLS FOR A HIGH FLY.
Housten, Chloe, Montanna, and Tarra form a circle and put their hands in the middle. They flutter their fingers.
Housten, Chloe, Montanna, and Tarra shout,
HIGH FLY!
They raise their hands over their heads.
(All laugh)
Clouds float over the lake. Leo watches the squirrel crawl up the tree trunk on the monitor.
Text reads, “PollinHeads Alert!”
Leo says,
WOO! WHAT A MISSION.
BUT THERE'S SOMETHING
EVERYONE CAN DO
TO HELP THE AMAZING
FLYING SQUIRREL.
ATTENTION, FELLOW POLLINHEADS!
TELL YOUR PARENTS,
FRIENDS, AND NEIGHBOURS
TO LEAVE FALLEN TREES
IN THE FOREST.
YOU MAY BE INCLINED
TO TIDY UP A FOREST,
BUT ALL THOSE OLD
AND FALLEN TREES
ARE ACTUALLY HOMES
FOR THE FLYING SQUIRRELS.
IT'S WHERE THEY HIBERNATE
OVER THE WINTER.
AND IT'S NOT JUST
THE FLYING SQUIRRELS
THAT RELY ON THESE FALLEN TREES
FOR THEIR HOMES,
BUT LOTS OF OTHER CREATURES,
LIKE WOODPECKERS, AND MICE.
NOT TO MENTION THOSE TREES ARE
ALSO FOOD FOR THE SQUIRRELS,
AND THE MUSHROOMS GROWING
ON THEM.
AND AS WE ALL KNOW,
MUSHROOMS ARE NEEDED FOR
A HEALTHY GROWING FOREST.
SO LEAVE THE FOREST
AS YOU FIND IT,
NATURE IS MESSY,
BUT IT'S PERFECT.
WELL, POLLINHEADS,
IT'S TIME FOR ME
TO PRACTICE MY GLIDING SKILLS.
Credits read, “Directed by Kara Harun. Written by Karen Hawes. Created by Karen Hawes & Christopher Szarka. Produced by Christopher Szarka & Raj Panikkar. With Naomi Melvin as ‘Leo’ & Chloe Drayton, Housten Daghighi”
Text reads, “Fifth Ground Entertainment. Tvo kids”
A kid says, WEE!
(Giggling)
A bee flies over dandelions in a field.
Text reads, “Leo’s Pollinators. TVOkids Presents”
Leo says,
IT'S ME, LEO!
THE EXPLORER CLUB
IS ON A NEW MISSION.
WE'RE HELPING THE POLLINATORS,
THOSE AMAZING CREATURES
WHO MOVE POLLEN
FROM ONE PLANT TO ANOTHER.
POLLEN IS THE STUFF
THAT HELPS MAKE OUR FRUITS,
VEGETABLES AND FLOWERS.
A bee pollinates a pink flower.
Text reads, “‘Nator Navigator”
Leo continues,
WITHOUT OUR POLLINATORS
FLYING, BUZZING,
SLITHERING AROUND,
WE'D ALL BE GOING HUNGRY,
EVEN ME!
HOUSTEN AND CHLOE ARE IN THE
FIELD HELPING THE EXPERTS,
SO GRAB YOUR BOOTS
AND YOUR NET,
AND YOU CAN BE
A POLLINHEAD TOO.
Text reads, “Leo’s Pollinators Explorer Club”
Leo, a red and blue fish, swims past two monitors at the bottom of a lake that read “Leo’s Pollinators Explorer Club”
Leo says,
HEY, POLLINHEADS.
IT'S ME, LEO, THE CATFISH.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE
YOU DIDN'T CONFUSE ME
WITH TODAY'S POLLINATING STAR,
THAT'S RIGHT, POLLINHEADS,
THE SOUTHERN FLYING SQUIRREL
IS AT THE TOP
OF THE 'NATOR NAVIGATOR.
DON'T TELL ME YOU CAN'T SEE
THE SIMILARITIES.
OKAY, OKAY, TECHNICALLY
I'M A POLLINHEAD,
NOT A POLLINATOR.
ASIDE FROM THAT,
WE'RE VIRTUALLY TWINSIES.
THE FLYING SQUIRREL
DOESN'T ACTUALLY FLY,
IT GLIDES, JUST LIKE ME.
I GLIDE THROUGH THE WATER.
THE FLYING SQUIRREL
HAS A FLAT TAIL
THAT IT USES AS A RUDDER
TO GUIDE ITS DIRECTION
IN THE AIR.
I USE MY TAIL TO GUIDE
MY DIRECTION IN THE WATER.
THE FLYING SQUIRREL
HAS SENSITIVE WHISKERS
THAT HELPS THEM DIRECT
THEIR FLIGHT.
MINE HELPS ME TO KNOW
IF THERE ARE SNACKS NEARBY.
THE FLYING SQUIRREL HAS BIG,
ROUNDED EYES
TO HELP IT SEE AT NIGHT.
I'VE BIG ROUNDED EYES
THAT HELP ME SEE UNDERWATER.
THE FLYING SQUIRREL
ISN'T YOUR AVERAGE SQUIRREL.
AND, WELL, I'M HARDLY
YOUR AVERAGE CATFISH,
SO THERE YOU GO,
WE COULDN'T BE MORE SIMILAR.
THE POLLINHEADS ARE MEETING UP
WITH MONTANNA AND TARRA,
FROM PARKS CANADA,
TO HELP WITH A FLYING
SQUIRREL SURVEY
IN POINT PELEE NATIONAL PARK.
THESE IMPORTANT POLLINATORS
HELP TO KEEP THE FOREST HEALTHY.
SO MAKING SURE THE POPULATION
IS DOING WELL IS KEY.
OFF TO THE FOREST WE GO!
Point Pelee National Park, Ontario is marked on a map with an orange flag. A white flower is displayed on the flag.
Chloe and Housten stand beside a picnic table in a dense forest. Chloe wears a sun hat and an orange safety vest over her purple t-shirt. Housten wears a safety vest over his bright green t-shirt. His dark hair is puffed up.
Text reads, “Montanna Diakun. Point Pelee National Park, Jr. Biologist”
Montanna leans on the picnic table in front of a bag of oats and a container of apples. She wears an orange safety shirt and a grey baseball hat over her braided dark hair.
Montanna reaches into the bag of oats.
She says,
ALL RIGHT, POLLINHEADS.
WE'RE GONNA GET THIS FOOD READY
FOR THE FLYING SQUIRREL TRAPS.
SO WE HAVE THESE SLICED APPLES,
SOME OATS, MOLASSES,
AND PEANUT BUTTER.
Housten mixes the ingredients.
Leo notes,
POLLINHEADS,
A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE SERIOUS
PEANUT ALLERGIES,
SO ALWAYS ASK YOUR FRIENDS
BEFORE YOU BRING OUT THE NUTS.
Housten says,
YUMMY, I'D BE SNACKING
ON THIS MYSELF.
Chloe adds,
I'M SURPRISED THAT FLYING
SQUIRRELS ARE POLLINATORS.
Montanna responds,
USUALLY WHEN YOU THINK OF
POLLINATORS, YOU THINK OF BEES.
BUT FLYING SQUIRRELS
ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
WHEN THEY EAT MUSHROOMS,
THEY PICK UP WHAT
ARE CALLED SPORES.
SO THEY'RE KIND OF LIKE
THE SEEDS OF MUSHROOMS,
OR FUNGI, AS THEY'RE MORE
PROPERLY CALLED.
AND SPREAD SPORES
ALL AROUND THE FOREST.
SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE THEY'RE
POLLINATING THE FOREST.
Housten responds,
SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE THEY'RE
DOING IT BY ACCIDENT.
Montanna says,
IT IS,
BUT IT'S A HAPPY ACCIDENT,
BECAUSE IT KEEPS THE FOREST
ECOSYSTEM HEALTHY.
Montanna picks up a rectangular metal trap and shows the opening to Housten and Chloe.
Montanna states,
THIS PART OF THE TRAP IS WHERE
THE SQUIRREL IS GONNA GO IN,
BECAUSE IT'S GOT THE DOOR.
SO WE PUT THE BAIT IN THE BACK
OF THE TRAP HERE.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE JUST
A LITTLE BIT OF THIS...
PEANUT BUTTER MIXTURE,
AND WE'RE GONNA STICK IT
IN THE UPPER CORNER
OF THIS TRAP. HERE.
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA TAKE
SOME OF THIS COTTON FLUFF
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA PUT IT
IN HERE,
AND THAT WILL BE THE FLYING
SQUIRREL'S BEDDING
FOR THE NIGHT.
THEN THE LAST THING WE'RE GONNA
DO IS TAKE THIS APPLE SLICE
AND WE'RE GONNA STICK IT
IN THE BOTTOM HERE,
AND THAT'S ALL SET UP.
Housten smiles.
He says, YEAH!
Montanna asks,
YOU GUYS WANNA TRY?
Chloe answers, YEAH!
Housten adds, YEAH.
Montanna replies, ALL RIGHT.
Montanna, Housten, and Chloe set up three squirrel traps with peanut butter, fluff, and apples.
Chloe asks,
WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT
THAT WE KEEP TRACK
OF THE FLYING SQUIRRELS?
Montanna responds,
WELL, IT WASN'T THAT LONG AGO
THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY
FLYING SQUIRRELS HERE AT ALL.
THEY'D ALL DISAPPEARED
FROM THE PARK.
SO WE TOOK NINETY-NINE FLYING
SQUIRRELS FROM A NEARBY AREA
AND WE BROUGHT THEM OVER HERE.
SO EVERY TWO YEARS WE SET THESE
TRAPS TO TAKE A LOOK
AT THE POPULATION.
WE WANT TO SEE
HOW THEY'RE DOING.
ARE THEY SURVIVING?
ARE THEY HEALTHY?
DO THEY LIKE IT HERE?
ARE THEY HAVING FAMILIES?
Housten asks, AND IS IT WORKING?
Montanna answers,
WE'RE HAPPY TO SAY THAT THE
DATA SHOWED THAT THE
POPULATION IS STABLE AND
HEALTHY, AND WE'RE HOPING THIS
TREND WILL CONTINUE.
Text reads, “Tarra Degazio. Point Pelee National Park, Ecologist”
Montanna and Tarra lean tall ladders against a tree. Tarra wears an orange safety vest over her green golf shirt. Her blonde hair is tucked under her tan baseball hat.
Housten and Chloe climb the ladders and place the traps in branches.
Leo says,
THE TEAM FROM PARKS CANADA
SETS TRAPS
RIGHT ALONG THE SIDE
OF THE MAIN ROAD
THAT RUNS THROUGH THE PARK.
AND EACH TREE WITH A TRAP
HAS A NUMBER.
SO WHEN THEY CATCH A SQUIRREL,
THEY KNOW WHERE IN THE FOREST
THE SQUIRRELS ARE HANGING OUT.
CLEVER, EH?
Montanna climbs down one of the ladders.
She says,
ALL RIGHT, SO I WANT YOU
BOTH TO MAKE SURE
YOU HAVE A GREAT NIGHT'S SLEEP,
BECAUSE WE'RE BACK HERE
TOMORROW BRIGHT AND EARLY
TO CHECK ALL THE TRAPS.
Housten replies, AWESOME!
Leo watches Montanna on a monitor at the bottom of the lake.
Leo notes,
IT'S EARLY,
BUT OFF TO BED YOU GO.
I'LL BE STAYING UP ALL NIGHT,
JUST LIKE THE FLYING SQUIRRELS.
Day turns to night as clouds pass over the forest.
(Snoring)
Leo sleeps as a squirrel jumps from one tree trunk to another on the monitor.
(Sleepy mumbling)
The sun rises.
(Wakening snort)
A white pick-up truck parks on the side of a tree-lined trail. A decal on the side of the truck reads “Parks Canada”
Leo wakes up.
He says, WHA-?
Montanna, Tarra, Chloe, and Housten hop out of the truck. Montanna and Tarra lean a ladder against a tree. Chloe and Housten watch as Montanna climbs it.
Montanna says,
WELL, THE TRAP IS CLOSED,
SO PREPARE TO HOP INTO ACTION.
Chloe replies, ALL RIGHT!
Montanna carries the trap down the ladder. Housten and Chloe peek inside.
Chloe asks, A MOUSE?
Montanna responds,
IT'S NOT UNUSUAL, WE ACTUALLY
CATCH QUITE A LOT OF MICE.
Montanna drops a squirrel into a large plastic tub. The squirrel hides under the fluff from the trap.
Montanna pulls another trap out of a tree.
Housten says,
I HOPE IT'S A SQUIRREL,
BUT IT MIGHT JUST BE A MOUSE.
Chloe replies,
I BET YOU A POPSICLE
THAT IT'S A FLYING SQUIRREL.
Housten responds, DEAL.
Montanna holds the trap over the container. Housten and Chloe look inside.
She says,
OKAY, I'M GONNA OPEN IT
SUPER SLOWLY.
Housten responds, WHOA!
Chloe adds,
HA! NOW YOU OWE ME
A POPSICLE.
Housten responds,
TO SEE A FLYING SQUIRREL
UP CLOSE,
I GIVE YOU A HUNDRED POPSICLES.
(Laughs)
Montanna pulls a toolbox off the back of the truck.
She says,
SO WE'RE GONNA OPEN
OUR MONITORING KIT HERE.
TARRA, DO YOU WANT TO COME GET
THIS SQUIRREL OUT WITH ME?
Tarra approaches Montanna.
Tarra replies, SURE.
Montanna adds,
AND WE WANNA GET THE SQUIRREL
OUT OF THE TRAP INTO THE BAG.
She covers the opening of the trap with a net.
Montanna asks,
ALL READY FOR CATCHING?
Tarra answers, YES.
She shakes the trap. The squirrel falls into the net.
Chloe responds,
OKAY. OH!
(Rattles)
Montanna says,
DID YOU GET IT?
HERE, GRAB IT, THERE YOU GO.
Housten says, WHOA!
(Gasps)
Chloe adds,
AWWW!
HE'S SO CUTE.
HI, THERE.
Montanna states, WE CAUGHT IT.
She weighs the squirrel in the net.
Montanna says,
CHLOE, SO COME RIGHT
OVER HERE.
I'M GONNA GET YOU TO HOLD ON
TO THE SCALE FOR ME.
THE TOP METAL PART, YEAH.
THERE WE GO,
AND WE'RE GONNA LET GO.
The squirrel climbs to the top of the bag as Chloe holds it.
Housten responds,
GOOD JOB, CHLOE.
Montanna adds,
IT'S GONNA JUMP AROUND A BIT.
Chloe replies,
OH MY GOSH!
Montanna looks at the scale.
She reads,
ONE HUNDRED.
SO, HOUSTEN.
Housten replies, YEAH?
Montanna continues,
THERE'S A COLUMN THAT SAYS,
"MASS" THERE.
WE'RE GONNA WRITE ONE HUNDRED.
Housten makes a note on a piece of paper.
He responds, MM-HMM.
Montanna examines the squirrel.
She adds,
SO WHEN WE CAPTURE SQUIRRELS,
WE GIVE THEM A HAIRCUT.
MAKE THAT V IN THE TAIL.
AND THAT WAY IF WE CATCH
THEM AGAIN,
WE KNOW THAT WE'VE CAUGHT
THEM ONCE BEFORE.
Housten says, OH, WHOA!
Montanna notes,
SO THIS GUY'S BEEN CAUGHT
BEFORE.
Chloe asks, CAN WE NAME IT?
Tarra answers, YEAH, SURE.
Housten and Chloe exchange glances.
They say, TOM!
Tarra replies,
THAT'S A GREAT NAME.
(All giggle)
The squirrel is held in a small clear container. It has large black eyes with a brown coat and beige markings.
The squirrel leaps out of the container and crawls off the back of the truck.
Tarra and Montanna set the ladder up beside another tree. Montanna collects a trap from a tree branch.
Tarra opens the trap slightly and Chloe and Housten peek inside.
Housten states,
IT'S A FLYING SQUIRREL.
(Housten and Chloe gasp)
Tarra says,
SO IF YOU LOOK CLOSE
YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE
THAT THERE'S PATAGIUM,
AND THAT'S A PIECE OF SKIN
THAT GOES FROM THEIR ANKLE
ALL THE WAY TO THEIR WRIST,
AND IT ALLOWS THEM GLIDE
FROM TREE TO TREE.
Housten responds,
THAT'S COOL, THAT'S LIKE
HAVING A BUILT-IN PARACHUTE.
Chloe adds,
THEY'RE ACTUALLY GLIDING
SQUIRRELS.
Tarra says, EXACTLY.
Text reads, “What’s the Buzz? With Leo”
A flying squirrel leaps from tree to tree.
Leo says,
THOSE BUILT-IN PARACHUTES
AREN'T THE ONLY COOL THING
ABOUT THIS SQUIRREL,
THEY GOT AN EXTRA FINGER
THAT THEY CAN USE TO EXTEND
OUT FROM THEIR WRISTS.
THIS HELPS THEM WHEN
THE DISTANCE BETWEEN TREES
MIGHT BE A LITTLE FURTHER
THAN THEIR NATURAL GLIDING
CAN TAKE THEM.
BUT THERE'S BREAKING NEWS,
POLLINHEADS.
A SCIENTIST IN THE U.S.
RECENTLY DISCOVERED
THAT FLYING SQUIRRELS GLOW
PINK!
THAT'S RIGHT, THESE AMAZING
FLYING, GLIDING CREATURES
ACTUALLY GIVE OFF A PINK GLOW
UNDER CERTAIN LIGHT CONDITIONS.
IT'S CALLED ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT,
AND HUMANS CAN'T SEE IT
WITH THEIR OWN EYES.
THEY NEED A SPECIAL LIGHT
TO DO IT.
SCIENTISTS AREN'T SURE WHY
THEY CAN DO THIS.
SOME THINK IT MIGHT BE TO HELP
THEM AVOID PREDATORS,
AND OTHERS THINK IT MIGHT BE
PART OF HOW THEY COMMUNICATE.
WHATEVER THE REASON,
IT'S JUST ONE MORE REASON
TO ADMIRE THE GLIDING RODENT,
AND THAT'S THE REAL BUZZ.
Tarra examines the tail of a squirrel in a net.
She notes,
IF WE SEE A V IN THE TAIL,
WE KNOW THAT WE'VE CAUGHT
THIS SQUIRREL BEFORE.
Chloe replies, THAT'S SO CLEVER.
Tarra says,
I THINK THIS IS A NEW ONE.
Montanna adds, IT LOOKS NEW.
Chloe says, COOL!
Tarra responds, NEW SQUIRREL!
Montanna says,
SO CHLOE, UNDER THE "NEW"
COLUMN,
WITH-BY TRAP FIFTEEN,
YOU CAN WRITE Y FOR "YES."
Chloe makes a mark on the piece of paper.
She asks, FIFTEEN?
Montanna adds,
AND NOW WE'RE GONNA GIVE IT
ITS HAIRCUT.
NICE AND NEAT, THERE WE GO.
SO NOW IT HAS A NICE V.
Montanna snips hair off the squirrel’s tail with scissors.
Housten says,
I WISH I WAS A FLYING SQUIRREL.
Montanna asks,
SO THAT YOU COULD HAVE
A SNACK AND A HAIRCUT?
(Laughs)
Montanna says,
HOUSTEN, YOU WANT TO HELP ME
WEIGH THIS SQUIRREL?
Housten answers, YEAH.
Montanna adds,
SO WE'RE GONNA TAKE THAT HOOK
AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SCALE.
She hooks the scale around the opening of the net.
Housten holds up the net.
He responds, OKAY.
Montanna says,
YES, THERE WE GO.
AND CHLOE, YOU'RE GONNA PUT
YOUR HANDS UNDERNEATH.
LIKE THAT. 85 GRAMS.
OKAY.
AND THEN CHLOE,
IF YOU CAN JUST WRITE S
UNDER "REPRODUCTIVE STATUS."
AND THAT MEANS
HE'S AN ADULT MALE.
SO WE'RE READY FOR THE RELEASE.
Housten replies, YEAH.
Montanna holds the net opening tightly with Housten.
Tarra says,
KEEP THAT PINCHED THERE,
OKAY, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT HIM
TO GET OUT AND CLIMB
ON MONTANNA'S FACE.
Montanna carries the squirrel in the net as she leads Chloe, Housten, and Tarra back to the ladder.
Montanna says,
SO WE'RE GONNA RELEASE HIM
ON THE SAME TREE
THAT WE CAUGHT HIM ON.
She opens the net. The squirrel crawls onto her gloved hand and then leaps onto a tree trunk.
(Gasps)
The squirrel crawls up into the branches above. It jumps off and glides to another tree.
Housten responds, WHOA!
Housten and Chloe stand with Montanna and Tarra beside the blue container on the side of the trail.
Montanna states,
WE CAUGHT TWO MALE
FLYING SQUIRRELS TODAY,
WHICH IS A LOT FOR ONE DAY.
NORMALLY WE SPEND A WHOLE
WEEK DOING THIS.
AND ONE OF THEM
WAS A NEW CAPTURE,
WHICH MEANS THERE'S PROBABLY
MORE OUT THERE.
Chloe responds,
AS GREAT AS IT IS SEEING
THESE FLYING POLLINATORS,
IT'S EVEN BETTER TO KNOW THAT
THEY'RE BACK IN THE FOREST
WHERE THEY BELONG.
Housten adds,
THIS CALLS FOR A HIGH FLY.
Housten, Chloe, Montanna, and Tarra form a circle and put their hands in the middle. They flutter their fingers.
Housten, Chloe, Montanna, and Tarra shout,
HIGH FLY!
They raise their hands over their heads.
(All laugh)
Clouds float over the lake. Leo watches the squirrel crawl up the tree trunk on the monitor.
Text reads, “PollinHeads Alert!”
Leo says,
WOO! WHAT A MISSION.
BUT THERE'S SOMETHING
EVERYONE CAN DO
TO HELP THE AMAZING
FLYING SQUIRREL.
ATTENTION, FELLOW POLLINHEADS!
TELL YOUR PARENTS,
FRIENDS, AND NEIGHBOURS
TO LEAVE FALLEN TREES
IN THE FOREST.
YOU MAY BE INCLINED
TO TIDY UP A FOREST,
BUT ALL THOSE OLD
AND FALLEN TREES
ARE ACTUALLY HOMES
FOR THE FLYING SQUIRRELS.
IT'S WHERE THEY HIBERNATE
OVER THE WINTER.
AND IT'S NOT JUST
THE FLYING SQUIRRELS
THAT RELY ON THESE FALLEN TREES
FOR THEIR HOMES,
BUT LOTS OF OTHER CREATURES,
LIKE WOODPECKERS, AND MICE.
NOT TO MENTION THOSE TREES ARE
ALSO FOOD FOR THE SQUIRRELS,
AND THE MUSHROOMS GROWING
ON THEM.
AND AS WE ALL KNOW,
MUSHROOMS ARE NEEDED FOR
A HEALTHY GROWING FOREST.
SO LEAVE THE FOREST
AS YOU FIND IT,
NATURE IS MESSY,
BUT IT'S PERFECT.
WELL, POLLINHEADS,
IT'S TIME FOR ME
TO PRACTICE MY GLIDING SKILLS.
Credits read, “Directed by Kara Harun. Written by Karen Hawes. Created by Karen Hawes & Christopher Szarka. Produced by Christopher Szarka & Raj Panikkar. With Naomi Melvin as ‘Leo’ & Chloe Drayton, Housten Daghighi”
Text reads, “Fifth Ground Entertainment. Tvo kids”
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