>> TONIGHT ON "POINTS NORTH," WE WILL JOIN TOMORROW'S LAW ENFORCERS AS THEY TRAIN AT THE VERMONT POLICE ACADEMY, WATCH THE CREATION OF THE LATEST OCEAN-GOING MASTERPIECE AND VISIT WITH THE STARS OF "KRATTS' CREATURES" FOR A LOOK AT ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR TV SERIES.

>> WELCOME TO "POINTS NORTH."

I'M FRAN STODDARD.

>> AND I'M ROB MICHALAK.

YOU KNOW, POLICE ARE NOT BORN.

THEY ARE TRAINED.

THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO ASPIRE TO JOIN THE RANKS OF VERMONT'S LAW ENFORCEMENT ORGANIZATIONS MUST FIRST UNDERGO A GRUELING 15-WEEK EXPERIENCE AKIN TO MILITARY BOOT CAMP.

>> FROM STATE TROOPERS TO FISH AND WILDLIFE OFFICERS TO CITY POLICE TO DEPARTMENT OF LIQUOR CONTROL OFFICERS, ALL FULL-TIME LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS PASS THROUGH A RIGOROUS TRAINING PROGRAM AT THE VERMONT CRIMINAL JUSTICE COUNCIL TRAINING CENTER IN P PITSFORD.

WE JOINED THE CLASS AND DEVELOPED A NEW RESPECT FOR THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO KEEP OUR STATE SAFE.

MOST OF US TAKE FOR GRANTED THE PROGRESS OF OUR DAY-TO-DAY LIVES.

BUT WHEN YOU COME IN CONTACT WITH THE SOCIETY AND OURSELVES, WE LOOK TO THE POLICE TO REESTABLISH THE ORDER THAT WE HAVE COME TO EXPECT.

PROVIDING THAT ORDER IS A DIFFICULT AND OFTEN THANKLESS JOB CARRIED OUT BY POLICE PROFESSIONALS.

IN VERMONT, MOST OF THEM BEGIN THEIR CAREERS WITH BASIC TRAINING AT THE VERMONT POLICE ACADEMY IN PITTSFORD.

>> THE POLICE ACADEMY, AS IT EXISTS TODAY STARTED IN 1971.

WE JUST CELEBRATED OUR MANY YEARS IN SERVICE.

THE STATE POLICE TRAINED ALL POLICE OFFICERS IN THE STATE OF VERMONT, AND IT WAS ACTIVE IN THE LEGISLATURE IN THE 1970s, WE HAVE THE JUSTICE TRAINING COUNCIL AND OUR ROLE BY STATUTE IS TO CERTIFY AT THE BANK TRAINING LEVEL POLICE OFFICERS FOR SERVICE IN THE STATE OF VERMONT.

>> FOR 13 WEEKS, FIVE DAYS A WEEK, THE VERMONT POLICE ACADEMY BECOMES HOME FOR RECRUITS FROM AROUND THE STATE.

LIVING IN BUILDINGS WHICH ONCE HOUSED A TUBERCULOSIS HOSPITAL, THEY ATTEND CLASSES, WORK ON PRACTICAL EXERCISES, AND FOLLOW A MILITARY STYLE REGIMEN.

>> WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM BASIC COMPETENCY SKILLS.

THEY HAVE TO, IN THE TIME THEY ARE HERE, DEMONSTRATE CORE COMPETENCIES AS A POLICE PROFESSIONAL, AND THEY HAVE TO BE ABLE TO INVESTIGATE MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS, WHICH WE ARE CALLED UPON TO DO, AND THEY HAVE TO BE ABLE TO PERFORM MOTOR VEHICLE STOPS AND ENFORCE THE LAW, AND THEY HAVE TO BE ABLE TO KEEP THE PEACE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, AND MEDIATE CONFLICTS, AND INVESTIGATE CRIMES, AND THEY HAVE TO DO ALL THOSE THINGS.

RECRUITS CAN COME TWO WAYS, ONE IS BY SPONSORSHIP, AN AGENCY SUCH AS THE VERMONT STATE POLICE, RUTLAND CITY POLICE, BENNINGTON CITY POLICE OR ANY SMALL AGENCY THAT HIRED THE INDIVIDUALS, THE PERSON GOES THROUGH THE HIRING PROCESS, AND THEY COME HERE TO TAKE AN ENTRANCE TEST, AND A PSYCHOLOGICAL TEST, PHYSICAL P.T.

TEST, AND DO A BACKGROUND BY THE AGENCY.

THAT'S ONE WAY.

AND THE OTHER WAY THAT THEY CAN GET IN IS THROUGH A TUITION-BASED PROGRAM WHICH WE SPONSOR HERE, THE STAFF HERE.

>> WHILE THERE IS A STRONG MILITARY FLAVOR TO TRAINING AT THE ACADEMY, RECRUITS SPEND MUCH OF THEIR TIME IN THE CLASSROOM.

>> WE BORROW A LOT OF THE STRUCTURAL AND TRAINING FROM THE MILITARY MODEL, AND WE NOW HAVE COMBINED IT ON A PRETTY EVEN BALANCE.

WE FOUND A NICE EQUILIBRIUM WOULD BE THE ACADEMIC MODEL.

>> T'S BEEN GOOD.

IT'S BEEN A VERY GOOD EXPERIENCE, DIFFERENT FROM THE MILITARY IN THE ASPECT THAT THEY DON'T BREAK US DOWN AND BUILD US BACK UP.

THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS ACADEMY IS ABOUT.

THEY PUT THAT LEVEL OF STRESS ON THE RECRUITS.

IT'S 100% CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT IN THE BEGINNING, AND WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON ATTENTION TO DETAIL, INSPECTIONS, PROFESSIONALISM, SHARP LOOKING UNIFORMS, THE LITTLE THINGS BECAUSE IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS OUT ON THE ROAD THAT HAS POLICE OFFICERS IF WE MISS THOSE THAT COULD COST US A CASE.

>> IN ADDITION TO THE CLASSROOM WORK AND REGIMENTS, THE STAFF EMPLOY ROLE PLAYING TO GIVE RECRUITS A TASTE OF THE REAL LIFE SITUATIONS THEY WILL FACE AFTER GRADUATION.

>> CALM DOWN.

SIR, CALM DOWN.

COME OVER HERE.

>> WHAT THE [BLEEP].

[YELLING] >> WHAT THE [BLEEP] IS GOING ON!

[SIREN SOUNDING] >> WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE IN THE CAR.

THAT'S ALL I CAN SEE, A FEMALE DRIVER, MAYBE?

>> GOOD EVENING.

>> HI.

>> A LADY COP.

>> YOUR LICENSE, REGISTRATION, PLEASE.

>> I DON'T HAVE MY LO LICENSE ON ME.

>> DO YOU HAVE THE INSURANCE CARD AND REGISTRATION OF THE VEHICLE?

>> LESSONS LEARNED DON'T END WITH ROLE PLAY.

>> A GOOD POSITIONING ON THE CAR.

OFFICER SAFETY WAS GOOD.

>> AFTER EACH EXERCISE, RECRUITS ARE CRITIQUED BY MEMBERS OF THE ACADEMY STAFF.

>> YOU WERE VERY POLITE BUT TO THE POINT AND FIRM WITH THEM.

EXCELLENT STOP OVERALL, GOOD JOB.

>> THANKS.

>> THE CHALLENGE AS A TRAINER TO ME TO GET A RECRUIT THROUGH 13 WEEKS OF TRAINING IS TO MAKE THEM BELIEVE THEMSELVES AND GET THEM TO THOSE LIMITATIONS, SOMETIMES PEOPLE NEED A LITTLE STRESS IN THEIR LIFE TO GET THEM TO THE LIMITATION AND SOMETIMES THEY DON'T SO IT COULD DEPEND ON THE MOTIVATION THAT THEY HAVE COMING INTO THE PROGRAM BUT THEY NEED A LOT OF PROGRAM.

>> THE STAFF SEE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROGRAM AS THEY END THE 13-WEEK TRAINING.

THAT'S WHEN THE HARD WORK BEGINS TO TRANSLATE INTO CONFIDENCE.

>> I AM EXTREMELY CONFIDENT GETTING OUT THERE TO START THE JOB.

I AM READY.

THE TRAINING HERE IS EXCEPTIONAL, AND LIKE I SAID, IT BUILDS CONFIDENCE FROM WHEN YOU ARE READY TO DO THE JOB THE MOST REWARDING PART OF THE PROCESS FOR ME IS THE PHASE 3 PROCESS, BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN WE START SEEING HOW THE RECRUITS ARE ACTING WHEN THE STRESSES LET UP A BIT FROM THE STAFF.

AND I SEE THEM MAKING THE DECISIONS AND INTERACTING, AND BY THEN THE TEAMWORK HAS MADE THEM INTO A SINGLE UNIT.

>> WHAT I TAKE-AWAY FROM WHEN I LEAVE HERE IS THE FACT THAT WE HAVE COME HERE AS INDIVIDUALS BUT WE ARE LEAVING AT ONE.

I THINK THAT A LOT OF IT IS THE CAMARADERIE.

EVERYONE PULLING FOR EVERYONE ELSE.

SOMEONE FALLS DOWN, YOU KNOW, BEHIND OR LAGS BEHIND ON SOME POINT, AND EVERYBODY PULLS THEM TOGETHER AND WE FINISH AS ONE.

>> EACH RECRUIT TAKES MEMORIES FROM THE BASIC TRAINING EXPERIENCE.

FOR SOME IT'S THE TRAINING ITSELF.

FOR OTHERS THE INTERACTIONS WITH STAFF AND FELLOW RECRUITS.

WHICHEVER THE MEMORIES CREATED DURING THIS TIME WILL BE INDELIBLE.

>> THE EXPERIENCES THAT GOT TO ME THE MOST WOULD BE THE RANGE.

THAT WAS A LOT OF FUN.

A LOT OF THE CLASSROOM WORK IS INTERESTING.

YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION.

SOME OF IT IS DRY, BUT YOU HAVE TO LEARN IT.

>> WE COULD COUNT UP THIS BIFURCATION IGNORING THE DOTS, ONE THROUGH FOUR.

>> AND THE P.T.

IS ALSO HAS BEEN A LOT OF FUN.

GETS YOU IN SHAPE.

>> I THINK I WILL COME BACK TO THIS ACADEMY AND SAY YEAH, THAT WAS MY ROOM, THAT WAS MY RACK.

I WAS THERE FOR 13 WEEKS WITH MY TWO ROOMMATES AND HE WAS A TROOPER, HE WAS A DEPUTY.

WE DEFINITELY HAD SOME GOOD TIMES HERE, THE RECRUIT CLASS.

WE HAVE QUITE A FEW PEOPLE FOR DIFFERENT TALENTS THAT RECRUITS HAVE.

MINE BEING -- I IMPERSONATE OUR TRAINING ASSISTANTS, AND OTHERS DO OTHER THINGS, BUT THAT'S BEEN A LOT OF FUN, AND IT TAKES A LITTLE COMIC RYE LEAF TAKES THE STRESS OFF AND MAKES IT MORE BEARABLE.

>> WHILE COMIC MOMENTS BRING RELIEF FROM THE STRESS OF TRAINING, THE EXPERIENCE HAS A VERY SERIOUS PURPOSE FOR BOTH THE RECRUITS AND THE COMMUNITIES THEY WILL SERVE.

>> SO OUR MISSION STATEMENT IS TO PROVIDE AND CREATE A POLICE PROFESSIONAL FOR THE CITIZENS OF THE STATE OF VERMONT THAT HAVE A HEALTHY BALANCE IN THEIR LIVES, THAT UNDERSTAND, THE CORE POLICE OFFICERS THAT ARE COMPETENT OFFICERS AND PROFESSIONALS, BUT THAT ALSO HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING AND A HEALTHY RESPECT FOR THEIR OWN WELLNESS AND THEIR OWN FAMILY'S WELLNESS.

>> PRESENT!

>> NOW YOU WOULD NOT NORMALLY ASSOCIATE THE GLITTER OF A FIVE-STAR OCEAN CRUISE WITH A SMALL SEASIDE SCULPTOR'S GARRETT, BUT THE FOLKS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE PUBLIC TELEVISION FOUND A WAY TO DO JUST THAT.

YOU SEE IT JUST SO HAPPENS THAT THE ORNAMENTAL CENTERPIECE OF ONE OF THE NEWEST OCEANLINERS WAS RECENTLY CREATED IN ACKWORTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE BY A SCULPTOR WHO HAS NEVER SET FOOT ON A CRUISE SHIP.

HERE'S THE STORY.

>> I AM NOT SURE A SCULPTOR MY WHOLE LIFE, BUT A MAKER OF THINGS, AND IT HAS ALWAYS FASCINATED ME.

YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE PIECES OF A SCULPTURE.

IT'S CALLED DIADAM.

THE SCULPTOR AND HIS CREW ARE FINISHING AND PACKAGING IT UP TO SEND TO FRANCE WHERE THEY WILL INSTALL IT IN ROYAL CARIBBEAN'S NEWEST CRUISE SHIP, THE RHAPSODY OF THE SEA.

IT WILL BE THE 40-FOOT TALL, 4,500-POUND CENTERPIECE OF THE MAIN ATRIUM SPACE ON THIS ELEGANT NEW OCEAN LINER.

SOMEBODY HAS TO DESIGN AND BUILD THESE THINGS, WHY NOT NEW HAMPSHIRE'S VERY OWN JONATHAN KLUSE.

>> HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ON A CRUISE?

>> NEVER.

>> ARE YOU GOING TO GO ON ONE?

DO YOU GET A CRUISE OUT OF THIS?

>> I DON'T GET A CRUISE OUT OF THIS.

I WISH I DID, BUT NO.

I WILL BE ON A CRUISE SOMETIME.

I WONDERED WHAT THAT WAS ABOUT.

>> JONATHAN'S HOME STUDIO WAS TOO SMALL FOR THIS PROJECT, SO HE MOVED THE PROJECT TO THE ARTISAN COLLEGE SHOP HERE IN ROCKPORT, MAINE.

IT'S ALSO CLOSER TO THE FABRICATORS AND OTHER SUBCONTRACTORS THAT HE NEEDED TO USE.

>> THEY CAME TO US AND SAID, WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO BUILD A PIECE.

WE LIKE THE WORK YOU ARE DOING.

WE LIKE THE LINES YOU USE.

THE VOLUMES, THE GESTURE.

AND WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO DESIGN A SCULPTURE FOR THIS ATRIUM.

THE ART CONSULTANT WHO CONTACTED ME SAID THAT LOOK, WE LIKE WHAT YOU ARE DOING, BUT YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE IT FANCIER THAN ANYTHING YOU HAVE EVER DONE BEFORE.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS I HAVE HAD TO DO AS A SCULPTOR IS TAKE AVAILABLE MATERIALS AND USE THEM PERHAPS IN UNUSUAL WAYS.

AS A DECORATIVE ELEMENT, IN THIS CASE.

>> YOU ARE FLIPPING IT OVER A PVC.

>> STANDARD PVC WATER TUBING.

JUST TO GIVE IT SOME REAL FORM.

IT'S REALLY QUITE SOFT AND FLOPPY, AND AS IT COMES TO US.

>> HOW MANY MILES OF THIS ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE TO DO?

>> WELL,.

>> 600 FEET.

>> WELL, PLUS THEN THERE IS A BIT MORE THAN THAT, ANOTHER, WELL, ALMOST 100 FEET.

>> NOW, THERE IS ANOTHER ARTIST INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT.

AND HER NAME IS EVELYN, JONATHAN'S WIFE.

SHE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SPEAR THAT SITS IN THE BASE.

>> THIS IS A MODEL I DEVELOPED SO THAT I COULD SEE WHAT I WAS DOING.

AS YOU CAN SEE WHAT IT IS A BATCH OF WAVE FORMS.

THIS IS A WAVE THAT'S BEING AFFECTED BY THE WIND AND THE CURRENT.

THIS ONE IS JUST BREAKING DOWN VERY GENTLY, KIND OF BUILDING UP, AND THEN FALLING FORWARD.

THIS IS A LITTLE ONE THAT'S KIND OF RIPPLING ALONG THE SURFACE.

THIS IS A WAVE THAT'S BEING AFFECTED BY A SWIRLING WIND.

>> HAVE YOU DONE ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE?

>> NO!

[LAUGHTER] >> NO.

>> ARE YOU AN ARTIST?

>> I AM AN ARTIST.

I USUALLY WORK IN FABRICS AND MAKE BANNERS AND ART TO WEAR, AND I HAVE PAINTED SIGNS FOR THEATRE GROUPS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, SO MY ART IS USUALLY FLAT, AND DESIGNING THIS HERE HAS BEEN AN INTERESTING EXPERIENCE, AND I AM REALLY HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION.

>> DID YOU HAVE TO AUDITION TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS OR DID JUMPER JUST ACCEPT YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE MARRIED?

>> WELL, ACTUALLY, JONATHAN WASN'T THE FINAL ARBITRATOR ON THIS.

SO I DID HAVE TO SORT OF JURY IN AS A MATTER OF FACT.

>> WHAT CREW DO YOU NEED TO BRING THIS OVER TO FRANCE.

>> WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO BRING FOUR OR FIVE PEOPLE TO FRANCE, AND WE WILL BE MOSTLY SUPERVISING THE FRENCH SHIPYARD WORKERS.

>> I HAVE LENDERS A GREAT DEAL ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT MIGHT BE DOING THIS, AND THINKING OF PEOPLE THAT ARE ON VACATION, YOU KNOW, BEING TREATED SOMEWHAT LIKE ROYALTY FOR THEIR WEEK'S CRUISE.

AND I THINK THAT THAT'S PART OF WHAT THE CRUISE EXPERIENCE IS ABOUT.

AND I THOUGHT TO GIVE THEM A PIECE OF WORK THAT WOULD TALK ABOUT KIND OF AN INNER PEACE, I SUPPOSE, AND KIND OF A COMING OUT OF A CENTER OF CREATION AND EXPANDING INTO THE WORLD THAT -- I WOULD HOPE THAT A VACATION WAS SOMETHING OF A CENTERING EXPERIENCE FOR PEOPLE.

>> ONE OF THE HOTTEST AREAS ON PBS LATELY HAS BEEN "KRATTS' CREATURES," A MIXTURE OF COMEDY, ANIMATION, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE REAL LIFE WILDLIFE ADVENTURES OF BROTHERS CHRIS AND MARTIN KRATT, WITH DEGREES IN BIOLOGY AND ZOOLOGY, THEY HAVE PARLAYED THEIR CHILDHOOD HOBBY OF HAMCHURE FILM-MAKING INTO A NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL SERIES.

WE CAUGHT UP WITH THE DUO DURING ONE OF THE RARE MOMENTS OF RELAXATION THAT PUNCTUATION -- PUNCTUATE THEIRLIVES.

>> YOU HAVE SOME ROOTS RIGHT HERE IN VERMONT, AS WELL AS ABOUT THAT.

>> OUR EARLIEST ADVENTURES HAPPENED RIGHT HERE.

WE SPENT EVERY SUMMER SINCE I WAS FIVE AND CHRIS WAS THREE CAMPING OUT UP IN NORTHERN VERMONT, AND BASICALLY, WHAT WE DID EVERY DAY WAS WANDER AROUND LOOKING FOR FROGS AND SNAKES AND DEER AND WHATEVER WE COULD FIND.

>> AND PORCUPINE, AND OUR DOG, OUR ST.

BERNARD ALWAYS GOT INTO TROUBLE WITH THE PORCUPINE.

>> BUT SHE ALWAYS KNEW WHERE TO FIND THEM.

SO WE FOLLOWED HER AND SHE WOULD LEAD US TO A PORCUPINE AND WE COULD CHECK IT OUT, AND SHE GOT THE QUILLS AND WE HAD TO TAKE HER TO THE VET SO THOSE WERE SOME OF THE OUR FIRST ADVENTURES.

>> SO YOU TAKE THIS EXPERIENCE AND YOUR EDUCATION AS A BIOLOGIST AND ZOOLOGIST AND PACKAGE IT INTO THIS WONDERFUL SHOW SHOW.

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THE SHOW.

WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO TEACH THE AUDIENCE?

>> WHAT MARTIN AND I WANT TO DO IS PETE ALL THE CREATURE THAT IS SHARE THE PLANET WITH US AND INTRODUCE VIEWERS' KIDS, ADULTS, EVERYBODY THAT WE CAN TO THE INCREDIBLE ANIMALS WE SHARE THE PLANET WITH.

THAT'S OUR MISSION.

>> AND WE HOPE THAT A SIDE EFFECT OF THAT OF GOING OUT AND SHOWING THE PEOPLE ALL OF THE AMAZING CREATURES WE SHARE THE PLANET WITH, THAT THE PEOPLE AND THE KIDS ESPECIALLY WILL SAY WOW!

THESE ANIMALS ARE SO NEAT!

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY STICK AROUND SO MAYBE THE SHOW WILL DO SOMETHING TO HELP ENDANGERED SPECIES.

BUT INTERESTINGLY OUT OF -- THAT WAS THE PRIMARY MOTIVATION BUT THE SHOW HAS BEEN ON THE AIR FOR A YEAR NOW, AND WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME TRAVELING AROUND DOING BOOK SIGNINGS AND MEETING KIDS AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S DEVELOPED OUT OF THAT IS WE HAVE REALLY BECOME INTERESTED IN HELPING KIDS REALIZE THEIR DREAMS BECAUSE CHRIS AND I, WE STARTED OUT, YOU KNOW, DREAMING WOW, WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT IF WE COULD TRAVEL AROUND THE WORLD AND MEET ANIMALS AND LEARN THINGS ABOUT ANIMALS AND SO WE SET OUT AND DID IT.

WE WANT TO, BY EXAMPLE, SHOW KIDS THAT WHATEVER THEY ARE INTERESTED, THEY CAN PURSUE THAT AND MAKE A LIFE OUTDOOR JOURNAL OF THE INTERESTS THAT THEY REALLY A LOT OF.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THE SHOW BAKE IF KIDS AND ADULTS, AND IF THEIR PARENTS HAVEN'T SEEN THE SHOW, IT'S EXCITING.

IT HAS A LOT OF ENTERTAINMENT VALUE, IT'S VERY EDUCATIONAL AND HIGH ENERGY.

YOU GUYS GET IN SOME DARING SITUATIONS, AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.

HAVE THERE BEEN SOME THAT ARE, OH, TOO DARING.

>> OUR QUEST IS TO SEE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE THE ANIMALS.

WE WANT TO EXPERIENCE LIFE FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE SO WHEN WE ARE OUT ON THE AFRICA SAVANNAH AND OBSERVING HYENAS, THEY GO TO A MUD HOLE AND STICK THEIR HEADS IN THE MUD SO WE WANTED TO KNOW WHY AND FIGURE IT OUT, SO WE WENT OVER AND STUCK OUR HEADS IN THE MUD.

AND WE REALIZED THAT THE REASON THAT THEY ARE DOING THAT IS BECAUSE THEY WANT TO COVER UP THE BLOOD ON THEIR FACE SO BUGS WILL NOT LAND ON THEM AND MAYBE LAY EGG THIS IS THEIR FUR SO THAT'S WHY WE ARE HANGING OUT WITH THEM.

SOME MIGHT SEE AS BEING DANGEROUS BUT IF YOU UNDERSTAND THE ANIMALS AND YOU KNOW THEIR BEHAVIOR, YOU CAN HANG OUT WITH THEM WITHOUT REALLY BEING IN DANGER.

BECAUSE YOU CAN RESPOND TO THEIR RESPONSES AND REACTIONS TO YOU.

IF YOU UNDERSTAND THEM YOU CAN HANG OUT WITH THEM.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID NOT DO BECAUSE IT WAS TOO DANGEROUS WAS TAKE OUR RAFT.

WE HAD TO CROSS THE RIVER, AND WE WERE GOING TO DO IT IN A RAFT BUT WE SAW THE HIPPOS, AND WE KNOW THAT THEY ARE TERRITORIAL SO BEFORE GOING ACROSS THE RIVER, WE PULLED OUT OUR HIPPO DUMMY.

HIS NAME IS KEN.

AND WE SENT HIM DOWN THE RIVER FIRST.

>> WE GOT HIM READY, HE'S DRESSED UP IN SAFARI GEAR.

>> TO TEST THE WATERS.

AND IT ACTUALLY HAPPENED THAT THE HIPPOS ATTACKED KEN AND THE RAFT SO WE KNEW THAT WE HAD TO FIND A BRIDGE.

>> IT WAS LIKE -- WHEN THE HIPPO ATTACKED KEN, ROWING ACROSS THE RIVER, AND THE HIPPO ATTACKED AND TOOK THE RAFT AND KEN AND SHOOK IT LIKE A TERRIER SHAKES A RAG, YOU KNOW, AND KEN'S HEAD FLEW OFF AND EVERYTHING, AND SO FROM THAT CREATURE EXPERIMENT WE LEARNED HOW TERRITORIAL HIPPOS ARE AND LIKE WE SAID, WE FOUND A BRIDGE.

>> YOU REALLY PUT YOURSELVES IN INTERESTING CIRCUMSTANCES.

AGAIN ONE TIME YOU ARE RIGHT OFF THE BRANCH FROM A LEOPARD OR YOU ARE GOING DOWN INTO THE CITY SEWER SEARCHING FOR ALLIGATORS.

HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT, ARE YOU JUST SO BRAVE THAT YOU NEVER FEEL ANY ANTICIPATION ABOUT DOING THESE THINGS?

>> OH, WELL, WHEN WE DID -- WHEN WE WENT SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS, FOR EXAMPLE, WE WERE PRETTY NERVOUS ABOUT GOING DOWN THERE SWIMMING WITH SHARKS.

YOU HAVE HEARD ABOUT JAWS AND ALL OF THIS, BUT WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF READING ABOUT SHARKS, AND OUT OF ALL OF THE 360 PIECES OF SHARKS IN THE WORLD, ONLY FIVE SEE HUMANS AS POTENTIAL PREY.

SO WE WENT SWIMMING WITH A SPECIES THAT DID NOT SEE HUMANS AS PREY, THE CARIBBEAN REEF SHARK, AND AS LONG AS WE DID NOT DO THINGS TO THREATEN THEM WE COULD HANG OUT WITH THEM, AND IT WAS A WONDERFUL AND PEACEFUL, WORLDLY EXPERIENCE SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS.

>> NOW, ALSO IN THE SHOW YOU HAVE OTHER CHARACTERS, OTHER PEOPLE IN THE SHOW THAT WERE COMMUNICATING.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND WE WERE WITH A SHARK EXPERT DOWN IN THE CARIBBEAN WHO WE WERE DOING THE SHOW WITH, AND HE SAID SOMETHING WHICH WE THOUGHT WAS REALLY FUNNY, AND FROM OUR EXPERIENCE IN VERMONT, IT REALLY HIT HOME IS HE SAID THAT YOU ARE MORE LIKELY TO GET INJURED BY A COW THAN YOU ARE A SHARK.

>> THAT'S GOOD NEWS FOR US IN VERMONT.

I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE FORMAT OF THE SHOW BECAUSE YOU HAVE OTHER CHARACTERS WITHIN THE SHOW.

WHAT PARTS DO THEY PLAY IN DELIVERING THE MESSAGES YOU WANT TO GET OUT OF THE SHOW?

>> WE HAVE A GREAT CHARACTER NAMED ALLISON THAT YOU MENTIONED.

SHE HANGS OUT IN THE CREATURE CLUB, WHICH IS OUR HOME BASE.

AND SHE IS A WONDERFULLY SMART GIRL WHO LIKES ANIMALS AND WANTS TO LEARN MORE AND MORE ABOUT AS MUCH AS SHE CAN, SO WE SEE HER AS BASICALLY A SURROGATE TO THE AUDIENCE.

SHE'S OUR AUDIENCE OUT THERE.

SMART KIDS WHO WANT TO KNOW MORE.

>> AND BASICALLY, WHAT SHE DOES IS WHAT WE HOPE ALL THE KIDS OUT THERE WILL DO.

SHE'S RESEARCHING, READING BOOKS AND INTO COMPUTERS AND GETTING INFORMATION, BUT SHE'S ALSO TAKING THE NEXT STEP OF GOING OUT INTO THE FIELD, DOING HER OWN CREATURE ADVENTURES AND THEN SHE STARTS, YOU KNOW, LIKE, AND LIKE KIDS, THEY CAN NOT GO FLYING TO AFRICA WHILE THEY ARE TEN BECAUSE THEY HAVE GOT TO GO TO SCHOOL BUT THEY CAN SEE THEIR BACKYARD AND SOME DAY WHEN THEY ARE IN COLLEGE OR WHEN THEY ARE OLDER, THEY CAN GO TO COSTA RICA.

THEY CAN GO TO MADAGASCAR.

>> ONE OF THE BEST THINGS TO COME OUT OF THIS SHOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE MOST HAPPY ABOUT IS THAT KIDS ARE SENDING US LETTERS AND TALKING TO US SAYING THAT THEY ARE GOING OUT ON THEIR OWN CREATURE ADVENTURES.

THEY GO ON IMAGINARY ADVENTURES TO AFRICA AND THE GREAT BARRIER REEFS.

>> YOU ARE WORKING ON A SHOW, A NEW CREATURE SHOW WHICH IS GOING TO APPEAL TO A DIFFERENT AUDIENCE.

WHAT'S UP WITH THAT?

>> WELL, AFTER "KRATTS' CREATURES" WAS ON THE AIR, WE REALIZED -- WE DESIGNED IT SO THAT IT WOULD BE FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AGED KIDS.

WE REALIZED IT HAD A BROADER RANGE OF VIEWERS.

ADULTS WERE WATCHING IT.

WE WERE AT A BOOK SIGNING AND INSTEAD OF LOOKING UP AND SEEING A FACE, WE SAW KNEES, AND IT WAS A GUY FROM A LOCAL FIREARM WHO SAID I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW DOWN AT STATION 13, WE PUT DOWN THE CARDS AND WATCH "KRATTS' CREATURES."

>> BUT PRESCHOOLERS WERE WATCHING IT, TWO AND THREE-YEAR-OLDS AND THE SHOW IS A FAST PACE SO A LOT OF IT WAS GOING OVER THEIR HEAD BUT THEY WERE ATTRACTED TO THE ENTHUSIASM AND THE ANIMALS SO PBS ASKED US TO DESIGN A NEW SHOW, THE FIRST WILDLIFE SHOW EVER FOR PRESCHEMERS, AND WE HAVE DONE THAT, IT'S CALLED ZOBOOMAFOO.

WE ARE GOING TO HAVE 40 HALF-HOURS IN 1999.

>> LISTEN, WE HAD A TIGHT WIN DOE.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

CHRIS AND MARTIN KRATT, THANKS FOR JOINING US ON "POINTS NORTH."

>> BE WITH US NEXT WEEK WHEN WE WILL JOIN THE WILD WEST BUFFS KNOWN AS THE VIGILANTES, TO NEW ENGLAND'S LAST WATER POWERED SAW MILL AND MEET ONE OF THE YOUNGEST AND MOST SUCCESSFUL FILM DIRECTORS.

UNTIL THEN, FOR ALL OF US AT "POINTS NORTH," I'M FRAN STODDARD.

>> I'M ROB MICHALAK.

SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

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