♪ Wild Kratts!

♪ MARTIN: Hey-hey, off the African continent, we'’’re here on a big island.

CHRIS: The legendary island of Madagascar.

And we'’’re hiking through the dry forest of a very special place.

A place that is home to many unique animals.

It'’’s us, the Kratt brothers.

I'’’m Martin.

I'’’m Chris, and we'’’re looking for an animal that lives here and nowhere else.

BOTH: Lemurs!

Look, a furry ping-pong ball bouncing through the trees.

Of course, it'’’s not a ping-pong ball.

It'’’s a sifaka lemur.

What a cool creature!

CHRIS: And she'’’s not bouncing.

She'’’s vertical clinging and leaping.

Whoa.

One, two, three, four.

CHRIS: Vertical clinging and leaping is a special kind of jumping that sifaka lemurs do.

We'’’ll let this family of sifakas show us exactly how they do it.

First, a sifaka sits on a vertical tree trunk.

See how her long legs are tucked up under her?

It looks like she'’’s just sitting there, but she'’’s already in jump position.

Whenever she wants to, she just takes those long legs and pushes off and leaps away.

Oh, that was a seriously long leap!

Let'’’s measure.

Okay.

Whoa, buddy, you know how far you leaped?

Seventeen feet!

Relative to their body size, sifakas are one of the top long-leapers in the creature world.

Imagine if we could leap like that.

With that vertical clinging and leaping technique.

Wow, that would be a plus for climbing.

Imagine if we had the leaping powers of the sifaka lemur.

BOTH: What if?

♪ On adventure with the coolest creatures ♪ ♪ From the oceans to the trees ♪ ♪ The Brothers Kratt are going places you never get to see ♪ ♪ Hanging with their creature friends ♪ ♪ Get ready, it'’’s the hour ♪ ♪ We'’’re gonna save some animals today with ♪ ♪ Creature Power ♪ ♪ Gonna go wild, Wild Kratts ♪ ♪ Gonna go wild, wild, Wild Kratts ♪ ♪ Gonna go wild, Wild Kratts ♪ ♪ Gonna go wild, wild, wild ♪ ♪ Cheetah speed and lizard glide ♪ ♪ Falcon flight and lion pride ♪ ♪ Gonna go wild, Wild Kratts ♪ ♪ Gonna go wild, wild, Wild Kratts ♪ ♪ Gonna go wild, Wild Kratts ♪ ♪ Gonna go wild, wild, Wild Kratts ♪ ♪ Go wild, wild, Wild Kratts ♪ JIMMY: Okay, we'’’re crossing over the African continent.

So, where is it?

Just look for the fourth-largest island in the world.

Madagascar is the fourth-largest island in the world?

CHRIS: Yep, and there it is.

ALL: Madagascar!

Oh, and all the animals here are so cool.

It'’’s creature-crazy.

Let'’’s see what we'’’ve got.

Whoa!

MARTIN: And more special animals live here than anywhere else in the world.

Oh, yeah.

Madagascar has so many endemic species.

Endemic?

Yeah, endemic.

It means "unique to a place."

So, these animals only live here.

Lemurs only live in Madagascar.

Almost half of the world'’’s chameleons live in Madagascar.

A unique family of birds, the vangas, mostly only exist here.

And a family of insectivores, the tenrecs, are endemic to Madagascar.

Endemic!

JIMMY: It looks like we'’’re landing in some kind of desert.

Not just some kind of desert.

This is the spiny desert.

Wow!

AVIVA: This is an amazing place.

And these spiny plants aren'’’t cactus.

They'’’re Didiereaceae, a plant family endemic to Madagascar.

Hmm.

Ow!

(Chuckling) I'’’m finding it hard to imagine any climber being able to climb out here.

KOKI: Yeah.

No way.

AVIVA: Impossible.

But one lemur can.

The Verreaux'’’s sifaka.

Check it out.

These sifaka are incredible.

Look at this, see?

This species of sifaka can climb on the spiny plants.

Uh, we can see that, bro.

Yeah, the evidence is right there in front of us.

It'’’s kind of hard to miss it.

(Screeching) Gah!

(Laughing) Ooh?

(Laughing) Now that'’’s a Verreaux'’’s sifaka.

The funny head-bob is a uniquely lemur way of expressing curiosity.

Hmm.

So, I think I'’’ll have to name you Bob.

Bob?

Yeah!

Are you serious?

Yeah.

Bob.

Is that head-bob endemic to sifaka lemurs?

Yeah, but now-- CHRIS: Whoa!

Wild Kratts too.

Hey, there'’’s more.

CHRIS: We'’’ve got a dad.

That'’’s Bob.

A teenager-- I got to think of a name for you.

A mom, and a new baby.

In lemurs, the mom is always the boss of the group.

You mean females are always the leaders in lemur society?

Ooh, I really like lemur society.

Yeah, me too.

Whoa.

Well, I'’’ll definitely call you Mrs. President.

That'’’s easy.

And your baby?

Let'’’s see.

Let'’’s nickname you Fuzztop.

Yeah, Fuzztop.

Uh, what kind of lemur is that?

Hmm?

Hmm.

Do you think it could really be?

That would be the most exciting scientific discovery of the 21st century.

A once-extinct lemur species suddenly rediscovered?

Ohh!

Ohh!

I have no idea what they'’’re talking about.

That could be the lemur Megaladapis.

Yeah, a bear-sized lemur that went extinct 500 years ago.

Hunted out of existence by humans, unless-- BOTH: There is one left.

This could be the biggest find of our creature lives.

The rediscovery of-- ALL: Gourmand?

Aw, it'’’s not Megaladapis, only Gourmand.

What?

Must I remind you that I am the internationally renowned chef, six-time recipient of the Sensational Sauces Citation?

(Mock applauding) No offence, but we were kind of hoping you were something else.

Well, seeing you is hardly my idea of a picnic, either.

Why were you acting like a Megaladapis?

A mega-who-da-what?

You were pretending to be a giant bear-sized Megaladapis lemur.

I most certainly was not.

Then what are you doing here?

I'’’m just here to, uh, take a vacation.

Being a culinary visionary is not as easy as it might seem.

Chef-ing around the world has worn me out.

Rest and relaxation is what I require, and I supposed I would not be harassed in the middle of the forest on a remote island.

Hmm.

Do I look like I'’’m doing anything nefarious?

Do I have my quiver of cooking utensils?

Am I carrying my dough blaster?

Am I wearing my kitchen whites?

Humph!

(Chuckling) I just feel so maligned and misunderstood.

(Chuckling) Showtime!

(Screaming) Ho-ho!

You are one of the select few who are invited to dine at Gourmand'’’s Madagascar Galleria.

Tonight'’’s endangered species special: lemur legs amandine.

Oh, goody.

I'’’ll be there.

Fine, but easy on the Madagascar vanilla.

Oh!

Just don'’’t be late.

Now to capture the main ingredient.

But the Wild Kratts will surely interfere.

I must think of a way to get them out of the way.

What is their weakness?

Hmm, they do always like to help the animals in trouble.

(Cackling) Whew.

I'’’m glad Gourmand didn'’’t spot them.

We don'’’t want to give him any ideas.

Ooh, I'’’ve got an idea.

I'’’ll name you Lounger.

Wow.

I'’’ve got to get a closer look at those lemur legs in action.

I'’’m thinking there might be a great Power Suit here.

Okay!

Bro, what are you doing?

Hold this.

You'’’ll see.

Whoa!

Now that'’’s what I call vertical clinging and leaping.

Vertical clinging and leaping?

What'’’s that?

That.

Whoa!

The special way sifaka lemurs leap through the trees.

See Bob over there?

A sifaka clings to a vertical trunk of a tree.

He pushes off with his powerful hind feet then twists in the air, reaching forward with his feet.

And lands on another vertical trunk.

This is a really special creature ability.

I'’’ve got to program some Lemur Powers.

(Computer keys clacking) MARTIN: Hey, where are they going?

CHRIS: They see something.

MARTIN: Balloons and a cake.

Is that an endangered radiated tortoise?

What'’’s it doing sitting on a birthday cake flying through the forest with party balloons?

How did a radiated tortoise get way up there?

Must have come from somebody'’’s birthday party.

He'’’s floating away!

We got to save him.

CHRIS: Here, I'’’ve got this one, bro.

(Screaming) Oof.

Ha!

Nice work, bro.

Thanks.

The question is, how did a tortoise get way up there?

(Lemurs screeching) And why are the lemurs so freaked out down here?

(Martin speaking with muffled voice) Wait a second!

Bob is missing.

(Cackling) (Chuckling) Ooh!

My diversion worked like a charm.

Putting an animal in a dangerous situation where the Wild Kratts must rescue it from.

Now, what will I distract them with this time?

(Sniffing) Gotcha.

Now, what could I do with you?

Where could Bob have gone?

CHRIS: I don'’’t know.

Maybe sometimes a lemur goes for a leap about on his own.

Listo!

I think I'’’ve got the breakdown on the sifaka lemur'’’s leaping power.

All right!

It'’’s all in the lemur legs.

Ha.

AVIVA: Those long, muscular legs give them a powerful push-off and absorb the landing.

(Giggling) Hey, Lounger.

You'’’ll hang out just about anywhere.

And Lounger'’’s showing us something else.

I noticed that sifakas have stretchy skin under their arms that give them a little glide to prolong their flight.

Oh, yeah.

Look at the underarm webbing on Lounger.

Now, just to finish the programming on these sifaka Lemur Powers.

MARTIN: Hold it, Aviva.

You don'’’t want to miss this.

JIMMY: Whoa!

That'’’s so cool.

They'’’re like lemur dancers.

Because their legs are so specialized for tree leaping, they can'’’t even walk or run.

This is the only way they can move on the ground.

And they don'’’t like to be down for long because on the ground, those amazing legs become the sifaka'’’s weakness.

Huh?

Huh?

A wheel of cheese?

With a pygmy hedgehog tenrec?

He'’’s heading right for the spiny plants and is going to crash.

(Cackling) Easy as cheesy.

MARTIN: I got this one, bro.

Reverse cheese roll!

Whoa.

Ouch.

Hey, buddy.

Rolling around in a cheese wheel is no place for you.

Pygmy hedgehog tenrecs belong living free in the wild.

Hmm.

Emmental.

A European cheese.

Interesting.

Hey, it'’’s Mrs. President and Fuzztop.

How could she land on all these spines?

She must have super-tough hands and feet.

Wait, they'’’re soft.

And not just soft; super-duper unbelievably soft.

Then how do you land on all those spines?

Oh, I get it.

She positions her hands and feet so they land on the few spaces in between the spines.

MARTIN: That is awesome.

Hey, where'’’s Lounger?

(Gourmand humming and cackling) Let me just pull-- Uh-huh.

A little bit there, that there, and there you go.

Hmm.

Yeah.

(Sniffing) Huh?

(Sneezing) I love choo-choos.

Have fun.

Finally!

I have finished the sifaka programming for the Lemur Power Suit.

All right.

Great.

(Train whistle sounding) ALL: Hmm?

A spiny chameleon?

What is it doing on that strange train?

MARTIN: That'’’s heading for the river.

Stop that train!

Chameleons can'’’t swim.

(Cackling) Yeah!

Oof.

It'’’s not stopping.

Uh-oh, we'’’re going in.

Ah.

(Train whistle sounding) BOTH: Phew.

Hey, buddy, let'’’s get you back to the trees.

Wait a minute.

I can'’’t put my finger on it, but I'’’m sensing a theme here.

Hmm.

Did this come from a kid'’’s birthday party or a bakery?

Not from a bakery but it'’’s still food, and Emmental is European cheese.

And this might look like a remote control train, right?

But when you break it apart you find-- ALL: Gourmand!

Of course!

Gourmand'’’s been distracting us with these things.

He knows we'’’ll save any creature in trouble that needs a rescue.

When our backs were turned, he'’’s been capturing the sifakas.

We'’’ve got to activate Lemur Power and leap off.

Find Gourmand, and save our sifaka lemur friends.

Oh, no.

They'’’re gone.

Bob, Lounger?

Mrs. President, Fuzztop?

All gone.

Double oh, no.

We can'’’t activate Lemur Powers because there are no lemurs to touch.

And we just got here to Madagascar.

We don'’’t have any other Creature Power Suits.

Let'’’s get our Buzz Bikes or some other vehicle so we can search for Gourmand.

Back to the Tortuga.

Let'’’s go.

(Lemur purring) Wait a second.

(Lemur purring) I recognize that voice, but where'’’s it coming from?

I know how to find it.

Engage Audio Locator.

(Locator beeping) (Beeping continues) (Lemur purring) MARTIN: Fuzztop!

Oh, she must'’’ve fallen off Mrs. President'’’s back when Gourmand captured her.

Okay, back to original plan.

Activate Lemur Powers!

Now let'’’s rescue our lemur family.

Here.

Why don'’’t you guys take Fuzztop back to the Tortuga.

Keep her safe there while we deal with Gourmand.

Okay.

Whoa.

She won'’’t let go.

She slipped off her Mom once.

She'’’s not going to let go again.

Ooh!

Okay, change in plans.

Why doesn'’’t Fuzztop come with us and you guys go back to the Tortuga, get some vehicles so you can help us search for Gourmand?

I'’’m on it.

To the Creature Rescue!

Vertical clinging and leaping.

The coolest way to creature rescue.

Hah.

Hold it, bro.

Look.

MARTIN: Uh-oh.

Gourmand must be planning a secret dinner tonight.

And raising a flag so his customers know where to find him.

I'’’ve got a bad feeling that sifakas are the endangered species on the menu.

We'’’ve got to save our lemur family and fast.

(Grunting) (Cackling) I'’’ve been one step ahead of Les Frères Kratt the whole time today.

Indeed, I do love setting traps.

There they are.

Our sifaka friends.

Mrs. President-- Lounger-- And Bob.

Gourmand must be out collecting more sifakas.

Let'’’s go.

Wait.

It could be a trap.

Fuzztop, come back!

Huh.

Seems okay, bro.

The patient hunter waits.

Easy, Fuzztop.

We'’’re going to get them all out of there right now.

(Gasping) Now!

Huh?

CHRIS: It'’’s a trap!

Leap away, leap away!

Whoa.

Woo-hoo!

Woo.

(Electricity crackling) CHRIS: It overheated.

All right!

We did it, bro.

Yeah.

Lemur legs rule.

(Cackling) All going according to plan.

Blueberry and Green Grape aren'’’t the only ones who understand animal behavior.

If I can lure them onto the ground, their Lemur Powers will be useless.

These lemur legs sure work weird on the ground, though.

Not only is it weird, but you'’’ve become easy targets.

Uh-oh.

Leap out of here.

Get to the trees.

Whoa!

Oh, no, our lemur leg powers!

We can'’’t leap anymore.

Your Creature Powers are no match for Gourmand Power.

(Cackling) Huh?

Aw, and you brought me a nice tender young one, too.

Hey, get away from me!

Good job, Jimmy.

Keep him busy.

Will do.

Oh, oh!

Batter up.

(Gourmand chuckling) Aw, game over.

Get the bros out of here.

I'’’ll handle Gourmand.

AVIVA: En garde!

No, no.

No, you don'’’t.

Oh-ho-ho.

Easy.

JIMMY: There you go, bros. Woo-hoo!

All right.

Thanks, Jimmy.

So, Gourmand, why don'’’t you just make grilled cheese sandwiches?

What?

I would never serve something so basic and blah.

Got it.

How dare you insult me like this?

It was just a suggestion.

You'’’re free!

Yeah!

Woo-hoo!

Come on, Mrs. President, Lounger, Fuzztop and Bob.

Let'’’s get leaping.

Yeah!

Take it easy.

MARTIN: Come on, guys.

You'’’re safe now.

How about peanut butter and jelly?

What?

Don'’’t you even know that I am a special chef who only makes special dishes out of endangered species ingredients?

Aviva, bail out!

Sorry, Gourmand.

Got to go.

Hey, get back here.

I'’’m not-- What?

Get me down from here!

(Gourmand crying) How dare you do this to my restaurant?

Hey, Gourmy, floating off so soon?

You haven'’’t seen the last of me.

Okay.

Living free and in the wild-- With the sifaka lemurs.

So, sifaka lemurs are tree-leaping specialists-- With some of the most famous leaping abilities in the world.

But because they are so specialized for leaping through the trees-- They have a funny kind of leaping style when they come to the ground.

A sifaka'’’s body is so well adapted for leaping through the trees that they kind of have a weird sideways hop when they come to the ground.

MARTIN: Spreading their arms, crossing their legs, they hop along.

It'’’s funny and pretty tiring, too.

CHRIS: Sifakas are specially designed for vertical clinging and leaping in the trees.

One of the reasons they'’’re such good leapers is because there'’’s so much great food up there, and they have to leap to it to get to it.

She'’’s munching on those purple flowers.

Oh, there'’’s a baby.

He'’’s not doing his own leaping yet.

He'’’s still just clinging to Mom as she leaps around up there, and that'’’s pretty amazing that he has the strength to hang onto Mom as she'’’s making those awesome leaps through the trees.

And she doesn'’’t even give him any warning when she moves.

She just goes about her business and he'’’s got to be ready to hang on.

MARTIN: Now, the Verreaux'’’s sifaka is just one type of sifaka.

There are actually nine different species of sifaka lemurs living in different habitats across Madagascar.

CHRIS: Like the diademed sifaka.

These are one of the largest of all sifakas and have a really cool color pattern.

MARTIN: Or the simpona, an almost entirely black sifaka with some brown and a noticeable white patch of fur on his rump.

These simpona have red eyes, and they'’’re a unique species only found in this particular patch of cloud forest.

CHRIS: And of course, back in the dry forest, the Verreaux'’’s sifaka has that distinct coat and brown cap on his head.

But wherever sifakas live-- And whatever their differences in color-- They all look really cool.

And they are all very endangered, so they need our help and protection.

And they can leap like no other leaper in the creature world.

MARTIN: Oh, yeah!

Keep on lemur adventuring.

We'’’ll see you on the creature trail.

♪ To find out more about cool animals... And collect your own Wild Kratts creature powers... go to the Wild Kratts website ...at pbskids.org.

BOTH: We'’’ll see you there!