Hey, it'’’s the Kratt Brothers!

I'’’m Martin!

And I'’’m Chris, and this lynx kitten is only about 6 months old and very playful.

This skunk kit is 6 months old too, and he just wants to get his nose sniffing and digging in the dirt.

At this age, the skunk isn'’’t really worried about the young lynx kitten, but the lynx kitten is so curious.

Not sure what to do about-- He wants to pounce on this furry thing, but he's a little nervous.

CHRIS: So right now, these two baby animals get along pretty well, but when they get older, everything's going to change.

MARTIN: That'’’s because skunks eat what they eat.

Berries and worms.

And lynx eat what they eat, rabbits and, well, skunks.

MARTIN: Oh, the cat is curious.

You do want to jump on him, don't you?

All the lynx'’’s play is about preparing for the hunt.

Running, stalking, jumping.

It all gets him ready to get food.

CHRIS: And the skunk will have to master his stink defense against predators like the lynx.

So in the wild, berries and worms are eaten by the skunk.

And the skunk is eaten by the lynx.

That's part of the food web, and every creature fits into it.

Who eats who in nature can be so interesting.

Imagine if we had the power to experience the "who eats who" of an entire habitat.

And get right inside a food web from bottom to top.

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 ♪ Whoo-hoo!

Yeah!

These Falcon Flyers are awesome for spotting creatures on the African savannah.

They give us the ultimate birds-eye view.

Hey, bat-eared fox, 12 o'clock!

Whoa, look at those ears.

No wonder they'’’re called bat-eared foxes.

Each one is as big as his face, just like a bat.

Yeah, and they'’’re moving around like satellite dishes!

Hmm, what's he listening for?

(Watch beeping) Doubt it'’’s that!

It'’’s a message from Aviva.

It says "Guys, come back to the Tortuga HQ.

"Quick, it'’’s urgent!"

Hmm.

Yeah, sounds good, right after we see what this bat-eared fox is up to.

Martin, she says it'’’s urgent.

That means it'’’s important.

Might be a creature in trouble.

Or what if they accidentally miniaturized themselves again?

Or Jimmy lost his controller again?

(Laughing) We got to get back there fast!

We'll catch up with ya later, bat-eared fox.

To the Tortuga HQ, double speed!

Whoo-hoo!

Hey team!

BOTH: What's going on?

Is there a creature to save?

A mystery to solve?

Bring it on.

See, I told you I could get '’’em here in under 2 minutes.

Impressive.

Well, what's the emergency?

The emergency is that you're late for the start of my game.

Game?

Or you could call it a challenge.

See, I'’’m building a food web to see how energy moves through the African ecosystem and I knew you guys could help me with it.

So I made a game out of it.

MARTIN: Great, we love games.

CHRIS: And challenges.

How do we play?

Okay, it's called Food Web Fury.

Uh, it's blank, Aviva.

Not for long.

I'll build it here while you guys discover it out there.

Food Webs, cool!

Oh, I love food webs too.

Yeah, the "who eats who" of an ecosystem.

One creature eats something.

Who'’’s eaten by somebody else.

Who'’’s eaten by another creature.

Whoa!

And all the way up until you get to the animals that aren't really food for anything.

Exactly!

So here'’’s how the game works.

You'’’ll need your power suits for this and all your power discs for African creatures.

You start at the bottom of the food web, and you have to get to the top as fast as you can.

Cool!

So both of you will start as... (Gasping) ...a blade of grass.

BOTH: Oh.

So first you have to find an animal who eats a blade of grass.

When you do, you can move up the food chain.

Use your Creature Power Suit to become the animal you found.

Okay.

Hmm, who will I be first?

Oh, I'm on my way to the top, dude!

Oh, one more thing, you can only use the animals that I have Creature Power Discs for.

No problem.

Got it!

And while you'’’re doing that, we'’’ll build a giant food web based on what you find out on the savannah.

Ready, guys?

Guys?

Guys!

KOKI: I think they were ready.

Hey, wait up!

I didn't say "Go!"

Ready, Chris?

I was born ready!

Ready, Martin?

Oh, yeah!

Set me loose.

Good luck, bro!

Back atcha, dude.

On your marks, get set, go!

(Grunting, wobbling) Oh, we can't even run.

We'’’re rooted to the ground.

A grass race?

Don'’’t blink or you'll miss it.

Have fun, guys!

Got to get back to my food web.

Poor grass, at the bottom of the food chain.

Poor grass?

Ow!

Ouch, sorry, JZ.

But you shouldn'’’t feel sorry for grass.

The bottom of the food chain is the most important place of all.

That's where the producers go.

I thought all plants go there.

(Sucking thumb) They do.

Plants are producers.

That means they make their own food, from energy from the sun.

Kind of like my solar panels collect energy from the sun to power the Tortuga HQ.

Animals can't do that, just plants.

Okay, first level of the food web: plants.

JZ: Fire them up here, guys!

Lychee fruit!

Got it.

Wild potato!

Rhodes grass.

Sedge!

Okra flower!

Acacia tree!

Ugh!

(Gasping) Ugh!

Well, we know one thing.

There are lots of producers.

(Laughing) All right, this should start easy.

Lots of grass-eaters live on the African savannah.

Problem is, I got to wait for them to come to me.

Oh man, who'’’s going to want to eat a blue blade of grass?

Maybe if I make myself a little less obvious.

Come here, herbivores!

Nothing but tasty green grass over here.

I'’’m only one in, like, gazillion other green grasses.

How am I going to get noticed with all this-- (Gasping) Oh yeah!

Here come the herbivores!

Let the games begin!

Right over here, right over here.

Wait, wait!

Oh no, wait, don't go by!

Hmm.

Elephants.

Oh, wow!

Now that'’’s a grass-eater, all right.

Using his trunk like a hand to pull up huge mouthfuls of the stuff.

Hey, Thornsley!

It'’’s me, Chris!

Come here, little guy.

I just need to touch you to move to the next level of the food web.

Ha, ha, this is it!

I'’’m a-- ugh!

Pancake.

Ugh, ooh!

Flattened by an elephant foot.

It's a good thing grass is used to getting stepped on.

But I missed the grab.

Herbivores, come back!

Oh, why do you have to leave me stuck as a piece of grass?

(Snarling) Oh, that'’’s why you were in such a big hurry.

Drat, foiled by a big cat, who of course, doesn'’’t eat grass.

I'll never get to the top of the food chain at this rate.

All set, Aviva.

Okay, so the herbivores are the plant-eaters.

Things like rhinos, zebra, elephants, guinea fowl, giraffes.

Even bees who eat nectar from plants.

They're all herbivores.

Wow, plants are amazing.

They just keep on giving.

Yeah, so many animals eat plants, and we need to get some of them up on our food web.

Jimmy?

I'm on it.

Ow!

But this hammer keeps attacking me!

Keep fighting the good fight, Jimmy, because now we get to connect them.

So, elephants eat grass and acacia trees, and even roots.

Elephants also eat these wild lychee fruits.

Koki, what are you doing?

What?

I like these lychee fruits.

It'’’s not just animals that like fruits and veggies.

We eat them too.

(Snorting) Hey, lychee fruit thief!

Come back here!

Oh well.

I guess that's another animal that likes them.

MARTIN: Oh man, why are all the herbivores on that side of the savannah today?

Oh!

I'’’m never going to get to the herbivore level with no herbivores in reach.

Ow!

(Laughing) Hey, something bit me!

Whoa, ow!

Those jaws are powerful.

But hey, I'm really happy to see ya!

Because you'’’re one of the most incredible grass-eaters around.

The harvester termite.

Ow, ow!

All right, I'’’m at the next level!

I'’’m an herbivore!

Oh, wow, with serious jaws!

Hey, let'’’s do the herbivore stuff.

All right!

Martin got to the next level.

And I'’’m still stuck--whoa!

Between the lips of a Thomson's gazelle!

Oh, still in the game!

Whoo-hoo, I can run!

I can move!

Thanks, gazelle!

Thanks to you, I'm heading up the food web.

This is great!

Gazelles are one of the swiftest herbivores on the savannah.

We can keep a top speed of 50 miles per hour for long stretches at a time.

It'’’s thirsty work, and gazelles get most of the moisture they need from plants and grass.

Hmm&this looks a little too dry and coarse.

Perfect!

Gazelles like shorter grass.

So, they wait for other herbivores to mow down the longer grass, then they can get at the good stuff.

Bleh!

They call this the good stuff?

But I'’’m not thirsty anymore.

I'm ready to move up the food chain.

(Gasping) And I know exactly who I need to find next.

AVIVA: They'’’re off!

Each on a different path through the food web.

A path through the food web is a food chain.

So Chris'’’s food chain goes from grass to gazelle, and Martin'’’s food chain goes from grass to termite.

Now what'’’s going to happen?

We have a tiny herbivore out there, and a big one.

Who eats them?

We'’’ll see.

Let's keep an eye on the little Ter-Mart.

You mean termite?

No, Ter-Mart!

There he is.

Going down!

Hey, nice home you'’’ve got here.

So, you'’’re a different kind of termite than the ones that make those mounds.

You guys just build tunnel nests underground.

Oh, okay, so this is where you keep your food, stuffed in these termite food cabinets.

Nice!

Enjoy.

And if you have any leftovers, I'm your termite.

Wow, now I know why termites are the biggest little herbivores in Africa.

There are so many of you that you actually eat more grass than all the elephants, zebra, wildebeests, and every other grass-eater combined!

(Beeping) How's it going, bro?

Oh great, Chris.

I'’’m a termite!

Harvester of grass, builder of giant nests, power herbivore of the savannah!

Cool.

Now, you just have to find a termite eater.

I'’’m a gazelle.

And remember our pal Blur who chased me all over the savannah the last time I had gazelle powers?

Whoa!

Oh, yeah!

How could I forget?

Well, he'’’s going to help me move up the food web.

Wish me luck!

Luck!

Hey, Blur!

Want to play tag?

Hmm.

What?

Now you'’’re not up for a chase?

Come on, cheetahs love gazelles.

And you can help me get to the next level of the food web.

Come on.

Bet you can'’’t catch me!

Show me that speed, that awesome gazelle-catching speed.

(Yawning) Oh, you'’’re kidding me.

Of course, you'd have to pick right now for a nap.

Okay, so now I'’’m looking for some kind of bug-eater.

Lots of animals eat bugs.

Let's see, especially termites, aardvarks, warthog, aardwolf-- Ah, bat-eared fox!

He hears something.

That'’’s what he was listening for, termites!

Oh, I can'’’t believe it.

He can hear termites underground!

Shh, he can hear you chewing.

Got it!

Hi, tongue!

Told you we'd catch up with you later.

I'm a bat-eared fox!

(Singing) Yeah!

Okay, Martin made it to the second-order consumers.

Animals that eat other animals.

KOKI: Oh, yeah, the predators, like foxes and wild dogs, cheetahs, lions.

Mongooses, even spiders that eat other bugs.

Basically, if it eats an animal, it's right up here in the food web.

This is the sad part of the food web.

But look at it this way, Koki.

It'’’s how nature works.

I mean, if these predators weren'’’t around, in no time, there'’’d be too many of these herbivores.

Soon, there'’’d be no plants left, and no one would survive.

Everything'’’s in balance.

KOKI: I guess that'’’s why the food web works so well, but it's still sad.

Ow!

No, this is sad.

(Laughing) Okay, Blur, check this out.

I'’’m injured.

Oh, oh, my leg!

I can'’’t run fast anymore!

I hope a predator doesn'’’t see me!

Yes, my trick is working.

Predators usually target injured or weak prey.

They'’’re the easiest to catch.

Ow, I'’’m so injured.

Huh?

Uh-oh, it worked!

But on a different predator.

A python's got a hug on me!

Pythons are constricting snakes.

That means they squeeze their prey until they can'’’t breathe anymore.

This wasn'’’t, ugh, exactly... the plan, but I'll take it.

Could you please press that button for me?

That'’’s the one!

Yes, I'’’m a python!

Wait a second.

No animal eats adult pythons.

I'’’m at the top of the food web!

Whoo-hoo!

AVIVA: Not so fast, Chris.

We'’’re checking something.

CHRIS: What?

Yep, it'’’s right here.

It almost never happens, but big adult pythons are sometimes caught and eaten by a super-hungry lion or leopard.

You mean, kind of like that?

(Hissing) Whoa, you'’’ve got to be pretty hungry to tangle with a python.

Whoa, not this time.

Catching food can be dangerous business for predators too.

Prey defends itself, and getting a meal isn'’’t always easy.

So, it'’’s official.

It'’’s rare, but leopards and lions will tangle with an adult python, if they're desperate.

Wow.

I'’’d better slither off and follow that lion.

Got to slide!

See ya, Blur!

Okay, I know a lion would eat a bat-eared fox.

And you probably have to be on the lookout for spotted hyenas too.

Hey, If I could just find one of those.

(Laughing) I know you probably don'’’t want to find out, but I have to finish my food chain.

Huh?

(Squawking) Marshall eagle!

Whew, nice move.

The old "roll on your back, kick and bite" defense.

A bat-eared fox classic.

Hey, it'’’s not easy being an animal when things are constantly out to get you.

Huh?

See what I mean?

A pyth-- Hey, Martin.

Gotcha!

What, Chris?

You'’’re a python!

Yeah, and you'’’re lucky I'’’m not hungry '’’cause we eat bat-eared foxes.

Yeah, whew!

It's rough out here.

I know.

Animals always have to be on the lookout for another creature trying to catch them.

Imagine if humans had to live like that every day?

Hey, we'’’re almost there.

One more creature to find.

See you at the top!

I'’’ll be waiting for you.

AVIVA: We're almost there!

Wow, it's close now.

Yeah, just some top predators left.

Like lions, leopards, crocodiles, Marshall eagles.

It can get pretty confusing in the middle there.

Yeah, like look at the baboon.

He eats things down here, like grass, roots and fruit, and he'’’s eaten by things up there, like leopards, cheetahs and pythons.

Yup, just follow the lines to figure out who eats who.

All those lines make me dizzy!

I know, that'’’s why it'’’s called the food web.

It'’’s amazing how all these animals are connected by what they eat.

And Chris and Martin have both climbed within reach of the top.

(Whistling) Hmm, what would eat a fox?

(Growling) I know that sound!

And it'’’s coming from... there!

Lions!

Lions!

Playful pouncers now, top predators later.

A long body sure comes in handy for this game.

If I could just...touch... A little bit more!

Oh, what-- (Martin singing) Martin?

Yes, they saw me!

Ahh!

Ugh!

Oh, just a little closer!

Zebras?

They'’’re going after that herd of zebra.

Wait, come back-- whoa!

Whoa!

Hey, you guys are little toughies.

Oh, got to press-- Ow!

Where's the button?

Ow!

(Laughing) Steady, steady.

Hi.

Whoa!

It'’’s a good thing I have bat-eared fox escape powers.

Chris, where are you?

I'm being peppered with pounces by lion cubs.

I've got a mama lion on my tail!

Oof!

(Laughing) BOTH: Activate!

Lion power.

Good game, guys!

Looks like the lions won.

And not the ones wearing lion suits.

Ha, ha, yes, we did it!

(Snarling) We're at the top of the food web!

Mama's calling.

It'’’s time for dinner, for the predators at the top of the food web.

And that's life in nature.

Mission accomplished!

We built a food web of the African savannah.

KOKI: From the producers... All the way to the top predators.

And, you know, I used to think lions were kind of nasty.

But really, they'’’re just surviving and feeding their cubs.

That'’’s right, like every single animal on this board is doing.

Creatures eat other creatures.

It's just how nature works.

MARTIN: A lion eating a zebra is really no worse than a zebra or a termite eating a living blade of grass.

They're all important for a healthy ecosystem.

Where are you guys going?

We're off to make another food web.

Meet you in North America!

Martin, I'’’ll start as a green pond algae.

Cool, I'll be a big, juicy blueberry.

(Laughing) As green algae, I'’’ll be the base of the whole pond ecosystem full of cool animals.

I'’’m going to be the most amazing blueberry to ever start a food web.

(Laughing) So no matter what habitat you'’’re in on Earth, there is a creature food web in action around you.

All right, Chris, let'’’s see how fast we can work our way through a North American food web.

Let'’’s start with... trees!

Trees are producers, plants that get their energy from the sun.

Producers are the first step in a typical food chain.

A lot of animals eat tree leaves, and we'’’ve got to find one of them.

Chris, found something.

Did you find a leaf-eater?

Oh yeah, a caterpillar hiding in this tent, and this caterpillar hides in his tent until he'’’s ready to eat, then he comes out and he eats the leaf.

And now, we'’’ve got to find a caterpillar-eater.

Let's go!

Whoa, an American toad!

These guys will eat just about anything they can fit in their mouths, including caterpillars.

Whoa, she found a caterpillar.

Wow, now that'’’s a lightning-fast grab.

But it'’’s not going to be super-easy to find the next creature in the chain because toads have great defenses.

First, they taste bad, and a lot of predators don'’’t want to eat them.

Second, if they'’’re being eaten they blow up like a balloon, to make it harder for the predator to swallow them.

Yes, a hog-nose snake!

Oh, now this snake can get past a toad'’’s defense because a hog-nose has special fangs in the back of its mouth that can pop a blown-up toad, so the snake can swallow it down.

Oh now, this is a cool snake.

Martin, over here!

Yes, a raccoon!

That takes us further up the food chain.

Raccoons are omnivores.

That means they eat plants, like berries and nuts, and animals like crayfish and snakes, including the hog-nose snake.

So, we'’’re almost to the top.

There are only a few creatures who would ever eat a raccoon.

We find one and we'’’ve made it.

How about a wolf?

Lynx, maybe.

Oh, a mountain lion would.

One thing'’’s for sure.

Top predators are usually the hardest to find.

A feather!

BOTH: Of a great-horned owl.

There!

Great-horned owls will eat raccoons.

We did it!

In record time.

Oh, yeah, and that is just one North American food chain.

Food chains and food webs are all around us, so keep your eyes peeled when you're creature 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 pbskidsgo.org.

BOTH: We'’’ll see you there!