Episodes

Why would a scientist get excited about 20,000-year-old poop? In this episode of the Wild Critters USA series on Orbit, families join the U.S. National Park Service discovering what mummified mammoth poop reveals about the Ice Age.

Do animals get hangry? Does everyone get altitude sickness? Will a tiny town in Kansas have a place to recharge an EV and a human? Scientist-comedian Sophie and her co-pilot Brendan face the challenges of 12,000-ft elevation and a bullet run through the middle of the USA, in a rush to get from Moab, Utah through Colorado, Kansas, and Missouri.

While exploring Utah’s stunning national parks, Sophie gets lost in Moab, meets cowboys in Bryce Canyon, and finds a science-y surprise under changing rocks in Arches National Park.

Who cleans a river when it gets dirty? In this episode of the Wild Critters USA series on Orbit, families discover freshwater mussels: tiny animals that filter water, help rivers stay healthy, and go on an incredible baby journey! Episode features Tyler Hern from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Perfect for kids ages 3-11.

Science communicator, actor, and comedian, Sophie Shrand, and crew set out from Los Angeles in an electric vehicle to test America’s charging infrastructure and meet people building a brighter future today. Sophie wants to know: Can it be done? And can it be fun? Logistics complete, car packed, and cameras focused, the mysteries of Lake Mead, NV await!

Could an alligator really win "Mom of the Year"? In this episode of the Wild Critters USA series on Orbit, families travel to Everglades National Park to discover how American alligator moms protect their babies, why alligators are important ecosystem engineers, and what makes the Florida Everglades one of North America's most remarkable wetlands.

Did you know American bison create grasslands for all species? In this episode of the Wild Critters USA series on “Orbit: Science for kids on the move!”, families explore the prairies of North America with the help of the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute and discover why the American bison is one of the most important animals in its ecosystem.

Did you know a single desert tortoise burrow can become a shelter for dozens of animals? In this episode of the Wild Critters USA series on Orbit: Science for Kids, families explore the Mojave Desert with the help of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and discover why the desert tortoise is one of the most important animals in its ecosystem. Perfect for kids 3-11 years old.

Discover the amazing animals that call America's wild places home in the new podcast series, “Wild Critters USA”. From alligators to bison to tortoises, each episode follows children's questions with the help of wildlife biologists and park rangers. Designed for families with children ages 3-11. Produced by Orbit in collaboration with PBS Nature and the National Wildlife Federation.

The story of the legendary tigers of Ranthambhore Fort told by the man who’s devoted his life to keeping them alive.

As Reteti Sanctuary prepares to release its oldest orphans into the wild, a baby elephant is rescued from a waterhole. An orphaned zebra finds hope, and Long’uro and friends learn how to survive the challenges of the dry season.

At Reteti Sanctuary in Kenya, the team helps a disabled orphan elephant named Long’uro find his confidence, nurses a sick calf back from the brink, and manages an unexpected encounter inside an enclosure.

Parenthood is the ultimate journey, full of danger. Lionesses teach their cubs how to survive by showing them how to tackle giant buffalo. Burrowing owls provide an underground nest for their chicks and mimic a rattlesnake’s sound to protect them.

When a passionate shark conservationist partners with one of the top shark hunters in East Lombok, Indonesia to create an ecotourism venture called “Project Hiu,” their lives and that of those in their village are changed forever.

See how jungle animal parents raise children by mastering their environment. An orangutan spends eight years teaching her baby the ways of jungle living, and a crab becomes the ultimate chemist to create the perfect home for her crablets.