Show Notes
Did you know a single Mojave Desert tortoise burrow can become a shelter for rattlesnakes, owls, kangaroo rats, and many other desert animals? This week, we explore the Mojave Desert with wildlife biologist Brianna Fogel from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Learn how desert tortoises survive in one of North America's harshest environments, why they spend so much time underground, and why scientists call them a keystone species that helps support an entire desert community. ➡️ Part o...
More from Orbit: Science for kids on the move!
We're time traveling this week to get to know one of the most famous wild critters to have *ever* roamed the Earth! We're going back 70 million years to meet the infamous T. rex, the apex predator with an astoundingly powerful bite, huge teeth, ginormous legs, and ... surprisingly small arms? We're joined by an amazing paleontologist, perfect to teach us all about the T. rex and age of dinosaurs! Dr. Roger Benson, Macaulay Curator, Division of Paleontology at the American Museum of Natu...
Sea otters aren't just adorable! They're a critically important keystone species for a fascinating underwater ecosystem - kelp forests! In this episode of the Wild Critters series, we're joined by marine biologist and sea otter expert Leilani Konrad from the Monterey Bay Aquarium, who teaches us about sea otters, the relationship with kelp and sea urchins, how they are on the of the few animals to use tools, and the incredible role of foster moms in raising orphaned pups! Part of the Wild C...
Three mountain lion cubs were left orphaned in the California wilderness, and a team of scientists raced to find them before it was too late! In this episode of the Wild Critters USA series on Orbit, families meet wildlife ambassador Marco Wendt from the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. We learn about the incredibly versatile mountain lion - which can be found from Canada all the way down to Argentina - including what makes it a stealthy hunter and how it adapts to an incredible variety...
Did you know a coral reef, one of the largest structures ever built by a living creature, is made by an animal smaller than a grain of rice!? And that corals aren't plants or rocks at all, but tiny animals related to jellyfish and sea anemones!? In this episode, marine scientist Dr. Mike Henley from the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute joins Orbit to explore the underwater world of coral reefs! Learn how thousands of tiny coral polyps build a single reef, how cora...
Ever heard of the SUPER GENERATION of the monarch butterfly!? This little insect goes on one of the most incredible journeys in the whole animal kingdom! To learn more, we're joined in this episode by Dr. Dorothy Borowy, an ecologist with the U.S. National Park Service! We also have a new friend! Margaret joins Orbit to cohost and help us bring a chrysalis to life for families! ➡️ Part of the Wild Critters series, created with PBS Nature and the National Wildlife Federation ...