Sesame Street Explores National Parks.
[RAPPING]
We are park rangers.
We take care of the parks.
We look at rocks and animals, investigate tree bark, observe
butterflies that flutter, look for fireflies that spark.
We are park rangers and we explore the parks.
Yeah.
Want to play park ranger with Elmo and Murray?
Great.
Come on.
Say hello to Ranger Amala from Grand Canyon National Park.
Hi.
Ooh, what are we learning about today, Ranger Amala?
Habitats.
Oh, I know all about habitats--
bad habitats.
Bad habitats?
What do you mean, Murray?
You know, biting your nails, cracking your knuckles,
burping in public.
Those are bad habits, Murray, not habitats.
In that case I have no idea what a habitat is.
Yeah.
Elmo doesn't, either.
A habitat is a place where animals live and find food,
water, and a place to sleep.
Oh.
Do animals live at Grand Canyon?
Yeah, is Grand Canyon a habitat?
Grand Canyon isn't just one habitat.
Grand Canyon has lots of different habitats.
What does Ranger Amala mean?
Well, Grand Canyon goes from being a forest environment at
the top of the canyon, with lots of tall trees, to being a
hot, dry desert environment at the bottom.
There are lots of plants, trees, rocks, even a river,
that are all habitats for different animals.
Wait.
Let me get my nature journal.
OK, Ranger Amala.
How many animals are there?
Well, Murray, 91 kinds of mammals, 370 kinds of birds,
17 species of fish, almost 60 types of amphibians, and over
8,000 kinds of insects all live at Grand Canyon.
Holy cow!
That's a lot of animals.
Wait.
Do they have cows at the Grand Canyon?
Nope.
But we have bobcats.
Then, holy bobcat!
That's a lot of animals.
Boy, Elmo wishes he could see some of those Grand Canyon
animals in their Grand Canyon habitats right now.
Me too.
You can.
Let's use our binoculars to look at the
habitats of Grand Canyon.
Oh yeah!
The forest at the top of Grand Canyon provides habitats for
animals like birds and squirrels.
Trees and shrubs provide shelter and food for animals
like the desert big horn sheep.
Lower down, in the inner canyon, the desert provides
habitat for desert dwellers like the collared lizard.
Other species, such as frogs and a fish called the humpback
chub live in the river and in creeks.
Oh!
Those were some cool habitats.
And hot habitats.
Boy, Elmo wishes he could see some habitats up close.
Well then, let's do it, Elmo.
What are you talking about, Ranger Amala?
Just like at Grand Canyon, there are different types of
habitats right here in your park.
Get out of town.
I'm not getting out of town.
I'm staying right here.
Because that's where the habitats are.
I'll show you.
Come on, Ranger.
Let's explore some habitats.
Yeah!
This pond in your park serves as a natural habitat for
birds, fish, frogs, dragonflies,
and especially turtles.
Whoa, look!
This is a red-eared slider turtle.
The red-eared slider is semi-aquatic.
That means it lives inside and outside of the water, but
mostly in the water.
It leaves the water to lay its eggs, or sometimes to just
warm up in the sun.
It's called a slider because of how quickly can slide off
rocks or logs to get back into the water.
This pond is a perfect habitat for the red-eared slider.
Wow.
There are so many cool habitats everywhere.
So be like a ranger.
Get outside and explore some habitats.
Yeah.
See you outside on Sesame Street.
And at the park.
Peace.
Bye bye.
Sesame Street Explores National Parks is produced in
partnership with the National Park Service, and the National
Park Foundation, who would like to remind you that
national parks belong to everyone.
So be like a park ranger, and help keep our parks clean,
safe, and healthy.
Special thanks to Grand Canyon National Park, and Gateway
National Recreation Area.