Original subtitles

CHARLIE: Hey guys! KIRBY: Hey!

CHARLIE: Today we're hanging out in Alaska!

We took a plane, a car, and now we're taking a helicopter to meet some

animal all-stars!

It's time for Weird but True !

Hey guys Charlie here. You know my sister Kirby.

KIRBY: Hey!

CHARLIE: We're so psyched that you're here cause today

we're tackling an issue.

So, we live in Chicago, right?

KIRBY: Great city.

CHARLIE: It's a lovely city.

Except the winters here are absolutely terrible.

KIRBY: So cold. We can never stay warm.

CHARLIE: But we think we finally found something that might help us out.

KIRBY: Have you seen that commercial?

CHARLIE: The one with the weird looking dude.

KIRBY: They're always on, I bet we can find it.

CHARLIE: Hi human! Are you cold?

Does nothing seem to warm you up?

Well we've got the perfect product to heat up those chilly little bones!

Bo Patrevia's Cold Encyclopedias!

Our encyclopedias perfectly outline the tried and tested strategies that animals

use to deal with the cold weather.

Written by the animals themselves and edited by famed animal expert Bo Patrevia.

BO: Howdy!

CHARLIE: These books are specifically designed

to help you deal with the cold weather.

Customers love our product!

I used to be cold, but then I read Bo Patrevia's Cold Encyclopedias.

And now I'm not so cold. Thanks Bo!

Woo I'm Bo Patrevia. Stay warm out there.

We're doing it guys!

KIRBY: We're making the call!

CHARLIE: Today we're learning from the pros.

The best of the best.

We're ordering some encyclopedias and unraveling the world of...

Cold Weather Animals!

KIRBY: Charles! We've gotta order!

CHARLIE: Already on it! Get this to Bo Patrevia stat!

I wonder when it'll.

BOB: Package!

-Whoa!

BOB: Sign here! KIRBY: Thanks!

CHARLIE: That was quick. Let's check 'em out!

Hmm. Ahh yeah Oh of course!

Interesting.

KIRBY: Alright guys, so we've been hitting the encyclopedias pretty hard.

CHARLIE: And we found out that there are so many animals in the world

that are really well adapted to the cold.

KIRBY: So many!

CHARLIE: And today we gotta figure out how do they do it.

KIRBY: Alright, according to Bo Patrevia and his team of animal experts.

CHARLIE: We can separate the strategies that animals use to deal with the cold,

into four basic groups.

Migration, going dormant, behavioral adaptations, and anatomical adaptations.

First up, Migration.

To avoid the cold, some animals simply travel to warmer areas in the winter.

All sorts of animals do this, birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and even insects.

Yep! Insects!

Check it out, the monarch butterfly lives as far north as Canada in the summer.

Where the winters gets way too cold for them to survive.

So, every winter millions of monarch butterflies migrate up to 3,000 miles to Mexico,

where it's nice and warm.

How crazy it that?

So, migration, that's one strategy we could try out.

KIRBY: Let's check out another.

Ooh, going dormant.

Hmm, so this is kind of like sleeping.

Some animals just kind of lay low and wait out the cold.

CHARLIE: One version of this is hibernation!

For bears it's called torpor and lasts up to seven and a half months!

During this period their metabolism, heart rate,

and body temperature are all reduced.

They actually go seven and a half months without eating, drinking water,

or going to the bathroom!

That's like holding it from July 1st 'till about February.

Insane!

KIRBY: So, going dormant and waking up in the spring might work.

CHARLIE: How about this one, behavioral adaptation.

Some animals spend time prepping for the cold weather or they change their behavior.

For example, the Saw-Whet owl.

In the winter, this owl stocks up on extra prey, and lets them freeze.

When the owl is hungry, it defrosts one of these frozen meals by sitting on it.

Kind of like heating up some frozen leftovers.

Yum! I could go for a frozen meal or two.

KIRBY: And finally, anatomical adaptation.

So, this seems to be explaining the idea that some animals have adaptations

that simply allow them to dwell in the cold.

CHARLIE: It's kind of like they were born with it.

Take Bowhead whales, they swim in arctic waters all year, where it's freezing!

The only reason they can do this is because they're surrounded in a thick layer

of blubber that's up to half a meter thick.

That's so much blubber!

Bowhead whales don't have to migrate to warmer waters,

or change their behavior at all in the winter.

They are perfectly built for the cold.

So, we've got migrating, going dormant, adapting our behaviors,

and adapting our anatomies.

I feel like we got some good ideas here!

KIRBY: It's a good start for sure.

CHARLIE: But I feel like we need some more examples from the pros.

KIRBY: Yeah! I'd like to find a few more specific ways we could make this happen.

CHARLIE: If I'm right, I think the games should be starting sometime soon.

KIRBY: The games? CHARLIE: Yeah.

You guys are gonna love this.

Hello pikas and penguins, hares, and bears, whales and snails welcome all you

wonderful animals to the Cold Weather Games!

I'm Chip Shivers broadcasting alongside cold weather commentator Bob Frost.

KIRBY: Pleasure to be here Chip.

CHARLIE: Pleasure to have you Bob.

We're so excited for today's festivities but first.

KIRBY: Oh, come on!

CHARLIE: We were just tuning into the Cold Weather Games.

When we lost our signal!

KIRBY: I got it! CHARLIE: Perfect!

We're back in action!

Welcome back cold weather fanatics this is Chip Shivers,

broadcasting alongside Bob Frost.

KIRBY: It's a pleasure to be here, Chip.

CHARLIE: Again, it's a pleasure to have you Bob.

We're bringing you all the action from today's Cold Weather Games.

This broadcast is the one we've all been waiting for, the awards ceremony!

We've already awarded one gold medal, in the migration competition,

where the Arctic Tern took home the top prize.

KIRBY: The total round-trip distance of the Arctic Tern's migration is 25,000 miles.

That's equal to the circumference of the entire world,

and these birds do it every year.

A deserving winner.

CHARLIE: No doubt about that Bob.

We now turn our broadcast to our next medal ceremony,

this one's for the dormancy competition.

KIRBY: Another hard-fought competition all around with

some very deserving athletes in the mix.

CHARLIE: In third place we have the black bear.

KIRBY: A really great competitor,

they lose 20% of their body weight during their dormancy period.

CHARLIE: In second place, the arctic ground squirrel.

KIRBY: Incredible stamina here, Chip, the Arctic Ground Squirrel's body dips below

freezing during its hibernation.

CHARLIE: And finally, our winner the wood frog.

KIRBY: It's great to see an amphibian win a medal here, and you won't find a more

deserving amphibian than the wood frog.

CHARLIE: The Wood Frog is a truly incredible competitor

that survives the winter by nearly freezing solid.

70% of the frog's body water becomes solid ice.

These little guys stop breathing and their hearts stop beating for weeks at

a time until warmer temperatures defrost their organs

and they come back to life as if nothing happened.

KIRBY: Turning into a frog popsicle every year?

Now that's some commitment.

CHARLIE: Without a doubt Bob.

Next, we move onto the behavioral competition.

KIRBY: Animals that qualify to compete in this event use strategic behaviors,

like storing food, to last through the winter.

And let me tell ya, the animals really brought it this year.

CHARLIE: Third place is awarded to the Saw-Whet owl.

(owl hooting)

CHARLIE: Second place is no surprise, going to the Chickadee.

KIRBY: Chickadees have to gain 10% of their body weight in fat each day.

Then they burn it all at night to stay warm.

CHARLIE: But the gold medal goes to, the Pika.

KIRBY: I had a feeling we'd see a rodent take a medal this year!

CHARLIE: Fantastic athlete the Pika.

Small rodent-like animal that spends entire summer months gathering

and stockpiling enormous caches of food for the winter.

But there's a little controversy with this winner.

Pika's engage in kleptoparasitism.

That means they're constantly stealing food from other Pika's caches.

KIRBY: But a little friendly competition never really hurt anyone now did it Chip.

CHARLIE: Indeed, not Bob.

And now we move onto our final medal ceremony.

The anatomical competition, which showcases animals whose bodies have physically

evolved to best survive extreme cold temperatures.

KIRBY: One of the most competitive events this year.

CHARLIE: In third place, we have the Bowhead Whale!

KIRBY: A crowd favorite for sure.

CHARLIE: Coming in second place, the Arctic Fox!

KIRBY: This fox goes through an entire coat transformation,

turning white in the winter to help blend in with its surroundings.

CHARLIE: And coming in first place, the Musk Ox!

KIRBY: The Musk Ox! I wasn't expecting this one!

CHARLIE: It's all about that coat, Bob.

Their coats are composed of two layers.

A thick outer coat, and an even thicker undercoat

that grows as the winter approaches.

Congrats to the Musk Ox and congrats to all our competitors at today's events

at the Cold Weather Games.

KIRBY: Special thanks to our sponsor Bo Patrevia.

CHARLIE: Bo Patrevia's the official encyclopedia of the Winter Games.

Stay warm you animals.

We'll see you tomorrow.

Awesome, you know what I've been thinking?

KIRBY: What's up?

CHARLIE: Where's the one place where all

of these animals live?

KIRBY: Earth. CHARLIE: Think smaller.

KIRBY: I don't know, let's check it out.

CHARLIE: Alright, uh humpback whales?

KIRBY: Hawaii, and... Alaska.

CHARLIE: Alright, uh Pikas? KIRBY: Western US and... Alaska.

CHARLIE: Arctic fox? KIRBY: Alaska.

CHARLIE: Wood frog? KIRBY: Alaska.

CHARLIE: Where do you think we're going?

KIRBY: I think we're going to Alaska!

CHARLIE: Alright guys!

We gotta pack up a few things, but when we get back,

we're gonna head to Alaska, sounds good?

Alright, we'll see you in a bit.

KIRBY: We're gonna need to pack some hot cocoa.

CHARLIE: Probably a lot of hot cocoa.

KIRBY: Like a lot of hot cocoa.

Weird but true,

Some Arctic fox dens are 300 years old.

CHARLIE: Hey guys! KIRBY: Hey!

CHARLIE: We just finished packing up.

KIRBY: So, today we're learning about cold weather animals and their adaptations.

CHARLIE: And right now, we're heading over to Alaska.

Where we can see some of these cold weather animals in real life!

Let's go!

We're heading to Alaska! The chilliest state in the US!

With over 600 officially named glaciers, a solid chunk of its land within the Arctic Circle.

This is where we'll definitely find some true cold weather all-stars!

We made it guys!

KIRBY: Check it out!

CHARLIE: We're outside Portage at the

Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center.

It's a cool like would you say like 55 degrees?

KIRBY: It's not bad at all.

CHARLIE: Yeah not too bad at all, but we're here to get an up-close look at

an animal who's got it going on when it comes to braving extreme frigid temperatures.

Check it out it's a caribou.

Also known as a reindeer. You'll have a hard time finding an animal better

adapted for life on ice and snow and where it's just absolutely freezing.

Let's go get a closer look.

KIRBY: Check out this nose, inside there,

there's something called the nasal concha.

CHARLIE: Fun science word nasal concha.

That's the area of the nasal passage that heats up the air we breathe in.

KIRBY: Yeah so basically caribous have these, but they're super huge and

warms the arctic air that they breathe in before it gets to their lungs.

So, their internal body temperature stays nice and warm.

CHARLIE: You see those hooves?

They're huge and spread out over a wide area.

So, they almost act like snowshoes so caribou can walk right on top of the snow.

They're also scooped so they're kind of like shovels and the caribous use them to

scoop away the snow, so they can eat food underneath.

They have a sharp edge, so they can walk on ice so they're perfect!

Caribou hair is perfectly adapted for the cold weather.

There are two layers, one smaller layer that's kind of like a wool sweater and

another thicker layer that's longer, that's like a nice jacket.

So, it's like they're double layered.

Sweater, jacket, perfectly adapted for the cold weather.

Weird but true, that outer layer, the hairs are hollow,

and they actually help 'em float in the water.

And the ultimate weapon in their cold weather fighting arsenal can't be seen.

I think we need a little bit more explanation.

So, let's toss it over to HQ real quick.

It's all in their legs, and it's called the Countercurrent Heat Exchange.

Fancy stuff.

So, arteries carrying warm blood from the heart are squeezed right up next to

veins carrying cold, cold blood from the feet!

The hot blood in the arteries, warms the cold blood in the veins.

That way, the blood is warmer when it makes its way to the Caribou's core,

so it doesn't lower the caribou's core temperature.

And cooled as it makes its way to the hooves reducing heat loss.

Boom, the Countercurrent Heat Exchange.

Back to Alaska.

Alright guys, fur, hooves, nasal concha,

caribou are finely crafted cold-busting machines.

KIRBY: But we got a little surprise in store for you.

CHARLIE: Alright so some animals hibernate to get through the winter,

other animals migrate to warmer places,

but only a select few were absolutely built for it.

KIRBY: They tackle the winter head on.

CHARLIE: So right now, we're gonna go visit an animal that's so well-tuned in to the

cold here in Alaska that without its help humans would have never been able

to settle here in the first place.

KIRBY: But that animal's not here.

CHARLIE: We gotta take a quick trip.

KIRBY: And there's only one way to get there.

CHARLIE: A nice Alaskan helicopter ride!

Let's go guys!

PILOT (over radio): Next step, the helicopter's taking off.

to (inaudible) river lodge, eastbound.

You guys are going flying in Alaska.

CHARLIE (over radio): Yeah!

KIRBY (over radio): Not bad at all.

CHARLIE: It's time to check out our next animal all-stars.

KIRBY: And you're never gonna believe where they live.

CHARLIE: Right here on the glacier.

They really love the cold. Let's go check 'em out.

We're here to find the toughest cold weather animals there are: sled dogs!

From the early days, Alaskans have relied on sled dogs to survive their brutal climate.

They've depended on them to transport people, supplies, and mail.

And sled dogs even get credit for stopping a deadly epidemic,

it's called the Great Race of Mercy.

Check it out. 1925, Nome, Alaska.

A diphtheria outbreak was ripping through the area.

KIRBY: Diphtheria is a bacterial disease that can kill you.

CHARLIE: 1400 people's lives were threatened.

The problem was, there wasn't any medicine in Nome!

But there was some in Nenana, nearly 675 miles away, with only one way

to get between Nenana and Nome, Sled dogs.

Man, and dog had to work together to save the city.

They formed 20 teams, with around 150 dogs,

and relayed the medicine towards Nome in shifts.

They pushed through the snow, the ice, and the frigid temps,

but one day the final team made its way into Nome.

They made it!

The medicine had arrived, and hundreds of lives were saved.

Thanks to the sled dogs of Alaska.

Guys, we're going to take a quick break, but when we come back,

we're gonna hang out with these all-stars and learn how they beat the cold weather.

KIRBY: Weird but true,

The South Pole is colder than the North Pole.

CHARLIE: Guys it's raining right now, we're on a glacier, there's snow everywhere,

I'm wearing like ten layers.

All I wanna do is get inside, but these Alaskan huskies, they're in their element.

This is what they were built for and they're ready to run.

Look how excited they are!

There must be someone around here that can introduce us to these cold weather all-stars.

Guys that's Justin!

KIRBY: He finished the Iditarod six times!

CHARLIE: If there's anyone who can tell us about sled dogs it's this guy!

Let's go say hi!

KIRBY: Justin Savidis, professional dog sledder,

he started with two dogs and now has 54.

His favorite Weird but true fact is

CHARLIE: So, we wanna learn all about sled dogs.

Can you help us out?

JUSTIN: Absolutely, but first let's get out of the rain.

KIRBY: Awesome. CHARLIE: Sounds good to me.

Let's go guys!

This is a little better and a little warmer.

Thanks for bringing us in here.

Where are we right now?

JUSTIN: Colony Glacier in Alaska.

CHARLIE: Oh, very nice. And who's this?

JUSTIN: This is Harris. She's my two-year-old leader.

CHARLIE: Hey Harris. KIRBY: Hey Harris.

CHARLIE: How's it going?

JUSTIN: She actually finished her first Iditarod this year.

CHARLIE: Holy cow. KIRBY: Nice job.

CHARLIE: With you? JUSTIN: With me.

CHARLIE: Guys, the Iditarod Trail dog sled race is an

annual long-distance race

in Alaska that runs with a team of 21 dogs.

JUSTIN: You're out there anywhere between ten to 14 days.

It's 1,000 miles.

You're gonna see everything from minus 65 to you have to cross down Yukon River,

you have to go across the ocean, you're gonna be in wind storms, snow storms.

Some of my dogs have traveled about 23,000 miles in their life.

KIRBY: Whoa.

CHARLIE: That's a lot. And does it wear them out?

Or do they enjoy it?

JUSTIN: They love it.

If you had to force these guys to do it, it would never work.

Iditarod is not a sport that you just show up and win.

It takes time, it takes endurance, it takes not giving up.

They're always looking to you too, to give them guidance and direction.

CHARLIE: Mhm.

JUSTIN: So, if you wanted them to go a little bit right

you just say "gee",

if you want them to go left, you just say "haw".

CHARLIE: Gee is right, haw is left?

JUSTIN: Yup. CHARLIE: What's go?

JUSTIN: Let's go. CHARLIE: Let's go.

JUSTIN: We never say. CHARLIE: Let's go!

JUSTIN: We never say mush.

I'm sorry to tell you that.

Typically, I'll put coats on 'em if it's about minus 20,

especially if it's really windy.

I've had dogs out as cold as minus 65.

KIRBY: Whoa. CHARLIE: Oh my gosh.

JUSTIN: And they do just fine.

What helps keep them really warm though is how much food

you're putting in 'em.

CHARLIE: Uh huh.

JUSTIN: We put 12,000 calories a day into each dog.

CHARLIE: Mhm. KIRBY: Wow.

JUSTIN: That'd be like you guys eating 70,

80 cheese burgers a day.

KIRBY: Yikes. CHARLIE: Oh!

JUSTIN: For ten days.

You have to keep their furnace going.

CHARLIE: Weird but true, the first Iditarod winner finished in over 20 days.

Justin's best time is ten days and the record is eight.

Super quick.

KIRBY: So, what makes Alaskan huskies so equipped for the cold?

JUSTIN: They have, what's called, a double coat.

You've got guard hairs on top and that's a little bit like gortex.

KIRBY: Mhm. CHARLIE: Mm.

JUSTIN: And then they have basically a goose down

underneath for their undercoat.

KIRBY: Oh yeah.

JUSTIN: That's what keeps them warm.

CHARLIE: It's super thick. JUSTIN: Yeah.

CHARLIE: Like you can't even really get to the bottom of it

when you're petting her.

JUSTIN: This is her summer coat right now.

CHARLIE: Oh my gosh.

KIRBY: Just wait for the winter.

CHARLIE: Just wait until the winter comes out. JUSTIN: Yup.

CHARLIE: It's gonna be even thicker.

JUSTIN: This is just a breed that's evolved in Alaska and evolved in the

Northern climates, like anything, it just is build for this country.

CHARLIE: It's freezing outside.

It's raining, and you just got 'em tied up to their little huts,

and they seem just happy as can be.

KIRBY: Yeah.

JUSTIN: There's several that will sleep outside all the time.

CHARLIE: Yeah?

JUSTIN: I had a dog who would sleep outside at minus 40.

CHARLIE: Oh my gosh.

JUSTIN: I'd try and put him in his house,

and he'd put his paws against the door like, "Nope. I'm not going in."

CHARLIE: I wanna be in the cold.

Alright guys quick recap, Alaskan Huskies in negative 60-degree weather,

all they need is a nice thin dog coat, a pair of booties,

and about 12,000 calories worth of dog food.

That's it.

So, Justin do you think we can go for a ride?

JUSTIN: Let's go.

CHARLIE: Alright let's go guys.

JUSTIN: Alright let's go. CHARLIE: Yeah!

KIRBY: Yeah! CHARLIE: Oh man.

KIRBY: This is sick. CHARLIE: Woo!

KIRBY: They're in their element right now.

JUSTIN: How are you guys doing?

CHARLIE: I'm cold but. KIRBY: Pretty good!

CHARLIE: Feeling great. JUSTIN: Pretty cool isn't it?

KIRBY: Pretty amazing. CHARLIE: This is awesome.

JUSTIN: Gee, Gee.

KIRBY: Nice! CHARLIE: Woo!

JUSTIN: Easy, easy guys.

CHARLIE: I'm absolutely freezing right now.

I can barely feel my face and my hands are so numb.

So, we're going to go back to HQ, but we'll see you there in a few minutes.

Awesome!

KIRBY: Weird but true,

CHARLIE: Hey guys! How's it going?

KIRBY: We just got back from Alaska!

CHARLIE: There were sled dogs! KIRBY: And a helicopter!

CHARLIE: I pet a caribou! KIRBY: It was amazing.

CHARLIE: We learned so much today.

We definitely have some strategies that we can use to stay warm during the winter.

We can, migrate to warmer areas like monarchs.

Or, kind of sleep through the winter, like wood frogs.

Or, if we're feeling like it, we can do some major cold weather prep like Pikas.

It's just too bad we're not more built for the cold, like Bowhead whales you know?

That would be nice.

What else did we learn today?

There were so many weird but true facts!

KIRBY: Countercurrent heat exchange is a fancy cold weather adaptation in caribou

legs to minimize heat loss.

The coat of an Arctic Fox changes color in the winter.

Some of Justin's sled dogs have traveled nearly 23,000 miles.

CHARLIE: Kirb, do people even listen to the radio anymore?

KIRBY: Of course, Charles, it's an integral part of modern-day media.

And besides it's just kind of fun to listen to.

(radio static)

CHARLIE: Betty Clarey's Dictionaries.

Are you siblings?

Do you live in Chicago?

Betty Clarey's Dictionaries are the dictionaries for you!

Order your set today!

KIRBY: We got to order now! CHARLIE: I guess so!

KIRBY: I'll get the envelope.

CHARLIE: Alright guys, I guess we got some dictionaries to order!

KIRBY: Oh man, where's the pen!

CHARLIE: But thanks so much for stopping by!

Come by again when we discover more things that are weird.

KIRBY: But true! CHARLIE: We'll see you soon!

Captioned by Cotter Captioning Services.