MeatEater Kids VI

Summary

The MeatEater Podcast - Episode: MeatEater Kids VI Release Date: November 25, 2024
Host: Steven Rinella

Building on the belief that a deeper understanding of the natural world enriches all of our lives, host Steven Rinella brings an in-depth and relevant look at all outdoor topics including hunting, fishing, nature, conservation, and wild foods. Filled with humor, irreverence, and things that will surprise the hell out of you, each episode welcomes a diverse group of guests who add their own expertise to the vast world of the outdoors.

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1. Why It's the Way It Is: Antlers vs. Horns

Segment Timestamp: [00:41] – [05:18]

In this educational segment, Steven Rinella delves into the fascinating distinctions between antlers and horns—common terms often misused even by seasoned outdoors enthusiasts.

Expert 1 begins by clarifying the fundamental differences:

• Antlers are bone-like structures that grow from the heads of members of the deer family, including caribou, moose, mule deer, and whitetail deer. Notably, antlers are shed annually and regrown, a process that signifies the deer's age and health. As Expert 1 explains at [02:15], "If you can think of an antler as a bone, like material that grows outside of a deer's head, you can think of a horn as..."
• Horns, conversely, are permanent structures made primarily of keratin, resembling human fingernails in composition. Unlike antlers, horns do not fall off and continue to grow throughout the animal's life.

A unique exception is highlighted with the American pronghorn, the only horned animal known to shed its outer horn annually, which challenges traditional classifications ([04:50]). This nuanced understanding is crucial for proper wildlife identification and appreciation.

Notable Quote:
Expert 1 at [02:15]:
"Antlers are bone-like and they fall off every year, meaning a deer… grows a new set of antlers and it falls off."

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2. Guess That Critter: The Bullfrog

Segment Timestamp: [05:26] – [08:58]

Steven transitions to a fun and interactive segment where listeners are invited to identify wildlife sounds. This episode's featured creature is the bullfrog, North America's largest frog species.

Expert 2 provides an in-depth description:

• Physical Characteristics: Bullfrogs are "short-bodied but big," weighing over 2 pounds and measuring up to 8 inches in length. They are voracious predators, consuming a wide range of prey from insects to small birds ([06:20]).
• Vocalization: Their distinctive call resembles a cow's moo, especially the males' low-frequency baritone bellow during the mating season ([07:05]). This acoustic signature aids in attracting females and marking territory.
• Habitat: These frogs thrive in semiaquatic environments like marshes, rivers, ponds, and creeks, favoring warmer, shallow, and still waters. Their adaptability has also made them invasive in western North America ([07:50]).

Notable Quote:
Expert 2 at [07:05]:
"Their croaking song sounds like a cow mooing, which is why they're called bullfrogs."

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3. Trivia Time: Conservation and Knowledge

Segment Timestamp: [09:07] – [15:22]

The episode engages young listeners in a lively trivia game show, blending education with philanthropy. Participants vie to answer questions correctly, with each correct response translating to a $10 donation towards the Land Access Initiative, which promotes public land access for various outdoor activities.

Question Highlights:

1. Mammalogy Focus:
   "Which of these animals would a mammalogist study? Whale, owl, or lizard?"
   Answer: Whale. Participants correctly identified that mammalogists specialize in mammals, unlike ornithologists (birds) or herpetologists (reptiles).

   Notable Interaction:
   Game Show Host at [11:00]:
   "Mammologists study mammals. Owls are birds, and lizards are reptiles."

2. Earth's Water Coverage:
   "What percentage of the earth is covered in water? 21%, 46%, or 71%?"
   Answer: 71%. Participants successfully recognized that a significant majority of Earth's surface is water, with 97.5% being saltwater.

   Notable Interaction:
   Participant 1 at [12:30]:
   "What? You guys got it over to your computer and factory."
   (Followed by correct affirmation.)

3. Historical Figures:
   "This man who was America's third president has a river and forest named after him. Is it Benjamin Franklin, Ronald Reagan, or Thomas Jefferson?"
   Answer: Thomas Jefferson. All participants nailed this question, linking Jefferson to both geographical landmarks.

   Notable Quote:
   Game Show Host at [14:01]:
   "The correct answer is Thomas Jefferson. Everyone got it right."

Outcome:
The participants collectively raised $230 for the Land Access Initiative, reinforcing the episode's commitment to conservation efforts.

Notable Quote:
Expert 1 at [15:09]:
"They raised $230 going to the Land Access Initiative. Well done, kids."

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Closing Remarks

While the episode commenced with a brief advertisement for Dometic electric coolers, the core content provided valuable insights into wildlife biology, interactive education for kids, and supported vital conservation initiatives. Hosts and experts infused the episode with humor and enthusiasm, making complex topics accessible and engaging for all listeners.

Final Quote:
Host 2 at [15:22]:
"Thanks for listening, everyone. See you next week on Meat Eater Kids."

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Conclusion

"MeatEater Kids VI" successfully blends education, entertainment, and conservation advocacy. By elucidating intricate natural phenomena and engaging young minds in interactive learning, the episode reinforces the podcast's mission to deepen listeners' connection with the natural world. Whether dissecting the anatomy of deer or rallying kids to contribute to land access, Steven Rinella and his guests deliver content that is both informative and inspiring.

Transcript

[Host 1]

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[Host 2]

It's time for why it's the Way it is.

[Expert 1]

Today on why it's the Way It Is, we're going to talk about the difference between an antler in a horn. Now, this is a little bit confusing because a lot of people don't use the words in the right way, including me. I change it up all the time because I might say I found a deer horn or that deer had big horns. Or did you see the horns on the deer that Clay got? Well, that's wrong because deer don't have horns technically. Actually, deer have antlers. So what really is an antler? The way to think about an antler is it's like a bony material, kind of like the bones in your body. It's a bony material that grows out of a deer's head. And when I say deer, I mean members of the deer family. Members of the deer family include caribou, moose, mule deer, whitetail deer. All members of the deer family have antlers. One of the most interesting thing about antlers is that again, it's a bony material and they fall off every year, meaning a deer. Every year, a male deer grows a new set of antlers and it falls off. So if a male deer is born, he'll grow his first set of antlers the next year. So when he's a year and a half old, he'll grow a set of antlers, and then he'll grow a new set every year after that. And generally their antlers get bigger every time they grow them. If you hear someone say they found a deer shed, what they're talking about is they were out in the woods and they found one of these antlers that shed or fell off. So if you can think of an antler as a bone, like material that grows outside of a deer's head, you can think of a horn as. And this is going to sound really weird, you could think of a horn kind of like a fingernail that grows outside of an animal's head. There are many horned animals in Africa. Okay? Wildebeest, impalas, Cape buffalo. Those are horned animals. Here in the United States, we have bighorn sheep, That's a horned animal. Mountain goats, that's a horned animal. American pronghorner, antelope have horns and also domestic cows. So if you look in a farmer's pasture and he has cows or cattle, those are horns. The reason I say you can think of them like a fingernail is because horns are made of keratin, and keratin is the same material that is in your fingernails. A horn. And there's one exception to this I'm going to explain, but this is just generally how it goes. An animal grows a horn and it keeps its horn its whole life. And as it grows and gets older, the horn just grows and gets bigger. It never falls off. Okay, When I said there's an exception to this, it's the animal called the American pronghorn or an antelope. And here's where it's weird. All horned animals have a bone core on their skull, okay? And their horn grows over that bone core and they don't drop off. But with an American pronghorn, what's crazy is the outer part of his horn, the part that fits over the bone core, does fall off every year. But it's the only horned animal in the world that sheds its horn. And it's almost like he does it just to make it so we can't have good rules because he has to be like an exception to the rule. And let me tell you another way. Pronghorns are kind of a weird exception with horned animals. Most animal horns just come to a point on the end. Okay, it might be a rounded point, it might be a sharp point, but they come to a single point on the end. The reason a pronghorn has his name is his main horn has a little prong on it. So they actually have a horn that can have two points. It's like a two pointed horn. It's the only horn that looks like that. So again, to wrap up, antlers grow on members of the deer family. They're bone like and they fall off every year. And then the animal grows a new one. Horns, with the exception of the American pronghorn, are fingernail like or made a keratin. And the animal keeps his horns for his whole life, and they do not fall off.

[Participant 1]

Why don't oysters donate to charity? Because they're shellfish.

[Host 2]

It's time for Guess that Critter, where we play animal sounds and critter calls. And you've got to guess what creature is making those sounds. Don't worry, it ain't too hard. We're Gonna throw in some clues.

[Expert 1]

Now.

[Host 2]

Open up your ears.

[Expert 2]

These critters are short bodied but big. They can weigh over 2 pounds and measure close to 8 inches in length. They're quite voracious, meaning they have big appetites and eat a lot. They consume insects, rodents, fish, invertebrates, small birds, amphibians and more. Really, they'll eat whatever they can get that'll fit in their mouth. These are distress calls. You may not hear this sound too often, but know that these critters are capable of open mouth screaming. More typically, you'll hear sounds like there's a rhythmic quality to the sound which occurs with the circulation of air. These critters move air from their lungs to the vocal sacs in their throat which act as resonance chambers that push air back into their lungs. Males make this low frequency baritone bellowing sound. Have a listen. It almost sounds like a cow mooing, doesn't it? The males sing to attract females and to stake out their territory. You can hear them in spring and summer during the mating season. Here's a chorus of males by a freshwater marsh congregated in the area to breed. These semiaquatic critters live in and near marshes, rivers, ponds, streams and creeks. They prefer warmer, shallow and still sources of water. They also spend time on land and are very skilled jumpers, propelled by their long muscular legs. The throat of the male is yellow, while the throat of the female is white. Males also have a noticeably larger thumb than do females. And on average, the body size of the female is much larger than that of the male. Now try to guess that critter. Okay, it's time for the reveal. It's a bullfrog. Bullfrogs are North America's largest frog. Their croaking song sounds like a cow mooing, which is why they're called bullfrogs. Bullfrogs are harvested as a game species in many states and are also commercially farmed because their legs make a tasty dish. They are native to eastern North America and are so well adapted that they've become an invasive species in much of western North America. Bullfrog farming has contributed to the spread, as has the use of their tadpoles as bait for fishing.

[Game Show Host]

What do you call a hog that loves karate? A pork chop.

[Host 2]

It's time for everyone's favorite game show trivia. Let's all join in.

[Game Show Host]

I'm joined by Mabel, Matthew, Rosie, Hayden, Conley, Sage, Hattie and Bay. Each player will earn $10 for conservation with every question they get right. Today there's a Potential for this room to earn up to $240 this week. That donation is going to the Land Access Initiative, which provides more access to public lands for hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, swimming, and whatever else you like doing outdoors. Let's see how much money our players can raise. Question 1. Which of these animals would a mammalogist study? Is it a whale, an owl, or a lizard? Which of these animals would a mammologist study? Whale, owl, or lizard? Rosie's watching Bay's answer. Rosie, do you agree with what BAE wrote down?

[Participant 1]

Yeah. No, I don't agree with you.

[Game Show Host]

Okay. You got the same answer I didn't agree with.

[Participant 1]

Rosie's asking me what the answer was. I need to know. So I was watching this. I'm scared.

[Game Show Host]

Okay.

[Participant 1]

Are you just trying to cheat? Am I just trying to be cheating?

[Game Show Host]

Rosie is confident. How about you, Connie? You confident?

[Participant 1]

Yeah.

[Game Show Host]

You are? Okay.

[Participant 1]

I'm not. You're not confident? Okay, I'm confident.

[Game Show Host]

Is everybody ready?

[Participant 1]

Yes.

[Game Show Host]

Go ahead and reveal your answers. We have bae, whale, Rosie Whale, Mabel Owl, Hattie Whale, Hayden Whale, Sage whale, Conley, whale, Matthew Whale. The correct answer is whale.

[Participant 1]

Let's go. Let's go. Matt, Ancient whale.

[Expert 1]

That says answer.

[Game Show Host]

Oh, I thought it said angry whale. A mammalogist is a scientist who studies what?

[Participant 1]

Mammals.

[Game Show Host]

That's right. Such as whales. Owls are birds, which are studied by ornithologists. And lizards are reptiles, which are studied by herpetologists. Can you name some other animals that a mammalogist would study? What do you got?

[Participant 1]

Seal.

[Game Show Host]

Seal. That's right.

[Participant 1]

Walrus.

[Game Show Host]

Walrus.

[Participant 1]

Doggies, Dogs, elephants, white tail.

[Game Show Host]

You guys know your mammals?

[Participant 1]

Cats, Octopus? Humans.

[Game Show Host]

Were you trying to sneak that one in there?

[Participant 1]

Humans.

[Game Show Host]

Question 2. What percentage of the earth is covered in water? Is it 21%, 46% or 71%? Wow. Our players look confident. Easy.

[Participant 1]

Very.

[Game Show Host]

Matthew is declared very easy.

[Participant 1]

Very easy.

[Game Show Host]

Okay. Wow.

[Participant 1]

I voted negative one.

[Game Show Host]

All of our players think this is an easy one. What percentage of the earth is covered in water? 21%, 46% or 71%? No. Is everybody ready? Yes.

[Participant 1]

Yeah.

[Game Show Host]

Go ahead and reveal your answers. We have Bae, 71, Rosie, 71, Mabel.

[Participant 1]

71, Hattie, 71, Hayden, 71, Sage, 71, Conley, 71, Matthew, 71.

[Game Show Host]

The correct answer is 21%.

[Participant 1]

What?

[Game Show Host]

No, I'm kidding. It's 71%.

[Participant 1]

You guys got it over to your computer and factory.

[Game Show Host]

That was too easy. 97.5% of the Earth's water is saltwater. And of that little bit of fresh water, 69% of it is frozen. And 30% of it is underground. That means just 1% of the Earth's fresh water is on the surface in the form of lakes, rivers and swamps. So maybe don't leave the sink running at home. Don't leave the sink running anymore.

[Participant 1]

Don't brush your teeth and have the sink on while you brush.

[Expert 1]

Gotta trust Matt.

[Participant 1]

You don't brush your teeth. Yeah. You cannot be talking.

[Game Show Host]

Question three. This man who was America's third president has a river and forest named after him. Is it Benjamin Franklin, Ronald Reagan, or Thomas Jefferson? I think I heard someone say an answer, but maybe I heard it too. Maybe they weren't right. This man who was America's third president has a river and forest named after him. Ben Franklin, Ronald Reagan or Thomas Jefferson.

[Participant 1]

I think I spelt it wrong. I did, too. I didn't. I think I spelt it right.

[Game Show Host]

Is everybody ready?

[Participant 1]

Yeah.

[Game Show Host]

Was this an easy round? Yeah. Go ahead and reveal your answers, bae.

[Participant 1]

Thomas Jefferson.

[Game Show Host]

Rosie.

[Participant 1]

Thomas Jefferson.

[Game Show Host]

Mabel.

[Participant 1]

Thomas Jefferson.

[Game Show Host]

Hattie.

[Participant 1]

Thomas Jefferson.

[Game Show Host]

Hayden.

[Expert 1]

Jefferson.

[Game Show Host]

Sage. Thomas Jefferson Conley.

[Participant 1]

Thomas Jefferson.

[Game Show Host]

Matthew Jefferson. The correct answer is Thomas Jefferson. Everybody got it right. Ronald Reagan was America's 40th president, and Ben Franklin was never a president. Thomas Jefferson was president from 1801 to 1809. The river named after him is right here in Montana. And the national forest named after him is in Virginia. West Virginia. Kentucky. Now, if you guys could have something named after you, what would it be? Maybe a mountain? A sandwich? A fishing lure? How about a dance move?

[Participant 1]

Hoffman Peak.

[Game Show Host]

Hoffman Peak. That's something that exists or no? You want there to be a Hoffman?

[Participant 1]

I want there to be a Hoffman.

[Game Show Host]

Okay.

[Participant 1]

Matthew's Planet.

[Game Show Host]

Matthew's Planet. What would that look like?

[Participant 1]

It's bigger than the sun.

[Game Show Host]

Bigger than the sun. That's ambitious. You're gonna have to do some cool stuff in the next 50 years to.

[Participant 1]

Get a planet named after, if not that amount.

[Game Show Host]

I was named after the valley in Yellowstone, Hayden. Oh, that's the opposite thing. You're supposed to have something named after you, not be named after something. All right, that's it for today's round of trivia. Phil the Engineer. How much money did we raise?

[Expert 1]

They raised $230.

[Game Show Host]

$230 going to the Land Access Initiative. Well done, kids. Join us next time for more Meat Eater Kids Trivia, the only other game show where conservation always wins.

[Host 2]

Thanks for listening, everyone. See you next week on Meat Eater Kids.