Ep 29. Masked Bandits

Chris and Martin Kratt are back with another adventurous episode of Wild Kratts. In Season 1, Episode 29 titled "Masked Bandits," the Kratt brothers will embark on a mission to study the behavior and habitat of one of nature's cleverest and most playful creatures – raccoons.

As always, the Kratt brothers will transform using their Creature Power Suits, this time into raccoon mode. In this form, they will be able to mimic raccoon behavior and interact with them more closely.

The episode starts with Chris and Martin exploring the deep forests in search of raccoons. They soon find a family of raccoons, digging around for food. As the Kratt brothers approach closer, the raccoons seem attractively intelligent and agile, storing their food in their secret stash and slipping away into the bushes.

Chris and Martin are fascinated by raccoons' unique and adaptable behavior. Raccoons are known for their iconic black and white mask on their face, which often makes them look like burglars, and hence the name "Masked Bandits" for this episode.

As the episode progresses, Chris and Martin learn more about raccoon behavior. They learn that raccoons are opportunistic feeders and can eat just about anything. They also have dexterous hands that they use to steal and manipulate objects around them. The Kratt brothers witness raccoons using their hands to open lids of trash cans and even steal food from picnickers!

The Kratt brothers also learn that raccoons are nocturnal animals and they sleep during the day in dens they create. Raccoons are capable of building dens in trees, abandoned burrows, and even in attics of houses, making them common city-dwelling creatures. The Kratt brothers also spot a mother raccoon with its cubs – young raccoons are called kits - and observe how she teaches them how to climb trees and look for food.

As Chris and Martin continue to follow the raccoons, they spot a bigger predator - a coyote - that is lurking in the woods, waiting for its next prey. Chris and Martin are concerned that the coyote might attack the raccoons. They decide to intervene to protect the raccoons by creating a distraction. In true Wild Kratts style, the Kratt brothers come up with an ingenious plan. They use their Raccoon Creature Power Suits to create a fake raccoon at the heart of a massive pile of trash. The coyote falls for the trick, thinking he has hit a jackpot, and rushes towards the fake raccoon, buying time for the real raccoons to slip away unnoticed.

Through this experience, the Kratt brothers learn the importance of understanding the behavior of each animal and not making assumptions based on their outward appearance. Raccoons are not pests, but intelligent and adaptable creatures that require protection and conservation. As the episode wraps up, Chris and Martin remind viewers to respect and appreciate all creatures in nature.