Ep 14. Fearfest

Zoboomafoo season 2 episode 14, titled "Fearfest," takes us on an exciting journey to explore the different kinds of fears different animals have. Our host Zoboomafoo, a friendly lemur, and his human friends Chris and Martin Kratt, bring a lot of excitement and fun to this journey, making it an episode that kids and adults alike will enjoy.

The episode begins with Zoboomafoo introducing the concept of fear and how it's normal for animals to be afraid of certain things. He then goes on to say that the fear of some animals is more pronounced than others, and the rest of the episode is all about understanding why that is.

The first animal we meet is a mongoose, who is afraid of snakes. Chris and Martin are quick to inform us that mongooses are known for their ability to kill snakes, so it's ironic that this particular mongoose is afraid of them. They then explain that the fear comes from not knowing if the snake is venomous or not. To help the mongoose overcome his fear, they show him some non-venomous snakes and let him play with them. It's heartwarming to see the mongoose's fear slowly dissipate as he becomes more comfortable around the snakes.

The next animal featured is a tree kangaroo who is afraid of heights. Chris and Martin explain that even though tree kangaroos are great at jumping and climbing, some of them still have a fear of heights. This is because they feel more secure closer to the ground, where they can easily hop away from danger. To help the tree kangaroo overcome her fear, Chris and Martin take her up a tree and let her slowly get used to her surroundings. Eventually, she becomes comfortable enough to leap across branches with ease.

Moving on, we meet a serval, a wildcat that's afraid of water. Chris and Martin point out that servals are known for their hunting prowess, and they can even catch fish in the wild. However, some servals are still afraid of water, possibly because they don't like the idea of getting wet. To help the serval overcome her fear, they show her a shallow pond where she can splash around and hunt for fish. It's delightful to see the serval's curiosity get the better of her, as she overcomes her fear and enjoys playing in the water.

The next animal featured is a giant otter, who's afraid of thunderstorms. Chris and Martin explain that giant otters are known for their ability to swim, but some of them can be quite panicked during thunderstorms. To help the giant otter overcome her fear, they take her into a storm shelter and let her hear recordings of thunderstorms. While it takes a while for her to calm down, eventually, she does. Even more impressively, she uses her powerful voice to scare off any potential predators outside the shelter, showing how animals can overcome their fears under the right circumstances.

Finally, we meet a sloth who's afraid of change. Chris and Martin explain that sloths are known for moving slowly and taking their time, but even they can get scared when something changes in their environment. To help the sloth overcome his fear, Chris and Martin introduce a fun game where they change something in his environment and encourage him to explore it. The sloth eventually gets used to the changes, showing that even animals that aren't traditionally depicted as brave can adapt to new situations and overcome their fears.

Overall, "Fearfest" is an absolute delight of an episode that not only educates children on the concept of fear but also teaches them about different animal behaviors and how they can adapt to their environment. With playful narrators, adorable animals, and a lot of fun activities, this episode is one that will keep viewers engaged and entertained throughout.