It's beautiful.
Yeah!
We are passing by a large lake.
This lake is said to have been built by beavers.
Wow!
Trees flourish in this area because of the moderately warm temperatures.
The view is gorgeous, as well. Perfect for a drive.
Come to think of it, how does the bus move?
Lucky-san, you're not touching it, right?
It is semi-automatically driving through a wireless link with me.
It can also be driven manually.
Wow.
Would you like to try? The steering wheel is here.
Um... No, thanks.
Meow! I wanna try!
Boss, I just have to move this, right?
This is fun!
Do you know what you're doing, Serval-chan?
Don't worry!
Oh, what's this thing by my feet?
I-I-I... I'm sorry...
Nah, it's okay.
I hadn't built it yet anyway, so don't worry about it.
I'm American Beaver, but you can call me Beaver. Nice to meetcha.
Order: Rodentia Family: Castoridae Genus: Castor
I'm Serval! And this is Bag-chan.
It's very nice to meet you.
Bag?
Were you trying to build something?
Yup, this is what I want to build.
Do you know what this is?
What an odd shape.
Are those trees?
I think it's a house. It's so awesome.
I think you have to put trees together, like this.
Wow! You can tell how to build it just from looking at this?
That's right. I guess I'm good at building.
So I thought maybe I could build it myself and gathered the materials...
But when I was just about to get started,
and the materials were suddenly in front of me, I got anxious.
I couldn't make up my mind.
The next thing I knew, a few days had passed...
Gnaw, gnaw, gnaw, gnaw...
Are you a worrywart?
It's okay. You can do it, Beaver!
That's right.
It's amazing that you can understand how something's made just by seeing it.
Y-You think so?
It's not so easy to get a hold of the materials, though...
Huh?
By the way, did I thank you for that tree?
I have to give the professor three months' worth of Japari buns.
I already gave away the last house...
It's just not possible.
I'm sorry! Wait!
Leave this to us. We'll get new materials for you!
Where can we get materials?
This area is a "mixed forest." They are composed of multiple kinds of trees.
For building materials, I would recommend straight conifers.
There is an ideal grove a short drive away.
Got it. Let's go!
Beaver, come with us. It'll be a nice diversion!
Gotcha!
Now, off we go.
Yeah!
Wait a minute!
What is it?
I've got this... Am I forgetting anything?
Nope. Okay, I'm ready!
Then...
Wait!
My dam doesn't have any holes, right?
It's okay to leave it for a little while, right?
You're overthinking this!
Wow, this is really incredible.
Right? It's called the Japari Bus!
We all fixed it together.
It's like a moving house. This is pretty awesome, too.
Right? Right?
Although I crashed into your trees with it...
Please look at the tree to the upper right.
That is a long-tailed tit's nest.
They build their nests out of lichen and cobwebs.
Its color and shape, resembling a tree knot, camouflages the nest from predators.
Next, please look to our left.
This is a megapode nest.
The males use dirt and fallen leaves to build a mound in which
the female lays her eggs.
Everyone's so amazing.
I'd end up just taking a nap wherever.
I get anxious when I'm too out in the open.
It seems that there are some Friends who make homes as
a behavior carried over from when they were animals.
Because their bodies become so different, it is very difficult at first.
It was like that for me, too.
I'd rather have a smaller house,
but with a body like this, it has to be big.
I can relate. Small spaces are calming.
Yeah, exactly. And you can make coverings so no one can see inside!
That sounds nice and calming!
You two might be pretty alike.
It's within sight now.
Wow, there are so many straight trees!
They look like pretty good materials.
Wow...
Are you okay, Serval-chan?
What happened?
I'm okay.
The ground here is really something, huh?
It's full of holes!
Does something live here?
Huh?
What are you doing?
Are you okay?
What do you think you're doing? I'll bury you alive!
Huh? She doesn't mean us, right?
I think she buried herself.
Huh?
You saved me? Thank you!
I was sure someone had tried to bury me alive.
We'd never do something so terrible!
Order: Rodentia Family: Sciuridae Genus: Cynomys
Hello. I'm Prairie Dog. Please allow me to greet you.
It's nice to meet you.
Hiya.
Huh?!
That is a greeting in the prairie tradition.
Tobu Zoo, Tomioka-oniisan (Saitama)
Their tails are flat and broad, a shape that is well-suited for swimming.
The tails are covered in scales,
so they're an animal whose appearance is a bit different from how we imagine mammals.
Their jaws, teeth, and muscles are so strong that they can gnaw
through a tree with a 15-centimeter diameter in only about ten minutes.
It's said that when they go on land,
they'll only go up to about twenty meters from the water.
They don't leave the shore much.
Their formal name is the black-tailed prairie dog.
Edogawa Zoo, Kawamura-oneesan (Tokyo)
The tip of their tail is black, as if it was dipped in ink.
Because they live underground,
they have sharp claws, and their ears and tails are small.
Their breeding season is in February and March,
and they'll fight each other very aggressively then.
Sometimes they'll harass their rivals
by closing up the tunnels a rival uses with dirt.
You are trying to build a home, too, Beaver-dono?
Indeed, I am attempting to make a dwelling myself.
The prairie dog builds burrows. They mainly live in prairie areas.
I like places with nice, clear views, so I wanted to make a home here.
But I dig and dig, and still it collapses.
Having this many holes probably makes it more unstable and dangerous.
Very worrisome.
Incredible! You know such things at a glance?
Please, will you share your knowledge with me?
We're here to look for trees. Do you mind if we cut them down first?
In that case, I'll lend you my assistance.
Which one would be good?
Hmm... It should be about this long...
But it would be a lot of work to carry wood back twice,
so we should be precise as—
Let us not waste time! Charge!
Wait! Wait!
Huh?
You can control where the tree falls by the way you cut it. For instance...
Gnaw, gnaw, gnaw, gnaw...
You start it like this, and then you carve out this side, and...
Gnaw, gnaw, gnaw...
I get it!
Beaver-san, that's superb!
I see. You use your teeth, yes?
I can fell one fast like this for a demonstration,
but I get anxious when it comes to the real thing...
I have prepared 100 more in the same way!
What say we adjust their lengths later?
You caught on way too fast!
You're so fast, and the cuts are so clean. You have my respect!
My kind digs as a team, so I'm accustomed to following orders.
Beaver-dono, your intelligence is far more impressive. You have my respect!
I can't believe I got these materials so quickly.
It's thanks to all of you.
The sturdiness, length, and width are all perfect.
This time, I'll use them carefully.
Great view: check!
Great sunlight: check!
And most importantly, it makes me want to dig! It's just perfect!
I must dig right now!
Is everything okay on your end?
I'll give it a try.
Materials, check. I'll start with the foundation,
and keep the corners in mind...
She can see everything she has to do, huh?
Beaver's amazing.
Now, then...
No, wait a minute. First, I need to check the lengths.
But once I cut something, I can't redo it...
This might take me some time. You should go watch Prairie-san.
S-Sure. Don't overdo it, okay?
I wonder how Prairie's digging is going.
She might be finished already.
Wait, where is she?
Prai—
Prairie-san!
Help me! Help me!
Heave-ho, heave-ho...
You have my thanks. Before I knew it, I was buried alive again.
Are you okay?
What would you have done if we hadn't come by?
But I now understand this dirt! In I go!
Dig, dig, dig, dig, dig...
Rock! I hit rock!
Are you okay?
Much appreciated.
Maybe you should dig a little slower...
Understood!
Prairie's pretty amazing, huh?
I wonder how Beaver-san's doing.
It's in the same state as when we left!
When I think of how I absolutely can't fail this time,
I get so scared that I can't cut them.
Bag-chan, do you have any ideas?
Let me think...
What if you made a miniature house first, as an experiment?
A miniature house?
To see how well the building will go when it's time for the real thing,
you can make it at about this size first.
Good idea. I'll try it.
I wonder if Prairie's digging is going well.
Help me! Help me!
Not again!
All right! Third time's the charm!
Wait, wait!
How about you plan before you start digging?
I see.
Before I dig! I'll try it!
How's it going?
I thought I'd start with a model of the model...
You don't need to go that far!
I was working while thinking out my plan, or so I thought...
How did you get that idea?
Could be better.
There, there.
Want some Japari buns?
Prairie-san, how did it go for you?
I started about twenty burrows, but they all fell apart.
Huh? That's so many!
And you, Beaver-dono?
I'm still at zero, even though I know how I can do it.
You do? I'm jealous!
Wait...
Um, how about the two of you build something together?
Together?
If you worked at my pace, it would take you so much longer. I'd feel bad.
And I'm sure I'd end up destroying Beaver-san's house.
How about if Prairie-san focuses on the building part,
while Beaver-san makes the model and concentrates on giving directions?
We should try it! What do you two want to make?
I want a log house like this.
Holes. Holes! I want to dig holes!
Then how about a room you can enter through a hole?
I need to live near water.
How about over there?
Yeah! I'd like to dig a tunnel that reaches over there!
What the heck?
Wow! I want to go through that tunnel!
Then I'll make a ladder so you can climb.
Sounds fun!
This model is amazing!
It's good if the entrance is hidden. I want to make an entrance on this side, too.
I want a room underground!
I definitely like places with a good view.
Okay, we'll make it about three floors...
You can do that?
Wow!
Let's build it!
Okay, Beaver-san, we're ready for your instructions.
L-Let's see... First, we need to dig a hole...
Just what I was hoping for!
If you just dig like normal, it'll probably collapse, so go deeper.
Also, after you dig for a while, we'll reinforce it with wood, in a shape like this.
Like this?!
So fast!
Keep going a little lower.
Roger!
I'd like you two to move the dirt.
Got it!
Okay!
Dig, dig, dig, dig...
Wow! It really isn't collapsing!
I made it to the other side!
Next, we'll start making columns.
Okay!
It's amazing how Prairie-san can just dig without hesitation.
It's coming right along thanks to her.
Beaver-dono seems to know all there is to know about materials and dirt.
It's amazing.
It feels great to be able to concentrate on digging.
There's not much for us to do.
Yeah. Shall we clean up?
It's done!
The view is great.
Whee!
This is great.
Hello!
Hello again!
I'd love to have a place to lounge over here.
That's a great idea.
How's this look?
That was fast!
I see. Like this, yes?
That was fast!
They make a perfect pair.
Yeah, really!
Thanks to you two, we made a wonderful house.
We can finally live relaxing lives.
It's all thanks to Bag-dono's suggestion.
Huh?
Oh, no. I'm so weak, I could barely help at all.
Maybe that's the kind of animal you are? One that's good at thinking.
Yes! You are definitely a great animal!
Thanks!
Well, shall we go?
Wait. First...
Raccoon-san!
My target already went down the mountain...
See why I tell you to slow down?
Ta-da! Fancy a cup of tea?
Fancy a song?
I am Crested Ibis...
Cafés...
...are great, aren't they?
I am searching for my friends.
No! My treasure calls for me!
Treasure?
This is a great bed.
It was nice of them to make it.
They were interesting.
Yes, they were a great pair.
We're a great pair, too!
Owie...
Where did you come from?
PPP Preview!
This week, we're learning about lions.
Apparently, lions rest for twenty hours a day.
Twenty hours?!
But I think footage of us sleeping for twenty hours would sell well, too.
Then let's just sleep forever.
Ah, bliss.
Next time: "Plains."