ROXY: Hey Wildlifer, Roxy here, Apprentice Ranger with Ranger
Rae and the Wildlifers. And this week Ranger Rae is travelling to
the majestic Borrowdale Rainforest in the Lake District.
That's right, a rainforest right here in the UK.
I'm sure all sorts of animal antics happen in a place like
this. Let's swoop in with Owl and see what's going on.
OWL: There's nothing like an early morning flight through the
rainforest. So early the sun isn't even up yet.
Hello, Buzzard.
Hello, Falcon.
While they are starting their day, I'm getting ready for bed.
Hang on, what's this? Looks like a hiker. But what's he doing
with that lichen? Hey, you can't take that!
Silly human. You can't just take Lichens from the rainforest.
Although there is a chance he doesn't know what a lichen is.
Luckily, I know just the human to call to sort this out.
Awooooooooo
VOICE OVER: Across the many majestic, wild spaces of the
United Kingdom, From woods, wetlands, to mountain and heath,
whenever help is needed, one ranger and her animal friends
always answer the call.
THEME TUNE: It's Ranger Rae and the Wildlifers!
RANGER RAE: I can talk to animals!
It's a ranger's dream!
THEME TUNE: It's Ranger Rae and the Wildlifers!
RANGER RAE: Say hello to my animal team!
THEME TUNE: With Deer and Fox and Wildcat. Mole and Dragonfly,
Beaver and Bat.
BEAVER: Sound the alarm and we'll come running to you.
WILDCAT: With our animal powers, we'll know what to do.
THEME TUNE: It's Ranger Rae and the Wildlifers.
OWL: I wonder how long it'll take them to get here. I am
getting very, very sleepy.
RANGER RAE: Did somebody call for Ranger Rae? I'm here with
Fox and Mole and Roxy to save the day.
OWL: Oh, Ranger Rae and the Wildlifers. That was fast. I'm
Owl, Tawny Owl, if you want to go with my full name.
FOX: Oh, so you must be behind that twit-to-woo call I've heard
about the place.
OWL: Actually, us female owls just do the twit part. Then the
males do the to-woo.
MOLE: Oh, we're in a rainforest. I bet there's loads of wriggly,
wiggly, jiggly worms here.
ROXY: What exactly is a rainforest, Ranger Rae?
RANGER RAE: Rainforests are big areas full of tall trees that
experience lots and lots of rainfall. The wet conditions
mean all sorts of amazing things can grow here.
ROXY: It's so cool. I love looking up to the treetops. It
makes me feel like I'm in... I'm in...
Well, I'm not sure. But it doesn't really feel like the UK,
that's for sure.
RANGER RAE: What's going on, Owl? Is someone or something in
trouble?
OWL: (Yawn) It's very serious, Ranger Rae. I saw a hiker taking
some of Borrowdale Rainforest's precious Lichens.
RANGER RAE: That just won't do. Many of the Lichens here are on
the protected list. Isn't that right, Wildlifers?
FOX: Er, sure.
Yeah, how dare they touch the Lickees.
MOLE: That's so terrible, though, poor Lunchens.
ROXY: Ranger Rae, what are Lichens?
RANGER RAE: I'm glad you asked. Do you want to take this one,
Owl?
OWL: Oh, no, no, you go for it. I'm just going to rest my eyes
for a second.
RANGER RAE: Lichens are very special plant-like lifeforms you
can find growing on places like plants, rocks and trees. This
rainforest is full of Lichens. See, on this tree here.
Sometimes they look like bits of moss, but really they're a
combination of fungus and algae.
OWL: Oh, Ranger Rae, what time is it?
RANGER RAE: It's 7am.
OWL: Oh, it's nearly time for me to hit the hay.
MOLE: I don't get it. How are we supposed to solve this situation
if Owl is asleep?
OWL: Oh, somebody else will be along to help you,
momentarily... (snore)
RANGER RAE: I guess we'd better wait and see who comes along.
MOLE: I'm going on a worm hunt. This lovely soft ground must be
full of worms. A wriggling and jiggling their way through the
soil. Oh, it gets me so excited. Can I get any of you a worm
while I'm gone?
FOX: No, thanks, Mole.
MOLE: All right, then. And more worms for me!
ROXY: Is this a lichen?
RANGER RAE: I'm sure it is, Roxy. Once you know what you're
looking for, you'll find them everywhere in the rainforest.
Borrowdale Valley is one of the wettest places in the UK.
Perfect conditions for lichen to grow.
ROXY: (Strange noise) What was that?
CUCKOO: Cuckoo!
RANGER RAE: Sounds very familiar. I wonder if it's a...
CUCKOO: Cuckoo! I gave you a fright, didn't I?
RANGER RAE: Maybe a little one. You must be...
CUCKOO: Oh, I'm Cuckoo! Hey, you, Fox, could you mind my egg
for a second?
FOX: An egg? Why are you asking me to mind an egg?
CUCKOO: Just mind it for a second. I'll get it back from
you later, honest.
FOX: All right, then.
CUCKOO: Oh, thanks.
You're a star. Now, what's old Owly been telling you?
RANGER RAE: There was a hiker taking Lichens.
CUCKOO: Let me guess. A hiker was taking Lichens.
Owly put out a call for help. Fell asleep as soon as you got
here.
FOX: Yeah, that's pretty much it.
CUCKOO: That's nocturnals for you.
Always drifting off at the worst times.
MOLE: Worms for all.
CUCKOO: Speaking of nocturnals.
MOLE: Hey, Moles aren't nocturnal.
ALL: Really?
MOLE: No, we're just... Very, very shy. Who's this?
CUCKOO: I'm Cuckoo.
Would you mind my egg for a minute?
MOLE: Why?
CUCKOO: Just mind it for a few minutes, come on.
I'll be your best friend.
MOLE: All right, then, but just for a few minutes.
CUCKOO: Ha, ha, ha, ha, of course.
Anyway, did Owl give you directions before nodding off?
FOX: No, nothing.
CUCKOO: Might be a tricky task, so...
Tell you what.
Why don't we stop at my nest and we can come up with a plan
there.
RANGER RAE: Sounds good to me. Thanks, Cuckoo.
CUCKOO: Oh, you can thank me later.
FOX: Hey, Mole, there's something about this Cuckoo
character I don't trust.
MOLE: Oh, I know what you mean.
ROXY: Well, Wildlifer, isn't this an interesting adventure
we're on? So great to explore the rainforest, even if I have a
sneaking suspicion that Cuckoo is up to no good. But with Owl
asleep... I guess they're our only hope for finding those
lichens...
CUCKOO: Here we are.
Home sweet home.
RANGER RAE: It's a very nice nest.
CUCKOO: This old thing?
Yeah, I've been meaning to clean it up for a while.
MOLE: Do you have any worms? I'm starving.
FOX: You had worms five minutes ago.
MOLE: Oh, it was more than five minutes ago, wasn't it, Cuckoo?
CUCKOO: What do I look like to you.
Some sort of Cuckoo clock?
Let me just see if I have any worms in the back.
Make yourselves at home.
FOX: There's something funny about this Cuckoo character,
Ranger Rae.
RANGER RAE: I know.
ROXY: The feathers in this nest don't look much like Cuckoo
feathers.
RANGER RAE: You're right, Roxy. I don't think this is Cuckoo's
nest at all.
FOX: Hold on.
Aren't cuckoos known for laying their eggs in some other bird's
nest?
RANGER RAE: (Bird Sounds) Uh-oh. I think this nest might belong
to that bird.
MOLE: Get away!
CUCKOO: Whoops!
Must have got the wrong nest again.
Happens every time. See you all later.
ROXY: That's the last time I trust a Cuckoo.
RANGER RAE: I suppose we should have known better. Cuckoos like
to lay their eggs in other birds' nests and trick the other
bird into raising their young.
FOX: Outrageous!
RANGER RAE: Sometimes nature works in strange ways and
animals need to use clever tricks to survive. Should we go
back to Owl and wait for them to wake up?
ALL: Good idea.
RANGER RAE: All right, Wildlifers, it's getting dark
now. Owl should be waking up soon.
MOLE: Now I'm getting tired.
FOX: Come on, Mole, don't doze off yet. We need you for your...
MOLE: Worm-catching abilities.
FOX: I was going to say amazing digging skills.
MOLE: Oh, yes, I guess that's fair enough.
OWL: What are you doing here? Didn't you catch that hiker yet?
RANGER RAE: We need your help, Owl. You're the only one who
knows where the hiker is.
FOX: Cuckoo said they'd help us, but all they did was make us
mind their eggs while leading us into some other bird's nest.
CUCKOO: Oh, Cuckoo, you promised this wouldn't happen again. Give
the eggs here. I'll make sure they get back to Cuckoo.
RANGER RAE: It's starting to get dark, Owl. But if you can show
us where you saw the hiker, Fox can use their super tracking
powers to track them down.
OWL: Sounds like a plan. Follow me. (Flapping Wings)
Whoops, forgot none of you can fly. On foot we go. This way.
Now let me see.
Yes, it was here I saw him lift the Lichens.
RANGER RAE: Very good, Owl.
What have you got, Detective Fox?
FOX: Let me see.
Just trying to pick up the scent and...
Ah! Yes!
This way!
And now, this way!
Through these bushes here and voila!
One human hiker as requested.
RANGER RAE: Just in time too. It's getting very dark out here.
MOLE: Oh, how exciting. Do you think he has any worms?
ALL: Not now, Mole.
RANGER RAE: Excuse me. My name is Ranger Rae and I was
wondering if you picked any Lichens from the rainforest.
HIKER: Lichens? I don't even know what a lichen is.
ROXY: It's a moss-like substance that grows on trees and rocks
and...
HIKER: You mean this stuff?
I just took a bit of it. I just wanted to draw it.
ROXY: Draw it?
HIKER: Yeah, I'm an artist and I love coming to Borrowdale
Rainforest. It's got some of the most amazing nature views in all
of Britain. Here's one I did earlier.
FOX: It's quite good.
RANGER RAE: That's very nice, but Lichens are a very special
part of the rainforest ecosystem. They might look like
moss, but really they're a combination of fungus and algae.
From now on, could you draw the Lichens while leaving them where
they belong?
HIKER: Of course. I didn't realise I was disturbing nature
by taking them.
RANGER RAE: As long as we know for next time. Now it's getting
very dark. We'd better get home.
HIKER: But how are we going to find our way out?
MOLE: Worms!
ALL: Not now, Mole!
MOLE: No, not those worms. I mean the other worms.
RANGER RAE: What other worms?
MOLE: I met some very special worms earlier and they might be
able to help us find a way. Hang on, I'll ask them. (Whispering.)
FOX: What is that Mole up to?
RANGER RAE: We can never be sure.
MOLE: They said yes. Hang on, should be something happening in
three, two, one.
ALL: Wow.
RANGER RAE: Looks like Mole befriended some Glow Worms.
ROXY: They're so pretty. The rainforest really becomes a
different place at night time.
RANGER RAE: Everywhere does. Nature has a whole world that
only comes out at night.
MOLE: The worms say they'll light a path out of the forest
for us.
RANGER RAE: Thanks, Glow Worms. You're amazing.
HIKER: Sorry, am I going mad or can you communicate with
animals?
RANGER RAE: Oh yes, it's a whole thing.
All right, folks, we made it out of the rainforest. I think it's
time all of us non-nocturnal creatures went home and got some
rest.
ROXY: Thanks for all the help, Owl. And you too, Glow Worms.
Three cheers for a job well done.
Hip hip! Hooray!
Hip hip! Hooray!
Hip hip!
CUCKOO: Well done everybody, we did it! Yeah, three cheers for
your old pal, Cuckoo, whoop, whoop.
FOX: You didn't help us. You tricked us into thinking that
nest was yours.
MOLE: And you gave us eggs to mind and never took them back.
OWL: You really should start minding your own eggs, Cuckoo.
CUCKOO: But I'm so busy! Do you guys have any idea how busy I
am? It's not fair. How about we all go back to my nest and
celebrate a job well done?
FOX: No, it's not even your nest.
RANGER RAE: (Awooooooo) As much as we'd love to, Cuckoo, it
sounds like somebody else needs our help. Come on, Wildlifers,
off we go!
THEME TUNE: It's Ranger Rae and the Wildlifers!
VOICE OVER: We hope you're enjoying the new adventures of
Ranger Rae and the Wildlifers. To celebrate the launch, it's
competition time!
We've got 10 Ranger Fun Pack prizes up for grabs. For a
chance to win a Ranger Fun Pack, you'll need to answer this
question correctly.
What is a common nickname for puffins?
Is it A. Clowns Of The Sea, B. Bright Beaked Birdies, or C.
Rainbow Jesters? Top tip. Listen to Ranger Rae and the Wildlifers
episode one, Puffin Panic at the Farne Islands to find out. If
you're under 16, an adult must enter on your behalf.
Please ask your grown-up to follow the link in the podcast
show notes or at nationaltrust.org.UK slash kids
hyphen podcast. This competition is free to enter and closes at
midnight on the 13th of November 2024. You can only enter the
competition once and full terms and conditions apply. Good luck!
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