Folks Like Us — Wild Interest

In this episode we talk to the heroes at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Kenya who rescue orphaned baby elephants, raising them until they can return to the wild. They tell us all about a special baby elephant named Toto. We’re also joined by musician, historian, and creator of the Brooklyn Folk Festival, Eli Smith. He talks about his life in folk music, plays us the same song on two very different banjos, and explains the competition he invented that involves tossing banjos into Brooklyn’s murky Gowanus Canal (if you have an iPhone or Apple device, be sure to check out his banjo toss video game). Next we hit the slopes with Ariana and learn about the history, hard work, and thrill of ski racing in Vermont. We also get a report from our on-the-ground correspondent Nola, who walks us through the city of New Orleans with all its special flavors and sounds. Not to be outdone, Bobby the Bigfoot returns to chat with Evan and (try to) play a banjo. Plus, we have our usual favorite sounds, jokes, riddles, and general hijinks. It’s wild!

Timestamps for this episode are available below. Parents: visit our website to help your kids contribute jokes or favorite sounds, or to send us a message: www.wildinterest.com/submissions

Timestamps:

(0:00) Episode 5 Intro

(1:11) NOLA in New Orleans

(5:09) Favorite Sound

(5:56) Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage

(13:30) Riddle Question

(13:49) Taste Explained

(17:57) Grandparent Story

(22:49) Ski Racing on Stowe Mountain

(25:41) Bobby the Bigfoot Calls In

(27:32) Cryptid Corner

(29:53) Eli Smith Banjo