(music plays)

Against a white screen, the TVOKids and FifthGround Entertainment logos appear.

(giggling)

A caption reads "Original."

(theme music plays)

An animated blue sign that reads "FishHeads" falls into the sea.

Leo is an animated blue and orange catfish.

Leo says WE ARE THE FISHHEADS
EXPLORER CLUB,
SAYAT, CHRISTIAN,
AND ME, LEO.

Sayat and Christian are about 12 years old. Sayat has curly black hair and wears a blue sweater and a green lifejacket. Christian has short brown hair and wears glasses, an orange jacket and a blue T-shirt.

Leo continues TOGETHER, WE'RE GETTING WET
AND MUCKY
WORKING WITH EXPERTS AND
HELPING OUR AQUATIC FRIENDS.
EACH DAY WE'RE ON A NEW MISSION
EXPLORING WHAT'S GOING ON
ALONG THE SHORELINES
AND UNDER THE WAVES.
SPLISH, SPLASH, GRAB YOUR BOOTS
AND YOU CAN BE A FISHHEAD TOO.

Fast clips in split screens show Sayat and Christian sailing, exploring river eco-systems and learning about their creatures.

(water burbles)
The title of the show reads "FishHeads, Explorer Club."

Leo swims near two tablets showing the title of the show and fish swimming at the bottom of a lake.

Leo says WHAT'S SPOTTED,
AND RHYMES WITH "CAR?"
HA HA! NO, NO, IT'S NOT
A JELLYBEAN JAR.
IT'S THE FISH AT THE TOP
OF OUR FISH FINDER LIST -
THE SPOTTED GAR.
THEY'RE ONE OF THE COOLEST FISH
TO HIT OUR LIST.
THEY LOOK LIKE AN ALLIGATOR
WITH A DORSAL FIN.
UH, YEAH.

A close-up shot shows a spotted fish.

She continues BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY
ABOUT A SPOTTED GAR BITING YOU,
BECAUSE THEY'RE ONLY
INTERESTED IN MUNCHING
ON MUCH SMALLER FISH.
THEY LIVE IN FRESH WATER,
AND ARE A TOP PREDATOR
BUILT FOR HUNTING,
CAPABLE OF SHORT BURSTS
OF SPEED TO CATCH THEIR PREY
WITH A SNAP OF THEIR TAIL.
THEY ARE A SPECIES AT RISK
IN CANADA.

An animated time line shows fish population decreasing until today.

She continues WITH THE SPOTTED GAR BEING
A TOP PREDATOR,
IF THEY EVER BECAME EXTINCT,
IT WOULD BE A BIG PROBLEM
FOR EVERYONE IN THE FOOD WEB,
BECAUSE SMALLER FISH
COULD START
TO OVERPOPULATE THE WATERS.
SAYAT AND CHRISTIAN
ARE MEETING UP
WITH RESEARCH SCIENTIST,
DR. ANDREW,
AND BIOLOGIST, JASON, FROM
FISHERIES AND OCEANS CANADA,
TO SEE WHY THESE GUYS
ARE HAVING SUCH A HARD TIME,
AND GET A CLOSER LOOK
AT THIS FASCINATING FISH.

An animated map of Ontario reads "Rondeau Bay, Ontario."

Sayat and Andrew stand in a dock.

Sayat says HEY, IS IT TRUE THAT
RONDEAU BAY IS JUST ONE
OF THE THREE PLACES
THAT SPOTTED GAR
CAN LIVE IN CANADA?

A caption reads "Doctor Andrew Drake. Department of Fisheries and Oceans." Andrew is in his mid-thirties, with a short bead and blond hair. He wears a blue cap, a purple jacket and a lifejacket.

Andrew says WOW, THAT'S RIGHT.
TODAY WE'RE GONNA BE CHECKING
ON THE HEALTH
OF THE POPULATION,
TO TRY AND FIGURE OUT
WHY SPOTTED GAR
ARE A SPECIES AT RISK.

The caption changes to "Jason (illegible). Department of Fisheries and Oceans." Jason is in his early forties, clean-shaven with short hair. He wears sunglasses, a cap, a gray shirt and a lifejacket.

In a boat, Jason says HI, GOOD MORNING!

Sayat says GOOD MORNING.

Jason says I'M JASON, NICE TO MEET YOU.

Sayat says I'M SAYAT.

Jason says ANDREW, THANKS FOR
COMING TODAY.

Andrew says THANK YOU, JASON.

Leo says SAFETY CHECK!
(whistle blowing)
She continues OF COURSE YOU'LL HAVE
YOUR LIFEJACKET ON
BEFORE GETTING INTO THE BOAT,
BUT HERE'S HOW YOU CAN
GET IN SAFELY.
FIRST, BE SURE THE BOAT
IS TIED TO THE DOCK,
AND THE EDGE OF THE BOAT
IS UP AGAINST
THE EDGE OF THE DOCK.
THEN, SLOWLY STEP
INTO THE BOAT,
HOLDING A RAILING
IF THERE IS ONE,
OR THE HAND OF THE FIRST
PERSON IN.

Sayat gets into the boat.

She continues KEEP A SOFT BEND IN YOUR KNEES,
BUT BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR WAVES
THAT MAY SUDDENLY ROCK
THE BOAT,
AND WAIT FOR IT TO STOP
BEFORE YOU STEP IN.
ANCHORS AWEIGH, MATEY!
ARRRGH!

Jason says FISHING IN THAT EVERY DAY
IS A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS.
YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE
GONNA GET IN YOUR STOCKING.
BUT WE'LL HOPEFULLY-WE'LL HAVE
SOME SPOTTED GAR
IN OUR NET TODAY, IT'S A VERY
EXCITING WAY TO CATCH FISH.

Sayat says I HOPE WE GET LOTS OF FISH.

Jason says SO NOW THIS IS THE WETLAND
WHERE THE SPOTTED GAR LIVES,
HERE IS RONDEAU BAY.
AND YOU CAN SEE A LOT
OF DIFFERENT SPECIES
OF AQUATIC PLANTS HERE.
THE ONES THAT ARE POKING UP
THROUGH THE WATER
ARE ACTUALLY A CATTAIL.
BUT IN THE WATER,
THERE'S A WHOLE VARIETY
OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF PLANTS.

In a clip, Christian stands next to a green board and says DID YOU KNOW THAT
WHETHER YOU CALL IT A SWAMP,
MARSH, OR BOG,
AND WHETHER IT'S MUDDY GROUND,
OR COMPLETELY UNDERWATER,
IT'S ALL CONSIDERED WETLANDS.
WETLANDS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT,
BECAUSE THEY HELP PROTECT
AGAINST FLOODS
BY SOAKING UP THE WATER
FROM THE HEAVY RAINS.
THEY ALSO FILTER THE WATER
LIKE THE FILTER
IN A SWIMMING POOL.
THEY'RE ALSO THE IDEAL HOME
FOR FROGS,
TOADS, AND OTHER FISH,
LIKE THE SPOTTED GAR,
THAT NEED THE WETLAND PLANTS
FOR THEIR EGGS.
THIS MIX OF WATER AND PLANTS
MIGHT SEEM LIKE A MUDDY MESS,
BUT BELIEVE ME, THE WETLANDS
ARE VERY IMPORTANT
TO OUR ECOSYSTEM.
NOW YOU KNOW.

Jason says YOU PASS THAT MARKER TO SAYAT.

Andrew says LIFT THE NET.
OKAY.
PERFECT.

Jason says LOOKS GOOD.

Sayat says OH, THERE'S A SMALL FISH
IN THERE.

Jason says IT LOOKS LIKE ALL OF OUR
FRIENDS ARE DOWN HERE
IN THE BOTTOM, WONDERFUL!

Sayat says THERE'S ANOTHER ONE
OVER HERE.

Jason says THERE'S ANOTHER ONE?
WE'LL DOUBLE CHECK.
SO LET'S PUT IT BACK DOWN.
WE'LL GET THE NEXT ONE.
AND ALL OF THEM SHOULD BE
IN THE BIN NOW.
LAY THAT DOWN RIGHT THERE.

Sayat says COOL.
IS THAT A SPOTTED GAR?

Jason says THAT IS A SPOTTED GAR.

Sayat says AWESOME!
THEY HAVE A LONG NOSE.

Jason says THEY DO, AND THEY HAVE LOTS
OF SHARP TEETH.

Sayat says THEY REALLY DO LOOK LIKE
AN ALLIGATOR!

Jason says THEY DO, THEY DO.
YOU CAN FEEL THE PLATES
ON ITS SIDE.

Sayat says THEIR SCALES FEEL SO SMOOTH.

Andrew says THESE ARE CALLED
GANOID SCALES,
AND UNLIKE MOST FISH,
WHERE THE SCALES OVERLAP,
THESE SCALES DON'T OVERLAP
AT ALL.
AND THEY'RE MUCH THICKER
AND TOUGHER THAN OTHER SCALES.
AND THEY'RE LIKE THAT
SO THAT SHOREBIRDS,
AND OTHER PREDATORS,
AREN'T ABLE TO EAT
THE SPOTTED GAR.

Sayat says AWESOME.

Jason says SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT
WE GO THROUGH
ALL THE OTHER SPECIES
IN THIS AREA,
BECAUSE THEY ALL RELY ON EACH
OTHER IN THIS ECOSYSTEM.
NOW, ONE FISH THAT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT TO THE SPOTTED GAR
IS THIS GUY RIGHT HERE.
THIS IS A BLUEGILL.

He holds a small yellow fish and says NOW, BLUEGILL IN RONDEAU BAY
IS PROBABLY THE MOST
ABUNDANT FISH,
ONE OF THE MOST TASTIEST FISH
IF YOU WERE A SPOTTED GAR
WOULD BE A BLUEGILL.
ANOTHER PREDATOR THAT'S VERY
COMMON IN RONDEAU BAY,
THAT HAS TO SHARE THE HABITAT
WITH SPOTTED GAR
IS LARGEMOUTH BASS.
SO YOU CAN SEE
WHERE HE GETS HIS NAME.
FROM HIS LARGE MOUTH.

Sayat says YEAH.
WOW, THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT
FISH IN ONE AREA.
IT'S AMAZING HOW BIG YOUR LOCAL
FISH COMMUNITY CAN BE.

Jason says IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW
WHAT OTHER SPECIES
LIVE IN THIS AREA,
ESPECIALLY THE LOCAL PREDATOR
AND PREY RELATIONSHIPS.

Sayat says THAT'S A FANCY WAY OF SAYING,
WHO EATS WHO
IN THE FISH COMMUNITY.

Jason says IT SURE IS!

Andrew says SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS TAKE
A LENGTH MEASUREMENT
OF THIS SPOTTED GAR.

Sayat says IT LOOKS LIKE HE'S UM...
45 AND A HALF.

Jason writes down the measure.

Andrew says PERFECT.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT WHEN WE HOLD
SPOTTED GAR, AND OTHER FISH,
TO HAVE ONE HAND AROUND
THE CAUDAL PEDUNCLE.

Sayat says THE WHAT?

Andrew says THE CAUDAL PEDUNCLE.
IT'S THE PART OF THE FISH
JUST BEFORE THE TAIL,
AND IT HELPS THEM TO MOVE
THEIR TAIL.
IT'S LIKE A WRIST IN HUMANS.

Sayat says IS THAT HOW THEY STEER
THEMSELVES IN THE WATER?

Andrew says IT SURE IS.

Jason weighs the fish and says ALRIGHT.
2.2 KILOGRAMS.

Leo says OOH, IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE
GOING TO TAKE A FIN CLIP.

Sayat says WHEN YOU CLIP THE FIN,
DOES IT HURT THE SPOTTED GAR?

Andrew says NO, IT'S JUST LIKE TRIMMING
YOUR FINGERNAILS.
BUT THIS LITTLE CLIP
CAN TELL US A LOT
ABOUT SPOTTED GAR POPULATIONS
IN CANADA.
FROM THIS SAMPLE,
WE CAN UNDERSTAND
WHO THIS SPOTTED GAR'S
PARENTS WERE,
AND POTENTIALLY, EVEN,
HOW MANY SPOTTED GAR
LIVE IN RONDEAU BAY.

Sayat says FROM JUST A LITTLE FIN CLIP,
YOU CAN TELL ALL THAT?

Smiling, Andrew says YOU GOT IT.

Sayat says IS IT TRUE THAT A SPOTTED GAR
CAN BREATHE AIR?

Andrew says THAT'S RIGHT.
SO MOST FISH HAVE SOMETHING
CALLED A SWIM BLADDER.
BUT FOR SPOTTED GAR, THEY HAVE
A SPECIALIZED SWIM BLADDER.

The caption changes to "Fish Talk with Leo."

Leo says WHEN HUMANS BREATHE,
AIR GOES INTO THEIR LUNGS,
WHICH REMOVES OXYGEN
FOR THEIR BODIES TO USE.
WHEN WE FISH BREATHE,
WATER GOES IN THROUGH
OUR GILLS,
WHICH REMOVE OXYGEN
FOR OUR BODIES TO USE.
THE SPOTTED GAR IS SPECIAL,
BECAUSE IT NOT ONLY
USES ITS GILLS
TO GET OXYGEN FROM THE WATER,
BUT IT ALSO DOES IT
BY USING A SWIM BLADDER,
WHICH IS JUST LIKE A LUNG.
SO IT CAN TAKE A BIG GULP
OF AIR,
JUST LIKE SAYAT AND CHRISTIAN,
AND NOT HAVE TO RELY
ON THEIR GILLS IN WATER,
LIKE ME.

Sayat says WOW, WE ONLY CAUGHT ONE?
I EXPECTED TO CATCH MORE.

Andrew says WELL, THEY ARE A SPECIES
AT RISK.
AND THIS COULD BE A SIGN
THAT SPOTTED GAR POPULATIONS
ARE NOT DOING VERY WELL.
I'M WORRIED THAT WE MIGHT NOT
CATCH ANY JUVENILES LATER TODAY.

Sayat says CAN WE TAKE IT BACK,
AND SHOW CHRISTIAN?

Andrew says ABSOLUTELY.

Sayat says YAY, HE WILL BE SO HAPPY!

They high-five.

Then, they go back to the dock.

Christian says HEY GUYS, ANY LUCK CATCHING
ANY SPOTTED GAR?

Sayat says IT WAS AMAZING!
WE CAUGHT ONE SPOTTED GAR.
WANNA SEE?

Christian says YEAH!

Christian jumps into the boat.

Sayat says SO THIS IS THE LITTLE GUY.
HE'S VERY CUTE.

Christian says OH WOW, THEY DO HAVE SPOTS.
IT LOOKS LIKE CAMO.

Andrew says OKAY CHRISTIAN,
LET'S GET THIS SPOTTED GAR
BACK WHERE HE BELONGS.
SAYAT, THANKS FOR YOUR HELP
TODAY.

Sayat says NO, THANK YOU.

Andrew saysOKAY CHRISTIAN, IT'S TIME
TO RELEASE OUR SPOTTED GAR.
ANY TIME WE RELEASE FISH THAT
WE'VE CAUGHT FOR RESEARCH,
WE WANNA PUT THEM BACK
IN THE PLACE
WHERE WE CAUGHT THEM FROM.

Christian says WHY?

Andrew says BECAUSE THAT FISH WAS HERE
FOR A REASON.
AND IN THE CASE
OF A SPOTTED GAR,
IT WAS PROBABLY TO SPAWN,
SO WE WANNA PUT HIM OR HER BACK
IN THE BEST PLACE TO LAY EGGS.

The caption changes to "Spawn means lay eggs."

Christian says YOU GUYS PROBABLY HAVE
THE BEST JOB EVER.

Andrew says WE DO.

Christian releases the fish into the lake.

Later, Andrew says WELL, CHRISTIAN,
IT'S DISAPPOINTING
THAT WE DIDN'T GET ANY
BABY SPOTTED GAR,
BUT I'VE TAKEN A SAMPLE
OF AN AQUATIC PLANT HERE,
AND LOOK, THERE'S EGGS THAT
ARE STUCK TO THE LEAVES.
AND WE DON'T KNOW FOR SURE,
BUT BECAUSE THEY'RE STUCK
ON THE LEAVES,
THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE THAT
THEY'RE BABY SPOTTED GAR.
NOW, A FEMALE SPOTTED GAR
CAN LAY 10,000 EGGS
IN HER LIFETIME,
AND WHAT'S REALLY COOL
IS THAT THEY'RE HIGHLY TOXIC
TO PREDATORS.

Christian says THAT'S A LOT OF EGGS.
DO THE PREDATORS KNOW
THAT THEY'RE TOXIC?

Andrew says WELL, WE'RE NOT SURE,
BUT PROBABLY WHAT HAPPENS
IS THEY WOULD EAT ONE OR TWO
AND QUICKLY LEARN TO STAY AWAY.
JUST ONE MORE THING THAT ALLOWS
THE SPOTTED GAR
TO SURVIVE IN THE NATURAL WORLD.

Christian says WOW, THAT'S AMAZING.

Now, Christian and Sayat meet again.

Christian says HEY!

Sayat says HI.

Sayat says ANY LUCK FINDING JUVENILES?

Christian says NO, BUT WE DID FIND
TONS OF EGGS.

Sayat says I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU,
BUT THE SPOTTED GAR
MUST BE THE COOLEST FISH
WE'VE SEEN.

Christian says YEAH, SPOTTED GAR DEFINITELY
NEED EVERYONE'S HELP.

Leo says ATTENTION, FELLOW FISHHEADS!
REMEMBER, THE BEST WAY TO HELP
THE SPOTTED GAR
IS TO PROTECT OUR WETLANDS.
LEAVE AQUATIC PLANTS WHERE
YOU FIND THEM.
IT'S THE SPOTTED GAR'S HOME.
AND YOU WOULDN'T WANT SOMEONE
TO PULL YOUR HOUSE
RIGHT OUT OF THE GROUND, RIGHT?
MM-MM!
SO REMEMBER, WHAT'S MORE
IMPORTANT TO SPOTTED GAR
THAN THEIR SWIM BLADDER GLANDS?
THEIR WETLANDS!
UH, OKAY, WELL, I DIDN'T MAKE
A PERFECT RHYME,
BECAUSE WE'RE THROUGH,
BUT IT'S TRUE!
UH, LOOK, I JUST DID ONE!
SOMETIMES I EVEN IMPRESS MYSELF.

(theme music plays)

The end credits roll.

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