Zoboomafoo: The Show That Inspired a Generation of Animal Lovers

Does anyone remember the show, Zoboomafoo? Talking Lemur puppet, two men running around a colorful shed, going on whacky 2D/clay animation adventures? Ring a bell? I do! As a child growing up this show was a must in my weekend specials, along with other shows from PBS.

Zoboomafoo was a children's educational TV show that aired from 1999 to 2001. The show was created by the Kratt Brothers, who are zoologists and wildlife filmmakers. Zoboomafoo starred their lemur puppet, Zoboo, as he explored the animal kingdom with the Kratt Brothers.

Each episode of Zoboomafoo followed a similar format. The show would start with the Kratt Brothers introducing the topic of the episode. They would then go to Animal Junction, a magical place where they would meet Zoboo. Zoboo would tell the Kratt Brothers about an animal he had recently seen, but he would never know its name. This would lead to a song called "Who Could It Be?", which would show a cartoon of a blob of color slowly evolving into the animal Zoboo had seen.

After the song, the animal in question would enter Animal Junction, and the Kratt Brothers would reveal its name and some fun facts about it. The Kratt Brothers would then perform some activities with the animal, such as feeding it or playing with it.

Zoboomafoo would then take the Kratt Brothers to Zobooland, a magical land where he would have adventures with his friends. Zobooland was a strange and wonderful place, full of fictional creatures that were based on real animals. Zoboo's friends in Zobooland included Narchi the anteater-elephant, Gooble the purple bear, Fibby the octopus, and Cy the squid.

After their adventures in Zobooland, the Kratt Brothers would return to Animal Junction and receive a letter from the Animal Helpers. The Animal Helpers would give the Kratt Brothers some tips on how to help animals in the real world.

Zoboomafoo was a fun and educational show that taught kids about animals in a way that was both engaging and entertaining. The show was also very creative, with its use of puppets, cartoons, and CGI. Zoboomafoo was a true classic that will be enjoyed by kids for years to come.

The show was an immediate success for PBS and the PTV programming block. It was one of the most popular shows on PBS during its run. The show would inspire toys and video games. There were Zoboomafoo action figures, board games, and even a video game.

The show would not receive a third season. This was most likely due to PBS having plenty of episodes to rerun, a common reason for cancellation in children's programming. However, the show has remained popular in syndication and on streaming services.

The Kratt Brothers would return to television with a new series called Be the Creature. This series aired on National Geographic from 2003 to 2007. Be the Creature was a more action-packed show than Zoboomafoo, and it featured the Kratt Brothers traveling to the wild to learn about animals firsthand.

The Kratt Brothers would return to PBS to debut yet another wildlife series called Wild Kratts. Wild Kratts is still on the air today and is very popular with kids. The show features the Kratt Brothers using their "Creature Power Suits" to transform into animals and learn about their biology and behavior.

Jovian, the lemur who played Zoboo, died in 2014. He was 20 years old. His death was a loss to the Zoboomafoo community. However, Zoboomafoo's legacy lives on through the Kratt Brothers' continued work in wildlife education.

The Kratt Brothers are passionate about teaching kids about animals, and they have made a real difference in the world through their work. Zoboomafoo was a groundbreaking show that helped to spark a love of animals in millions of kids. The show is a true classic and has been a fun experience to watch with my sons along with their newer animated series. It's amazing to see that the Kratt Brothers are still busy educating the next generation!