Wild Animals with Dave Salmoni

Summary

In this fun and lively segment, Dave Salmoni from Animal Planet brings a series of exotic animals to the show, captivating the audience with his engaging and often humorous interactions. From a powerful tiger cub to a massive boa constrictor, Dave introduces each creature with fascinating insights into their behavior and unique traits. The segment features moments of lighthearted banter, such as Dave's quirky second date story, and culminates with a cheetah, showcasing its speed and grace. Throughout, Dave shares his deep love for animals, blending education and entertainment seamlessly.

Takeaways

• 😀 Dave Salmoni, the guest from Animal Planet, is known for bringing animals onto the show without prior notice, which he admits is a bit rude, especially for a Canadian.
• 😀 Dave recently got engaged to a woman who tolerates his love for animals, even after he cut fur off her boots on their second date to make them more animal-friendly.
• 😀 Dave introduces a female tiger cub on the show, highlighting her large paws even at just 8 weeks old. She will grow into a 350+ lb tiger.
• 😀 Dave demonstrates a tiger's chuff, a friendly greeting noise, and explains how tigers communicate through body language, especially their ears and tail.
• 😀 A Colombian red-tailed boa is introduced, and Dave explains how constrictors like these snakes squeeze their prey when it exhales, using their strong muscles.
• 😀 Dave brings a binturong, also called a bearcat, onto the show. The animal has a tail that wraps around his neck and enjoys climbing trees.
• 😀 Binturongs are fruit eaters, and they have a distinct popcorn-like smell. They're from Southeast Asia and are neither bears nor cats.
• 😀 Dave emphasizes that captive animals, like the binturong, need mental stimulation and new experiences to keep them engaged and challenged.
• 😀 A cheetah is introduced as the 'fastest land mammal,' and Dave describes her as a cheetah ambassador, used to performing in shows and educating the public.
• 😀 The cheetah's tail is used as a rudder during high-speed chases, helping her balance and turn quickly while sprinting.

Q & A

What animal does Dave Salmoni introduce first on the show?

Dave Salmoni introduces a tiger cub first, which is 8 weeks old.

How does Dave demonstrate how to communicate with the tiger cub?

Dave demonstrates how to communicate with the tiger cub by making a 'chuff' noise, which is a greeting that signals no harm is meant.

Why is the tiger cub's paw mentioned during the segment?

Dave highlights the size of the tiger cub's paw in comparison to the host's hand, noting that although the cub is only 8 weeks old, its paws are already very large and will grow as the tiger matures.

What is the tiger cub's expected adult size?

The tiger cub will grow to weigh over 350 pounds as it matures.

What type of snake does Dave introduce next, and how does the host react?

Dave introduces a Colombian red-tailed boa. The host is initially hesitant to hold the snake, but eventually agrees to hold the bitey end, which is the tail end.

What unique characteristic of the Colombian red-tailed boa is explained by Dave?

Dave explains that the boa is a constrictor, meaning it grabs its prey with rows of teeth and then squeezes it every time the prey exhales, slowly tightening its grip.

What animal does Dave introduce after the snake?

After the snake, Dave introduces a binturong, also known as a bearcat.

What is the binturong's distinctive feature, according to Dave?

Dave mentions that the binturong's tail is used for climbing, and it has a distinctive popcorn-like scent, which is a unique feature of the animal.

What does Dave reveal about the binturong's diet?

Dave explains that the binturong's diet consists mainly of fruit.

What animal is introduced last in the segment, and why is it significant?

The last animal introduced is a cheetah, which is used as a 'cheetah ambassador' for conservation efforts. Dave emphasizes that the cheetah is the fastest land mammal and shares details about its tail, which helps with balance during high-speed sprints.