good morning, america. overnight, after the riot, reflection and anticipation. thousands attend a candlelight vigil at penn state, just hours before one of the most tension-filled college football games ever. this will be the nittany lions' first game in nearly 50 years without head coach, joe paterno. extra security today and new questions about how the alleged abuse was allowed to continue for so long. rescued. breaking news overnight. a rising star in the major leagues, kidnapped in venezuela is now free. police commandos swoop in amid a hail of gunfire to save washington nationals catcher wilson ramos. this morning, he and his family are reunited. terror in the backyard.

a woman takes on a bear that is attacking her dog and is attacked herself. >> i put my arms up and just started screaming, get out, get out. >> they both survived. and she tells us her harrowing story this morning. and love on the run. can you imagine doing this with your spouse? we take you to the most intense and intimate competition around today. can you carry your wife to victory? well, our correspondent gives it a try. i guess that's actually a form of couples therapy. so, my question to you, is that something you would do with your wife, bianca? >> well, i'm not sure my wife would let me do this. but let me say on the record, it would be very easy for me because my wife is very slender. >> yes.

>> yes. you just won a ton of points in the couples therapy land. >> did i? also in the what would you do category? what would you do if there was a bear in your backyard trying to attack the family dog? would you try to fend off the bear? that's what this woman did. we're going to hear from her. >> we're all pet lovers. i think we would do the same thing. to witness your pet being attacked. ron shaking his head, saying no way. okay. ron weighing in on this. also this morning, a serious story. where is baby sky? the missing 2-year-old's mother is under suspicion. and now, his father is speaking out. plus, new answers from the police about whether he could really have been kidnapped when the mother's car broke down. they test out her theory. >> we get to that in a few minutes. we have an internal personnel note this morning. we're very excited that we have a new member of our weekend "gma" family. who is this mystery person? we'll give you a hint. she is fearless and has one of the best names in all of television. we'll introduce you to her. >> she's a woman. >> we have gender balance on the show now. that's coming up.

we're going to start this morning with a historic game day. a very tense game day at penn state. this is the first one since the scandal that brought down the head coach, joe paterno. last night, on the same site where students rioted earlier this week, there was a massive -- look at this. massive candlelight vigil for the alleged abuse victims. abc's linsey davis is there on the field this morning with the latest on this story. linsey, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning to you, dan. 100,000 people are expected to pack into this stadium today, to witness something that hasn't happened since 1966. a penn state football game without joe paterno. and they're also suspected to play without their receivers coach, who has been advised to stay away from the game, out of concern for his safety. they came by the thousands with lit candles, to put more light on the victims in this scandal. >> the important part is what

happened to these kids. and we can't forget them. and it feels like some people are forgetting what it's really about. [ bell tolling ] >> reporter: just a few nights ago in the same area, we witnessed the riots and pepper spray. quite a difference tonight, as the students are somber and reflective. but all around them, the fallout continues. assistant coach mike mcqueary, a man who told joe paterno, he saw former coach jerry sandusky sexually abusing a boy in the team showers, is now on paid administrative leave. and the mother whose little boy whose allegations started it all, spoke for the first time on "good morning america." for her protection and her son's, her face has been hidden and her voice altered. >> there was a time when my son started acting out, showing signs that he was angry about something. we don't know what. >> reporter: even though prosecutors said paterno is not a focus of their investigation, he's hired a high-power washington attorney.

now, his students and former players are preparing for their first game without him in 46 years. >> we're playing for penn state. try to make penn state's name back to what it was. >> reporter: the university isn't taking any chances. extra security measures are being put in place. but that hasn't stopped these loyal fans from camping out in front of penn state's stadium, in what they call paternoville. penn state has much more on the line here than football. >> what people don't see is we're bigger than that. as students, we care about more than just that. >> back, now, to linsey on the field. linsey, i understand there's going to be something special the students will be doing in the stands today? >> reporter: that's right, dan. we're expecting to see a sea of blue in the stands, which is rather unusual because typically students here would wear white during a home game. but blue is the color of child abuse awareness. >> they've been working on this effort for days. linsey davis, thank you for your reporting right on the field this morning. let's bring in, now, the governor of pennsylvania.

his name is tom corbett. and he's really been deeply involved in the response to this crisis, urging penn state to move quickly and forcefully. governor, let me first say, i know you're a busy man. we really appreciate you joining us this morning. thank you. >> my pleasure, dan. >> let me ask you about your concerns about today. when you and i spoke yesterday, you said you were worried that there might be some misbehavior by the students. are you still worried? and what are you doing to prepare for that? >> the students as a group, i'm not worried about that. a i said the other day, a knucklehead here and there, we have to worry about that. you have to be heartened by the actions of the students last night. that was a student-run memorial. a student-run collective together, talking to people about the issue of child abuse. i'm very proud of those students. as you know, i met with the leaders for about an hour yesterday. and then, brought them in and had them talk to you and answer

questions of the media. they are taking control of this from their perspective. and i think that's something that has to be done. >> let me ask you about mike mcqueary. so much anger directed at this man who says he witnessed jerry sandusky abusing a child in the showers and didn't physically intervene to stop it. late yesterday, the new president of penn state said he's putting mcqueary on administrative leave. are you frustrated that he can't be fired? or why can't he be fired, given that joe paterno lost his job? >> well, dan, as i indicated to you yesterday, because i was the attorney general who began this investigation, it's very hard for me to talk about this directly. but many times, witnesses involved in cases, you have to treat them a little bit differently. you have to consider their rights. if i'm the state university, there are many different issues. i look at it from the point of an attorney general, i want to keep my witnesses consistent

with me and consistent with their story. i don't want them to lose confidence in the prosecution. >> such a delicate situation. as you say, you were the attorney general who kicked this investigation off. you prosecuted sexual predators in the past. do you suspect there will be more victims in this case, given your experience with this kind of case? >> well, not talking about this case. but as you know, many times in other cases, when somebody finally comes forward, you have people that are charged with this. it is not uncommon to see additional victims come forward. i believe there are reports of at least one other victim has come forward so far. i would not be surprised to see more come forward. >> you know, there was an astonishing tidbit buried in a "new york times" story, that the grand jury report that contained so much graphic detail actually was not supposed to be publicly released. but was only publicly released because of a computer glitch. is that true? and in the end, was the public release of that report perhaps a

good thing? >> it is true because of a computer system at the office of administrative courts here in pennsylvania and the way things work. it was prematurely released. the whole thing was released a little sooner than i think the attorney general wanted to do. i think the fact, what the charges are, would have been released anyhow. the report would have been released after the arrest. but i think the people need to know what the allegations are. again, i remind everybody, these are only allegations. anybody charged under these charges are presumed innocent. and it's important for people to keep that in mind. but it allows people, particularly if there's other potential victims out there, to know that authorities are doing something about it when we learned of it. it takes some time. and if there are other victims out there, we urge them to come forward. >> governor, thank you so much. perhaps new victims to come. perhaps more charges to come. we appreciate your time this morning. thank you, again.

>> thank you, dan. and a reminder, you can watch the penn state/nebraska game at noon eastern on espn. bianna, over to you. we turn to breaking news overnight. the major league baseball player kidnapped in venezuela is free this morning after a daring raid by police commandos. washington nationals catcher wilson ramos was at home visiting family when he was abducted wednesday. abc's pierre thomas has more on this story from washington. good morning, pierre. >> reporter: bianna, every now and then, a story that starts out as a nightmare has a happy ending. for major league baseball player, william ramos, freedom. and for his shell-shocked family, relief. thanks to god. thanks to my country, to my neighbors and my family, who are supporting us. roughly 48 hours after his abduction by 3 men at gunpoint, venezuelan security forces rescued ramos 40 miles from his

mother's home in valencia. exactly how authorities found ramos is unclear. but officials say he was saved in a daring air raid where gunfire was exchanged. five kidnappers were arrested. ramos told reporters it was a traumatic two days. with his kidnappers tossing him in a room with a bed and telling him they were going to ask for a ton of cash. it was hard for me to think about it. if i was going to get out alive. >> this looks very much like a targeted kidnapping, which means they selected the victim, the location and the time. >> reporter: ramos, one of major league baseball's promising, young talents became the highest profile symbol of a growing epidemic of kidnapping for ransom in venezuela, with hundreds of abductions each year. last night, fans held a candlelight vigil outside of the stadium, praying for his return. >> bring wilson home. >> reporter: bianna, those prayers have been answered. >> all right, pierre. we appreciate it. thank you. we're going to turn, now, to the race for the white house.

it's your voice, your vote. and the republican field is on again in disarray. newt gingrich is surging in the polls. and equally surprising, herman cain is holding on to high numbers, despite numerous accusations of sexual harassment. and tonight, all eyes will be on rick perry when he takes the stage for another debate. the big question, can he make a comeback after the 53-second brain freeze? david kerley is watching it all from washington. good morning, david. >> reporter: good morning, bianna. so, you're getting killed in the public and the media. what do you do about it? for rick perry, he uses jokes. and for herman cain, he's been defiant of the sexual harassment allegations. and his supporters love it. cain has blamed the media, trying to beat back accusations. but he also tried his hand at humor, when a supporter raised anita hill's name. >> is she going to endorse me? >> reporter: that didn't work. but the question, is cain's

strategy of denials and blaming the media paying off? the latest polls say yes, it's working. in one poll just out, he's leading romney and gingrich. and is right there with the leaders in a second poll. but there's also some signs of erosion. more women say they are less likely to vote for cain. >> some people are responding to this cloud as if it were true. but the good news is, most people aren't buying it. >> reporter: the business man, nonpolitician, remains a darling of some. >> the people who are with herman cain, are really with herman cain. for the rest of the republican electorate, the support is pretty soft. >> reporter: meanwhile, bumped and bruised from his brain freeze debate disaster, rick perry is waking up this morning preparing for another debate after that debacle. >> i would do away with education, the -- >> commerce. >> commerce. >> come on out, rick. >> reporter: now, joking about

tv show that would put him on, hoping to save his campaign. >> i just learned justin bieber is my father. >> reporter: even republicans, though, are starting to wonder about the texas governor. >> it was easy to poke fun at. but ultimately, americans are looking to elect someone that they think can create jobs. and that's not a laughing matter. >> reporter: another republican is feeling pretty good about going into tonight's debate after a disastrous start with word of a tiffany bill of $500,000 for jewelry and a staff revolt. the former house speaker, newt gingrich, is getting some of the best poll numbers he's ever seen. he's now tied or right behind cain and romney. dan and bianna? >> that was surprising. all right. david, thank you. and just hen we thought this campaign field was set -- >> such a volatile race. incredible. let's turn to ron claiborne with our other headlines this morning. >> good morning, bianna. happy ginger day to both of you. good morning, everyone. >> we'll explain that soon. >> wall street finished a seesaw week. back in the black, the dow

surged over 50 points on friday, erasining all of its losses for the week. stocks soared after investors were confident that italy and greece can avoid disaster. and more fallout from the bernard madoff standal. the securities and exchange commission has disciplined eight s.e.c. employees for failing to unveil the massive ponzi scheme. they've disciplined employs for the ponzi scheme. but no one was fired. and hope that a missing 2-year-old boy in washington state will be found alive is beginning to fade. police are moving forward with their search as suspicion grows about the boy's mother. here's abc's neal karlinsky. >> reporter: overnight, solomon metalwala met with reporters to plead for help finding his son, ho has now been missing for nearly a week. >> my hope, he is coming back. and that's where i find my strength that he's going to come back. >> reporter: he showed off the flyers he's planning to pass out. and he remains suspicious of hi wife, julia biryukova, who claims she left 2-year-old sky

in her car, after she ran out of gas and walked off for help. he had this to say about her earlier. >> i do believe julia has -- she's responsible. >> reporter: police are increasingly skeptical of the mother, as well. in this video, you can see detectives on a late-night test drive of her car. they're now convinced it didn't have engine trouble and there was plenty of gas in the tank. >> i'll just let the evidence speak for itself which was, there was gas in the car. the car was able to drive and operate. that's not what she told us. >> reporter: despite repeated attempts to reach the mother for help and to take a polygraph, detectives say she hasn't responded. sky's father is holding out hope his son is still alive. >> he's my son. i'm going to have hope. my strength is coming from my son, who is missing. but he will be home. >> reporter: police fear the search for sky metalwala could remain stuck until his mother has more to say. for "good morning america," neal karlinsky, abc news, bellevue, washington.

apple has issued a rare recall. the company is offering to replace its first generation ipod nano because of a battery problem that could cause the device to overheat. and poses a safety risk. the affected ipods were sold from september 2005 and december 2006. and finally, history was made in college basketball last night. the first-ever floating game. north carolina played michigan state on the flight deck of "the uss carl vinson." the aircraft carrier that buried osama bin laden at sea. the game was in honor of veterans day. about 7,000 people were there, including president obama. north carolina, by the way, won the game. and the ginger day in a reference was a clue. >> a clue. >> something that will be unveiled on the show. right now, time for the big reveal. are you ready? >> a drumroll? >> we said we had a mystery guest this morning. in fact, it's our newest member of our weekend "gma" team, her name, ginger zee. ginger, good morning. >> good morning. i'm here.

>> we are so thrilled to have you. you're going to be with us every weekend. we're going to learn a little bit more about you coming up. ginger, can i tell you how happy i am to have a girlfriend on the show right now? >> as am i. >> i won't have ron and dan ganging up on me every week. >> ron and i won't take that personally. >> it's a fair fight now. >> we are a major team. and we have some major weather to talk about. we've been so quiet in the east. just a little on the chilly side. but we'll talk about that in a moment. want to start with pictures out of spokane, washington, where we find a storm that had more than 50-mile-per-hour winds. this thing was blasting through there. 6,000, at least, still without power. then, different elevation, same storm. and it turns into snow. snoqualmie pass, one place close to the cascades. maybe you've skied, i have, crystal mountain, sweet. snowy for the early part of your weekend. we move from the stormy west to what's going to happen in coming days. it will continue to be stormy.

mountain snows continue. advisories and warnings going to be in place all the way through a dozen states in the rockies. talking about the east. told you i would. mild weather for all the tailgating. if you're getting up to do that >> and we do have pictures coming into facebook and twitter. you can always find me there and share your photos. look at that montana sunset. are you kidding me? thank you. and crystal lake, illinois.

had to get some of the chicago influence in. >> i had to get her on set next to me. >> she's great on-set, doing the weather. and she's also a fearless storm chaser. we'll hear about that in the next half hour. >> started her fascination with weather at 8 years old? >> yeah. >> wow. incredible. >> her story coming up in the next half hour. ginger, welcome once again. >> thank you. now, it's time for our "picture of the morning." oh, baby. jacob anthony sadie entered the world at 11:11 a.m., on friday, 11-11-11 in mt. holly, new jersey. >> and the mom is an air force vet. and his father, christopher, is a staff sergeant in the air force. he worked at the world trade center on 9/11. he happened to call in sick on that day. after that, he joined the military. so, congratulations once again to the newly expanded family. >> he's beautiful. coming up here, terror in the backyard. check this out. a woman takes on a bear right behind her house. we're going to tell her the role her beloved family dog had in all this.

coming up. >> that's something ron wouldn't do. and on a much lighter note, it's the ultimate couples activity. husbands, grab your wives. we're taking you to the north american wife carrying championship, where love gets down and dirty. >> can you believe there is a north american wife carrying championship? also coming up, the proper introduction, as we said before, to ginger zee. there she is chasing storms. more of that after the break. like kenmore, craftsman, nordictrack, die hard, samsung... and our gifts will be top notch. our wrapping? that's another story. only sears has this collection of leading brands you can't find anywhere else. now that's real joy, guaranteed. sears.

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♪ baby, we were born to run i didn't know this existed. but you're looking at the north american wife carrying championship. there is such a thing. our john berman went there. apparently it is part-athletics, part-couples therapy. we're going to show you a little bit here on "good morning america" on this saturday morning. good morning to all of you. i'm dan harris. >> i'm bianna golodryga. you won kudos with your wife, by describing her as skinny. >> i would easily be able to carry my wife, bianca. >> i can't wait to see what john berman did. it is saturday, november 12th. did you just salute? >> i did. that was a signal to my wife. also ahead this half hour, what would make a person want to track down tornadoes and hurricanes and put themselves in

the middle of the storm? well, the newest member of our weekend family knows. we give ginger zee our official welcome. salute and all, dan. >> we're going to introduce her in a little bit. also, we're going to learn about what's going on in your world. we have "your three words" coming up. we are going to begin with the story that demonstrates the length some people will go for the bets they love. a woman from pennsylvania is recovering from wounds she got when a bear mauled her after she tried to stop the bear from attacking her dog. here's abc's dan koeffler. >> reporter: suzan merritt was about to turn in for the night when all hell broke loose. little did she know, when she let her dog out, otto, danger was lumbering around her backyard. >> i had shut the door. and then, i just heard horrendous screaming, yelping sounds. >> reporter: barefoot and in pitch black, suzan started

running towards the sound of animals fighting. >> i saw the dog hopping back and forth towards the fence line. so, i continued to run down the steps to about -- i think it was about here. quickly registered then that there was a very large mother black bear and her cub were in my yard. and they were tussling with my dog. >> reporter: face-to-face with a black bear. >> i went to get the dog away from him. and that's when i believe the bear -- i thought it just pushed me. i realized later it had gotten my head and my back. >> reporter: the bear unleashed its power on suzan. >> i fell back. but just i sprang right back up and put my arms up and started screaming, get out, get out. >> reporter: she dominated over the massive bear, screaming and flailing her arms. >> she ran off. and we got the dog in the house. and i'm telling you, it was very quick. >> reporter: but even in those few seconds, suzan felt the power of a defending mother bear. >> i have 12 stitches in my hand.

i lacerated my pinkie. it got my head from the top to here, a five-inch gash. and i have 22 staples in my head. i have claw marks coming across my back. >> reporter: otto is still on the mend. battered, bruised and stitched up. but the vet expects him to be just fine. suzan knows she got lucky. but -- >> rethinking the story, i wouldn't change a thing. i would be running out there once again to save him. >> reporter: for "good morning america," dan koeffler, abc news, new york. >> when you see that face, you understand why she did what she did. >> poor woman. otto bit her, as well. there's a love that an owner has for her pet. >> absolutely. let's check the news once again -- i almost said forecast. we'll get that in a second. first, ron claiborne. >> hi, everyone. in the news, penn state's football team takes the field for the first time since the sex abuse scandal broke. and for the first time in nearly 50 years, without joe paterno as head coach.

last night, thousands of students turned out for a candlelight vigil for alleged abuse victims. and the arab league is holding a meeting today to address syrian crackdowns on protesters in that country. the u.n. estimates about 3,500 people have been killed in the 8-month-old uprising. and federal regulators are examining the batteries in electric cars after the chevrolet volt caught fire. three weeks after undergoing a crash test. and it's been called the greatest entertainment launch in history, the new game, call of duty 3. it had more than any other game or movie ever in the history of the universe. and that's a very, very long time. >> did you go out and get it? i know you're a big gamer, ron claiborne. >> maybe this weekend. >> you and my stepson together. i can see it right now. >> does he have call of duty? >> not yet.

but he will. >> okay, get it. time, now, for the weather. and over to ginger zee. ginger? >> good morning, ron, bianna and dan. good morning, everyone. what we're doing is watching record cold. that's right. you're walking out your door and saying it's chilly. tallahassee breaks the record at 23 this morning. they shattered their old record, which was 27. freeze warnings and frost advisories and watches. we'll go out west. l.a., really wet. we're looking for mountain snows. in the center of the nation, going to be beautiful. sunshine in place for the east. it will be a little bit breezy. but very mild to kick off your weekend on this saturday. if you're looking anywhere from memphis to boston, new york city, even down to the game in athens, georgia. so, orlando's looking good, too. i'll give you the temperatures for today because you want to get out the door on the right note. although it may be cool this morning, look for 60 in d.c. that's a look at the big

>> this weather report has been brought to you by toys "r" us. dan and bianna? >> thank you, ginger. stick around, we're going to embarrass you after the break. it maybe won't be. we're going to look at how a girl who had a long-term interest in science grew up to be a fearless storm chaser. that's ginger zee after the break. >> happy to have her on our team. plus, one of the hottest sports around for active couples who like to stay close. really close. hi. you know, i can save you 15% today

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this is a very exciting day. a historic day for us. as you see, we have a new member of our "gma" team, meteorologist ginger zee. if you're from chicago, you know she's been covering storms and giving forecasts for years. before that, she worked in cities all over the midwest. >> she's been very busy. and get this, when most people take a vacation, they relax on a beach or something. ginger, well, she chases storms. >> yeah. we need to talk about this. >> we want to learn more about you.

so, we don't only -- talked to your parents. we talked to your boss. your first boss. >> yeah. >> even your boyfriend. >> oh, my goodness. >> to get more insight into just who ginger zee is. >> here it comes. >> go at it. keep going backwards. >> reporter: she's chased tornadoes in arkansas. was on the ground and up close for katrina. and found her way into the middle of virtually every midwestern storm this past decade. and while being passionate about chasing storms is hardly typical, ginger zee has never really been what you'd call typical. >> all right, baby. >> she was very verbally quiet. but active. very, very active. and also, really bright. like almost freaked me out. when she was about 18 months old, she could actually read. >> i don't remember that. but apparently, that is true. growing up in west michigan, we had a lot of changes in the weather, a lot of severe weather and a whole lot that came over lake michigan. that's where i fell in love with the science of weather.

we'd see the huge storms. and i'd freak out. >> i'd be screaming at the top of my lungs. everyone downstairs in the basement, quick, quick, quick. >> i would want to know why we were hiding in the basement. >> reporter: it was a genuine fascination for ginger. not to say she wasn't well-rounded. >> she played soccer. she was also a competitive cheerleader. all those are fond memories of her working hard and having it pay off for her. >> reporter: but her passion -- >> i loved science. and math came so easily to me. when i got to physics in high school, it was like, yes. the world makes sense. and i realized i was a little weird. >> reporter: she says she never really thought about being on camera. but when she was studying for her bachelor of science in meteorologist in college, one of her professors suggested an internship in television. >> the one thing she learned about southern culture when she was here was eating barbecue ribs and drinking a soda. >> reporter: and the one thing meteorologist james spann at abc's 3340 in alabama learned

was this was no ordinary intern. >> i think what distinguished ginger is she understood the science maybe better than anybody else i had in here. and number two, she had a service heart. she understood that to be successful in the television weather business, you have to work really bad hours and serve the people that watch you. especially when you have severe weather. >> reporter: for the past decade, she's been crisscrossing the country, covering major weather events. most recently giving chicago their forecast. >> you still have that chance of a shower or thunderstorm. >> reporter: but always looking for any opportunity to go into the eye of the storm, ginger went storm chasing with the discovery channel's reed timmer. >> ginger's passion for meteorologist is obviously second to none. she rides in our armored vehicle here. the dominator. i don't think there's a better person to be chasing down storms for "good morning america." >> reporter: did we mention they ended up dating? >> when reed got in touch with me, it was seriously about the show. i didn't realize he was asking me out.

it worked out that way. and ever since, it's been a common passion between the two of us. he never had anybody understand why he can't be there thanksgiving. it's because he's chasing a tornado. i just go there with him. >> reporter: now, this fearless storm chaser takes her talent to "gma." >> i hope to bring america into that storm. and i'm hoping to be there to tell their stories and to educate people as to how powerful mother nature can be. >> listen to the roar. >> it's so clear that you have a passion for weather. but i find it interesting that it began at such an early age. 8 years old, you and your family were out on a trip to lake michigan. what sparked that interest? >> we saw waterspouts. i saw major straight line winds come over that lake. when you're young and you see your community blasted by 100-mile-per-hour winds and everything's down, you fall into interest. i was odd. most kids like basketball and they get really passionate about something.

>> you like the weather. >> and you did cheerlead, too. >> i tried to hide it. obviously, i'm not a professional cheerleader at this point. >> but you are a professional storm chaser and meteorologist. and we're delighted to have you. cannot say that enough. thank you very much for coming in. and you're stuck with us now. >> i'm home. >> you're home. >> welcome home. >> the real deal. >> the real deal. coming up, something that may be even crazier than storm chasing. wife carrying. this is real, people. coming up after the break. they're for keeping us together. ♪ [ boy ] to dad, love sam. [ mom ] say "merry christmas." [ boy ] merry christmas. [ female announcer ] hallmark recordable storybooks. [ boy ] charlie brown spotted a small, scraggly pine tree. ♪

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we have all justifiably been admiring ginger's bravery

chasing storms. but this may be crazier. in the wild word of sports, there are some that sound more like a joke than a competition. ironing. not kidding about that one. it's real. lawn mower racing. also not a joke. and of course, competitive rabbit hopping, that we told you about a couple weeks ago. i can't get over the pictures. then, there is wife carrying, which is exactly what it sounds like. here's abc's john berman on that. >> reporter: it's one part competition, one part couples therapy. one part fitness, one part funny. it's one part race and one part racy. what are you looking at, exactly? >> um, his butt. >> three, two, one, go. >> reporter: this is the north american wife carrying championships. the goal, to carry your wife faster than anyone else. the location, the scenic sunday river ski resort in maine. and the entries, 2009 champions, dave and lacey castro. 38 and 29 years old.

combined weight, 275 pounds. the 2010 champs. rocco andrezzoi and kim wasco. combined weight, 303 pounds. the castros take this very seriously, ever since lacey first read about the sport in a magazine. and she comes to you and says, honey, i have an idea. >> right. >> reporter: let's try wife carrying. >> right. >> reporter: and you say? >> i say, yeah. let's go for it. we have a chance to be top five or something. >> you wanted to be top ten. >> top ten, you know? >> reporter: they practice. they read about it. they live it. both teams, almost all competitors, utilize what's known as the estonian method for carrying, which looks something like this. with the wife's legs around the husband's head. so, tell me again why this is fun for you?

>> that's a good question. >> reporter: lacey was kind enough to let me try it out. it's not easy. how is it for you? >> it's quite comfortable. >> reporter: how do i compare to your husband? is that a fair question? >> no comment. >> reporter: at the end of the first round, there were two couples left. a match between the 2009 and 2010 champs. >> three, two, one, go. >> reporter: and they're off. rocco and kim were off to an early lead.ogs. through the water. dave and lacey come close. but just before the finish line -- ooh. the winners and returning champions, rocco and kim. still, unmarried, but victorious. remember, there are no rules in wife carrying. as long as you stick to the estonian method. i'm john berman, at sunday river in maine. >> i'm writing that down. >> he dropped his wife across the finish line there.

>> i love john's question. what are you looking at down there when he's carrying you? >> hard to top that. though, we will be right back with "your week in three words." apostrophe, uk style by french connection, structure and bongo... all under one roof. sears has all the styles they love, at prices you'll love. and all the money you save... well, that can be your little secret. right now, get an extra 15% off with your savings pass. that's real gifts. real joy. sears

we're going to get to "your three words" in just a minute.

before we go, though, i want to remind everybody on monday morning on "gma," the world premiere of "the hunger games." that's the new "twilight" movie. we'll show you sot footage from the film. and one of the stars will join us live. ron is heckling me. >> just a little bit. mildly. >> one more thing i want to say before "your three words," welcome again to ginger zee. >> thank you so much. >> they have been on their best behavior because of you. and that alone -- >> tomorrow morning, tune in, before ron and i are behaving badly. >> we're always online at goodmorningamerica.com at yahoo! here's a look at "your three words." the song is called "count on me," by mat kearney. enjoy it. ♪ hey one day to get it all right ♪ ♪ two wrong and not enough right ♪ ♪ three words you said in the night ♪ ♪ before we held the fire ♪ high-five me, brother it's amazing ♪ ♪ her six-shooter came out blazing ♪ ♪ 7-up and coke on the

pavement ♪ ♪ ate my heart out daily, baby ♪ ♪ hey, i love you hey, i need you ♪ ♪ hey, i want you do you want me, too ♪ ♪ you can count on me when you cannot see ♪ ♪ let me spell it out when your number's called ♪ ♪ you can count on me

>> "jack hanna's wild countdown" is sponsored by nationwide insurance. >> hi, everybody. i'm jack hanna, coming to you from my base camp at the columbus zoo. this is a lesser anteater here, by the way, and today i'm counting down 10 remarkable animals equipped with adaptations guaranteed to amaze you. sea turtles that can swim thousands of miles in a single year... you see--oh, god! look at this! african antelope that never seem to need a drink of water... [sniffs] what's that smell? and flamingos that can withstand conditions that would make our skin fall off... hoo hoo! today on "wild countdown." we tried to leave our tents. not even to go to dinner. we couldn't get to dinner. the lions were everywhere. golly day! whoo!

help! blue dolphin right there. holy mackerel! [cheetah roars] just like my life is devoted to the animal world, nationwide insurance is devoted to their customers, protecting what is important at every stage of their lives. that's why nationwide and i have been partners for over 30 years. learn more about nationwide insurance at nationwide.com. welcome back, everybody, to "wild countdown," and today i'm investigating 10 of my all-time favorite animal adaptations. but first up, the famous desert animal that carries its own food supply on its back.

in southern israel, the negev desert is a hot spot for camels. forecast this summer-- 115 degrees, but no rainfall. wow, you're a big one. how you doing? >> [gurgles] >> ooh. well, what'd you eat for breakfast? if you can get past the morning breath, camels are the perfect desert animal. since they've got two sets of eyelashes, dust and sand don't bother them at all, and if they need to, they can even close their nostrils. jack of arabia. what do i do? [camel grunting] ok. to get to know the awesome camel... oh! i had to ride one for myself. whoa. my buddy, amir orly, is a local naturalist who knows both the history and biology of these thousand-pound creatures. >> ever since people decided to live here, they had to have an animal that could carry them, and the camel is absolutely perfect for this. you know that

you could not really live here unless you were well-adapted to such conditions. >> camels get water from desert plants, and can even drink saltwater when they need to, and they need that water for long trips across the sand. their body temperatures can rise to 105 degrees before they start to sweat. from head to toe, camels make this walk look easy. their soft feet spread out with each step, so we don't sink in the hot sand. and what about their famous humps? it turns out they are made of fat, which is more useful than it sounds. camels can live off that fat for days while they keep on trekkin' through the desert. see you all later. you know, i found masters of adaptation in every environment. do you believe there are creatures living at the bottom of the ocean that actually eat sand? sand. i just never tried it. ooh. [gags, spits]

from the air, the pacific island country of fiji looks like a tropical paradise. [sea birds crying] but it's the underwater world that my family and i came here to see. our guide was johnny, a skilled diver and conservationist. >> we all just have to realize that we are the guests in that place, so we have to respect whatever we see out there. >> this is a proper dive. while sue, julie, and i were exploring the coral reef, johnny dove to the sea floor to bring up something we'd never seen before. johnny, can i see that? can i see this? >> wow! >> golly day! oh, johnny... the sea cucumber he found was not as defenseless as it looked. >> it's just gonna stick to you, ok? that's how sea cucumbers protect themselves. >> my gosh! how do you get it off? look at this! >> yeah, you got to use a lot of wet sand. >> super glue! >> yep! >> oh! you got it on me! ha ha

ha ha! >> the long, white threads are called cuvierian tubules, a very sticky kind of protection these creatures use against hungry predators. >> sea cucumbers are the reef's garbage collectors. they vacuum sand through their mouth, which is over here, ok, like a vacuum cleaner. >> yeah? >> they use the organic matter in the sand to nourish itself and they poop out clean sand. >> the sand-scrubbing cuke was amazing, but i thought johnny's adaptation was just as impressive. he could dive down 30 feet with no scuba gear. you know something? it seems like anywhere there's food, creatures will adapt to feed on it, no matter how challenging that may be. just have a look at one of my favorites, the gerenuk. i know you can't find food in the typewriter. i entered the samburu national reserve in kenya during one of the worst droughts in years, wondering how any life could survive in this parched terrain.

the samburu people who call this region home know the answer. hey. how you doing? this is my guide here, lasayda. >> [speaks native language] >> samburu, right? >> yep. >> let's go! lasayda quickly found a small herd of gerenuk, a unique type of antelope with a special ability it uses to reach its food. look at this. isn't that amazing, how he stands up there and balances himself right on the tree limbs here? look at that. >> it's balance, moving from one side of the tree to the other. >> they get up on their hind legs, just like a person standing on two legs, and they nibble at the acacia leaves, which, you know, obviously, other animals can't get to that height. only the giraffe can get to that height. does he have a tongue like a giraffe? 'cause they're eating the--those little leaves on the acacia, those thorns. >> because it's a browser, it has to feed on the leaves and avoid the thorns, so it has a long tongue and a flexible upper lip. >> this dry weather doesn't bother the gerenuk a bit. even if it did rain, they still wouldn't take a drink. no one's ever seen a gerenuk

drink water. they get their water from the leaves that they eat, and you can see how they look like a giraffe. >> true. >> they adapt so well for what they do. >> mm-hmm. i think the lumbar vertebrae are modified to support the body weight in that shape. >> this is one of the best parts in africa to see gerenuk, especially their adaptation to the dry environment. it's just amazing to watch them eat out of these tops of these trees. coming up... man alive! i'm telling you something. how do these animals survive out here? when "wild countdown" continues. for second best. we're going to give all the top brands. like kenmore, craftsman, nordictrack, die hard, samsung... and our gifts will be top notch. our wrapping? that's another story. only sears has this collection of leading brands you can't find anywhere else. now that's real joy, guaranteed.

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>> welcome back, everybody, to "wild countdown," and today i'm investigating 10 of my all-time favorite animal adaptations, look at this. think there's nothing here but a ball? guess what. armadillo. ho ho! that's adaptation. you see? oh, god. look at this. [camel gurgles] my gosh! how do you get it off? next is number 7--some very hardy birds that have adapted to the coldest continent on earth, antarctica, and they actually seem to like it down there. not me, though. it took me years to warm up after that trip, just like it would him. man, i'm still cold thinking about it. ooh! way, way down in the south shetland islands, i met the chinstrap penguins with my daughter, kathaleen. kathaleen, i don't see how anything survives out here! penguins expert rob yordi was already waiting for us at half moon bay. >> hey, rob. >> hey, jack and kathaleen. you get a little cold? >> yeah, i'm telling you

something! how do these animals survive out here? >> they have an actually very unique insulation system. they have a very thick layer of blubber, and then a layer of down feathers like you see on the little chicks, and then a layer of outer feathers that are real tight together and they actually insulate them very well. they love weather like this. >> as the chicks lose their fuzzy down, it's replaced by their waterproof adult feathers. when they're old enough to swim in the frigid ocean, these birds will be ready both inside and out. >> one of the major adaptations that penguins have is, instead of having hollow bones like a flighted bird does, they have solid bones because they have to dive very deep, sometimes over hundreds and hundreds of feet, and the pressure down there is fairly intense, so they have to be able to withstand that, so that's why they have solid bones. >> in case you're wondering about their name, it comes from the line of black feathers under their beaks. kind of looks like the chinstrap of a hat, right? every time i go on safari in south africa, i'm blown away by the sight of the incredibly

oversized giraffe. one of its most unique adaptations, though, happens inside its immense body. [african choir harmonizes] on south africa's phinda game reserve, i didn't have to go looking for giraffes. [choir sings in native language] as i drove to a nearby lake, an 18-foot male found me. still walking? >> yeah. he's just following us. >> it's amazing what you can see around a water hole, especially in the heat of the day like this. oh. there's that male giraffe that just followed me down the road. look at that. after checking in with a group of females, he headed straight for the watering hole. it's amazing to watch a giraffe drink, too. a giraffe has a unique circulatory system. it takes a 25-pound heart to pump blood through that enormous body. there are specialized elastic veins and valves in its 500-pound neck that have a very important function: they stop blood from rushing to the giraffe's head when it bends down. if it didn't have this

internal adaptation, a giraffe would faint every time it lowered its head to take a drink. it's a little awkward while it's drinking, but once it straightens up, to me the giraffe is one of the most graceful of all creatures. you know something? the giraffe use their height to browse on the tops of acacia trees, where there's no competition from other wildlife. but down in south america, i went searching for another giant, one of the largest birds in the sky. st. peter valley in ecuador's andes mountains is one of the few places to see endangered andean condors in their native habitat. this is where friedman koster directs an important captive breeding program. friedman, how you doing? >> hello. welcome to condor huasi. >> what a walk. >> ha ha ha! >> the first thing i noticed were the wild condors perched on the aviary. those are really wild. >> absolutely. and we now and then have to feed the wild ones

as well because of lack of food in general. >> can i get closer? >> yes, of course. let's have a look. >> so, what are the special adaptations he has to survive out here? the big wings? >> well, the first thing, i would say, is that the size of this bird is adapted to what it was formerly built for, to feed on the big, prehistoric mammals, you see, so this is why you have a vulture of that size. >> 'cause that is--you're right. that's one of the most prehistoric birds left. through the years, the andean condor has adapted to scavenging smaller meals like cattle, sheep, and goats. but even with its flexible diet, because of loss of habitat, the andean condor population is in decline. coming up... that's a big one. boy, i never seen so many hippos. when "wild countdown" continues.

[flamingos squawking] >> i'm jack hanna, back again with more of my favorite things from the wild world of animal adaptations. my worldwide mega-safari has already taken me from the treetops of zulu land down to the bottom of the world, and back up to the peaks of the andes mountains. next is a hippopotamus. did you know they make their own sun block? like this. look here. it's getting sunny out there. but don't be fooled by that big smile; hippos are africa's deadliest creatures. i found that out on my trip to botswana. you know that? you don't want to mess with a hippo. >> [person chants] >> the linyanti river in botswana's okavango delta is hippo heaven. [hippos grunt] my guide, andrew correll, knew just where to find them. that's a big one. boy, i never seen so many hippos. do they stay in the

water all day long? >> yeah, this is their natural habitat. >> hippos beat the heat by staying in the water about 16 hours a day, and they need lots of sun block. but who would be crazy enough to rub it on? fortunately, no one needs to. the hippos' own bodies produce a red, oily sweat that keeps their sensitive skin from getting burned. they are so well-adapted to the water, they can even go to sleep while completely submerged. >> what's incredible, though, is that when they're in deep water and they sleep, they have the ability to rise up, breathe, and sink back down again underwater without waking up. [african choir harmonizes] >> hippos dine on grass, not people... but even so, they should never be approached when out of the water, especially after dark. >> because of the fact that they come out at night, their defense mechanism is to run back into water, and so, if you get between a hippo and the water, he's gonna run you down. >> even though their legs are

short and stout, on land, hippos can gallop at 18 miles an hour. that's one adaptation i don't want to see for myself. you know, even though it's only number 3 on the countdown, the giant anteater really should get a special prize for its bizarre looks, and yet it's perfectly camouflaged. you know, i had to search for it all day? i'm sure glad i did it. my mission began in eastern brazil, in the town of sao roque de minas. bom dia. i'm going to go see the anteaters! >> yeah. >> with the help of naturalist doug trent, it wasn't long before we reached the anteater territory. >> well, jack, this is a typical termite mound. >> god, it's big! >> yeah, you'll see here that an anteater has been feeding here already. >> oh. we were on the right track, but we still had a whole lot of brazil left to search. finally, doug spotted it. >> [whispering] look, jack,

there's an anteater. >> god, i love seeing those things. >> notice that long snout. it has a round tongue in it. it goes into the termite mounds, follows the tunnels, they stick to it, and it pulls it back in its mouth to eat. >> look at that big tail. what's that used for? >> it uses that tail for a number of things. it's used to protect it from a predator. it can lean back on its heel, hold its claws out like that. it could kill a jaguar. >> no. >> yeah, it can. it also will roll in a ball to sleep at night and use the tail to keep it warm. >> most surprising to me was how the anteater's big, bushy tail also helped it hide in the brush. when the anteater stands this way, you can hardly see him. look at that. looks like a bush. looks just like one of these bushes out here. as the sun disappeared, so did my giant anteater, bringing my brazilian odyssey to an end. why would any bird pick a crusty, salty lake that smells like rotten eggs as their feeding ground? i discovered that flamingos in east africa love it so much, they flock there by the millions.

>> [african choir sings] >> in tanzania's great rift valley, lake manyara is an unlikely wildlife oasis for more flamingos than i could count. >> watch your step. >> [sniffs] what's that smell? i took a walk with abdullah hasan to find out why. the secret is in these boiling-hot hot springs. ow! ha ha! >> tell you, this is a major sulfuric hot springs we have here. >> thanks to minerals in this water, huge blooms of algae grow here, a favorite food of flamingos. >> you know how they feed? they put their-- >> yeah, i was watching them. with their beaks. >> that's right. they put their beak upside down. actually, they're filtering the algaes when they are doing like that. they don't, like, drink water. >> oh. >> but the algae comes in with the water, and they spit the water from the side. you know, their beak is, like, zipped and they put it upside down like that. it's flat on the side, and then they take everything in and then spit the water and then

they keep the algaes. >> the algae looks green to me, but it's full of carotenoid molecules, which color the flamingos' feathers pink. [indistinct] i've never been that close to that many flamingos. that's great. thank you. >> yeah, that's brilliant. yeah. [flamingos squawk] >> next... >> uh-oh! there's a turtle! >> golly day! >> but we got one. that's it. keep pulling steadily. >> when "wild countdown" continues. [ female announcer ] this is not a prescription. this is edith and ellen. i was the first-born... i got married first... i had children first... and i'm the first to get this haircut. i was the first to get a flu shot. you didn't make an appointment yet. don't need one at walgreens. strolled right in and got my flu shot early from my walgreens pharmacist. they're all specially trained. so now i'm number one. it only took you 77 years. [ female announcer ] arm yourself with a flu shot from all walgreens and take care clinics. walgreens. there's a way to stay well.

>> just like my life is devoted to the animal world, nationwide insurance is devoted to their customers, protecting what's important at every stage of their lives. that's why nationwide and i have been partners for over 30 years. learn more about nationwide insurance at nationwide.com. welcome back, everybody. i'm jack hanna. you know, wild animals have been adapted to their environments in too many ways to count. let's look back at 9 of my favorites. oh! number 10--the desert dromedary that took me for the ride of my life; 9--the sand-eating sea cucumber; 8--kenya's long-necked gerenuk; 7--a serving of chinstrap penguins on ice; 6--the giraffe that nearly followed me home; 5--those colossal andean condors; 4-- hippos living large in botswana;

3--the giant anteater, keeping brazil safe from termites; and number two--the biggest flock of flamingos i've ever seen. taking the number-one spot in today's countdown are sea turtles--you know, the champion long-distance swimmers of the open seas. can you swim a lot? [surf crashing] all sea turtles can swim, but the leatherbacks take the gold. they can migrate more than 7,000 miles over the course of one year. how do we know? field biologists like brent stewart track the turtles around the world with satellite transmitters. >> so we'll get several locations a day. we hope for at least a year and probably a little bit longer than that. >> sea turtles follow currents of warm water to distant feeding grounds, holding their breath for 20 minutes at a time while diving. in florida's indian river lagoon, i learn more of the turtle's secrets.

>> uh-oh! there's a turtle! >> golly day! >> but we got one. >> pull on it? >> that's it. keep pulling steadily. excellent. excellent work. >> wow, look at that. to make their marathon migration, they paddle with arms and legs shaped like flippers. streamlined shells allow them to efficiently glide through the water. >> ...97.5. >> the sea turtle's greatest and most mysterious adaptation is their uncanny sense of direction. no matter how far they roam, nesting females return to the same beach each year to lay their eggs. some scientists now believe these intrepid creatures can actually sense the earth's magnetic field and use a kind of internal compass to find their way home. outrageous. her smile is amazing. is it a treatment? no it's a toothpaste. [ female announcer ] new colgate optic white toothpaste. it has the same whitening ingredient as strips... it's the hottest thing in whitening.

[ female announcer ] new colgate optic white. whiter teeth in one week. the best in nutrition... just got better. now with even more of the vitamins your body needs. like vitamin d. plus omega 3's. [ female announcer ] eggland's best. the better egg. get selsun blue for itchy dry scalp. strong itch-fighters target scalp itch while 5 moisturizers leave hair healthy. selsun blue. got a clue? get the blue. >> you know something? i wish we had more time today, but we don't, darn it. you know, i could have keep counting for a week. the next time you're on a nature walk, see if you can spot an animal using one of its adaptations. we'd love to hear about it. join us on facebook at "wild countdown tv" or visit our web site at wildcountdown.com. from the columbus zoo, i'm jack hanna, and we'll see you next time. and don't forget, every creature counts, especially my little anteater here. promotional consideration provided by nationwide insurance and the columbus zoo and aquarium.

jeff: today on ocean mysteries, we explore what it takes to keep the largest aquarium on the planet running smoothly, as we go behind the scenes of georgia aquarium. basically, it's like a big shop vac. jeff r.: yeah. jeff: from adorable to powerful, the animals living here all have one thing in common: they all inhabit this incredible aquarium. sal, unless you're cleaning -- and with over ten million gallons of water to clean and maintain, and with thousands of animals from around the planet to feed and to care for, working at this amazing facility is incredible, and sometimes it also stinks. it's whale shark poop. eric: that's correct. jeff: it has the same consistency to my mother's chocolate mousse, but smells a little better. no, i'm only joking. she makes great chocolate mousse. get ready guys for a backstage tour of this colossal man made ecosystem that's unlike anything you've ever seen, coming up next on

ocean mysteries. for hundreds of millions of years, the oceans of our planet have hidden the deepest secrets. join me as we reveal the ocean's mysteries. ♪ music jeff: isn't that incredible. this, my friends, is what it's all about. hey, guys, i'm jeff corwin, and welcome to a very fun and exciting episode of ocean mysteries. the spirit of today's adventure is all about the hard work and dedication that goes into keeping all the animals living at georgia aquarium nice and healthy and happy. so get ready for an awesome experience only on ocean mysteries. it's going to be a lot of fun. you know, when you work here, you're not supposed to have a favorite creature, but i

actually do, and i've got to tell you, it's these penguins. they are just remarkable creatures to me. long before the visitors come, long before people here are experiencing all the wonder of this aquarium, there's a lot of work that has to be done, and these animals are wonderful. they're intelligent. they're remarkable. they have great personalities, but they like to do a lot of poop, and so we need to clean this up, and so we just sort of just start scrubbing. you can see right here we've got this cascade of penguin scat. beth, do you have the hose? beth: yes. jeff: and we're just basically going to start scrubbing this down. sal, unless you're cleaning -- you know what? we need a little water. get out of there, sal. get out. oh, no, get it. [laughter] no, no! he took my scrubber. you little thieves. see, this is sal's

little nesting rock right here; and, basically, what this does is it emulates, it mimics the natural rocky structure you'd find on the coastline of south africa, maybe a place like cape town or fishhook, where you see stuff like that where these animals would nest, and who is this? gina: oh, that's atana. actually -- jeff: is she nice? gina: yes, and atana and sal are mates. jeff: oh, really? gina: so he's not even upset that you're in his space, but you've got his lady. jeff: oh, really? so, basically, we've got good cop, bad cop here. gina: yeah. jeff: i think humans share a lot in common with penguins. they tend to be monogamous, correct? gina: yeah. jeff: and these animals, when they choose a mate, they choose it for life. gina: yes. jeff: and that's really their survival strategy. when you live in a tough, unforgiving environment, like a cold, coastal place, or maybe the arctic, wherever you find different species of penguins, you want to have a partnership to ensure that your offspring have a chance to survive. but when we have them up close like this, it really gives us this

amazing window into the fascinating world of penguins. and see what she's doing? as i'm kind of grooming her, she's kind of grooming my plumage, which is this t-shirt, and it's a sort of a courtship thing they do. it's a trust type building behavior. it's also behavior that it's -- it's almost like a massage, like, i rub your back. you rub mine. gina: and there are parts that they can't get to that their mate can. so that when they're preening, they'll actually preen each other's necks, because that's kind of hard for your pet to do, and that solidifies the bond. their feathers is what keeps them warm, so they'd better do a very good job in keeping them preened well. jeff: and these animals have a very high body temperature, these birds, and an oil spill for these animals is almost instant death, because once the plumage and the feathers are compromised and that cold water gets in, they lose both their buoyancy, and they lose their ability to stay warm. and even though this is kind of a dirty job, it's a fun job, too.

so a little more love, and it's back to the scrubbing, and there's something else really cool on this behind the scenes episode of how we make this place run. so you do the scrubbing, and i'll do the deep tissue shiatsu. there we go. have you been tight? i can see. oh, wait, i think your flipper -- wait. there we go, a little her lower 4 5 was a little out of balance there. coming up next, we explore the inner workings of the largest aquarium environment on the planet. just what it's like to be flushed down the toilet. as we clean and maintain the breathtaking ocean voyager. and later, i take window washing to a whole new level, and in the process, become the most popular person in the pacific reef exhibit.

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jeff: hey, guys. welcome back to a very incredible episode of ocean mysteries. as you know, the base of our operations for all of our aquatic adventures is this amazing aquarium located in atlanta, georgia. and today, guys, we get to do what very few ever get to do: experience what goes on behind the scenes of this gigantic facility, and we also see what it takes to keep the thousands of unique and precious animals that live here healthy and thriving. so the question is do you have what it takes to work at the georgia aquarium? and very soon we're going to find out if i do. right now, where we're going, we're actually

going into the bowels of the pipes that makes ocean voyager work. no exhibit at georgia aquarium requires more attention, care, and maintenance than the ocean voyager. thousands of animals live here, including giant whale sharks and majestic manta rays. the ocean voyager holds more than 6.3 million gallons of water, making it the largest aquarium habitat on the planet. no other aquarium has ever attempted to manage the variety and size of fish in this major exhibit, and today we're going deep inside this colossal structure to get a glimpse of how it all works. all right, here goes nothing. remember, pull the handle when you flush. here i come! well, there it is, guys, just what it's like to be flushed down a toilet, i guess you could say. yep, so here we are.

and i'm with my friend, jeff reed, and we are in the bowels of this very complex exhibit.

all right, okay, look at this, guys. as you can imagine, you get all this water flowing in here at all of these particulates. this organic matter begins to encrust in the surface of these walls and actually becomes a place for contaminants to grow. that's where this scrubber comes in handy. so i'm just going to carefully flip it on. he does windows. he does schooners. he even does aquariums.

coming up next, another journey into the bowels of georgia aquarium, as we learn what happens when several thousands of fish decide to take a toilet break. all right, guys, you

were there for a new all time low for my career, literally. eric: i'm going to signal them to turn this thing on, and what you want to do is you want to point -- jeff: turn it on, so i probably don't want it like this, no. eric: yeah, just go ahead and look into the nozzle and -- jeff: stay tuned for more behind the scenes at georgia aquarium next on ocean mysteries. [ male announcer ] drinking a smoothie with no vegetable nutrition?

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jeff: welcome back to ocean mysteries. georgia aquarium is home to some of the most amazing and unique animals on the planet. you can see intelligent bottle nosed dolphins or the charismatic southern sea otters normally found off the california coast. you can even observe the incredibly beautiful, but absolutely gigantic beluga whales that are native to the arctic or come face to beak with gregarious and playful penguins normally native to the coastlines of africa. with thousands of animals from hundreds of species, and over ten

million gallons of fresh and salt water, the staff and facilities that are needed to care for, feed, study, clean up after these animals is absolutely immense. all right, guys, we've changed out of our wetsuits into these nice and nifty waders. that's because we've transitioned from the sump room, that incredible pump of ocean voyager, to this very complex and interesting place. when i walk through here, it kind of feels like i'm in the engine room of the uss starship enterprise, but this is the pump and filtration facility that manages ocean voyager, just ocean voyager, and every minute it's cleaning about 65,000 gallons of water. so, it literally is the life support system for that incredible exhibit, and when you're home to thousands of fish, some of them as big as whale sharks and manta rays, you got big things making lots of waste,

and that's what we're going to clean up right now. we just go in there, eric? eric: that's right. yeah, jeff, just go ahead and grab the ladder. remember, three points on the ladder at all times. jeff: well, the first thing you notice is that it is hot and steamy down here. i just descended about 20 feet into this incredible chamber. it's like a cave; and, essentially, it's connected to a great big pipe, which sort of intersects with that great channel that we were in, in the sump pump. eric, come here and walk me through this, how this all works. eric: well, we're in about a 70,000 gallon basin right now, not much bigger than, you know, a room in your house, but the interesting thing is that when this is filled up, water in here is about 20 feet deep. jeff: will this fill up with water? eric: that's right, about 20 feet deep. jeff: wow, and so that big pipe that we were

in, in the sump area, is connected to this. eric: it's actually right there. jeff: this is it. eric: that's right. as you can see, all of this stuff that we're standing in right here, and it's not pretty, this isn't beach sand, this is a highly concentrated sludge. jeff: this is not beach sand. eric: no, it's not. this is not a day at the beach. this is what you would imagine that you think it is. jeff: so this is the stuff. eric: that's the highly concentrated waste well, basically, it's whale shark poop. jeff: it's whale shark poop. eric: that's correct. jeff: it has the same consistency to my mother's chocolate mousse, but smells a little better. no, i'm only joking. she makes great chocolate mousse. all right, guys, you were there for a new all time low for my career, literally. all right, how do i do this? eric: well, i'm going to signal them to turn this thing on, and what you want to do is you want to point -- jeff: turn it on, so i probably don't want it like this. eric: yeah, just go ahead and look into the nozzle and -- okay, energize the hose. jeff: can i get more energy? there we go. there's some energy.

eric: okay. now, i'm going to work the hose behind you, so you want to go ahead and pull it out? jeff: am i doing this right, eric? is there any -- is there a specific little finesse to this technique? eric: no, you're doing great. jeff: you know, they have a saying. you know, this stuff rolls downhill. well, if you hit the walls and you're underneath it, it rains down on your face. eric, so what's the schedule for this? eric: this gets done monthly. sometimes we'll let it go a little bit longer. we'll do it bimonthly. jeff: how do you know when it's time to do it? do things start backing up the pipes? eric: yeah, actually, it's more on a schedule. we like -- when we talk about being preventative, we don't want to wait that long. our goal is to stay ahead of things. so we put it on a schedule. we get down here about every 30 to 45 days and get the poop out of the basin. jeff: it's a tough job, but somebody has to do it. that's right, guys, i

came, i saw, i cleaned a tank full of fish poo. don't go away, there's more to explore after this. i've got nothing against these do-it-yourself steam cleaners. lugging around a hot water extraction unit can be a rush! that's why i'm carpet for life. but if things get out of hand, there's no shame in calling us. ♪call 1-800-steemer.

jeff: the important work at georgia aquarium is never done, but almost every job here is one amazing experience after another.

jeff: all right, any bats in the cave? good. all right, guys. you know, when we first started this episode, they kind of pitched it to me as this would be all the tough jobs at the aquarium. well, if this is tough, i've gotta tell you, i think i'm one of the luckiest guys on the planet. what a great experience.

i hope you enjoyed it as much as i did, and i look forward to seeing you on our next adventure together on ocean mysteries. announcer: closed captioning and other promotional consideration provided by [ male announcer ] where's your road to happiness? what if the first step on that road is a bowl of soup? delicious campbell's soups fill you with vegetable nutrition, farm-grown ingredients, and can help you keep a healthy weight. campbell's -- it's amazing what soup can do. the best in nutrition... just got better. now with even more of the vitamins your body needs. like vitamin d. plus omega 3's. [ female announcer ] eggland's best. the better egg. eric: you fed whale sharks before. are you ready to clean up after them? jeff: we fed whale sharks before.

we know what goes in. now we're going to see what comes out. little monitor there? it actually monitors the gas? eric: that will monitor all of our atmosphere down there. that will make sure that we stay alive. jeff: it's all about safety. you could see the memorial right here. this is actually some bling from a whale shark that used to wear down here. this is what we do on ocean mysteries when i'm training. the big fight. eric: yeah, raw meat. so those do you guys have any questions about what we're doing? jeff: i have one very important question that may really impact safety and our survival. does this wetsuit make my butt look too big? i'm not going to give you an opinion on that, but maybe somebody else here can tell you. ♪ music