Join time-traveller Thandi and her friends from Puppet Planet in an adventure to the Iziko South African Museum
For media images and interview requests, please contact: Zikhona Jafta at mediaofficer@iziko.org.za
In an adventure to the Iziko South African Museum, and aired on YouTube and CTV, join Thandi, Oogies and Mr Lystrosaurus as they meet scientists who study dinosaurs and other famous fossils from South Africa! Thandi and her friends are puppets who star in the new children’s science story-telling TV show, Puppet Planet.
A celebration of South Africa’s unique natural heritage, Puppet Planet uses puppetry, music and dance to tell science-related stories – with nine-year-old Thandi and her dog, Oogies, at the helm. Thandi lives on a farm in the Karoo; her father is isiXhosa-speaking, her mother is Afrikaans-speaking, and her teacher is English-speaking – and Oogies, her dog, is magical. Thandi has a satchel, a magnifying glass and a butterfly net, and Thandi, along with Oogies, goes exploring in the wild Karoo near their house.
It’s here that this dynamic duo discover the fossil of an ancient mammal relative called Lystrosaurus. Oogies uses his magical powers and takes them 250 million years back in time – when the Lystrosaurus roamed the Karoo. As Thandi and Oogies travel through time, they meet strange animals and plants, and find out all about climate change, fossils and pre-historic life. While the first episode of Puppet Planet focuses on fossils from the Great Karoo, the creators are actively developing show themes on other classic South African fossil deposits, marine science and ocean conservation, climate change, mass extinctions, and sustainability.
And in this Puppet Planet adventure, titled Thandi visits Iziko, Thandi, Oogies and Mr Lystrosaurus visit the Iziko South African Museum in search of Mr Lystrosaurus’ fossil family – where they meet Iziko staff Zaituna Skosan, Sibu Mtungata and Claire Browning!
Thandi visits Iziko will also be airing on CTV (Cape Town TV) on Tuesday, 8 and Tuesday, 22 February 2022 at 15h30.