''Die Bambus-Bären-Bande'' (''Bambou et Compagnie'' in French or ''Bamboo Bears'' in Dutch and English) is a

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52 part animated television series, broadcast from 25 March to 30 November 1996. The series production was supported by

World Wildlife Fund The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) is a Swiss-based international non-governmental organization founded in 1961 that works in the field of wilderness preservation and the reduction of human impact on the environment. It was formerly named the ...

. Each episode is dedicated to one animal species. Most of the species are either endangered or their habitat is suffering from human activity. Some of the animals featured in the series are already extinct. The series aims to make children interested in nature and animals. It teaches viewers about human activity, environmental problems and

wildlife conservation Wildlife conservation refers to the practice of protecting wild species and their habitats in order to maintain healthy wildlife species or populations and to restore, protect or enhance natural ecosystems. Major threats to wildlife include habita ...

Characters

Although all animals in the series are capable of speaking the main casts and antagonists are more anthropomorphized (wearing clothes, walking upright) than the animals they help. The human-like characters are contrasted by the local animals they encounter, which seem to be normal animals behaving and moving more like their real-life counterparts.

Main cast

* Bamboo-Lee is a

red panda The red panda (''Ailurus fulgens''), also known as the lesser panda, is a small mammal native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China. It has dense reddish-brown fur with a black belly and legs, white-lined ears, a mostly white muzz ...

and the boss of the pack. * Dah-Lin is a

bamboo rat The bamboo rats are four species of rodents of the subfamily Rhizomyinae. They are the sole living representatives of the tribe Rhizomyini. These species are found in South Asia, Southeast Asia and East Asia. The species are: *The Chinese bamb ...

and smallest of the four. * Sio-Lee is a

giant panda The giant panda (''Ailuropoda melanoleuca''), also known as the panda bear or simply panda, is a bear species endemic to China. It is characterised by its white animal coat, coat with black patches around the eyes, ears, legs and shoulders. ...

and the only true ''bear'' of the cast. He is gluttonous. * Ai-Ai is a pink

dragon A dragon is a Magic (supernatural), magical legendary creature that appears in the folklore of multiple cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but European dragon, dragons in Western cultures since the Hi ...

and the biggest of the cast. Ai-Ai can fly (often having some trouble with landing) and acts as the group's vehicle. She has a backpack-computer the group can use to contact her master, No-How.

Supporting cast

* No-How, a researcher who provides information and support to the group. He usually sends the gang on a mission to find a certain animal. In the first episode he gives Bamboo-Lee a magical bamboo stick that can be used to summon Ai-Ai. The main antagonists are RATCO, a greedy corporation that is responsible for most of the destruction in the series, either by

poaching Poaching is the illegal hunting or capturing of wild animals, usually associated with land use rights. Poaching was once performed by impoverished peasants for subsistence purposes and to supplement meager diets. It was set against the huntin ...

animals or exploiting their habitat. As the name suggests the company mostly consists of rats or other rodents. The corporation seems to dabble in all kinds of business ventures, from construction and oil to fashion and entertainment. * Rataleone. Ruthless businessman and president of RATCO corporation. His true identity is unknown until the end of the series, his face and upper body always obstructed by cigarette smoke, blueprints, lighting, back view, etc. * Rats One, Two and Three. The RATCO employees don't seem to have names, instead being referred by numbers. One, Two and Three are the main group's most common adversary, always showing up to cause trouble on their boss' orders. * Rat One is the leader of the group. He is always giving the others orders, blaming them for everything and trying to get on his boss' good side. * Rat Two is dim-witted and quite passive in his demeanor. * Rat Three is equally dumb, but has more of a sarcastic attitude.

Episodes

The series consists of 52 episodes aired between 1995 and 1996. Each episode focuses on one endangered animal species, but many feature other animals from the same region.

Fantastical elements

The animals and locations the show introduces are real. However Bamboo Bears also feature some fantastical elements by throwing in mythical creatures like dragons, magical items and non-existent technology.

Episode 01 - Bamboo Bears

Episode one introduces the first mythical creature. Ai-Ai is a large, pink dragon and is seen in almost all episodes.

Episode 06 - American Manatee

The group uses the legend of Bermuda Triangle and sea monsters to scare away RATCO. In the final shot of the episode we see monstrous eye open in a dark ocean cave.

Episode 24 - Arctic fox

The episode features a futuristic machine able to manipulate time. Time travel is an essential part of the episode's plot.

Episode 29 - Japanese Macaque

To scare away the monkeys rats use a mechanical monster, visually similar to Bigfoot with a Japanese-style mask. No-How tells the gang about a Japanese legend where a boy beats a mountain monster with the help of a basket of dumplings, a dog, a monkey and a pheasant. This is most likely a reference to the folktale of

Momotarō is a Folk hero, popular hero of Japanese folklore. His name is often translated as ''Peach Boy'', but is directly translated as ''Peach + Tarō (given name), Tarō'', a common Japanese given name. ''Momotarō'' is also the title of various books, ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bambus-Baren-Bande 1990s French animated television series 1990s German animated television series 1996 French television series debuts 1996 French television series endings 1996 German television series debuts 1996 German television series endings Australian Broadcasting Corporation original programming Animated television series about dragons Animated television series about mice and rats Television series about pandas