"Petting Zoo Day" is the first segment of the twenty-fifth episode of Ariel. It premiered on July 25, 2025 alongside "New Squid in Town".
Plot[]
Ariel and her friends are excited for Petting Zoo Day and the animals they will pet today. Chantale asked them to help out, and they soon meet up with her. Flounder has been doing a lot of practicing, and Chantale shows Ariel and her friends the real animals. She tells them to make sure the younger kids don't get too excited around the animals, which they can be sometimes. By that, the younger kids can get a bit too rough or loud with the animals, which can startle them. Ariel and her friends then be quiet while Chantale shows them all the animals.
First up is dogfish, and Chantale provides an example of how to be gentle with them. As for catfish, Ariel and her friends have to use kind hands, and Chantale shows an example. Flounder wonders if the sea bunnies are next, and Chantale shows Ariel and her friends them. Flounder squeals with joy, causing the sea bunnies to gather worriedly. Chantale tells Flounder to use soft, quiet words around the sea bunnies. Afterwards, Fernie decides to be in charge of the dogfish section, Lucia will take the catfish section, and Flounder will be in charge of the sea bunny section. As for Ariel, she will be at the front gate welcoming the younger kids and checking in on how everybody else is doing. Ariel is given a clipboard to check off each section.
The Petting Zoo then opens, and Ariel tells Jewels, Bembé, and Remy to be gentle to the animals. Chantale praises Ariel for that and goes to the eels section. Ariel goes to check in on her friends, starting with Fernie with the dogfish. There, Fernie demonstrates the dogfish to the guests and how to be gentle with them. Bembé makes friends with a dogfish, and Ariel checks in on Lucia with the catfish.
There, Lucia demonstrates what catfish like, and Remy pets them too hard. Lucia tells Remy to use kind hands and not pet too fast before demonstrating an example. Ariel then checks on Flounder with the sea bunnies. Flounder is struggling not to squeal at the cute sea bunnies, which Jewels likes. Eventually, Flounder squeals loudly, causing the sea bunnies to bounce away. Flounder apologizes for that and decides to pet the rock from now on. Ariel tells Chantale about the sea bunnies missing and has a plan for her and Flounder to go on a sea bunny scavenger hunt.
Flounder decides to act like a sea bunny to find them while Ariel finds one. Flounder then finds a second and Ariel finds a third. Two more are bouncing on a King Triton Sir statue, and Ariel and Flounder gather them by being gentle. With all the sea bunnies gathered, Ariel and Flounder bring them back where they belong, impressing the guests. Ariel tells them to be quiet to the sea bunnies, and Chantale is proud of what she has witnessed and opens the sea bunny section again. Ariel then gives a check for Flounder for not squealing and Chantale gives a check for Ariel for a job well done. Ariel then decides to pet the animals.
Cast[]
- Mykal-Michelle Harris as Ariel
- Elizabeth Phoenix Caro as Lucia
- Cruz Flateau as Fernie
- Gracen Newton as Flounder
- Danni Washington as Chantale
- Steve Moore as Sea Bunnies
- Amari McCoy as Jewels
- Madelyn Skyler Tee as Bembé
- Ryan Lopez as Remy
