Trees A Crowd
Fiona Mathews & Tim Kendall: Wild Mammals are far from 'Boar-ing'
Jun 11, 2024
Fiona Mathews, a professor of Environmental Biology and chair of Mammal Conservation Europe, teams up with Tim Kendall, a professor of English Literature, to uncover the wild world of British mammals. They share amusing stories about their trained labrador, Charlie Brown, who finds bats affected by wind turbines. Delve into the locals of the elusive Wild Boar, the surprising journey of a Scottish Pine Marten to Georgia, and the impact of culture on wildlife conservation. Their wit shines as they blend science with storytelling!
45:08
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Quick takeaways
- Fiona Matthews emphasizes the crucial role of specially trained dogs in locating bats near wind turbines, highlighting conservation challenges and innovative solutions.
- Tim Kendall stresses the importance of realistic nature narratives in literature to enhance public understanding and engagement with wildlife conservation issues.
Deep dives
Training Dogs for Bat Detection
The episode highlights the innovative use of specially trained dogs to locate bats near wind turbines, emphasizing the challenges humans face in this search. With an account of training seven dogs for this task, it is noted that one dog inadvertently shifted to narcotics detection at an airport, showcasing the unexpected twists in training animals for specific roles. Efforts to locate small and elusive bats in various terrains, like ploughed fields or heather, underscore the practicality and necessity of canine assistance. The hosts reflect on brainstorming practical methods for capturing bats, aware of potential issues with local children interfering with those efforts.
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