

What The Duck?!
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The show with a mission to explore the mysteries of nature - especially the ones that make you go What the Duck?!
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jan 19, 2024 • 25min
SUMMER - Silence of the vultures
An ornithologist, a veterinarian and a religious devotee must find the serial killer before every last vulture in India is dead.The episode was first published on the 2nd of September 2023. Featuring:Dr Campbell Murn, Head of Conservation at Hawk Conservancy Trust and University of Reading, UK.Dr Kishor Rithe, Interim Director, Bombay Natural History Society.Dr Andrea Santangeli, Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies, Spain.Dr Percy Avari, Mumbai Vetinarary College.Sherally Munshi, Georgetown.Vulture sounds provided by Nikita Mathur, India.Production:Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer.Petria Ladgrove, Producer.Additional mastering: Hamish Camilleri.This episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and Kaurna people.

Jan 12, 2024 • 25min
SUMMER - Are Naked Mole-rats the weirdest animals on earth?
They look like… 'sabre-toothed sausages', they can barely see, they live for a really long time and have a queen who oppresses them.Find out all about the Naked Mole-rat this week and let us know your weirdest animal on earth suggestions at whattheduck@abc.net.au.Featuring:Dr Alison Barker, Max Planck Institute for Brain Research.Adjunct Professor Rochelle Buffenstein, University of Illinois at Chicago.Extra information: Professor Gary R. Lewin, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine.Production:Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer.Petria Ladgrove, Producer.Additional mastering: Angie GrantThis episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and Kaurna people.

Jan 5, 2024 • 25min
SUMMER - The ostrich-riding bushranger
He loved gold, so he robbed stagecoaches in South Australia and used an ostrich as a getaway car. OR DID HE?!This episode was first published on the 11th of February 2023.Featuring:Denice Mason, teacher and Meningie resident.Associate Professor Rohan Clarke, Monash University and co-author of the Australian Bird Guide.Jacob Fiebig, Meningie resident and composer of "The ballad of John Peggotty".Production:Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer.Petria Ladgrove, Producer.Additional mastering: Angie Grant.This episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung, Ngarrindjeri and Kaurna people.

Dec 29, 2023 • 25min
SUMMER- Kneel before the eel
For thousands of years eels have made people rich and powerful, literally. Now it's time to pay it back.This episode was originally published on the 18th of March 2023.Featuring:Dr. John Wyatt Greenlee, Historian Cornell University.Erin Rose, Budj Bim World Heritage Executive Officer at Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation.Braydon Saunders, Tour Guide Coordinator at Budj Bim Cultural Landscape Tourism.Tyson Lovett-Murray, Budj Bim World Heritage Ranger at Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation.Wayne Koster, Research Scientist at the Arthur Rylah Institute, Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, Victorian Government.Production:Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer.Petria Ladgrove, Producer.Additional mastering: Timothy Jenkins.This episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Gunditjmara, Wadawarrung and Kaurna people.

Dec 22, 2023 • 25min
SUMMER- Birds, bees and a wang wang with a problem.
A tiny penis, a 12-hour annual fertilisation window, picky females and strawberry bubble bath – these are just a few of the issues that pop up when making a panda cub.This is a repeat of an episode first published on the 1st of April 2023. Featuring:Chad Crittle, Acting Assistant Curator for Carnivores and Ungulates at Zoos SA.Mr Li Zhang, Consul, Head of Bilateral Section at the Chinese Consulate-General in Adelaide.Dr Meghan Martin Wintle, Director, Conservation Ecologist at PDX Wildlife.Production:Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer.Petria Ladgrove, Producer.Additional mastering: Carey Dell.This episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and Kaurna people.

Dec 15, 2023 • 25min
Who's a good girl?
Ann Jones does a DNA test to see if she is a dog!This is the final episode for Season 5 of What the Duck?! We will be back in February with new episodes.Featuring:Skyla Seltzer, What The Duck?! listener.Beanz and Henry the dog. Link Olson, Curator of Mammals, University of Alaska Museum.Dr Nicola Rivers, Monash University.Professor Paul Hebert, Scientific Director, International Barcode of Life.Dr Leo Joseph, Australian National Wildlife Collection CSIRO. Tim Low, Biologist and author. Thanks also Ying Luo for background information. Production:Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer.Petria Ladgrove, Producer.Additional mastering: Hamish Camilleri.This episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and Kaurna people.

Dec 8, 2023 • 26min
Is the pigeon the weirdest animal on earth?
It is related to the dodo, makes milk and even played a role in the French Revolution. Surely this bird deserves some recognition?Featuring:Rosemary Mosco, Science writer and author of 'The Pocket Guide to Pigeon Watching'.Nathan Finger, Host of 'Bird of the Week' podcast Dr Robin Leppitt, Ornithologist.April Broadbent, Pigeon Rehabber.Aaron and Aria, Pigeon Fanciers.Production:Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer.Petria Ladgrove, Producer.Additional mastering: Hamish Camilleri.This episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and Kaurna people.

Dec 1, 2023 • 25min
Can you speak fish?
Someone get a translator app because the fish are ready to speak. Featuring:Lauren Hawkins, Centre for Marine Science and Technology at Curtin University. Dr Aaron Rice, Research Scientist at Cornell University. Featured sounds :Thanks to Aaron and Lauren for providing sounds as well as Professor Robert McCauley and the Centre for Marine Science and Technology at Curtin University. Production:Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer.Petria Ladgrove, Producer.Additional mastering: Hamish Camilleri.This episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and Kaurna people.

Nov 24, 2023 • 26min
Nature's vibrators
They make THEMSELVES scream. Featuring:Dr. Perry Beasley Hall, Adelaide University.Ernesto Caliari Pinheiro, Acoustic biologist, Brazil.Professor Mario Vallejo-Marin, University of Uppsala, Sweden. Lisa Schonberg, Ecological sound artist, New York.Professor Link Olson, University of Alaska Museum.Dr Andy Reid, University of Strathclyde, Scotland.Dr Ying Luo, Australian National Insect Collection. Featured sounds :Son of a Bee by Dusty Dubs, David Rentz and Vicki Powys.Production:Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer.Petria Ladgrove, Producer.Additional mastering: Hamish Camilleri.This episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and Kaurna people.

Nov 17, 2023 • 26min
Mike-owl Jackson, Gorillaz and The Pussycat Dolls- are animals musical?
Can animals create, or even enjoy music? Ann rips through the animal kingdom to check out the musical talent of some likely and unlikely animals.Featuring:Dr. Stuart Watson, University of Zurich. Dr. Chiara De Gregorio, University of Torino. Assistant Professor Adena Schachner, University of California.David Teie, Musician and composer, Music for Cats. Associate Professor Cameron Webb, University of Sydney and NSW Health Pathology. Featured sounds :Musical Stimuli for Parrots by Adena Schachner, Fostog's Touch by David Teie (music for cats) and Marlene McCohen (YouTube) and her Amazon parrot Lucy. Production:Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer.Petria Ladgrove, Producer.Additional mastering: Hamish Camilleri.