The Animal Sensemaker

Once a year purple frogs come above ground to mate but in doing so, they face a whole host of challenges. The Animal Sensemaker - one animal, every week to make sense of the world. Brought to you by Tortoise and On the Edge. To find out more about The Observer: Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content Head to our website  observer.co.uk   Download...

Given how much seagrass Dugongs consume everyday, they're often referred to as sea cows. But when they're not busy eating, how do they communicate with each other? The Animal Sensemaker - one animal, every week to make sense of the world. Brought to you by Tortoise and On the Edge You can find out more about the dugong here: https://www.ontheedge.org/edge-zine/species-spotlight/dugong?rq=dugong?ut...

Found across Central and South America, the Great Green Macaw is the world’s second largest. Despite having a lush rainforest to choose from though, the macaw quite particular when it comes to food and nesting sites.  To find out more about the Great Green Macaw click here: https://www.ontheedge.org/edge-zine/species-spotlight/great-green-macaw?rq=great%20green%20macaw?utm_campaign=TheAnimalS...

No bigger than a golf tee, the Nguru pygmy chameleon tends to hide among leaf litter on forest floors. But why are they important to local farmers? The Animal Sensemaker - one animal, every week to make sense of the world. Brought to you by Tortoise and On the Edge You can find out more about the Darwin frog here: https://www.ontheedge.org/edge-zine/species-spotlight/nguru-spiny-pygmy-chameleon?ut...

Diving to depths of around 20 metres, sea otters can access all kinds of food but they often need the help of their favourite rock to crack open their catch. No bigger than a golf tee, the Nguru pygmy chameleon tends to hide among leaf litter on forest floors. But why are they important to local farmers? The Animal Sensemaker - one animal, every week to make sense of the world. Brought to you by T...

After a deadly fungus spread through the rainforests in southern Chile, conservationists embarked on a rescue mission to save Darwin's frog. The Animal Sensemaker - one animal, every week to make sense of the world. Brought to you by Tortoise and On the Edge You can find out more about the Darwin frog here . To find out more about The Observer: Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early...

Sixty-two years after Attenborough's long-beaked echidna was last scientifically recorded, Expedition Cyclops went on a mission to find out whether the species still exists in the Cyclops Mountains.  You can find out more about the long-beaked echidna here. The Animal Sensemaker is brought to you from Tortoise and On the Edge. If you’d like to learn more about the hunt for Attenborough’s echi...

Having roamed since the Ice Age, Saiga Antelope are no stranger to harsh conditions. But as mass mortality events leave their population extremely vulnerable, how have they managed to make countless comebacks? The Animal Sensemaker - one animal, every week to make sense of the world. Brought to you by Tortoise and On the Edge. Find out more about the Saiga Antelope here . To find out more about Th...

After being extinct in England for centuries, beavers are making a comeback thanks to a new license permitting their wild release. How could their dam building prevent flooding and droughts? You can find out more about the beaver here . The Animal Sensemaker - one animal, every week to make sense of the world. Brought to you by Tortoise and On the Edge. To find out more about The Observer: Subscri...

As the world's largest surviving amphibian, Chinese giant salamanders haven't changed much in their 170 million years on earth. So what does life look like for these "living fossils"? You can find out more about the Chinese giant salamander here . The Animal Sensemaker - one animal, every week to make sense of the world. Brought to you by Tortoise and On the Edge. To find out more about The Observ...

 In the Amazon and tropical places around the world, armies of stingless bees spend their days collecting nectar from plants and flowers across the forest. The Animal Sensemaker - one animal, every week to make sense of the world. Brought to you by Tortoise and On the Edge. You can find out more about the stingless bee here . You can find out more: Subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts for...

Pygmy hippos are the most internet-famous species around, thanks to viral sensation Moo Deng – but in the wild these creatures are shy, elusive and incredibly rare. The Animal Sensemaker - one animal, every week to make sense of the world. Brought to you by Tortoise and On the Edge. You can find out more about the pygmy hippo here . You can find out more about Tortoise: Download  the Tortoise...

Harlequin toads lit up the jungles of South and Central America with their dazzling colours, until they began to vanish – but some of these tough little toads are bouncing back… You can find out more about the harlequin toad here . The Animal Sensemaker - one animal, every week to make sense of the world. Brought to you by Tortoise and On the Edge. You can find out more about Tortoise: Download &n...

Red pandas might be unbearably cute, but they were the original pandas - long before their black-and-white namesakes stole the spotlight… You can find out more about the red panda here . The Animal Sensemaker - one animal, every week to make sense of the world. Brought to you by Tortoise and On the Edge. You can find out more about Tortoise: Download  the Tortoise app - for a listening experi...

Western Hoolock Gibbons sing soulful duets to bond, defend territory and find love in the dense jungles of Southeast Asia. But lately they’ve learnt to fall silent. You can find out more about the Western Hoolock Gibbon here . The Animal Sensemaker - one animal, every week to make sense of the world. Brought to you by Tortoise and On the Edge. You can find out more about Tortoise: Download  t...

  Every year, Swifts make the long journey from the UK to Mozambique and back again. It's a long journey for a little bird. So, how have they perfected the ultimate commute? The Animal Sensemaker - one animal, every week to make sense of the world. Brought to you by Tortoise and On the Edge. You can find out more about swifts here . You can find out more about Tortoise: Download  the Tor...

Komodo is an island in Indonesia and a real life Jurassic Park. It’s been home to the world's largest lizard for more than a million years, So, what's life like for the Komodo Dragon? The Animal Sensemaker - one animal, every week to make sense of the world. Brought to you by Tortoise and On the Edge. You can find out more about komodo dragons here . You can find out more about Tortoise: Down...

Found deep in Europe's caves, the Olm can go up to a decade without food. How does taking life slow help them live so long? The Animal Sensemaker - one animal, every week to make sense of the world. Brought to you by Tortoise and On the Edge. You can find out more about olms here . You can find out more about Tortoise: Download  the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our jou...

Wombats may look like chunky teddy bears, but when threatened, they unleash a surprising defense to fend off predators. The Animal Sensemaker - one animal, every week to make sense of the world. Brought to you by Tortoise and On the Edge. You can find out more about wombats here . Jack Ashby's book "Platypus Matters: The Extraordinary Story of Australian Mammals" is out now. You can find out more...

What do Taylor Swift and the dwarf sperm whale have in common? A talent for dodging unwanted attention. This pint-sized, introverted whale has a genius escape tactic. The Animal Sensemaker - one animal, every week to make sense of the world. Brought to you by Tortoise and On the Edge. You can find out more about the dwarf sperm whale here . You can find out more about Tortoise: Download  the...

Male giraffes spar to assert their dominance in the social herd structure, but if that doesn’t catch the attention of females when it comes to mating, what’s their backup plan? The Animal Sensemaker - one animal, every week to make sense of the world. Brought to you by Tortoise and On the Edge. You can find out more about the giraffe here . You can find out more about Tortoise: Download  the...

From street plays to a novel app, India is finding creative ways to help people live peacefully alongside Asian elephants.  The Animal Sensemaker - one animal, every week to make sense of the world. Brought to you by Tortoise and On the Edge. You can find out more about the Asian elephant here . You can find out more about Tortoise: Download  the Tortoise app - for a listening experience...

Discovered in 2001 on the small Caribbean island of Escudo de Veraguas, the pygmy three-toed sloth shares its mainland relatives' leisurely pace. How does living life in the slow land help keep them out of danger? The Animal Sensemaker - one animal, every week to make sense of the world. Brought to you by Tortoise and On the Edge. You can find out more about the pygmy three-toed sloth here . You c...

When Dr Elodie Freymann first saw a chimp eat from a clay pit in western Uganda's Bodongo's forest, she was surprised to learn it was part of their diet. What can chimps teach us about eating clay and detoxing? The Animal Sensemaker - one animal, every week to make sense of the world. Brought to you by Tortoise and On the Edge. You can find out more about chimps here . You can find out more about...

When a group of biologists recorded the kauai'oo bird's call in the 1980s, they didn't realise it was likely the last one. The Animal Sensemaker - one animal, every week to make sense of the world. Brought to you by Tortoise and On the Edge. You can find out more about the kauaʻi ʻōʻō bird here . You can find out more about Tortoise: Download  the Tortoise app - for a listening experience cur...