What The Duck?!

ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) is a tingly sensation that can bring relaxation, and it's spawned a growing industry of videos online of whispering, tapping, mouth noises and soft speaking.  But, if you wanted quiet, intimate sounds, well, Nature does it so. much. better.  Ann Jones goes on an ASMR journey with vibrating caterpillars, whispering monkeys and birds who want to keep secre...

Imagine you've just been cancelled for a controversial opinion about Taylor Swift's musical output, and you have to go to ground. You can act like the Olsen twins, and hide behind big glasses and a big coat. Or you could take a lesson from nature and blend in, like a proverbial spotty quoll into the bush. When it comes to camouflage and animal markings, there's a lot we can learn from the animal k...

Right now, you’re probably sitting on one of the most unique things about humans. One thing that separates us from the apes, from the birds, from EVERYTHING on earth. The thing that allows us to walk upright, on two legs. We have big butts and I cannot lie,This sort of exceptionalism doesn’t deny,That when a bird walks in with a little bit of hasteAnd drumsticks in your face, you have to admit tha...

How many species live around your house? In the COVID lockdown of 2020, three housemates decided to count. They thought there’d only be a handful, but the number kept rising and rising. Could their simple suburban Queenslander house be the next candidate for a new national park? What the Duck?! is back for Season 6. Featuring: Dr Matt Holden, Mathematician, University of Queensland. Dr Andrew Roge...

Fruit flies, guinea pigs, frogs, monkeys, turtles, cats and dogs… all sorts of animals have been to space. Find out who made small steps for mankind before we could even spacewalk as Ann goes through the emotional turmoil of hearing animals in space.  Featuring: James Foley, Author and Illustrator. Kerrie Dougherty OAM, Senior Heritage and Outreach Officer, Australian Space Agency. Emeritus Profes...

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, Mediterranea...

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 a...

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 Peggott...

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...

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 Consu...

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...

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,...

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.  Productio...

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 Coll...

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, Unive...

Are you high, or is that a sheep glowing? Featuring: Linda Reinhold, Zoologist at James Cook University. Professor Simon Lewis, Curtin University.  Dr. Kenny Travouillon, Western Australian Museum.  Caitlin Grieve, Hillend Dorsets.

A group of Killer whales have been hassling boats around Spain over the last few years.  They've been nibbling the rudders and even sinking yachts, but why? Has anyone considered that it might be revenge?  How dangerous are Orcas anyway?  Featuring: Martin Evans, UK Sailor. Professor Peter Keegan, History and Archaeology at Macquarie University.  Dr Rebeca Wellard, Curtin University. Dr Luke Rende...

They smell like a squid in a wool jumper, they sound like a duck on helium, and devoted 'Petrel Heads' travel thousands of kilometres just to hear them moan.   Featuring: Peter Vaughan, Monash University.  Stephen Totterman, Northern NSW Naturalist and seabird enthusiast. Rolenas Tavue Baereleo, Department of Environmental Protection and Conservation, Government of Vanuatu.   Production: Ann Jones...

Have the crabs been lying to us? There are true crabs, false crabs, and even shame-faced crabs which implies that some of them, at least, are guilty. Featuring: Dr Rachael King, SA Museum.  Professor Judith Weis, Rutgers University, Newark.  Dr Annabel Dorrenstein, University of Western Sydney. Production: Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer. Petria Ladgrove, Producer. Additional mastering:  Hamish Ca...

You probably have a daddy-long-legs in your house right now. But when is having a weird housemate in the corner ACTUALLY a good thing? Dr Ann Jones investigates.   Featuring: Dr Samantha Nixon, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).  Dr Lizzy Lowe, Invertebrates Australia. Thanks also to Dr Bernhard Huber, Arachnid Curator at Museum Koenig.   Production: Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer. P...

An extra special, podcast only, five-minute story for you! A bird that stands over a metre tall hardly seems like it'd bow down to a rock star, but Johnny Cash played a burning role in the near-extinction of Californian Condors. Featuring: Dr. Maggie Watson, Zoologist at Charles Sturt University  Production: Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer. This episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land...

An ornithologist, a veterinarian and a religious devotee must find the serial killer before every last vulture in India is dead. 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, Mumba...

We get a bit philosophical and try to find out that if animals do dream, will we ever be able to know what they’re dreaming about? Featuring: Cassie, Claire and Pidgey the Parrot.  Associate Professor Nicole Lovato, Flinders University.  Associate Professor John Lesku, La Trobe University.  Professor David Pena Guzman, author of ‘Animal Dreaming’ and San Francisco State University.   Professor Sid...

Birds can fly while half their brain is sleeping and some spiders sleep dangling on a silk thread, but what about worms. Do worms sleep? Featuring: Associate Professor John Lesku, La Trobe University.  Dr Shauni Omond, @shauniomond.sleepsci on Instagram, La Trobe University.   Professor Niels Rattenborg, Research leader on Avian Sleep, Max Planck Institute.  Dr Daniela Roessler, University of Kons...

Boob-shaping hiccups are very sexy in the sage grouse world, but whose chesticles are in charge? Featuring: Lucy Cooke, Zoologist and author of Bitch A Revolutionary Guide to Sex, Evolution and the Female Animal. Professor Gail L Patricelli,  University of California, Davis.  Production: Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer. Petria Ladgrove, Producer. Additional mastering:  John Jacobs. This episode of...