What The Duck?!

Female sage-grouse birds have decided that they want to see a weird sexy dance when deciding on a mate.

Ann Jones explores the creativity of female choice in the animal world in this episode of What the Duck?!

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 What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and Kaurna people andwas originally broadcast in July 2023.

Female lab mice have been bred to be passive and breed with ease.

But, in the wild they're feisty and even pugnacious.

How much of our biological understanding of the world is based on misogyny?

Featuring:

Lucy Cooke, Zoologist and author of Bitch A Revolutionary Guide to Sex, Evolution and the Female Animal.Professor Arthur Georges, University of Canberra.Professor Catherine Dulac, Harvard University.

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. It was originally broadcast in July 2023.

There's a whole world of mystery, and quite a bit of maths, inside the humble sea shell.

Forget ancestry searches online, shells can tell you the history of the world!

Featuring:

Amy Prendergast,University of Melbourne.

Jann Vendetti, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.

Dr Paul Butler, Researcherat the University of Exeter.

This episode was originally broadcast in March 2023.

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.

There's only a handful of animals on earth that go through menopause, where females get to hang up the ovaries and enjoy a change of life.

So, why have we (humans, chimps and some toothed whales) established a sexual retirement of sorts? What is everyone else missing out on?

Featuring:

• Associate Professor Kevin Langergraber, Primatologist, ArizonaState University.
• Charli Grimes, PhD student, University of Exeter.

Production:

• Belinda Smith, Reporter/Producer.
• 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,Wurundjeri and Kaurna people.

We will all go to trouble to get a good meal, but some animals take it to the extreme.

Some build architectural masterpieces to entrap their prey, or use body parts as lures.

But what is your cat doing when it makes the 'ek ek ek ek?' Is it trying to bewitch the birds?

Featuring:

• Professor Kris Helgen, Australian Museum.
• Julia Henning, PhDcandidate, University of Adelaide.
• Associate Professor Inon Scharf, Tel Aviv University.
• Dr David Merritt, Entomologist.
• Associate Professor Ajay Narendra, Macquarie University.

Extra audio: Cat Ek ek ek by @thiscatisdumpling.

• Ann Jones, Presenter/Producer.
• Petria Ladgrove, Producer.
• Belinda Smith, Producer.
• Additional mastering: Hamish Camilleri.

This episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and Kaurna people.

Despite spending years and millions of dollars, the Tasmanian Fox Eradication team never, not once, not ever, spotted a live fox on the Apple Isle.

While their efforts yieldedzero foxes, it spawned a tale of lies, alleged corruption, and more scats than you could poke a stick at.

Featuring:

• Ian Townsend, former ABC Radio National Journalist.
• David Kelly, Manager of the Threatened Species Unit,NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.
• Jonah Yick, Program leader (Carp Management) Inland Fisheries Service Tasmania.
• Brent Beaven, Predator Free programme lead (Senior Manager Predator Free 2050), Department of Conservation, NZ.

Production:

• Ann Jones, Presenter/Producer.
• Petria Ladgrove, Producer.
• Additional mastering: Nathan Turnbull.

This episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and Kaurna people.

You have a lot to thank sheep for. Yes, sheep.

More than just wool and meat - sheep have played a part in the development of contraception AND reproduction of humans.

It's not as dodgy as it sounds, but it is absolutely surprising and listening to this show will have you thanking every sheep you see from here on out.

Featuring:

Tara Farms, YouTuber, and Sheep farmer.

Sally Coulthard, Historian, Smallholder, and Author of “A short history of the World according to Sheep”

Dr Charles Roselli, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland.

Emeritus Professor Gareth Evans, University of Sydney.

Dr Stephan Leu, The University of Adelaide.

Production:

• Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer.
• Petria Ladgrove, Producer.
• Additional mastering: Nathan Turnbull.

This episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and Kaurna people.

You have a lot to thank sheep for. Yes, sheep.

More than just wool and meat — sheep have played a part in the development of contraception and reproduction in humans.

It's not as dodgy as it sounds, but it is absolutely surprising. Listening to this show will have you thanking every sheep you see from here on out.

Featuring:

• Tara Farms, YouTuber, and sheep farmer.
• Sally Coulthard, historian, smallholder, and author of A Short History of the World according to Sheep.
• Dr Charles Roselli, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland.
• Professor Emeritus Gareth Evans, University of Sydney.
• Dr Stephan Leu, The University of Adelaide.

Production:

• Ann Jones, Presenter/Producer.
• Petria Ladgrove, Producer.
• Additional mastering: Nathan Turnbull.

This episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and Kaurna people.

For years we've barely even talked about the human clitoris let alone the fact that snakes have TWO.

This program has adult themes.

Featuring:

Belinda Smith, ABC Science Online Reporter.

Lucy Cooke, Author and Film maker.

Megan Folwell, University of Adelaide.

Dr Jenna Crowe-Riddell, La Trobe University.

Production:

• Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer.
• Petria Ladgrove, Producer.
• Additional mastering: Angie Grant

This program was first broadcast in 2023.

This episode ofWhat the Duck?!was produced on the land of the Wadawarrungand Kaurna people.

Would you meet a stranger in a park with a pile of snakes?

Comedian Craig Quartermaine took the risk in an attempt to overcome his fears.

Featuring:

• Craig Quartermaine, comedian.
• Sandy Dickinson, Urban Reptiles.
• Jonathan Wright, announcer's voice.

Production:

• Ann Jones, presenter/producer.
• Petria Ladgrove, producer.
• Joel Werner, script editor.
• Field recording: Dylan Prins.
• Additional mastering: Angie Grant.

This episode was originally broadcast in 2023.

This episode ofWhat the Duck?!was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung, Yuggera, Turrbal and Kaurna people.