Stay ConnectedAustralia is full of weird plants and animals. And Dr Ann Jones is on speaking terms with most of them!
Each week Ann explores the most unusual elements of our natural world — the ones that make you go What the Duck?! Like why do quolls have spots? Who farts (and who doesn’t)? And how do snakes climb trees?
Join Ann alongside experts and ordinary Aussies alike to solve mysteries, smash myths and uncover the bizarre truth about nature down under.
Copyright: © Copyright 2024, Australian Broadcasting Corporation. All right reserved.
This is the story of the domesticated animal that feralised itself.
Where did dingoes come from and when?
Where does a wild dog stop and a dingo begin?
How much can genetics really tell us about Australia's only native dog — and how long do you have to live somewhere to be 'native'?
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Are puppy dog eyes really a sign of love, or does Fido just want a lil snack?
Can dogs really "speak" by pressing talking buttons, or do they just make great content for TikTok?
There's more to canine communication than howls and growls — and a wagging tail could be telling you more than you think.
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'Man's best friend' sure sounds better than 'obligatory symbiont', but what are the true dynamics at play?
There's no denying the bond people feel and the attachment dogs have for their humans, but if we put that beautiful relationship under scientific scrutiny, does it hold up?
Can any dog go 'full Lassie' if you (or Timmy) gets stuck down a well? Will your dog save you?
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There's designer clothes, but they have nothing on designer dogs!
They come in a huge range of shapes and colours and sizes, from the tiny Chihuahua to the Great Dane.
In the animal world this much variation usually means different species, but not for dogs — so where did they all come from?
And what role did Victorian-era rats play in the development of 'breed standards'?
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The relationship between humans and big scary wolves has come a long way to give us tiny fluffy lap dogs with very discerning tastes in expensive food.
Whose idea was it? Was it the wolves who wanted the warmth of the fire, or the humans who wanted protection from the other scary carnivores?
And take a look at the first archaeological evidence of a beloved family pet preserved with its human family for almost 15,000 years!
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A new series from What the Duck?! is coming soon.
Dr Ann Jones is exploring the connection between humans and dogs and asking how our destinies became intertwined.
How did we get pugs from wolves?
How did the howling creatures of our nightmares become floppy eared, tail wagging good boys and girls?
From the very first archaeological evidence of 'beloved family pet' to the paw-pushing communication buttons on YouTube… this is a look at the true nature of the relationship with man's best friend.
How does a snake climb a pole? It's not like they have a ladder... or arms.
It turns out that snakes have some pretty crazy skills when it comes to climbing anything and everything.
The Island of Guam had between two and four million brown tree snakes in the 1980s, leading to all sorts of issues for the birds and the environment.
Guests:
Dr Aaron Collins- Assistant State Director Guam/Western Pacific Theatre at USDA-APHIS-Wildlife Services
Professor Kristin Y. Pettersen- Centre for Autonomous Marine Operations and System at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
Stuart McKenzie - Director/Owner at The Snake Catcher Sunshine Coast
Professor Bruce C. Jayne- Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Cincinnati.
Charlie and Olivia, Board game players.
Production:
Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer.
Petria Ladgrove, Producer.
Joel Werner, Script Editing.
Additional mastering: Hamish Camilleri.
This episode of What the Duck?! was originally broadcast on the 5th of March 2022 and was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and the 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.
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This episode was originally broadcast in 2023.
This episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung, Yuggera, Turrbal and Kaurna people.
Have you heard of the Kookaburra that conquered Hollywood?
Yes- that was a kookaburra at the start of Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark.
But WHY? Dr Ann Jones is on a mission to find out.
Featuring:
Ella Loeffler, Film and Bird Watcher.
Dr Maggie Watson, Ornithologist, ecologist, fantasy fiction fan.
Assoc Professor Cameron Webb, Mosquito Wrangler, NSW Health and University of Sydney.
Professor John W. Fitzpatrick, Emeritus Director, Cornell Lab of Ornithology,
James Currie, Sound Recordist / Editor.
With extra sounds from Listener: Jesse Cotteril
Movie Sounds:
The Wizard of Oz (1939) Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Charlie's Angels (2000) Columbia Pictures
Tarzan and the Green Goddess (1938) Burroughs-Tarzan Enterprises
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) Paramount Pictures
The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) Universal Pictures/ Amblin Entertainment
Finding Nemo (2003) Pixar Animation/ Walt Disney Pictures
Lord of the Rings - Return of the Kings (2003) New Line Cinema
Mary Poppins (1964) Walt Disney Pictures
Skippy (1968) Fauna Productions
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) Warner Brothers
Production:
Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer.
Petria Ladgrove, Producer.
Joel Werner, Script Editing.
This episode of What the Duck?! was originally broadcast in 2022 and was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and the Kaurna people.
Spiders have gravity-defying ninja skills, they can hear without ears and they work together to gang up on huge prey.
Spiders are murder machines!
Featuring:
Dr Kate Umbers, Western Sydney University.
Dr Alfonso Aceves-Aparicio, University Hamburg.
Dr Jay Stafstrom, Cornell University.
Dr Lena Grinsted, University of Portsmouth.
Production:
Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer.
Petria Ladgrove, Producer.
Joel Werner, Script Editor.
Additional mastering: Angela Grant.
This episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and the Kaurna people and was first broadcast on the 17th of December 2022.
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