What The Duck?!

They can travel over land, climb walls and take down large prey. And that's all before the short-finned eel (Anguilla australis) makes it out into the ocean for their epic migration to mate.The location is so remote, scientists still don't know what happens while they're there.But then, as new baby eels, they need to swim thousands of kilometres back to the Australian mainland — and only one in every 10,000 hatchings make it.Cast your vote for Australia's most underrated animal here:https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2025-08-01/science-week-underrated-australian-animal-vote/105582104Featuring:Dr Wayne Koster, Arthur Rylah InstituteProduction:Ann Jones, Presenter / ProducerJacinta Bowler, ProducerRebecca McLaren, ProducerHamish Camilleri, Sound EngineerPetria Ladgrove, Executive ProducerStream the brand-new series Dr Ann's Secret Lives on ABC iview.

Sure, it's a rat, but it's Australia's own cheeky little water rat!The rakali (Hydromys chrysogaster) is Australia's largest rodent, and can be found in the waterways all around Australia.Cast your vote for Australia's most underrated animal here:https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2025-08-01/science-week-underrated-australian-animal-vote/105582104Featuring:Emmalie Sanders, Charles Sturt UniversityProduction:Ann Jones, Presenter / ProducerJacinta Bowler, ProducerRebecca McLaren, ProducerHamish Camilleri, Sound EngineerPetria Ladgrove, Executive ProducerStream the brand-new series Dr Ann's Secret Lives on ABC iview.

They shoot glue, puree their enemies, and are about the size of a leaf.With 140 species of southern velvet worms (Peripatopsidae), and most of those in Australia, these tiny creatures are our home-grown invertebrate.They normally live in rainforests, under logs or leaf litter, and they like to keep it damp and dark.Cast your vote for Australia's most underrated animal here:https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2025-08-01/science-week-underrated-australian-animal-vote/105582104Featuring:Associate Professor Tanya Latty, the University of SydneyProduction:Ann Jones, Presenter / ProducerJacinta Bowler, ProducerRebecca McLaren, ProducerHamish Camilleri, Sound EngineerPetria Ladgrove, Executive ProducerStream the brand-new series Dr Ann's Secret Lives on ABC iview.

The ghost bat (Macroderma gigas) is Australia's only carnivorous bat, so it's probably not a good idea to make fun of their giant ears and unique nose.They live in large colonies of up to 1500 individuals in northern Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory, roosting in caves, and old abandoned mine shafts.Cast your vote for Australia's most underrated animal here:https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2025-08-01/science-week-underrated-australian-animal-vote/105582104Featuring:Dr Nicola Hanrahan, Charles Darwin UniversityProduction:Ann Jones, Presenter / ProducerJacinta Bowler, ProducerRebecca McLaren, ProducerHamish Camilleri, Sound EngineerPetria Ladgrove, Executive ProducerStream the brand-new series Dr Ann's Secret Lives on ABC iview.

They can grow up to a metre and the world's largest cuttlefish species can also disappear in a puff of ink and mucus.The giant cuttlefish (Ascarosepion apama) is an oddball, and you can catch a glimpse of them around the whole bottom half of Australia — all the way from Brisbane to Shark Bay.Cast your vote for Australia's most underrated animal here:https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2025-08-01/science-week-underrated-australian-animal-vote/105582104Featuring:Dr Mark Norman, Chief Scientist Parks VictoriaProduction:Ann Jones, Presenter / ProducerJacinta Bowler, ProducerRebecca McLaren, ProducerHamish Camilleri, Sound EngineerPetria Ladgrove, Executive ProducerStream the brand-new series Dr Ann's Secret Lives on ABC iview.

Move the peas over to find that Australian freezers have seals, kangaroo penises and the DNA of 'the Chanel of goats.'Featuring:Dr Natalie Warburton, Murdoch University. Dr Jillian Garvey, La Trobe University. Dr Nicola Rivers, Monash University.Dianne Hakof, Hospital Manger Animal Health Department Zoos SAProduction:Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer.Petria Ladgrove, Producer. This episode of What the Duck?! was first broadcast in 2022 and was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and the Kaurna people.Stream the brand-new series Dr Ann's Secret Lives on ABC iview.

It turns out self-medicating and herbal remedies are not exclusive to humans.From cats eating grass, to elephants making medicinal tea in their throat pouch — the animal world has its own prescriptions.And naturally, there's plenty of digging through poo involved in this scientific research!Featuring:Dr Kevin Feeney, Central Washington University.Professor Michael Huffman, University of Kyoto.Dr Sophia Daoudi-Simison, Newcastle University UK.Production:Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer.Nick Kilvert, Presenter/ Producer.Petria Ladgrove, Producer.Mastering: Angela Grant.This episode of What the Duck?! was first broadcast in 2022 and was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and the Kaurna people.Stream the brand-new series Dr Ann's Secret Lives on ABC iview.

Fossils tell us a lot about the past, but are there fossilised farts? (Spoiler, YES!)Look back at great farts of history, and the story of methane.Do birds not fart?And which creature is responsible for the stinkiest?Listen to part one (Does it Fart?!) here.Featuring:Dani Rabaiotti, Author of Does it Fart? and Zoological Society of London.Dr Nick Gales, Former Head of Australian Antarctic Division.Prof Dave Watson, Charles Sturt University.Prof Jeffrey Stillwell, Adjunct Monash UniDr Adam Munn, Biologist.Production:Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer.Petria Ladgrove, Producer.Jo Khan, Producer.This episode of What the Duck?! was first broadcast in 2022 and was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and the Kaurna people.Stream the brand-new series Dr Ann's Secret Lives on ABC iview.

Farts are not just for laughs. There are farts for survival, for communication, and even to attack!But it turns out it's tricky to get scientists to agree on what actually constitutes a fart.Still, from tiny fish, ants, and spiders, to manatees, primates, and blue whales — is it as simple as the bigger the creature, the bigger the fart?Featuring:Dani Rabaiotti, Author of Does it Fart? and Zoological Society of London.Dr Nick Gales, Australian Antarctic Division.Prof. Ben Wilson, Scottish Association for Marine Science.Dr Federica Turco, Australian National Insect Collection (ANIC).Farts:Chimpanzee farts, Kris Sabbi.Hooknose snake coacal pop, Orry Martin.Humpback whale song and fart adjacent sounds, Brian Miller, Australian Antarctic Division.River gas exchange Talaroo Station, Simon Linke.Tasmanian Devil Running Fart, David Hamilton.Farting wombat, Glenn Ross.Production:Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer.Jo Khan, Producer.Petria Ladgrove, Producer.Joel Werner, Script Editing.This episode of What the Duck?! was first broadcast in 2022 and was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and the Kaurna people

It's a seemingly simple question from What the Duck?! listener Skylar: how do scientists determine a new species?Turns out, it's complicated.And it's got Ann Jones impersonating a dog on the internet to try to find out what breed she is, as well as asking, 'what is a species anyway?'.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 to Ying Luo for background information.Production:Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer.Petria Ladgrove, Producer.Additional mastering: Hamish Camilleri.This episode of What the Duck?! was originally broadcast in December 2023 and was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and Kaurna people.