The Animal Sensemaker
by The Observer
Latest episode
Purple frogs: an annual ritual
Purple frogs: an annual ritual
About this podcast
One animal, every week to make sense of the world. Brought to you by The Observer and On the Edge.
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Episodes
The newest 20 of 37 episodes
- Purple frogs: an annual ritual · 9 min · Season 1 Episode 36Once 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…
- Dugong: seagrass and karaoke bars · 10 min · Season 1 Episode 35Given 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…
- Great Green Macaw: picky eaters and favourite trees · 10 min · Season 1 Episode 34Found 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…
- Nguru pygmy chameleon: forest floors and fast tongues · 8 min · Season 1 Episode 33No 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…
- Sea otters: favourite rocks and tummy tables · 10 min · Season 1 Episode 32Diving 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…
- Darwin's frog: ‘pregnant’ males and a 7,000 mile journey · 12 min · Season 1 Episode 31After 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…
- Long-Beaked Echidna: Attenborough’s elusive creature rediscovered · 11 min · Season 1 Episode 30Sixty-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…
- Saiga Antelope: humungous noses and countless comebacks · 10 min · Season 1 Episode 29Having 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…
- Beavers: waffle tails and river lodges · 11 min · Season 1 Episode 28After 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…
- Chinese Giant Salamander: the living fossils · 8 min · Season 1 Episode 27As 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…
- Stingless Bee: keeping the rainforest blooming · 11 min · Season 1 Episode 26In 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…
- Pygmy hippo: The internet’s chunky best friend · 10 min · Season 1 Episode 25Pygmy 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…
- Can the Harlequin toad stage a comeback? · 12 min · Season 1 Episode 24Harlequin 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……
- Is being so cute a curse for red pandas? · 11 min · Season 1 Episode 23Red 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…
- Why did the gibbons stop singing? · 11 min · Season 1 Episode 22Western 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…
- Swifts: sleeping whilst flying on the ultimate commute · 10 min · Season 1 Episode 21Every 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…
- Komodo dragons: tail whipping and a venomous bite · 12 min · Season 1 Episode 20Komodo 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…
- Olm: how to live to 100 · 9 min · Season 1 Episode 19Found 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…
- Wombat: cubed poop and a secret weapon · 9 min · Season 1 Episode 18Wombats 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…
- Dwarf sperm whale: escape artists · 8 min · Season 1 Episode 17What 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…
