The Animal Sensemaker

Purple frogs: an annual ritual

Once 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

Dugong: seagrass and karaoke bars

Given 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 A

Great Green Macaw: picky eaters and favourite trees

Found 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 parti

Nguru pygmy chameleon: forest floors and fast tongues

No 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

Sea otters: favourite rocks and tummy tables

Diving 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 t

Darwin's frog: ‘pregnant’ males and a 7,000 mile journey

After 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

Long-Beaked Echidna: Attenborough’s elusive creature rediscovered

Sixty-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 exis

Saiga Antelope: humungous noses and countless comebacks

Having 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 th

Beavers: waffle tails and river lodges

After 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 fl

Chinese Giant Salamander: the living fossils

As 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 "liv

Stingless Bee: keeping the rainforest blooming

 In 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 Se

Pygmy hippo: The internet’s chunky best friend

Pygmy 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

Can the Harlequin toad stage a comeback?

Harlequin 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 bouncin

Is being so cute a curse for red pandas?

Red 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

Why did the gibbons stop singing?

Western 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

Swifts: sleeping whilst flying on the ultimate commute

 Every 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 commut

Komodo dragons: tail whipping and a venomous bite

Komodo 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 K

Olm: how to live to 100

Found 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 wee

Wombat: cubed poop and a secret weapon

Wombats 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

Dwarf sperm whale: escape artists

What 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. Th