Suzanne Hillcoat & the Great Barrier Reef's Dwarf Minke Whales

Australian wildlife is being devastated by this bushfire crisis, with at least 1 billion animals lost so far. But what happens when these fires go out – can our wildlife and their habitats recover? In this special report we chat wildlife experts Professor Christopher Dickman, Tim Faulkner and Chad Staples to find out what happens next for our animals. (Spoiler alert: there IS good news!)

Professor Christopher Dickman
By December, 480 million animals had lost their lives in the New South Wales fires alone – Professor Christopher Dickman is the globally acclaimed ecologist who originally calculated that number. He talks us through the possibility of extinction, the specific behaviours of fire-affected animals, how our city critters are coping with the smoke, and most inspiringly, explains how our bush will rebuild itself. He also talks about some pretty cool little animals you’ve probably never even heard of, as well as about what’s happening with our bats/flying foxes, potoroos, and the resilience of our wildlife.
Listen: 2:33 to 26.28

Tim Faulkner
Aussie Ark president Tim Faulkner explains what’s happening with our koalas. Before the fire they were already in real trouble due to habitat loss, with experts predicting they were on the trajectory to be extinct by 2050. We’ll need to think laterally to help them bounce back. Thankfully, Tim and his team have just the thing to help them do that, and to also keep them safe for decades to come – the Koala Ark project.
Listen: 26:28 to 39:03

Chad Staples
Chad Staples has long been one of Australia’s favourite wildlifers thanks to his epic work at Featherdale. Now working as the Director of Mogo Wildlife Park, Chad and his team rescued Mogo’s 200+ animals  – including everything from giraffes to lemurs to big cats – when the 31,000-hectare Clyde Mountain blaze threatened their home on New Year’s Eve. In this interview, Chad reveals how the rescue unfolded, and he also shares some exciting plans for the park in the wake of this crisis.
Listen: 39:03 to 51:55

What You Can Do
In the months to come we may still encounter animals with burns and fire-related illnesses, so our mate Denis Duggan shares WIRES’ practical tips on how you can help them.
Listen: 51:55 to 53:18

If you’d like to get involved and/or show your support, here’s where to get started:  Mogo Wildlife Park, Aussie Ark’s koala project, Wildlife Victoria, WIRES (NSW only), Kangaroo Island’s Dunnarts, Kangaroo Island's Koalas & Wildlife. See Faunographic for info.

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There’s no one else on Earth like Dr Jane Goodall. After all, she’s not only won countless awards for her decades-spanning conservation work, but her work with chimpanzees has actually changed the way we see both animals and humans.

At 85 years young, Dr Jane is still working hard, travelling 300 days of the year to share her important message of hope, and to support her Roots and Shoots program – an innovative approach to conservation that’s enabling young folks to be the change our planet needs.

In this episode, the finale for Season 2 of Wild Lives, Dr Jane introduces us to the chimpanzee that changed her life, David Greybeard; reveals what she’s learnt about the environment, climate change and the importance of education and local action; and reveals exactly how she wants to be remembered.  

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As poaching decimates wildlife populations across Africa, determined people are stepping up to intervene – including the Black Mambas, the world’s first women’s only anti-poaching unit, who patrol and protect South Africa’s Balule Nature Reserve.

Through their surveillance and sophisticated monitoring techniques, the Mambas are the first line of defence in the war against poaching – but unlike the armed units who work alongside them, these incredible women carry no weapons, patrolling 20km on foot each day to ensure the reserve’s wildlife is protected.
The Mambas believe the poaching crisis will not be solved through violence,
but instead through empowerment and education, and their commitment to the cause is inspiring.

This episode of Wild Lives was recorded live in Balule, where we go on both night and morning patrols with Black Mamba rangers Mirren, Q and Goodness. Their strength, humility and determination will give you hope for wildlife – and us.

Please note: A large part of this episode was recorded live in the field, so the sound can be patchy in places. The night-patrol audio is a little challenging, because we're driving through the bush in an open 4WD, so you'll hear some distortion due to wind, along with bouncy car suspension, etc, especially around 11:00 to 16:35. BUT I know you'll be able to ignore those iffy bits because what these women have to say is solid gold!

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In this fun episode, National Parks and Wildlife Ranger Mel Tyas introduces us to one of Sydney’s best-kept secrets – the endangered colony of wild Little Penguins of Manly, in the heart of Australia’s biggest city. The smallest of all penguins, these tiny, endearing critters have called Manly home for decades, and theirs is the only breeding colony on the NSW mainland, making them extra unique. Ranger Mel spends her days working alongside and protecting these beloved seabirds in the Sydney Harbour area, and in this episode she reveals their history, behaviours and challenges, and also shares some of her favourite penguin tales (including one about a fella who swam nearly 2000km from Sydney to Adelaide!?!).

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Boston’s Stellwagen Bank Marine Sanctuary is home to a stack of sea icons, including the humpback and minke whale, oceanic sunfish (mola mola) and great white shark – and it’s also home to artist and naturalist Rich Dolan, who spends his days at sea documenting the creatures who thrive in this unique part of the world.

Through his innovative art and sculpture project, Tails of Stellwagen, Rich records each individual animals’ distinguishing patterns, helping both researchers and enthusiasts alike to identify, track and appreciate these mysterious leviathans.

And, as a naturalist with countless hours at sea, Rich has had some pretty amazing encounters with all kinds of critters – so while he was visiting Down Under we got him to tell us his best tales of Stellwagen.

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Time magazine named Ian McAllister one of the ‘Leaders of the 21st Century’ – which is no surprise when you hear how committed he is to the unique wilderness he calls his office, Canada’s Great Bear Rainforest.

As an award-winning photographer, celebrated author, IMAX film-maker and co-founder of Pacific Wild, Ian’s spent decades in the field getting to know everything from spirit bears to sea wolves and grizzlies.

Plus, his adventures in the Great Bear Sea have revealed an epic ecosystem filled not only with iconic whales, dolphins, pinnipeds and kelp forests, but also a delicate environment where the balance rests on the future of salmon – the source of life in this truly special part of the world.

In this episode of Wild Lives, Ian’s stories of adventure, discovery and life lessons will both inspire and entertain you.

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UK-based naturalist and wildlife photographer James Rogerson’s adventures with Scotland’s otters and England’s badgers make for some fantastic stories in this episode of Wild Lives.

Everyone loves an otter, and James’ wild close encounters with them have given him a unique insight into these secretive little guys’ lives – from their innovative hunting tactics to their endearing playtime habits, James has seen and photographed it all.

Closer to his home in central England, James has spent years photographing badgers as they live in and alongside urban environments – no easy task considering they’re secretive, very wary of humans and are being culled across England. James’ time with badgers has revealed their playful behaviours and rich social lives, giving him a rare glimpse into their wild world – and some fascinating tales to share.

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Expedition diver, oceans explorer, acclaimed film-maker and photographer Julia Sumerling has spent a couple of decades discovering Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, and her knowledge of this World Heritage environment is eclipsed only by her passion for it.

Over the years she’s completed at least 10,000 dives – and at least 9000 of these were solo missions, so she’s had plenty of opportunities to form friendships with the reef’s dwarf minke whales, turtles, potato cods, thresher sharks, stingrays, guitar fish and a stack of other intriguing sea creatures. Her regular expeditions to the ribbon reefs of the Coral Sea and the Yongala Wreck have given her a unique perspective on life, and her hilarious, inspiring stories will have you reaching for your snorkel, asap!

Bonus: this legendary photographer also shares her best underwater photography tips (you’re welcome!).

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Naturalist Justin Hawco presents a bird’s eye view of Newfoundland, Canada – an extraordinary wilderness famous for its 10,000-year-old icebergs, rugged coastline and the 35 million seabirds who flock to the Witless Bay area. As Justin’s discovered on his countless adventures, this is a place where seabirds go beak to beak in one of the planet’s most extreme environments; where even the most innocent-looking feathery friends are plotting mayhem. In this episode of the Wild Lives podcast, Justin reveals the secret lives of puffins and the sinister habits of northern gannets, plus he introduces us to blackback gulls, auks, and more. And, if you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to get beaten up by ‘the clown of the sea’, Justin’s your guy!

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Sperm whales are one of the most mysterious creatures on the planet – sure, they’re the largest toothed animals on Earth, but you’ve got to be pretty lucky to see them (especially because they can hold their breath for up to 2 hours!). Miranda Van Der Linde made her own luck by becoming a marine biologist and scoring a sperm whale research gig in the Azores. In this episode of Wild Lives, Miranda’s stories will give you goosebumps on your goosebumps as she recalls watching all kinds of fascinating behaviours (including seeing them give birth)! She also reveals how they received such an unfortunate name, the secret ways they communicate, and why their vomit is worth a fortune.

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