This month, I speak to Milla Mihailova from Deakin University in Australia, who tells me about parrots with a particularly pungent stench. I get up close and personal with some black tailed prairie dogs, to find out why they can’t help following the leader. And, in the Scientific Spark I ask Lesley Morrell (@biosciencemum), from the University of Hull what made her want to be a biologist, and how she came to work on why animals live in groups, rather than enjoying the single life.

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A black-tailed prairie dog jump-yipping. Credit: Darlene Stack

Quicklinks:

Milla Mihailova's webpage
Prairie dog paper

Jim Hare's personal webpage

Lesley Morrell's University webpage

Jan 2014: Lesley Morrell, prairie dogs, and stinky parrots

Want to discover more about how animals navigate their environment, find food, court mates and raise young? Then subscribe to the Behavioural Ecology and Evolution Podcast: The Beepcast! Every month Dr. Hannah Rowland of ZSL &amp; Cambridge University brings you the newest, most fascinating research on the evolved behaviour of animals. Featuring interviews with emerging and established experts in animal behaviour from all over the world.

Natural Sciences

Science & Medicine

Social Sciences

Medicine

This month I meet some very polite deer who have a special way of asking for food. I discover why some plant nectars contain poisonous toxins. And in the scientific spark, I talk to Iain Couzin from the Max Planck Department of Collective Behaviour. Iain tells me what sparked his interest in becoming a scientist, and how, if his teachers had had their way, he might have been doing something entirely different. 


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Feeding a sika deer in Nara Park, Japan




Today I met the sika deer of #Nara #Japan who have learned to bow for treats. Seems to be a #sociallytransmitted #behaviour pic.twitter.com/jTedabe2hW
— Dr. Hannah Rowland (@HannahMRowland) October 1, 2017


Quicklinks:




Variation and social influence of bowing behavior by sika deer (Cervus nippon) in the journal Ethology
Patty Jone' lab webpage at Bowdoin
Patty's paper on the consequences of toxic secondary compounds in nectar for mutualist bees and antagonist butterflies.
Iain Couzin's Collective Behaviour Department


Oct 17: Iain Couzin's Scientific Spark, why do deer in Japan bow, and why are some plant nectars bitter?

This month I find out that animals should be careful when choosing a mate, picking a partner that matches them in quality, else they might face an early grave! I discover that a mutation in a taste receptor gene has helped macaques in Japan to become thieves. And in the scientific spark, I talk to Kate Umbers from the University of Western Sydney, who works on a variety of topics, mainly related to understanding the mechanisms, functions and evolution of biological colouration. She tells me what sparked her interest in becoming a scientist. 


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A Japanese Macaque munching on fruit (image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/gingiber/)


Quicklinks:


Becky Kilner's Burying Beetle Lab 
Burying Beetle paper in eLife 
Japanese Macaque taste receptor paper in PLOS One
Kate Umbers' lab page 

Sept 2015: Kate Umbers, burying beetle parental care, and tasteless monkey thieves

This month I hear how a wildlife park in Yorkshire is providing the perfect retirement setting for an old polar bear. I discover that social insects make trips to natures pharmacy to fight infections. And in the scientific spark, I talk to Patricia Brekke from the Zoological Society of London, who tells me about her research on the endangered new Zealand bird the Hihi, and what inspired her to become a scientist.


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Victor is Yorkshire Wildlife Park's polar bear. 

He is one of the biggest polar bears in Europe, weighing 500Kg

Quicklinks:

Yorkshire Wildlife Park's Project Polar Bear


Ants medicate to fight disease in the journal Evolution


Patricia Brekke from The Institute of Zoology at the Zoological Society of London




Aug 2015: ZSL Scientist Patricia Brekke, polar bear welfare at Yorkshire Wildlife Park, and self-medicating ants

This month I find out about sea ducks who enjoy a rather sophisticated fast food diet of mussels. I discover that horses horse around with lots of different facial expressions. And in the scientific spark, I talk to Johan Nilsson from the university of Lund, who researches the physiology and evolutionary ecology of birds. 


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What does this face say?!


Quicklinks:


EquiFACS: The Equine Facial Action Coding System


Elisabeth Varennes' research gate page


Johan Nilsson's research page



July 2015: Johan Nilson, sea ducks, and horse facial expressions

In this episode I discover that some species of coral reef fish change colour, and they do this to grab a sneaky meal! I also find out how moths find flowers in the dark. And in the scientific spark I talk
to Lucy Nash, who is commissioning editor for science at Oxford University
Press.



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Copyright © N Justin Marshall/Courtesy of University of Basel

Quicklinks:

Will Feeney's webpage


Fabio Cortesi's webpage


The dottyback paper in Current Biology


Hovering hawkmoth paper in science

Jan 2014: Lesley Morrell, prairie dogs, and stinky parrots

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