The Animal Sensemaker

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.

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 animal, every week to make sense of the world. Brought to you by Tortoise and On the EdgeYou can find out more about the Darwin frog here: https://www.ontheedge.org/edge-zine/article-species-spotlights-darwins-frog. To find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com

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 exists in the Cyclops Mountains. Species spotlight link from On the Edge:https://www.ontheedge.org/edge-zine/article-species-spotlight-echidnas If you’d like to learn more about the hunt for Attenborough’s echidna, click on the links below:https://www.expeditioncyclops.org/ https://expeditioncyclops.substack.com/ https://www.yappenda.eco/ https://www.biology.ox.ac.uk/people/james-kempton 

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 they managed to make countless comebacks?The Animal Sensemaker - one animal, every week to make sense of the world. Brought to you by Tortoise and On the Edge.Find out more about the Saiga Antelope: https://www.ontheedge.org/edge-zine/article-species-spotlight-saiga-antelope To find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com

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 flooding and droughts? You can find out more about the beaver here:https://www.ontheedge.org/edge-zine/article-species-spotlight-eurasian-beaverThe Animal Sensemaker - one animal, every week to make sense of the world. Brought to you by Tortoise and On the Edge.To find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com

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 "living fossils"?You can find out more about the Chinese giant salamander here: https://www.ontheedge.org/edge-zine/species-spotlight-chinese-giant-salamander?utm_campaign=The%20AnimalSensemaker?utm_medium=Partnerships?utm_source=TortoiseThe Animal Sensemaker - one animal, every week to make sense of the world. Brought to you by Tortoise and On the Edge.To find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com

 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 Sensemaker - one animal, every week to make sense of the world. Brought to you by Tortoise and On the Edge.You can find out more:Subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com

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 Animal Sensemaker - one animal, every week to make sense of the world. Brought to you by Tortoise and On the Edge.You can find out more about Tortoise:Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalistsSubscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentBecome a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and moreIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com

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 bouncing back…You can find out more about the harlequin toad here: https://www.ontheedge.org/edge-zine/article-species-spotlight-harlequin-toad?utm_campaign=TheAnimalSensemaker?utm_medium=Partnerships?utm_source=TortoiseThe Animal Sensemaker - one animal, every week to make sense of the world. Brought to you by Tortoise and On the Edge.You can find out more about Tortoise:Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalistsSubscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentBecome a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and moreIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com