Sing Like a Whale
from The Wild Bits Show
This week on The Wild Bits Show, we explore if a melody can change the fate of a species? We dive deep into the incredible true story of how haunting recordings of humpback whale songs in the 1970s captivated the world and helped pull these giants back from the brink of extinction. We explore the emotional power of bioacoustics and ask if similar global movements could save today’s most vulnerable creatures. The conversation then shifts to a crisis in the Andaman Sea, where Thailand’s dugongs are mysteriously vanishing due to starving seagrass meadows. We also unpack a controversial conservation project in India, where a center meant to save these “sea cows” might be built on the very ecosystem they need to survive. From the ocean depths to the barnyard, we witness a scientific first: a cow named Veronica who has mastered the art of tool use. Plus, we cover a massive global shift in seaweed blooms, a tiny new mammal discovery in Ethiopia, the heartbreaking saga of Canada’s captive belugas, and how AI is being used to prevent human-wildlife conflict in India. Join us for a journey through the wonders and warnings of the natural world.
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- 0:00 Chapters
- 0:08 Intro
- 1:36 These unearthly whale songs helped save humpbacks from extinction
- 32:19 Looking for Miracle: why have so many dugongs gone missing from Thailand’s shores?
- 48:17 Expert Appraisal Committee insists on eco-friendly redesign for dugong conservation centre at Manora in Thanjavur district
- 59:21 Scientists warn of ‘regime shift’ as seaweed blooms expand worldwide
- 1:12:47 Canada aquarium that threatened to kill its whales wants to sell them to US
- 1:27:58 Watch Veronika the brown cow pick up a rake to scratch herself—a scientific first
- 1:41:45 Tiny mammal the weight of a sugar cube discovered in Ethiopian highlands – and it's totally new to science
- 1:45:11 MoU signed for real-time AI elephant alert system to mitigate human-wildlife conflict in Kerala
- 1:47:32 2025 was third-warmest year on record, research shows
- 1:50:25 Colombia poised for another drop in deforestation in 2025, data show
- 1:57:44 Outro
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