Wild Tales | Nature Podcast

How can a golf course become a place for nature and people to thrive? Ajay Tegala visits Sandilands in Lincolnshire over its first year as the once manicured lawns transform into a wetland habitat. But with one of the driest springs on record, can Sandilands go from one birdie to another? Will there be enough water for wading birds return?  [Ad] Wild Tales is sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, your outside retailer and epic guides to adventure. Quick breathers, calming walks or heart-pounding hikes. We feel better when we get out more. Find quality kit and 50 years of o...

What happened to the animals who served in the First World War?  Uncover the extraordinary story of Warrior the war horse who survived the Western Front. General Jack Seely's horse, Warrior, was anything but ordinary. He carried his master through some of World War One's most brutal battles, including the Somme, Ypres and Passchendaele. Despite more than eight million horses, donkeys and mules losing their lives during the war, Warrior somehow survived. Join General Jack Seely's grandson and broadcaster, Brough Scott and historian, James Grasby, to retrace Warrior's incredible journey.  [Ad] Wild Tales is spo...

Is your cat the devil in disguise? Probably not, although they may act like it sometimes! But once upon a time, they would have been accused of luring you into witchcraft. In Britain in the 16th and 17th centuries witch hunting became an obsession and supposed ‘witches’ were put on trial, and some were even sentenced to death.Being an animal lover was considered a sure sign that someone was practicing witchcraft. Friendliness towards cats, rabbits or dogs could lead to accusations of witchcraft, as these animals, known as familiars, were suspected of working for the...

A new series of Ranger Rae and the Wildlifers is here. Awooo!  Follow the adventures of Ranger Rae and the Wildlifers, a crew of colourful creatures who use their skills to solve curious cases.  Beaver’s a super engineer. Sleepy Bat’s skill is sonar. Wildcat’s a proud predator. Deer’s strong and speedy. Fox has a nose for trouble. Shy Mole’s an expert digger, and Dragonfly’s always buzzing. In Series Two, 12-year old Roxy has finally become a real Wildlifer and can talk to animals. But she's got a lot to learn to be a...

Taiwan is known for its technology — from the chips that power our phones to the satellites orbiting above us, but just beyond the city of Hsinchu, there’s a small forest that tells a different story. Trust in Nature Foundation Taiwan is Taiwan’s first environmental charitable trust — a place where protected wildlife and local communities are working side by side to protect some of the island’s natural habitats. In this episode presented by Rosie Holdsworth, producer Jesse Edbrooke visits the people caring for this forest, meet the protected animals that live there, and explore how conserv...

Warning: This episode contains the unusual mating habits of spiders. Autumn is the time for spiders, and the colder months mean our eight-legged friends are searching for something vital: sex. Join arachnologist Anna Maka and author and broadcaster Lucy Cooke to uncover the fascinating and freaky sex lives of spiders and what it teaches us about evolution itself. [Ad] Wild Tales is sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, your outside retailer and epic guides to adventure. Quick breathers, calming walks or heart-pounding hikes. We feel better when we get out more. Find quality kit and 50 years of out...

Join producer and barge dweller Marnie as she leaves London’s canals behind to explore the Wey Navigations. Along the way, she meets the people who care for it, discovers its wildlife, and finds out why this waterway matters so much to so many.[Ad] Wild Tales is sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, your outside retailer and epic guides to adventure.  Quick breathers, calming walks or heart-pounding hikes. We feel better when we get out more.  Find quality kit and 50 years of outdoor wisdom. Plus, supporters save 15% in-store and online. Feel in your element, in the e...

On 20th July 1969 the world watched as humans first set foot on the Moon. More than half a century on, the view of Earth from space has given rise to a profound idea: the Overview Effect — the shift in perspective that astronauts experience when they see our planet from orbit. From 250 miles above, the Earth appears as a fragile, glowing sphere suspended in the darkness of space. Borders vanish, noise falls silent, and what remains is a single, shared home.But what happens when astronauts return to Earth and can never see the world in qu...

In 2018 a team of intrepid explorers came in to the possession of a treasure map - one which would see them venture half way around the world to the Australian island of Tasmania.  Those explorers were a team of garden experts from across the UK and Ireland who were now on a historic mission to save and catalogue plants for the benefit of people and the planet. Following in the footsteps of the historic plant hunters, find out what was in store for the team of modern-day collectors and how natural history has helped to shape g...

On 10th August 1925 the Farne Islands came into the care of the National Trust. A hundred years on and this wildlife haven off the coast of Northumberland is home to a breeding colony of 23 different species of seabirds.   But perhaps its most colourful characters, in looks as well as behaviour, are the 15,000 pairs of puffins that return to the Farne Islands to breed in the spring and summer months each year. Join Rosie and Rangers Dan Iceton and Tom Hendry on a unique quest to uncover the secret lives of the Farne Islands' feisty puffin p...

The UK’s largest bird of prey is making a comeback.  It’s now possible to spot white-tailed eagles, or sea eagles, as they’re also known, in many parts of the country thanks to an ongoing re-introduction programme.  Join Ranger Rosie Holdsworth as she sets out with Forestry England’s Steve Egerton-Read, a pair of binoculars, and a lot of hope, as they try and spot them on the Isle of Wight.  [Ad] Wild Tales is sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, your outside retailer and epic guides to adventure.  Quick breathers, calming walks or heart-pounding hikes. We feel better w...

Every summer, swifts return to our skies, screaming overhead in joyful, acrobatic flight. But behind their spectacular aerial displays lies a stark reality: these much-loved birds are in serious decline. Join ranger Rosie Holdsworth in Sheffield as she meets two swift lovers doing everything they can to keep them flying high.  [Ad] Wild Tales is sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, your outside retailer and epic guides to adventure.  Quick breathers, calming walks or heart-pounding hikes. We feel better when we get out more.  Find quality kit and 50 years of outdoor wisdom. Plus, supporters save 15% in-store and...

Bioluminescent tides are often described as the northern lights of the ocean.   Marine biologist, Dr Yasmin Meeda, has only witnessed this natural phenomenon once. She says seeing bioluminescence is one of the most magical things she’s ever experienced.   Yaz takes us into the strange world of bioluminescent life to meet the species whose bodies light up from the inside, due to a chemical reaction. From bioluminescent tides caused by microscopic dinoflagellates to angler fish and glow worms, uncover nature's light displays in the dark.  [Ad] Wild Tales is sponsored by Cotswol...

How did two beetles cause a gay panic?  There's much more to a cockchafer or ‘maybug’ than meets the eye. Join ecologist, Connor Butler, to find out more about what these charismatic creatures can teach us about science, humanity and the fluidity of the natural world. Discover more:    You can find out more about Connor’s work and the queer ecology walks here: https://www.connorbutler.co.uk/ To visit Osterley Park and House and gardens, or to find out more about its spectacular grounds, find out more here: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/lond...

Wild Talk: In this bonus episode Ajay chats with wildlife legend Chris Packham about their shared love of birds.  After 3 weeks of filming Springwatch at the Longshaw Estate, Ajay wants to hear more about the stunning cast of characters on this year's show.   In particular, the black and white birds that choose to spend their summer here: the migrant pied flycatchers.   Ajay meets Chris for a walk on the Springwatch set where they share their passion for birds, birding and what we must do to help wildlife.   Production:  Host: Ajay Tegala Produce...

There’s not a lot better than getting out in nature and it’s something Linda Stuart realised 40 years ago. She visits Packwood House and Garden almost daily to get a nature fix, and credits it with getting her through some really challenging times. Join Linda as she shares her story with Heather Birkett. [Ad] Wild Tales is sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, your outside retailer and epic guides to adventure.    Quick breathers, calming walks or heart-pounding hikes. We feel better when we get out more.    Find quality kit and 50 years of outdoor wisdom. Plus, suppo...

It’s the 1980s and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise has burst onto the scene, scoring millions of young fans.   Half-human, half-turtle fighters Donatello, Leonardo, Raphael and Michelangelo originated as comic book characters before spawning phenomenally popular films and cartoons.  But “turtlemania” also inadvertently sparked a pet craze that ultimately led to an invasive species problem.  Red-eared terrapins were a particularly popular pet. But many people didn’t realise they would grow from a matchbox-sized hatchling to a dinner-plate sized adult that lives for more than 40 years.     As a result a significant number of fres...

On September 27th 2023, the famous Sycamore Gap tree in Northumberland was felled overnight in an act of vandalism, triggering a far-reaching wave of shock and sorrow. Join Heather Birkett, as she goes behind the scenes to explore the enduring impact of this beloved landmark, the aftermath of its loss, and the community’s efforts to preserve its memory. This episode has been updated from an previous release; National Trust Podcast - Sycamore Gap |One Year on[Ad] Wild Tales is sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, your outside retailer and epic guides to adventure.  Quick breathers, calm...

When Ajay Tegala discovers that chaffinches, a small songbird, have a different accent every 30 miles, he’s intrigued. However, under threat from disease these birds are dying out in urban areas, and their unique urban songs may be lost for ever. But all is not lost. There's a way to find out how this disease is spreading...by recording their song.    Follow Ajay and ecologist and UKYouth4Nature advocate Şeniz Mustafa as they search for this disappearing birdsong. To send Joe a chaffinch recording:   Identify a chaffinch. You can use apps like Merlin to help you make...

It’s the mid-1800s and pteridomania – or fern frenzy – is the new big craze.  Across the UK, plant enthusiasts are heading into the countryside to pick all the prized specimens they can find.  And fern fans far and wide are avidly creating collections and displays of the leafy green plants to show off.  Uncover the truth about this Victorian phenomenon and how it influenced our love of house plants.  But who were the pteridomaniacs? What did ferns secretly symbolise about young women and sex? And how can we learn from the conservati...