Life: Video extras: Five million hungry bats
Travelling to Zambia, Jenny Sharman and Richard Kirby of the Life team discuss the challenges of filming a colony of over five million bats. The OpenLearn team. So how does all this free learning...
View ArticleLife: Video extras: Silver langurs
The glorious silver langurs of Thailand get a visit from the Life team... The OpenLearn team. So how does all this free learning content make its way to you from the brains of Open University experts?...
View ArticleHedgehogs: Beating the odds
Hedgehog ecologist and campaigner, Hugh Warwick, talks to the Saving Species team in an extended interview, and offers an insight into the world of hedgehogs; from mysterious corn circles to marauding...
View ArticleThe beaver: nature's landscaper
In an extended interview, the Saving Species team talks to water vole specialist Derek Gow about how the beaver was hunted to near extinction, and why the animal can be helpful for conservation and...
View ArticleSaving the mountain gorilla
The Saving Species team hear from Ian Redmond on protecting mountain gorillas in Africa, including the deaths of Dian Fossey and Digit Ian Redmond. Ian Redmond is a tropical field biologist and...
View ArticleStudying mammals: The insect hunters
From pygmy shrews to armadillos, a wide range of mammals survive on a diet made up largely of insects. Many of these have fascinating adaptations suited to catching or rooting out their prey. In this...
View ArticleStudying mammals: Food for thought
Who were our ancestors? How are apes and humans related? And where does the extinct Homo erectus fit into the puzzle? In this unit we will examine culture, tool use and social structure in both apes...
View ArticleStudying mammals: Return to the water
Some of the most unusual and versatile of all the mammals are the groups that live, feed and reproduce underwater. In this unit we will see how these formerly land-based mammals adapted to a return to...
View ArticleStudying mammals: The opportunists
Many mammals are food specialists, with complex adaptations that gear them toward a particular food source. So how do the omnivores survive and prosper without these fancy evolutionary features? This...
View ArticleStudying mammals: A winning design
The term mammal encompasses a huge variety of animals, including humans. But what makes a mammal a mammal? This unit explores some of the features, such as reproduction, lactation and thermoregulation...
View ArticleStudying mammals: Meat eaters
The powerful and majestic carnivores are the focus of many television documentaries. In this unit we will delve into the lives of these fearsome hunters and explore their physical adaptations and...
View ArticleStudying mammals: Plant predators
From the mouse-deer to the elephant, plant eaters come in all shapes and sizes. But how do they manage to flourish on a salad diet? In this unit we will examine the special features that allow them to...
View ArticleStudying mammals: Chisellers
Ever wondered why rats, mice and squirrels seem to reproduce at such an alarming rate? Rodents are among the most successful of all the mammal groups. In this unit you will learn more about some of the...
View ArticleThe wild boar comes bounding back
The increasing wild boar population in the UK divides opinion. Listen to an interview with wild boar expert Martin Goulding, who discusses their effect on woodland ecology Martin Goulding. Martin...
View ArticleSchool activities: Evolutionary tree of mammals
This introduction to the evolution of mammals considers Darwin’s observations on mammals, and how he noticed that species fell into natural groups. The unit looks at evidence from fossils and DNA to...
View ArticleBritish bats: What's happening to their habitat?
Bat expert John Altringham discusses his fascination with bats and the implications of habitat destruction Professor John Altringham. John is Professor of Animal Ecology and Conservation at the...
View ArticleTracking bats by Blagdon Lake
Daniel Hargreaves takes the Saving Species team for a nighttime visit to the bats of Blagdon. Daniel Hargreaves. Daniel Hargreaves has been passionate about bats since his first encounter with the...
View ArticlePolar bears and sea ice
In this extended interview, find out about the relationship polar bears have with sea ice. Jon Aars. Jon is a research scientist, monitoring polar bears and their habitat.First published on Tue, 08 Jan...
View ArticleConserving large predators
Majestic or problematic? David MacDonald talks to Monty Don about conserving carnivores. Monty Don. Monty Don is a British television and radio presenter, writer and speaker on horticulture.First...
View ArticleScience Blue Pathway
Links to resources recommended by 'Pathways to Success in Higher Education' by The Open University in Wales. First published on Wed, 21 Jan 2015 as Science Blue Pathway. To find out more visit The...
View Article
