The Research Behind the Documentaries
Sexual reproduction can be quite a tricky process, involving an array of selective pressures that produce intriguing behaviors across species. Male-male competition is one common form of sexual selection and includes a variety of processes, such as direct combat. For example, look at the male-male competition that occurs within the wild ass populations of the... Continue Reading →
Humpbacks: From Fire to Ice provide viewers a unique look into the reproductive strategies of humpback whales across the Pacific Ocean. Just like birds, these whales use song to attract potential mates. All males near Hawaii sing the same song, and this song starts to vary over time. Sometimes a young male can even tag... Continue Reading →
It’s hard to get the girl. In the case of the marvelous spatuletail hummingbird (Loddigesia mirabilis), males need more than just pretty looks — they need stamina, as shown in Episode 5 of David Attenborough’s Life Season 1. Males of this species are unique in one particular feature: their spatules (or rackets) [1]. The male... Continue Reading →
In Season 1, Episode 4 of the Hunt, Attenborough describes how Magnificent Frigatebirds, Fregata manificens, take the opportunity to snatch flyingfishes when these poor fishes glide over the sea to avoid predation by mahi-mahi, the dolphinfish. Interestingly, as seabirds, frigatebirds seldom touch the ocean, because their feathers are not waterproof [1]. However, they can travel... Continue Reading →
There are many misconceptions regarding the physiology of one of the most bizarre denizens of Africa’s plains: giraffes. First and foremost amongst these misconceptions is the origin behind the giraffe’s elongated necks. Several different theories exist to explain this physiological oddity, though none of them have been conclusively proven as the primary reason for the... Continue Reading →
In episode 1 of David Attenborough’s Natural Curiosities Season 1, one sees chameleons change their colors to either camouflage or communicate. Through multiple experiments, researchers observed a common sequence of defensive behaviors that the chameleons employed. They would first slowly turn behind the branch that they were perched upon to further hide themselves; then they... Continue Reading →
The Draco Lizard appears in Episode 3 of Planet Earth II Season 1. In the documentary, Attenborough describes how Draco lizards can fly up to 30 meters at a stretch to avoid combat or search for food. In this particular instance in the documentary, a Draco lizard is shown surveying a tree for food. However,... Continue Reading →
