What The Duck?!

For around 700 years scientists observed same-sex pairings in as many as 1500 different species, but didn't record or publish their findings due to public perceptions.
Now research is catching up and many papers on queer behaviour in nature have been published in the past two decades.
This discussion was recorded live at Mardi Gras 2026 and presented by the Royal Zoological Society of NSW for Wildlife at the Watering Hole.
Featuring :
Daphne Willemsen, behavioural ecologist, PhD candidate at the University of NSW
Lucien Alperstein, microbial ecologist, PhD candidate at the University of NSW
Dr Caitlin Creak, behavioural ecologist and arachnologist, University of NSW
Cody Williams, marine biologist, PhD candidate at the University of NSW
With research by Neve Kelly, geneticist, PhD candidate at the University of NSW
Production:
Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer
Rebecca McLaren, Producer
Hamish Camilleri, Sound Engineer
Recording by Harvey O'Sullivan
This episode of What the Duck?! was recorded and produced on the lands of the Eora and Kulin Nations.
Find more episodes of the ABC podcast, What the Duck?! with the always curious Dr Ann Jones exploring the mysteries of nature on ABC Listen (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. You'll learn more about the weird and unusual aspects of our natural world in a quirky, fun way with easy to understand science.

Sex comes at a cost, there's energy, time, risks of predators, and diseases… so do we even need it?
Asexual organisms don't seem to miss the dating scene, and yet here we are putting a whole lot of energy into sex, even when it doesn't lead to babies when same sexes attract.
Of course, sex is a chance to genetically repair faults and outrun threats, but is the pay-off really enough?
Sex is Weird is a series of What the Duck?! with Dr Ann Jones following the sexual evolution of the animal kingdom.
Please note that this program contains adult themes and explicit language. Parental guidance is recommended.
Featuring:
Associate Professor Kevin Teather, Author, The Evolution of Sex
Assistant Professor Amanda Gibson, University of Virginia
Professor Joseph Heitman, Duke University
Professor Jenny Graves, La Trobe University
Production:
Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer
Petria Ladgrove, Producer
Additional mastering: Isabella Tropiano
This episode of What the Duck?! was originally broadcast in 2024 and was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and the Kaurna people.
Find more episodes of the ABC podcast, What the Duck?! with the always curious Dr Ann Jones exploring the mysteries of nature on ABC Listen (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. You'll learn more about the weird and unusual aspects of our natural world in a quirky, fun way with easy to understand science.

It turns out not everyone was listening when it was written 'it takes two to tango' and some species can go it alone in their quest to reproduce. And then there's the plants that decided THREE or ONE was for them, never an even number.
Why is sex so… suspiciously complicated?
Sex is Weird is a series of What the Duck?! with Dr Ann Jones following the sexual evolution of the natural world.
Please note that this program contains adult themes and explicit language. Parental guidance is recommended.
Featuring:
Dr Meredith Lake, Presenter, Soul Search ABC Radio National
Dr Michael Whitehead, Evolutionary Ecologist
Libby Eyre, Biologist, Macquarie University
Associate Professor Andrew Durso, Florida Gulf Coast University, Florida
Professor Michael Kearney, University of Melbourne
Dr Christine Dudgeon, University of Queensland
Production:
Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer
Petria Ladgrove, Producer
Additional mastering: Isabella Tropiano
This episode of What the Duck?! was originally broadcast in 2024 and was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and the Kaurna people.
Find more episodes of the ABC podcast, What the Duck?! with the always curious Dr Ann Jones exploring the mysteries of nature on ABC Listen (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. You'll learn more about the weird and unusual aspects of our natural world in a quirky, fun way with easy to understand science.

What is the role of pleasure in successful reproduction?
Evolution says it's mightily important: every female vertebrate has a clitoris.
Snakes have two!
Female pleasure has been selected for.
Making sex fun and pleasurable is a biologically sensible thing to do, more sex means more potential babies.
Some studies of pigs and dairy cows have found an increase of up to 6% in successful conception when the females are stimulated during artificial insemination.
Sex is Weird is a series of What the Duck?! with Dr Ann Jones following the sexual evolution of the animal kingdom.
Please note that this program contains adult themes and explicit language. Parental guidance is recommended.
Featuring:
Dr Bruno Buzatto, Flinders University, South Australia
Lynette Greenwood, Dairy farmer, Victoria
Associate Professor Andrew Durso, Florida Gulf Coast University, Florida
Lucy Cooke, Author and Film maker
Associate Professor Patty Brennan, Mount Holyoke College, Massachusetts, US
Emeritus Professor Susan Suarez, Cornell University, New York
Production:
Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer
Petria Ladgrove, Producer
Additional mastering: Isabella Tropiano
This episode of What the Duck?! was originally broadcast in 2024 and was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and the Kaurna people.
Find more episodes of the ABC podcast, What the Duck?! with the always curious Dr Ann Jones exploring the mysteries of nature on ABC Listen (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. You'll learn more about the weird and unusual aspects of our natural world in a quirky, fun way with easy to understand science.

What is the role of pleasure in successful reproduction?
Evolution says it's mightily important: every female vertebrate has a clitoris.
Snakes have two!
Female pleasure has been selected for.
Making sex fun and pleasurable is a biologically sensible thing to do, more sex means more potential babies.
Some studies of pigs and dairy cows have found an increase of up to 6% in successful conception when the females are stimulated during artificial insemination.
Sex is Weird is a series of What the Duck?! with Dr Ann Jones following the sexual evolution of the animal kingdom.
Please note that this program contains adult themes and explicit language. Parental guidance is recommended.
Featuring:
Dr Bruno Buzatto, Flinders University, South Australia
Lynette Greenwood, Dairy farmer, Victoria
Associate Professor Andrew Durso, Florida Gulf Coast University, Florida
Lucy Cooke, Author and Film maker
Associate Professor Patty Brennan, Mount Holyoke College, Massachusetts, US
Emeritus Professor Susan Suarez, Cornell University, New York
Production:
Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer
Petria Ladgrove, Producer
Additional mastering: Isabella Tropiano
This episode of What the Duck?! was originally broadcast in 2024 and was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and the Kaurna people.
Find more episodes of the ABC podcast, What the Duck?! with the always curious Dr Ann Jones exploring the mysteries of nature on ABC Listen (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. You'll learn more about the weird and unusual aspects of our natural world in a quirky, fun way with easy to understand science.