Look at Me

In the 1950s Dr Penelope Greenslade became one of the few women to study at Cambridge University. She then travelled to Solomon Islands where her love affair with the springtail began, a tiny acrobatic animal that you’ll find almost everywhere in Australia but have probably never recognised Rain reveals the creatures that walk on water

This marsupial mouse enters its first mating season with a thirty-fold increase in testosterone. It copulates at a frenetic rate, only to collapse afterwards, dying from its exertions. But now climate change is posing a much more serious threat to the species than sex

Imagine outsourcing childcare to a nest of ants? This may not be the best idea for humans but a certain insect is making it work. Now the Eltham copper butterfly’s amazing use of surrogate ant parents has attracted human fans who are using a song to try to save it from extinction

When we think of the effects of climate change it’s easy to focus on rising sea levels – but what about the changes happening much higher up? At Mount Hotham in Victoria a unique creature spends months under the snow: Australia’s only hibernating marsupial, the mountain pygmy possum. This tiny animal was once thought extinct. Now, zoos and ski-resorts are doing everything they can to keep it alive, but it faces a changing climate, which may create insurmountable challenges

If you’ve ever travelled to an Australian desert, you may have been in the presence of one of Australia’s most elusive marsupials. The Anangu people call it the itjaritjari but it is more commonly known as the marsupial mole – even though it is not actually a mole. Living entirely underground, this eye-less creature with pincer-like limbs has mostly defied scientific study until one scientist decided to bury some microphones ... Benjamin Law talks to Chris McCormack about his trip to Uluru in pursuit of this remarkable animal

In episode two of Guardian Australia’s Look at Me podcast, we head to the south eastern plains of Australia – home to one of the rarest birds in the world, the plains-wanderer. Its habitat has been decimated by agriculture, but now some farmers are putting the bird’s survival before profit and becoming key figures in its conservation

Forget the kangaroo and koala. Our new podcast dives deep into the world of Australian animals, looking beyond the old favourites to the most unusual, rare and fascinating wildlife found down under. Join host Benjamin Law as he learns about their amazing lives and hears from people who have formed a special connection to these animals.