Rté - Mooney Goes Wild

Eric Dempsey takes us on a Wader Safari on North Bull Island. Éanna ní Lámhna ventures into Killarney National Park looking for a rare fern. Terry Flanagan with a health check on the Blessington Street Basin Mute Swans. UCC student Debs Allbrook on the effect of 'selfies' on the reproduction rates among Gannets at Great Saltee Island.

Environmental scientist Rowan Byrne give us an update on the Sea-bins in Howth. Dr Elena Dreosti from University College London asks "Is Lockdown loneliness making us loners"? Terry Flanagan on Fallow Deer rutting season and Jonathan Williams from Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Mainz Gemany talks about his research into pigeons.

Marine Scientist Ken Whelan on Eels and the Saragossa Sea. Niall Hatch reports on the record breaking Bar-Tailed Godwit. Terry Flanagan answers listeners questions about Hedgehogs and scientists in Iceland discover a mutation in a human gene that makes the smell of fish less intense.

Topics up for discussion this week include: plant extinction, the Blessington Street Basin swans, killing sharks for Covid, Kilmacurragh Tours and the dangers of wild deer during mating season.

Wolves have suffered from centuries of demonisation – so talk of reintroduction and boosting their populations is inevitably met with resistance – with opponents particularly worried about the threat to livestock.

Fresh water pearl mussels. The Blessington Street swans. The proposed ban on lead shot for use in the hunting wetland birds and the foul mouthed parrots abusing visitors to Lincolnshire wildlife park.

This week Derek and gang take a look at the curious world of parasitic plants, the catastrophic decline of wildlife and the new survey of Clare Island.

On this week's show we take a look at Dragonfly numbers, Northern Fulmars and plastic pollution and Terry takes a look at Moths in Áras an Uachtaráin.

This week we have Skeletal Deconstruction at the Natural History Museum, Bats in Co. Laois and Curlew Chicks on the Shores of Lough Neagh.

Join Derek and friends for a special celebrating Ireland's beautiful waterways.

On today's programme , The language of Butterflies, Wendy Williams tells us about her new book. Terry Flanagan investigates the establishment of PAW an organisation set up to fight wildlife crime in Ireland and we hear about an ambitious project to rehome two captive Beluga Whales from a watery theme park in China to seawater sanctuary in Iceland.

Derek and Dr. Richard Collins embarked on a Linnaean pilgrimage in 2007, visiting Sweden and Holland to make a radio documentary on the great man.

We learn about the Otters on Dublin rivers, how scientists are using satellites to identify colonies of Emperor Penguins in Antarctica, we meet the Irish farmer who says that Dung Beetles are the farmers best friend and white-tailed sea eagle chicks in West Cork.

In this special edition of Mooney Goes Wild Derek travels to the picturesque village of Rühstädt in Germany.

Barry McMahon from UCD on controlling predators, Terry Flanagan spends a 'Day-cation' watching wildlife from a 'commercial' hide on a farm in Ballyfinn Co. Laois and Richard Collins hears about the campaign to ban Trophy Hunting from its founder Eduardo Gonçalves.

We meet the artist whose sculpture of Grey Herons was stolen from Cobh in County Cork. We learn about a new species of Mayfly to Ireland. Prof Emma Teeling on BATS potentially holding the key to unlocking the cure to COVID 19. We hear about a BUZZARD in Co Louth & Terry Flanagan explains why Swans often rest one leg on their back whilst swimming.

Terry reports on the Brown Booby that landed on the beach in Greystones. Derek meets two conservationists from New Zealand who are looking after the Roseate Tern Colony on Rockabill. Dr Richard Collins talks to James Morrissey about his book, THE BEES KNEES and Director of the Botanic Gardens Matthew Jebb on the Oak Processionary Moth.

This is the story of Hope also known as the Wexford Blue Whale which became stranded on Swanton Sandbank at the mouth of Wexford Harbour in 1891.

On today's programme we’re going to celebrate Ireland’s abundance of seabirds. As an island nation we have a coastline that measures 3,171 kilometres – with no fewer than 246 offshore islands – perfect habitats for the 24 species of seabird who breed and raise their young on our spectacular cliffs and islands.

Love them or hate them, there is no denying that Cuckoos are very special birds indeed.Their behaviour and lifecycle is utterly unlike that of any other Irish or European bird, and their song has long been celebrated as the very sound of summer itself.