Page 88 - BBC Wildlife Volume 36 #04

Liz meets Sam, a peacock
who has learned to lure
the ladies by faking a
successful mating hoot.

TV

CHOICE

Method in the misbehaviour

Many species will go to great lengths to survive – but is it all as bad as it seems?

Animals Behaving Badly behind their scandalous ways. “Natural youngsters to use as peace offerings to
TV BBC One history TV often showcases animals in all disgruntled dominants; and long-tailed
Due to air in spring/summer. See RT for details.
their glory – we wanted to show another manakins are shameless back-stabbers,
The natural world is full of animals that we side, in which they break all the rules and do pairing up with subordinates to perform
could be forgiven for describing as ‘naughty’. whatever it takes to survive,” says producer- extravagant courtship displays, only to claim
And we’re not talking about scuffles at bird director Joanne Ashman. “When researching the females for themselves.
tables or pinching the odd bit of food. We’re our stories, we were asking experts to share Notorious it all sounds, but there is
talking about creatures that cheat, vandalise the very ‘worst’ things that animals do.” method in the mischief. Polyandry on the
and deceive; that double-cross their allies, When it comes to breeding (part one), the prairie ensures not only a higher chance of
incite wars and – gasp – snatch babies from stakes are particularly high, with both males conception, but greater genetic diversity in
their mothers’ arms. Indeed, the animal and females deploying all sorts of roguish the ensuing offspring; baby-snatching is a
kingdom is a hotbed of tactics to ensure their social rather than aggressive response to
scoundrels who will stop at WE WERE genes are passed on. conflict, resulting in a safer arena for raising
nothing to overcome life’s The female Gunnison’s young (and panic not – infants are returned
great challenges: mating, ` ASKING prairie dog, for instance, to their mothers); and the double-crossing
feeding and surviving. EXPERTS FOR is something of a dancers contribute, in the long run, to
Presented by biologist philanderer, seeking as building reputable display-grounds that their
Liz Bonnin, this new series THE VERY ‘WORST’ many partners as possible deputies will one day inherit. “Many species
in her annual, six-hour
have quirky, characteristic survival strategies,”
criss-crosses the globe to
Stuart Dunn/BBC bring us the naughtiest THINGS THAT mating window; male says Joanne. “I hope this series helps people
ANIMALS DO.”
barbary macaques have
to see animals in a new light – nature can still
creatures of them all,
a habit of kidnapping
delving into the science
surprise us.” Sarah McPherson
88 BBC Wildlife April 2018