{"id":28302,"date":"2023-06-01T15:29:22","date_gmt":"2023-06-01T13:29:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/?post_type=purple_issue&p=28302"},"modified":"2023-06-01T18:28:45","modified_gmt":"2023-06-01T16:28:45","slug":"q-a-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/2023\/06\/01\/q-a-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Q & A"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Q &<\/span> A<\/h2>\n\n

Email your questions to wildquestions@immediate.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n\n

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Toads move by walking rather than hopping and \u2013 as seen here \u2013 can scale a tree trunk! <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Can common toads climb trees? <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n
AMY ARTHUR ANSWERS<\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

Surprisingly, yes! While we usually think of toads as slow and lumbering animals, it appears they\u2019re capable of climbing to great heights. A recent study of nest boxes and tree cavities in Britain found 50 common toads sitting comfortably up in the trees, with one as high as 3m above ground. A toad\u2019s arboreal adventures are probably much more frequent than you might imagine, given that the same study recorded 94 blue tits, a common sight on tree branches. <\/p>\n\n

It\u2019s thought that toads use their fingers and toes to grip onto the tree bark as they climb, and they\u2019re able to scale relatively flat, large trunks as well as small, near-vertical trees. Why they\u2019d want to go through the effort of climbing, researchers aren\u2019t sure, but it could be to escape their non-climbing predators, such as the barred grass snake. It may also offer new opportunities for catching prey, with a toad\u2019s favourite food \u2013 live insects \u2013 in abundance. <\/p>\n\n

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Dandelions have an ingenious way of protecting their seedheads <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

How do dandelions propagate? <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n
JOSHUA STYLES ANSWERS<\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

We often think of plants as inanimate, lifeless objects in the landscape, when that couldn\u2019t be further from the truth. Plants are vibrant, living, breathing creatures, forever finding ways to get the edge on their competition and avoid predation. <\/p>\n\n

In order to attract as many pollinators as possible, dandelions throw their flowers high into the air during spring, but when flowering is finished and seeds begin to develop inside the old flowering head, this presents a problem. Developing dandelion seeds are a favourite spring foodstuff for lots of birds \u2013 especially finches, which will pry open flowering heads.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

So once a dandelion has flowered, to avoid voracious predators, its stem will go limp and hug the ground to keep developing seeds out of sight. Only when the seeds are ripe do they throw up their stems, exposing seeds to the next gust of wind that will aid their dispersal. Isn\u2019t nature incredible? <\/p>\n\n

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Bonnethead sharks can procreate via \u2018virgin births\u2019 <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Can some vertebrates reproduce without males? <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n
JOANNA BAGNIEWSKA ANSWERS<\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

While we tend to associate vertebrates with a rather traditional mode of reproduction \u2013 mum and dad mating to produce young \u2013 some animals seem to believe that fathers are an unnecessary folly. More than 80 or so vertebrate species are happy to forsake males altogether, opting for one of three unisexual approaches. <\/p>\n\n

Firstly, there\u2019s parthenogenesis. This is when females produce eggs that develop without fertilisation. Also known as \u2018virgin birth\u2019, this mode is used by, among others, certain sharks, geckos, and Komodo dragons. Secondly, there\u2019s gynogenesis, which is very similar to parthenogenesis, but this time a sperm cell is needed to activate egg development. Gynogenetic mole salamanders resort to stealing sperm from males of related species; they use it to kick-start their egg production, and then discard it. Finally, hybridogenesis is when an egg is fertilised, but male genes are not passed on to subsequent generations. It\u2019s seen, for instance, in water frogs and some fish. <\/p>\n\n

All in all, unisexual vertebrates take girl power to a new dimension. <\/p>\n\n

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Snails play host to a type of parasitic worm <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

Are there any sociable worms? <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n
STUART BLACKMAN ANSWERS<\/span> <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

The word \u2018worm\u2019 covers a disparate array of invertebrates that are grouped together informally on the basis of their elongated, limbless bodies. Earthworms, roundworms, flatworms and ribbon worms, for example, belong to separate phyla, which means they are more distantly related to each other than we are to sea squirts. <\/p>\n\n

They are generally not sociable, coming together only to mate and at food sources. Courtship is usually pretty minimal and there is little in the way of parental care. <\/p>\n\n

That said, there is at least one spectacular exception. A group of parasitic flukes \u2013 atype of flatworm \u2013 form colonies of clones within the bodies of their snail hosts and have evolved a system of division of labour comparable to that of ants, bees and other social insects. Some individuals specialise in reproduction, while others become soldiers, devoting their existence to defending the colony from attack by other animals living within the snail. <\/p>\n\n

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Mummified specimens of Edmontosaurus have been found <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Can a dinosaur be mummified? <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n
ANJANA KHATWA ANSWERS<\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

Ancient reptile skeletons are the hallmark of any natural history museum gallery. Devoid of flesh or skin, which rotted away or was eaten by scavengers, these fossil specimens continue to inspire and provoke ideas about how life existed on Earth hundreds of millions of years ago. <\/p>\n\n

In rare cases, soft tissue and even dinosaur skin has been found to survive the fossilisation process. Rapid burial of these dead creatures can lead to mineral concretions building up around biomolecules, protecting them from complete disintegration. <\/p>\n\n

However, a dinosaur fossil complete with fossilised skin found in North Dakota suggests another process might be at play: mummification. Open wounds and bite marks found on the skin suggest that the carcass was scavenged long before it became buried under layers of sediment. Its bodily fluids leaked out, enabling the skin to dry, ensuring its preservation during the fossilisation process, to create a mummified dinosaur. <\/p>\n\n

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RECORD BREAKER! <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s the highest flying bird? <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

In 1973, a commercial aircraft struck a bird at 11,300m over West Africa. Feathers lodged in the engine identified it as a R\u00fcppell\u2019s vulture, a Critically Endangered species that has since been shown to possess a form of haemoglobin in its blood that binds exceptionally efficiently with oxygen. This record stands, even now we can track flight paths in detail using radioand satellite-tags. Stuart <\/strong>Blackman <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Breathing at heights greater than any other living creature <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n
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FACT. <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Chimpanzees are able to learn basic human sign language. Washoe, a captive female chimpanzee, was able to learn American Sign Language (ASL), with a vocabulary of 350 words.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n

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All becomes clear <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n
WHAT ON EARTH?<\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

Is there any spectacle in nature more wondrous or downright mind-boggling than insect metamorphosis? The technical challenge of transforming a gluttonous caterpillar into a glorious butterfly is undertaken during the pupal stage. For weeks, this monarch chrysalis has hung serenely amongst the foliage with little outward sign of the frantic overhaul going on behind the scenes. With the refit almost complete and just hours left until emergence, the pupal skin has pulled away from the living tissues within and become translucent, providing a tantalising promise of what is about to be. SB<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

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FAST ANSWERS <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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Looks can be deceptive<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Are hyenas more closely related to cats or dogs? <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Within the Carnivora order, the hyena family, Hyaenidae, <\/em>falls under the \u2018catlike\u2019 suborder Feliformia, in contrast to the \u2018dog-like\u2019 suborder Caniformia, so they are more closely related to cats than dogs, but are closer still to civets and mongooses. Within Hyaenidae, <\/em>there are two main clades: the \u2018bonecrushing\u2019 hyenas (which include today\u2019s brown, spotted and striped hyenas) and the once-abundant \u2018dog-like\u2019 hyenas (which include today\u2019s aardwolf, the only member of the subfamily Protelinae). <\/em>AD <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can fungi be used to make clothing? <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Biofabrication of fungi in a lab involves the growth and harvesting of mycelium. Designers and companies such as Stella McCartney, Aniela Hoitink, Suzanne Lee and Adidas have been experimenting with mycelium to make clothing, shoes and accessories. MS <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do all UK deer have antlers? <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Of the six wild deer species living in the UK countryside, only five grow antlers. The exception is the Chinese water deer. In fact, the species\u2019 scientific name inermis <\/em>means \u2018defenceless\u2019 or \u2018unarmed\u2019. But the male (buck) and female (doe) do have tusks, enlarged canine teeth protruding downwards from the upper jaw, with the males using them, like antlers, to display and fight. MS <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The doe\u2019s tusks are much smaller<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n
INSTANT EXPERT<\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

Sleep: a mysterious state of behaviour<\/h4>\n\n

WITH EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGIST JV CHAMARY <\/span><\/p>\n\n

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In the jungle, the mighty jungle the lions sleep tonight <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

The function of sleep is one of biology\u2019s biggest mysteries. Being unconscious leaves an animal vulnerable to predators and leads to missed opportunities for activities such as foraging or mating. And yet all animals with a nervous system seem to engage in some form of sleep, meaning the benefits clearly outweigh the costs. <\/p>\n\n

What is sleep? <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

It\u2019s a behavioural state in which an animal is less alert to its environment. During sleep, a stimulus (such as a loud noise) that would prompt a rapid reaction while awake, must be more intense to provoke a response. Unlike other resting states, such as hibernation or torpor, sleeping animals wake up rapidly when stimulated. <\/p>\n\n

The physiological features, timing and duration of sleep vary across the animal kingdom. Some species adopt a stereotypical posture while sleeping \u2013 humans lie flat and bats hang upside down \u2013 but in other creatures, sleeping postures can be subtle. Octopuses have \u2018active sleep\u2019, when their skin shifts in colour and texture, for example, and \u2018quiet sleep\u2019, when their eyes and tentacles move more slowly. Mammals and birds have two distinct states, too, called REM and NREM sleep. <\/p>\n\n

So what\u2019s the difference between REM and NREM sleep? <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

Rapid-eye movement (REM) and non-REM (NREM) define sleep based on brainwaves, or oscillations across the central nervous system, captured in electroencephalogram (EEG) readings. The waves are quick and chaotic during REM (along with eye twitches \u2013 hence the name) but slow and synchronised in NREM. Electrical activity during REM resembles what\u2019s seen in animals that are awake, so it\u2019s also called \u2018paradoxical sleep\u2019. <\/p>\n\n

Because body and brain temperatures drop during NREM, one explanation for REM\u2019s function is that it\u2019s like the brain is \u2018shivering\u2019 to keep warm. Indeed, large mammals, whose mass can better retain heat, spend less time in REM than small ones. Sleep also paralyses most muscles so we don\u2019t normally act out our dreams. <\/p>\n\n

Do animals dream? <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

Dreaming occurs during REM sleep and is captured by EEGs. A dream is a series of images, thoughts and emotions that the brain turns into a story. We may never know whether other animals experience dreams as stories, but they do include past events. In zebra finches, brain activity during the day matches readings at night, meaning they replay and learn songs while they\u2019re asleep. <\/p>\n\n

Meanwhile, the activity in the brains of rats sleeping after navigating a maze suggests they re-run the maze in their sleep. <\/p>\n\n

Why do animals sleep? <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

Ah, this is the big mystery! There are three general theories, two involving the brain. The first theory is that shutdown enables restoration and detoxification, producing molecules and removing waste products. The second is that sleep improves cognitive performance by providing a period in which the brain can reinforce or prune synaptic connections among its neurones \u2013 to help with learning and memory without being confused by fresh sensory information. <\/p>\n\n

The third theory, not involving the brain, is that sleep saves energy. Animals must balance a need to find food with spending energy to forage. This is shaped by their ecological niche \u2013 small mammals may have only a short window to hunt insects, whereas large herbivores gain few calories from vegetation. That may explain why the little brown bat snoozes for 20 hours a day, while an African bush elephant sleeps just two hours in the wild. <\/p>\n\n

The three theories for sleep\u2019s function aren\u2019t mutually exclusive, and all have weaknesses. Even brainless jellyfish sleep, and you\u2019d expect intelligent elephants \u2013 who famously never forget \u2013 to sleep longer. <\/p>\n\n

Can we survive without sleep? <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

Yes, but not indefinitely! Sleep deprivation is ultimately lethal, can cause poor cognition, abnormal development and reduced lifespan. <\/p>\n\n

But though sleep typically involves physical inactivity, certain species have evolved a way to stay safe, by shutting off one of their two hemispheres. Such \u2018unihemispheric\u2019 or half-brain sleep is found in whales, dolphins, fur seals and great frigatebirds, among others, which all keep one eye open to watch for predators and potential dangers while swimming or flying. <\/p>\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n

TOAD: ALAMY; DANDELION: PAVLO VAKHRUSHEV\/500PX\/GETTY; VULTURE: GLENN WELCH\/ALAMY; SOCIABLE WORMS: INATURALIST\/WIKIMEDIA\/CREATIVE COMMONS; BONNETHEAD SHARK: SHANE GROSS\/NATUREPL.COM; MONARCH BUTTERFLY PUPA: INGO ARNDT\/MINDEN\/NPL; CHINESE WATER DEER: JEROME MURRAY\/ALAMY; HYENA: EDWIN REMSBERG\/VWPICS\/GETTY; DINOSAUR: MARK GARLICK\/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY\/GETTY; BUSH VIPER SNAKE: MARK KOSTICH\/GETTY; LIONS: STEPHEN FRINK\/GETTY<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Surprisingly, yes! While we usually think of toads as slow and lumbering animals, it appears they\u2019re capable of climbing to great heights. A recent study of nest boxes and tree cavities in Britain found 50 common toads sitting comfortably up in the trees, with one as high as 3m above ground. A toad\u2019s arboreal adventures are probably much more frequent than you might imagine, given that the same study recorded 94 blue tits, a common sight on tree branches. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":28702,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ub_ctt_via":"","purple_page_number":"86","purple_custom_meta_purple_page_number":"86","purple_seq_number":"1","purple_custom_meta_purple_seq_number":"1","purple_source_article":"article_86-1.xml","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_article":"article_86-1.xml","purple_source_issue":"June-2023","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_issue":"June-2023","purple_external_id":"June-2023-86-1","purple_custom_meta_purple_external_id":"June-2023-86-1","purple_issue_code":"|0000087245||","purple_custom_meta_purple_issue_code":"|0000087245||","purple_android_product":"com.im.wildlife.505","purple_custom_meta_purple_android_product":"com.im.wildlife.505","purple_ios_product":"com.im.wildlife.505","purple_custom_meta_purple_ios_product":"com.im.wildlife.505","purple_web_product":"","purple_custom_meta_purple_web_product":"","purple_publication_id":"58d61955-0ac4-406c-83f1-ab6f21d86b70","purple_migrated":"","kt_blocks_editor_width":"","apple_news_api_created_at":"2023-05-30T10:24:08Z","apple_news_article-theme":"","apple_news_api_id":"0bbccbab-5bed-4672-8dfc-2ae1c50fa2b6","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2023-06-01T13:55:04Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADg==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/AC7zLq1vtRnKN_CrhxQ-itg","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":true,"apple_news_is_preview":true,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_article_theme":"","apple_news_sections":"[]"},"categories":[28],"tags":[14],"apple_news_notices":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2023\/06\/2GFN1KJ_preview-scaled.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"11","apple_news_title":""},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2023\/06\/2GFN1KJ_preview-scaled.jpg",2560,1706,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2023\/06\/2GFN1KJ_preview-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2023\/06\/2GFN1KJ_preview-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2023\/06\/2GFN1KJ_preview-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2023\/06\/2GFN1KJ_preview-1024x682.jpg",800,533,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2023\/06\/2GFN1KJ_preview-1536x1024.jpg",1536,1024,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2023\/06\/2GFN1KJ_preview-2048x1365.jpg",2048,1365,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Surprisingly, yes! While we usually think of toads as slow and lumbering animals, it appears they\u2019re capable of climbing to great heights. A recent study of nest boxes and tree cavities in Britain found 50 common toads sitting comfortably up in the trees, with one as high as 3m above ground. A toad\u2019s arboreal adventures…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28302"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28302"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28302\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29751,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28302\/revisions\/29751"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/28702"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28302"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28302"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28302"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}