Stephen Fry jokes about New Zealand bird names

Meet The Lonely Dodo

Here's a new animation short produced by Aardman Animation for the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and their www.thelonelydodo.com site, with voices by Stephen Fry and Alister McGowan.

Video: Mark Carwardine Searches New Zealand for their Small Five

Douglas Adams Audio Reading

Courtesy of MarkCarwardineTumblr @MarkCarwardineT here's an audio account of Douglas preparing to go to Australia (to go check out the Komodo Dragon) by talking to an expert on poisonous animals there (who tells them they’re stupid for going).

Audio: xenophule: In honour of Douglas Adams’ birthday, I present to you my very favourite reading by him.... tmblr.co/ZKr6txiNji8L

I can't decide if I've heard this before or not.

Kakapo Breeding Inventions

In this Stuff article "Novel nature's little helpers", Nicola Toki relishes the inventions that have been used to aid the recovery of the Kakapo population.

First off the blocks has to be the "ejaculation" helmet. This helmet was covered in condom-like rubber dimples with the idea that perhaps some valuable sperm might be able to be collected. It wasn't particularly successful, but if you don't quite believe me and you'd like to see it for yourself, by all means head to the "Blood, Earth and Fire" exhibition at Te Papa. Along the same line of thought, a remote-controlled kakapo truck was built to try to attract kakapo males, but this too now lives at Te Papa.

How to Count Komodo Dragons

Head on over to NBCNews.com for an article entitled "How to Count Komodo Dragons". Answer?

With some cameras and the element of surprise. Camera traps are frequently used to take pictures and monitor populations of large mammals like tigers and leopards, but until now, they haven't been used often to count Komodo dragons ― the world's largest lizards ― or other reptiles and amphibians. Recent research suggests that they can and should be used to keep tabs on these animals, and that cameras may beat the physical traps currently used to monitor Komodo dragon populations.

Douglas Adams Google Doodle

Google's Doodle for today celebrates what would have been Douglas Adams' 61st birthday. Click around on the doodle to find some hidden stuff.

*REPOST* Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture - March 12, 2013

This year's Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture will be from Dr Adam Rutherford and will take place on March 12, 2013 at 6:30 p.m (for 7:30 p.m. start) at the Royal Geographical Society in London. For full details and booking information, please visit the Save The Rhino Events page.

Dr Adam Rutherford is a scientist, writer and broadcaster. He completed his doctorate in genetics at University College London in 2002. Since then he has worked at the science journal Nature, as an editor and filmmaker. Adam is also a presenter for the BBC. On Radio 4 his work has included programmes on MMR and autism, human evolution, the influence of astronomy on art and literature and most recently Extinct!, a three-part series on the current and great mass extinctions of the past.

Douglas Adams's daughter Polly spends a day in Brisbane

In January, Polly was in Tasmania, but now she's paying a flying visit to Brisbane. Check out her interview with 612 ABC Brisbane.

In Living Memory: Jaws - Mark Carwardine interview

This week's episode of BBC Radio 4's "Living Memory: Jaws" explored "how the Spielberg classic Jaws inspired a new generation of marine biologists and conservationists, and invented the concept of the summer blockbuster". Mark Carwardine was one of the interviewees, and the program is available to Listen Again worldwide.

The Meaning of Liff at 30 - Thursday February 28th

On Radio 4 on Thursday, a special program celebrating the Meaning of Liff's 30th anniversary. The program should be available for world-wide Listen Again for at least 7 days after broadcast.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the publication of The Meaning of Liff, by John Lloyd and Douglas Adams. This funny and well-loved dictionary uses placenames as new definitions for common experiences which we all know and recognize, but for which no words exist. John Lloyd talks to Matt Lucas about his love of Liff, and also gathers new entries from the Radio 4 audience. These are then chewed over and sifted down by John and fellow Liff-lovers Sanjeev Bhaskar, Helen Fielding and Terry Jones. And Professor Steven Pinker - Liff devotee - talks about the psychological relief and sense of bonding that comes from recognising that you're not alone in having these thoughts and feelings.

No Kakapo Chicks in 2013

Stuff.co.nz reports that there will be no kakapo chicks this year.

It is the second year in a row the kakapo, which is on the brink of extinction, will have no new additions to its small population. Department of Conservation southern area manager Andy Roberts said the breeding season had begun with optimism but it was now highly unlikely any new kakapo chicks would be born this year.

Kakapo Roundup

A few Kakapo articles lately...
From National Geographic: Kakapo Coprolite Yields Conservation Clues
From Auckland Now: Sick kakapo returns to the wild
From stuff.co.nz/national: Richard Henry: Our first conservation hero

Douglas Adams' Little Rocket

Tasmanian radio station ABC Hobart has a lovely little audio interview with Douglas Adams' daughter Polly who is currently Down Under on a gap year. In it she talks fondly of her father, and how much she enjoyed reading "Last Chance To See". Enjoy.

Have a listen to Polly's memories of her father, her adventures in Aus and the one career her mother forbade her from entering!

Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture 2013

This year's Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture will be from Dr Adam Rutherford and will take place on March 12, 2013 at 6:30 p.m (for 7:30 p.m. start) at the Royal Geographical Society in London. For full details and booking information, please visit the Save The Rhino Events page.

Dr Adam Rutherford is a scientist, writer and broadcaster. He completed his doctorate in genetics at University College London in 2002. Since then he has worked at the science journal Nature, as an editor and filmmaker. Adam is also a presenter for the BBC. On Radio 4 his work has included programmes on MMR and autism, human evolution, the influence of astronomy on art and literature and most recently Extinct!, a three-part series on the current and great mass extinctions of the past.