# How a rat's smelly towel might be key to rewilding

An episode of [What The Duck?!](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1606314974), 27 Feb 2026, 26 min.

Audio: https://mediacore-live-production.akamaized.net/audio/02/i4/Z/6m.mp3

Bush rats are not black rats — that's the first thing you need to know. Ann Jones is joined by ABC Top 5 scientist Dr Patrick Finnerty to understand why researchers are going around sniffing bush rats — and how it might help reintroduce them to Sydney's nature reserves. Find out more about the Top 5 science media residency here. Featuring: • Dr Patrick Finnerty, conservation ecologist at the University of Sydney • Professor Peter Banks, conservation ecologist at the University of Sydney • Associate Professor Thomas Newsome, conservation ecologist at the University of Sydney • Mareshell Wauchope, PhD student at University of Sydney Production: • Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer • Rebecca McLaren, Producer • Hamish Camilleri, Sound Engineer This episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Eora and Kulin Nations. Find more episodes of the ABC podcast, What the Duck?! with the always curious Dr Ann Jones exploring the mysteries of nature on ABC Listen (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. You'll learn more about the weird and unusual aspects of our natural world in a quirky, fun way with easy to understand science.

Shows are listed from Apple Podcasts' charts and directory, and Podcast Index where it is used. Every show and episode belongs to its publisher and plays from the publisher's own feed; this site hosts none of them.