BBC Radio 4 LW

Home Planet

Discussion & Talk

Factual: Science & Nature

Programme answering listeners' questions about planet Earth and our impact upon it

Home Planet: Southern Ocean Wanderers

05/07/2011

Southern Ocean Wanderers

BBC Radio 4 - Home Planet, Southern Ocean Wanderers

How does the sea-going albatross survive Antarctic storms?

Giant wandering albatross spend much of the winter at sea. They encounter some of the most ferocious storms on the planet but how do they survive?

The wandering albatross has the largest wingspan of any bird and spends much of the southern hemisphere winter at sea. It encounters some of the most violent storms on the planet, freezing temperatures and mountainous seas. 

This week one Home Planet listener wants to know how these birds survive and even thrive in these extremely inhospitable conditions. Then there's the violent behaviour of a mob of crows, why did they kill one of their own? Who has the biggest impact on the environment, the rich with their bigger carbon footprint or the poorest people forced by circumstances to pillage the land on which they live. And we explore some of the links between poverty and environmental degradation.

Answering these and other questions this week are Graham Appleton of the British Trust for Ornithology, Ros Taylor, development specialist from Kingston University and Professor Philip Stott, an environmental scientist from the University of London. 

The programme is presented by Richard Daniel.


Producer: Toby Murcott 
A Pier production for BBC Radio 4.

BBC Radio 4

BBC Radio 4 is a radio channel that started transmitting on the 30th September 1967. It replaced BBC Home Service.

Radio 4

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Home Planet

Southern Ocean Wanderers

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC Radio 4 LW

About BBC Radio 4