Listen back to the What the Duck?! special broadcast with Dr Ann Jones and Cassie McCullagh. After 65,000 votes, Australia has spoken — the rakali has been crowned Australia's most underrated native animal! Raking in a whopping 20 per cent of the votes cast, the water rat was well out in front. Here are the results: 1.Rakali 2.Palm cockatoo 3.Giant cuttlefish 4.Dugong 5.Marsupial mole 6.Turtle frog 7.Velvet worm 8.Great desert skink 9.Ghost bat 10.Short-finned eel You can also read more on the ABC News blog from the countdown: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-15/wildlife-blog-15-august-2025/105651126 Featuring: Professor Euan Ritchie, Professor of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation at Deakin University Jacinta Bowler, ABC Science Reporter Dr Kirsti Abbott, head of science at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory Professor Nicki Mitchell, UWA Jonathan Webb, ABC Science Editor Dr Mark Norman, Chief Scientist Parks Victoria Dr Christina N Zdenek, ecologist with People for Wildlife Professor Peter Banks, University of Sydney Production: Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer Rebecca McLaren, Producer James Bullen, Producer Hamish Camilleri, Sound Engineer
