© 2026 Connecticut Public

FCC Public Inspection Files:
WEDH · WEDN · WEDW · WEDY
WEDW-FM · WNPR · WPKT · WRLI-FM
Public Files Contact · ATSC 3.0 FAQ
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Dung Beetles Do One of the Dirtiest Jobs in the Animal Kingdom

Season 1 Episode 4 | 9m 52s

In Hluhluwe Imfolozi Game Reserve on the plains of South Africa, an army of dung beetles does one of the dirtiest jobs in the animal kingdom. Dr. Gimo Daniel studies these beetles, who voraciously recycle the dung of the much larger animals on the plains. It might seem like a bizarre and thankless undertaking, but dung beetles are crucial to the health and waste management of this environment.

Extras
One woman exposes abuse within Amish communities and helps survivors find the strength to speak out.
See how jungle animal parents raise children by mastering their environment.
Barbara Jordan’s voice shook the nation. Discover her story in The Inquisitor.
Discover the extraordinary life of poet, philosopher and music visionary Sun Ra.
Each day, Sun Ra wrote a piece of music solely for “the Creator.”
Sun Ra was one of the first Black artists to have his own record label.
Sun Ra wanted to change humanity with his concept of the “alter destiny.”
Ocean parents must master dedication and intelligence to raise their young.
Animal parents must overcome freshwater’s constant changes.
Explore mammals’ surprising origins, long before the age of dinosaurs.
Latest Episodes
Beetles are the world’s most abundant animals, called “the most important species on the planet.”
Praying mantises and aquatic insects reveal cunning physical adaptations for ruthless survival.
Pollinators – bees, moths and butterflies – bring color to the world and put food on our plates.
Could a world without insects survive? Scientists investigate the global insect “apocalypse.”