Co-editor of Wings magazine, Cóilín MacLochlainn had a fascinating botanical question for Dr. Matthew Jebb of the National Botanic Gardens, about Why are plant species so distinctive and readily identifiable?

Derek is joined by Richard Collins, Éanna Ní Lamhna, Matthew Jebb and Reporter Terry Flanagan. Topics up for discussion include; a weeping olive tree, why are plant species so distinctive and readily identifiable, Asiatic Lion cubs in Fota Wildlife Park and Crab Spiders.

One of our listeners, Bernadette Murphy from Kildavin, Co. Carlow, sent us in this remarkable photo of two crab spiders on an oxeye daisy in her garden. Bernadette talks to Éanna about these chameleon-like creepy-crawlies.

Our roving reporter, biologist Terry Flanagan, travelled to Fota Wildlife Park in Co. Cork for tonight’s programme. Terry was there to report on the recent birth of three male Asiatic Lion cubs.

We are absolutely delighted to be joined from his home studio Dr. Matthew Jebb, Director of the National Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin, Dublin. It gave Derek the perfect opportunity to ask about a curious observation regarding an olive tree growing in a pot in his father’s back yard in Dublin.

Margaret joins us on the phone from her home in West Cork to tell us all about the White Swallow. Our panellists discuss the reasons behind abnormal feather colouration in birds and get to the bottom of whether or not these Swallows are albino or leucistic individuals.

Eric gives us a teaser of what to expect from his documentary on the White Prominent in Co. Kerry and sheds some light on how one of the most enduring mysteries in Irish natural history was finally solved, as well as the appeal to naturalists of moths as a group.

Derek is joined by Eric Dempsey, Niall Hatch, Jim wilson, Allen Farrell and Alan McCarthy. Topics up for discussion include the White Swallow, mystery of the missing Moth, birds regrowing missing feathers and the Peregrine Falcons.

Mooney Goes Wild contributor Jim Wilson speaks to two men who have been monitoring the St. Colman falcons, Allan Farrell of BirdWatch Ireland’s Cork Branch and UCC graduate and BirdWatch Ireland raptor expert, Dr. Alan McCarthy.

Derek bumped into a gentleman called Ken in Dublin’s Herbert Park. He likes to feed the park’s Magpies, and recently noticed that one particularly aggressive individual had attacked one of his or her flock-mates, pulling out all of its tail feathers and wanted to know if these would grow back.

Zarafa the Giraffe: In 1827, a new craze hit Europe, sparking a media and popular culture frenzy. Her name was Zarafa, and she was the first giraffe ever to set foot on French soil.

In this special one-hour Mooney Goes Wild documentary, we delve into the history of Dürer's Rhinoceros.

We visit locations from the Cliffs of Moher in Co. Clare to the Westman Islands, off the southwestern coast of Iceland, to explore the beauty and astonishing adaptations of the Puffins, as well as to see how conservationists are trying to turn the tide so that these unique creatures can have a future.

Kicking of out first Series of Summer Docs, we look into the world of the Cuckoo. Produced and Presented by Derek Mooney- first broadcasted, Aug 2018

Derek is joined by Eanna Ni Lamhna, Niall Hatch, Richard Collins, Terry Flanagan and Michele Browne. Topics up for discussion include Bees and Insects.

Derek recievd an email from Michael Robinson in Co Dublin, asking why should we preserve Mosquitos, because they spread maleria and Wasps because they have an unpleasant sting. The panel explain the importance of these insects.

Eanna chats to Aoife Macgiollacoda, owner of Galtey Honey Farm and Co-founder of The Native Irish Honey Bee Society, to celebrate International Bee Day.

We recieved an email from listener Aileen who was struggling to identify a number of insects coming into her home. We dispatched our Roving Reporter Terry Flanagan who Dr Hugh Feeley from Invertebrates and Insects Ireland to find out more about these insects.

We dispatched our roving reporter Terry Flanagan to a Bee Identification Workshop at Baltyboys House in Blessington, Co. Wicklow, organised by Brian Murray of microWild, a project to promote and create biodiversity meadows.

Derek is joined by Richard Collins, Terry Flanagan and Michèle Browne. Topics up for discussion include Bees, Otters, Sand Martins and an exhibition at the National Botanic Gardens.

Listener Denis Crone got in touch with us recently, asking for our help. He has a goldfish pond in his garden in Saggart, Co Dublin and recently he discovered that all of his fish had been killed by an Otter. We duly dispatched Terry Flanagan to check out the pond and to provide some advice.

Derek and Richard talk to Jim Wilson and Alan Farrell of the Cork Branch of BirdWatch Ireland about the artificial Sand Martin nesting bank constructed at Harper’s Island Wetlands in Co. Cork.

Michèle Browne speaks to Joseph Lynch, a guide at the National Botanic Gardens and organiser of Stories from the Gardens exhibition.

The second episode of the series will be broadcast this coming Sunday 19th May at 18:30 on RTÉ One television. Derek looks at the lengths taken in northern Sweden to control the Raccoon Dog invasion, Rathlin Island's rat problem and the comeback of badgers in The Netherlands.