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-2025/105651126Featuring:

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

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