Maya speaks with William Sorley, an educator for Monarch Nation which is an organization that helps connect youth with wildlife and conservation using hands-on education methods. During this episode of the Conservation Cast, Maya spoke with William Sorley about common misconceptions about butterflies and utilized a USB microscope to show phases of metamorphosis up close. William educated viewers about how climate change and habitat loss is detrimental to butterfly populations. The two also discu...
Jul 24, 2020•1 hr 23 min
During this episode of the Conservation Cast, Maya spoke with Dr. Dani Rabaiotti, a postdoctoral researcher at the Zoological Society of London who studies the impacts of climate change on African Wild Dogs. Dani discussed the threats that African Wild Dogs face, including habitat loss, climate change, and human-animal conflict. The two also discussed how Dani came to be an author and her success with the books “Does it Fart?” as well as the sequels: “True or Poo?” and “Believe it or Snot.” The ...
Jul 15, 2020•1 hr 19 min
During this episode of the Conservation Cast, Maya spoke with Dr. Sebastian Alejandro Echeverri, a science communicator with a Ph.D. in visual ecology who studies spiders and other arachnids. The two discussed Sebastian’s journey as a grad student and how he fell in love with spiders. Sebastian discussed commonly held myths about spiders, arachnophobia, and his research about the complex relationship between spiders’ eyes and how they use color, shape, and movement to communicate. The donations ...
Jul 15, 2020•2 hr 29 min
During this episode of the Conservation Cast, Maya spoke with Dustin Growick, a science communicator and museum consultant who is dedicated to spreading enthusiasm and knowledge about dinosaurs. Dustin shared commonly held myths about dinosaurs and shared some of his favorite images of dinosaurs, teaching the audience about interesting dinosaur species and their adaptations. The donations from the podcast went toward supporting Dustin’s Youtube Series: Dinosaur 101. This series was created to pr...
Jul 15, 2020•1 hr 23 min
During this episode of the Conservation Cast, Maya spoke with Corina Newsome who is a field biologist and an advocate for underrepresented communities in wildlife sciences. The two discussed Corina’s story from growing up in Philadelphia to attending graduate school at Georgia Southern University. Corina shared her current research studying nesting success of Seaside Sparrows and her myriad of experiences working in the wildlife education field. The donations from the podcast went to Skype A Sci...
Jul 15, 2020•1 hr 27 min
During this episode of the Conservation Cast, Maya spoke with Sam Allen who is a master's student at the UTS Fish Ecology Lab studying weedy sea dragons. The two discussed Sam’s journey in studying marine life and what led him to his master's program at the lab. The community learned about the unique adaptations that weedy sea dragons have evolved along with the challenges that the species face as a result of climate change and habitat loss. Sam discussed how the Fish Ecology Lab utilizes citize...
Jul 15, 2020•1 hr 17 min
During this episode of the Conservation Cast, Maya spoke with Wes Larson who is a biologist who has experience studying polar bears, black bears, and sloth bears. The two discussed human-animal conflict for black bears and sloth bears ranging from habitat encroachment to the “dancing bears” of India that are tortured for street entertainment. Wes shared wild stories from his field expeditions and answered a variety of questions from the live chat. The donations from the podcast went to Wildlife ...
Jul 15, 2020•1 hr 44 min
During this episode of the Conservation Cast, Maya spent time with her American Kestrel while introducing the American Eagle Foundation as the organization that would benefit from the live donations. Later, Maya was interviewed by SuperPunch about her journey as a streamer and experience as an apprentice falconer. The community watched Maya’s top clips and learned more about her aspirations as a conservationist on Twitch. American Eagle Foundation Mayas community raised $1,400 for the American E...
Jul 15, 2020•2 hr 13 min
During this episode of the Conservation Cast, Maya discussed how to be an environmentally responsible consumer in regards to microplastics and palm oil. This discussion included an in-depth look at deforestation, global warming, plastics, and the effects that these issues have on global biodiversity. Maya also spoke with three communications directors from Live for Wildlife about Gun Moor and the endangered species that reside there. Throughout the podcast, Maya drew some of the iconic species t...
Jul 15, 2020•1 hr 32 min
During this episode of the Conservation Cast, Maya spoke with Jennifer Gilbert who is a marine biologist and founder of the Cairn’s Turtle Rehabilitation Center. The two discussed the six species of sea turtles that Cairn’s works with and the threats that these species face. Some of these threats include climate change, microplastics, and plastic entanglement, and hunting. Cairn’s contributes to sea turtle conservation by engaging in research projects, public education, and a rehabilitation and ...
Jul 15, 2020•1 hr 18 min
During this episode of the Conservation Cast, Maya had the opportunity to speak with Graham Wallington the CEO and Co-Founder of WildEarth. Together the duo discussed a variety of topics including the effects climate change and poaching play in reducing population numbers of wildlife in the Kruger National park to future plans Graham and his team have for WildEarth. Another interesting point of discussion involved the fascinating and turbulent journey Graham has endured, beginning in 1998 of a w...
Jul 14, 2020•1 hr 22 min
During this episode of the Conservation Cast, Maya spoke with Dr. Ben Novak, a De-extinction biologist. Novak is the team leader of the passenger pigeon de-extinction project which commenced in 2012. Novak explained the important role Revive Restore plays in the conservation space as the world's only conservation organization dedicated to advancing and innovating biotechnology. The duo also discussed Ben's research, other projects Revive Restore is working on; current limitations and challenges ...
Jul 14, 2020•1 hr 58 min
During this episode of the Conservation Cast, Maya spoke with Joey Santore of the Crime Pays but Botany Doesn't Youtube Channel. Santore is a self-taught amateur botanist who describes his content as a “low-brow and crass approach to plant ecology as muttered by a misanthropic Chicago Italian". Together, the duo discussed Joey's fascinating story from being a college dropout to illegally riding freight trains across the United States all while expanding his knowledge of the natural world. Natura...
Jul 14, 2020•1 hr 7 min
During this episode of the Conservation Cast, Maya spoke with Cora Berchem of Save the Manatee Club. Cora, is the multimedia specialist and a manatee researcher, who first got involved with the organization in 2014. The duo discussed Cora's background and her role as the multimedia specialist and manatee researcher at the Blue Springs State Manatee Reserve in Florida. Cora also taught the community about the biggest issues facing manatee conservation today as well as the incredible work their or...
Jul 14, 2020•1 hr 30 min
During this episode of the Conservation Cast, Maya had the unique opportunity to speak with Ph.D Candidate, Imogene Cancellare. Cancellare is a conservation biologist and landscape geneticist who utilizes molecular tools to study the relationship between wildlife and the landscapes they inhabit. Imogene is currently studying snow leopards across high Asia, using fecal DNA to investigate the evolutionary history, functional connectivity, and population dynamics of these rare and elusive cats. The...
Jul 14, 2020•1 hr 29 min
During this episode of the Conservation Cast, Maya spoke with Jaclyn DeSantis of the Ojai Raptor Centre. DeSantis oversees the education and outreach programs, manages the organization's social media accounts, helps train unreleasable ambassador birds which play a role in education/outreach, and coordinates volunteer programs. The duo discussed the important role education and outreach play in the conservation efforts, the effect rodenticides play in the decline of bird populations, and her jour...
Jul 14, 2020•1 hr 19 min
During this episode of the Conservation Cast, Maya had the unique opportunity to speak with Mechanical Engineering PhD Candidate, Andrew Schulz. Schulz is a conservation physicist currently researching the physics and engineering properties associated with elephant trunks. Andrew and Maya discussed his unique journey from mechanical engineer to conservation physicist, his earliest elephant encounter on safari with his mother as a child as well as a future research trip to China to work with pand...
Jul 14, 2020•1 hr 14 min
During this episode of the Conservation Cast, Maya had the opportunity to sit down with Dr.David Shiffman, a marine conservation biologist, conservation ecologist, scientific writer, and a scientific and environmental consultant. Together the duo discussed the important role scientific communication plays in conservation efforts and how media events such as shark week negatively impact the public perception of sharks. Amongst other talking points was Dr. Shiffman's past research and career to da...
Jul 14, 2020•1 hr 33 min
During this episode of the Conservation Cast, Maya spoke with Dr. David Steen, a Herpetologist, and founder of The Alongside Wildlife Foundation. Steen, a wildlife ecologist, and conservation biologist, discussed the conservation challenges wild snakes populations face and previous research projects on turtles and land management strategies in the longleaf forest landscape. David Steen is also a renowned scientific communicator who uses social media to debunk common snake myths and hoaxes in con...
Jul 14, 2020•1 hr 26 min
During this episode of the Conservation Cast, Maya spoke with Emma Pereira from Save The Rhino. Periera serves as the organization's communications manager. Before starting with the organization, Emma was studying marine biology at university before deciding to move into environmental policy. Save The Rhinos funds projects in Africa and Asia designed to both improve the roles of wildlife rangers on the ground and increase habitat availability to ensure rhino population numbers are able to increa...
Jul 14, 2020•53 min
During this special episode of the Conservation Cast, Maya collaborated with her friends from the American Eagle Foundation (AEF) to raise funds for Nepal Vulture Restaurants. Unlike traditional episodes of the podcast, the duo threw a painting and pizza party whilst discussing vultures in Nepal and the roles they play within their ecosystems. In the early 2000's, cattle in Nepal and across Asia were treated with a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication called Diclofenac. As a result of inge...
Jul 14, 2020•2 hr 47 min
During this episode of the Conservation Cast, Maya had the opportunity to speak with Michele Raffin, the CEO, and Chairwoman of the Board of Pandemonium Aviaries. The duo discussed a variety of topics including Michele's journey to bird conservationist, the important role eco-tourism will play in the future of conservation efforts. Another point of discussion was the sudden directional change that the organization underwent from a rescue centre to focusing conservation efforts primarily in New G...
Jul 14, 2020•1 hr 11 min
During this episode of the Conservation Cast, Maya spoke with Niko and Alex of the Odsherred Rescue Zoo, based in Denmark. Initially, Oddsherred opened as a "traditional" zoo before transitioning to a rescue facility for 600 exotic animals. Niko and Alex took Maya on a guided tour of the incredible facility and introduced the community to various animals including lemurs, camels, and an array of bird species. Amongst the talking points, the trio discussed was the development of a mobile and PC g...
Jul 14, 2020•1 hr 46 min
During this episode of the Conservation Cast, Maya spoke with Samantha Jackson from ZooToYou Conservation Ambassadors. Jackson is the Director of Community Outreach and was Maya's supervisor during her internship in outreach education and exotic animal husbandry in June 2018. The duo discussed the negative changes to the endangered species act (ESA) and how these changes will affect conservation efforts, Samantha's story of growing up at a zoo; whilst introducing us to a baby red kangaroo and on...
Jul 14, 2020•2 hr 18 min
Episode 04 During this episode of the Conservation Cast, Maya spoke with wildlife videographer, photographer and fellow twitch streamer DamianExplores. Damian started his twitch channel a year ago after attending a convention centred around the themes of scientific communication and technology. After being introduced to bird watching by his partner, he decided to begin live streaming outdoor birding activities as a way of positively contributing to conservation efforts. Amongst topics of convers...
May 01, 2020•2 hr 17 min•Season 1Ep. 4
Episode 03 During the third episode of the Conservation Cast, Maya had the incredible opportunity to speak with Ellie Armstrong, a 4th Year PhD candidate at Stanford University. Armstrong's research involves applying genetic tools to answer conservation questions in particular, 1) can genetic testing be used to collect in-situ samples to remove or minimize animal stress?, 2) how can the technology be used to track and combat the illegal animal trade? and 3) how do changes in big cat dispersal pa...
May 01, 2020•2 hr•Season 1Ep. 3
Episode 02 During the second episode of the Conservation Cast, Maya spoke with Joe Siegrist, a former teacher, zookeeper, and the current President/CEO of the Purple Martin Conservation Association. The duo discussed a variety of topics including the important role Purple Martins play in their ecosystems as aerial insectivores and the challenges conservation efforts face. Another noteworthy point of discussion involved some of the exciting and novel research projects the organization has commenc...
May 01, 2020•2 hr•Season 1Ep. 2
Episode 01 During this inaugural episode of the Conservation Cast, Maya is joined by Connor O'Brien from the American Eagle Foundation (AEF) . Prior to joining AEF in 2017 and serving as their Digital Marketing Specialist, O'Brien worked full time at an animal hospital while acquiring a Bachelor of Science in Biology. Throughout the podcast connor introduced the community to some of AEF's bird ambassadors including Jupiter the Barn Owl and Challenger the bald eagle. The duo discussed the conserv...
Mar 05, 2020•3 hr 32 min•Ep. 1
