Dr. Peterson is an accomplished Snake Ecologist that has dedicated his career to studying the ecology of snakes and applying that knowledge to their conservation. Drs. Jenkins and Peterson discuss the path Chuck took to becoming a herpetologist. They also discuss the diversity of snakes in the Intermountain West and what Chuck has learned from decades of research, including an in depth discussion of one of the biggest long-term datasets ever collected on snakes, specifically a data set on Great ...
Nov 20, 2020•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 13
Chris talks snakes with Dr. Rulon Clark, who is a professor at San Diego State University. Rulon has been using videography at study sites around the country to study snake feeding in the wild. Tune in to hear all the interesting things Rulon’s cameras have found from snakes moving grass to make a better strike zone to ninja rats doing acrobatics to avoid snake bites.Connect with Chris on Facebook, Instagram or at The Orianne Society. Shop Snake Talk merch. If you like what you’ve been hearing o...
Nov 06, 2020•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 12
The Walking Dead is an “Apocalyptic Soap Opera” where humans are trying to survive after a virus has turned most people to walkers (i.e., zombies). Kim Mross is a snake wrangler for the Walking Dead where she sweeps sets by temporarily removing snakes before shoots, temporarily removes snakes encountered during shoots, and educates crew and cast. Listen to Chris and Kim discuss stories ranging from the details behind the Snake Eating Scene in the Walking Dead to how her counterpart in Wife Swap ...
Oct 23, 2020•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 11
Chris talks snakes with Zack Dalton, Director of Sales for Sage, Redington, and Rio products. This is the first of many podcasts where Chris will talk with people who are not snake experts but are in a field that brings them in contact with snakes in the wild. Tune in to hear a unique perspective on the perception of snakes, strategies for communicating to the fishing community about snakes, and the ecosystem based conservation ethic in the fly fishing world. Connect with Chris on Facebook, Inst...
Oct 09, 2020•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 10
Illegal trade is one of the greatest threats to wild snake populations. Chris discusses the issue with Craig Hoover, Executive Vice President of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. They discuss Craig’s career in combating the wildlife trade in various roles including law enforcement, policy, and administration. Listen and learn more about the factors driving the skin trade, the species and regions it impacts most, and Craig’s thoughts on what needs to be done to conserve wild snake population...
Sep 25, 2020•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 9
Noah Fields is a Field Herper who makes his living by field herping almost every day and posting content on YouTube. Tune in to hear more about field herping, Noah’s YouTube channel, and an interesting discussion around the changes in the field and relevant ethical issues. Chris and Noah also talk about field herping in Georgia and West Texas including snake diversity, regulations, and techniques.Connect with Chris on Facebook, Instagram or at The Orianne Society. Shop Snake Talk merch. If you l...
Sep 11, 2020•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 8
Field Herping is a rapidly growing form of recreation where people go into wildplaces and look for reptiles and amphibians (especially snakes). You can think of Field Herping as being analogous to birding but with the big difference in that most of time it is possible to catch the snake. Field Herping is exciting and most of us do some form of it but it is important to develop an ethic around your practices. In this podcast Chris talks with Houston Chandler and Kiley Briggs about Field Herping a...
Sep 11, 2020•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 7
We are in the midst of a Global Snakebite Crisis, where people living in poverty in regions with high numbers of venomous snakes are dying from snakebites at a high rate. Chris talks with Jordan Benjamin about the Snakebite Crisis and the efforts of the Snakebite Foundation to turn around that trend. They discuss strategies that include developing snakebite clinics, training, and providing antivenom in regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa. They also discuss topics such as the various types of veno...
Aug 28, 2020•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 6
Bushmasters are giant – egg laying vipers of Latin American Rainforests. Chris talks with friend Dr. Andy Whitworth about these amazing animals including their reproduction, predators, feeding, habitat, and conservation. But the conversation starts with stories of Pumas in the front yard of Andy’s remote rainforest home. They also discuss conservation of rainforests in Costa Rica and the nonprofit Osa Conservation’s role. Connect with Chris on Facebook , Instagram or at The Orianne Society . Sho...
Aug 14, 2020•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 5
Vipers are one of the most endangered groups of snake on the planet. Chris joins Drs. Stephen Spear and Jesus Sigala to discuss the IUCN Viper Specialist Group. They also discuss research and conservation of viper species across Central America including Bushmasters and Mountain Island Rattlesnakes. Connect with Chris on Facebook , Instagram or at The Orianne Society . Shop Snake Talk merch. If you like what you’ve been hearing on this podcast, consider supporting The Orianne Society today ....
Jul 31, 2020•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 4
The Eastern Indigo Snake is listed as threatened under the US Endangered Species Act. Part of the recovery plan specifies restoring populations in part of the range where they have been extirpated. The Orianne Society and Central Florida Zoo pattern to run a dedicated Eastern Indigo Snake Breeding facility to supply snakes for reintroductions. In this podcast Chris is joined by Fred Antonio and Michelle Hoffman to discuss the history of the facility, the indigo snake breeding program, and the ro...
Jul 28, 2020•1 hr 36 min•Ep. 3
In this episode we are joined by Dr. Beaupre from the University of Arkansas. Dr. Beaupre is a physiological ecologist who has spent his career studying Timber Rattlesnakes. We start the episode by talking about his path to becoming one of the world’s leading experts on Timber Rattlesnakes. We discuss all aspects of Timber Rattlesnake biology including topics such as their physiology, the function of the loreal pits, and how our knowledge of Timber Rattlesnake physiology and ecology can inform c...
Jul 28, 2020•1 hr 34 min•Ep. 2
The Eastern Indigo Snake is the ruler of the forests in the Southeastern Coastal Plain. In this episode we discuss this magnificent animal including its distribution and ecology. We also discuss the Orianne Society, including the organizations history and its origins focused around conserving Indigo Snakes and their habitats. As this is our first episode, we knew there was no greater snake to launch Snake Talk. Connect with Chris on Facebook , Instagram or at The Orianne Society . Shop Snake Tal...
Jul 27, 2020•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 1
Did you know that snakes are one of the most persecuted groups of animals in the world? Unfortunately, most snakes that encounter people end up dead, but the Snake Talk Podcast is dedicated to changing that. Join me, Dr. Chris Jenkins, as we bring you the world’s foremost experts on snakes and the issues they face. Connect with Chris on Facebook, Instagram or at The Orianne Society. Shop Snake Talk merch. If you like what you’ve been hearing on this podcast, consider supporting The Orianne Socie...
Jul 24, 2020•1 min
