Dr. Jenkins sits down with Bob Zappalorti to talk about his long career in herpetology. They start with his early days working at the Staten Island Zoo and talk about his adventures in the field with Carl Kauffeld. They discuss his consulting company, Herpetological Associates, and the various snake and turtle projects they have been working on throughout the Northeast. Finally, they go in depth on his decades-long research program on Northern Pine Snakes in the New Jersey Pine Barrens, discussi...
Mar 10, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 73
Dr. Jenkins sits down with Robert Hill, Curator of Herpetology at Zoo Atlanta. They discuss his path to getting to where he is today and about how people can get into working in the zoo field. They talk about Zoo Atlanta including their reptile facility and the animals you might expect to encounter there. Finally they discuss the wide array of education and conservation projects the Herpetology Program works on, including declining amphibians, Eastern Indigo Snakes, and Guatemalan Beaded Lizards...
Feb 24, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 72
Dr. Jenkins sits down with Neil Cox and Phil Bowles from IUCN to talk about the recently completed Global Reptile Assessment. They talk about the need for the assessment and go in detail on one of the primary tools, the IUCN Red List. They also discuss the assessment process and how they gather and analyze the information to determine each species status. The results show that a significant percentage of reptile species are threatened with extinction but also that there are many species that are...
Feb 10, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 71
Dr. Jenkins sits down with Caesar Rahman to talk about Burmese Pythons - not to discuss them in Florida where most people in the United States think of them, but instead to talk about them in their native range. Caesar runs a nonprofit called Creative Conservation Alliance that works to conserve rare and endangered wildlife in Bangladesh. They discuss the ecology of Burmese Pythons including habitats, movements, and reproduction. They also talk about Pangolins which may be the Gopher Tortoises o...
Jan 27, 2023•59 min•Ep. 70
Dr. Jenkins sits down with Kiley Briggs to discuss the ‘Big Four’ of freshwater turtle conservation in North America. The discussion starts with an overview of the four, Bog, Wood, Blanding’s, and Spotted Turtles. They go into particular depth on the ecology and natural history of the Wood Turtle, including many stories from the field. Finally they give an update on Orianne’s work to conserve wood turtles in Northern New England. Connect with Kiley on Instagram . Connect with Chris on Facebook ,...
Jan 13, 2023•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 69
Dr. Jenkins sits down with Lameace Hussain (they/them) to talk about an interesting journey - starting with a rural upbringing in Kentucky, Lameace’s deep interest in Herpetology, research they conducted in Washington on a variety of species including Northern Pacific Rattlesnakes, and what brought Lameace to their current project, working in Human Dimensions. Specifically, examining how well government agencies and academic institutions incorporate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion into their wo...
Dec 30, 2022•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 68
Dr. Jenkins sits down with Dr. Josh Parker to talk about one the most fascinating rattlesnakes, the Midget Faded Rattlesnake. Josh has an interesting life story - he overcame a fear of snakes and has never looked back, building a career and life around keeping and studying these amazing animals. They discuss this relatively small and obscure rattlesnake’s natural history covering distribution, movement, habitat, diet, venom and much more. They also spend quite a bit of time discussing Josh’s lon...
Dec 16, 2022•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 67
Dr. Jenkins is joined by William Sargent from Hong Kong. William is a certified snake catcher in Hong Kong and leads Snake Safaris for local communities. They talk about the environments and snake communities of Hong Kong including discussions of King Cobras and Banded Kraits. They then transition into talking about what he does in his role as a snake catcher and how he has helped to change some of the practices of snake catchers across the country to better conserve snakes. Finally, they discus...
Dec 02, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 66
Dr. Jenkins sits down with McKayla Spencer, the Interagency Python Management Coordinator with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. They talk about everything python in Florida. They walk through a timeline of the invasion including how the snakes arrived and how the partnerships’ control methods have changed over the years. They also discuss python regulations in Florida, how the snakes are humanely euthanized, new technologies for detecting them, scout snakes and much more. You d...
Nov 18, 2022•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 65
Dr. Jenkins sits down with Dr. Waldron to talk more about one of his favorite snakes, the Eastern Diamond-backed Rattlesnake (EDB). Jayme has spent much of her career working in the low country of South Carolina both in the pine savannas and on sea islands. The common thread of this podcast is the research program of one of the leading contemporary ecologists studying EDBs. They discuss a wide range of topics including life history, movements, snake-human interactions, misconceptions on the timi...
Nov 04, 2022•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 64
Dr. Jenkins sits down with Dr. Madsen to talk about his career and his long-term snake studies from around the world. They start in Scandinavia talking about Adders and the interesting natural history of this snake that is the only species to make it into the Arctic Circle. They focus on a 40-plus year study of an Adder population in southern Sweden, specifically how the population nearly disappeared and how Thomas was able to help the population recover. They then go to Australia and talk about...
Oct 21, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 63
Dr. Jenkins sits down with Gowri Shankar to talk about one of the world's most iconic snakes, the King Cobra. They start off talking about Gowri’s career and the amazing snake diversity in India. They then do a deep dive into King Cobra natural history including movements, habitat, diet and reproduction. Finally, they discuss Gowri’s PhD research which has split the King Cobras into 4 species. Stay tuned to hear the story about the time Gowri was bitten by a King Cobra. Connect with Gowri at The...
Oct 07, 2022•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 62
Dr. Jenkins sits down with Dr. Bruce Means to talk about everything Eastern Diamond-backed Rattlesnake (EDB). They begin with a discussion of his time working at Tall Timbers and his early studies of the species. They then do a deep dive on the ecology of EDBs talking about their movement, habitats, breeding, diet, and life history. The ecology conversation transitions into how the roundups and broad scale habitat changes in the region have impacted EDB populations. They finish the episode by ta...
Sep 23, 2022•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 61
Dr. Jenkins sits down with Daniel Sollenberger, state herpetologist for Georgia, to talk about rattlesnake roundups. They start off going over what Daniel’s role is, as the state herpetologist. They transition into what roundups are and how they are typically structured in the Southeast. Chris and Daniel talk in detail about the Whigham roundup which was the last one in Georgia to transition to a wildlife festival. Finally, they talk about the status and management of venomous snakes in Georgia ...
Sep 09, 2022•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 60
Dr. Jenkins sits down with John Jensen to talk about rattlesnake roundups. They describe what roundups are and how they are typically structured in the Southeast. John tells us about many of the projects he worked on during his time as the state herpetologist in Georgia. Chris and John discuss the history of roundups in the region and about how the snake hunters collect snakes for the event. Finally, they go in depth about the transition of the Claxton Roundup to a Wildlife Festival including th...
Aug 26, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 59
Dr. Jenkins sits down with Bob Ashley to talk about his life - he has found a unique path that has allowed him to pursue many different avenues relative to snakes. They talk about a range of interests Bob has, including keeping and breeding snakes, collecting rare books and artifacts, and publishing. Specifically, the discussion centers on Bob’s transition from growing up in Michigan and breeding snakes to being the founder of the Chiricahua Desert Museum. They also discuss Eco Publishing, the I...
Aug 12, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 58
Dr. Jenkins sits down with Rhett Stanberry to talk about traveling to snake hunt and field herp. Learn about a range of topics including how to select a country, how to focus on regions within the country, how laws and regulations change from area to area, lodging and travel, visas, and how understanding the snakes’ biology can help you plan. Also, listen in to the conversation about Rhett’s most recent adventure to Panama. Connect with Rhett on YouTube . Connect with Chris on Facebook , Instagr...
Jul 29, 2022•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 57
Dr. Jenkins has a conversation with Dr. Shine to talk about his newest book. This autobiography goes through his fifty-plus year career studying snakes in Australia from his childhood, to conducting the first studies on Australian snakes in graduate school, to the multiple long-term studies he has worked on over the years. Dr. Shine is one of the most accomplished Snake Biologists in the history of herpetology. Join us as we hear him tell his story. Connect with Dr. Shine on the Macquarie Univer...
Jul 15, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 56
Dr. Jenkins sits down with The Orianne Society’s Director of Science, Houston Chandler, to talk about the link between science and conservation. They start off by diving into the conservation of flatwoods salamanders in the Gulf Region including ecology, threats, and research. They transition to talking about the launch of The Orianne Society’s Science Initiative and how it will be structured into the future. As part of that discussion they talk about grant opportunities. They then discuss a ran...
Jul 01, 2022•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 55
Dr. Jenkins sits down with Dr. Daniel Beck to discuss ecology and natural history of Gila Monsters. They cover everything from the origins of the name, their distribution, habitat needs, reproduction and much more. They also touch on the closely related Beaded Lizards and chat about rattlesnakes. Dr. Beck finishes with an incredible story about camping in Gila Monster country. Connect with Dr. Beck at Central Washington University . Here is Dr. Beck’s book, Biology of Gila Monsters and Beaded Li...
Jun 17, 2022•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 54
Dr. Jenkins sits down with Dr. Matt Goode to talk about research on venomous reptiles. They cover everything from the movement of Prairie Rattlesnakes, the impact of development on Tiger Rattlesnakes and Gila Monsters, to Natural History of King Cobras. Dr. Goode finishes with a story of surgery on a King Cobra in unusual circumstances. Connect with Dr. Goode at The University of Arizona . Connect with Chris on Facebook , Instagram or at The Orianne Society . Shop Snake Talk merch. Connect with ...
Jun 03, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 53
Dr. Jenkins sits down with Ben Stegenga who coordinates rare species inventory and monitoring in the Longleaf Savannas for The Orianne Society. Dr. Jenkins starts off the episode with an update on some exciting changes to the program structure at The Orianne Society, talks about their new website and a current campaign. Ben and Chris discuss the results from this season's indigo snake monitoring, including how many sites where indigos were found, how many snakes in total were detected, as well a...
May 20, 2022•57 min•Ep. 52
Dr. Jenkins has a conversation with Dr. Doody about reptiles in Australia. They start by discussing reptile communities in general across the continent, including some interesting discussions on the nesting ecology of Pig-nosed Turtles. They discuss Cane Toads, their natural history and how they found their way to approximately fifty countries around the world. They talk about how Cane Toads have spread and the research Dr. Doody has been conducting, documenting the impact on native reptiles. St...
May 06, 2022•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 51
Dr. Jenkins moderates a panel on the founding and growth of Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (PARC) into the organization that it is today. The panel features some of the founding members of PARC and others who have played critical roles as the organization has grown over the years. If you are interested in amphibian and reptile conservation, you are not going to want to miss this one. Connect with our partners at Southeast PARC or PARC . Connect with Chris on Facebook , Instagram ...
Apr 22, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 50
Dr. Jenkins sits down with Nelson Brooke, the Black Warrior Riverkeeper, to talk about conservation in Alabama. They discuss the amazing topographic and biological diversity that few people realize characterizes Alabama. Chris and Nelson dive into the Black Warrior Watershed and its values and threats. They talk about how two rare endemic species are holding on in the watershed. Finally, they discuss what the job of a Riverkeeper is, and the approaches they take to watershed conservation. They f...
Apr 08, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 49
Dr. Jenkins sits down with Dr. Gordon Burghardt to discuss some of the most asked questions about snakes. Dr. Burghardt has been conducting research at the intersection of psychology and herpetology since the 1960s. They start with a discussion on human fear of snakes - more specifically, if we are born with this fear, or if it is learned as we develop. Chris and Gordon also dive into snake cognition touching on topics such as chemoreception and self-recognition. Connect with Gordon at Universit...
Mar 25, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 48
Dr. Jenkins sits down with Dr. Julie Ray to talk about Chytrid Fungus, its devastating impacts on tropical frogs, and how snake populations declined in response. A bit of a depressing episode, but it is fascinating to understand the mechanisms behind the disappearance of tropical snake species. They also talk about Team Snake Panama and Dr. Ray’s most recent endeavor, Project Northwoods. Connect with Chris on Facebook , Instagram or at The Orianne Society . Shop Snake Talk merch. If you like wha...
Mar 11, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 47
Dr. Jenkins sits down with Dr. Javan Bauder to talk about the past 20 years. Chris and Javan have been working together to study snakes in a variety of places for almost 20 years. Javan also talks about the USGS Coop Units and his current role as a Wildlife Biologist in the Arizona Unit. Tune in to hear exciting stories of bush planes, running a metal rod into your brain, and indigo snakes in orange groves. Connect with Javan at USGS . Connect with Chris on Facebook , Instagram or at The Orianne...
Feb 25, 2022•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 46
Dr. Jenkins sits down with Greg Lipps and Brett Rodstrom to talk about an innovative partnership to conserve a federally listed rattlesnake. The conversation begins with some of the important aspects of massasauga ecology and natural history relative to their conservation. Learn about a multiple agency and organization partnership that has developed to find and conserve the remaining massasauga populations in Ohio. The cornerstone of the partnership is land conservation - land protection, and ha...
Feb 11, 2022•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 45
Dr. Jenkins sits down with Howard Inns to discuss the work of the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust (ARCT). They start by talking about Howard’s interest in reptiles and amphibians and how it led to him becoming one of the early leaders at ARCT. Chris and Howard talk about the species and natural history of snakes in the United Kingdom. Then they go in-depth about the ARCT and the work they are doing to conserve species in this often herpetologically overlooked corner of the world. They t...
Jan 28, 2022•59 min•Ep. 44
