When you think of your typical songbird, you probably imagine a cute small bird fluttering about. Singing their songs and maybe catching a few insects here and there. Well, the Loggerhead Shrike has something to teach you. Not all songbirds are innocent. The Loggerhead Shrike is often called a "butcher bird" for its unique diet and behaviors. See the Loggerhead Shrike hunts all sorts of prey, small reptiles, amphibians, insects, mammals and even other birds. Then, when they catch their prey, the...
Oct 13, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Ep 328•Transcript available on Metacast Born Free USA was founded in 2002. In 1966, Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers starred in the classic wildlife film Born Free. The film told the true story of conservationists Joy and George Adamson who rescued a lioness cub named Elsa and successfully returned her to the wild. The mission of Born Free USA states that their vision is a co-existent future where humans no longer exploit wild animals. The further state they are working to ensure that all wild animals, whether living in captivity or ...
Oct 08, 2021•35 min•Ep 327•Transcript available on Metacast We kick off our "Spooky October" with a unique creature of the deep, the Goblin Shark. While grotesque looking to some, this predator serves a critical role in helping our ocean ecosystem stay healthy. Not only is this shark freaky looking, it has some incredible physiology unseen in other species of sharks. In fact, the Goblin Shark is one of the oldest known species of sharks in our oceans. It has been described as a "living fossil" and is a fun species to learn about. For one cup of "good" co...
Oct 06, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Ep 326•Transcript available on Metacast With less than 80 animals left in the world, the Sumatran Rhino is one of the world's most endangered rhino species. Only the Javan Rhino with estimates of maybe 60 animals is as close to extinction. Both Angie and Chris were very fortunate to meet up close one the these highly endangered mammals back in 2011. Harapan, one of 3 Sumatran Rhinos born at the Cincinnati Zoo, was held at a conservation center in Florida, and was returned to Sumatra in 2015 to help his species. While this species is o...
Sep 28, 2021•1 hr 12 min•Ep 325•Transcript available on Metacast We all are aware of the ecological crisis we find ourselves in. This week we interview Dr. Amanda Romo, who is a professor and Director of the Learning Center at East Los Angeles College. Realizing the need to inform and educate the next generation on our world, she turned to the All Creatures Podcast as a learning tool for her students. In our interview, Dr. Romo talks about how she has integrated our podcast and using other tools to teach her students. She gives fascinating insight into how to...
Sep 23, 2021•53 min•Ep 324•Transcript available on Metacast Raccoons are a beloved species native to the Americas. These smaller carnivores are known for their high intelligence and incredible dexterity. You also might be surprised to learn Raccoons have been introduced to Europe and also Japan. They are now well established in these regions of the world. Additionally, while Raccoons as a whole are doing quite well living next to humans, some subspecies are endangered. They are very adaptable creatures and have so many fun behaviors that you will want to...
Sep 21, 2021•1 hr 12 min•Ep 323•Transcript available on Metacast We once again head down under to Australia to cover one of its most iconic birds, the Laughing Kookaburra. With its extremely unique call, the Kookaburra is a favorite the world over. From the Family of kingfishers, Kookaburra's are an important species to the Australian continent and are also found in Papa New Guinea. The Laughing Kookaburra is the more famous of these birds and are a complete joy to learn more about. Australia and its wildlife, like most regions on the planet, are under threat...
Sep 15, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Ep 322•Transcript available on Metacast One of the more iconic mammals of Australia, this week we cover the Dingo. As a member of the Canid family, Dingos are technically not native to Australia. Rather, they were introduced by humans thousands of years ago. However, Dingos have remained relatively untouched from human interference for thousands of years. Today Dingos play a critical role in maintaining balance in Australia's ecosystem. These are amazing animals doing amazing things. It was a real pleasure to bring you this week's pod...
Sep 09, 2021•1 hr 13 min•Ep 321•Transcript available on Metacast The Rocky Mountain Goat seems to defy gravity. They can scale and leap with ease across some of the most intense terrain on earth. What is especially interesting is the Rocky Mountain Goat is not a true "goat" but rather a "goat antelope." They also are the largest mammal that lives and survives at some of our highest altitudes, as well as in some of the harshest terrain in North America. They are just an absolute wonder to learn about. While not yet listed as a species threatened with extinctio...
Sep 01, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Ep 320•Transcript available on Metacast We are so excited to have one of the world's foremost orangutan experts, Leif Cocks, on to discuss the peril of one of our most beloved primates. Leif is the founder and president of The Orangutan Project. From there website it states, The Orangutan Project was established in 1998 by founder and world-renowned orangutan expert, Leif Cocks, as a result of his almost 30 year career working with orangutans. Leif is a passionate campaigner for orangutans and has been the President of The Orangutan P...
Aug 26, 2021•46 min•Ep 319•Transcript available on Metacast We are back in Asia to chat about another big cat heading towards extinction, the Clouded Leopard. These magnificent cats are the oldest of the modern big cats and some of the most beautiful. Native to southern and south-eastern Asia, Clouded Leopards are facing extinction. much like big cousins the Tiger. Clouded Leopards are a special animal, with traits superior to almost any other cat species. They have the largest canine teeth to skull ratio of any cat. Their canine teeth, measuring up to 2...
Aug 18, 2021•1 hr 10 min•Ep 318•Transcript available on Metacast Douglas Chadwick has led an incredible career as a wildlife biologist and author. He has written 14 books and more than 200 articles for multiple magazines to include National Geographic. In fact, he was with National Geographic for over 35 years. Doug brings insight into our natural world like none other. He has traveled all over the world and has personally observed multiple aquatic and terrestrial species, and all the deterioration of our natural spaces. In his latest book, Four Fifths a Griz...
Aug 11, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Ep 317•Transcript available on Metacast While tuna is a fish many eat around the world, these fish are heading towards extinction. This is especially true of the most prized Bluefin Tuna. In fact, one 600 lb. Bluefin Tuna sold for $3 million USD at a market in Japan making this fish one highly sought after. The result is, Bluefin Tuna now number only 3.3% of their historic population. This is also distressing because tuna are some of the most unique and amazing fish in our world's oceans. They exhibit especially unique physiology and ...
Jul 27, 2021•1 hr 15 min•Ep 316•Transcript available on Metacast Dr. Kini Roelser is another amazing award winner from the prestigious Whitley Fund for Nature. Dr. Roelser is working hard to save the critically endangered Hooded Grebe and other wildlife on the Patagonia Steppe. The Hooded Grebe was only discovered in the 1970s and has suffered a dramatic 80% decline in their population over the last 20 years. Dr. Roelser shares with us his work and all the pressures this bird and other native wildlife in Patagonia are suffering from. He gives us great insight...
Jul 22, 2021•47 min•Ep 315•Transcript available on Metacast Dr. David Shiffman is a shark biologist who has dedicated his life to the study and preservation of sharks in our oceans. He is currently in South Florida, where he is working to understand sharks better, particularly off the coast of Miami in Biscayane Bay. He is also heavily involved in public outreach through his multiple social media channels. In our interview Dr. Shiffman talks everything sharks and lays to rest some disinformation out there and also tells us what the future looks like for ...
Jul 16, 2021•55 min•Ep 314•Transcript available on Metacast We continue to cover species from the ocean during this Plastic Free July with the Great Hammerhead Shark. There are 9 species of hammerhead sharks, all are on a trajectory to extinction. Alarmingly, the largest of the family, the Great Hammerhead, is critically endangered. Due to the pressures of overfishing, shark finning, by catch, and others, the Great Hammerhead is in deep peril. These incredibly unique sharks with their hammer heads deserve our attention and they need your help. This week,...
Jul 14, 2021•1 hr 16 min•Ep 313•Transcript available on Metacast Pedro Fruet was recently awarded the prestigious Whitley Award from the Whitley Fund for Nature. The endangered Lahille's Bottlenose Dolphin is only one of two subspecies of the Common Bottlenose dolphin. They have an estimated population of only around 600 individuals left in world off the coast of Argentina and southern Brazil and Uruguay. Pedro is leading the effort to save these special animals. He is working with local fisheries and government officials to help reduce the amount of bycatch,...
Jul 10, 2021•43 min•Ep 312•Transcript available on Metacast As we observe 'Plastic Free July," we return to the ocean to learn about the much loved Bottlenose Dolphin. We are always blown away by these special aquatic mammals. Dolphins are recognized as incredibly intelligent mammals and in this week's podcast we especially focus on their incredible behaviors. You will not want to miss it. Also, most are now aware that our oceans are continually polluted with plastics and other garbage. We briefly highlight these issues and more facing dolphins, whales a...
Jul 07, 2021•1 hr 19 min•Ep 311•Transcript available on Metacast Dr. Paula Kahumbu is one of the most recognized woman working in conservation in Africa. She was recently awarded the incredibly prestigious Whitley Gold Award for all her hard work in preserving wildlife in Africa. Dr. Kahumbu was instrumental in helping to curb the ivory trade in Kenya. She hosts a television show, Wildlife Warriors, that is one of the most popular shows in Kenya. She is leading efforts to set up an Environmental Justice Desk to help solve human-wildlife conflicts. Her list of...
Jul 01, 2021•51 min•Ep 310•Transcript available on Metacast This week we head back to Africa to cover one of their more endearing primates, the Bush Baby. Specifically, we are covering the critically endangered Rhondo Dwarf Bush Baby. There are approximately 20 different species of Bush Baby in Africa, which are also called Galagos and resemble some of our earliest primate ancestors. The Rhondo Dwarf Bush baby is native to the coastal region of Tanzania living in the evergreen forests in the Tanzanian highlands. Due to deforestation and human encroachmen...
Jun 30, 2021•1 hr 17 min•Ep 309•Transcript available on Metacast Nuklu Phom was recently awarded the prestigious Whitley Award from the Whitley Fund for Nature. Nuklu has been instrumental in leading efforts to preserve the Amur Falcon in Nagaland, India. The Amur Falcon is the world's longest migrating bird of prey and Nagaland is a critical stop along their long migration. Over a decade ago, Amur Falcons were being poached in the tens of thousands. However, Nuklu helped organize a grassroots effort to not only halt the poaching, but also preserve Nagaland's...
Jun 24, 2021•46 min•Ep 308•Transcript available on Metacast Birds continue to fascinate us, and the Amur Falcon is no exception. This fascinating raptor migrates farther than any other bird of prey on Earth. They reside in the Amur region of north China, Mongolia, Russia for part of the year, and then go on an incredible journey all the way down to South Africa. In this week's podcast we cover just how these birds make such an incredible trek. We also highlight Nagaland in Eastern India. It is a critical stop for the Amur Falcon before a long trek over t...
Jun 22, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Ep 307•Transcript available on Metacast In honor of Giraffe Day, June 21, we welcome Global Conservation Force Giraffe Project Coordinator Mike Bona. Giraffe are suffering what many are calling a "silent extinction." They have suffered a 40% reduction in their population in just the last 15 years. Mike is a long time hoof stock keeper at the LA Zoo and has been involved in many conservation projects with many endangered species. His focus has primarily been in Giraffe and has now joined Global Conservation Force to protect and preserv...
Jun 17, 2021•58 min•Ep 306•Transcript available on Metacast The Gerenuk like a giraffe is a long-necked herbivore. While not closely related to giraffes, the Gerenuk has evolved to grow long necks to reach foliage that many other herbivores cant. They are a very unique antelope species from Africa. In this week's podcast we talk about this species and all its interesting adaptations to survive in the Horn of Africa. The Gerenuk is also sliding towards extinction and we discuss what some conservation organizations are doing to help them. Yet, we do also b...
Jun 15, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Ep 305•Transcript available on Metacast Sammy Safari was recently awarded the prestigious Whitley Award from the Whitley Fund for Nature. Sammy is leading an effort to help save sea turtles off the coast of Kenya. Sea turtles have been poached off Kenya for many years, with a dramatic increase seen with the Covid pandemic. The loss of tourism in Kenya has pushed locals out into the oceans to survive. Sadly, sea turtles have been targeted for poaching. Sammy and his team with Local Ocean Trust have been educating the masses on not only...
Jun 10, 2021•40 min•Ep 304•Transcript available on Metacast In honor of Sea Turtle Week, we decided to return to sea turtles and specifically cover the largest of the group, the Leatherback. This sea turtle dwarfs their distant relatives and can reach over 6.5 feet (2 meters) and weigh nearly a ton (900 kg). They are enormous! Not to mention they are one of the deepest diving animals (outside of fish), among many other amazing facts. Sadly, sea turtle populations continue to decline and we discuss this more in depth in this episode. We also highlight con...
Jun 09, 2021•1 hr 10 min•Ep 303•Transcript available on Metacast Dr. Lucy Kemp was recently awarded the prestigious Whitley Award from the Whitley Fund for Nature. Dr. Kemp is leading a grassroots effort to help save and preserve the amazing Southern Ground-hornbill in Africa. Her story gives us so much hope for the future for not only the Southern Ground-hornbill, but all wildlife in Africa and beyond. Her project title is "A community-based approach to conserve the Southern Ground-hornbill." In our interview we discuss the issues that are driving this incre...
Jun 03, 2021•44 min•Ep 302•Transcript available on Metacast We head back to Africa to highlight one of the continents deadliest snakes, the Black Mamba. The Black Mamba is revered and also feared throughout the portions of southern and eastern Africa where it inhabits. Not only is it is one of the world's deadliest snakes, its also one of its largest. In fact, the Black Mamba is the world's second longest venomous snakes, right behind the King Cobra. Their cocktail of venom is very deadly to other animals and humans alike. However, they are not responsib...
Jun 02, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Ep 301•Transcript available on Metacast This week we welcome Martha Hunt Handler who is the current President of the Wolf Conservation Center, located in New York, USA. She also recently published her book Winter of the Wolf. During this episode we get an update on how not only grey wolves are doing in the Americas, but also the red wolves and Mexican grey wolves. We also spent a good amount of time discussing the passing of legislation in the state of Idaho, USA, allowing the slaughter of 90% of the states 1550 wolves. Martha has led...
May 27, 2021•1 hr•Ep 300•Transcript available on Metacast As much as we enjoy learning about each species, this week we were pleasantly and extremely surprised by what we learned about the Coyote! This is not the first canid we have covered, but one that just left us speechless. The Coyote is a master of survival and adaptation. They are the first non-invasive species we know of whose range has actually substantially increased due to human activity. Because grey wolves have been persecuted to near extinction, Coyotes have filled part of their niche and...
May 25, 2021•1 hr 14 min•Ep 299•Transcript available on Metacast 
