The Zoology Ramblings Podcast

• Episode 32 (REWILDING DEEP DIVE): adventures from Botswana and North America, the fluffiest of otters, sexy onagers and cheetah reintroduction to India

  Welcome to the thirty-second episode of the Zoology Ramblings Podcast!The podcast has a new intro tune, a big thank you and credits to the very talented Al Middleton for the epic jingle. In this episode, Emma and Robi share news about their recent travels. Emma shares the nature highlights from her recent trip to North America and Robi shares his relaxing time in the Botswanan bush. Emma and Robi's animals of the week range from the very fluffy (Sea otter) to the very "sexy" (Onager). We then get into our first rewilding deep dive outside the British Isles exploring Project Cheetah in India. An intricate discussion into the decline of the Asiatic cheetah and the complexities of their highly political reintroduction. Robi and Emma delve into how Southeastern cheetahs from South Africa and Namibia are being used as a proxy to the lost Asiatic cheetahs. Some deem this project a failure but Emma and Robi draw out some of its successes. Robi ends with a tribute to Vincent Van Der Merwe, an inspirational South African conservationist, scientist, and National Geographic Explorer. Vincent was known for his role in cheetah conservation and reintroduction projects in Africa and Asia. About the hosts:Robi Watkinson is a Conservation Biologist and wildlife filmmaker specialising in the spatial and movement ecology of large carnivores, camera trapping survey methods, rewilding, metapopulation dynamics and conservation planning. He has an MSc in Conservation Biology from the FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, and the Institute of Communities and Wildlife in Africa, University of Cape Town. He is based between Cape Town and London, and has strong interests in equitable and inclusive conservation, palaeontology and wildlife taxonomy and evolution!Emma Hodson is a Zoologist and wildlife content creator, currently working in the community and engagement team at Avon Wildlife Trust. Emma’s role as a Wildlife Champions Project Officer involves supporting and upskilling people to take action for nature in their local communities. Emma has experience in remote wildlife fieldwork, and has been part of Arctic fox, macaw and cetacean research teams in Iceland, Peru and Wales respectively. She has also been involved in animal care and rehabilitation work in Costa Rica and South Africa. Emma is particularly passionate about the interface between community engagement and wildlife monitoring, and enjoys running workshops and giving talks on topics including camera trapping, beaver ecology and rewilding. Follow up links:You can watch "Rewilding A Nation" for free on WaterBear by following this link: https://www.waterbear.com/watch/rewilding-a-nationYou can follow more of our weird and wonderful wildlife adventures on instagram: @zoologyramblingspodcast & @robi_watkinson_wildlife & @emma_hodson_wildlife 

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• Episode 31: vicuña poo, giant storks, tardigrades, backtracking on lynx, hedgehog monitoring, de-extinction of the thylacine & new African rhino conservation framework

  Welcome to the thirty-first episode of the Zoology Ramblings Podcast! In this episode, Emma and Robi share news about Czech beavers saving taxpayer time and money, Robi goes on a thought tangent about nature friendly farming in the UK and Emma talks about how vicuña poo can create biodiversity hotspots as glaciers retreat. Emma and Robi's animals of the week range from the very large (Koobi Fora Giant Stork) to the very small (Tardigrades). For their local conservation stories, Robi talks about the First Minister of Scotland, John Swinney, ruling out the legal reintroduction of lynx into the wild in Scotland. Emma talks about an exciting new National Hedgehog Monitoring Programme being rolled out across the UK. And finally onto global conservation stories, where Emma talks about a project looking to bring back the thylacine (Tasmanian tiger) from extinction using futuristic gene editing. Robi ends by talking about the new African Rhinoceros Conservation Framework, which lays out best practice guidelines for effectively conserving rhinos across the continent. Robi Watkinson is a Conservation Biologist and wildlife filmmaker specialising in the spatial and movement ecology of large carnivores, camera trapping survey methods, rewilding, metapopulation dynamics and conservation planning. He has an MSc in Conservation Biology from the FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, and the Institute of Communities and Wildlife in Africa, University of Cape Town. He is based between Cape Town and London, and has strong interests in equitable and inclusive conservation, palaeontology and wildlife taxonomy and evolution!Emma Hodson is a Zoologist and wildlife content creator, currently working in the community and engagement team at Avon Wildlife Trust. Emma’s role as a Wildlife Champions Coordinator involves supporting and upskilling people to take action for nature in their local communities. Emma has experience in remote wildlife fieldwork, and has been part of Arctic fox, macaw and cetacean research teams in Iceland, Peru and Wales respectively. She has also been involved in animal care and rehabilitation work in Costa Rica and South Africa. Emma is particularly passionate about the interface between community engagement and wildlife monitoring, and enjoys running workshops and giving talks on topics including camera trapping, beaver ecology and rewilding. You can watch "Rewilding A Nation" for free on WaterBear by following this link: https://www.waterbear.com/watch/rewilding-a-nation . You can follow more of our weird and wonderful wildlife adventures on instagram: @zoologyramblingspodcast & @robi_watkinson_wildlife & @emma_hodson_wildlife

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• Episode 30 (REWILDING DEEP DIVE): free the nipple (and the beaver), mourning the sea cow louse, Vancouver sea wolves & Eurasian lynx reintroduction

  Welcome to the thirtieth episode of the Zoology Ramblings Podcast! In this episode, Emma and Robi both share news about UK government legislation- one positive (the banning of insect-killing pesticides) and one negative (blocking beaver releases). Emma then talks about the coastal Vancouver sea wolves, while Robi mourns the loss of the extinct sea cow louse. Robi and Emma then both delve into a rewilding deep dive looking at the potential reintroduction of Eurasian Lynx to Britain. Robi Watkinson is a Conservation Biologist and wildlife filmmaker specialising in the spatial and movement ecology of large carnivores, camera trapping survey methods, rewilding, metapopulation dynamics and conservation planning. He has an MSc in Conservation Biology from the FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, and the Institute of Communities and Wildlife in Africa, University of Cape Town. He is based between Cape Town and London, and has strong interests in equitable and inclusive conservation, palaeontology and wildlife taxonomy and evolution!Emma Hodson is a Zoologist and wildlife content creator, currently working in the community and engagement team at Avon Wildlife Trust. Emma’s role as a Wildlife Champions Coordinator involves supporting and upskilling people to take action for nature in their local communities. Emma has experience in remote wildlife fieldwork, and has been part of Arctic fox, macaw and cetacean research teams in Iceland, Peru and Wales respectively. She has also been involved in animal care and rehabilitation work in Costa Rica and South Africa. Emma is particularly passionate about the interface between community engagement and wildlife monitoring, and enjoys running workshops and giving talks on topics including camera trapping, beaver ecology and rewilding. You can watch "Rewilding A Nation" for free on WaterBear by following this link: https://www.waterbear.com/watch/rewilding-a-nation You can follow more of our weird and wonderful wildlife adventures on instagram: @zoologyramblingspodcast & @robi_watkinson_wildlife & @emma_hodson_wildlife

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• Episode 29: Rejected Orca Re-classification, Scottish Wildcat Update, Illegal Lynx Releases, L.A Wildfires and Positive Salmon News

  Welcome to the twenty-ninth episode of the Zoology Ramblings Podcast! This week, Robi and Emma begin with some very exciting news - the global release of their feature length documentary "Rewilding a Nation" on WaterBear! (link to watch below). Robi provides an update on the decision to reclassify orca into different species and gives an ode to the recently extinct slender-billed curlew and Emma gives an overview of Scottish wildcat news. Robi and Emma then talk about the recent illegal lynx releases to Scotland and end with global conservation stories in California. Emma talks about the impact of the wildfires on wildlife, while Robi shares some good news for Chinook salmon. Robi Watkinson is a Conservation Biologist and wildlife filmmaker specialising in the spatial and movement ecology of large carnivores, camera trapping survey methods, rewilding, metapopulation dynamics and conservation planning. He has an MSc in Conservation Biology from the FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, and the Institute of Communities and Wildlife in Africa, University of Cape Town. He is based between Cape Town and London, and has strong interests in equitable and inclusive conservation, palaeontology and wildlife taxonomy and evolution! Emma Hodson is a Zoologist and wildlife content creator, currently working in the community and engagement team at Avon Wildlife Trust. Emma’s role as a Wildlife Champions Coordinator involves supporting and upskilling people to take action for nature in their local communities. Emma has experience in remote wildlife fieldwork, and has been part of Arctic fox, macaw and cetacean research teams in Iceland, Peru and Wales respectively. She has also been involved in animal care and rehabilitation work in Costa Rica and South Africa. Emma is particularly passionate about the interface between community engagement and wildlife monitoring, and enjoys running workshops and giving talks on topics including camera trapping, beaver ecology and rewilding.  You can watch "Rewilding A Nation" for free on WaterBear by following this link: https://www.waterbear.com/watch/rewilding-a-nation You can follow more of our weird and wonderful wildlife adventures on instagram: @zoologyramblingspodcast & @robi_watkinson_wildlife & @emma_hodson_wildlife

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• Episode 28: Sloth bears, Spade-Toothed Whales, Nepal Tiger Conservation, African Leadership in Conservation & South African Sea Birds

  Welcome to the twenty-eighth episode of the Zoology Ramblings Podcast! This week, Robi and Emma join you from opposite sides of the world, with Emma in Nepal and Robi in South Africa. Emma recounts some of her exciting wildlife sightings, including the illusive sloth bear and Bengal Tiger. Emma later delves into tiger conservation in Nepal, with some positive news about community-led initiatives to protect and boost tiger populations. Robi talks about the rare spade-toothed whale and also delves into the importance of African leadership in the conservation sector, highlighting the need for African solutions to African problems, led by Africans. Robi ends by spotlighting some of South Africa's marine life, including the amazing diversity of sea birds he saw on a recent boat trip with friends. Robi Watkinson is a Conservation Biologist and wildlife filmmaker specialising in the spatial and movement ecology of large carnivores, camera trapping survey methods, rewilding, metapopulation dynamics and conservation planning. He has an MSc in Conservation Biology from the FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, and the Institute of Communities and Wildlife in Africa, University of Cape Town. He is based between Cape Town and London, and has strong interests in equitable and inclusive conservation, palaeontology and wildlife taxonomy and evolution! Emma Hodson is a Zoologist and wildlife content creator, currently working in the community and engagement team at Avon Wildlife Trust. Emma’s role as a Wildlife Champions Coordinator involves supporting and upskilling people to take action for nature in their local communities. Emma has experience in remote wildlife fieldwork, and has been part of Arctic fox, macaw and cetacean research teams in Iceland, Peru and Wales respectively. She has also been involved in animal care and rehabilitation work in Costa Rica and South Africa. Emma is particularly passionate about the interface between community engagement and wildlife monitoring, and enjoys running workshops and giving talks on topics including camera trapping, beaver ecology and rewilding.  You can follow more of our weird and wonderful wildlife adventures on instagram: @zoologyramblingspodcast & @robi_watkinson_wildlife & @emma_hodson_wildlife

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