Delve into topical issues in zoology, conservation and the environment, from saving species and protecting the planet, to finding out about the animals living across the globe, including in London's own river Thames. Learn more about the science behind the conservation work being done by ZSL and others, in this podcast from ZSL's Institute of Zoology. Hosted previously by Dr Monni Böhm and Ellie Darbey, and now by Harriet McAra.
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Happy World Swallowtail Day to our listeners! 🦋 To mark this special day and celebrate these incredible insects, we catch up with Sophie Ledger, Red List Research Associate and Manager at ZSL's Institute of Zoology, and Dr Mark Collins, President of the Swallowtail and Birdwing Butterfly Trust, to explore the ecology, adaptations and challenges of this remarkable family of butterflies, and hear…
Modern zoos play a critical role in global conservation, but supporting wildlife under human care goes far beyond habitat design. Hear how ZSL's experts use science, behavioural insight and veterinary care to help animals thrive and support species on the brink of extinction. From ensuring penguins can express their natural behaviours, to delivering tailored veterinary care to supports lions'…
How does our DNA, the tiny building blocks that make every species, and every individual, totally distinct, impact our evolution? In this episode, we learn how we can visualise our DNA, or genome, to allow us to better organise the tree of life, and how learning more about this genetic make-up can provide insights into how a species survives in the face of a changing environment. We head to…
Do you know where the wood in your floorboards comes from? Or your desk, or dining chairs? In this episode, we dig deep into the grain of a global issue that is often hidden in plain sight in our offices, our houses and our cities – tracing timber back to its source. Harriet talks to Annabelle Dodson, ZSL's Sustainable Business Project Manager, and Victor Deklerck, Director of Science at World…
What do car tyres, yoga mats and trainers have in common? They all contain natural rubber, tapped from trees by millions of small farmers, mostly in Asia. While natural rubber production is renewable, its impact on the environment through deforestation, habitat loss and soil degradation, can be great when not managed sustainably. In this episode, we hear from a Thai rubber farmer, about the…
The coastal waters of Wales are home to a whopping 27 species of sharks, skates and rays, known collectively as elasmobranchs, and they are a fundamental part of Wales' natural heritage. But even so, research on their biology and conservation status is lacking. In this episode, Wild Science hits the road to join scientists from Project SIARC and the Ocean Predator Lab in North Wales as they work…
Making sure that the animals held in ZSL's two conservation zoos, London and Whipsnade, are fed a diet that can help them thrive is crucial, both for keeping them healthy under managed care, and ensuring they are in the best possible shape for a return to the wild. Amanda Ferguson is ZSL's Diet Management Officer and is responsible for creating tailored diets for all the animals across both ZSL…
After our Nature's Negotiators miniseries, where we learned all about the complexities, challenges and importance of United Nations climate and biodiversity meetings, we wanted to give the gift of a bonus episode to round things off! We catch up with Bethan to hear how things went after she attended COP29, United Nations Climate Change Conference, in Azerbaijan. Overview 00:11 Harriet McAra , Host…
2024 has been a big year for international climate policy, with two UN Conference of Parties, or COPs, taking place in quick succession; COP16 in Colombia followed just a few weeks later by COP29 in Azerbaijan. In this episode of Wild Science, we follow on from part one of our Nature's Negotiators miniseries, and are once again joined by Bethan Laughlin, ZSL Senior Policy Specialist. We discuss…
What does it take to reintroduce an animal to the wild safely? How do we make sure that disease risk to existing populations, and to the animals being reintroduced, is mitigated? Hear from the Disease Risk Analysis and Health Surveillance Team (DRAHS) at ZSL who are working to give animals the best start possible as they return to the wild, and whose work has contributed to the recovery of over 30…
