All Creatures Podcast

What if the biggest conservation question of our time isn't how we save wildlife... but whether we're willing to leave enough room for it? In this solo episode, Chris explores the global 30x30 initiative, an ambitious goal to protect 30% of Earth's land and oceans by 2030. From elephant corridors and marine reserves to David Attenborough's Ocean, this is a conversation about coexistence, hope, and...

In this classic episode, Chris and Angie explore the extraordinary world of salmon. From their remarkable migration between rivers and the ocean to their incredible ability to return to the very streams where they were born, salmon are among nature's greatest travelers. They also discuss the conservation status of different salmon species, the threats they face, and why these iconic fish are essen...

Angie welcomes Dr. Katy Ayres to discuss sharks’ physiology and urgent conservation needs, highlight National Geographic’s SharkFest (premiering Sunday, July 5 on Nat Geo, Disney+ and Hulu), and preview “Hammerhead Sharks Up Close”. Dr. Ayres, an England-born marine scientist and National Geographic Explorer who studies sharks in Baja, Mexico, shares how her lifelong fascination began. She explain...

A classic episode released a few years ago. Here it is again in case you missed it. Capybaras have become one of the world's most beloved animals, winning hearts with their calm personalities and remarkable ability to get along with almost every other species. In this classic episode, we explore the fascinating lives of the world's largest rodents, from their semi-aquatic lifestyle and complex soc...

Elephants don't simply wander across the landscape. For generations, they have followed ancient migration routes passed down through memory, experience, and culture. These invisible highways connect water, food, and survival itself. In this episode, Chris explores the remarkable world of elephant corridors, how matriarchs guide their families across vast distances, and what happens when ancient pa...

We are re-releasing this episode from 2020. Amur Falcons are one of the most remarkable migratory birds on Earth. Weighing less than 200 grams, these small raptors undertake an astonishing annual journey of more than 20,000 kilometres, travelling from breeding grounds in eastern Asia to wintering grounds in southern Africa. In this episode, we explore the incredible biology behind their migration,...

Chris and Angie revisit the giant panda, first featured on the podcast in 2018, and explore one of conservation's most celebrated success stories. They discuss how giant pandas recovered from Endangered to Vulnerable status through habitat protection, wildlife corridors, anti-poaching efforts, and decades of dedicated conservation work in China. Along the way, they uncover the fascinating biology...

Leopard seals were first covered in 2022 by Chris and Angie. Today they bring them back for those that have yet to uncover this remarkable species. Leopard Seals are among Antarctica’s most fascinating and formidable predators. In this episode, we dive into the world of these powerful marine mammals, exploring their unique hunting strategies, remarkable adaptations, and surprising intelligence. Le...

In this classic episode, Chris and Angie speak about the fascinating world of bull sharks. Bull sharks are among the most remarkable sharks on Earth. Unlike most shark species, they can thrive in both saltwater and freshwater, traveling hundreds of miles up rivers and even living in lakes. This incredible adaptability has allowed them to occupy habitats ranging from coastal oceans to inland waterw...

Chris welcomes author Robert Moore to the All Creatures Podcast to discuss his book "In Trees: An Exploration" and how trees shape ecosystems, human wellbeing, and environmental solutions. Moore explains “tree thinking” as a non-linear, relational way of understanding life inspired by Darwin’s evolutionary tree, and discusses debates around plant intelligence while cautioning against projecting hu...

Chris and Angie first recorded this in 2020 and it is worth a relisten! Red pandas may look like a cross between a fox, a raccoon, and a teddy bear, but they are actually one of the most unique mammals on Earth. Found in the temperate forests of the Himalayas and southwestern China, these remarkable animals spend much of their lives high in the trees, feeding primarily on bamboo and navigating som...

Chris explores the heartbreaking story of the northern white rhinoceros, now reduced to the last two surviving females, Najin and Fatu, living under armed protection in Kenya. The episode traces how poaching, habitat loss, political instability, and human demand drove a once widespread animal to the edge of extinction, while contrasting their fate with the recovery of southern white rhinos. Chris...

Chris and Angie revisit one of Africa’s most recognizable — and misunderstood — animals: the warthog. Famous for inspiring Pumbaa in Disney’s The Lion King, warthogs are far more than comic relief. These resilient wild pigs are perfectly adapted for survival on the African savannah, using speed, intelligence, powerful tusks, and even reverse-running into burrows to avoid predators. In this classic...

Angie interviews wildlife conservationist Leif Cocks, founder of the International Tiger Project, about saving wild tigers through large-scale rainforest protection in Indonesia and Laos. They discuss why tiger conservation matters for biodiversity and climate resilience, the extinction of Bali and Javan tigers, and the urgent reality that fewer than 300 Sumatran tigers remain in fragmented habita...

In this classic episode, Chris and Angie dive into the incredible world of the Humpback Whale — famous for their haunting songs, massive migrations, and spectacular breaches. Once driven close to extinction by commercial whaling, humpbacks are now listed as largely recovering globally, though some populations remain vulnerable to threats including entanglement, ship strikes, climate change, noise...

Chris hosts Stacy and Jeremy Hill to discuss intentional food choices, local and seasonal eating, and reducing carbon impacts from long-distance shipping and food waste. The Hills, based at Gooseberry Bridge Farm in southern Missouri, describe how homegrown tomatoes sparked their journey into gardening and preserving, leading to better flavor, nutrition, lower costs, and improved food security for...

The Sumatran Rhinoceros is one of the rarest mammals on Earth, with fewer than 80 animals remaining. Chris and Angie explore the ancient history of this unique rhino, the devastating threats pushing it toward extinction, and the global conservation efforts racing to save the species before it disappears forever. This episode first aired in 2021. == Another thank you to all our Patreon supporters....

Chris revisits a recent episode on “apathy,” arguing that what looks like not caring is often overwhelm that leads to disconnection and learned helplessness, reinforced by the belief that only governments or corporations can fix environmental crises like the projected 90% decline of endangered emperor penguins. He counters that systems ultimately respond to collective human behavior (what people b...

Chris interviews Dr. Enric Sala, a marine ecologist and Explorer in Residence at the National Geographic Society, where he leads the groundbreaking Pristine Seas initiative. Since 2008, his work has helped protect over 6 million square kilometers of ocean by combining science, exploration, and policy. By documenting some of the last untouched marine ecosystems on Earth, Sala works directly with go...

Chris and Angie revisit emperor penguins, exploring their incredible adaptations, males incubate a single egg through the brutal Antarctic winter, enduring extreme cold, fierce winds, and months without food. But this resilience is being pushed to its limits as melting sea ice causes widespread chick mortality. They unpack the species’ rapid decline from near threatened (2019) to endangered (2026)...

In this classic episode, Chris and Angie tackle the jaguar. Who is more than just a powerful predator, it’s a keystone species that helps regulate entire ecosystems across Central and South America. By controlling populations of prey like deer, capybara, and even caiman, jaguars maintain balance in the food web, preventing overgrazing and supporting forest regeneration. Currently listed as Near Th...

Chris opens this min episode by arguing that extinction begins with silence and that humans live in “awareness without response,” Citing species decline and ecosystem change, including emperor penguins being upgraded to endangered with a projected 90% decline by century’s end, he frames our current global reality. Chris states apathy, quoted from Dr. Jane Goodall, as a quiet, dangerous gap between...

In this classic episode, Chris and Angie chat all about Chinchillas. Chinchillas are famous for having the densest fur on Earth, but that same trait nearly wiped them out. Native to the Andes, these incredible jumpers and dust-bathing specialists are now endangered due to hunting and habitat loss. Today, wild populations remain small and fragmented. The long-tailed chinchilla is listed as endanger...

Chris interviews Natalie Madden of Defenders of Wildlife on how noise pollution impacts birds. Drawing on a meta-analysis of 160 studies, she highlights strong negative effects on reproduction, along with changes in behavior, communication, and stress physiology. The episode explores major noise sources, links to broader bird declines, and practical ways at both individual and policy-level to redu...

Originally recorded in 2020, this episode dives into the fascinating world of the American black bear—one of North America’s most adaptable and misunderstood large mammals. From dense forests to suburban neighborhoods, black bears have quietly become one of the most successful large carnivores on the continent. But behind their familiar image lies a highly intelligent, resourceful animal with comp...