CheloniaCast

CheloniaCast is joined by George Balazs, a global independent sea turtle scientist and former leader of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Marine Turtle Research Program, a position that he held for over 30 years. George is, and has been, a massive force for sea turtles and ocean conservation. This episode covers the conservation science, cultural significance, future outlook, g...

CheloniaCast sits down with Dr. Fredric Janzen. Dr. Janzen is the former director of the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station and a current professor in Michigan State University's Department of Fisheries and Wildlife. Dr. Janzen uses turtles as a model system to study deeper questions in the study of life, development, and evolution. The conversation covers various aspects of Dr. Janzen’s experiences...

On this episode of CheloniaCast we are joined by both Brent Fannin and Chase Pirtle, the producers behind the documentary Gopher Games: a short documentary focusing on the potential grim fate of the Gopher Tortoises in Florida. Chase is the Director of the 100-acre Ashton Preserve and has diverse experience in wildlife conservation and study across various states in the U.S. Brent is an award-winn...

CheloniaCast is joined by Jordan Donini, Professor of Biology at Florida Southwestern State College. Jordan is an accomplished researcher with focuses on life history, reproductive biology, spatial ecology, and seasonal movements of turtles. His work has spanned across multiple fascinating chelonian hot spots, notably Costa Rica and the Southeastern United States. The conversation ranges from Jord...

CheloniaCast is joined by Michela Coury, Freshwater Turtle Biologist for the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game and all-around turtle biologist and researcher. Michela did her master’s thesis on Spotted Turtle ecology and movement and has vast field experience with various other North American turtle species. In her current position with the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game she is...

CheloniaCast is joined by Devin Welch, herpetologist, conservationist, educator and content creator. Devin makes very unique short form content on social media. With vast field experience from Hellbenders to Alligator Snapping Turtles, Devin has seen a wide variety of North American herpetological diversity. The conversation covers much of Devin’s experiences in the field, including discovering a...

CheloniaCast is joined by Dr. Paul Stone, Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Central Oklahoma. Dr. Stone has extensive experience in the study of turtles. His studies address many phenomena in turtles, notably comparative analysis of aquatic respiration amongst various freshwater chelonians and long-term population monitoring. The conversation dives into Dr. Stone's many e...

CheloniaCast is joined by Dr. Nicole Valenzuela, Professor in the Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology at Iowa State University and principal investigator in the Laboratory of Evolutionary and Ecological Genomics at Iowa State University. Dr. Valenzuela is an elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and researches a variety of areas of evolution...

CheloniaCast is joined by both Sy Montgomery and Matt Patterson. Sy, a naturalist and writer, has authored 38 books to date. Sy has been on the New York Times Bestseller list five times and has recieved numerous other awards and distinctions for her work including the 2024 Cook Prize. Sy utilizes narrative on animals to convey various messages surrounding issues of human nature, compassion, and ph...

CheloniaCast is joined by Dr. Fred Caporaso, Professor of Food Science at Chapman University, and turtle man extraordinaire. Fred has decades of experience working with turtles, both in the field and in captivity. He has traveled the globe in pursuit of turtles, and spent many hours with Dr. Peter Pritchard in the Galapagos and elsewhere. Join us for this fun discussion focused on Fred’s trips in...

CheloniaCast is joined by Brad Nahill, cofounder and president of SEE Turtles, a unique conservation group pairing ecotourism with turtle conservation and focusing on the legacy of J Nichols. Brad has authored book chapters, blog posts, scientific abstracts, and case studies all with a focus on sea turtles and their plight. The conversation covers Brad’s experience founding SEE Turtles, and all th...

CheloniaCast sits down with renowned turtle ecologist Dr. Justin Congdon, Professor Emeritus at University of Georgia. From a comparison of life history between the shortest lived and long-lived turtles, to analysis of the ‘bigger is better’ hypothesis in reference to snapping turtles, Dr. Congdon has done intimate, long-term work with fascinating aspects of chelonian ecology. It is difficult to s...

CheloniaCast is joined by Dr. Craig Stanford, professor of Biological Sciences and Anthropology at the University of Southern California and Chair of the IUCN-SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group. Dr. Stanford is renowned for study of the behavior, ecology, and conservation biology of great apes. He has published over 140 scientific papers and over 17 books. Dr. Stanford also specia...

CheloniaCast is joined by Dr. Jeff Seminoff, Program Lead of Marine Turtle Ecology and Assessment in the Marine Mammal and Turtle Division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Southwest Fisheries Science Center. The conversation focuses on Dr. Seminoff’s upbringing into the world of turtles and thesis work focused on prolonged study of Green Sea Turtles. Whether it’s satellite...

CheloniaCast is on location at the Belize Foundation for Research and Environmental Education (BFREE), located on a 1,153 acre preserve in Belize. BFREE serves as a space for wildlife conservation, study, and education. This episode is comprised of two conversations, the first being with Jacob Marlin: founder and Executive Director of BFREE. Jacob is renowned in the world of herpetology and conser...

CheloniaCast is joined by Jordan Gray, External Relations Manager of the Turtle Survival Alliance. Jordan has extensive experience in the study of many chelonians. The conversation dives into Jordan’s experiences with all corners of North American turtles as well as ventures abroad, be it related to terrapins, Macrochelys, or Batagur, Jordan has been involved in it all.   To learn more about Turtl...

CheloniaCast is joined by Dr. Tony Monahan, both an educator and turtle enthusiast. Dr. Monahan is an author and artist with a love and passion for turtles. He recently authored the “Turtle Lovers’ Guidebook”, which is a worthy addition to any turtle or natural history library. The conversation ranges from Dr. Monahan’s firsthand experiences in his travels across countries to experience the world’...

CheloniaCast is joined by Mike Knoerr, who is a wildlife biologist in the Southeastern United States. Mike has contributed to the conservation and study of the Bog Turtle in a very large capacity. The discussion covers multiple angles of Bog Turtle conservation, be it camera traps, water samples, or nest tracking, Mike has used it all in pursuit of preserving a truly unique chelonian.   Learn more...

CheloniaCast is joined by Ty Park, founder of IguanaLand Incorporated, an amazing facility housing a wide array of reptile species, roughly 140 of which being chelonians. Ty has vast experience in many aspects of the reptile world including in keeping rare and endangered species, funding important research, and providing an educational space for all levels of interest in reptiles. The conversation...

CheloniaCast is joined by George Balazs, a Global Independent Sea Turtle Scientist and former leader of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Marine Turtle Research Program, a position that he held for over 30 years. George is, and has been, a massive force for sea turtles and ocean conservation. Over the course of his career George has authored or contributed to over 400 scientifi...

CheloniaCast is joined by Dr. Pamela Plotkin, a renowned conservationist and biologist with a particular focus on sea turtles, and specficially the ridley turtles in the genus Lepidochelys. The conversation focuses on the unique ecology of ridley sea turtles such as their propensity to mass nest in arribadas which is unique to their genus. Various other topics relevant to Lepidochelys and sea turt...

CheloniaCast is joined by Dr. Kristin Berry, an expert in desert tortoises and a key player in their study. The conversation covers various topics both in Dr. Berry's personal upbringing into the world of tortoises and about the ecology of desert tortoises holistically. This episode dives into subjects like invasive vegetation, survival rates of relocated tortoises, and desert tortoise evolutionar...

CheloniaCast is joined by Dr. Blair Witherington, assistant professor at the University of Florida, member of the Marine Turtle Specialist Group of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and current vice president/director of Inwater Research. The conversation ranges from different angles of sea turtle conservation with a particular focus on the impact of artificial photopollution on...

CheloniaCast sits down with two-time Emmy Award winning photographer Ben Hicks to discuss his passion for sea turtle photography, conservation, and science. The conversation ranges from delving into Ben’s approach to sea turtle photography, learning more about his adventures across the globe in pursuit of sea turtles, and reasons why we should all care about sea turtles.   Ben’s website can be acc...

CheloniaCast is joined by both Dr. Justin Perrault and Valerie Tovar from the Loggerhead Marinelife Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving Florida’s Sea Turtles. The conversation focuses on sea turtle conservation particularly in Florida, additionally focus is put on topics such as the logistics and practices of sea turtle rehabilitation and sea turtle reproductive biology and en...