Just the Zoo of Us

In this week's re-broadcast of an episode from October of 2019, Christian zooms in on the tardigrades & Ellen demystifies the unique platypus. Links: For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website ! Follow Just the Zoo of Us on  Threads , Facebook , Instagram & Discord! Follow Ellen on TikTok! Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximu...

Ellen & special guest, zookeeper Kailey Hart, review the humble earth pig. We discuss their evolutionary loneliness, unique hodge-podge of surprising traits, tube-teeth, Pokemon, the PBS cartoon Arthur, and pro tips for planning your next zoo trip. Follow Kailey on TikTok! For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website ! Follow Just the Zoo of Us on  Facebook ,  Twitter , In...

Ellen soaks up the sun with the leaf sheep & Christian gets biblical with the miraculous basilisk. We discuss photosynthesis, losing your head over parasites, outrunning physics, and mythology. To learn more about the All for Animals walk at the Woodland Park Zoo, visit their website & join our team if you're able! For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website ! Follow Just...

Ellen & special guest, marine biologist and artist Meg Mindlin, review the mind-blowing rogues of the sea: cuttlefish! We discuss RNA editing, cephalopod brains, how cuttlefish are able to change their skin in the blink of an eye, use deception and disguise to win over mates, and how connecting with nature inspires art and innovation that makes the whole world a better place. Links: See Meg's art...

Christian basks in the glory of the basking shark & Ellen sees right through the glass frog. We discuss the origins of gills, livers full of oil AND blood, and making little gelatin frogs for science. To learn more about protecting rainforests and the wonderful frogs that live in them, check out the Rainforest Alliance ! For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website ! Follo...

Ellen & special guest, ecologist Sophiane Nacer, review the powdered donuts of the skies: hoary bats. We discuss frosted tips, tree roosters, bat memes and why you should care about bats all year long and not just for Halloween. If you haven’t fallen in love with bats yet, I think you will by the time we’re done. Follow Sophiane on Twitter or Instagram ! For more information about us & our podcast...

Ellen brings it home with the sockeye salmon & Christian looks for the bear necessities with the grizzly bear. We discuss our recent relocation to the Pacific Northwest, how fish use magnets to navigate over thousands of miles, and bear safety tips to keep you - and the bears - safe while you enjoy nature. Links: For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website ! Follow Just t...

In this week's re-broadcast of an episode from February of 2022, Ellen hangs out with the slow loris & Christian observes leg day with the southern cassowary. We discuss armpit alchemy, the pitfalls of cute animal videos, rumbles in the jungle, and real life dinosaurs. Links: For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website ! Follow Just the Zoo of Us on  Threads , Facebook ,...

Join Ellen & special guest, evolutionary biologist Dr. Seth Coleman, for a review of the little birds with the ultimate rizz: satin bowerbirds! Anyone who’s ever tried to impress a crush can take some notes from this episode as we discuss building and decorating the ultimate bachelor pad, the value of a little practice courtship with the fellas, learning the delicate art of choosing the right mate...

Ellen takes off with the story of the California condor and their miraculous return to the southwestern skies. We discuss how their bodies are adapted to scavenging, their unwavering dedication to parenthood, their plummet towards extinction, and triumphant recovery with a little help from their friends on the ground. Links: Article: " Inside the Race to Save a Single Condor Egg After Avian Flu Ki...

Ellen & special guest, paleontologist Adele Pentland, review the reptiles who once ruled our planet’s skies: pterosaurs! Even though they’ve been gone for millions of years, the fossils they left behind can tell fascinating stories about how they lived. We discuss what life was like for the largest creatures to ever fly, where Pokemon got paleontology right and wrong, and how knowledge of the pres...

Ellen howls at the moon with the grasshopper mouse & Christian lures us in with freshwater mussels. We discuss brain chemistry, an evolutionary uno reverse card, lion software on mouse hardware, tongue-feet, pretty boogers, and the worst day of a poor unsuspecting fish's life. Links: For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website ! Follow Just the Zoo of Us on  Facebook ,  T...

Ellen & special guest, podcaster and wildlife educator Danielle LaRock, review one of our world’s most misunderstood, maligned, and magical creatures: gray wolves. We’re not just talking teeth and claws and fluffy coats - we’re also discussing alliances with crows, howls that rattle your very soul, the irreplaceable ecological role of wolves, their conflicts with humans, and how we can all make pe...

Christian explains the pitfalls of antlions & Ellen snaps back with the trap-jaw ant. We discuss metamorphosis, structural engineering, sand doodles, the Sarlacc, Darwin's thoughts on Australia, Pokémon, sticky babies, and a literal scientific arena.  Links: For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website ! Follow Just the Zoo of Us on  Facebook ,  Twitter , Instagram & Disco...

Join Ellen & special guest, naturalist Ivan Kwan, for a review of the scaly friends with the world’s most chaotic energy: Asian water monitors! We talked about the history and landscape of Singapore, smelling in stereo, Krakatoa, and the giant lizards showing up where you least expect them, from treetops to shipwrecks, racetracks and even toilets. It’s their world, we’re just living in it. Links:...

Ellen nose what's up with the proboscis monkey & Christian sizes up the sarcastic fringehead. We discuss the form and function of a uniquely bizarre nose, the impact memes can have on conservation, and why you might want to think twice before reaching into a hole in the sea floor. Links: The Borneo Nature Foundation For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website ! Follow Jus...

Join Ellen & special guest, biology professor and researcher Sarah Lower, for a review of nature’s very own glimmering fairy lights: fireflies! We discuss how to do the beetle dance, tips for packing a bioluminescent picnic, and the shockingly diabolical world of fireflies - from friendly fire to catfishing, thievery, and snailshakes. Links: The Lower Lab website   Dr. Lower's Twitter   Mass Audub...

Christian cheers for pom-pom crabs & Ellen explains what makes mourning doves so coo-l. We discuss how crabs clone their own pets,  what type of milk pigeons order in their lattes,  and a suspicious pattern of criminal activity. For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website ! Follow Just the Zoo of Us on  Facebook ,  Twitter , Instagram & Discord! Follow Ellen on TikTok! He...

Join Ellen & special guest, biologist and host of Nat Geo WILD’s TV series “Monster Fish” Zeb Hogan, for a review of the giants lurking in the waters of the world’s rivers and lakes: freshwater megafish. We discuss how and why fish are able to reach massive sizes, what it’s like to research and work alongside these enormous creatures in their own homes, and how we can help protect and conserve the...

Ellen dives into the brown pelican & Christian goes wild with Przewalski's horse. We discuss gular pouches, aerodynamics, stud piles, and conservation success stories. Follow Just the Zoo of Us on  Facebook ,  Twitter , Instagram & Discord! Follow Ellen on TikTok ! Cover photos: David Baileys (pelican) & Irén Udvarházi (Przewalski's horses), via Getty images Help support this show and unlock bonus...

Join Ellen & special guest, biologist and science communicator Brooke Fitzwater, for a review of the tiny indestructible ogres of the swamp: the mangrove rivulus! We discuss parasites and their role in courtship and reproduction, what fish would put on their tinder profiles, and life as a fish who isn’t quite sure about this whole “being a fish” thing. Links: Learn more about Brooke's research and...

For the second and final week of the 2023 MaxFunDrive, we're answering your questions and sharing your stories! We get into all of the exciting places the podcast has taken us, how it's helped you all connect with the animal kingdom, our favorite Muppets, and more. Links: Be a part of the MaxFunDrive & sign up to become a supporting member of the network and get access to exclusive content and bea...

It's a special trip in the time machine for the MaxFunDrive! Christian chomps on the megalodon & Ellen laments for the thylacine. We ask the important questions: What were they like? Are they really gone? Should we bring them back?  Links: Learn more about the MaxFunDrive and be a part of supporting our show! Colorized footage of the thylacine , via the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia...

We're out traveling this week! In the meantime, please enjoy this episode of Planthropology, in which Ellen joined host Dr. Vikram Baliga for a conversation about grass-type Pokemon and the real-world plants that inspired them. Originally aired on the Planthropology podcast on March 1, 2022. Links: Check out Planthropology and follow on Instagram , Twitter , Facebook or TikTok ! Follow Just the Zo...

Join Ellen &  tabletop roleplaying game podcaster and expert game master Eric Silver for an exploration of Dungeons & Dragons character classes and the real-world animals that embody them. We discuss animals with maxed out dexterity, charisma and strength. If you’ve never played D&D, don’t worry! We give explanations of the basics along the way so that anybody can enjoy. Links: Follow Eric on Twit...