Life, Death, and Taxonomy

“…and today we’re talking about a flying magic carpet of the ocean. But more on that later.” Motherhood is one of nature’s most lofty challenges, especially if you’re alone, in the wild, with limited resources. Protecting eggs or young, may mean giving up your own well-being, to give your offspring a fighting chance. But Bedford’s […]

“…and today we’re talking about a fish that is built to live where fish shouldn’t live. But more on that later.”  Deep in the heart of darkness, one heart truly treasures the darkness. The African Lungfish may need water to survive, but it has a foolproof method to survive the continent’s frequent dry spells. If […]

“…and today we’re talking about a tiny deer rodent that is neither deer nor rodent. But more on that later.” If you’re off the beaten trail in Indonesia, you may catch a glimpse of a creature more elusive than a forest gnome. You may assume it was a rat or a rabbit. But was it […]

“…and today we’re talking about parasitic creatures that Andrew Ryan would absolutely hate. But more on that later.” Nature is sometimes beautiful and majestic, and sometimes it’s the most horrifying thing you’ve ever seen—but at least it’s almost always interesting! If you see a snail with large flashing horns on its head, you’re not looking […]

“…and today we’re talking about a metal bird that lives a metal lifestyle. But more on that later.” In nature, there are certain rules. Deer eat grass, wolves eat deer, and vultures eat dead things. But sometimes, animals will break the rules to survive when the going gets tough. Deer are known to occasionally eat […]

“…and today we’ll spend Easter on Christmas Island. Maybe we’ll spend Christmas on Easter Island. Not much more on that later.” Every year, the festively named Christmas Island takes on one of its holiday hues as millions of its inhabitants make their way to the edge of the briny sea. The Christmas Island Red Crab […]

“…And today we’re talking about another fox with shifty, untrustworthy eyes. But more on that later.”  The Eurasian Steppe is a vast plain where water and food can be scarce. But a wily creature can take advantage of the forbidding environment. Foxes live and thrive on every continent except for Antarctica. But to survive in […]

“…and today we’re talking about a tiny tiger that’s got its mind set on you. But more on that later.” When it comes to the speediest speedsters, you don’t often look for champions in the insect world. They may be small, but they can be quick once you factor in their size. The Australian tiger […]

“…and today we’re talking about a curious king with a golden crown. But more on that later.” When you’re the king of the swingers it means you’ve reached the top and had to stop. But balancing at the top branches of an Indian forest requires considerable skill. For a monkey that spends most of his […]

“…and today we’re talking about the type of guy who will never settle down, where delicious bugs are, well you know that he’s around. But more on that later.” When Harry Belafonte tells his fellow banana pickers to hide the deadly black tarantula, he may have been talking about a different spider entirely. The Brazilian […]

“…and today we’re talking about a Gouldian bird with a golden mouth. But more on that later…” Nature has all kinds of odd developments where several species are in close competition. When resources are limited, it takes some stand out skills to survive and grow. For a species of finch, the stand out performance starts […]

“…and today we’re talking about lipstick?! In my Honduran white bat?!” The apostle Paul was known as a tent-maker, which could mean that he created a shelter of hope for the gentiles in the first century. It could also mean that he created actual tents since it costs money to travel the known world. Probably […]

“…and today we’re talking about a familiar creature with a Lovecraftian feature. But more on that later.” The sea is full of creatures aberrant to polite society. They swim in the murky depths or live in dark crevasses. But even a familiar sea creature may be alien to you when you really get to know […]

“…and today we’re talking about the pink panther of the river. But more on that later.” The Amazon River is one of the world’s longest rivers and flows through some of the most biologically fascinating places on Earth. It’s home to all manner of animals, but what you may not have known is that it’s […]

“…and today we’re talking about a reptilian mood ring. But more on that later.” You ain’t been blue till you’ve had that mood indigo? Maybe you’ve experienced red hot anger. For humans, it’s mostly metaphor, but there’s one animal that does display real mood-ring-like qualities. The chameleon is an alien looking reptile, a fact that […]

“…and today we’re talking about the most romantic sea creature. A brown lump! But more on that later.” At the bottom of the ocean, a brown lump inches along the coral and sands, keeping its notable lack of eyes out for potential predators. But when trouble does come a-sniffin, the slow sea cucumber has a […]

“…And today we’re talking about a woman who doesn’t give a darn about her bad reputation.” The black widow spider is nature’s ultimate example of the femme fatale. An unyielding queen in the middle of her silken throne, waiting for the lowly male, driven to her by an instinct most basic.  Though her signature red […]

“…and today we’re talking about the titans of the tundra, the cervids of Santa. But more on that later.” Reindeer are famous for flying, being rude to those that are different from them, and fiercely defending Johnny’s Turbo Man action figure. But one reindeer has an unusual nose that’s even more famous. Researchers have spent […]

“…and today we forgot to say an intro blurb because we had housekeeping stuff.” Life among the rocks provides cover from predators and a quick escape when necessary, but it also comes with its challenges. But the rock hyrax has accepted the task of adapting to this rugged terrain. For a nice warm spot to […]

“…And today we’re walking about a lanky tooth missile that isn’t scared of nobody. But more on that later.” The Amazon is home to many of the western hemisphere’s most successful predators. But the most surprising apex predator isn’t the piranha, the anaconda, or even the legendary jaguar – it’s the giant otter! Alone, they […]

“…and today we’re talking about an insect that wants you to think it floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee.” What would you do if you only had energy from the food you ate when you were a kid? You may move as little as possible, and only when you had to. That’s […]

“…and today we’re talking about a chill amphibian with a cool pair of sunglasses. But more on that later.” Being cold blooded is usually fine, as long as you live in a warm-ish area. But what about the chilly-bloods living in the less-than-warm regions of the world? Some dig into the ground, some just die, […]

“…and today we’re talking about yet another crustacean that packs a punch. More on that later.” For a small crab with very little claws, there’s a ton of pressure on the ocean floor. Bigger fish can swallow you up like you were supposed to be in Nineveh. But when the challenge of survival is laid […]

“…and today we’re talking about everyone’s favorite animal! But more on that later…” You know ‘em, you hate ‘em, you have ‘em – they’re cockroaches. Yes, it’s time for the interesting animal podcast to talk about everyone’s favorite scittering critter. Odds are good that you’ve encountered one of these pleasant house guests within the last […]

“…and today we’re talking about the Christmas decoration of the sea. More on that later.”  The ocean can be a dangerous place. There’s always a bigger fish waiting for an unsuspecting creature to become its next meal. One brightly colored eel avoids these threatening open maws by rarely leaving their homes in the crevasse of […]