The Natural History Cupboard Podcast

This week in the Natural History Cupboard we once again look at a species that has a tale of extinction and people stepping in far too late to save it. Learn how the Carolina parakeet went from being North America’s only endemic parrot species to a stuffed specimen in a museum in a remarkably short time. In the news we look at bird flu affecting seals seagrass in Cornwall and frogs stopping a fun...

This week we head Down Under to meet a bird that is technically more dangerous than a cassowary, but certainly doesn’t deserve the bad reputation that it's given... and that's the wonderful Australian magpie! In the news, can a dead giant bring forth new life, and is this the end for Suchomimus? All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!

It's the end of the world... or at least the Ordovician world. Join us this week as Aaron gives us his first mass extinction breakdown. What made the end of the Ordovician one of Earth's major mass extinction events? Find out now! The cupboard is open, come on in!

Join us as Gareth takes the helm, steers us out of the cupboard, and on the search for a prehistoric ocean giant, Leedsichthys! We take a look at this formidable fish and the monstrous misinformation about its true size. In the news, Gareth ventures to the bottom of the garden to hear about the newest fish eating dinosaur, Spinosaurus’ salt glands, and a ring-neck parrot with a taste for Scottish...

Join us this week to observe all things parrot for World Parrot Day! To celebrate this special, we look at four species of parrots from around the world and discover what makes them unique. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in! Check out our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/TheNaturalHistoryCupboardPodcast343 And our Teemill store here: thenaturalhistorycupboard.teemill.com

This week we meet the largest bird on the planet - the ostrich! Come and learn about this feathered giant, and maybe you'll find out just how it's connected to sparrows...? In the news, Gareth tells us about Chester zoos efforts to reintroduce one of Asia's rarest pheasants to the wild. All this and more this week. The cupboard is open, come on in! Check out our Patreon here: https://w...

This week we tear into the Jurassic park films like a T-rex into a Gallimimus. We rank each of the dinosaurs from the Jurassic Park movies, with a steaming pile of opinions along the way. So sit back and get ready to add your opinions too. The cupboard is open, come on in! Check out our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/TheNaturalHistoryCupboardPodcast343 And our Teemill store here: thenatural...

Get ready this week to see hyenas in a whole new light! In this World Hyena Day special, we dive into the fascinating world of the four living hyena species — stripping away the myths and revealing the truth behind some of the most misunderstood animals on the planet. From the powerful spotted hyena to the elusive aardwolf, we explore how each species plays a vital role in maintaining healthy ecos...

This week we meet Tyrannosaurus rex‘s Asian cousin, Tarbosaurus! We see how similar it is to its North American relative, but also what makes it its own unique Asian "King of the Cretaceous". In the news, we look at how the USA government’s "God's squad" is meeting to decide the fate of the Rice's whale in the Gulf of Mexico. We talk about if anything can be done to sav...

Join us as Aaron talks to Dr. Mateo Ruiz, Lead Conservation Officer at the Barn Owl Trust! We learn how Dr. Ruiz became a champion for barn owl conservation, what makes barn owls an integral part of environments worldwide, and how we can conserve them into the future! He is sure to be another fascinating guest! The cupboard is open, come on in! Check out our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/T...

This week, we dive back into the ocean and meet the real-life kraken... the mysterious giant squid! Find out how it went from being a mythical beast to a living creature. In the news, Aaron looks at how beavers are helping changing the environment for the better. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in! Check out our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/TheNaturalHistoryCupboardPodcas...

Join us as we talk to the much requested Dr. Dean Lomax! Dr. Dean tells us how he started his career, where that has taken him, and why dinosaurs? So sit back and enjoy as we chat all things Palaeo! The cupboard is open, come on in! Check out our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/TheNaturalHistoryCupboardPodcast343 And our Teemill store here: thenaturalhistorycupboard.teemill.com

Join us this week where Aaron is alone in the cupboard as Gareth is ill. Aaron takes this opportunity to tick off another Jurassic Park species by kdelving in to all things Gallimimus. In the news, Aaron looks at the upcoming changes to the UK's bank notes. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in! Check out our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/TheNaturalHistoryCupboardPodcast3...

This week we meet the bird that shaped an ecosystem and, when it disappeared, changed a human culture - the Moa! How did this bird evolve and became a vital part of New Zealand’s ecosystem? In the news, we look at the newest species of Spinosaurus complete with a unique crest on its head. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in! Check out our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/TheNa...

Join us this week as we board our podcast-class submarine, and travel to the deepest depths of the ocean. We explore the weird and wonderful creatures that dwell here, and meet some of the oddities that call the deep home. The cupboard sub is ready, so hop aboard! Check out our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/TheNaturalHistoryCupboardPodcast343 And our Teemill store here: thenaturalhistorycu...

This week we head to the frigid north to meet the largest member of the bear family, the polar bear. We look at why this bear is the master of the ice, and why Aaron has a connection to it. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in! Check out our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/TheNaturalHistoryCupboardPodcast343 And our Teemill store here: thenaturalhistorycupboard.teemill.com

We’re back, and for the first episode of 2026, we look into one of the biggest mysteries of the natural world: just where do eels come from? The European eel has puzzled scientists for thousands of years, but are we any closer to knowing these fish any better? In the news, Aaron looks at how biodiverse an estate that has embraced rewilding has become. All this and more to kick off 2026. The Cupboa...

For our final episode of the year, and back by popular demand, join us for another quiz! Jess once again guest hosts, pitting Gareth, Aaron and Drew against each other. We recap the year with questions on all things natural history, ranging from the outrageous things we've been recorded saying to the weird and wonderful world of moth names. The cupboard is open, come on in for a great laugh to...

This week we wrap up warm for our winter special with another trio of seasonal species! Gareth’s better half, Paris, joins us to round out our trio. Meet the crab that’s part snowman, then travel to the mountains to meet a hare that can change colour, and finally meet the bird that knows how to look festive all year round. So sit back, stay warm, and enjoy this festive trip around the world. The c...

This week we meet the bird the internet loves for all the wrong reasons, the shoebill! We find out why it's not a "prehistoric evil Dino-bird", but a patient king of the wetlands. In the news, Aaron tells us about the repatriation of a Tarbosaurus that found its way to France. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!

This week we meet the pint-sized predatory dinosaur, Compsognathus, and Aaron compares the real animal and its movie counterpart. Meanwhile, in the news, Gareth reviews the new series of Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!

This week we meet one of the oddest creatures to have ever graced the world, the Permian era, Cotylorhynchus. With its strange proportions, just how did it come to look this way? In the news, we go over COP 30 and see if it’s not more of a cop-out this time around. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!

This week we meet the aerial insect predator, the European bee-eater, and Aaron tells us all about his experience with this beautiful bird. In the news, we hear about the "menace" that is Sir David Attenborough, and how he is threatening grouse shooters. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!

This week we head Down Under to meet one of the most venomous and infamous species of spider, the Sydney funnel-web. Find out what makes a male spider looking for love potentially dangerous, and just how likely you are to be finished off by a funnel-web. In the news, Aaron looks at what steps need to be taken to help Scottish wildcats bounce back, not just in the wild, but in captivity too. All th...

This week we head to the ancient Amazon to meet the largest snake to have ever lived, the Titanaboa! In the news, somehow Nanotyrannus returned... what does this mean for the tyrant lizard king? All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!