WTFauna

In this special on-site episode recorded up near the Iron Range National Park, we discuss a unique relative of possums that were lucky enough to see several times on our trip!

This week we had to steal a bit of time to record while driving down to Coffs Harbour in New South Wales. Our animal of the week was our main target — a unique lizard that neither of us had seen before. We found some the very evening after this episode was recorded (see the thumbnail)!

This week we discuss a very imposing bird. Despite sometimes being referred to as a 'shoebill stork', this ambush predator is actually more related to pelicans.

This week we discuss a bright orange toxic gummy lizard — we do not advise consumption of this salamander.

This week we have a slightly uncomfortable chat about a health-relevant parasite that we both have some experience with.

This week, we chat about the heaviest bony fish in the world (and its relatives). They don't quite match their historical "slow & lazy" reputation!

This week we discuss a superhero! Wait, no — it's an animal after all. Built like a tank and with a reputation that preceeds it, are Wolverines really just the simple, agressive animals they're made out to be?

This week, we chat about one of the most widely studied animals on the planet — and it all started with... a pregnancy test?

This week we discuss Dom's favorite animal! From a surprising evolutionary history to fascinating personal experiences, this is certainly an episode not to miss.

This week we discuss an Amazonian butterfly — but you'd be forgiven for thinking it was more than one.

This week we talk about a flying lemur — except it doesn't fly, and it's not a lemur.

This week we discuss a venomous snake that Jon was lucky enough to recently encounter at Paya Indah wetlands in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (the episode thumbnail). We also chat about snake venom and field safety more generally.

This week we remain in the vicinity of Stradbroke island in south-east Queensland to discuss a charismatic marine mammal: the dugong.

This week we chat about an immediately recognisable yet poorly studied beach bird with our toes in the sand at Stradbroke island.

This week we discuss a small crocodilian that may not be what you imagine as a classic 'crocodile'.

Thisbweek we discuss a group of fascinating wasps, using one species as a bit of a case study. Fair warning: nature may always be fascinating, but it isn't always pleasant.

This week, we discuss the 'mountain chicken'. Good luck guessing the type of animal if you don't already know!

This week we discuss the largest hamster species. There was a lot to cover, but their current conservation situation was particularly fascinating!

This week's topic is a unique bird of prey--sort of like an eagle on stilts. Perhaps best known for hunting snakes (it's literally their scientific name), there's a lot more to discuss about this iconic African species!

This week we chat about our first amphibian species for the pod! There's a lot to be said about this small Central American frog, and the research that's been done on this species allowed us to get into some fascinating topics around how scientists understand evolution.

This week we discuss an obscure Australian marsupial that swims through sand. Although there's a lot we don't yet know about these small mammals, what we do know is fascinating!

This week we discuss a small, parasitic shark known for biting circular plugs of flesh out of large fish, whales, and other animals. This one's a paradoxical species that we've known about for a while yet are still often left guessing about.

This week we discuss an emblem of northern forests: the moose. This charismatic species may be widely familiar, but the impressions we have of them may not always match the reality.

This week we talk about a genus of mosquitoes. Don't be daunted by their large size--these may be the ideal mosquitoes for humans! One small amendment from Jon: in the episode, I didn't know the lifespan of the adults. I looked it up afterwards; they live a bit longer than I expected, ~2-4 weeks (with quite a range, may vary according to species + environmental factors). Males seem to have much sh...

Recorded on location at the Oreilly's Rainforest Retreat, this episode focuses on the charasmatic lyrebirds of Australia. These birds are perhaps best known for their incredible mimicking abilities (the sounds at the beginning of the episode are of a male Albert's Lyrebird that we saw over the weekend), but there's a lot more to be discussed.