Join us, Christian and Ellen Weatherford, while we review your favorite species of animals and rate them out of ten in the categories of effectiveness, ingenuity and aesthetics. Transcripts can be found at thezooofus.home.blog
Listeners of Just the Zoo of Us that love the show mention: arbitrary, animal facts, biologist, animals, creatures, species, learning new things, ratings, ages, jack, cute, informational, great hosts, system, research, science, actual, love love love, honestly, informative.
The Just the Zoo of Us podcast is an absolute gem for animal lovers and nature enthusiasts. Hosted by Ellen and Christian, the show offers a delightful blend of humor, charm, and fascinating facts about various animals. From their excellent radio voices to their infectious enthusiasm, Ellen and Christian make each episode addictive and enjoyable. The hosts' genuine passion for hobby-zoology shines through as they bring us new animal discoveries with every episode.
One of the best aspects of this podcast is its ability to teach listeners something new about animals, regardless of their level of knowledge. Even if you consider yourself well-versed in animal facts, you will undoubtedly learn something intriguing from Ellen and Christian's deep dives into each animal's characteristics, behaviors, and adaptations. Their research is thorough, providing a solid foundation for the information they share. In addition to the educational aspect, the hosts inject plenty of humor into the show, making it entertaining and engaging throughout.
Another highlight of this podcast is its accessibility to people of all ages. Whether you're a child or an adult, Just the Zoo of Us is sure to captivate your attention. The hosts strike a perfect balance between providing information that appeals to younger listeners while still keeping adults entertained. This makes it an excellent podcast for families to listen to together or individuals who simply enjoy learning about animals.
While it may be challenging to find any significant drawbacks in this podcast, one minor criticism could be that some episodes may feel repetitive if you binge-listen or are already well-versed in zoology. However, considering that each episode focuses on different animals with unique characteristics and traits, this issue is minimal at best.
In conclusion, Just the Zoo of Us is a joyful and informative podcast that will please any animal lover or nature enthusiast. Ellen and Christian create a delightful listening experience through their passion for animals and their ability to convey scientific information in an entertaining way. With their combination of humor, charm, and enthusiasm, they have created a flawless podcast that is sure to leave you eagerly awaiting each new episode. Whether you want to expand your knowledge of the animal kingdom or simply enjoy some lighthearted conversations about animals, this podcast is a must-listen.
Ellen's thinking about those Mexican jumping beans & Christian takes things slow with the slow worm. We discuss bean details, the strategic value of random movement, hair pencils, the difference between snakes and legless lizards, autotomy, and so much more.Links:Links:For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on BlueSky!
Join Ellen & special guest, evolutionary biologist and herpetologist Dr. Mark D. Scherz, for a look through the magnifying glass at miniaturized animals. Our guest studies species who have shrunk down to incredibly small sizes, like frogs and chameleons who could gather on the tip of your finger, and he has some fascinating insights into why and how animals get so darn itty bitty and what could be stopping them from getting any itty bittier. We discuss silliness in scientific names, assuming a spherical frog in a vacuum, chameleons called B. nana, whether jawbones spark joy, how many brain cells you really even need anyway, and so much more.Links:Learn more about Mark and his work on his website: http://www.markscherz.com/Check out Mark's podcast, SquaMates: http://squamatespod.com/Follow Mark on Tumblr: https://markscherz.tumblr.com/Follow Mark on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/markscherz.bsky.socialFor more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on BlueSky!
Christian walks to the beat of the American woodcock & Ellen throws shade at camel spiders. We discuss peent, walking with rhythm to attract the worm, beak smooches, chain e-mails, girl dinner, ant massacres, and so much more. Links:For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on BlueSky!
Join Ellen & special guest, animal care educator and advocate Sarah Bessie (the "Hedge Chef") for a review of the prickly little roly polies: African pygmy hedgehogs. We discuss built-in hoodie strings, standing jeans, biomimicry in sports equipment, mobile charcuterie, what to do with your skirt when you gotta go fast, all the ways hedgehogs fail to beat the witchcraft allegations, and so much more.Links:Find more of Sarah's work and hedgehog care content at her website: https://www.hedgechef.co.uk/Follow Sarah and fill your feed with adorable hedgehogs on Instagram!For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on BlueSky!
Christian is up a creek without a paddlefish & an unusual deep-sea worm becomes the butt of Ellen's jokes. We discuss a previous guest getting electrocuted for shark science, hot takes on the whole direwolf de-extinction thing, the unexpected hybridization of the sturddlefish, why pigbutt worms are like that, statistically insignificant haters, and so much more. Links:For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on BlueSky!
Join Ellen & special guest, author Brooke Hartman, for a look at some of the animal kingdom's most deceptively adorable assassins. We discuss evolutionary arms race, hot ones for mice, Mr. Yuck, an insect isekai, a toxic honeypot, and so much more. These cuties are slaying more than just their prey.Links:Get your copy of Cute Animals That Could Kill You Dead wherever you buy books!Find more of Brooke's work at her website, brookeahartman.comFor more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on BlueSky!
Ellen & Christian share stories, observations and inspiration from special guest: you! We discuss Benedict Cumberbatch's turkey gang, my squirrel mech grandma, Twitch plays deep sea ROV dives, hear me out cakes, smuggling budgies, house vultures, and more.Links:Get involved with the MaxFunDrive & check out this year's awesome gifts & bonus content!For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on BlueSky! MaxFunDrive ends on March 28, 2025! Support our show now and get access to bonus content by becoming a member at maximumfun.org/join.
Ellen goes nuts for the eastern gray squirrel & a little bird told Christian about the budgerigar (AKA parakeet). We discuss the MaxFunDrive, Pikachu, the e-nut, squirrel crime, fluorescent feathers, spicy air, Bluey, and so much more. Links:Get involved with the MaxFunDrive & check out this year's awesome gifts & bonus content!For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on BlueSky! MaxFunDrive ends on March 28, 2025! Support our show now and get access to bonus content by becoming a member at maximumfun.org/join.
It's not MaxFunDrive without a wild kickoff spectacular! Former real-life VJ and host of MTV's Spring Break 1999, Dave Holmes, takes your favorite MaxFun hosts through some wacky ‘90s- and Spring Break-themed mini games!!Featuring: Dave Holmes, Jeremy Bent, Oscar Montoya, Dimitry Pompée, Hal Lublin, Tom Lum, Ellen Weatherford, Alex Schmidt, Brenda Snell, Drea Clark, Alonso Duralde, Dan McCoy, Jordan Morris, Manolo Moreno, Ella Hubber, Caroline Roper, Ella McLeod, John-Luke Roberts, Justin McElroy, Clint McElroy, Mike Cabellon, Sierra Katow, Hal Lublin, Danielle Radford, John Moe, Christian Dueñas, Christian Duguay.Eurovision Dance Party Playlist on Spotify MaxFunDrive ends on March 28, 2025! Support our show now and get access to bonus content by becoming a member at maximumfun.org/join.
In a continuation of our dinosaur double-feature, Ellen is joined by a paleoartist and marine biologist for a review of the ancient giants that towered over the late Jurassic world: Brachiosaurus.We discuss bringing ancient dinosaurs to life with art, puking on company time, paleontology patch notes, the pros and cons of having an inflatable noggin, skibidi gorillas, and so much more.Links:Follow Charles on Instagram, BlueSky and WordPress!Follow the Artemis Paleozoo on Instagram and BlueSky!For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on BlueSky!
Ellen & special guest, paleontology educator Christian Flores, review the towering icons of the dinosaur world: Tyrannosaurus rex. We discuss what we can learn about T. rex from the fossils they left behind and the similarities we can see in their modern dinosaur cousins, as well as bringing T. rex to life through art and narrative, Project Paleozoo, and so much more.Links:See Christian's collaboration with Julio Lacerda illustrating the life of a T. rex here!Follow Christian on Instagram, TikTok and BlueSky!Follow the Artemis Paleozoo on Instagram and BlueSky!For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on BlueSky!
Christian gives a hoot about the owl-faced kākāpō & Ellen draws a line in the ocean over flying fish. We discuss ghosts of selection past, jug band beats, Pliny the Elder, pyramid eyeballs, Rihanna's nod to an international maritime dispute, and so much more. Links:Kākāpō sounds from: https://www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz/species/kakapoFor more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on BlueSky!
Join Ellen & marine biologist Jules Léon for a review of his top 3 favorite pinnipeds. We discuss galumphing, Prada eels, a species made up entirely of geminis, walkout songs, beachmasters, super weaners (don't worry, it makes SO much more sense in context) and so much more.Links:Learn more about Jules's work at his website!Follow Jules on Instagram and YouTube!For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on BlueSky!
Love is literally in the air as Ellen locks in with albatrosses. We discuss aspect ratios, snot gutters, dynamic soaring, romance, divorce, 18th century poetry, Taylor Swift, and so much more.Links:For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on BlueSky!
Join Ellen & special guest, bat biologist Dr. Alyson Brokaw, for an up-close look at some of the furry friends fluttering through our night skies. We discuss tortilla chip aroma, anatomically accurate Edward Cullen, screaming into the void, butt blankies, and so much more.Links:Get your copy of Alyson's book, The Weird and Wonderful World of Bats, available for pre-order now! On sale February 11, 2025!Follow Alyson on Instagram!For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on BlueSky!
Christian takes to the skies with flying snakes. We discuss the beginning of the Year of the Snake, collapsible teeth, the physics of flight, Dragonology, and so much more.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 BlueSky!
Join Ellen & parasite ecologist Dr. Chelsea L. Wood for a review of some bizarre and fascinating creatures that, despite their tiny size, impact our world and even our very selves in more surprising ways than you might expect. We discuss Osmosis Jones, frogs with too many legs, disco-eyed snails, mind control, an existential crisis, a ghost from Cretaceous oceans, fossil poop, and so much more.Links:Order Chelsea's book, Power to the Parasites!Learn more about Chelsea's work on her website!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!
Ellen pulls no punches with the box jellyfish. We discuss jellyfish venom, kingslayers, emergency vinegar, what not to do when you get stung, Snell's window, learning, balance, ocean jellification, and so much more. 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!
Join Ellen & special guest, ecologist and wildlife photographer Holly Daniels, for a review of a real small wonder: the hazel dormouse. This extra-cozy episode pairs well with curling up in a soft comfy nest as we discuss fluffy tails, treetop snoozing, charming little forest bridges, exploding nests, the joy of finding beauty in your own backyard, and so much more.Links:Follow Holly on Instagram and YouTube!See more of Holly's work on her website!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!
Christian leaves out milk and cookies for the Christmas Island red crab & Ellen goes for a silent night flight with elf owls. We discuss inside-out lungs, crab plows, yellow crazy ants, special eyes, silent feathers, TikTok trends, and so much more.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!
Join Ellen & sea turtle ecologist Rushan bin Abdul Rahman for a review of everyone's favorite hamburger-shaped reptiles. We discuss the life of a sea turtle nurse at a beach resort in the Maldives, planes that shoot lasers for science, D&D character ideas, questionable parenting, turtle exorcism, cool scars, a surprise appearance from Kylo Ren, candy corn, and a great big compliment sandwich for sea turtles.Links:Follow Rushan on Instagram: @rushanicus_singaporensisFollow along with the Olive Ridley Project: @oliveridleyprojectFollow James Cook University: @jamescookuniversityFor 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!
Ellen chills out with the wood frog & Christian goes ballistic with the titan triggerfish. We discuss cryostasis, the dark forest hypothesis, going Super Saiyan, a toxic mystery, and so much more.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!
Join Ellen & special guest, behavioral zoologist and science communicator Thomas Green, for a look at some of the fascinating ways animals get close to each other. We'll talk about the diversity of affections between animals, lessons we should learn from the way animals mate and some lessons we probably shouldn't, bust some myths, make a REALLY good pun about cricket song frequencies, and so much more.HEADS UP: This episode is about courtship and mating behaviors, so naturally a lot of this conversation is about sex. As usual for this podcast, the discussion isn't graphic or explicit or anything, but sex is mentioned frequently throughout the episode, so please join us for this one only if that's something you're comfortable hearing about.Links:Follow Thomas on TikTok or Instagram!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!
Ellen gets carried away by leafcutter ants. We discuss Disney mistakes, power scaling, farming, domestication, obligate symbiosis, air conditioning, existential crisis, and so much more.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!
In this week's episode, we are joined by science communicator Fred the Orca Man for a review of the iconic wolves of the sea. We discuss whale taxonomy, menopause and motherhood, hunting strategies using fluid dynamics and straight-up lying, what's up with the yacht thing, the dead fish fashion trend that's taking the marine world by storm, and so much more.Links:Fred's website: https://www.theorcaman.com/Follow Fred on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, ThreadsFor 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!
Christian gets snippy with the American lobster. We discuss New England, split colors, immortality, flirting with pee, big meaty claws, grocery store tanks, and so much more.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!
In this week's re-broadcast of an episode from May of 2021, Ellen reviews the ocean's most adorable monsters, sea otters, & Christian rates the dazzling blue-ringed octopus.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!
Ellen is joined by biologist/paleontologist Meaghan Wetherell for a review of the slimiest breakdancers in the world: jumping slugs. We discuss science communication through video games, how slugs flirt, confusing Darwin, why a biologist's fridge might be filled with mossy little salsa containers, and so much more. Links:Listen to Meaghan's podcast, Weird and Dead! (Heads up: explicit language is used)Find more of Meaghan's work at her website here!Meaghan's games can be found on this page!Check out Meaghan's art and clothing for sale on her website, geopetalfabric.com!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!
A free sample of October's bonus episode: a review of vampires! Head over to https://maximumfun.org/join/ to sign up and get ALL of our bonus content!
Ellen gets a really good look at the ogre-faced spider & Christian gets cozy with Honduran white bats. In this festively themed episode, we discuss ephemeral eyes, hearing with legs, casting nets, rowing through the air, huddling under leaves, navigating with sound, and so much more.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!
In this week's episode, we are joined by comedy podcasting and tabletop roleplaying legend Griffin McElroy for a review of the squishy pugs of the Antarctic seas: Ross seals. We discuss which ninja turtle we are, the Victorian era magnetic crusades, haunting siren calls below the ice, bagpipes, thick raptors, and so much more.Links:Source of Ross seal vocalization audio: https://blogs.helmholtz.de/atkaxpress/en/2021/05/palaoa-all-the-things-you-can-hear-underwater/Check out The Adventure Zone and more of the McElroy family's work at their website!Listen to Maximum Fun's special Tabletop Hullabaloo, featuring Ellen, Griffin and other MaxFun hosts!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!
Christian gets toxic with strawberry poison dart frogs & Ellen just keeps swimming with clownfish. We discuss the final evolution of oof, extreme motherhood, matching blue jeans, the conservation status of clowns, fact checking Finding Nemo, and so much more.Links:The Great Barrier Reef FoundationFor 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!
Join Ellen & special guest, podcasting powerhouse Steven Ray Morris, for a long-anticipated review of those furry little predators that have inspired devotion and admiration for thousands of years: the cat. We discuss the history of humans' relationship to cats, ancient Egypt, fluid dynamics, how they manipulate the laws of physics, the future of cats in space, what makes each cat special to us, and so much more.Links:Find more of Steven's work on his website: https://www.stevenraymorris.com/Check out Steven's podcast See Jurassic Right!Follow Steven on Twitter and Instagram!Learn more about how you can celebrate World Okapi Day!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!
Ellen fawns over the viral pygmy hippopotamus & Christian goes big with the harpy eagle. We discuss the evolution of hippos, blood sweat, poocoptering, Moo Deng, smooch breaks, sloth staredowns, and so much more.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!Source for harpy eagle call: https://xeno-canto.org/316474
Spider scientist Dr. Sebastian Echeverri returns to share with us his top 3 favorite spiders. We discuss spiders who go from moving like shadows to soaring through the air, spider cowboys with sick lasso moves, wife guy spiders who move in on the first date, how spiders appear in video games and movies and how they could be so much cooler, and of course so much more.Links:Check out Sebastian's book, Spiders of the United States & CanadaLearn more about Sebastian and see more of his work at spiderdaynightlive.comFor 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!
Christian hoots with siamangs & Ellen hollers with laughing kookaburras. We discuss defying gravity, how screaming fits into any good morning routine, birds' double-barreled voices, the true identity behind the SpongeBob dolphin sound, and more.Links:Audio source for siamang calls: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Symphalangus_syndactylus_20170623_Dou%C3%A9-la-Fontaine.oggAudio source for kookaburra calls: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dacelo_novaeguineae_ANWC_X00516.opusFor 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!
Join Ellen & special guest, science communicator Lucca of Lucca's BioHub, for a look back on the half-a-billion year history of bugs. We discuss ancient millipedes as long as a horse, whether we'd rather fight 2 million ant-sized humans or one human-sized ant, the arms races and tiny empires and intertwined symbiotic relationships that have shaped the very planet into the world we know today, and so much more.Links:See more of Lucca's BioHub at their website!Follow Lucca on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube!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!
Ellen gets the ball rolling with dung beetles & Christian jaws away about the giant moray eel. We discuss tiny boots, field trips to the planetarium, The Mummy (1999), secret jaws, why moray eels make that face, teamwork on the reef, fact checking The Little Mermaid, and more.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!
We're out traveling this week! In the meantime, please enjoy this episode of Bugs Need Heroes, in which Ellen joined hosts Amanda Niday and Kelly Zimmerman to settle a debate: are shrimps bugs? Are mantis shrimps shrimps? We discuss how they may or may not be turning into crabs and what they might think of sunsets. Tangents include Godzilla, weddings, pet store stories, internet memes, Sailor Moon and anime translations. Originally aired on the Bugs Need Heroes podcast on June 23, 2024.Links:Find the original version of this episode, episode notes and links over at the Bugs Need Heroes podcast!Learn more about the podcast on their website!Follow Bugs Need Heroes on Instagram, Twitter and Reddit!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on TikTok!Bugs Need Heroes theme music: "Ladybug Castle" by Rolemusic
Join Ellen & special guest, biodiversity champion Kai Gómez D'hers, for a journey through the skies of Argentina on some of the biggest wings in the world. We're talking about the important role of scavengers as nature's sanitation engineers, the cascading impacts of poison on entire ecosystems, how communities can work together to make ecological miracles happen, what's up with the puppets, and so much more. Links:Learn more about the Andean Condor Integral Conservation Plan at the PCCA's website: English / EspañolFollow the PCCA on Instagram!Connect with Kai on Instagram!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!
Christian chews on the Gila monster & Ellen struts her stuff with the Indian peacock. We discuss Christian's Duolingo streak, lizard venom, yet another hot take from Charles Darwin, how to haze a peacock, and so much more. Real G's move in silence like the Gila monster.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!
Join Ellen & wildlife educator Sarah Skebba for a review of a modern-day dinosaur with some pretty extreme approaches to life: the rhinoceros hornbill. We're talking about bizarre beaks with built-in resonance chambers, the most unpleasant nesting situation I have ever heard of, how zoos are helping conserve endangered birds in the wild, and so much more.Links:Learn more about edZOOcating and find educational resources for nature-loving kids at edzoocating.com!Follow edZOOcating on Instagram and YouTube!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!
Ellen gets back in the saddle with seahorses & Christian goes dumpster diving with raccoons. We discuss why seahorses are the chameleons of the ocean, how males give birth, corn etiquette, a surprisingly common myth about America's most iconic furry bandits, and so much more.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!
Ellen & special guest, marine biologist Jasmin Graham, review some of the coolest, cutest and sometimes the goofiest sharks in the ocean: hammerheads. We discuss what it's like to study sharks in the wild, shark evolution and the huge questions scientists still have about it, the puppiest shark, and so much more.Links:Pre-order Jasmin's book, Sharks Don't Sink!Learn more about Jasmin's work on her website!Follow Jasmin on Twitter!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!
Christian keeps an eye out for sand boas & Ellen clears her cache with black-capped chickadees. We discuss googly eyes, troubleshooting reptile poop, skin of Theseus, borbs, inventory management, brain barcodes and factory resets, and so much more.Links:Report beak deformities to the Alaska Science CenterFor 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!
join Ellen & special guest, naturalist and author of Secrets of the Octopus Sy Montgomery, for a look into the life and mind of some of the ocean's most mystifying aliens: the giant Pacific octopus. We discuss an octopus's least favorite texture, what happens when an arm goes rogue, the underwater city of Octopolis, how to make interspecies friendships, and so much more.Links:Find Secrets of the Octopus wherever you get books!Find more of Sy's work at her website: symontgomery.comFor 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!
Ellen comes out of her shell with hermit crabs & Christian is tickled pink by flamingos. In this week's beach episode, we discuss vacancy chains, shell economies, crustacean diss tracks, Florida postcards, and making new enemies in a flamboyance.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!
Join Ellen & special guests Owen Ever and Laine Kaplan-Levenson for a revue of gay animals! We discuss manatee wuzzles, elephant matriarchy, giraffes necking in more ways than one, eagle throuples, the impact of prejudice on science, and so much more. This episode is a celebration of love, family, and community in - as our guest puts it - the animal queendom. NOTE: Since a lot of this episode is about the diversity of sexual behavior in animals, naturally it does contain more discussion of sex than most of our episodes, including behaviors that aren't just motivated by reproduction. These discussions are not graphic or explicit, but it is a focal point of the conversation so I do encourage any young listeners to please check in with your grown-ups before listening.Links:Check out A Field Guide to Gay Animals!Follow the podcast on Instagram!Follow Owen on Instagram and learn more about their work on their website!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!
Christian bubbles over with hype for the diving bell spider & Ellen tells some fish tales about the legendary oarfish. We discuss Hotwheels sisyphus, Doordash for spiders, diving technology, Pokemon, sea serpent mythology, bioluminescence and so much more.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!
Join Ellen & special guest, naturalist and birder Dara Miles Wilson, about some of the brightest and boldest members of the corvid family: the tenacious and charming blue jays. We discuss the audacity of jays and their amazing hawk impressions, what to put in your birdfeeder and why you might want to add a little spice, why blue jays aren't actually blue, and so much more.Links:Follow Black AF in Stem on social media (linktree here) and check out the virtual and in-person events for this year's Black Birders Week!Follow Dara on Instagram or Twitter!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!
Join Ellen & special guest, wildlife biologist and author Sophie Osborn, for a review of the skydiving champions of the animal kingdom: peregrine falcons. We discuss the adaptations that let these incredible birds tear through the sky at literally breakneck speeds, biomimicry in aircraft design and sporting goods, the plague of pesticide and how we almost lost some of our most iconic birds, and the lessons that birds can teach us about our own role in the environment.Links:Get your own copy of Feather Trails: A Journey of Discovery Among Endangered Birds by Sophie Osborn!Follow along with Sophie's work at her website!Watch peregrine falcons on the National Aviary's livestream, Peregrine FalconCam!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!
© 2020-2025 Ivy Podcast Discovery LLC
