The Natural History Cupboard Podcast

This week we delve into the ocean, with the giant nomadic leatherback sea turtle, and ask how does such a large reptile live on jellyfish alone? In the news, it's all about the upcoming dino-park building sim, Jurassic World: Evolution 3, and whether it holds up to other prehistoric park builders. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!

This week we traverse a changed forest that should be home to one of the world's largest woodpeckers, the ivory-billed woodpecker, but only the echoes of its song and tapping remain. In the news, we celebrate the life of another recently passed bird, the UK's oldest wild white-tailed eagle, who produced a record number of chicks. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!

This week we meet the second dinosaur ever discovered, Iguanodon! Find out how its image has changed over the past 200 years to the dinosaur we know today. In the news, Aaron discusses the newest standards for UK zoos. All this and more. The cupboard is open come on in!

This week we look at one of the most effective predators in Eurasia and North America, the grey wolf! This species attracts lovers and haters, and both are often misguided. In the news, we hark back to our previous episode as choughs have returned to Kent! All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!

This week we head to the west coast of the UK to discover how our very own Celtic corvid, the red-billed chough, is woven into the culture and myths of these lands. In the news, we celebrate the amazing life and career of Sir David Attenborough as he enters his 99th year! All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!

This week due to some rather unforeseen circumstances we have not been able to put out our normal episode. But to tide you over until our next episode, here is a look into the history of migration!

This week we travel back to prehistoric Mongolia to meet the many-named, but hornless, rhino, the massive Paraceratherium. In the news, Aaron tells us how much of the UK population is concerned with the loss of wildlife - we look at what is being done, and what you can do too. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!

This week it's all gone to the dogs. Not just the creature feature, the dire wolf, but with our hosts. We explore what a dire wolf is and how it's similar or different from Colossal's wolf? In the news, we look at the Earth Day movement and the unity it can inspire. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!

This week is a Spring Special, and we have a trio of super species for you to enjoy from the chicken to the bluebell and the Oviraptor! To help us go through our spring species, we're excited to bring back author, Lindsey Kinsella, to share in the fun! So hop to it and join us this week for our spring special! The cupboard is open, come on in!

This week we head to the Canadian wilderness to meet the wolverine... no, not the X-man, but the equally tough, resilient and fierce member of the weasel family. In the news, you've likely already heard, the dire wolf is back... or is it? All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!

This week we meet one of most easily identified plant-eating dinosaurs, Parasaurolophus. Find out how it used its wonderful crest! In the news, we look at what is lurking around North Devon, and which one of us spotted something! All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!

This week we head to the highlands to meet the capercaillie, a glorious grouse in need of help. In the news, we look at how all areas of modern science are contributing to a wider understanding of how dinosaurs lived. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!

This week we meet the brown bear, the Swiss Army knife of mammals. We learn what the bear necessities really are, and what it takes to be smarter than the average bear. In the news, we look at the maddening story of an influencer who kidnapped a baby wombat, and what this says about how we interact with wildlife. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!

This week we travel back to the Jurassic to meet a pterosaur like no other: say hello to the Dimorphodon, a species that has proven you don't need to be good at flying to be a pterosaur! In the news, we hear how plans to farm bison are restoring habitats and protecting local people, all while helping out an amazing species. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!

This week we meet the yellow-throated marten! This perfect painted predator shows how it is not just a reskinned pine marten. In the news, beavers are back with the blessing of the government. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!

This week we take to the trees to meet one of our closet and smartest relatives, the orangutan! In the news, we talk about the sad news of a whale mass stranding in Tasmania. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!

This week we head to the deserts of North America to meet the Eastern Collared Lizard. We learn how to live and survive like this rainbow reptile. In the news, we stare into deep space and discuss how we might get hit by an asteroid in the coming years. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!

This week we meet the boomerang-headed, ancient amphibian, Diplocaulus, and find out why it had such a weird head. In the news, we take a look at the upcoming Jurassic World movie and discuss its many flaws. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!

This week we meet the snake with a cunning plan, the adder! Aaron looks at how well this species is coping with its rapidly changing habitat. Meanwhile, in the news, we hear about the one and only poo museum hitting the road to tour across the UK! All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!

This week we meet the beautiful, but deadly, dart frog! We find out what makes these amphibians so deadly and why are they so brightly coloured. Meanwhile, in the news, we hear about the increase in water vole numbers across the UK. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!

This week we travel to Ice Age Europe to meet the mighty machairodont, Homotherium! Find out what sets this sabre-tooth apart from the rest. In the news, Egypt has a new dinosaur that was rediscovered in Germany. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!

This week we head to the Mongolian desert to meet an underrated dinosaur that is one half of a famous fighting fossil - the Protoceratops! We learn how this animal lived and how it died. In the news, we take a deep dive into the rapidly unfolding story of four lynx illegally released in the Scottish highlands. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!

This week we try to keep up with the fastest land animal on the planet, the cheetah, as Aaron tells us what makes this cat such a specialised speed machine. In the news, we look at what the current government is saying they're doing - and what they could be doing - to end the practice of fox hunting . All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!

We kick off 2025 by heading up the mountain slopes of China to look at a plant that has taken the world by storm - tea! Wars were fought over it, it's responsible for huge advances in ship building, and it makes a bad day at work bareable. In the news, Aaron talks about the death of the lord of lizard-eaters, Saurophaganax. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!

For our final episode of the year, join us as, back by popular demand, we present our quiz! Jess guest hosts and recaps the year with quiz questions on all things Natural History. The cupboard is open, come on in for the last time this year!

Ho ho ho! This week is our festive Christmas special! We take a look at a trio of wintery creatures from the domesticated and familiar to the prehistoric. So make yourself cozy, grab a mince pie, put on your Xmas jumper and join us. The cupboard is open, come on in!

This week is our 200th episode! And what better way to celebrate than by featuring Megalosaurus, which was discovered 200 years ago? In those 200 years, Megalosaurus has changed dramatically, so join us as we look at its past and present in this birthday celebration. The cupboard is open, come on in!

This week we meet an odd fish with wings and feet, but doesn't fly - the Gurnard! In the news, footage has emerged of a wolf enjoying a nice feast of flower nectar. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!

This week we climb into the canopy to come face-to-face with an arboreal kangaroo, and we ask what makes this tree kangaroo such a "goodfellow"? In the news, we plunge into the midnight zone of the sea and look at a new mystery mollusc. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!

This week we take a dip in the Amazon to meet the red-bellied piranha. We ask if its blood thirsty reputation is really justified or is there a softer side to this toothy fish? In the news we look at a new fossil species of bird relative and what it means for their evolution. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!

This week we meet the enormous elk... or should it be called a moose? Join us to discover more about the world's largest and most recognisable deer species. In the news, Australia has a new bird species on its books: the emperor penguin. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!

This week in the Natural history Cupboard podcast we meet the sabre toothed sparassodont thylacosmilus. We take a look at this superb sabretooth and its rather unusual adaptations. In the news we see why humans and octopuses are more alike in our thinking that you might assume. All this and more this week the cupboard is open come on in!

This week in the Natural history Cupboard podcast we take to the Cretaceous sky's with one of the most well known pterosaurs, pteranodon. We look at how it's changed from its initial discovery to the Species we know today. In the news we look at the sad news that hedgehogs are getting rarer. All this and more this week the cupboard is open come on in!

This week we bring you a spooky species special, with terrifying special guest, Phil Barber! We look at three creepy creatures from across the animal kingdom and tell you terrifying tales about each one. Join us if you dare... the cupboard is open, come on in!

This week we meet the rainbow reptile that communicates with colour, the panther chameleon! Learn why it's named after big cats and forks... and that's just scratching the surface of the unique attributes of these amazing animals. In the news, Gareth looks at what could have been the last English wolf. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!

This week in the natural history cupboard we travel once more to the African rainforest to meet our closest living relative, the chimpanzee. Find out what we can learn from these amazing apes. In the news, Aaron looks at the return of tigers to Kazakhstan and what this could mean for future conservation efforts worldwide. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!

This week we travel to the deserts of North America to meet one of most locomotively unique snakes, the sidewinder! Learn how it moves sideways, but still go forward, and survive an incredibly harsh environment. In the news, Gareth looks at the brilliant step forward that Britain has taken in committing to renewable energy. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!

This week meet the mightiest of all deer, Megaloceros - otherwise known as the Irish elk. Find out what made this prehistoric deer so unique. In the news, Aaron looks at a shark attack off the coast of Africa that's causing some controversy. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!

This week meet the small brightly coloured fish with an amazing tale to tell, the neon tetra. Find out about this species' brilliant history, and what makes it more than just your average aquarium pet. And, in the news, Gareth celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Wollemi Pines survival. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in! Wollemi Pine Episode Bichir Episode

This week meet the cockroach, now extinct in the wild, that still survives thanks to a forward thinking etymologist, the simondoa cockroach. We find out why its home has disappeared, and what the future holds for this impressive invertebrate. In the news, Aaron investigates what dangerous creature might be living next door to you in the UK! All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!

This week meet the Jedi of the sea, the cetacean that has one heck of a tooth, the Narwhal! Find out what makes this whale such a perfect polar survivour. In the news, we look at the founder of sea Shepard and his newest fight against the Japanese government to stay a free man. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!

This week we head to the Jurassic period once more and meet the dinosaur icon that is stegosaurus . We look at this dinosaurs history, discovery and how much on costs to buy. In the news we look at TB in cattle and how badgers continue to take the blame. All this and more this week the cupboard is open come on in !

This week meet the snake that inspired a basketball legend. Find out what makes the black mamba a formidable snake species. In the news we look at the realities of bird flu and its long term effects. All this and more this week the cupboard is open come on in!

This week take a plunge into the cold waters of the southern ocean to meet the smallest species of penguin the Fairy penguin. In the news Aaron looks at reports of sharks off UK beaches and how they are not what they seem. All this and more this week the cupboard is open come on in!A magnificent derp episodehttps://open.spotify.com/show/5chofJlFAj8aaOXkjbegy7An awkward birdhttps://open.spotify.com/show/5chofJlFAj8aaOXkjbegy7

This week Gareth is out sick and so has to dial into the cupboard virtually . In our creature feature we meet South America‘s most powerful and stealthy predator the jaguar. In the news we look at where of all the wasps gone and why that's a bad thing. All this and more this week the cupboard is open come on in!

This week we meet the biggest land arthropod that has ever existed arthropleura. Why was it so big and how do we know about the odd world it lived in. Then we look in the news at why tropical birds are so much more colourful. All this and more this week the cupboard is open come on in!

This week we meet the long boy of the dinosaur world and one of its most well known diplodocus. Find out the fascinating backstory of how it was first discovered during a war for fossils. In the news there is a fantastic update on how Britons bison (wisent) are growing in numbers. All this and more this week,The cupboard is open come on in!

This week we meet the supremely adapted bird of prey that hunts fish like no other the osprey.Find out what threatened this bird, and how it's making a comeback. In the news We look at silly animal names. All this and more this week. The cupboard is open come on in

This week we head to South America to meet the long legged canid the maned wolf. Find out what makes this one of the oddest members of the dog family. In the news we have the amazing news of a new baby pangolin being born at Prague Zoo. All this and more this week the cupboard is open come on in! Link to our world pangolin day youtube interview https://youtu.be/_aaLQB6MZVs?si=flxStIe2_TkHN5hH link to our episode about the warrah https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gareth46/episodes/A-foolish-dog-e1kakni

This week meet the dinosaur with the horrible hands, Deinocheirus. Find out how this dinosaur went from being a pair of giant arms to a humpbacked duck-billed, plant-eating theropod. In the news, we look at what is being done to prepare for the possible return of the thylacine. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!

This week Drew is back and tells us all about the UK's most threatened butterfly, the High Brown Fritillary. In the news, Aaron looks at the RSPCA and how its standards might have slipped. All this and more this week. The cupboard is open, come on in!