Chris talks with ecotherapy facilitator Shaz Audibert about how reconnecting with nature can support wellbeing, ease overwhelm, and inspire conservation. Shaz explains that ecotherapy recognizes humans as part of nature and shares accessible ways to reconnect—even in cities—through parks, street trees, houseplants, the sky, and simple practices such as a daily 10-minute mindful walk.

Connect with Shaz:

Timeline:

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Chris and Angie explore Cookiecutter Sharks, small deep-sea predators that use suction, sharp teeth, and a twisting bite to leave neat circular wounds on much larger animals.

They discuss their strange appearance, warm-water range, nightly migrations, and glow-in-the-dark underside, which may help them hide or attract prey. The episode also looks at reproduction, rare reported human bites, and why these little-known sharks are so difficult to study. Finally, they place the species in the wider context of shark conservation, including the ongoing impacts of shark finning.

Be sure to monitor National Geographics Museum of Exploration Website for our upcoming live even on Sunday October 11, 2026 HERE

Timeline

Another thank you to all our Patreon supporters. You too can join for one cup of "good" coffee a month. With your pledge you can support your favorite podcast on Patreon and give back to conservation. With the funds we receive each month, we are have been sending money to conservation organizations monthly. We now send a check to every organization we cover, as we feel they all are deserving of our support. Thank you so much for your support and for supporting animal conservation. 

Please considering supporting us at Patreon HERE.

We also want to thank you to all our listeners. We are giving back to every conservation organization we cover and you make that possible. We are committed to donating large portions of our revenue (at minimum 25%) to every organization we cover each week. Thank you for helping us to grow, and for helping to conserve our wildlife.

Please contact us at [email protected]

if you would like to advertise on our podcast

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In this classic episode from 2020, Chris and Angie explore the remarkable sun bear—the world’s smallest bear and one of Southeast Asia’s most overlooked animals.

From their distinctive golden chest patch and extraordinary climbing skills to their love of insects, fruit, and honey, sun bears are perfectly adapted to life in tropical forests. But habitat loss, poaching, and the illegal pet trade continue to threaten these elusive bears. Join us to discover why sun bears matter, what makes them so unique, and why protecting their forest home protects so much more.

Sun bears remain listed as Vulnerable, with habitat loss and illegal trade among their major threats. IUCN Red List, Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre

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Ecologist Dr. Amy McEuen joins Chris to discuss How to Think Like an Ecologist and the power of seeing the world as an interconnected system.

They explore ecosystem resilience, the value of nature connection, Amazon tipping-point debates, Indigenous land rights, biodiversity, freshwater, and nature-based climate solutions. Dr. McEuen also explains why misinformation spreads, why facts alone may not persuade people, and how values-based communication and “pre-bunking” can help. The episode closes with practical hope: collective action matters, and planting native species is one meaningful place to begin.

Dr McEuens website HERE

National Geographic Museum of Exploration HERE

Another thank you to all our Patreon supporters. You too can join for one cup of "good" coffee a month. With your pledge you can support your favorite podcast on Patreon and give back to conservation. With the funds we receive each month, we are have been sending money to conservation organizations monthly. We now send a check to every organization we cover, as we feel they all are deserving of our support. Thank you so much for your support and for supporting animal conservation. 

Please considering supporting us at Patreon HERE.

We also want to thank you to all our listeners. We are giving back to every conservation organization we cover and you make that possible. We are committed to donating large portions of our revenue (at minimum 25%) to every organization we cover each week. Thank you for helping us to grow, and for helping to conserve our wildlife.

Please contact us at [email protected]

if you would like to advertise on our podcast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this classic episode from 2021, Chris and Angie explore the remarkable mountain goat, a white-coated specialist built for some of North America’s steepest and most unforgiving terrain.

They discuss the species’ extraordinary hooves, thick winter coat, alpine diet, social behavior, and the challenges of raising young high above the treeline. The conversation also considers the pressures mountain goat populations can face, including changing mountain conditions, habitat disruption, and human disturbance. Join us for a return to one of our early episodes celebrating a true master of the high country.

Another thank you to all our Patreon supporters. You too can join for one cup of "good" coffee a month. With your pledge you can support your favorite podcast on Patreon and give back to conservation. With the funds we receive each month, we are have been sending money to conservation organizations monthly. We now send a check to every organization we cover, as we feel they all are deserving of our support. Thank you so much for your support and for supporting animal conservation. 

Please considering supporting us at Patreon HERE.

We also want to thank you to all our listeners. We are giving back to every conservation organization we cover and you make that possible. We are committed to donating large portions of our revenue (at minimum 25%) to every organization we cover each week. Thank you for helping us to grow, and for helping to conserve our wildlife.

Please contact us at [email protected]

if you would like to advertise on our podcast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris explores why humans are not separate from nature, but animals embedded within (and entirely dependent on) Earth’s living systems. Inspired by ecologist Dr. Amy McEwan, he examines cities as modified ecosystems, why adaptable species thrive while specialists struggle, and how disrupted relationships can unravel whole habitats. From monarchs and milkweed to sea otters and kelp forests, this episode is a call to notice, protect, and reconnect with the nature we never left.

Another thank you to all our Patreon supporters. You too can join for one cup of "good" coffee a month. With your pledge you can support your favorite podcast on Patreon and give back to conservation. With the funds we receive each month, we are have been sending money to conservation organizations monthly. We now send a check to every organization we cover, as we feel they all are deserving of our support. Thank you so much for your support and for supporting animal conservation. 

Please considering supporting us at Patreon HERE.

We also want to thank you to all our listeners. We are giving back to every conservation organization we cover and you make that possible. We are committed to donating large portions of our revenue (at minimum 25%) to every organization we cover each week. Thank you for helping us to grow, and for helping to conserve our wildlife.

Please contact us at [email protected]

if you would like to advertise on our podcast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kenyan filmmaker, producer, and director Faith Musembi joins us to discuss Nat Geo’s four-part docuseries Lion, following the remarkable journey of Keo, a male lion filmed from cub to king across four years.

Faith shares the power of character-driven wildlife storytelling, the challenges and ethical decisions behind filming in the field, and why African voices must be central to stories about African wildlife, climate, and conservation. She also discusses community-inclusive conservation and her work founding the Nuru Film Institute, helping create opportunities for the next generation of African wildlife filmmakers.

Lion airs August 19 on National Geographic and begins streaming August 20 on Disney+ and Hulu.

Timeline

Another thank you to all our Patreon supporters. You too can join for one cup of "good" coffee a month. With your pledge you can support your favorite podcast on Patreon and give back to conservation. With the funds we receive each month, we are have been sending money to conservation organizations monthly. We now send a check to every organization we cover, as we feel they all are deserving of our support. Thank you so much for your support and for supporting animal conservation. 

Please considering supporting us at Patreon HERE.

We also want to thank you to all our listeners. We are giving back to every conservation organization we cover and you make that possible. We are committed to donating large portions of our revenue (at minimum 25%) to every organization we cover each week. Thank you for helping us to grow, and for helping to conserve our wildlife.

Please contact us at [email protected]

if you would like to advertise on our podcast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this classic episode, Chris and Angie revisit the remarkable Hawaiian monk seal, one of the world’s rarest seal species and the only seal found exclusively in the Hawaiian Islands.

With a population of only around 1,600 animals, Hawaiian monk seals have faced a long history of pressure from hunting, entanglement in marine debris and fishing gear, reduced food availability, disease risk, disturbance, and the challenges of living in a rapidly changing ocean. They are listed as Endangered under U.S. law, but there is real reason for hope: intensive conservation work has helped parts of the population begin a slow recovery.

The episode explores why protected areas, especially the vast Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, are so important. These remote islands, reefs, and surrounding waters provide critical pupping, resting, and foraging habitat for monk seals, while also protecting one of the planet’s most ecologically significant marine ecosystems.

Join us to learn why this deeply local species matters far beyond Hawaiʻi, what makes monk seals so special, and how protecting healthy oceans can give endangered wildlife a genuine chance to recover.

Another thank you to all our Patreon supporters. You too can join for one cup of "good" coffee a month. With your pledge you can support your favorite podcast on Patreon and give back to conservation. With the funds we receive each month, we are have been sending money to conservation organizations monthly. We now send a check to every organization we cover, as we feel they all are deserving of our support. Thank you so much for your support and for supporting animal conservation. 

Please considering supporting us at Patreon HERE.

We also want to thank you to all our listeners. We are giving back to every conservation organization we cover and you make that possible. We are committed to donating large portions of our revenue (at minimum 25%) to every organization we cover each week. Thank you for helping us to grow, and for helping to conserve our wildlife.

Please contact us at [email protected]

if you would like to advertise on our podcast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris and Angie explore the red fox, the world’s most widespread and adaptable true fox.

They cover how its flexible diet, remarkable senses, seasonal coat and signature mouse-pounce allow it to thrive from Arctic tundra to city streets. The episode also examines its role as both predator and prey, its competition with Arctic foxes, its damaging impact in Australia, family life, conservation and how humans can coexist responsibly with this resourceful canid.

Another thank you to all our Patreon supporters. You too can join for one cup of "good" coffee a month. With your pledge you can support your favorite podcast on Patreon and give back to conservation. With the funds we receive each month, we are have been sending money to conservation organizations monthly. We now send a check to every organization we cover, as we feel they all are deserving of our support. Thank you so much for your support and for supporting animal conservation. 

Please considering supporting us at Patreon HERE.

We also want to thank you to all our listeners. We are giving back to every conservation organization we cover and you make that possible. We are committed to donating large portions of our revenue (at minimum 25%) to every organization we cover each week. Thank you for helping us to grow, and for helping to conserve our wildlife.

Please contact us at [email protected]

if you would like to advertise on our podcast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An episode from 2021. Few animals embody prehistoric power quite like the American alligator. In this episode, Chris and Angie share and explore the remarkable biology, behavior, and surprising family life of one of North America’s most iconic reptiles.

Once threatened by unregulated hunting and habitat loss, the American alligator became one of conservation’s great recovery stories. These ecosystem engineers create “alligator holes” that provide vital water and refuge for fish, birds, and other wildlife during dry periods. Their future remains closely tied to healthy wetlands and our ability to coexist safely with large predators.

Why should we care about alligators? Because protecting them also protects the extraordinary wetland communities they help sustain. Tune in and discover why the swamp would not be the same without them.

==

Another thank you to all our Patreon supporters. You too can join for one cup of "good" coffee a month. With your pledge you can support your favorite podcast on Patreon and give back to conservation. With the funds we receive each month, we are have been sending money to conservation organizations monthly. We now send a check to every organization we cover, as we feel they all are deserving of our support. Thank you so much for your support and for supporting animal conservation. 

Please considering supporting us at Patreon HERE.

We also want to thank you to all our listeners. We are giving back to every conservation organization we cover and you make that possible. We are committed to donating large portions of our revenue (at minimum 25%) to every organization we cover each week. Thank you for helping us to grow, and for helping to conserve our wildlife.

Please contact us at [email protected]

if you would like to advertise on our podcast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices