All Creatures Podcast

For centuries, we believed culture was uniquely human. But what if elephants, whales, chimpanzees, birds (even bees) also pass knowledge, traditions, and behaviors from one generation to the next?

In this episode, Chris explores one of the most fascinating discoveries in modern biology, from orca hunting traditions and elephant matriarchs to humpback whale songs, chimpanzee tool use, regional birdsong dialects, and crow intelligence. Along the way, he reveals how animal culture is reshaping our understanding of evolution—and why conservation is about protecting not just species, but the knowledge they carry.

If culture is knowledge that outlives the individual, perhaps we've been too busy looking in the mirror to notice it all around us.

https://substack.com/@cmortensen

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

Brining back this class episode. Chris and Angie discuss the all too cute, hedgehog.

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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 recounts how reading a scientific review paper titled “Has the Earth’s sixth mass extinction already arrived?” shifted his career from domestic animal reproduction research at the University of Florida to wildlife conservation and inspired his podcast, emphasizing that science alone isn’t enough without stories.

Chris explains mass extinctions are rare, only five in ~540 million years, and contrasts past causes (asteroids, volcanism, climate and ocean chemistry shifts) with today’s human-driven “death by a thousand cuts,” including habitat loss and fragmentation, invasive species, overexploitation, pollution, and climate change.

Chris argues extinction today is often subtle but highlights hope through global conservation efforts, citing northern white rhino embryo work, elephant corridor protection, and many individuals dedicating their lives to saving species.

If you enjoy these episodes, you'll love our new Substack.

Each week, I dive deeper into the stories behind the podcast, sharing personal experiences from my years in wildlife conservation, reflections on the science, and the remarkable people working to protect our planet.

Read the latest essays here: https://substack.com/@cmortensen

00:00 One Paper Changes Everything

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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

What if the biggest conservation question of our time isn't how we save wildlife... but whether we're willing to leave enough room for it?

In this solo episode, Chris explores the global 30x30 initiative, an ambitious goal to protect 30% of Earth's land and oceans by 2030. From elephant corridors and marine reserves to David Attenborough's Ocean, this is a conversation about coexistence, hope, and the future we choose to create together.

Because conservation isn't just about protecting places.

It's about deciding what kind of relationship we want with the living world.

Each week, I dive deeper into the stories behind the podcast, sharing personal experiences from my years in wildlife conservation, reflections on the science, and the remarkable people working to protect our planet.

Read the latest essays here: https://substack.com/@cmortensen

==

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

==

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

Angie welcomes Dr. Katy Ayres to discuss sharks’ physiology and urgent conservation needs, highlight National Geographic’s SharkFest (premiering Sunday, July 5 on Nat Geo, Disney+ and Hulu), and preview “Hammerhead Sharks Up Close”.

Dr. Ayres, an England-born marine scientist and National Geographic Explorer who studies sharks in Baja, Mexico, shares how her lifelong fascination began. She explains sharks’ ecological roles as scavengers and indicators of healthy ecosystems, outlines threats including overfishing, bycatch, illegal fishing, finning practices, and climate-driven range shifts, and notes species-specific vulnerability based on life history.

Timeline

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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

A classic episode released a few years ago. Here it is again in case you missed it.

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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

Elephants don't simply wander across the landscape.

For generations, they have followed ancient migration routes passed down through memory, experience, and culture. These invisible highways connect water, food, and survival itself.

In this episode, Chris explores the remarkable world of elephant corridors, how matriarchs guide their families across vast distances, and what happens when ancient pathways collide with roads, farms, fences, and the modern world.

Because this isn't just a story about elephants.

It's a story about memory, coexistence, and whether humanity can still make room for giants.

Timeline

00:00 Elephants Don’t Wander

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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

We are re-releasing this episode from 2020.

Amur Falcons are one of the most remarkable migratory birds on Earth. Weighing less than 200 grams, these small raptors undertake an astonishing annual journey of more than 20,000 kilometres, travelling from breeding grounds in eastern Asia to wintering grounds in southern Africa.

In this episode, we explore the incredible biology behind their migration, including a non-stop flight of up to 3,000 kilometres across the Indian Ocean—one of the longest over-water journeys known for any bird of prey. We also discuss how satellite tracking revealed the true scale of their migration and how communities in India helped transform a major conservation crisis into an inspiring success story.

Although currently listed as Amur Falcon by the IUCN as a species of Least Concern, Amur Falcons still face threats from habitat loss, climate change, and changes to insect populations along their migratory route.

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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 revisit the giant panda, first featured on the podcast in 2018, and explore one of conservation's most celebrated success stories.

They discuss how giant pandas recovered from Endangered to Vulnerable status through habitat protection, wildlife corridors, anti-poaching efforts, and decades of dedicated conservation work in China. Along the way, they uncover the fascinating biology of these bamboo specialists, from their unique "pseudo-thumb" to their challenging breeding habits and surprisingly inefficient digestive system. The episode also examines the role of zoos, captive breeding programs, and what the panda's recovery can teach us about saving other species.

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