In this episode, hosts Rick and Marco are headed back to the Frozen Zoo® to speak with its curator, Marlys Houck. This first-of-its-kind biobank began with a cell, and over the past 50 years it has grown to be the most extensive collection of its kind in the world, preserving living cell lines of mammals, birds, reptiles, aquatic wildlife, plants, and more. Discover how the trailblazing Frozen Zoo is preserving hope for the future of life on Earth.

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Wildlife conservation starts with people—of all ages. In this episode, hosts Rick and Marco speak with Lisa Biasillo, vice president of wildlife education programs for San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. The San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park have numerous programs that inspire and educate youths and adults, empowering them to become active in conservation so they can make a difference in their communities and around the world. Tune in to find out more about what they learn, and the importance of environmental literacy.

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April 26 is International Flamingo Day! To celebrate, hosts Rick and Marco speak with Wildlife Care Specialist Erin Massey to learn more about these long-legged birds. Do their knees really bend backwards? Why do they stand on one leg, and why are most of them pink? Tune in to find out, and learn about their mud nests, how flamingo parents share incubation duties, and how even males can make a form of milk!

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This year marks the 50th anniversary of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s Frozen Zoo®. To learn about its history, hosts Rick and Marco speak with Rolf Benirschke, son of Frozen Zoo founder Kurt Benirschke. Rolf explains the events that inspired his father to start the Frozen Zoo, the creative ways we can all help conservation without being a scientist, and Rolf’s Kicks for Critters, a charity he started during his time in the NFL.

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Welcome back to Amazing Wildlife! We are kicking off season 4 by learning all about meerkats. In this episode, Marco and Rick learn how a specific type of stress can make a meerkat family a more cohesive and healthier group. Senior Wildlife Care Specialist Lacy Pearson tells us about eustress, meerkat mobs, and how these social animals learn to work together.

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Amazing Wildlife is returning for season 4 starting Friday, March 28th! From the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, hosts Marco Wendt and Rick Schwartz return to highlight the conservation efforts at the zoo and learn more about the talented team and animals.

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Despite its name, the Frozen Zoo does not require a scarf and mittens! This week, hosts Rick and Marco speak with Dr. Oliver Ryder, director of conservation genetics at San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. The Frozen Zoo stores cryogenically frozen genetic materials from mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians, safeguarding them for generations to come. Dr. Ryder has been part of the program since the very beginning, and he tells our hosts about its history and its potential to make a difference for wildlife today and tomorrow. Tune in to hear more about this program that gives hope to the future success of wildlife conservation.

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Just like animals, many plants and trees are at risk of becoming extinct. Even the mighty oak is in danger of extinction due to habitat loss and rapid changes in the climate. In this episode, hosts Rick and Marco speak with Christy Powell, horticulture manager at the San Diego Zoo. They discuss why oak trees are so important, as well as all the different and innovative ways they are working to conserve and propagate this incredibly iconic tree.

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How do you help a tusker with a wiggly tooth? What do you do if you need a blood sample from an elephant? You ask them nicely to participate in their own care. In this episode, hosts Rick and Marco speak with Megan McMahon, lead wildlife care specialist for elephants at San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, about working with the largest land mammal on the planet. And they even get an inside scoop about the all-new and exciting Elephant Valley, opening at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in 2025.

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In this episode, hosts Rick and Marco are learning all about our eight-legged friends, spiders! To find out more, they are speaking with Taylor Cook, the wildlife care supervisor for the entomology department at the San Diego Zoo. Some people might find arachnids a little scary, but there’s also a lot to appreciate about them. Join us to learn about tarantulas, how spiders help balance our ecosystems, and the Arachnid Rescue Center.

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