An Animal Saved My Life

Drama, jealousy, and evolutionary biology come together in this story about a love triangle.

Vanessa Woods was on a work trip to study bonobos when she landed a supporting role in a great ape soap opera. And although emotions ran high, bonobos taught Vanessa important lessons about life, love, and what it means to be a primate.

Learn more about bonobos at bonobos.org

Vanessa Woods is the co-author of Survival of the Friendliest and the author of Bonobo Handshake. Learn more at www.vanessawoods.net.

The bonobo in the episode thumbnail is not a pet. It is one of the many orphans at a sanctuary in Congo whose mothers were shot for the bushmeat trade. The orphans were rescued from the illegal market, some of them from wildlife traffickers, others from people’s homes, and others on route for the illegal pet trade in Europe. Bonobos are primates and need to live in large social groups, not in isolation. Please help stop trafficking in bonobos. Visit www.bonobos.org.

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Pippa Ehrlich, the co-director of the hit film My Octopus Teacher, takes us on a frigid underwater dive into the living, breathing kelp forests of South Africa. Psychedelic colors, mystifying lifeforms, and a curious shape-shifter invite Pippa into an alternate universe.

Follow Pippa Ehrlich on instagram: the_rewilding

Pippa is the co-director and editor of My Octopus Teacher. Find out more about South Africa’s kelp forests at seachangeproject.com 

This episode features a song from the original score for My Octopus Teacher. It was composed by Kevin Smuts and Matthew Dennis. 

Photo credit: Faine Loubser

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Denise Corliss was training her golden retriever Bretagne for search and rescue service when they were called to a disaster scene unlike any other

Photo credit: Texas A&M Task Force 1.

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When Nicole Navarro lost her childhood farm, she never thought she’d find it again. A pair of forlorn forest creatures showed her the way back.

Learn more about Nicole’s rescue organization Pawsitive Beginnings at pawsitivebeginnings.org.

Follow Nicole and her forest friends on Instagram at: @pawsitive_beginnings_inc

Photo credit: Nicole Navarro

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Are you a dog person or a cat person? It seems like a fun, simple question. But from a young age, Joshunda Sanders knew that being able to answer it is actually a privilege. Years later, she found the answer that works for her.

You can find Joshunda’s writing at joshundasanders.com.

Photo credits: Joshunda Sanders

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There’s a proverb that says if a black cat crosses your path, you’ll have bad luck. But, if that were true, Glen Schallman might not be alive today.

You can find more information about Glen and Blake’s illustrated children’s book here: https://cawpublishing.weebly.com/blakes-big-day

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Kristin Von Kriesler’s life was in upheaval when an animal fugitive appeared from nowhere and sent her on a new path.

Find out more about Kristin’s work at kristinvonkreisler.com.

Photo credit: Natalia Ilyin

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Jesse Knott was working as an intelligence officer on a small combat outpost in Afghanistan. When he found a stray kitten, he got a mission he didn’t anticipate.

Photo credit: Jesse Knott

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Sam & Cam Bloom were living a beautiful life in Australia until they went through an unpredictable family crisis. That's when a flying Penguin showed up…

Penguin Bloom premieres on Netflix in the US on January 27th.

Follow Sam and Penguin here:

www.instagram.com/samjbloom

www.instagram.com/penguinthemagpie/

Photo credit:

Cameron Bloom

www.bloomphotography.com

Original credits music by:

Noah Bloom

https://www.instagram.com/noah_bloom/

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Brantley Harrison is the kind of person who rescues earthworms from the sidewalk when it rains. As a wildlife rehabber she’s used to helping animals that can’t help themselves. So, she thought she knew what to expect when she got a basket full of baby squirrels...

Photo credit: https://www.instagram.com/cidandbella/

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