Animal Training Academy: Making Ripples

Choice, Control & Conservation with Olly Jacobs & Calum Torcasio [Episode 61]


Listen Later

In this inspiring episode, we sit down with Olly Jacobs (he/him) and Calum Torcasio (they/them) from Moonlit Sanctuary - two zookeepers whose passion for animal welfare and behavior science shines through every word. From early dreams of working with animals to becoming key members of Moonlit’s show and mammal teams, their parallel journeys are filled with curiosity, grit, and deep respect for the animals they care for.

Olly and Calum share their unique entry points into zookeeping, the roles that education, volunteering, and community played in launching their careers, and how their love for Australia’s diverse native wildlife continues to grow. We dive into their creative and thoughtful approaches to animal training, with heartwarming and educational stories - from target and station training a potoroo named Pikelet, to building trust and voluntary cooperation for dingo toothbrushing.

This episode highlights: ✅ The power of relationship-based training and consent-driven interactions ✅ How show animals are given choice, control, and a starring role in education ✅ Why tailoring communication to the individual matters - no “one-size-fits-all” ✅ How storytelling, humor, and hope create meaningful conservation messages ✅ Their hopes for connecting audiences, especially children, to native species

With humility and humor, Olly and Calum show us what it means to train with intention and heart - making waves not just for the animals they work with, but for the future of conservation.

Links

https://moonlitsanctuary.com.au/

https://www.instagram.com/moonlitsanctuary/ 

https://www.facebook.com/moonlitsanctuary/ 

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Animal Training Academy: Making RipplesBy Ryan Cartlidge

  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5

4.5

8 ratings


More shows like Animal Training Academy: Making Ripples

View all
Radiolab by WNYC Studios

Radiolab

44,047 Listeners

Hidden Brain by Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam

Hidden Brain

43,879 Listeners

Animal Training Academy by Ryan Cartlidge

Animal Training Academy

104 Listeners

Cog-Dog Radio by Sarah Stremming, The Cognitive Canine

Cog-Dog Radio

315 Listeners

Fenzi Dog Sports Podcast by Melissa Breau

Fenzi Dog Sports Podcast

232 Listeners

Pod Save America by Crooked Media

Pod Save America

86,826 Listeners

Equiosity by Equiosity

Equiosity

60 Listeners

The Puppy Training Podcast by Baxter & Bella Puppy Training

The Puppy Training Podcast

593 Listeners

Barks from the Bookshelf by Barks from the Bookshelf

Barks from the Bookshelf

12 Listeners

Shaped by Dog with Susan Garrett by Susan Garrett

Shaped by Dog with Susan Garrett

662 Listeners

The Bitey End of the Dog by Michael Shikashio CDBC

The Bitey End of the Dog

229 Listeners

Impolitic with John Heilemann by Audacy | Puck

Impolitic with John Heilemann

4,669 Listeners

Enrichment for the Real World by Pet Harmony Animal Behavior and Training

Enrichment for the Real World

46 Listeners

Research Bites Podcast by Kristina Spaulding, PhD, CAAB

Research Bites Podcast

7 Listeners

Animal Behavior Conversations: The Podcast of The ABMA by Shane Gorbett, Board of Directors, The Animal Behavior Management Alliance

Animal Behavior Conversations: The Podcast of The ABMA

19 Listeners