CritterCast

Here is our aforementioned episode all about these fascinating insects! Please keep in mind there is some awkward editing, pauses and silences due to missing cohost Cassie’s audio. But we had so much fun chatting with Rachael from the Hidden Wings and Bloodlust Podcast a few months back and wanted to make sure you still got to learn about these cool critters!

 

Sources:

* https://www.hummingbirdsplus.org/hummingbird-moth-facts/#:~:text=While%20hummingbirds%20live%20between%205,little%20as%203%2D5%20weeks

* https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/invertebrates/moths/hummingbird-hawk-moth

* https://www.countrylife.co.uk/nature/astonishing-hummingbird-hawk-moth-looks-set-become-regular-fixture-british-gardens-200348

So we disappeared…and we didn’t mean to. To be very upfront with you: CritterCast began to be something we dreaded instead of something we enjoyed and that wasn’t right. So we hit pause. But we do miss it and most importantly we miss YOU, our listeners and online family.

You can expect those two mentioned episodes to be released in the coming weeks, and be assured this is not the end of CritterCast. Just a moment to figure out how we can continue something we love so much in a sustainable way!

Cassie and Koreena are back for another episode about small but FASCINATING critters! This episode we discuss Sacaglossa, also commonly referred to as Sap-Sucking Sea Slugs. These small water dwellers will BLOW your mind with their super powers of digestion and regeneration. If you loved learning about Turbellaria, you’ll probably love these guys too.

Sources:

* https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/mar/08/keep-your-head-the-self-decapitating-sea-slugs-that-regrow-their-bodies-hearts-and-all

* https://www.chesapeakebay.net/S=0/fieldguide/critter/sea_slugs

* https://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/these-cute-sea-slugs-are-sheep-sea/

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacoglossa

* http://www.molluscs.at/gastropoda/index.html?/gastropoda/sea/sacoglossa.html

* https://www.livescience.com/decapitated-sea-slugs-regrow-entire-body.html

* https://bgr.com/2021/03/08/science-news-sea-slug-head-detaching/

What’s happening? An episode on Thursday? New title format? It’s a SWITCHEROO! We’re celebrating April Fools by swapping episodes with another super cool podcast: (don’t) Waste Water, hosted by Antoine Walter. One of our episodes will be featured on his feed and his episode is featured right here. So give it a try and learn all about wastewater treatment plans. How long have they existed and why do we need them?

 

If you like what you hear, you can check out all of the (don’t) Waste Water episodes RIGHT HERE!

For Episode 64 of CritterCast, Cassie and Koreena slither back to the world of reptiles! But we take a slightly different approach. Instead of delving into a ton of facts, we discuss the Round Island Boa…which is a species we don’t know that much about. Why? Why would we want to dedicate an entire episode to a species we don’t know much about? Because we learned about an amazing organization called Edge of Existence, which you are definitely going to want to hear about.

Sources:

* https://www.edgeofexistence.org/what-is-edge/

* https://www.edgeofexistence.org/science/

* http://www.edgeofexistence.org/species/round-island-keel-scaled-boa/#overview

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Round_Island_boa

* https://www.reptilesmagazine.com/keel-scaled-boa-down-listed-to-vulnerable-thanks-to-conservation-efforts/

* http://wildlife.durrell.org/animals/reptiles/round-island-boa/

* https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1983-22763-001

* http://wildlife.durrell.org/blog/hello-from-mauritius/

* https://www.encyclopedia.com/science/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/splitjaw-snake-bolyeriidae#:~:text=The%20splitjaw%20snake%20has%20an,teeth%20can%20stay%20in%20place.

This episode on CritterCast, Cassie spits facts about about Sugar Gliders! While they are quickly gaining popularity and attention in the pet trade, we investigate what it takes to truly care for a Sugar Glider and give our listeners some words of warnings. These adorable little critters are so much more demanding than you might think based on their size. We also talk specifically about that ever famous “gliding” skill they have. Is it a true glide? Or something closer to real flight? Listen in to find out!

Sources:

 

In this episode of CritterCast, we strut into the wacky world of chickens! Did you know that chickens outnumber people 4-to-1? Or that chickens are probably more closely related to dinosaurs than modern day reptiles are? We diss on all the cool chicken facts, and because we know by the end of the episode you will LOVE chickens as much as us…we also share some information on how you can help contribute to bettering the lives of chickens everywhere. You can now check out some resources on buying ethically sourced eggs/meat on our “Save the Critters” webpage!

Sources:

* http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/2011/axell_benj/The_Chicken.html

* https://silkie.org/why-chickens-eat-their-own-eggs-and-how-to-stop-it.html

* https://the-chicken-chick.com/facts-and-myths-about-fertile-eggs/#:~:text=incubated%20fertilized%20eggs.-,UNFERTILIZED%20EGGS,never%20hatch%20from%20that%20egg.

* https://www.britannica.com/animal/chicken

* https://www.livescience.com/57139-why-chickens-cannot-fly.html#:~:text=Rather%2C%20chickens%20are%20terrible%20fliers,research%20associate%20at%20the%20Dinosaur

* https://thegrownetwork.com/buy-cruelty-free-chicken/

It’s Season 2 of CritterCast! After an extended, 2020-induced hiatus, your favorite animal lovers Cassie and Koreena are back at it. This episode we get back to our roots and back into the swing of it, investigating the weird and wonderful world of Platypuses (or Platypi if you are a fan of quirky words). These strange mammals that aren’t quite mammals are known for their duck bills and egg-laying abilities…but there is much more to learn! Tune in and follow our sources for even more fascinating information.

 

Sources:

* https://www.britannica.com/animal/platypus

* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-_b73LX8IY

* https://grammarist.com/plurals/platypi-vs-platypuses/

* https://www.livescience.com/27572-platypus.html

* https://www.sciencealert.com/platypus-genes-reveal-some-of-the-bizarre-traits-that-come-with-5x-and-5y-chromosomes

* https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/09/science/platypus-genome-echidna.html

* https://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/extreme-mammals/meet-your-relatives/platypus

Big thanks to our friends at the Bald Scientist Podcast and Nagging Naturalist Podcast for their recommendation of Turbellaria, or flatworms. Episode 60 is all about these fascinating critters and how they’re basically Time Lords from the planet Gallifrey. If you don’t believe us, tune in!

WANT TO ADOPT OUR SPOTLIGHT ADOPTABLE? It looks like Melvinhas already been adopted, but check out other pets at the Willamette Humane Society: https://whs4pets.org/adopt-a-pet/

ARE YOU A PODCASTER WHO WANTS TO BE FEATURED ON OUR SHOW? We like to share short promos (under 1 minute) for other shows with our audience. If you’d like to be featured, send us a short promo to [email protected] 

Sources:

* https://www.microscopemaster.com/class-turbellaria.html

* https://www.researchgate.net/publication/225390634_Mating_behaviour_of_the_marine_turbellarian_Macrostomum_sp_These_worms_suck

* http://jupiter.plymouth.edu/~lts/invertebrates/Primer/text/turbellaria.html

* https://nature.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/turbellarians-planarians-free-living-flatworms

We’re back! It’s Episode 59 and after our unplanned hiatus, we are so excited to be back and better than ever with an entertaining and fact-filled episode all about box turtles! We talk about the basics of what makes a box turtle a box turtle, where their from, how they breed, what dangers they face in their native environments, and how to responsibly acquire and care for one as a pet. Please note, this episode is not intended to be a full care guide especially because care varies between different species of box turtles. We’re working on a care sheet for our website, but in the meantime let this episode serve as a way to dip your toes in the water!

Also! We can’t believe we didn’t have the full turtle vs. tortoise vs. terrapin discussion. But don’t worry! That will be a topic across our social media channels over the next few weeks.