Talking Animals

What is happening to the bee population? CBS's Mark Strassmann finds out. Plus -- Sam Litzinger learns more about a parrot from New Zealand that can mimic emotions.

For this edition of “Talking Animals,” we broke format and did something a little different: Setting aside our customary approach of a long-form guest interview and, often, a shorter second interview, I opened the phone lines and invited listeners to Call In To Discuss Hurricane Irma & Animals. I urged people to weigh in on such questions as: If you evacuated, what shelter did you and your pet(s) head to? And how was that experience? If you stayed put, how was that for the animals? Made it clear I was also interested in hearing about animals beyond cats and dogs—horses, exotic pets, wildlife, etc. And any unusual or poignant rescue stories, and so on. This yielded an array of calls, emails and texts, including from Larry who began tending to a baby squirrel who was orphaned as a result of the storm, and was seeking a squirrel rehab expert who could take over caring for the infant…a woman who inquired about the most effective way to place a cat into a front-loading carrier (this elicited multiple tips, perhaps none as ingenious as the woman who suggested putting catnip in the carrier), and several tales of “hunkering down” at home, relocating with animals to friends or family members’ houses (or moving horses to the barn of someone they didn’t know), very positive shelter experiences, and more.

COMEDY CORNER: Jim Gaffigan’s  “Eat Vegetarian” (portion) (www.jimgaffigan.com)

MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme,” Michael Jackson’s “Rocking Robin,” Norah Jones’ “Man Of The Hour,” instrumentals

NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: We didn’t play Name That Animal Tune today.

AUDIO ARCHIVE:

Listen Online Now: https://talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/TASept13.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

An average of 22 people die in America every day while waiting for organ transplants. A group of researchers affiliated with Harvard University hope to eventually change that statistic by using organs from cloned pig cells. Plus -- human interaction with dolphins may soon become regulated. Sam Litzinger features Carter Evans' piece on this week's Talking Animals.

An airport can be a stressful place to navigate - especially if you can't see. Sam Litzinger learns more about a program that is training puppies to be airport guide dogs. Plus -- Ben Tracy shares a heartwarming story about a special needs puppy who found a new forever home.

Patti Ragan—the founder of The Center For Great Apes, a 120-acre sanctuary in Wauchula, FL that houses nearly 50 chimpanzees and orangutans—recalls how she first became interested in great apes. That history, Ragan explains, dates back to 1984, when he volunteered on a rehabilitation project for orangutans in the rain forests of Indonesian Borneo. That experience yielded caring for an infant orangutan, which along with a chimp she ended up looking after—and not having success finding homes for them in zoos–prompted her to start The Center For Great Apes. Ragan describes the first incarnation of the Center, and its initial residents, and describes some aspects of the current facility. She also discusses some fundamental differences between chimps and orangutans, and the challenges those contrasts can pose at the Center—for example, male orangutans live solitary, so each requires their own enclosure. Ragan explains how some of the residents arrived there, including animals previously used in research, former pets (including Michael Jackson’s chimp, Bubbles), and those who used to toil in the entertainment industry. With Hurricane Irma looming when this interview was conducted, Ragan addresses the preparations the center had been making for that storm. (www.centerforgreatapes.org)

 

ALSO: I spoke briefly with Pam Backer, Director of Shelter Operations at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay, who outlined a variety of suggestions and tips for how to prepare our animals (and ourselves) for hurricanes, as Irma was bearing down on Florida. She discussed four shelters in Hillsborough County that could accommodate people and their pets. Her tips included writing the owner’s name and contact information on the inside of the pet’s collar with a Sharpie, as a protection in case the ID tag falls off. (http://humanesocietytampa.org)

COMEDY CORNER: Jen Grant’s “Pet Chimp” (portion) (www.jengrant.com)

MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme,” instrumentals

NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: We didn’t play Name That Animal Tune today.

AUDIO ARCHIVE:

Listen Online Now: https://talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/TASept6-.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

Animals rights groups are trying to figure out ways to help tigers migrate - without human interaction. Dana Jacobson reports. Plus - how do you categorize a suffering animal? Sam Litzinger talks to "Psychology Today" writer Adam Clark on this week's Talking Animals.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins are trying find alternatives to animal testing. Sam Litzinger learns more. Plus -- in South Africa dogs are being trained to sniff out poachers. CBS's Debora Patta reports.

Dr. Keith Lindsay—the conservation biologist whose career reflects a longstanding dedication to studying elephants—recalls how he got started in 1977 at the Amboseli Elephants Research Project, in southern Kenya, by something of a fluke. He notes that he returned to Amboseli in ensuing years, first as part of obtaining his Masters degree, then in pursuit of his Ph.D. Lindsay traces the path of shifting in recent years from a career focus on wild elephants to captive ones. He discusses the genesis of Elephants In Japan, an organization that sprang up around an elephant, Hanako, who was living by herself in a small enclosure in a Tokyo zoo—and had lived alone for most of her life, before dying in 2016, after awareness (and funds) had been raised about her plight. This led, Lindsay notes, to commissioning a report, “Solitary Elephants in Japan,” exploring the significant number of zoos in that country housing solitary elephants, and the findings of carefully examining 14 such Japanese zoos. Lindsay reviewed his methodology and some of the key results, acknowledging the reports implications extend well beyond the Japanese zoo elephants. (http://elephantsinjapan.com)

 

ALSO: I spoke briefly with Laura Carlock, co-founder of Rescued Pets Movement (RPM), a Houston-based organization that has saved the lives of more than 20,000 homeless cats and dogs in that city since its 2013. In the days after Hurricane Harvey struck, RPM has played a pivotal role in helping rescue animals in and around Houston, getting supplies to them at the George R. Brown Convention Center, and coordinating shelters and other places across the country for some of these animals to go, and the transportation needed. Carlock said they need monies to continue these monumental efforts–and there’s also a wish list for those who prefer to donate items versus money—via their website: www.rescuedpetsmovement.org

COMEDY CORNER: Kevin Hart’s “Fear Of Animals” (portion) (http://kevinhartnation.com)

MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme,” instrumentals

NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: We didn’t play Name That Animal Tune today.

AUDIO ARCHIVE:

Listen Online Now: https://talkinganimals.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/TAAug30-.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

With the help of IBM Watson - more and more guide dog hopefuls are graduating to full fledged service animals. Don Dahler reports. Plus -- it is important for your pet to get exercise -- and now -- they have their own gym. Sam Litzinger reports.

Researchers are chasing whales off the coast of Antarctica - as climate change continues to impact the environment. Mark Phillips reports. Plus -- Sam Litzinger finds out why pandas are black and white