Episode Summary: Hosts Susan Altruy and Joy Matlock explore how animals secure food—through foraging, hunting, and special tactics—and how habitat loss endangers those sources. Zookeeper Hannah then presents Monty, a Ball Python, to demonstrate snake adaptations for locating and subduing prey. Learn simple actions you can take to protect natural food chains.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Foraging vs. Hunting: Black bears gather berries and carrion; river otters dive for fish; red-­tailed hawks hunt rodents.
• Habitat & Food: Clearing forests or draining wetlands removes vital plants and prey for box turtles, penguins, and pollinators.
• Python Biology: Monty’s infrared “pit organs,” backward­-curved teeth, and glottis “snorkel” let him ambush and swallow prey whole.
• Conservation Steps: How the Seafood Watch app guides you toward sustainable seafood to help maintain healthy food webs.

Key Takeaways:

• Arkansas Black Bears: Once so plentiful the state was nicknamed “Bear State,” these omnivores switch from plant foraging to small­-mammal hunting.
• River Otter Fishing: Otters chase fish underwater with streamlined bodies and paddle­like tails.
• Red­-Tailed Hawks: Using sharp talons and keen eyesight, they patrol skies to catch rodents—showing aerial predator roles.
• Box Turtle Foraging: Native turtles eat insects, berries, and mushrooms; habitat loss removes their essential food.
• Monty the Ball Python:
  • Pit Organs: Detect heat from warm­-blooded prey in darkness.
  • Ambush Tactics: Strike quickly, grip prey with backward teeth, and constrict.
  • Glottis “Snorkel”: Allows breathing while swallowing large meals.
• Ecosystem Impact: Losing predators or pollinators (snakes or bees) triggers imbalances—rodent overpopulation or plant declines.
• Practical Actions:
  • Don’t Litter Roadsides: Food scraps attract rodents, which lure snakes or owls into traffic.
  • Use Seafood Watch: A free Monterey Bay Aquarium app to choose sustainable fish and protect ocean ecosystems.

Mentioned:

• Arkansas Black Bear
• River Otter
• Red-­Tailed Hawk
• Box Turtle
• Pollinators: Bats & Fireflies
• Ball Python (Monty “Monica”)
• Seafood Watch App

Quotes:

“Wetlands and forests aren’t just landscapes—they’re grocery stores for wildlife.” – Susan Altruy “Monty’s pit organs are like an infrared GPS toward prey.” – Hannah (Zookeeper)