The Fur Real Podcast with Mark A Kyle

Who knew that some of Africa’s most important wildlife conservationists are tiny insects?

Termites might be small, but their impact on the African savanna is enormous! These remarkable little engineers build towering mounds, create elaborate underground kingdoms, and transform the land around them into fertile oases bursting with life. By bringing nutrients to the surface and enriching the soil, termites help create lush patches of vegetation that attract everything from insects and grazing antelope to elephants and their predators.

Joining us is Dr. Rob Pringle, a Princeton University ecologist, who reveals how these often-overlooked insects help shape entire ecosystems. We explore their incredible colonies, surprising teamwork, and the fascinating ripple effect their mounds have on the plants and animals that share their world.

They're not just building homes. They're helping build the African savanna itself!

Tiny insects. Giant impact. And a fascinating story hiding in plain sight!

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links:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IcEdyHXEAI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJGpABrEatc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRGb9Pq64cU

https://doi.org/10.1002/ecm.1549

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.1000377

https://www.nature.com/articles/nature20801.epdf?author_access_token=izlKY_Sq277VxEw39zT80NRgN0jAjWel9jnR3ZoTv0Omh6oCd9LJM-J_U261-PDuym-JGXYJ2sRi71pbqyIBf4XZF9_-KvX5IERIU21T_unMUWy8zzeod0F0yOmc7jnL

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What has a suit of armor, powerful claws, and comes in everything from a tiny pink fairy to a giant weighing more than 100 pounds? An armadillo, of course!

Here in Texas, we proudly claim the nine-banded armadillo as our official state small mammal, but there's a whole world of these wonderfully weird creatures beyond the Lone Star State!

This week, we're joined by world-renowned armadillo expert Dr. Mariella Superina to explore the fascinating world of one of nature's most unusual mammals.

From the mysterious pink fairy armadillo, small enough to fit in your hand, to the enormous giant armadillo with its massive claws, these incredible creatures are full of surprises. Why do they wear armor? Can they really roll into a ball? How do they dig so well? And what makes the Texas armadillo so special?

We'll uncover their remarkable adaptations, surprising behaviors, and the challenges threatening their survival. Along the way, Dr. Superina shares why these often-overlooked animals deserve far more attention and protection.

From the backroads of Texas to the wilds of South America, armadillos prove that Mother Nature has one wild imagination!

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They've got venomous fangs, a fearsome reputation, and a name that sends shivers down your spine. But are water moccasins, also known as cottonmouths, really the aggressive, dangerous snakes we've been led to believe?

This week, zoologist and snake venom researcher Dr. Ryan McCleary joins us to separate fact from fiction about one of America's most feared and misunderstood snakes.

Do water moccasins really chase people? How dangerous is their venom? Why do they flash that unmistakable cotton-white mouth? And are they actually looking for a fight, or just trying to defend themselves?

From their fascinating behavior and surprising hunting abilities to the myths that have fueled their frightening reputation, Dr. McCleary reveals a side of these remarkable reptiles that most people never get to see.

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Links

https://www.sarasotamanatee.usf.edu/academics/faculty-listing/dr-ryan-mccleary.aspx

https://www.wfla.com/news/florida/gopher-tortoise-reclassified-as-critically-endangered-researchers-say/

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Your pet may look healthy today—but what can you do to keep them that way?

About 1 in 4 dogs will develop cancer during their lifetime, and by age 10, the risk climbs to roughly 1 in 2. Cats face cancer and chronic disease too. So instead of waiting until something goes wrong, what if we started thinking about our pets’ health before they get sick?

This week, Mark talks with Dr. Kendra Pope, a board-certified veterinary oncologist and leading voice in integrative veterinary medicine. She combines conventional medicine with nutrition, lifestyle, and complementary therapies to help pets live longer, healthier lives—and to give pet parents practical ways to be proactive about their health.

They talk about cancer and chronic disease, what pet parents should be watching for, the role of diet and lifestyle, and the things you can start doing now to support your pet’s long-term health.

Dr. Pope also shares how her educational courses are helping pet parents better understand their animals’ health and become more informed advocates for their care.

Because the best time to think about your pet’s health isn’t when they get sick. It’s while they’re healthy.

Links:

https://prismpets.krtra.com/t/QLJCxIwYEAlF

https://prismpets.krtra.com/t/AhIM4vPV9joQ

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For 100 years, Winnie-the-Pooh has brought a little magic into all of our lives. But behind the stories, the Hundred Acre Wood and the bear we all know and love was a real bear named Winnie—and she was a girl.

As Winnie-the-Pooh celebrates his 100th anniversary on October 14, Mark sits down with author Lindsay Mattick, the great-granddaughter of Harry Colebourn, the Canadian soldier and veterinarian who rescued a female black bear cub during World War I and named her Winnie after his hometown of Winnipeg.

Winnie eventually found a home at the London Zoo, where she became the favorite bear of a little boy named Christopher Robin Milne—and the inspiration for Winnie-the-Pooh.

Lindsay shares her family’s remarkable connection to Winnie and the true story of the little bear who inspired a character that, a century later, still brings friendship, wonder and a little magic into all of our lives.

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They’re tiny, ridiculously cute, incredibly social—and they have a lot to say. Marmosets may be some of the smallest monkeys around, but behind those expressive faces is a surprisingly complex world of communication, family life, cooperation and intelligence.

This week, Mark talks with Dr. Cory Miller, a professor and researcher at the University of California, San Diego, whose work explores how marmosets communicate and interact with one another. Cory and his team are studying their vocal behavior and the brain systems behind it, using these highly social little primates to better understand how communication works—and what it can tell us about our own brains and behavior.

From their constant chatter and family dynamics to the remarkable ways they listen, respond and learn from one another, marmosets prove there’s a whole lot going on inside those very cute little heads.

Cute? Absolutely. Chatty? Definitely. Clever? You bet.

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https://millerlab.ucsd.edu/

www.https://mcc.ohsu.edu/

https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.wsj.com/opinion/the-future-of-ai-lies-in-monkeys-not-microchips-c855aad6?st=Rvkig8&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink__;!!Mih3wA!EMfVKy5TJ-aQJl-EtiQObPSKXpvlVC4EhoEtUkDb7IkVhwDDKTJuekLjVKdKH93LBZUpuUUOq9N1K2NK9Lg$

https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.nationalreview.com/2025/12/americas-risky-retreat-in-biomedical-leadership/__;!!Mih3wA!EMfVKy5TJ-aQJl-EtiQObPSKXpvlVC4EhoEtUkDb7IkVhwDDKTJuekLjVKdKH93LBZUpuUUOq9N1RuCxQT4$

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Every animal has a personality—and Michelle Lerner has known some unforgettable ones.

This week, Mark talks with author and animal law expert Michelle Lerner about her new book, A Series of Opinionated Animals, and the quirky, funny, fiercely individual animals she has shared her life with along the way. Each one left its mark, helping shape not only Michelle’s life, but the way she came to think about animals and ultimately advocate for their legal rights.

From laugh-out-loud stories that will feel instantly familiar to anyone who has ever loved an animal, to the fascinating questions surrounding non-human personhood and animal rights, Michelle’s journey makes you look at the animals in our lives a little differently.

Because they’re not just pets. They’re individuals—with personalities, opinions, and a way of changing us. Every animal really is a character.

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The Lofty Pigeon (hardcover) (: https://shop.loftypigeonbooks.com/item/XpwwXuCxn2eR2i2mqqH27w

Porter Square Books (hardcover): https://portersquarebooks.com/book/9781610887069

Barnes and Noble (hardcover and ebook): https://bookshop.org/p/books/a-series-of-opinionated-animals-a-memoir-michelle-lerner/72d8810e26bba0e9?ean=9781610887069&bkshp-astro=t

Amazon (hardcover and Kindle): https://www.amazon.com/dp/1610887069

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This week, Johanna Johnson from CAMP Clinics joins us to talk about the incredible bond between people experiencing homelessness and their pets—and why there is often much more to that relationship than we realize.

CAMP Clinics provides veterinary care to the pets of people experiencing homelessness, helping with vaccinations, preventative care, and other medical needs. And that care can have an impact far beyond the animal. By making sure pets are vaccinated and have the necessary records, CAMP Clinics can help remove one of the barriers that may prevent someone from moving into housing with their pet.

Johanna gives us a different perspective on what it means when we see someone experiencing homelessness with an animal by their side. That pet may be family, companionship, protection, and sometimes the one constant they have in their life.

It’s a great conversation about pets, people, homelessness, and awareness—and why sometimes we need to see both ends of the leash.

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Manta rays are enormous, graceful, and unlike just about anything else in the ocean. But behind those huge wings is something even more surprising—a remarkably big brain.

This week, Mark is joined by Dr. Guy Stevens, one of the world’s leading manta ray experts and co-founder of the Manta Trust, to explore what makes these ocean giants so extraordinary. From their intelligence and complex social lives to their incredible migrations and curious encounters with humans, manta rays are proving there’s a lot more going on beneath those wings than we ever imagined.

Guy takes us into the world of mantas—how researchers identify individual rays, what we’re learning about the way they think and interact, why they gather at cleaning stations, and what it’s actually like to be in the water alongside one of these massive animals.

We’ll also look at the threats manta rays face around the world and the work being done to understand and protect them.

Huge wings. Bigger brains. And one seriously fascinating fish.

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Tarantulas have a reputation for being big, hairy, and downright terrifying—but how much of what we think we know about them is actually true?

This week, Mark is joined by Dr. Chris Hamilton, tarantula researcher and evolutionary biologist, to get beyond the fangs and the fear and discover what makes these incredible spiders so fascinating. Chris takes us inside the world of tarantulas—from how they hunt and defend themselves to their surprising behaviors, incredible diversity, and why these giant spiders may be far less dangerous than their reputation suggests.

We’ll also find out what it’s like to search for tarantulas in the wild, why scientists are still discovering new species, and why Chris believes these misunderstood animals deserve a little more appreciation—and a lot less fear.

And we’ve got a special guest before we go! Chris’s son Coy joins us at the end of the episode—and delivers what just might be one of the best jokes we’ve had on the show yet. You’ll definitely want to stick around for this one!

“TARANTULAS! Big, Hairy and Surprisingly Nice!” takes a closer look at one of the animal kingdom’s most feared creatures—and might just have you seeing tarantulas very differently.

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