UK Wildlife Podcast

We are joined by Dr Amir Khan GP, known from Channel 5’s GPs Behind Closed Doors, BBC Breakfast and ITV’s This Morning, and ambassador for the Wildlife Trust and Butterfly Conservation, to discuss health benefits of wildlife, getting under represented groups access to nature and these benefits, the wonderful wildlife in his garden and Yorkshire,…

In this autumnal episode we discuss the changing colours of tree leaves and the science behind it. In news we cover the successful saltmarsh creation at Fingeringhoe Wick in Essex, pheasants wiping out adders, yet more raptors being killed and some swearing parrots!

In this species special we look at the social wasps. We discuss all 9 resident species (and the Asian Hornet), their habits, feeding, nest building, predators and parasites, along with their sting and what exactly is the point of wasps?

In this episode we talk flies with Dr Erica McAlister, Senior Curator of Diptera (true flies) at the Natural History Museum in London. She is also president of the Amateur Entomologists’ Society, and author of the The Secret Life of Flies and her new book The Inside Out of Flies.Erica answers listener questions on flies and tells…

We talk to Derek Gow about Beaver reintroduction and the story behind it, which is the topic for his book ‘Bringing Back the Beaver’ (available at all good bookstores).He tells the story of well evidenced projects that were stopped by the actions of an influential few, and the success that was won to keep the…

In this species special we look at the Wasp Spider Argiope bruennichi, discussing their feeding behaviour, the males struggling to not be cannibalised while trying to mate with females, the possible function of both their striped body markings and the zig-zag of silk in their web, which is known as a ‘stabilimentum’.  We also look at…

We talk to Iolo Williams about raptor persecution and the wildlife found in Wales. We also discuss and Iolo answers questions on how he ended up as a wildlife presenter, his favourite wildlife encounter, the effects of cats and pheasants on wildlife, Mya Bambricks plan to get more wildlife habitat in schools, where to look…

Neil and guest host herpetologist Steve Allain discuss the UK’s Newt species. They talk about smooth, palmate and great crested newts, their habits, feeding and breeding and also look at the non native alpine and Italian crested newts, and neotony that sometimes occurs in UK species. In news they look at the pollution spill kills…

A (very) short episode where Neil talks about our freshwater Cnidarians, the usually marine group that include corals and sea anemones, which focuses on the freshwater Hydra species. With a brief look at the alien freshwater jellyfish that occasionally turn up in the UK as well.

We talk about Rockpools; the wildlife found there and the extreme environment in which they have to survive. In news we cover yet more BOP being killed in North Yorkshire and numerous cases of dogs attacking wildlife.