Just the Zoo of Us

In celebration of World Lemur Day, Ellen is joined by anthropology professor Ben Freed for a look up into the treetops of northern Madagascar to review crowned lemurs. Our guest brings his insight from experience studying these charismatic primates to discuss topics like the rainforest dress code, what your cell phone has in common with lemur cognition, and the unbreakable interspecies bonds between primates that remind us humans of our own place in nature. Links:Learn more about the community-based conservation & ecotourism programs at Bobaomby Nature Conservation.Ben also recommends checking out the Lemur Conservation Foundation to learn more about conservation in Madagascar.Visit the Lemur Conservation Network's website for more opportunities to celebrate lemurs for World Lemur Day!For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Threads, Facebook, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on TikTok! Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Ellen & special guest, ecologist and entomologist Kelly Zimmerman, review one of the world’s deadliest creatures. This killer could fit in a teaspoon, and yet humans just can’t seem to get rid of the darn things. In this episode, we discuss the humble mosquito’s formidable resilience, defend their often underestimated role in their ecosystems, and dish up a serving of girl dinner.Links:Check out Kelly's podcast, Bugs Need Heroes!Check out Kelly's YouTube channel, Nerdy Naturalists!Follow Kelly on Instagram! For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Threads, Facebook, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on TikTok! Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Christian turns heads with the snowy owl & Ellen lands a slam dunk with the polar bear. In this arctic-themed episode, we discuss why owls turn their head so much, feather acoustics, irruptions, fur fiber optics, and polar bear basketball.Links: For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Threads, Facebook, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on TikTok! Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Ellen and special guest, science communicator and educator Alana Baliga, review the iconic little birds zooming around the cactuses and tumbleweeds: roadrunners! We discuss things like the glamorous highlights of working for a science museum, what Looney Tunes got right and wrong about Mr. Runner, and how these fascinating animals are able to thrive in the extreme climates of the American southwest. Links: For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Threads, Facebook, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on TikTok! Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Ellen joins the band of coatis & Christian gives us the buzz on gharials. We discuss Star Wars names, banana wars, animal influences on computer science, problematic age gaps, and the funkiest crocodilian snout.Links: For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Threads, Facebook, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on TikTok! Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Join Ellen & wildlife ecologist Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant for a review of savannah royalty: African lions! We discuss what it’s like to be an ecologist working in the field alongside truly awe-inspiring wildlife, what makes lions such iconic big cats from their impressive mane all the way down to their surprisingly tactical tail, and why their relationship to us is so important for inspiring passion for conservation and learning to live peacefully with our wild neighbors.Links:Learn more about Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant and her work on her website!Check out our guest's podcast, Going Wild with Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant!For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on TikTok! Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Christian does the spider shake with daddies long leg & Ellen tells the story of the imperiled panda of the sea, the vaquita. We discuss spider myths, web design, porpoises, and what happens when wildlife conservation meets organized crime.Links:Learn more about Earth League International & their efforts to save and protect the vaquita at their website.For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Threads, Facebook, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on TikTok! Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

In this week's re-broadcast of an episode from October of 2019, Christian zooms in on the tardigrades & Ellen demystifies the unique platypus.Links:For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Threads, Facebook, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on TikTok! Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Ellen & special guest, zookeeper Kailey Hart, review the humble earth pig. We discuss their evolutionary loneliness, unique hodge-podge of surprising traits, tube-teeth, Pokemon, the PBS cartoon Arthur, and pro tips for planning your next zoo trip.Follow Kailey on TikTok!For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on TikTok! Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Ellen soaks up the sun with the leaf sheep & Christian gets biblical with the miraculous basilisk. We discuss photosynthesis, losing your head over parasites, outrunning physics, and mythology.To learn more about the All for Animals walk at the Woodland Park Zoo, visit their website & join our team if you're able!For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Threads, Facebook, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on TikTok! Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Ellen & special guest, marine biologist and artist Meg Mindlin, review the mind-blowing rogues of the sea: cuttlefish! We discuss RNA editing, cephalopod brains, how cuttlefish are able to change their skin in the blink of an eye, use deception and disguise to win over mates, and how connecting with nature inspires art and innovation that makes the whole world a better place.Links:See Meg's art and science at their website!Follow Meg on TikTok and Instagram!For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on TikTok! Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Christian basks in the glory of the basking shark & Ellen sees right through the glass frog. We discuss the origins of gills, livers full of oil AND blood, and making little gelatin frogs for science.To learn more about protecting rainforests and the wonderful frogs that live in them, check out the Rainforest Alliance!For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Threads, Facebook, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on TikTok! Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Ellen & special guest, ecologist Sophiane Nacer, review the powdered donuts of the skies: hoary bats. We discuss frosted tips, tree roosters, bat memes and why you should care about bats all year long and not just for Halloween. If you haven’t fallen in love with bats yet, I think you will by the time we’re done.Follow Sophiane on Twitter or Instagram!For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on TikTok! Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Ellen brings it home with the sockeye salmon & Christian looks for the bear necessities with the grizzly bear. We discuss our recent relocation to the Pacific Northwest, how fish use magnets to navigate over thousands of miles, and bear safety tips to keep you - and the bears - safe while you enjoy nature.Links:For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Threads, Facebook, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on TikTok! Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

In this week's re-broadcast of an episode from February of 2022, Ellen hangs out with the slow loris & Christian observes leg day with the southern cassowary. We discuss armpit alchemy, the pitfalls of cute animal videos, rumbles in the jungle, and real life dinosaurs.Links:For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Threads, Facebook, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on TikTok! Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Join Ellen & special guest, evolutionary biologist Dr. Seth Coleman, for a review of the little birds with the ultimate rizz: satin bowerbirds! Anyone who’s ever tried to impress a crush can take some notes from this episode as we discuss building and decorating the ultimate bachelor pad, the value of a little practice courtship with the fellas, learning the delicate art of choosing the right mate, and so much more. One man’s trash does in fact become one bird’s treasure, and by “trash” I mean “toothbrush.”Links:Follow along with Seth's science content on TikTok and Instagram!For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on TikTok! Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Ellen takes off with the story of the California condor and their miraculous return to the southwestern skies. We discuss how their bodies are adapted to scavenging, their unwavering dedication to parenthood, their plummet towards extinction, and triumphant recovery with a little help from their friends on the ground.Links:Article: "Inside the Race to Save a Single Condor Egg After Avian Flu Killed Its Mother"Video: "Yurok Tribe Song in Honor of Prey-go-neesh (Condor)"Yurok Tribe's YouTube channel Learn more about the Yurok Condor Restoration Program & how you can helpFor more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on TikTok! Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Ellen & special guest, paleontologist Adele Pentland, review the reptiles who once ruled our planet’s skies: pterosaurs! Even though they’ve been gone for millions of years, the fossils they left behind can tell fascinating stories about how they lived. We discuss what life was like for the largest creatures to ever fly, where Pokemon got paleontology right and wrong, and how knowledge of the present can inform theories about the past. We also get some insight into what it’s like to study fossils in Australia and use snapshots of the past to bring these bizarre and fascinating animals back to life, from digging in the Outback to naming an entire species. If you think having to get your laptop out of your bag is annoying, try getting pterosaur bones through airport security.Links:Check out Adele's podcast, Pals in Palaeo!Follow Adele on Instagram!For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on TikTok! Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Ellen howls at the moon with the grasshopper mouse & Christian lures us in with freshwater mussels. We discuss brain chemistry, an evolutionary uno reverse card, lion software on mouse hardware, tongue-feet, pretty boogers, and the worst day of a poor unsuspecting fish's life.Links:For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on TikTok! Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Ellen & special guest, podcaster and wildlife educator Danielle LaRock, review one of our world’s most misunderstood, maligned, and magical creatures: gray wolves. We’re not just talking teeth and claws and fluffy coats - we’re also discussing alliances with crows, howls that rattle your very soul, the irreplaceable ecological role of wolves, their conflicts with humans, and how we can all make peace with our wild neighbors.Links:YouTube video: "How Wolves Change Rivers"YouTube video of Danielle & Kekoa the wolf at the Colorado Wolf & Wildlife CenterCheck out Danielle's podcast, National Park After Dark, and follow them on Instagram!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on TikTok! Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Christian explains the pitfalls of antlions & Ellen snaps back with the trap-jaw ant. We discuss metamorphosis, structural engineering, sand doodles, the Sarlacc, Darwin's thoughts on Australia, Pokémon, sticky babies, and a literal scientific arena. Links:For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on TikTok! Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Join Ellen & special guest, naturalist Ivan Kwan, for a review of the scaly friends with the world’s most chaotic energy: Asian water monitors! We talked about the history and landscape of Singapore, smelling in stereo, Krakatoa, and the giant lizards showing up where you least expect them, from treetops to shipwrecks, racetracks and even toilets. It’s their world, we’re just living in it.Links:The photo Ivan mentioned of the water monitor in the shipwreck can be found on photographer Kriss Sieniawski's Instagram. Follow Ivan on Twitter and Instagram!Check out Ivan's podcast, Wild Red Dot!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on TikTok! Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Ellen nose what's up with the proboscis monkey & Christian sizes up the sarcastic fringehead. We discuss the form and function of a uniquely bizarre nose, the impact memes can have on conservation, and why you might want to think twice before reaching into a hole in the sea floor.Links:The Borneo Nature FoundationFor more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on TikTok! Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Join Ellen & special guest, biology professor and researcher Sarah Lower, for a review of nature’s very own glimmering fairy lights: fireflies! We discuss how to do the beetle dance, tips for packing a bioluminescent picnic, and the shockingly diabolical world of fireflies - from friendly fire to catfishing, thievery, and snailshakes.Links:The Lower Lab website Dr. Lower's Twitter Mass Audubon's Firefly Watch Community Science Project iNaturalist The Xerces Society's Firefly Atlas Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on TikTok! Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Christian cheers for pom-pom crabs & Ellen explains what makes mourning doves so coo-l. We discuss how crabs clone their own pets, what type of milk pigeons order in their lattes, and a suspicious pattern of criminal activity.For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on TikTok! Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Join Ellen & special guest, biologist and host of Nat Geo WILD’s TV series “Monster Fish” Zeb Hogan, for a review of the giants lurking in the waters of the world’s rivers and lakes: freshwater megafish. We discuss how and why fish are able to reach massive sizes, what it’s like to research and work alongside these enormous creatures in their own homes, and how we can help protect and conserve the natural habitats we all rely on to thrive.Links:Check out Zeb's book, "Chasing Giants: In Search of the World's Largest Freshwater Fish"Keep up with Wonders of the Mekong on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on TikTok! Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Ellen dives into the brown pelican & Christian goes wild with Przewalski's horse. We discuss gular pouches, aerodynamics, stud piles, and conservation success stories.Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on TikTok!Cover photos: David Baileys (pelican) & Irén Udvarházi (Przewalski's horses), via Getty images Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Join Ellen & special guest, biologist and science communicator Brooke Fitzwater, for a review of the tiny indestructible ogres of the swamp: the mangrove rivulus! We discuss parasites and their role in courtship and reproduction, what fish would put on their tinder profiles, and life as a fish who isn’t quite sure about this whole “being a fish” thing.Links:Learn more about Brooke's research and follow her on Twitter, TikTok or Instagram!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on TikTok!Cover photo credit: Cardet co6cs CC4.0, via phys.org: https://phys.org/news/2021-06-mangrove-rivulus-fish-hints-mechanism.html Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

For the second and final week of the 2023 MaxFunDrive, we're answering your questions and sharing your stories! We get into all of the exciting places the podcast has taken us, how it's helped you all connect with the animal kingdom, our favorite Muppets, and more.Links:Be a part of the MaxFunDrive & sign up to become a supporting member of the network and get access to exclusive content and beautiful gifts!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on TikTok! Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

It's a special trip in the time machine for the MaxFunDrive! Christian chomps on the megalodon & Ellen laments for the thylacine. We ask the important questions: What were they like? Are they really gone? Should we bring them back? Links:Learn more about the MaxFunDrive and be a part of supporting our show!Colorized footage of the thylacine, via the National Film and Sound Archive of AustraliaPaper: "Resolving when (and where) the Thylacine went extinct"Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on TikTok!Cover photos via the Smithsonian Institution Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

We're out traveling this week! In the meantime, please enjoy this episode of Planthropology, in which Ellen joined host Dr. Vikram Baliga for a conversation about grass-type Pokemon and the real-world plants that inspired them. Originally aired on the Planthropology podcast on March 1, 2022.Links:Check out Planthropology and follow on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or TikTok!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on TikTok! Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Join Ellen & tabletop roleplaying game podcaster and expert game master Eric Silver for an exploration of Dungeons & Dragons character classes and the real-world animals that embody them. We discuss animals with maxed out dexterity, charisma and strength. If you’ve never played D&D, don’t worry! We give explanations of the basics along the way so that anybody can enjoy.Links:Follow Eric on Twitter and Instagram!Check out Eric's podcasts: Join the Party, Games and Feelings, Tell Me About It, and more over at his website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on TikTok! Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Join Ellen & special guest, marine biologist Chelsea Bennice, for a review of the multifunctional, multicolored, multi-armed aliens of the ocean: octopuses! We discuss octopus handshakes, donut brains, swiss army mouths, goat eyes, toxic friendships and Eiffel towers.Links:Follow Chelsea on Facebook or Instagram!Learn more about octopuses at OctoNation.com, where you can find educational resources, merch and connect with the octopus fan community! Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on TikTok! Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Ellen struts with the greater sage grouse & Christian pops off about the pistol shrimp. We discuss what happens at a lek, whether or not the sage grouse poses a threat to the United States military, what pistol shrimps can teach you about your pressure cooker, and the Shrimp of Theseus.Links:Vox: "This goofy bird vs. the fossil fuel industry"Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on TikTok! Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Join Ellen and special guest, President and CEO of the Texas State Aquarium Jesse Gilbert, for a review of the living tanks of the sea: loggerhead turtles! We discuss the challenges faced by sea turtles in a changing world, the aquarium's work rescuing and rehabilitating loggerhead turtles and other marine life, and the magic of connecting with another species.Learn more about the Texas State Aquarium at their website and follow along with their work on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Discord! Follow Ellen on TikTok!Cover photo: NOAA Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Christian throws down with the Japanese rhinoceros beetle & Ellen goes on a journey through evolutionary history with the Indian muntjac. We discuss the toxic masculinity of beetles and why the Indian muntjac's bark is just as bad as their bite.Links:The muntjac video shown to ChristianFollow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on TikTok! Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Ellen & special guest, primatologist and biological anthropologist Dr. Michelle Rodrigues, review the ballerinas of the Central and South American rain forests: spider monkeys. We discuss what life in the treetops looks like through a spider monkey’s big beautiful eyes, the latest innovations in butt-scratching technology, and the power of friendship.Follow Michelle on Twitter and Instagram, and learn more about her work at her website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Discord! Follow Ellen on TikTok!Cover photo: jkraft5 via Getty images Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Ellen luxuriates in the vicuña & Christian takes a bite out of crime with the cookie cutter shark. We discuss adaptations to life in the Andes, vicuña wool as political bribery, suctorial lips, and how to play an Uno Reverse card on some of the ocean's top predators.Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on TikTok!Cover photos: Tadas Jucys via Getty images & Paulo Oliveira via The Guardian Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Join Ellen & paleontology researcher and fellow Floridian Alec Baines for a review of the saltwater guardians, American crocodiles. We discuss the archosaur family tree, flower-picking and other crocodilian leisure activities, what to do if you find yourself in the chompin’ zone, and falling in love at a punk croc concert.Follow Alec on Instagram and Twitter!Learn more about their science communication work:http://www.creaturefeatureservices.com/podcastsFollow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Discord!Cover photo: zmeel via Getty images Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Christian attends the caecilian cotillion & Ellen gets friendly with the rubber boa. We discuss life as a humble amphibian wiggling around in the mud and explain how even limbless creatures can still throw hands.The Caecilian Cotillions Song: https://youtu.be/xxsUQtfQ5EwFollow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Discord!Cover photos: Chris Harrison via kingsnake.com (caecilian) & andrewnydam via Wikimedia commons (rubber boa)http://gallery.kingsnake.com/photo.php?id=343343https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Charina_bottae1.jpg Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Join Ellen & science journalist Bethany Brookshire for a review of the lumpy little tide pods disrupting ecosystems all over the globe: cane toads. We discuss toxic shoulder pads, retro nature documentary excellence, poison butts and teacher toads, ugly animals, and the complicated relationships humans have with the wildlife around us.Further viewing:Cane Toads: An Unnatural History (1988)Cane toad mating call (up close in 4K)Learn more about Bethany's work at her website and follow her on Twitter!Check out her new book, Pests: How Humans Create Animal Villains and her podcast, Science for the People!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Discord! Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Ellen dives into the magical world of narwhals & Christian warms up to Japanese macaques. We discuss inside-out teeth, hot tub parties, and how misunderstandings and scams shaped unicorn mythology.Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Discord!Cover photos: dottedhippo via Getty images (narwhal) & sorincolac via Getty images (snow monkeys) Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

This episode originally aired on December 25, 2020. This version of the episode includes minor updates and audio edits. Join Ellen & special guest, ecologist and science communicator Olivia deBourcier, for a festively themed review of reindeer! We talked about what makes them so well suited to the chilly climates they thrive in, from the tips of their impressive antlers all the way down to their clicky hooves, plus what it’s like to work with them and the threats they’re facing in their natural habitats.Links:Follow Olivia on Instagram or Twitter!Check out Beyond Blathers and follow them on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok!Check out the the Pangolin Holiday Spectacular mentioned in the episode!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Discord!Cover photo: lightpix via Getty images Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Ellen is joined by the hosts of fellow Maximum Fun podcast Let's Learn Everything for a review of the little furry guys leaving tiny pawprints all over human history: rats! We discuss their role in the black plague, the intricacies of rat intelligence and emotions, and how they’ve been represented in folklore and pop culture. We’ll set historical records straight, display our best teamwork behavior, and take a trip down to your favorite family entertainment center and pizza restaurant chain.Links:Check out Let's Learn Everything wherever you get podcasts & follow along with them on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok or Discord!Follow Ella on Twitter or TikTok!Follow Caroline on Twitter, Instagram or TikTok!Follow Tom on Twitter, Instagram or TikTok!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Discord!Cover photo: MikeLane45 via Getty images Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Christian chews on some facts about the American beaver & Ellen celebrates the festive Christmas tree worm. We discuss giant rodents, ecological engineering, coral reef symbiosis, and the prettiest worm.Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Discord!Cover photos: photographybyJHWilliams via Getty images (beaver), johnandersonphoto via Getty images (Christmas tree worm) Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Join Ellen & science communicator, birder and professional nerd Ralph Crewe for a review of a little bird with the loftiest ambitions: chimney swifts. We talk about competitive birding, planetariums, and what it’s like to eat, sleep, and bathe entirely midair.Links:Check out Ralph's YouTube channel, Isn't That Something, and his work on Practical Engineering. Local to Pittsburgh? Check out Nerd Nite! Follow Ralph on Twitter and Facebook.Cover photo: Jonathan Irons via iNaturalist Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Ellen goes on an odyssey through history with the wild turkey. We discuss their path alongside humans for thousands of years, from prehistoric America to praise from Benjamin Franklin, the brink of extinction and nets fired out of cannons. Further viewing:Rocket Netting Turkeys, a video demonstration by the LSU AgCenter Paul Kelly's Gobbling DemonstrationFollow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Discord!Cover photo: svetlanafoote via Getty images Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Join Ellen & shark scientist Melissa Márquez for a review of the giant garbage disposals of the ocean: tiger sharks. We discuss sharks as links to our world’s past, what it's like to work with the ocean as your office and wild sharks as your colleagues, teeth and slime and jelly-filled pores.Melissa's books:Mother of Sharks, a picture book for ages 5 to 8Swimming with Sharks (Wild Survival #2) : Volume 2, an adventure book for ages 12 to 15Learn more about Melissa's work on her website, and follow her on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Discord! Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Christian sticks to velvet worms & Ellen hangs out with binturongs. We discuss sticky situations, some unconventional means of reproduction, prehensile tails, and popcorn-scented pee.Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Discord!Cover photos: Geoff Galice via Wikipedia (velvet worm) & exs via Getty images (binturong) Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

Join Ellen & special guest, invertebrate photographer, zookeeper and science communicator behind "She's Got Legs" Caitlin Henderson, for a review of the best huggers of the arachnid world: huntsman spiders. We’ll discuss why your yard glitters at night, fake webs for real spiders, cartwheels, backflips, spider unions, spider spaghetti, and why the most dangerous thing about these little guys is how much we fear them.Follow Caitlin's work on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Tiktok!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Discord!Cover photo provided by Caitlin Henderson :) Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo