Amazing Wildlife: A San Diego Zoo Podcast

Today we’re talking about the animal who is pretty bare and whose home is in East Africa’s deserts... the naked mole-rat. These special beauties might not win any pageants, but they are fascinating! In this episode, hosts Rick and Ebone explore the mole rat’s status in nature, unique behaviors, and social structure. We’ll also hear from a young listener who will help us dig up the most interesting facts about these pink, wrinkly skin rodents.

If you have a question for Amazing Wildlife you can send them to wildlife@iheartmedia.com for your chance to hear it on the show!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re traveling to Mexico to explore the mysteriousness of the thick-billed parrot! Hosts Rick and Ebone explain how this red and green bird that was once found in a handful of regions in the Southwest is now reduced to an endangered population in the mountain forests of Northwest Mexico. Later, Amazing Wildlife is joined by Dr. Nadine Lamberski from San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. Nadine explains the current conservationist plan which includes using information about the thick-billed parrots migratory patterns to help improve its chances for survival in the wild.

If you have a question for Amazing Wildlife you can send them to wildlife@iheartmedia.com for your chance to hear it on the show!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Once thought to be extinct, black-footed ferrets have another chance at survival! Hosts Rick and Ebone explore the reasons that the species is at risk and the animal’s interesting journey on a road to recovery. Pete Gober from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service joins the show to give an inside look at the innovative science and technology responsible for these mammals making a comeback. Dr. Oliver Ryder, Director of Conservation Genetics at the San Diego Zoo, also joins the conversation to help tell the story of Elizabeth Ann, the first cloned black-footed ferret that recently celebrated her first birthday!

If you have a question for Amazing Wildlife you can send them to wildlife@iheartmedia.com for your chance to hear it on the show!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode is dedicated to conservation efforts to save the black rhino, which is unfortunately critically endangered due mostly to international trade in rhino horn. Hosts Ebone and Rick address this problem as well as how the size and strength of rhinos affects the way specialists at the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park care for them. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance President and CEO Paul Baribault is back to discuss working with the organization’s partners to help protect native populations of black rhinos and achieve population sustainability. 

If you have a question for Amazing Wildlife you can record it and send your audio file to wildlife@iheartmedia.com for your chance to hear it on the show!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who knew that leopards are attracted to perfume? Hosts Ebone and Rick talk to a San Diego Wildlife Alliance scientist, Dr. Nicholas Pilfold, about how a specific scent helped him photograph an elusive black leopard. Little is known about the population size or conservation status of African leopards, but Dr. Pilford gives details about the Uhifadhi wa Chui project that is trying to help change that. Uhifadhi wa Chui means “leopard conservation” in Kiswahili.

If you have a question for Amazing Wildlife you can record it and send your audio file to wildlife@iheartmedia.com for your chance to hear it on the show!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

They are black and white and loved all over. We’re talking about penguins! Hosts Ebone and Rick highlight the social dynamic of these flightless seabirds, and reveal how the San Diego Zoo is able to reflect the native habitat of African penguins, who live in a warm climate. Dr. David Roberts joins us from the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds, also known as SANCCOB, who are first responders for coastal birds. Dr. Roberts explains what is necessary to save underweight and abandoned African penguin chicks, to help support the population of this endangered species. 

If you have a question for Amazing Wildlife you can record it and send your audio file to wildlife@iheartmedia.com for your chance to hear it on the show!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we’re discussing the tallest land animals: giraffes! Hosts Rick and Ebone reveal interesting characteristics of the species, which can kill a lion with its kick—and we explore their unique features, such as hair-covered horns called ossicones. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance scientist Dr. Kirstie Ruppert joins the show to talk about her work with the Twiga Walinzi group to protect giraffes in Northern Kenya from being hunted and illegally trafficked.

If you have a question for Amazing Wildlife you can record it and send your audio file to wildlife@iheartmedia.com for your chance to hear it on the show!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

They’re endemic to the Hawaiian Islands and found nowhere else in the world. We’re exploring how the introduction of cats, dogs, rats, and mongooses contributed to the population decline of a bird revered in Hawaiian culture—the ‘Alalā! President and CEO Paul Baribault joins the show as we learn about how San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and its partners are working to protect and breed this endangered bird so populations can fly through their home forests once again.

If you have a question for Amazing Wildlife you can record it and send your audio file to wildlife@iheartmedia.com for your chance to hear it on the show!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

They are among our closest relatives in the Animal Kingdom. We’re exploring unique facts about these charismatic, intelligent forest dwellers…gorillas! Hosts Rick and Ebone examine the similarities between gorillas and humans and reveal how gorillas are endangered—even though they have no natural predators. Biologist Dr. Bethan Morgan joins the show from Cameroon’s Ebo Forest, where a distinct sound led a San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance scientist to discover a group of gorillas previously unknown to science.

If you have a question for Amazing Wildlife you can record it and send your audio file to wildlife@iheartmedia.com for your chance to hear it on the show!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Discover the real life dragons of Komodo Island on this episode of Amazing Wildlife! Hosts Rick and Ebone uncover how this fascinating reptile got its name, the evolution of the species, and what makes their bite so deadly. The hosts respond to a young listener's question about the Komodo Dragon's diet.

If you have a question for Amazing Wildlife you can record it and send your audio file to wildlife@iheartmedia.com for your chance to hear it on the show!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Amazing Wildlife looks at one of the smallest mammals in North America, the Pacific pocket mouse. Rick tells us how this animal got its name, their importance for our environment, and the threats they face in the wild. Ebone is joined by Dr. Debra Shier, who leads the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s Pacific pocket mouse conservation program. Dr. Shier details the process of researching the animal that has made a comeback from a 20 year extinction!

If you have a question for Amazing Wildlife you can record it and send your audio file to wildlife@iheartmedia.com for your chance to hear it on the show!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

They are powerful, elusive, and disappearing. We’re talking about the all mighty tiger! Hosts Rick and Ebone explore the many mythologies surrounding the tiger in different cultures, clear up common misconceptions about the white tiger, and explain the difference between the 6 subspecies of the animal. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance CEO Paul Baribault joins the show to discuss how the organization partners with SINTAS Indonesia for a first of its kind long-term research and conservation project to reduce the number of human-tiger conflicts.

If you have a question for Amazing Wildlife you can record it and send your audio file to wildlife@iheartmedia.com for your chance to hear it on the show!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some may think that koalas are “bears” but that is not true! In this episode, Amazing Wildlife explains what species koalas ​are and why they move slowly and always look sleepy. Host Rick Schwartz tells us how koalas break down and digest eucalyptus, a plant that is toxic to most animals. Host Ebone Monet chats with Dr. Kelli Leigh from Science for Wildlife in Australia to find out how koalas were saved during the Australian bushfires in the summer of 2020. You’ll learn how the San Diego Zoo takes care of koalas and what you can do to help save our animal friends.

If you have a question for Amazing Wildlife you can record it and send your audio file to wildlife@iheartmedia.com for your chance to hear it on the show!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BBBBRRRRRR it's cold in here! In this episode, Amazing Wildlife analyzes the behavior of the polar bear and explains the tools these creatures use to survive in the extreme weather conditions of the Arctic. Hosts Ebone and Rick discuss the parents' roles in raising cubs, how polar bears hunt for food, and the dangers of studying such a big animal. The hosts answer a question from a young listener about why polar bears are (or aren’t) white.

If you have a question for Amazing Wildlife you can record it and send your audio file to wildlife@iheartmedia.com for your chance to hear it on the show!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the very first episode, Amazing Wildlife explores the gender roles of African Savanna elephants, their responsibilities in the herd, and demystifies the structure of the elephant trunk. Host Rick Schwartz explains how we can distinguish between an African forest elephant, an African savanna elephant, and an Asian elephant. Host Ebone Monet sits down with the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance CEO Paul Baribault to find out how the organization partners with the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary to save and protect orphaned elephants in Kenya.

If you have a question for Amazing Wildlife you can record it and send your audio file to wildlife@iheartmedia.com for your chance to hear it on the show!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to Amazing Wildlife, a production from iHeart Radio and the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance! Get a behind-the-scenes look inside the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park to gain insight on rare species and to explore the ongoing conservation efforts to save endangered wildlife no matter how big or small. Join hosts Rick Schwartz and Ebone Monet as they highlight the organization's collaborative efforts to drive positive change for the future of animals and plants through captivating interviews and fascinating facts.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.