Episode 15: COP26, a new shark species, hog badgers, potoos, rhino breeding programmes and tuskless elephants

Welcome to the fifteenth episode of The Zoology Ramblings Podcast!

For the news section the dynamic duo talk about COP26, and whether it is going far enough to tackle the climate crisis and highlight a new species of shark. For the animals of the week, Emma discusses the bizarre and wonderful hog badger and Robi talks about the terrifying (and epic) potoo bird. For the conservation section, your hosts chat about the decision to withdraw one of the last two northern white rhinos from the breeding programme and about the growth of tuskless elephants in response to ivory poaching.

Robi Watkinson is a Conservation Biologist and wildlife filmmaker specialising in the spatial and movement ecology of large carnivores, camera trapping survey methods, rewilding, metapopulation dynamics and conservation planning. He has an MSc in Conservation Biology from the FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, and the Institute of Communities and Wildlife in Africa, University of Cape Town. He is based between Cape Town and London, and has strong interests in equitable and inclusive conservation, palaeontology and wildlife taxonomy and evolution!

Emma Hodson is a Zoologist and wildlife content creator, currently working in the community and engagement team at Avon Wildlife Trust. Emma’s role as a Wildlife Champions Coordinator involves supporting and upskilling people to take action for nature in their local communities. Emma has experience in remote wildlife fieldwork, and has been part of Arctic fox, macaw and cetacean research teams in Iceland, Peru and Wales respectively. She has also been involved in animal care and rehabilitation work in Costa Rica and South Africa. Emma is particularly passionate about the interface between community engagement and wildlife monitoring, and enjoys running workshops and giving talks on topics including camera trapping, beaver ecology and rewilding.

You can follow more of our weird and wonderful wildlife adventures on instagram: @thezoologyramblingspodcast & @robi_watkinson_wildlife & @emma_hodson_wildlife

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