The Podcast Aquatic17 Sep 2025

In the "Danger" Zone

At the Aquarium, we have animals of all sorts, from the beautiful and benign to graceful and powerful. Some of our residents could even, in some circumstances, be considered "dangerous."

How, then, do you see to the needs of species whose adaptations present a serious risk to their caretakers? What tools do you need? What mindset do you have to adopt?

In this episode, three caretakers of animals such as Electric Eels, Pacific Sea Nettles, American Alligators and ... River Otters? ... talk about how they approach ensuring the health of animals that pose a risk to theirs.

Episode Cast

Casey Phillips, host, senior communications specialist, penguin bite survivor
Jennifer McPheeters, lead animal care specialist (River Journey building)
Kimberly Hurt, senior aquarist
Rachel Thayer, assistant curator of fishes

The Podcast Aquatic is made possible by support from The Tennessee Conservationist, the official magazine of Tennessee State Parks.

Printed sustainably on 100% post-consumer recycled paper with UV ink, each issue is filled with fascinating stories about Tennessee’s native species, rich history, and unique culture. It’s also your guide to exploring state parks and planning your next outdoor adventure.

Become a Tennessee Conservationist and subscribe at tnconservationist.org.

Join other conservation enthusiasts and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

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Episoder(80)

Telling BIG Fish Stories

Generally speaking, the exhibits at the Tennessee Aquarium are designed to replicate a single, distinct ecosystem, from the species residing there to the vegetation that helps set the stage. There are...

23 Sep 51min

A Six-Story Celebration

In 1996, the Tennessee Aquarium opened the first major expansion to its campus on Chattanooga's downtown riverfront. This new building showcased every kind of sea life imaginable, not to mention every...

9 Sep 1h 5min

How the Heckin' HECK Do You Find Endangered Fish?

By their very nature, endangered animals are a difficult target for scientists to research. They tend to be few in number — naturally — and the populations that exist have sometimes survived purely th...

28 Aug 1h 10min

Season 2 Finale: A Jolly Good Fellowship

Being selected for an internship or fellowship is a career milestone for many students and recent graduates, but it can also be a bit of a double-edged sword. Ideally, these programs are a chance to b...

30 Jul 56min

Grand Moth Talkin'

Despite outnumbering them (in species diversity) by a factor of almost ten to one, moths are the quintessential under-appreciated insect. To most people, they're an almost-spooky nocturnal curiosity a...

22 Jul 43min

A Quick Drop-in with Oscar the Sea Turtle

In the Aquarium gift shop years ago, there was once a sea turtle stuffed animal for sale that looked a little ... different. He didn't have all of his flippers, and his shell was missing a notch. This...

15 Jul 34min

A First-class Freshwater Filmmaker (feat. Jeremy Monroe)

When most people think about wildlife and nature documentaries, there are places that naturally spring to mind: the Great Barrier Reef, the Amazon Rainforest, the African Serengeti. What most people d...

1 Jul 1h 4min

Surprise, It's a Baby Lemur!

There’s no point in arguing that the arrival of a baby animal at an aquarium or zoo isn’t cause for celebration. Many, MANY new generations of animals have been born at the Tennessee Aquarium in our 3...

17 Jun 56min