All Creatures Podcast

Chris interviews Dr. Greg Simpson, veterinarian and co-founder of South Africa’s Wildlife Forensic Academy. Born from the rhino poaching crisis, the academy trains rangers, veterinarians, law enforcement, and conservationists in wildlife crime scene investigation, evidence collection, forensic science, and courtroom procedures. They discuss the growing threat of wildlife crime, the role of forensic science in securing convictions, innovative training tools including a wildlife “body farm,” and why protecting biodiversity requires stronger collaboration between conservation and law enforcement. Dr. Simpson also shares what gives him hope for the future of wildlife conservation.

Learn more about the Wildlife Forensics Academy HERE

Timeline

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro
01:04 Origins of Wildlife Forensics Academy
02:00 Why Wildlife Crime Matters Now
04:29 First Response Crime Scene Basics
06:50 Inside the Training Experience Lab
09:21 Beyond Big Animals
10:27 Entomology and Body Farm Research
14:21 Students and Global Reach
16:34 Trends After COVID
21:23 Megafauna and Marine Threats
25:49 From Field to Courtroom
27:57 Legal Complexities and Taxonomy
31:11 Public Misconceptions and Consumer Choices
36:29 Future of Wildlife Forensics
39:55 What Gives Hope
45:07 How to Get Involved
46:55 Final Thanks and Wrap Up

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Another thank you to all our Patreon supporters. You too can join for one cup of "good" coffee a month. With your pledge you can support your favorite podcast on Patreon and give back to conservation. With the funds we receive each month, we are have been sending money to conservation organizations monthly. We now send a check to every organization we cover, as we feel they all are deserving of our support. Thank you so much for your support and for supporting animal conservation.

Please considering supporting us at Patreon HERE.

We also want to thank you to all our listeners. We are giving back to every conservation organization we cover and you make that possible. We are committed to donating large portions of our revenue (at minimum 25%) to every organization we cover each week. Thank you for helping us to grow, and for helping to conserve our wildlife.

Please contact us at advertising@airwavemedia.com

if you would like to advertise on our podcast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A classic episode! Chris and Angie discuss everything Pelicans.

With their enormous bills, expandable throat pouches and almost prehistoric appearance, pelicans are among the most instantly recognizable birds on Earth. But there is much more to them than their famous fishing equipment.

In this classic episode, we explore the world’s eight pelican species, from plunge-diving brown pelicans to enormous Dalmatian pelicans—among the heaviest flying birds alive. We uncover how their remarkable pouches really work, why some pelicans hunt cooperatively and how these seemingly awkward birds transform into graceful aerial giants once they take flight.

Most pelican species are currently classified as Least Concern, but the Dalmatian and spot-billed pelicans are listed as Near Threatened. Across their ranges, pelicans remain vulnerable to wetland loss, disturbance at breeding colonies, pollution, entanglement in fishing gear and declining fish populations.

Rediscover why pelicans are far more intelligent, adaptable and impressive than their comical appearance might suggest—and why protecting wetlands, coastlines and healthy fisheries is essential to their future.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For centuries, we believed culture was uniquely human. But what if elephants, whales, chimpanzees, birds (even bees) also pass knowledge, traditions, and behaviors from one generation to the next?

In this episode, Chris explores one of the most fascinating discoveries in modern biology, from orca hunting traditions and elephant matriarchs to humpback whale songs, chimpanzee tool use, regional birdsong dialects, and crow intelligence. Along the way, he reveals how animal culture is reshaping our understanding of evolution—and why conservation is about protecting not just species, but the knowledge they carry.

If culture is knowledge that outlives the individual, perhaps we've been too busy looking in the mirror to notice it all around us.

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to Our Substack, where we share essays exploring the science, philosophy, and wonder of the natural world, from animal behavior and evolution to conservation and the ideas that don't always make it into the podcast.

https://substack.com/@cmortensen

Timeline

00:00 Orcas And Traditions
03:04 Defining Culture Simply
13:10 Elephants And Memory
18:25 Whale Songs And Dialects
25:50 Jane Goodall And Chimps
30:58 Birdsong Accents And Crows
36:06 Conservation Of Knowledge
42:30 Final Reflections And Call

==

Another thank you to all our Patreon supporters. You too can join for one cup of "good" coffee a month. With your pledge you can support your favorite podcast on Patreon and give back to conservation. With the funds we receive each month, we are have been sending money to conservation organizations monthly. We now send a check to every organization we cover, as we feel they all are deserving of our support. Thank you so much for your support and for supporting animal conservation.

Please considering supporting us at Patreon HERE.

We also want to thank you to all our listeners. We are giving back to every conservation organization we cover and you make that possible. We are committed to donating large portions of our revenue (at minimum 25%) to every organization we cover each week. Thank you for helping us to grow, and for helping to conserve our wildlife.

Please contact us at advertising@airwavemedia.com

if you would like to advertise on our podcast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brining back this class episode. Chris and Angie discuss the all too cute, hedgehog.

Hedgehogs may be famous for their adorable faces and protective spines, but these remarkable nocturnal mammals are facing growing conservation pressures. The West European hedgehog is now classified as Near Threatened following significant declines driven by habitat loss, fragmented landscapes, pesticides and road deaths. Hedgehogs help shape their native ecosystems by feeding on insects and other invertebrates and can curl into an almost impenetrable ball when threatened. Join us as we rediscover what makes hedgehogs so fascinating and why protecting connected, wildlife-friendly habitats matters.

==

Another thank you to all our Patreon supporters. You too can join for one cup of "good" coffee a month. With your pledge you can support your favorite podcast on Patreon and give back to conservation. With the funds we receive each month, we are have been sending money to conservation organizations monthly. We now send a check to every organization we cover, as we feel they all are deserving of our support. Thank you so much for your support and for supporting animal conservation.

Please considering supporting us at Patreon HERE.

We also want to thank you to all our listeners. We are giving back to every conservation organization we cover and you make that possible. We are committed to donating large portions of our revenue (at minimum 25%) to every organization we cover each week. Thank you for helping us to grow, and for helping to conserve our wildlife.

Please contact us at advertising@airwavemedia.com

if you would like to advertise on our podcast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris recounts how reading a scientific review paper titled “Has the Earth’s sixth mass extinction already arrived?” shifted his career from domestic animal reproduction research at the University of Florida to wildlife conservation and inspired his podcast, emphasizing that science alone isn’t enough without stories.

Chris explains mass extinctions are rare, only five in ~540 million years, and contrasts past causes (asteroids, volcanism, climate and ocean chemistry shifts) with today’s human-driven “death by a thousand cuts,” including habitat loss and fragmentation, invasive species, overexploitation, pollution, and climate change.

Chris argues extinction today is often subtle but highlights hope through global conservation efforts, citing northern white rhino embryo work, elephant corridor protection, and many individuals dedicating their lives to saving species.

If you enjoy these episodes, you'll love our new Substack.

Each week, I dive deeper into the stories behind the podcast, sharing personal experiences from my years in wildlife conservation, reflections on the science, and the remarkable people working to protect our planet.

Read the latest essays here: https://substack.com/@cmortensen

Timeline

00:00 One Paper Changes Everything
03:17 What Mass Extinction Means
04:20 The Big Five Extinctions
08:08 Humans as a New Force
09:19 Are We in the Sixth
10:10 Background Rate Explained
12:51 Death by Thousand Cuts
15:01 Quiet Losses Up Close
18:23 Why I Stay Optimistic
21:56 Northern White Rhino Lifeline
24:41 Conservation That Cares
28:51 Hope Is Action
32:27 One Story Sparks Change
35:28 Stewards of the Planet
37:12 Final Call to Wonder

==

Another thank you to all our Patreon supporters. You too can join for one cup of "good" coffee a month. With your pledge you can support your favorite podcast on Patreon and give back to conservation. With the funds we receive each month, we are have been sending money to conservation organizations monthly. We now send a check to every organization we cover, as we feel they all are deserving of our support. Thank you so much for your support and for supporting animal conservation.

Please considering supporting us at Patreon HERE.

We also want to thank you to all our listeners. We are giving back to every conservation organization we cover and you make that possible. We are committed to donating large portions of our revenue (at minimum 25%) to every organization we cover each week. Thank you for helping us to grow, and for helping to conserve our wildlife.

Please contact us at advertising@airwavemedia.com

if you would like to advertise on our podcast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices