Best ZSL Podcasts (2024)

1
ZSL #038 Extinct in the wild: the vital role of conservation zoos and aquariums in saving species on the brink of extinction 52:46

1y ago52:46

52:46

The world is facing a crisis of species extinction, however targeted efforts in conservation biology can provide a glimmer of hope. A new study led by ZSL, published recently in Science, is the first to assess animals and plants categorised as ‘Extinct in the Wild’ by the IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species – until now, a surprisingly overlooked …

1
ZSL #037 How can we recover nature in our cities: rewilding, reconnecting habitats and restoring rivers 42:44

1+ y ago42:44

42:44

It’s no secret that cities are generally perceived as spaces of little conservation relevance, yet local urban wildlife underpins a range of ecosystem services. In a time where rapid changes in the climate are causing more extreme natural events, wildlife is disappearing and we are becoming more and more disconnected from nature through urbanisatio…

1
ZSL #036 What lies beneath: investigating the amazing world of wildlife pathology 53:06

2+ y ago53:06

53:06

Pathology is the science of diagnosing diseases by observing physical changes in animal cells and tissues, either in living, or more commonly dead animals. In this episode, our host Ellie Darbey will explore the unseen…or rather, unheard world of wildlife pathology with the help of ZSL’s experienced pathologists, veterinarians, and scientists. Thro…

1
ZSL #035 Nature-based solutions - putting nature at the heart of global climate change and biodiversity science-policy agendas 50:14

2+ y ago50:14

50:14

The anthropogenically driven climate crisis and unprecedented rates of biodiversity loss are both threatening the foundations of economies, livelihoods, food security, health and quality of life worldwide. Treating these two crises separately can be ineffectual or even deepen the problem. A recent landmark study calls for a more integrated approach…

1
ZSL #034 Marine habitat restoration in the UK: tales of oysters, saltmarsh, kelp, and seagrass 52:58

2+ y ago52:58

52:58

Coastal marine habitats are essential to the health of our marine ecosystem, and hold both environmental and social importance. They provide valuable ecosystem services, but for decades they have been impacted by harmful human activities. In her final episode as host, Monni Böhm will be joined by co-host Celine Gamble and an expert panel to explore…

1
ZSL #033 Putting reptiles on the map: ZSL Science for reptilian conservation 49:42

3y ago49:42

49:42

Reptiles - lizards, snakes, turtles and crocodilians – make up almost one third of all land vertebrate species on Earth, and also occur in many marine and freshwater systems. Yet despite their amazing diversity, reptiles remain hugely underrepresented in conservation research and action, when compared to mammals, birds, and even amphibians. In this…

1
ZSL #032 Coral reefs: running the gauntlet of climate change 42:40

3y ago42:40

42:40

Coral reefs are the most biodiverse marine ecosystems in the world, and more than 500 million people worldwide rely on coral reefs for their livelihoods, food security, and coastal protection. However, coral reefs are impacted by several threats, including rises in sea-surface temperature due to climate change. Join Monni as she navigates these uni…

1
ZSL #031 Habitat loss and human health – understanding the links between ecosystem degradation and infectious disease outbreaks 38:53

3y ago38:53

38:53

After more than a year of Covid-19 impacting global populations, health systems and economies, one of the major questions being asked was how did this start, and how can we prevent it from happening again? As we humans increasingly disturb our planet’s natural habitats and convert them to agricultural and urban areas, the way we interact with wildl…

1
ZSL #030 Can surveillance technology and social science address rule-breaking and wildlife crime? 47:28

3y ago47:28

47:28

Law breaking, such as poaching or fishing inside marine reserves, is a great challenge to conservationists because research is often complicated by ethics and data privacy. However, important technological progress has been made in recent years, especially in the fields of surveillance and vessel tracking. Join Monni as she finds out from a panel o…

1
ZSL #029 The future of biodiversity conservation - different dimensions of conservation thinking 43:55

3+ y ago43:55

43:55

Conservationists are working hard to stem global biodiversity loss. Yet, just like biodiversity itself, the conservation movement is very diverse, with a variety of ideas shaping its framing, purpose and application. In this episode, Monni and co-hosts Yara Shennan-Farpón, Helen Muller and Thalassa McMurdo Hamilton, speak with Dr Chris Sandbrook, c…

1
ZSL #028 What's next for rewilding? 47:09

3+ y ago47:09

47:09

Rewilding has emerged as a captivating, but controversial, concept in conservation. Depending on how rewilding is defined, it aims to increase “wildness” of nature, regenerate ecosystem functioning, develop self-sustaining ecosystems, or a combination of these. Join Monni as she finds out from the experts how real “wildness” can be achieved, and wh…

1
ZSL #027 Madagascar's missing megafauna: life after lemurs, hippos and elephant birds 44:52

4y ago44:52

44:52

Madagascar is famed for its incredible biodiversity and charismatic lemurs, but has also seen extensive loss of natural habitat. Monni finds out from a panel of Madagascar aficionados what the island has been like in the past and what the challenges are for its surviving wildlife. How big is an elephant bird and its poo? What can old bones tell us?…

1
ZSL #026 Shifting tides: how can small-scale fisheries help address the Sustainable Development Goals? 43:36

4y ago43:36

43:36

Small-scale fisheries (SSFs) provide around two-thirds of the world’s catch intended for human consumption, and support 90% of employment in the fisheries sector, therefore should have a huge role to play in achieving some of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Despite this, they are barely mentioned. Monni finds out from a panel of SSF a-fis…

1
ZSL #025 Can badger vaccination help eradicate bovine TB? 43:41

4+ y ago43:41

43:41

For decades, conservationists, vets and farmers in the UK have been at loggerheads about the best way to manage bovine tuberculosis (bTB). This cattle disease is a huge burden on the farming industry and can pass between cattle and badgers, making it difficult to eradicate. In this episode, Monni teams up with bTB & badger specialists, to discuss b…

1
ZSL #024 Street-smart animals - incorporating cognitive behaviour into conservation efforts 36:46

4+ y ago36:46

36:46

Human-induced urbanisation, invasive species and land clearing are changing the environment at a far quicker pace than animals are able to evolve. Cognitive mechanisms can play a crucial role in determining how well animals adapt to this change. In this episode, Monni and a team of experts explore how integrating cognitive mechanisms into conservat…

1
ZSL #023 Indigenous knowledge and conservation management: challenges and opportunities 45:32

4+ y ago45:32

45:32

Indigenous communities around the world possess an extremely rich body of knowledge about local environmental resources and biodiversity, which has the potential to be an invaluable conservation tool. However, this local ecological knowledge is being progressively eroded worldwide. Hear Monni and a diverse panel of experts discuss the challenges an…

1
ZSL #022 Can we find better ways to live with wildlife? 39:15

4+ y ago39:15

39:15

People and nature depend on each other, and although humans are needed to manage and protect nature, conservation practices can interfere with human livelihoods and create conflict between groups of people with competing interests. In this episode our guest host Charlotte Coales teams up with four experts to explore the complexity of these conflict…

1
ZSL #021 World Swallowtail Day 30:07

5y ago30:07

30:07

June 9th is World Swallowtail Day, and what better way to celebrate than with a trip to ZSL’s Butterfly Paradise to marvel at swallowtails, their bird poo mimicking larvae and get a good sniff of the osmeterium. The what? Find out in this episode, where Monni and guests discuss important conservation work for swallowtails at home and abroad, learn …

1
ZSL #020 Marine plastic pollution: the science story 38:23

5y ago38:23

38:23

Hold your breath while we remain underwater for this next episode - Monni and a team of specialists investigate the science behind marine plastic pollution. What are the impacts of plastic on wildlife, people and our coasts? What are the future avenues for tackling this issue? What can each one of us do to reduce single-use plastic in our everyday …

1
ZSL #019 How electronic animal tracking has revolutionised marine conservation 39:19

5y ago39:19

39:19

The marine environment is vast and until recently its sheer size and inaccessibility have hindered our ability to understand the impacts of environmental changes on marine life. Monni and a team of marine wildlife experts reveal how advances in electronic tracking equipment have allowed us to remotely monitor marine animals. How do you tag marine a…

1
ZSL #018 Rewilding in a changing climate 36:24

5y ago36:24

36:24

Conservation often tries to restore habitats to what they were - but given that our climate is changing fast, this kind of ecosystem restoration may no longer be possible. Monni and guests explore how rewilding can help build resilient ecosystems for the future. Why is rewilding often so contentious? How can it be applied to help threatened species…

1
ZSL #017 Giving animals choice: how our zoo keepers use science to positively impact animal welfare 33:30

5y ago33:30

33:30

Monni teams up with ZSL's Behavioural Management Committee (BMC) to find out how giving animals choice positively enhances their welfare and how this is put into practice every day at our zoos. What is the BMC and what happens at 'enrichment evenings'? How do you assess the welfare needs of an ant? How long does it take a gorilla to solve a puzzle …

1
ZSL #016 Wildlife and wellbeing in urban landscapes 20:38

5+ y ago20:38

20:38

Nearly half of the world’s human population lives in urban environments and this is projected to increase in future. While many species suffer the effects from urbanisation, other species thrive (or at least persist) in our urban landscapes. Monni and guests explore what creatures are lurking in our cities at night, how we can improve our urban lan…

1
ZSL #015 Biodiversity indicators: getting the measure of biodiversity and what it all means 33:34

5+ y ago33:34

33:34

Monni explores the ins and outs of biodiversity indicators with IOZ’s Indicator and Assessments Research Unit. Biodiversity indicators are measures of how biodiversity is doing worldwide, and we see them reported in the media: the Living Planet Index, for example, was recently published as part of the 2018 Living Planet Report and shows that popula…

1
ZSL #014 A new era for shark conservation? Protecting ‘flat sharks’, rays and angels 25:19

5+ y ago25:19

25:19

Monni and guests explore a new era of shark conservation, focusing on protecting the lesser-known ‘flat sharks’ and rays, such as sawfishes, angel sharks, wedgefishes stingrays and guitar sharks. Large coastal sharks have a greater exposure to habitat degradation and fishing compared to offshore and pelagic species, increasing their risk of extinct…

1
ZSL #013: Cetacean by-catch: casting the net for solutions 27:56

5+ y ago27:56

27:56

By-catch is defined as the accidental entanglement of non-target species in fishing gear and is a principal cause of strandings for cetaceans. Monni is joined by researchers from the Cetaceans Strandings Investigations Programme (CSIP) and its partners to discuss by-catch as both a welfare and a conservation issue. With the scale of fishing in glob…

1
ZSL #012: ZSL at the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition 2018 13:31

6y ago13:31

13:31

In this special mini-episode join Monni at the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition for a teaser of what our researchers will be talking on our ZSL stand ‘Where the Wild Things Are’. Learn about the camera traps, tags and trackers being deployed around the world to study and monitor wildlife in remote locations, and what we can learn from the da…

1
ZSL #011 Can we still save coral reefs? 28:52

6y ago28:52

28:52

Monni is joined by co-presenter Rachel Jones to navigate the hot waters of threats to coral reefs. Speakers discuss their experiences and stories from over 30 years' of research into the beauty and importance of these bio-diverse ecosystems. Even away from direct threats such as pollution, the protected reefs of the Chagos Archipelago in the Britis…

1
ZSL #010: Species in the red: behind the scenes of the IUCN Red List 38:07

6y ago38:07

38:07

We have probably all heard about threatened species that are close to extinction, but how do we measure this? Monni travels to the IUCN Red List Unit in Cambridge to find out about the ins and outs of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the world’s most comprehensive inventory of the extinction risk of species. How do we measure extinction ris…

1
ZSL #009: Collaborating for conservation in China 24:53

6y ago24:53

24:53

This episode is hosted by guest presenter Charlotte Coales, Public Engagement with Conservation Science Coordinator at ZSL. Charlotte and co-presenter Heidi Ma explore wildlife in China, a vast ‘megadiverse’ country that contains over 10% of global mammal species. From addressing pangolin trade for traditional Chinese medicine to protecting the bea…

1
ZSL #008: Reintroductions for saving species – meet the wildlife movers 33:15

6y ago33:15

33:15

Monni is joined by co-presenter Helen Gath to navigate the topic of reintroduction, an effective but complex conservation tool that can help save small populations of species. Speakers discuss how difficult reintroduction decisions are made in order to manage the risks and competing stakeholder interests involved, They discuss Helen's work on Mauri…

1
ZSL #007: Ten years on the EDGE of Existence 24:13

6y ago24:13

24:13

Monni is joined by co-presenter Claudia Gray to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of ZSL's EDGE of Existence Programme. This unique conservation programme aims to save wildlife that’s Evolutionary Distinct and Globally Endangered, including the Chinese giant salamander, clawed frog and long-beaked echidna. Guests delve into the Tree of Life to expl…

1
ZSL #006: Wildlife of the West African Savannah: unfamiliar and under threat 19:36

6y ago19:36

19:36

The West African Savannah stretches 1,600,000 square kilometres across 12 countries, ranging from dense rain forest to arid grassland. It once hosted rhinos, giraffes, lions and other charismatic megafauna more familiar from East African safaris, but populations have declined over the last 40 years. Despite working in an area of economic pressure a…

1
ZSL #005: The state of the Thames 21:59

6y ago21:59

21:59

Since being declared ‘biologically dead’ in 1958, the River Thames is now considered a global conservation success story of a recovering urban estuary. Monni talks to guests working on a range of conservation projects by researchers and citizen scientists in the heart of London, including juvenile fish surveys, seal counts and ‘outflow safaris’. Fi…

1
ZSL #004: Conserving the mountain chicken frog: understanding and mitigating an amphibian disease outbreak 24:06

6y ago24:06

24:06

The mountain chicken frog became critically endangered after an outbreak of the amphibian fungal disease chytridiomycosis, which caused an 85% decline in population on its home island of Dominica, and near extinction on the neighbouring island of Montserrat. Monni is joined by a team from the Mountain Chicken Recovery Programme working in ZSL Londo…

1
ZSL #003: Saving pangolins: Earth’s most trafficked wild mammals 21:33

6y ago21:33

21:33

To mark World Pangolin Day, Monni and guests discuss the plight of pangolins: the odd-looking scaly-anteater victims of an illegal wildlife trade that has brought them to the brink of extinction. Although they are severely threatened, a growing conservation movement is working to prevent poaching, limit trafficking and change consumer behaviour, wi…

1
ZSL #002: Fishing in the Arctic - is there a sustainable approach? 22:25

6y ago22:25

22:25

In our second episode, we discuss the northern ocean, which has only recently become accessible after the retreat of Arctic ice. Fishing vessels, including destructive bottom trawlers, can now venture further north than ever before into previously un-fished waters. Monni Böhm is joined by guests to explore the potential value of marine reserves, co…

1
ZSL #001: Can I protect the planet? How our daily decisions impact biodiversity decline 20:05

6y ago20:05

20:05

In this first episode of the ZSL Wild Science podcast, we interview speakers taking part in a debate at the Zoological Society of London: ‘Global biodiversity decline is not impacted by my daily decisions’. Join presenter Monni Böhm, a research scientist in ZSL’s Institute of Zoology, to discuss whether the problem of declining biodiversity require…

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