Talking Animals

Kate MacFall and Katherine McGill—longtime wildlife experts joining me for a discussion devoted to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), specifically, the FWC’s current effort to evaluate existing rules for wildlife trapping—address what for many may be the surprising prevalence of trapping in Florida. McGill and MacFall go on to speak to the […] The post Kate MacFall & Katherine McGill, discuss FWC’s possible rule changes for trapping first appeared on Talking Animals.

Kari Bagnall–founder and executive director of Jungle Friends Primate Sanctuary, which offers permanent care to nearly 200 monkeys retired from laboratory research, who are former pets, or have been confiscated by the authorities—recalls the first monkey that entered her world, and forever altered her life. As part of this account, Bagnall describes creating the earliest […] The post Kari Bagnall, founder of Jungle Friends Primate Sanctuary first appeared on Talking Animals.

Kelly McCormick and Glenn Maresca–co-founders of Florida Rescue Farm, a sanctuary in Duette, FL, devoted to rescuing, rehabilitating, and housing pigs, goats, geese, chickens, ducks, cattle, other critters, and no less devoted to cultivating a strong educational presence—described the remote community of Duette, and what prompted them to settle there. They make clear their original […] The post Kelly McCormick and Glenn Maresca, co-founders of Florida Rescue Farm first appeared on Talking Animals.

Jocelyn Stokes and Katie Schuler—co-creators of “In Her Nature,” a new digital series carried on the YouTube channel for the longstanding PBS program, “Nature”—retrace the path that led each of them toward their present filmmaking careers, specializing in natural history documentaries. Over the course of sharing their histories, they each recount a pivotal project early […] The post Jocelyn Stokes and Katie Schuler, co-creators of “In Her Nature” first appeared on Talking Animals.

Michael Schneider, a pilot and founder of Pilots To The Rescue—which flies animals from shelters plagued by low rates of adoption (and, often, high rates of euthanasia), to rescues where foster or forever homes have been arranged—describes the career reinvention that preceded his taking flying lessons. Schneider remembers that, back then, like most new pilots, […] The post Michael Schneider, founder of Pilots To The Rescue first appeared on Talking Animals.

As we’ve done 11 times prior—spanning nearly four years–today’s program involved setting aside the usual “Talking Animals” format in order to present the show-length feature, “Ask The Trainer.”  In each instance, listeners are invited to call or email questions about their dogs or cats, particularly involving behavioral issues or training concerns. The Trainer these listeners have an […] The post Glen Hatchell: dog trainer, behaviorist–“Ask The Trainer”–12th Edition first appeared on Talking Animals.

Dr. Alex Travis–director of Cornell Public Health and chair of the Department of Public & Ecosystem Health in the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine—explains exactly what his extended job title involves, noting that he brings being both a veterinarian and PhD scientist to discharging his duties. Joining me on “Talking Animals” to discuss bird […] The post Dr. Alex Travis, director of Cornell Public Health and chair of the Department of Public & Ecosystem Health in the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine first appeared on Talking Animals.

Howard Baskin—often identified as Advisory Board Chairman of Big Cat Rescue, and spouse of Carole Baskin, the founder of the sanctuary that operated in Tampa for more than three decades—recalls, as a savvy businessman wielding a Harvard MBA, his reaction upon first  getting a close look at the details of Big Cat’s financial operation: He […] The post Howard Baskin, financial guiding light of Big Cat Rescue first appeared on Talking Animals.

Jessica Farrer–a marine biologist who serves as Research Director at The Whale Museum, and part of the team of scientists working temporarily in Antarctica Peninsula, profiled in “Expedition Killer Whale,” a new installment of the PBS series “Nature”—recalls growing up landlocked in Colorado, moving as soon as possible to Washington state. Speaking in a “Talking […] The post Jessica Farrer, marine biologist featured in NATURE’s “Expedition Killer Whale” first appeared on Talking Animals.

Hannah Shaw–recognized as an influential humane educator, her specialty is providing instruction in caring for neonatal kittens; she’s also a NYT bestselling author whose latest book “Cats Of The World,” is a collaboration with her husband, photographer Andrew Marttila—recounts how she developed the expertise in caring for neonatal kittens and, along the way, built a humongous […] The post Hannah Shaw, “Kitten Lady,” new book: “Cats Of The World” first appeared on Talking Animals.

Steve Nesbitt–a retired Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission wildlife biologist, who over a FWC stint of some 35 years, developed a reputation for extensive knowledge about a slew of species—recalls his interest in birds was cultivated as a kid by his grandfather, a passionate birder. Nesbitt elaborates, noting that his childhood was marked by […] The post Steve Nesbitt, retired FWC wildlife biologist first appeared on Talking Animals.

Dr. Marcie Fallek–a veteran veterinarian and author of the memoir, “Little Miracles Everywhere: My Unorthodox Path to Holistic Veterinary Medicine”—recalls what prompted her to attend veterinary school in Italy. Fallek enumerates the significant challenges of being a vet student there, most notably that she didn’t speak any Italian when she started—meaning that studying her notes […] The post Dr. Marcie Fallek, veterinarian and author of “Little Miracles Everywhere: My Unorthodox Path to Holistic Veterinary Medicine” first appeared on Talking Animals.

This morning, I once again set aside the customary show format to deliver the “Talking Animals Annual Holiday Animal Song Special.” I noted the title is intentionally unwieldy, which I enjoy in an odd way, in the same way I enjoy over-explaining the premise on-aIr: a show entirely devoted to Holiday-oriented animal tunes. Elaborating, I […] The post The Talking Animals Annual Holiday Animal Song Special first appeared on Talking Animals.

Bobbi Brink–founder and director of Lions, Tigers & Bears (LT&B), a 140-acre animal sanctuary in east San Diego she launched in 2002—recalls living in Texas, planning to open a restaurant (she’s from San Diego), and seeing her first advertisement offering the sale of big cats. She responded to the ad, she explained, not to make […] The post Bobbi Brink, founder and director of Lions, Tigers & Bears first appeared on Talking Animals.

Michael Hingson–blind since birth,  acclaimed speaker, and best-selling author whose new book is “Live Like A Guide Dog: True Stories from a Blind Man and His Dogs about Being Brave, Overcoming Adversity, and Moving Forward in Faith”—recounts how the pandemic precluded his then-regular routine of traveling and lecturing, spurring the idea for writing the new […] The post Michael Hingson, author of “Live Like A Guide Dog: True Stories from a Blind Man and His Dogs about Being Brave, Overcoming Adversity, and Moving Forward in Faith” first appeared on Talking Animals.

Justin Barker–an anti-captivity activist with a compelling narrative, starting with launching his first organization, Citizens Lobbying for Animals in Zoos, at age 13—recalls the family culture his parents cultivated that yielded a teen activist particularly empathetic to zoo animals and other captive wildlife. Barker further notes that a key step in his journey toward becoming […] The post Justin Barker, anti-captivity activist, author first appeared on Talking Animals.

As we’ve done 10 times prior—spanning three-plus years–today’s program involved setting aside the usual “Talking Animals” format in order to present the show-length feature, “Ask The Trainer.” In each instance, listeners are invited to call or email questions about their dogs or cats, particularly involving behavioral issues or training concerns. The Trainer these listeners have an […] The post Glen Hatchell: dog trainer, behaviorist–“Ask The Trainer”–11th Edition first appeared on Talking Animals.

Peter Singer–the philosopher, professor emeritus of bioethics at Princeton University, and author (including his landmark 1975 work, “Animal Liberation” and the just-published “Consider The Turkey”—explains that his slate of pursuits post-retirement from Princeton includes a stint as visiting professor at the National University of Singapore. He goes on to clarify that while, yes, he did […] The post Peter Singer, philosopher, professor, author: “Consider The Turkey” first appeared on Talking Animals.

Jodie Wiederkehr–veteran animal advocate and Founder-Executive Director of the Chicago Alliance for Animals (CAA)—recounts details of how CAA was formed, in 2015. (She has recalled in a previous “Talking Animals” conversation how her earliest professional animal advocacy work began in 1997.) Wiederkehr explained that she and her initial CAA cohort decided that aiming to ban […] The post Jodie Wiederkehr, Founder-Executive Director of the Chicago Alliance for Animals first appeared on Talking Animals.

Mara Hvistendahl, a The New York Times reporter who wrote “The Panda Factories”–an extraordinary piece of investigative journalism probing the impact of China’s gambit nearly 30 years ago to send pandas to zoos in other countries, hoping the visiting animals would breed, ultimately resulting in pandas that could be returned to the wild–recounts the genesis […] The post Mara Hvistendahl, New York Times reporter: “The Panda Factories” first appeared on Talking Animals.