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PODCAST

WTFauna

A podcast where we chat about obscure, unusual, or otherwise often overlooked animals. The world is full of amazing creatures; join us to explore some of them!

science life sciences

All Episodes

00:32:09

Moose (Alces alces)

WTFauna ·

2026/05/19

This week we discuss an emblem of northern forests: the moose. This charismatic species may be widely familiar, but the impressions we have of them may not always match the reality.

en

00:29:31

Elephant mosquitoes (Toxorhynchites sp.)

WTFauna ·

2026/05/12

This week we talk about a genus of mosquitoes. Don't be daunted by their large size--these may be the ideal mosquitoes for humans!One small amendment from Jon: in the episode, I didn't know the lifespan of the adults. I looked it up afterwards; they live a bit longer than I expected, ~2-4 weeks (with quite a range, may vary according to species + environmental factors). Males seem to have much shorter adult lives than females.

en

00:36:07

Lyrebirds (Menura sp.)

WTFauna ·

2026/05/05

Recorded on location at the Oreilly's Rainforest Retreat, this episode focuses on the charasmatic lyrebirds of Australia. These birds are perhaps best known for their incredible mimicking abilities (the sounds at the beginning of the episode are of a male Albert's Lyrebird that we saw over the weekend), but there's a lot more to be discussed.

en

00:33:52

Chambered Nautilus (Nautilus pompilus)

WTFauna ·

2026/04/28

This week we discuss an animal from an ancient lineage. This submarine cephalopod has some fascinating traits and behviours that have allowed species in this group to persist for about 500 million years, although demand for their shells has made them vulnerable to harvesting in the present day.

en

00:31:58

Australian White Ibis (Threskiornis molucca)

WTFauna ·

2026/04/25

This week we talk about a familar species in urban Australia: the white ibis. Often called a 'bin chicken' due to their tendency to eat human food scraps, these birds are actually a lot more interesting than mere pests.

en

00:30:28

Aardwolf (Proteles cristatus)

WTFauna ·

2026/04/25

This week we discuss a ground-licking, insect-eating hyena species (it's not actually a wolf, despite the name).

en

00:35:34

California Kingsnake (Lampropeltis californiae)

WTFauna ·

2026/04/25

Today we discuss a species named after one of Jon's home states in the USA. These snakes are quite common yet may be unfamiliar even to their human neighbors!

en

00:33:26

Tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus)

WTFauna ·

2026/04/25

In this episode, we chat about an endemic reptile from New Zealand that - despite appearances - is not a lizard but rather the last member of a distinct evolutionary order, the Rhynchocephalia.

en

00:02:00

Welcome to the show!

WTFauna ·

2026/04/25

Just a quick introduction to what this show is about and who the voices belong to

en

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