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PODCAST

The Zoology Ramblings Podcast

Robi Watkinson and Emma Hodson

Welcome to the Zoology Ramblings podcast! Join conservation biologists and wildlife filmmakers Robi Watkinson and Emma Hodson as they ramble away about zoology, the pressing conservation issues of our times, the global climate and biodiversity crises, wildlife taxonomy, and everything in between! Robi and Emma met during their undergraduate studies and the Zoology Ramblings podcast grew from their infectious love for the wild world! The podcast was one of the recipients of the “Spotify Next Wave

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All Episodes

01:03:30

Episode 45: Skomer adventure, trilobite beetles, sea...

The Zoology Ramblings Podcast ·

2026/10/02

Welcome to the forty fifth episode of the Zoology Ramblings Podcast! In this episode, Emma and Robi recount their recent wildlife adventure to Skomer Island, where they were dodging toads and bombarded by Manx Shearwaters. For their species of the week, they both pick weird invertebrates. Robi talks about the prehistoric-looking trilobite beetle and Emma talks about the equally unusual sea mouse. For their local conservation stories, Emma and Robi both talk about wildcats, with Robi talking about

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00:58:10

Episode 44: Iberian lynx adventure & wildlife...

The Zoology Ramblings Podcast ·

2026/08/26

Welcome to the forty fourth episode of the Zoology Ramblings Podcast! In this unique episode, Robi and Emma record a podcast on location from a travel lodge in Malaga. They talk about their most recent wildlife adventure looking for wild Iberian lynx in Spain, including getting lost on a cheese farm at 6am... They also delve into their wildlife exploring kit, going through what cameras, binoculars and microphones they use on their adventures. Robi Watkinson is a Conservation Biologist and wildlife

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01:14:50

Episode 43 (REWILDING DEEP DIVE): Dartmoor pony cull,...

The Zoology Ramblings Podcast ·

2026/07/24

Welcome to the forty third episode of the Zoology Ramblings Podcast! In this episode, Robi starts by talking about the unusual fake news claiming that the government is planning to cull 95% of the ponies on Dartmoor. Emma discusses the unprecedented global temperatures we've been experiencing this summer. Robi and Emma then compete for the sexiest bird in their species of the week. Robi talks about the Malaysian rail babbler, and Emma sheds light on the plight of the Javan magpie. To end, Robi

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01:10:59

Episode 42: Sponge of death, wild Moo Deng, fragile...

The Zoology Ramblings Podcast ·

2026/06/19

Welcome to the forty-second episode of the Zoology Ramblings Podcast! In this episode, Emma and Robi return with busy updates, including Robi's recent fieldwork adventures in Africa and Emma's bittersweet time at work wrapping up a year-long programme with the Wildlife Champions she supports. For their species of the week, Emma goes rogue and Robi goes cute. Emma talks about the death ball sponge and Robi talks about his adventures looking for pygmy hippos in West Africa. For their local

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01:17:37

Episode 41: Snot otters, giraffe weevils, guga hunt,...

The Zoology Ramblings Podcast ·

2026/03/23

Welcome to the forty-first episode of the Zoology Ramblings Podcast! In this episode, Emma and Robi start by welcoming the newest Patreon members and sharing some exciting news about Robi's new research paper and Zoology Ramblings merch on Teemill. For their species of the week, Robi talks about the brilliantly named snot otter and Emma discusses the small but mighty giraffe weevil. For their local conservation stories, Robi sheds light on a little known hunting practice in the UK called the

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01:06:30

Episode 40 (REWILDING DEEP DIVE): Merch launch,...

The Zoology Ramblings Podcast ·

2026/02/15

Welcome to the fortieth episode of the Zoology Ramblings Podcast! In this episode, Emma and Robi share some exciting news about the launch of their new merch range on Teemill, featuring beaver t-shirts, bison hoodies, stork tote bags, lynx jumpers and more. These have been designed by the awesome artist Nature Squiggles. You can browse our awesome nature merch here: https://zoology-ramblings.teemill.com/ Emma and Robi then delve into their strange species of the week, with Emma talking about the

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01:21:49

Episode 39: 2025 wrap up, to Beave or Not To Beave,...

The Zoology Ramblings Podcast ·

2025/12/25

Welcome to the thirty-ninth episode of the Zoology Ramblings Podcast! In this episode, Emma and Robi adopt a wintery, festive theme for this December episode. They start by looking back at their wildlife adventures from 2025. Robi also explores the question 'to Beave or Not To Beave?', when considering the role of beavers contributing to natural flood management. For his species of the week, Robi discusses the festive reindeer and Emma talks about the Arctic fox and her special connection

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01:12:01

Episode 38 (REWILDING DEEP DIVE): build baby build,...

The Zoology Ramblings Podcast ·

2025/12/13

Welcome to the thirty-eighth episode of the Zoology Ramblings Podcast! In this episode, Emma and Robi comment on recent updates to the UK's Planning and Infrastructure Bill, and myth bust the idea that sharks are older than trees. Robi also shares some exciting news about presenting his masters research at a BioShorts conference. Deviating away from mammals, Emma talks about the Salk Creek tiger beetle for her animal of the week and the efforts underway to conserve the species and its habitat

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01:13:38

Episode 37: beaver economics, remembering Jane...

The Zoology Ramblings Podcast ·

2025/10/30

Welcome to the thirty-seventh episode of the Zoology Ramblings Podcast! In this episode, Emma and Robi start with some news, with Robi talking about a farmer who's used beavers not only to stop flooding, but boost income on his farm. Emma offers a tribute to the wonderful Jane Goodall, looking back at her legacy. For his species of the week, Robi talks about the Vietnamese mossy frog and Emma discusses the Gollum-looking water opossum. Onto their local conservation stories, Robi talks about

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01:22:57

Episode 36 (REWILDING DEEP DIVE): big gay beaver day,...

The Zoology Ramblings Podcast ·

2025/09/27

Welcome to the thirty-sixth episode of the Zoology Ramblings Podcast! In this episode, Emma and Robi talk about their recent meet up at the Ealing Beaver Project for a Big Gay Beaver Day. Robi also shares some exciting news of eDNA and sniffer dogs rediscovering lost Sumatran rhinos. Emma then talks about the Ethiopian wolves for her species of the week, including an exciting new discovery of them feeding on nectar. Robi then talks about the ingeniously adapted antbed parrot moth that lives in

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01:20:26

Episode 35: reviewing Attenborough's Oceans film,...

The Zoology Ramblings Podcast ·

2025/08/14

Welcome to the thirty-fifth episode of the Zoology Ramblings Podcast! In this episode, Emma and Robi start with some news, including good news for spoonbills in Norfolk, and bat-friendly lighting in the Netherlands. Robi and Emma then review Attenborough's new Oceans film, sharing highlights as well as differing opinions about the effectiveness of top-down vs bottom-up influence. They then dive into their species of the week, where Emma talks about the Aesculapian snakes in the UK and Robi talks

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01:50:07

Episode 34: (SPECIAL EPISODE): silver-backed...

The Zoology Ramblings Podcast ·

2025/07/30

Welcome to the thirty-fourth episode of the Zoology Ramblings Podcast! In this special episode, Emma and Robi answer their most commonly asked question: how did you get into zoology/conservation? Emma and Robi offer a personal dive into their professional pathways, looking at how they got into the jobs they are in now, outlining the challenges of the environmental sector and what makes it all worth it. Emma and Robi also share some news to start, including welcoming our first Patreon members - thank

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01:45:58

Episode 33: Patreon launch, UK nature festivals,...

The Zoology Ramblings Podcast ·

2025/06/27

Welcome to the thirty-third episode of the Zoology Ramblings Podcast! In this episode, Emma and Robi share exciting news about the launch of the Zoology Ramblings Patreon, where listeners can support the podcast and gain early access to episodes as well as behind the scenes notes. Emma shares updates from recent UK nature festivals and Robi also shares some positive news about his undergraduate dissertation getting published in BioShorts - an open access platform dedicated to supporting early career

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01:28:01

Episode 32 (REWILDING DEEP DIVE): Adventures from...

The Zoology Ramblings Podcast ·

2025/05/31

Welcome to the thirty-second episode of the Zoology Ramblings Podcast!The podcast has a new intro tune, a big thank you and credits to the very talented Al Middleton for the epic jingle. In this episode, Emma and Robi share news about their recent travels. Emma shares the nature highlights from her recent trip to North America and Robi shares his relaxing time in the Botswanan bush. Emma and Robi's animals of the week range from the very fluffy (Sea otter) to the very "sexy" (Onager). We then get

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01:34:32

Episode 31: Vicuña Poo Creating Biodiversity...

The Zoology Ramblings Podcast ·

2025/05/03

Welcome to the thirty-first episode of the Zoology Ramblings Podcast! In this episode, Emma and Robi share news about Czech beavers saving taxpayer time and money, Robi goes on a thought tangent about nature friendly farming in the UK and Emma talks about how vicuña poo can create biodiversity hotspots as glaciers retreat. Emma and Robi's animals of the week range from the very large (Koobi Fora Giant Stork) to the very small (Tardigrades). For their local conservation stories, Robi talks about the

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01:26:24

Episode 30 (REWILDING DEEP DIVE): Free the nipple...

The Zoology Ramblings Podcast ·

2025/02/24

Welcome to the thirtieth episode of the Zoology Ramblings Podcast! In this episode, Emma and Robi both share news about UK government legislation- one positive (the banning of insect-killing pesticides) and one negative (blocking beaver releases). Emma then talks about the coastal Vancouver sea wolves, while Robi mourns the loss of the extinct sea cow louse. Robi and Emma then both delve into a rewilding deep dive looking at the potential reintroduction of Eurasian Lynx to Britain. Robi Watkinson is

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01:03:49

Episode 29: Rejected Orca Re-classification, Scottish...

The Zoology Ramblings Podcast ·

2025/01/31

Welcome to the twenty-ninth episode of the Zoology Ramblings Podcast! This week, Robi and Emma begin with some very exciting news - the global release of their feature length documentary "Rewilding a Nation" on WaterBear! (link to watch below). Robi provides an update on the decision to reclassify orca into different species and gives an ode to the recently extinct slender-billed curlew and Emma gives an overview of Scottish wildcat news. Robi and Emma then talk about the recent illegal

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01:12:06

Episode 28: Sloth bears, Spade-Toothed Whales, Nepal...

The Zoology Ramblings Podcast ·

2024/12/27

Welcome to the twenty-eighth episode of the Zoology Ramblings Podcast! This week, Robi and Emma join you from opposite sides of the world, with Emma in Nepal and Robi in South Africa. Emma recounts some of her exciting wildlife sightings, including the illusive sloth bear and Bengal Tiger. Emma later delves into tiger conservation in Nepal, with some positive news about community-led initiatives to protect and boost tiger populations. Robi talks about the rare spade-toothed whale and also delves

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01:22:28

Episode 27: Unfinished boar business, graveyard...

The Zoology Ramblings Podcast ·

2024/12/15

Welcome to the twenty-seventh episode of the Zoology Ramblings Podcast! Thanks for your patience in the gap between episodes. This week, we share some lovely adventures with wild boar and badgers in graveyards when Robi and Emma met up in person. Robi then delves into deep taxonomy of orcas, unpacking the two new proposed species of this majestic cetacean. Emma talks about the bizarre leaf-veined slugs of New Zealand, spotlighting the wonderful pickle slug! Robi then talks about the connection and

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01:00:04

Aotearoan Wildlife & Pine Marten Deep Dive

The Zoology Ramblings Podcast ·

2024/08/26

Welcome to episode 27 of Zoology Ramblings!We start the episode by sharing some quick conservation good news, including incentivising environmentally friendly behaviours in Copenhagen and the discovery of the world's largest land mammal migration in South Sudan. We then both talk about Aotearoan species, including the weird and wonderful kakapo and tuatara. We then delve into pine marten reintroduction to the UK, sharing positive news of how pine martens are spreading across Britain, the

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