In this final episode for the Zambezian flooded grasslands, we take a look at Africa's largest otter species, the African clawless otter. I also go off on a tangent about conservation after some further reflection on Gabi and I's discussion. I'm going to be traveling for a week, so there will not be an episode next week.

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Since it was too long for the serval episode, this is the rest of Gabi and I's conversation about conservation. It's a lot. While conservation as a concept is a good thing, there are wrong ways to do it that can result in harm. We need to shift our perceptions on conservation and its applications.

You can follow Gabi on Twitter, @fleurygs and check out their website: fleurygs3.wixsite.com/gabifleury

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In this lengthy episode we wrap up our discussions about the Virginia opossum as we walk through their environmental, social, and economic benefits as well as ways to help reduce our impact on their populations.

You can follow Jessica on Instagram (Jessinthewild) & Twitter (@College_FIIT). You can also follow the rehabilitation center she works at, the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center, on Facebook, Instagram (BlueRidgeWildlifeCtr), and Twitter (@BRWildlifeCtr).

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This month, we're talking about animals that commonly find themselves in wildlife rehabilitation centers, and I chatted with Jessica Andersen about the Virginia opossum, the only marsupial found in the U.S. and Canada. Learn about these quirky critters and their marsupial Space Portal Vaginas™ (A. Hilborn, 2019). This episode is split into 2, so there will be another episode this Friday.

You can follow Jessica on Instagram (Jessinthewild) & Twitter (@College_FIIT). You can also follow the rehabilitation center she works at, the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center, on Facebook, Instagram (BlueRidgeWildlifeCtr), and Twitter (@BRWildlifeCtr).

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Sorry for missing last week's episode. Hopefully this week's longer than usual episode helps make up for it. I'm joined by Benjamin Lancer, who studies dragonflies, in particular a specialized neuron in their brains. We discuss some of the cool and surprising adaptations dragonflies have. This episode includes a bonus segment, the TTRPG Naturalist, where we look at what advantages dragonfly adaptations have for character traits, spells, and blessings.

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I want to start off by thanking everyone who wished me well while I was struggling with COVID. I really appreciated it! This week, Barry and I discuss the Splendid fairywren, Malurus splendens, a striking blue bird endemic to Australia. This episode includes a bonus segment, Family Fauna, where we talk about some of the distinguishing features of birds that share the Splendid fairywren's genus. 

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This month's episode was a huge departure from the usual in large part due to me having COVID and struggling to record. Barry stepped in this month and helped me with this new episode about the cutest mammal you probably haven't heard of, the Dibbler! February will be highlighting the Esperance mallee region of Australia where these rare marsupials can be found.

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Sorry for the belated update. I may or may not be battling COVID right now. If I do develop full blown symptoms, this may affect my February schedule. For now, enjoy the final species of the month, the Pacific sanddab! I am once again joined by my partner Barry to learn about this sandy seafloor flatfish and the adaptations that have helped it thrive in an unwelcoming habitat.

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The second part of my discussion about Broadnose sevengill sharks with Meghan Holst is up! We talk about the environmental, social, and economic value of these sharks as well as their conservation. I was surprised to see how often we brought up salmon during these 2 episodes, but to be fair, they are an incredibly beneficial species that have a huge impact on so many habitats. Be sure to check out Meghan on Instagram and Twitter, @megholst and follow her awesome work and see all her wonderful wildlife pictures.

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As we continue with our theme of sandy seafloor species along the Monterey Bay continental shelf, we're taking a look at one of the top predators in this habitat: the Broadnose sevengill shark. Join Meghan and I as we talk about this freckled cow shark! How many babies does this 3 meter shark have? What might a recent discovery mean for researchers in understanding of their population dynamics? Tune in and find out! Be sure to check out Meghan on Instagram and Twitter, @megholst and follow her awesome work and see all her wonderful wildlife pictures.

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This week, my partner Barry joins me to learn about Pacific sand dollars! What is the currency exchange between a Sand dollar and a Sand euro? We don't know, but if you want to learn about the natural history of Pacific sand dollars and some of their ecological, social, and economic values, then you've come to the right podcast! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-nagging-naturalist/support

I'm back with the first episode of 2021! This month is all about the sandy seafloor of the Monterey Bay continental shelf in central California and the first species I am covering is the Red octopus.

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In this week's episode, I had the wonderful opportunity to chat with conservation biologist Gabi Fleury. We discuss not just servals, but also African conservation in general and how our views of conservation are/need to evolve to better protect wildlife and people.

You can follow Gabi on Twitter, @fleurygs and check out their website: fleurygs3.wixsite.com/gabifleury

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Sorry for the rough audio quality. They are literally doing construction on the house across from mine and the ambient noise is the worst.

In this final episode for the year, Symone Barkley comes on to discuss her experiences growing up, her time studying sharks in school, how she's working towards becoming more sustainable, and sharing her message with the next generation. Despite everything that is going on in the U.S. right now, she manages to focus on the positive side of educating future environmental stewards in Baltimore and I think it is an important takeaway during such uncertain times. Also, enjoy the two of us hyping up Baltimore, a city with a strong community that is working towards a better future despite the challenges it faces.

Symone is on Twitter and Instagram as @ScientistSymone, and you can check out a lot of the awesome interviews she has done elsewhere, like MISS's ElasmoWeek, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9r3AVZ_QRY8

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In this 3rd and final installment of my discussion with Tea about Dungeons and Dragons spiders, we talk about giant wolf spiders, how having giant spiders can impact human culture and economies, and Tea crushes my dreams for a princess spider.

You can find Tea Francis on Twitter under the handle @tea_francis and on Instagram at @scienTEAficc. There you will see many of her spider pictures, including species that were discussed during the episode.

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In part 2 of 3, Tea and I discuss the Giant spider of Dungeons and Dragons, and I learn about an aesthetic I didn't know I needed: giant spider molts strewn throughout forests, overgrown with mosses and lichen. Also, learn why the "spider lair festooned with corpses" trope isn't a thing.

You can find Tea Francis on Twitter under the handle @tea_francis and on  Instagram at @scienTEAficc. There you will see many of her spider  pictures, including species that were discussed during the episode.

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In this part 1 of 3 episode, I talk with Tea Francis about the generic spider profile provided by Dungeons and Dragons. We go over the stats and discuss what spiders might match these stats and look at ways that the stats could be changed to better reflect a broader range of spiders. It is a long episode, possibly my longest one yet, but the next 2 parts will be much shorter.

You can find Tea Francis on Twitter under the handle @tea_francis and on Instagram at @scienTEAficc. There you will see many of her spider pictures, including species that were discussed during the episode.

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In this week's Arachtober episode, I talk with Dr. Catherine Scott about her years of experience with spiders and many of the misconceptions surrounding these animals. We talk Black widow races, the misidentification of Brown recluses, and how modern media often misrepresents spiders. I think people may be surprised by what they learn. What happened to the family that lived with thousands of Brown recluses in their home? What happened to the two research assistants who were bit by Wandering spiders? Why was a young Honduran boy unphased by the spider bite he received? Listen and find out! You can find Dr. Scott on Twitter, @Cataranea, and the account she helps run with other entomologists, @RecluseOrNot. She also has a wonderful blog that is all about educating people about spiders, SpiderBytes.org. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-nagging-naturalist/support

For this week's Arachtober episode, I spoke with the delightful Dr. Sebastian Alejandro Echeverri, who if you don't know, is incredibly passionate about spiders and other arachnids. He discusses his professional and personal experiences with spiders, his artistic activism that was inspired by spiders, and even a Spiderverse OC he created based off of a group of spiders whose adaptations resemble a more ancient spider lineage. You can find Dr. Echeverri on Twitter (@spiderdayNight), Instagram (@spiderdaynightlive), Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG3xj7RS3_rKUOhF43mVMUA), and his website, spiderdaynightlive.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-nagging-naturalist/support

In this week's Arachtober episode, I spoke with the wonderful Dr. Symone Alexander about the work she did studying a uniquely adapted group of spiders who have taken the term "web-slinger" to a whole new level. Spiderman should take notes. She discusses her background, how she came to study these spiders, her time in the Peruvian rainforest, and some takeaways for people who might be interested in the work she was doing.

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Sorry this went up a bit late. Those of you who follow me on Twitter may have seen that I am dealing with the recent passing of a family member from COVID-19. Please wear a mask, social distance, and wash your hands. Anyway, it is Arachtober, so this month is all about arachnids, which in this episode, you'll learn isn't just spiders! All month long, I will be celebrating arachnid diversity and talking with experts about these amazing animals. In this episode, we start with the basics, what makes an arachnid--well, an arachnid?

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Here is the second part of the takeover with more laughs and discussions of Chelsea and Karl's experiences with racism. While the episode looks super long (and it kind of is), part of that is the last 17 minutes is some bonus content of us discussing cats. The take away from this episode is people should check their biases, privileges, and attitude before engaging in order to avoid the pitfalls of reinforcing racist behaviors or gatekeeping science from others. There may or may not be a follow-up episode in the future with Chelsea and Karl where they listen to me watching Snakes on a Plane for the first time because I've never watched it. We'll see what the future holds.

You can follow Chelsea on Twitter, @ChelseaHerps as well as on Instagram as @outtochelsea, and she has a Redbubble under Chelsea Herps where you can buy her cute anole stickers as well as a Patreon under Chelsea Arts to support her work. Karl is also on Twitter and Instagram as @Afrosuchia, just look for the crocodilian profile picture.

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Buckle up because this week's NSFW takeover features Chelsea Connor, the Anole Queen, and she invited fellow herpetologist Karl Guyton to join her on this takeover. This takeover is a mix of casual conversations about wildlife, personal lives, and some serious conversations about issues surrounding race. There is also a special guest appearance by Roti, Chelsea's wonderful black cat. Pt.2 will be published this Friday. You can follow Chelsea on Twitter, @ChelseaHerps as well as on Instagram as @outtochelsea, and she has a Redbubble where you can buy her cute anole stickers as well as on Patreon to support her work. Karl is also on Twitter and Instagram as @Afrosuchia, just look for the crocodilian profile picture.

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This week's species from the Zambezian flooded grasslands, my partner Barry researched the Tsetse and taught me about this infamous fly from sub-Saharan Africa. Learn about the connection between these blood-sucking flies and the British mumiani (vampires) of colonial Rhodesia (modern day Zimbabwe) in the 1930's.

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This week's September takeover comes from Jasmin Graham who, despite constant obstacles and neigh-sayers, spent her whole life working towards a career in marine sciences (as well as a few other passions). She discusses growing up and her discovery of her love for ocean life, her time in school juggling multiple extracurriculars while coping with societal pressure to just pick one, and her trials in college of people telling her not to pigeonhole herself and trying to find paid opportunities. Eventually, her determination and ambition pay off with a dream job and research opportunity that help her feel fulfilled after years of hard work.

She also talks about MISS (which I kept calling MIZZ for some odd reason), which she co-founded with three other shark scientists to help promote minorities in shark sciences and give those studying to become shark scientists opportunities to gain valuable experience. You can learn more about them on their website, https://www.misselasmo.org/ and you can find MISS on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. You can find Jasmin on Twitter, @Elasmo_Gal, as well as the other ladies of MISS: Carlee @CarleeMJ_, Amani @Curly_Biologist, and Jaida @soFISHtication

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In part two of her takeover, Rhiannon Kirton continues her discussion of the neglected history of Black people in outdoor spaces. Learn more about the Yeehaw agenda and how absolutely done Rhiannon is with the monolithic stereotypes of Black people. Check Rhiannon out on Twitter under  @Rhiannon_Kirton and Instagram under @rhi_kirton, and also check out  Black Mammalogist Week on Twitter and Instagram. You can also learn about her work as a cervidologist (deer scientist) on the Ologies podcast.

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As the September Takeovers continue, Rhiannon Kirton discusses the neglected history of Black cowboys, ranchers, hunters, and trappers in North America, and discusses her own experiences with the erasures of Black people in outdoor spaces and how we can break the narrative to be more inclusive. This episode is technically not safe for work due to a swear word being dropped, but most of the episode is clean. Part 2 will be published this Friday! Check Rhiannon out on Twitter under @Rhiannon_Kirton and Instagram under @rhi_kirton, and also check out Black Mammalogist Week on Twitter and Instagram. You can also learn about her work as a cervidologist (deer scientist) on the Ologies podcast.

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The September Takeover begins! Danielle Belleny, the eco goth cemetery birder, teaches me about the history of cemeteries as natural spaces, explains the benefits of respectfully birding in cemeteries (especially during the pandemic), and discusses the amazing work being done to lift up and promote Black scientists on social media. Check her out on Twitter and Instagram under @bellzisbirding

P.S. I apologize for the audio quality. There were sirens going off outside my home, so I tried moving to a different space to record and it was a mistake. I hope ya'll still enjoy Danielle's wonderful stories and expertise! I learned so much from her and I'm itching to visit a cemetery.

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Warning: I was extremely tired during this episode (Thank you, schoolwork) and completely mispronounce the hoatzin's name (pronounced watt-zin) throughout the entire episode. Apologies.

In this week's episode, I look at how the Gallus birdfolk archetype from Humblewood can be altered to create a playable hoatzin character for people who want to play as one.

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In this minisode, we look at the convergent adaptations hoatzins share with unrelated animals like turacos and ruminants. The hoatzin-themed scavenger hunt is still going on for the month of August, and I make a special announcement for September's episodes!

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In this minisode, we'll discuss science communication borrowing from NNOCCI's format for effective strategic messaging and how to apply it to conservation messages about the species of the month, the hoatzin!

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In this first episode of the month, I discuss the infamous stink bird of the Amazon, the hoatzin!

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In this week's episode, I breakdown the 3 types of sharks featured in D&D 5e (Giant shark, Hunter shark, and Reef shark), and what can be modified in their stats to better reflect their real-life adaptations.

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In this week's Critter Connection episode, I touch a bit on Twitter's Wormgate, and discuss the recent successful rehabilitation and release of the Lego box turtle from the Maryland Zoo!

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I’m back with a new ecoregion, the Zambezian flooded grasslands, and a new species! This week, I talk about the Saddle-billed stork, a large wading bird of Sub-Saharan Africa that is unfortunately very understudied, yet it has had a surprising impact on culture, in particular one very well known ancient culture. Join me for an educational tangent about this beautiful bird, African geography, and even Afro-Asiatic linguistics.

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This week, there is a battle on Twitter of #SlugsVsFishes, and I am here to defend my squishy slug friends. I talk about nudibranchs, my favorite group of animals as well as my favorite species of nudibranch, Phyllodesmium iriomotense! Join us on Twitter and support the #SeaSlugSquad!

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In this episode of Ugly Ecology, find out some of the characteristics that set the true bugs apart from other insects.

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Wildlife news: Florida expands St. Martins Marsh Aquatic Preserve by 400,000 acres; As states attempt to reopen, wildlife officials remind people that animals are still rearing young and to observe from respectful distances; Wales works towards reintroducing Golden eagles and White-tailed eagles; Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism launches Habitat First program to encourage private homeowners to cultivate/enhances wild spaces on their property.

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In this final mini episode for the Egyptian fruit bat, I talk to the coordinator and studbook keeper for the Egyptian fruit bat Species Survival Plan (SSP) about her work as an animal care professional and the work she does with the SSP.

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In this minisode, I took some questions given to me by other wildlife educators who had limited knowledge of bats and answered them to the best of my ability. Most focus on the natural history of bats, but there are a few subjective questions about personal preferences, including what I love most about bats (The answer may be an unexpected one).

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In this minisode, we'll discuss science communication, particularly  NNOCCI's format for effective strategic messaging and how to apply it to  conservation messages about the species of the month, the Egyptian Fruit Bat. 

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For the month of May, I will be highlighting the Egyptian fruit bat!  Learn about the environmental, cultural, and economic value of this frugivorous bat species. 

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In this minisode, I do a quick breakdown of a scientific paper I cited in the Animal of the Month episode for the Tasselled wobbegong.

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In this minisode, I discuss the book, The Shark's Paintbrush, biomimicry, and sharks in modern technology. Most discussion is about sharks in general due to the content in the book, but it ties into the Animal of the Month, Tasselled Wobbegong episode.

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In this minisode, we'll discuss science communication, particularly NNOCCI's format for effective strategic messaging and how to apply it to conservation messages about the species of the month, the Tasselled wobbegong.

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Sorry this is a bit late, but this is the final episode for this month about wildlife rehab. I'm joined by my partner Barry as we discuss box turtles, primarily Easter box turtles, and the dangers they face that lead them to need rehab. I will be going on a break for April so I can focus on my schoolwork, but I will be back in May with a new habitat to explore!

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For the month of May, I will be highlighting the Tasselled wobbegong! Learn about the environmental, cultural, and economic value of this reef-dwelling shark. You can check out my website, thenaggingnaturalist.com for show notes!

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In this minisode, we explore how to integrate Hellbenders into TTRPG games using a few already existing creatures from Dungeons and Dragons as examples.

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In this minisode, we will discuss the extant relatives of the animal of the month's taxonomic family, the Giant salamanders. Learn about the Hellbender's larger cousins on the other side of the world.

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In this minisode, we will learn about a conservation project that is actively working to protect the species of the month, the Hellbender through an email interview I had with the project coordinator of Purdue University's Help the Hellbender program, Nick Burgmeier. This episode does go a tad longer than my typical minisode, which is probably due to my ranting. Stick around at the end for outtakes of me tiredly trying to trudge through this recording as my self-quarantine finally takes its toll.

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