Aussie Wildlife Show

Dr Natalie Warburton is Associate Professor of Anatomy at Murdoch University and Dr Aaron Camens Lectures in Palaeontology at Flinders University. We discuss marsupial evolution from marsupial moles to extinct tree dwelling kangaroos from the Nullarbor Plains. Marsupial Mole. Image credit: Auscape International Pty Ltd/Alamy Stock Photo

We caught up with good friend Michael Smith to chat about some of the awesome Western Australian wildlife he has worked with during his career in conservation and education.

Mark Smith holds a senior position at Adelaide Zoo and is a world-renowned shark and ray expert and the co-author of Elasmobranch Husbandry Manual: Captive Care of Sharks, Rays, and their Relatives.

Dr. Katherine Tuft is the Chief Executive at Arid Recovery and leads the team, managing operations, overseeing the science program and community engagement. She has a background in conservation ecology, having completed a PhD on Brush-tailed Rock-wallabies in NSW, and spent six years working on declining mammals in northern Australia. Western Quoll release, photo by Melissa Jensen

Terry Reardon is a bat expert and researcher and works as a technical officer at the South Australian Museum. Terry has worked tirelessly with SA communities to raise awareness about bat ecology and conservation.​

Joan Gibbs is a Grasslands and Fire Ecologist teaching out of the University of South Australia. Photo by Trevar Skillicorn-Chilver on Unsplash

Helen and Ali work as wildlife ecologists for the Australian Wildlife Conservancy. AWC is the largest private owner and manager of land for conservation in Australia, protecting endangered wildlife across more than 12.5 million hectares in iconic regions such as the Kimberley, Cape York, Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre and the Top End.

Matt Summerville and Kristy Jensen are the creators of the YouTube channel, The Natural Herp Keeper. They created the Natural Herp Keeper to share their passion for reptile keeping, herping, DIY naturalistic enclosures and to inspire others to change the way they keep reptiles by increasing the standard of husbandry and striving to create the best possible life for captive animals. Both Matt and Kristy are experienced zoo keepers with a passion for the natural world. Collett's snake (Pseudechis colletti). Matt Summerville.

We catch up with conservation geneticist Dr Tahlia Perry to learn about all things echidnas. You can be involved in echidna conservation by downloading Tahlia's app 'Echidna CSI' to add echidna sightings, photos and observed behaviours. Image by PCTRS by Pixabay

We caught up with Professor Chris Daniels the CEO of Koala Life to chat about Koala conservation. Chris has been a prolific scientist and author, having written or edited 9 books and 1 DVD and contributed to more than 170 scientific publications.

Jeremy Austin is an evolutionary biologist working in the fields of ancient DNA, molecular ecology, conservation genetics and forensic biology. Jeremy’s research uses ancient and modern DNA techniques to “travel through time” to understand the evolutionary history of living and extinct vertebrates; assess the impacts of past environmental change on animal populations; and provide valuable genetic data for conservation and management of threatened species. Jeremy is the deputy director for the Australian Centre for Ancient DNA at the University of Adelaide.

In this episode we chat with conservationist Ross Oke about ways we can encourage native wildlife to live sustainably within the urban environment. Ross Oke is the General Manager at the Goolwa to Wellington Local Action Planning Association.

Peter Mirtschin has published over 70 scientific papers on venom research, snake ecology, conservation and snake behaviour, as well as several books on Australian dangerous snakes. He is also the founder of Venom Supplies, which supplies both Australian and exotic snake venoms for research, antivenom and therapeutic applications.

Emma McKenzie has worked with many species of threatened marsupials such as Tiger Quolls, Eastern Quolls, Brush-tailed Rock Wallabies and Squirrel Gliders and has also been involved in ecotourism, education and habitat restoration. Emma is the wildlife manager at Wildlife Wonders in the beautiful Otway Ranges, just 5 minutes out of Apollo Bay. Wildlife Wonders offer guided walks through lush tree fern gullies, Eucalypt woodlands and spectacular ocean vistas. All the profits from Wildlife Wonders go directly to the Conservation Ecology Centre, working to conserve the unique Australian plants and animals across the Otways.

We were joined again by Dr John Read the Pragmatic Ecologist who tells us about one of the biggest threats to Australian biodiversity. Is it cats, rabbits, cane toads or something else? Have a listen to find out. We also asked john about the pushback ecologists receive regarding the culling of native animals. Make sure you also check out our previous interview with John when he launched his book 'Among the Pigeons: Why Cats Belong Indoors'. Photo Cathy Zwick

Kristen Messenger, owner of Bugs n Slugs, tells us why mangroves matter and gives a passionate plea for mangrove conservation. Click here to sign the petition to save the St Kilda mangroves :) Image by Bishnu Sarangi from Pixabay

John Gitsham is the Senior Park Ranger in charge of the Coorong National Park, the former president of Birds SA, and is a skilled and passionate wildlife photographer. We chat with John about one of his favourite groups of birds, the ducks. The below image is of Australian Shovellers. Photo credit: John Gitsham.

We recently had a visit from Dr Cheryl Wilson to learn about the science behind the benefits of connecting with the natural world. Cheryl specialises in Lifestyle Medicine and has a life-long passion for wildlife and nature. Follow Dr Wilson's Facebook page, Living Well with Dr. Wilson for more heath tips.

David Mclelland is a wildlife veterinarian at the Adelaide Zoo. We chat about some of David's experiences working with wildlife, from devils to dragons and everything in between. Photo by David Clode on Unsplash

ANiMOZ Creator, Joel Howland, is a student studying Animal Science at Flinders University in Adelaide. He designed ANiMOZ - a trading card game - as a way to engage kids and people of all ages in Australia’s incredibly unique, but endangered native fauna. Every card features a different native Australian animal, from the powerful Wedge-tailed Eagle to the critically endangered Mountain Pygmy Possum. Click here to buy the ANiMOZ starter pack.