Wildlife, Cake And Cocktails: Recent Episodes
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Welcome to WCC, a podcast dedicated to Australian wildlife science and conservation! The best science discussions often happen after dinner, usually over cake, frequently over cocktails, but always in a relaxed atmosphere. Grab some dessert, pour a tasty drink, and come join us at the table for a chat with some amazing wildlife scientists and our animal nerd buddies. Enjoy! Producer: Kristian Summers Host/Nerd: Janne Torkkola
We’re out in the field with Chantelle “Chilli” Derez, PhD student studying urban snake ecology at the UQ Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, for the first #BrisbanePythonProjectBlitz! Chantelle is treasurer of the UQ Herpetological Society, a wildlife carer with Reptile Rehab QLD, and member of the SaveTheSnakes Advisory Committee. Her research is currently focussed on radio-tracking Carpet Pythons to understanding movement behaviour in natural and urban habitats. After discussing urban snake ecology, including issues with urban snake translocations and more, we join a group of keen herpetologists at a local wildlife reserve for the first #BrisbanePythonProject blitz, searching for more snakey-subjects for Chilli’s ongoing radio-tracking project.
Check out The Brisbane Python Project on Facebook @BrisbanePythonProject
Chantelle on Twitter & Facebook @ChantelleDerez
SaveTheSnakes @SaveTheSnakes and savethesnakes.org
UQ Herp Society on Twitter & Facebook @UQherp
Reptile Rehab QLD on Twitter & Facebook@ReptileRehabQld, or reptilerehabilitationqld.org/
We’re joined by Tamielle Brunt, PhD student at UQ studying the distribution and habitat requirements of Platypuses around South-East QLD. Tamielle has a passion for these amazing aquatic monotremes, engaging local communities in WildlifeQLD’s Platypus Watch programs since 2016. We discuss her PhD research, including eDNA monitoring to guide planning for the persistence of platypus populations, urban and naturalized habitat requirements, and much more, over Moon River cocktails and Mudcake!
Follow Tamielle on Twitter@tamiellebrunt and IG@platypus_protector.
Check out Platypus Watch at Wildlife.org.au/platypuswatch
New Research:
Richmond et al. 2018 A diverse suite of pharmaceuticals contaminates stream and riparian food webs. Nature Communications. 9. 4491. DOI:10.1038/s41467-018-06822-w.
Asahara et al. '16. Comparative cranial morphology in living and extinct platypuses: Feeding behavior, electroreception, and loss of teeth. Science Advances. 2, 10. e1601329 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1601329.
Carrick et al. 2019 Limitations on the use of historical and database sources to identify changes in distribution and abundance of the platypus. Response to A silent demise: Historical insights into population changes of the iconic platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus). Global Ecology and Conservation. 20:e00777. DOI: doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2019.e00777.
We’re talking all things spidery with Robert Whyte, arachnologist at Queensland Museum. Rob is a scientist, author, editor, photographer, and science communicator with a passion for Australian spiders. In 2017, along with images from Greg Anderson, he authored “A Field Guide to Spiders of Australia”, the most comprehensive account of Australian spiders ever produced. In 2018 he revived the AustralasianArachnologicalSociety.org website & newsletter. Rob has also been working with the BushBlitz biodiversity exploration programs since 2012 to find new spider species around the country. At last year’s Cooloola BioBlitz, he lead the spider team to discover 37 new species, with even more this year! As an advocate for #SciComm, he is currently producing and presenting the upcoming web-series #JoltScienceTV with Sandra Tuszynska. Rob is also an avid volunteer with habitat restoration projects such as SaveOurWaterwaysNow, and wrote “The Creek In Our Backyard: A practical guide for habitat restoration” now a 2nd expanded edition since 2013.
Follow Rob on Twitter @robertwhyte and Queensland Museum @qldmuseum
And watch for new episodes of #JoltScinceTV at JoltScience.com.au
With huge thanks to Avid Reader Bookshop in Brisbane’s West End, we were invited to have a discussion with the amazing Darryl Jones, Professor of Ecology at Griffith University, for the launch of his latest book, “Feeding The Birds At My Table – A Guide For Australia” from NewSouth Publishing. Prof. Darryl Jones is the Deputy Director of Griffith’s Environmental Futures Research Institute, working on understanding human-wildlife interactions. He’s the author of over 170 scientific articles and six books, including The Birds At My Table (2018) and now, the follow-up, Feeding The Birds At My Table (2019). The book is a not only an exploration of the challenges to safely and ethically feeding birds in your backyard, it’s also a practical guide for how to improve our bird feeding habits and practices here in Australia. We discuss bird feeding culture and research in Australia, ethical bird feeding problems and solutions, and much more. Join us for this fantastic launch event hosted by Avid Reader Bookshop!
Check out the link below to order the book today!
newsouthpublishing.com/articles/feeding-birds-your-table/
Follow Prof. Darryl Jones on Twitter @MagpiejonesD
Check out the happenings at Avid Reader on Twitter @AvidReader4101
We’re talking all things #Froggy with frog conservation scientists Alannah Filer, Debra Stark, and Callum McKercher! Alannah is a PhD student at the Uni of Queensland studying distribution mapping and bioacoustics in frogs, particularly the low pH specialized acid frogs. Debra, also at UQ, is involved in bioacoustic monitoring of acid frogs, education, and using technologies such as VR to bring students into the field. Callum is currently starting his PhD at Uni of New England, studying alpine wetland ecosystems near Armidale. Over some Surfer-On-Acid cocktails and froggy cupcakes, we discuss monitoring the threatened Acid Frogs, bioacoustics, and much more!
Check out some of Alannah’s work at Rhodesconservation.com and SpatialEcology.com
Follow Debra on Twitter at @debra_93
Follow Callum on Instagram at @calsphotography12
We’re super exited to share some of the amazing conservation students and researchers from the 2019 Student Conference on Conservation Science in Brisbane, Australia! WCC was lucky to score an invite to attend some of the incredible student talks, plenary speakers, poster presentations, and we even managed a handful of special guest interviews (see below for segment times). In this first part, we share interviews with student poster presenters and special guest speakers.
With so many amazing student researchers and conservationists in various fields from across the world congregating at the Uni of Queensland for this conference, we barely scratched the surface and wish we had time for more. Nonetheless, we hope you enjoy these presentations and interviews from numerous conservation students across a broad swath of scientific disciplines, just a small sample of the breadth of knowledge and talent involved in biodiversity conservation around the world.
For more on #SCCSAus2019, check out SCCS-aus.org, Facebook@SCCSAus, and Twitter@SCCS_Aus
Segments as follows:
Prof. Bill Laurence (3:50) James Cook University
Prof. Sarah Bekessy (27:23) RMIT
Prof. Hugh Possingham (37:19) University of Queensland
Dr. April Reside (43:43) University of Queensland
We’re joined by Blanche D’Anastasi to talk Sea Snakes, along with some insanely decadent Ocean Cake and Negronis to finish #NegroniWeek2019! Blanche is a marine biologist, applied conservation researcher & sea-snake expert, currently completing a PhD on threatened sea snakes at James Cook University. She’s a member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature Sea Snake Specialist Group, contributor to the IUCN Global Status Review of Sawfish, and research partner with OceanWise Australia. Blanche is also the Director of the Deadly Science Getaway, inspiring passion for science & leadership among young Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander women through remote field science expeditions. We discuss all things sea-snake related over our very rich drink and dessert pairing J Enjoy, and Happy #NegroniWeek everyone!
For more on the #DeadlyScienceGetaway, check out @deadly_science on Twitter and @deadlyscience on Facebook.
You can follow Blanche @SeaSnakeBlanche on Twitter & Instagram, check out @JCU on Twitter and @JamesCookUniversity on Facebook, and @OceanwiseAustralia for more awesome ocean conservation action.
For Sea-Snake ID, questions, and more, check out @AustralianSeaSnakes and @SeaSnakesGlobal on Facebook.
We’re joined by Blanche D’Anastasi to talk Sea Snakes, along with some insanely decadent Ocean Cake and Negronis to finish #NegroniWeek2019! Blanche is a marine biologist, applied conservation researcher & sea-snake expert, currently completing a PhD on threatened sea snakes at James Cook University. She’s a member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature Sea Snake Specialist Group, contributor to the IUCN Global Status Review of Sawfish, and research partner with OceanWise Australia. Blanche is also the Director of the Deadly Science Getaway, inspiring passion for science & leadership among young Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander women through remote field science expeditions. We discuss all things sea-snake related over our very rich drink and dessert pairing J Enjoy, and Happy #NegroniWeek everyone!
For more on the #DeadlyScienceGetaway, check out @deadly_science on Twitter and @deadlyscience on Facebook.
You can follow Blanche @SeaSnakeBlanche on Twitter & Instagram, check out @JCU on Twitter and @JamesCookUniversity on Facebook, and @OceanwiseAustralia for more awesome ocean conservation action.
For Sea-Snake ID, questions, and more, check out @AustralianSeaSnakes and @SeaSnakesGlobal on Facebook.
New Research:
Lillywhite et al. (2019) Drinking by sea snakes from oceanic freshwater lenses at first rainfall ending seasonal drought. PLoS ONE 14:2.
(https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0212099)
Sherratt et al. (2018) Trophic specialization drives morphological evolution in sea snakes. R. Soc. Open Sci. 5: 172141.
(https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.172141)
Suntrarachun et al. (2018). Identification of sea snake meat adulteration in meat products using PCR-RFLP of mitochondrial DNA. Food Science and Human Wellness, 7(2), 170–174.
(https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fshw.2018.04.002)
WCC joins Prof. Stuart Parsons, zoologist and bat specialist from QUT, to chat all things batty before his presentation at the Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland’s Brisbane Branch!
Prof. Parsons is the Head of School in Earth, Environment & Biological Sciences at the Queensland University of Technology. With a broad interest in sensory ecology & animal behaviour, his research ranges from auditory anatomy and biological sonar to mating systems, and more. Much of his work involves the bats of the world, but also insects, birds and whales, often with a focus on bioacoustics. He’s the May 2019 guest speaker at the WPSQ Bris Branch, presenting “Bats: from Myth to Majesty”.
Photo credit: Queensland University of Technology
We’re talking cane toads, goannas, and traditional ecological knowledge with Dr. Georgia Ward-Fear while enjoying caramel-vanilla slice and a Sweet Poison cocktail! Dr. Ward-Fear is a conservation ecologist at the University of Sydney with a broad interest in evolution, ecology, invasive species, reptiles, and more. We chat about her fascinating PhD research and conservation program, training wild yellow-spotted monitor lizards to avoid poisonous cane toads via Conditioned Taste Aversion. We also discuss the vital role of indigenous ranger collaboration for the success of this novel conservation program.
Follow Dr. Georgia Ward-Fear Twitter @g_wardfear, and check out www.canetoadcoalition.com
New Research:
Ward-Fear 2016 Ecological immunization: in situ training of free-ranging predatory lizards reduces their vulnerability to invasive toxic prey. Biology Letters. Vol. 12, Issue 1. https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/abs/10.1098/rsbl.2015.0863
Ward‐Fear et al 2019 Sharper eyes see shyer lizards: Collaboration with indigenous peoples can alter the outcomes of conservation research. Conservation Letters. Online early. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/conl.12643
WCC is back out at Rainbow Beach for Cooloola BioBlitz 2019, organised by Cooloola Coast Care Inc. and the Fraser Island Defenders Organisation. Cooloola BioBlitz is a weekend of biological survey to record as many of the living species as possible in the Cooloola Sands region, and this second survey is sure to be a blast!
We chat with some of the awesome scientific team leaders and organisers about their weekend full of discoveries and citizen science action.
For more, check out@CooloolaBioBlitz and @CooloolaCoastcare on Facebook, or CooloolaCoastcare.org.au.
FIDO details can be found at @FraserIslandDefendersOrganisation.
You can also check out @iNaturalist on Facebook and Twitter, or iNaturalist.org
We’re back on the WCC couch enjoying Purple Finch cocktails and poppy-seed cake talking Black-throated finches with Dr. April Reside from the Uni of Queensland!
Dr. Reside is a keen birder, ecologist, and conservation researcher with a focus on spatial modelling. She’s also a member of the Black Throated Finch Recovery Team and a Research & Conservation Committee member at BirdLifeAus.
We discuss Black-throated finch ecology and conservation challenges including habitat loss, land clearing, mining in the Galilee Basin, and much more.
You can follow Dr April Reside on Twitter @april_reside, and the BTF Recovery Team Website at blackthroatedfinch.com
New Research:
Hooper et al 2018. Sex chromosome inversions enforce reproductive isolation across an avian hybrid zone. Molecular Ecology.
Photo Credit: The University of Queensland
In this episode we chat with Queensland Museum’s Robert Whyte. Rob is a scientist, journalist, author, editor, photographer, and more, with a passion for Australian spiders. He was co-author of A Field Guide to Spiders of Australia, the most comprehensive account of Australian spiders ever published. Rob was the leader of the Spider Team at the 2018 Cooloola Bioblitz who discovered 37 species new species, making news across the globe.
He was guest speaker at the WPSQ Brisbane branch March 2019 presentation: “Citizens doing it for themselves – 2018 Cooloola BioBlitz – Beauty & mystery in new species”
You can follow Rob on Twitter@robertwhyte, and keep an eye out for his upcoming web series, Jolt Science TV at JoltScience.com.au
For more spider-goodness go to australasianarachnologicalsociety.org
More talks on the way from WPSQ Brisbane Branch on Facebook@WildlifeQueenslandBrisbaneBranch
Check out @CooloolaCoastcare for details on the next Cooloola BioBlitz in May 2019
We cross over to Tasmania to discuss the Rakali, AKA the Australian Water Rat with Cory Young! Cory has extensive experience in wildlife rehabilitation with a broad range of species including the Rakali and is the VP of the Tasmanian Wildlife Rehabilitation Council at TasWildlife.org. He has a passion for the Rakali and is strong advocate for these amazing, otter-like aquatic animals.
Check out @taswildlife, or follow Corey on IG@cyoung102, and keep an eye out for @RakaliAwarenessDayon February 18th.
We're back for another presentation from the Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland with their guest speaker Chantelle Derez! Currently mid-PhD at the UQ Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Chantelle is a keen herpetologist, UQ Herpetological Society Treasurer, member of Reptile Rehab QLD and wildlife carer. We discuss some pros and cons of wildlife rehab in Australia before her talk for the WPSQ's February Presentation - “Wildlife Rehabilitation; the Good, the Bad and the Ugly”.
Check out the Wildlife Preservation Society of QLD on Twitter@WildlifeQLD, Facebook@WildlifeQueensland, or at wildlife.org.au/ Follow all of Chantelle's snakey adventures on Twitter & Facebook @ChantelleDerez, and the UQ Herp Society on Twitter & Facebook @UQherp
You can find Reptile Rehab QLD on Twitter & Facebook@ReptileRehabQld, or reptilerehabilitationqld.org/
wildlifesciencepodcastnatureconservationbiologysci commanimalecologyAustralia
In this bat-centric episode, our summer-heatwave continues, as does our climate-change focus. We're joined by Maree Treadwell Kerr (@MareeTreadwellK) from the Australasian Bat Society (@AustralasianBatSociety, ausbats.org.au) to discuss heatwave impacts on fruit-bats, while sipping some Tropical Heat cocktails along with fruity bat-cupcakes. Join us for a detailed look at the heatwaves, heat stress events and mass die-offs, particularly in the Spectacled Flying Fox, before we dive into some batty New Research segments.
New Research: McMichael et al. 2018 Hematology and Plasma Biochemistry of Wild Spectacled Flying Foxes (Pteropus conspicillatus) in Australia. J of Wildlife Diseases. Doi: 10.7589/2018-04-096 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30325258
Giles et al. 2018 Environmental drivers of spatiotemporal foraging intensity in fruit bats and implications for Hendra virus ecology. Scientific Reports 8:9555 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-27859-3
Happy 2019! For our first show of the year we're trying something different. In these new RantCast segments, my producer Kristian and I discuss a current topic in wildlife, environment, or conservation. We'd love your comments below, make sure to follow and subscribe to join the discussion in future shows!
In this episode, we discuss the ongoing summer heatwaves we're experiencing this in Australia. Specifically, we cover the impacts and mass die-offs of fruit-bats in around the country. We also discuss the concurrent mass fish deaths in the Menindee Lakes region, the process of eutrophication in Australian rivers, and potential mismanagement of the Murray-Darling River system.
NEW #WCC!! We're back on the couch with James Dorey and Olivia Davies to talk native Australian bees
James is completing his PhD at Flinders University and the South Australian Museum in Adelaide. Despite the workload, he recently released the stunningly beautiful Bees of Australia – A Photographic Exploration through @CSIROPublishing. He's currently travelling the east coast as part of his book tour and to conduct field research. He is joined by partner and fellow bee/Wolbachia researcher Olivia Davies, also a PhD student at Flinders University.
Over some honey-cake and mead-based cocktails, we discuss Australia's diverse native bee fauna, the importance of pollinators, and of-course, the incredible macro-photgraphy in James' new book. Check out JamesDoreyPhotography.com.au, or JamesDoreyPhotography on social media.
Bees of Australia – A Photographic Exploration by James Dorey is now out, a great early/late Christmas present, available from bookstores at or @CSIROPublishing (publish.csiro.au)
We're back on the #WCC couch for a special episode with @Cesar Puechmarin from @blueshroomstudiosand @Jasmine Zelený from @Faunagraphic. We're talking about the new short film “Owls on the Line”, covering Mount Coot-tha's #PowerfulOwls, currently at risk from zip-line development here in Brisbane. We talk about the potential impacts of this development on owls, eco-tourism ethics, and more.
We also discuss current development plans threatening feeding habitat for Eastern Curlews and more in RAMSAR protected wetlands at Brisbane 's Toondah Harbour. Check out “Owls on the Line” from @blueshroomstudios below, or at blueshroomstudios.com.au youtu.be/9LXD3NPcKw8 For more info got to mountcoot-thazipline.org
For submission regarding the development, go to michaelberkman.com.au/zipline-submission, closing by December 14th 2018 so make your submission soon and contact your local MP!
You can also follow @Faunagraphic at @_Faunagrpahic on Instagram, or go to Faunagraphic.com.au
We're back out in the forests of Brisbane searching for the Powerful Owl with Faunagraphic! The Faunagraphic crew, namely Matt Wright, wildlife photographer and owl conservationist, and wildlife scientist Jasmine Zelený, take us on a secretive night-time walk through the woods.
While searching for a known Powerful Owl breeding pair and their chicks, we also find some other fantastic nocturnal creatures. Along the way we discuss Powerful Owl ecology, conservation, and more.
You can find Faunagraphic's Birds of the Night video here youtu.be/Tz2Rtw51FY8
We also recommend checking out the fantastic short film “Owls on the Line” from @blueshroomstudios, about Mount Coot-tha's Powerful Owls, currently at risk from development youtu.be/9LXD3NPcKw8
Follow all the owl-y adventures at Faunagraphic.com.au, @Faunagraphic on Facebook, @_Faunagrpahic on Instagram. You can also join Birdlife.org.au or Ebird.org to get involved in Australian bird-based citizen science. More WCC on the way!
Cheers folks
November 9-18 2018 was #FrogIDWeek. Over 40,000 frog-calls have been recorded so far by FrogID and submitted to the team at the Australian Museum, an incredible effort! We headed out #frogging in Main Range on the border of Queensland and New South Wales. Specifically, we were searching for the Red and Yellow Mountain Frog, Philora kundagungan. This amazing little frog is endangered and restricted to this isolated, sub-tropical mountain region, so is quite the challenge to locate. In this amazing environment, we were sure to find plenty of other cool creatures along the way.
Luckily, we had herpetologist Scott Eipper from Nature4You leading the way, as well as frog biologists Nicholas Wu & Callum McKercher from the UQ Herpetological Society. Lots of incredible field finds and froggy discussions coming up!
Massive congrats to the team at #FrogID, #AustralianMuseum, and everyone who submitted a frog call!! Awesome way to get involved and do some #CitizenScience for our #froggy friends Get the app and join the fun at FrogID.net.au
Prof. John Woinarski from Charles Darwin University returns to WCC and discusses modern extinction and his new book; A Bat's End: The Christmas Island Pipistrelle and Extinction in Australia, now available from @CSIROPublishing – publish.csiro.au/book/7791/
The incredible story of the Pipistrellus murrayi, one of the world's smallest bats which suffered a foreseeable and likely preventable extinction in 2009, is a powerful reminder of our impacts on nature. It is also a detailed exploration of Christmas Island and the heroic efforts by dedicated conservation scientists, land managers, and more, doomed to eventual failure in the face of monumental challenges, both ecological and societal. We discuss the history of P. murrayi, its extinction, possible causes, potential lessons from this tragedy, Christmas Island today, and more.
Check out the book at publish.csiro.au/book/7791/ or @CSIROPublishing on Twitter.
WCC is back out on the road for another field show! We're headed up to take part in Cooloola BioBlitz at Rainbow Beach, organised by Cooloola Coast Care Inc. and the Fraser Island Defenders Organisation. The WCC crew heads north to Rainbow Beach along the Cooloola Coast on the second day of Cooloola BioBlitz, an intense period of biological survey to record the living species in an area. We meet with an amazing group of scientists, organisers, students, and community volunteers, all coming together for this amazing biological survey.
We get the chance to explore and discuss some of the amazing native ecosystems and local diversity with a variety of awesome volunteers and scientists:
Jono Hooper & Ben Revell, QLD Frog Society (13:36-20:48)
Ben Revell, QLD Frog Society & Southern Cross University (20:57 – 24:47)
Robyn, Kevin & Zeela, Cooloola BioBlitz Volunteers (26:06 - 49:11)
Kelvin Nielsen, Birding Cooloola (49:35 - 58:24)
Dr. Lindy Orwin, Cooloola Coast Care Inc. & QuestaGame (58:47 - 1:07:36)
Lana, Sandra & Vivian, Cooloola BioBlitz Volunteers (1:08:03 - 1:09:42)
Chris Sanderson, University of Queensland (1:09:53 - 1:17:35)
For more, check out @CooloolaCoastcare on Facebook, or CooloolaCoastcare.org.au. FIDO details can be found at @FraserIslandDefendersOrganisation You can also check out @QuestaGame on Facebook and Twitter, or download the app directly to your phone to get involved in the fun!!
WCC is proud to present the fourth installment in our Book of Hope Conservation Case Studies series. We’ll be exploring some phenomenal plant conservation successes from “Recovering Australian Threatened Species: A Book of Hope” with various chapter authors:
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Vanessa Craigie, DEWLP Victoria, on Conserving Native Grassland Communities (01:56-)
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Doug Bikerton, SA Dept. of Environment, Water & Nat. Resources, on The Spiny Daisy (23:17-)
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John Briggs, NSW Office of Environment & Heritage, on The Tumut Grevellia (47:31-)
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Geoff Robertson, NSW Parks & Wildlife, on Crimson & Sandhill Spider-Orchids (1:09:29-)
Now available on SoundCloud, iTunes, Podbean, YouTube, and more!
Check out the book now at CSIRO Pub at www.publish.csiro.au/book/7705/ More WCC coming soon! Cheers everyone
We're at Avid Reader Bookshop talking to Harry Saddler for the launch of his new book “The Eastern Curlew - The Extraordinary Life of a Migratory Bird”
With a background in zoology and a passion for birdlife, his latest book takes a deep and personal look at the incredible life and extraordinary migration of the Eastern Curlew (Numenius madagascariensis), the world's largest shorebird. Author of books such as Small Moments (2007), & Not Birdwatching: Reflections on Noticing Animals (2015), Harry is the joint winner of the 2014 Melbourne Writers Festival/Blurb ‘Blog-to-Book’ Challenge.
We had an awesome time discussing their ecology, conservation challenges/threats, and the importance of the East-Asian Australasian Flyway for migratory birds. Afterwards, we sat down and recorded the discussion between Harry and Andrew Stafford (32:15-).
The Eastern Curlew is now available from Affirm Press:
affirmpress.com.au/publishing/the-eastern-curlew/
WCC is proud to present the third installment in our Book of Hope Conservation Case Studies series! We’ll be exploring some of the conservation successes in freshwater species from “Recovering Australian Threatened Species: A Book of Hope” along with chapter authors:
Dr. Tanzi Smith, Director of Burnett-Mary Regional Group (2:00-)
Dr. Gerald Kuchling, Adjunct Senior Lecturer, University of WA (25:59-)
Jarod Lyon, Applied Aquatic Ecology, ARI DELWP (48:43-)
For more on the subject you can check out our Mammal case studies in Ep.26, Birds in Ep.28, or our interview with the lead editor Professor Stephen Garnett from Charles Darwin Uni in Ep.22. You can also check out the book now from CSIRO Publishing and all good book retailers.
We recommend a slice of cheesecake and a Fish-Eye cocktail with this aquatic podcast, that's pink grapefruit juice, light rum, and sour mix, garnished with lime, on ice.
Cheers everyone, enjoy!
We're back on the WCC couch to talk Owl Conservation over some Sour Owl blackcurrant cocktails, along with muffins and macaroons! We're joined by wildlife photographer, naturalist, and owl conservationist, Matt Wright from Faunagraphic. Also, after some two years, we welcome back our first guest Jasmine Zelený, wildlife scientist, photographer, snake catcher, and owl fanatic.
We discuss Matt's experiences in raptor handling and rescue, how this developed into an interest in photography/wildlife tours, Australia's owl fauna, and eventually, owl conservation. We chat about Matt & Jasmines recent experiences in owling, assisting the Brisbane Powerful Owl Project, and much more. We also cover some fascinating new research in Australian owl fauna, articles below:
Bradsworth et al. 2017 Species distribution models derived from citizen science data predict the fine scale movements of owls in an urbanizing landscape. Biological Conservation. 213.
Uva et al. 2018 Comprehensive molecular phylogeny of barn owls and relatives (Family: Tytonidae), and their six major Pleistocene radiations. Molecular Phylogeny & Evolution. 125
You can find the Birds of the Night video and follow all the owl-y adventures at Faunagraphic.com.au, or on Facebook @Faunagraphic, and Instagram @_Faunagrpahic
Check out Birdlife.org.au or Ebird.org to get involved in Australian bird-based citizen science.
More WCC on the way!
WCC is proud to present the second installment in our Book of Hope Conservation Case Studies series. A recent a review of successful Australian conservation projects, coordinated by the Threatened Species Recovery Hub of the National Environmental Science Progam, led to a book entitled “Recovering Australian Threatened Species: A Book of Hope”, now available from CSIRO Publishing. In this second set of case studies, we’ll be exploring some of the amazing bird conservation successes from the Book of Hope with various chapter authors:
TSR Hub Theme leader Professor David Lindenmayer, Eastern bristlebird (2:06-)
Massey University's Dr. Luis Ortiz Catedral, Nofolk parakeet (22:44-)
University of Western Australia's Sarah Comer, Noisy scrubbird & Western ground parrot (42:57-)
Coordinator of the Nation Malleefowl Recovery Team Tim Burnard, Malleefowl (1:05:21-)
For more on the subject you can check out our mammal case studies in Ep. 26, and our interview with the book’s lead editor Professor Stephen Garnett from Charles Darwin Uni in Ep. 22. You can also check out the book now from CSIRO Publishing at the link below and all good book retailers. www.publish.csiro.au/book/7705/ Our serving suggestion for this avian episode is poppyseed cake and a nice simple gin and tonic. Don't forget to like and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for updates.
More WCC coming soon!
We're joined by our returning guest, the phenomenal Dr. Jodi Rowley for more froggy chats and to discuss her new book, Status of Conservation & Decline of Amphibians: Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific Islands, edited by Harold Heatwole & Jodi Rowley, brought to you by CSIRO Publishing!
Dr Jodi Rowley has been the Curator of Amphibian & Reptile Conservation Biology at the Australian Museum since 2016. She's a biologist with a focus on Australasian amphibian biodiversity, ecology and conservation. With a broad integrative approach to her work, she uses morphology, bioacoustics, genetics, and more. She's also involved in FrogID, the free citizen-science smartphone app for recording, identifying, and mapping frog-calls around Australia.
We discuss FrogID and conservation developments around Australia before covering some of the incredible material in the new Amphibian publication from CSIRO Publishing. You can check out the book at any good book retailer or just click the link below:
https://www.publish.csiro.au/book/7783/
Don't forget to check out FrogID.net.au to get involved in the fantastic, free, FrogID app
Cheers folks, more on the way soon! Janne Torkkola, Host/Co-Producer
WCC is proud to present our Book of Hope mammal conservation case-study collection! Recently, a review of successful conservation projects in Australia, coordinated by the Threatened Species Recovery Hub of the National Environmental Science Program, led to a book entitled “Recovering Australian Threatened Species: A Book of Hope”, now available from CSIRO Publishing.
In these case studies, we’ll be exploring some of the amazing mammal conservation success stories with several chapter authors/co-authors from this fantastic new book. Case study segments as follows:
Southern Cross University's Prof. Peter Harrison, Humpback Whales (01:36-)
Arid Recovery's Dr. Katherine Moseby, Arid Zone Mammal Recovery (24:18-)
Australian Wildlife Conservancy's Dr John Kanowski, Critical Weight Range Mammals (42:06-)
NSW Office of Environment & Heritage's Dr. Linda Broome on Mountain Pygmy-Possums (1:02:40-)
DELWP Victoria Senior Biodiversity Officer Richard Hill on Eastern Barred Bandicoots (1:21:20-)
We recommend pairing this show with an Irish coffee cocktail and chocolate mud-cake. Plenty more case studies on the way soon! And don't forget to check out the book from CSIRO Publishing at www.publish.csiro.au/book/7705/
We head up to Brisbane's northside to chat with Professor Rob Capon from the University of Queensland's Institute of Molecular Biosciences and the Cane Toad Challenge.
By studying the chemical ecology of these invasive, toxic toads, Prof. Capon and his team have developed a toad-specific bait for luring tadpoles into DIY traps. We take a few minutes before his talk at the QLD Wildlife Preservation Society to discuss this fantastic new tool in the fight against invasive cane toads.
For more on Professor Capon, the Cane Toad Challenge and how you can get involved, check out imb.uq.edu.au/canetoadchallenge
Part 2 of our RepX Brisbane Reptile Expo 2018 podcast is here!
After running around the RepX Brisbane Reptile Expo 2018 all morning, interviewing stallholders and demonstrators for Part 1, we finally get to sit down and have some longer chats with some of these amazing reptile breeders, snake handlers, and various other wildlife experts at the WCC Podcast table. Join us for a rotating interview with heaps of awesome reptile heads, including some pioneers in Australian herpetoculture! The list of incredibly talented guests is as follows:
Kane Durrant (@WILD_Spec), Annette Bird (ReptileRehabilitationQLD.org), Wayne Larks (@MoreliaMagic) & Joe Ball (BlueTongueLizard.com.au), Neville Burns (NevilleBurns.net) & Christina Zdenek (@AustralianSchoolofHerpetology), Chilli Derez & Heino Nölke (@UQherp) Cameron Barker (@UQherp) and Joshua Llinas (@HerpVet)
We also manage to sneak in some Bush-Honey & Blue-Berry Mojito Mocktails and caramel mudcake throughout the show! What a truly great experience, our hats off to RepX, the supporting partners, and Brisbane Showgrounds for an epic day. Cheers!
It's finally here! WCC podcast is coming at you from RepX Brisbane Reptile Expo 2018 at the Royal International Convention Centre, Brisbane Showgrounds.
In this first part of the show, we explore some of the amazing reptile collections, demonstrations, and the people behind them while we wander RepX the showroom. With a massive array of lizards, turtles, pythons, venomous snakes, as well as inverts, birds of prey, and more, there was faaaar too much for us to cover in one day. You'll just have to check it out for yourselves next year! We had a great time talking to these awesome folk and their stunning collections
PS keep an eye out for Ep. 24. Part #2 Stage Show. Plenty more in-depth chats with some amazing RepX guests, coming soon!
For more details, got to RepX.com.au or Facebook @RepXAustralia
We caught up with Dr Shane Simpson aka The Reptile Doctor and Dr Joshua Llinas from HerpVet to talk reptile viruses! Returning again to co-host is environmental scientist, Ahlia Chanel. In March, Dr. Simpson was in town for a reptile virus talk and stayed with Dr. Llinas, so these bright folk joined us on the couch to discuss a broad range of veterinary issues. In particular, we talk about emerging infectious diseases in captive reptiles and new developments in reptile virology. We also handled some Snake Charmer cocktails and cheese cake. Enjoy!
Check out Dr Shane Simpson at TheReptileDoctor.com.au or on Facebook @TheReptileDoctor And Dr Joshua Llinas at HerpVet.com.au or on Facebook @herpvet.com.au
Welcome to the first of a series of shows on the Threatened Species Recovery Hub's new book, “Recovering Australian Threatened Species- A Book of Hope”, available from CSIRO publishing!
In this episode we chat with the book's lead editor and Deputy Director of the TSR Hub, Professor Stephen Garnett from Charles Darwin University. We discuss the many successes in conserving Australian wildlife, the national threatened species review and the book it inspired, as well as some of the key lessons learned and factors involved in successful species recovery. I also celebrate the ongoing perseverance of our amazing fauna, and the hard-working human champions behind their recovery with the Will to Live cocktail and a big slice of chocolate mudcake. Cheers!
Keep an eye out for future Book of Hope specials and check out the book at publish.csiro.au
For this special episode, the WCC team was invited by the Threatened Species Recovery Hub of the National Environmental Science Program for an afternoon at their Early Career Researchers Conference! Held at Thunderbird Park in the pristine Gold Coast Hinterland, this conference brings some 50 of the TSR Hub's incredibly talented early career researchers together for three days of workshops, training, and networking. Despite their busy schedules, we sit down with a few amazing TSR Hub folks to discuss a broad range of threatened species research and management strategies.
With so many incredible people and projects going we can barely scratch the surface in one afternoon! For more, check out www.nespthreatenedspecies.edu.au or follow the Hub's work protecting our native species on Twitter @TSR_Hub. Cheers!
Like us on Facebook for pictures and updates: www.facebook.com/WildlifeCakeCocktails/ For our first botanical episode, we cross over to Dr Noushka Reiter in Melbourne, research scientist with the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria and part of the Threatened Species Recovery Hub. We discuss orchid conservation, highly-threatened Mellblom's Spider Orchids, their pollination by tiny Thynnid wasps, and much more. We enjoy some delicious white-orchid cocktails and while chocolate cake. You can check out the amazing Botanic Gardens on Facebook @BotanicGardensVictoria and Twitter @RBG_Victoria. You can also follow the awesome work from the Threatened Species Recovery Hub on Facebook @nespthreatenedspecies and Twitter @TSR_hub
Like us on Facebook for pictures and updates: https://www.facebook.com/WildlifeCakeCocktails/ We cross over to Christmas Island to speak with Hamish Noller, reptile enthusiast and recent UQ Wildlife Science graduate. We're also joined bv Jason Turl, ranger at Parks Australia, to chat about the Christmas Island Blue-Tailed skink, now extinct in the wild but maintained in two captive breeding colonies, one where Hamish is volunteering. We also discuss Christmas Island's other reptiles, many other threatened species, general ecology, and throw back some blue-island ice tea with caramel-chocolate slice :) You can check out Hamish's adventures at Instagram.com/hamwildo/ The Swell Lodge at Instagram.com/swelllodge/ And Jason's photos at Instagram.com/wildsideaustralia/
We had an awesome time with Dr Rowley talking frog conservation, the new FrogID citizen-science project, and much more, over some coffee and cupcakes. After checking out Jodi's talk at the Caboolture Region Environmental Education Centre, we head out to have a play around with the #FrogID app around the CREEC reserve and creek system. We're also joined by Scott Eipper from Nature4You and some keen local froggers. What an amazing night with some interesting people! Thanks again to CREEC and FrogID for letting us tag along! Cheers :)
This time we're talking Blue-Tongue Lizard morphs, RepX Brisbane Reptile Expo, and much more with our special guests Joe Ball and Scott Owen. Joe is an incredibly knowledgeable and innovative blue-tongue lizard breeder here in Brisbane, a world leader in producing phenomenal coloured morphs of blue-tongue, and a RepX Ambassador. Scott is one of the organizers of the upcoming RepX Brisbane Reptile Expo and is joining us on the couch to talk about the spectacular event coming this March. We had a fantastic afternoon chat, escaping the heat with Lounge Lizard cocktails and Blue-Velvet Cake. Cheers folks, and see you at RepX 2018 Brisbane Reptile Expo! This March 25th, all the details at RepX.com.au
We're herping Mt Glorious, this time with UQ Herpetological Society! WCC is back in the field, looking for nocturnal reptiles with Cameron Baker and other keen herpers. Cameron is a PhD student studying the movement ecology of Australia's apex-predator, the estuarine crocodile. He also leads the occasional herping trip as senior member of the UQ Herp Society board. We had a great time chatting with this awesome crew of reptile-fans, and found some fantastic creatures along the way too!
We speak with Kerry Waldman in San Diego, USA, discussing wildlife and fire, particularly the massive fires in southern California and their implications for ecosystems. Kerry is a former navy engineer turned environmental management student, a biking enthusiast working towards a career with US National Parks, and generally passionate about his local parks and wildlife. We had an awesome chat about fire ecology in Australia and USA and much more while enjoying chocolate cake, an India Pale Ale (the beer of San Diego, I'm told), and a San Diego Mule cocktail. Episode 15 - Wildlife & USA Forest Fires, now up! Cheers, plenty more WCC on the way 🙂
Here we go!! Kicking off the summer holidays here in Queensland, we're searching for Leaf-Tailed Geckos with wildlife education consultant Scott Eipper from Nature4You. We're joined by Lisa Owen from UQ, as well as some lovely, festive, homemade rumballs :) This episode, we head down for a night walk through the rain forests of Mount Tambourine, located in the picturesque Scenic Rim region of south-east Queensland. While spot-lighting for the incredibly camouflaged Southern Leaf-Tailed Gecko (Saltuarius swaini), we discus the various recently discovered species of leaf-tails, their fascinating evolution and adaptations, and more. We also find some very cool species of frogs, snakes, spiders, and glow worms. What an amazing night!! You can check out Scott and his wife Tie's awesome menagerie at facebook.com/wildlifedemonstrations or wildlifedemonstartions.com.au Happy Holiday Herping!
We're back in Karawatha Forest! After some wet and wild weather, we headed out to Karawatha again, hoping the local frogs would be out and about. I'm joined by Callum McKercher, UQ frog biology student and Lisa Owen from Scales Wildlife Services for a nighttime wander and chat. We discuss frog behaviour, conservation, some new great ape discoveries, and much more. Our froggy walk also gave us a chance to try out FrogID, the fantastic new citizen-science app from the Australian Museum! This free smartphone app lets you identify your local area's frog calls by simply recording their froggy songs. Furthermore you can submit frog calls to the FrogID database, adding to the first nation wide frog count to help understand the state of our native frogs. We had an awesome time using this tool to ID some cool native species, even if we couldn't see them all To get involved in this fun, free, ground-breaking citizen science project, check out FrogID at the links below. Cheers, hope you enjoy! https://www.frogid.net.au/ https://australianmuseum.net.au/frogid-project/
WCC Episode 12 is here for your Friday wildlife science fix! We're very lucky to be joined by Nick Leseberg, Uni of Qld PhD candidate and Night Parrot researcher for Bush Heritage Australia. Nick has worked as a field ecologist on a variety of projects throughout Australia/PNG and is currently studying conservation biology of Night Parrots (Pezoporus occidentalis), the worlds most elusive bird! We discuss the fascinating life of the Night Parrot (as far as we currently know!), working with cryptic species, bioacoustics, and much more. We also sip a few Desert Bird cocktails and peck at some poppy seed cake :)What a pleasure to sit and chat with one of the few people alive who've seen, let alone heard the calls of this rare species. Cheers, and enjoy!
Another WCC Audio Podcast coming at you! We discuss Feral Cats and Native Bird Conservation with Professor John Woinarski from Charles Darwin University. Prof. Woinarski has spent over 40 years in research and management of native Australian wildlife. He's worked with birds, mammals, reptiles, and more, with much of his work centring on conservation ecology in northern Austrlia. Calling us from Melbourne, we discuss some of John's recent research on the impacts of feral cats on native birds, as well as his recent field work, while sipping on Jungle Birds and eating Finnish Tiger Cake :) More WCC on the way soon! Cheers, Janne Torkkola, Host/Co-Producer
Another episode of WCC here for your Sunday night! We had a great time with the amazing Corinne Unger, geomorphologist and mined land rehab expert. Corinne has worked in the mining industry in a wide variety of roles, from soil conservation to mine rehabilitation. She's also spent time in research and implementation of Australia's national policy for abandoned mines, and is currently working on a PhD at the University of Queensland. We discuss circular economies, mining impacts, mined land rehabilitation, and much more over some Jewel Mine cocktails and a vegan Black Forest cake. Cheers!
A collection of audio from suburban Brisbane, lorikeets calling while feeding on eucalyptus blossoms during a Spring rainstorm.
A collection of captured audio from our herping trip to Karawatha Forest near Brisbane, Australia
We're frogging in Karawatha! WCC is back with another herping podcast, this time joined by UQ PhD student Nicholas Wu and honours student Callum McKercher, both studying frog biology. After some lovely Spring storms over the weekend we head to Brisbane's Karawatha Forest to look for some local native frog species. After a few mojito and cosmo mini-cheese-cupcakes, we discuss frog ecology, conservation, the effects of Chytrid fungus, shedding physiology, metamorphosis, frogs as environmental indicators, and much more! Unfortunately the drier conditions of the day meant we struggled at first, but we still found plenty of frogs and had an amazing evening with these two frog-fans! Enjoy :)
Hi folks! Welcome to the first of what will hopefully be many Herping podcasts, another WCC Conversations audio show. I'm joined by UQ Wildlife Science student Hamish Noller (a.k.a. That Reptile Guy), and WCC producer Kristian Summers from Summers Sound Solutions for some "road-cruising". We took a night-time drive on the search for snakes and other wildlife through the long and winding forest roads of Mount Glorious, a beautiful section of the D'Aguilar Range National Park just west of Brisbane. On the way we discuss the basics of herping and looking for wildlife, and much more, as well as finding some amazing animals, including a Stephen's Banded Snake and a rare, highly venomous Death Adder! Plenty of photos and such from the journey on the way soon, for more follow us at www.facebook.com/WildlifeCakeCocktails/ Cheers, Janne
Here we go! WCC Episode 7. Koala Rescue QLD with Ray Chambers, another WCC Conversations audio podcast, now up for your enjoyment! Along with his brother Murray, Ray operates Koala Rescue QLD, a state wide 24-hour Koala rescue service based on the Sunshine Coast. A not-for-profit service, they provide rescue & transport to injured, sick or orphaned Koalas across the state. Koala Rescue QLD also spend time promoting Koala awareness and planting trees for QLD's Koalas. We had a great time discussing Koala's rescue procedures, the broad range of threats faced by Koala populations, and much more, while I struggle with a Koala Mojito (kinda gross...) and some rocky road. Check out the links below, its a great cause and free service they provide for these lovely creatures! You can donate to KRQLD directly or through their GoFundMe campaign. Additionally, you can book in a car service with WB Motors in Caloundra, with half of the fee directed to saving Koalas throughout Queensland. So, here it is, WCC Episode 7. Koala Rescue QLD with Ray Chambers. Enjoy :) www.koalarescueqld.org www.facebook.com/KRQLD/ www.gofundme.com/4eme19s
Here we go! WCC Episode 6. Venomous Snakes with Scott Eipper is now up :) Running Nature4You from southwest Brisbane, Scott is a a wildlife handler, education consultant, author of numerous articles and books on Australian fauna, and a well-known venomous snake expert. We had an amazing time discussing venomous reptiles, herping, wildlife, some interesting new snake-bite and venom research, and much more over lemon and lime cheesecake (topped with native redlime pearls!) along with Snake in the Grass cocktails. Many thanks again to our co-hosts Hamish Noller and Ahlia Karam for joining us on the new purple couch for another awesome night of science, stories, and mayhem. Cheers! :) Also, for details on our Nature4You Death Adder Mug Giveaway Competition, follow us at facebook.com/WildlifeCakeCocktails Check out Nature4You at: wildlifedemonstrations.com facebook.com/wildlifedemonstrations/ instagram.com/ youtube.com/channel/UCTE_s5ootO2xwGwoGnIY7oA
We crossover to South Africa to chat with primatologist & wildlife scientist Lisa Owen, currently on tour as a teaching assistant for a wildlife management field course with twenty UQ students. We discuss rhinoceros conservation and management in Africa and Australia, as well as some of Lisa's latest adventures including facing her arachnophobia by handling a friendly baboon spider. In conservation news we discuss the struggle faced by Bornean Orang-Utan populations and Queensland's proposed new Special Wildlife Reserves, all while I struggle with a Baileys Mocha Monkey cocktail and some cheesecake. Sweet stuff ;)
For our first WCC Conversations Podcast, ecologist Chris Jolly joins us from the Northern Territory to talk Northern quoll conservation, cane toads, Targeted Gene Flow, and more. A PhD student at the University of Melbourne's Ecology & Evolution Lab, Chris also has an interest in reptiles so, naturally, we get sidetracked by snake talk because they're cooler than mammals :) Of course, there will be a chocolate ganache cake and something called a Hop Toad involving rum, lime, and apricot brandy, which I recommend sipping SLOWLY while you listen along. Enjoy!
Reptile Vet Dr Joshua Llinas drops by to talk reptile medicine including virology, paramyxoviruses, bornaviruses, the infamous Sunshine Virus from here in South East QLD, and much more. Hamish Noller from That Reptile Guy & Asha Constance from The Might Kind will be hanging out on the couch to help us with dessert and daiquiris :)
Hamish Noller is wildlife educator, snake catcher/breeder, and wildlife science student. He runs facebook.com/ThatReptileGuy in Brisbane, Australia and is an avid conservation and herpetology fan. We discuss "herping", snake husbandry and breeding, captive breeding for conservation, wildlife education, and much more.
So we're off to a shaky start it seems, but what a blast! Had a great time with Jasmine, Lisa and Brenton. Much foolishness and we even managed to talk some science! Few technical hiccups, nonetheless here's the first half of Episode 1. until our feed cut! Let's hope Episode 2 goes a bit smoother :) New Research References: Dolrenry, S., Hazzah, L. and Frank, L. G. (2016), Conservation and monitoring of a persecuted African lion population by Maasai warriors. Conservation Biology, 30: 467–475. doi:10.1111/cobi.12703 Howard, J. G., Lynch, C., Santymire, R. M., Marinari, P. E. and Wildt, D. E. (2016), Recovery of gene diversity using long-term cryopreserved spermatozoa and artificial insemination in the endangered black-footed ferret. Anim Conserv, 19: 102–111. doi:10.1111/acv.12229