Tag: science

50: Koalas (and how we can help them)

50: Koalas (and how we can help them)

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Hello CritterCast friends and family! It’s EPISODE 50 (can you believe it?) and Cassie and Koreena are back with a full episode. This one is jam packed. We knew we wanted to do something special and since Australia has been struggling with some pretty nasty bush fires for a few weeks, it only seemed right to talk about Koalas.

But in true CritterCast fashion, we had to dive deep to find out really what the threat is to Australian wildlife and what are responsible ways we can help. See the new tab on our website with some of the organizations we feel best about donating to. This episode also features a promo from our friends at the Hidden Wings and Bloodlust Podcast!

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46: Harpy Eagles

46: Harpy Eagles

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Cassie and Koreena are back at it again with another episode, episode 46 to be exact! This week we’re taking back to the skies to find out the cold, hard facts about Harpy Eagles. You may never have seen one of these massive Amazonian birds, but we bet you’ve seen some of the characters inspired by them. If you saw one you might run away terrified, but let’s demystify them and find out just what makes those big wings flap!

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44: Goblin Sharks

44: Goblin Sharks

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It’s finally SPOOKTOBER! What better month to do an episode on Goblin Sharks? The spookiness is right there in the name! Come along with us as we dive into the deep, deep world of these fascinating swimmers. We know they’re sharks, but are they your typical sharks? Of course not! We’re celebrating Halloween in the only way we know how: learning about a cool new critter!

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43: Grasshoppers & Locusts

43: Grasshoppers & Locusts

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We’re back with a full-length episode on some incredibly fascinating (and also super confusing) critters! We’re sure most of you have seen at least one in your life, but how much do you actually know about grasshoppers? Or locusts? Or are they actually the same thing? We break down these seemingly simple questions only to find that we’re opening a can of worms relating to species breakdown and such. This episode is for the science nerd in all of you!

Featuring a promo from the Rebel Girls Book Club podcast (https://anchor.fm/RGBC). Check them out!

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Reptile Show FAQs

Reptile Show FAQs

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Hello lovelies! We just finished a super busy weekend at the Sacramento Reptile Show and instead of giving you a rushed episode, we chose to sit down and have a chat about Reptile Shows/Expos. What can you expect? If you are going to buy a new pet, what should you prepare? What are some Dos and Don’ts? We talk about it all! And stay tuned because you’ll get a full episode in normal CritterCast fashion NEXT week!

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41: Blue Tongue Skinks (Tiliqua Scincoides Intermedia)

41: Blue Tongue Skinks (Tiliqua Scincoides Intermedia)

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So we went to the San Jose Reptile Show and Cassie realized we had NEVER done an episode on Blue Tongue Skinks? How? How did we get 41 episodes into this podcast and never touch on one of our FAVORITE reptiles? This episode we remedy that and give you a quick peak into the world of the chillest, chonkiest of lizards. Though they may seem snake-like to the average onlooker, Blue Tongue Skinks are definitely lizards. Take that taxonomy!

Sources:

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40: Hagfish

40: Hagfish

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Episode 40! Can you believe it? We sure can’t! This episode we’re discussing a….fish???? Maybe, maybe not. You’ll have to listen to find out. We picked this critter thanks to a suggestion from our friends at the Fish Nerds Podcast. And boy are we so glad that they suggested it! This weird and wacky critter is right in the wheelhouse of things we like to talk about. We battle with our old nemesis taxonomy as we try to figure out if hagfish (with their lack of vertebral columns) are actually fish at all.

We also feature a promo from our friends at the STEM Fatale Podcast, so be sure to check them out if you love science and especially ladies in science!

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39: Guinea Pigs (Cavies)

39: Guinea Pigs (Cavies)

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Episode 39 is live! Sorry for the short delay in getting this episode out, but we promise it’s worth it!! This episode we’re talking about adorable little rodents known as Guinea Pigs. Their name is a complete and total misnomer, since they’re not from Guinea and they’re definitely not related to pigs at all. But they ARE absolutely adorable little superheroes, in many ways. Some of our facts are gross, some a little sad, but all of them are wacky, weird, and wonderful!

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38: Horseshoe Crabs

38: Horseshoe Crabs

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It’s Episode 38! It’s here! We made a mistake in recording and mistakenly thought we were at Episode 39 already…but this episode is actually Episode 38. Now that we’ve got THAT figured out, it’s time to talk about horseshoe crabs! You may find it fascinating to know that these strange and pre-historic critters are not actually crabs at all. To find out what they’re more closely related to, and even more interesting facts tune in to this episode!

Sources:

  • http://www.edc.uri.edu/restoration/html/gallery/invert/shoe.htm
  • https://www.stlzoo.org/visit/thingstoseeanddo/stingraysatcaribbeancove/horseshoecrabfacts
  • https://www.britannica.com/animal/horseshoe-crab
  • https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Invertebrates/Horseshoe-Crab
  • https://myfwc.com/research/saltwater/crustaceans/horseshoe-crabs/facts/
  • https://bigthink.com/surprising-science/horseshoe-crab-blue-blood
  • https://marinebio.org/species/horseshoe-crabs/limulus-polyphemus/
  • https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red_Knot/lifehistory
  • https://www.fws.gov/news/blog/index.cfm/2016/11/30/Modeling-a-Future-for-Horseshoe-Crabs-and-Red-Knots

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37: Meerkats

37: Meerkats

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In this episode of CritterCast, we’re dishing the scoop on the cutest and most murderous (?!?!) of small mammals…the meerkat! Though these furry friends are not part of the feline family, they’re as cute as kittens. Of course we discuss the ever-popular Animal Planet TV Show “Meerkat Manor” as well as all the facts (fun or otherwise) that make meerkats so freaking cool. Excuse our technical difficulties as we figure out how to conduct phone interviews in order to be able to record when we’re not in the same place as someone else. We think it went pretty well!

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