The Zoology Ramblings Podcast

By: Robi Watkinson and Emma Hodson
  • Summary

  • 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 Initiative, 2021”, and they also co-founded The Biome Project, an educational filmmaking platform.
    Robi Watkinson and Emma Hodson
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Episodes
  • Episode 28: Sloth bears, Spade-Toothed Whales, Nepal Tiger Conservation, African Leadership in Conservation & South African Sea Birds
    Dec 27 2024

    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 into the importance of African leadership in the conservation sector, highlighting the need for African solutions to African problems, led by Africans. Robi ends by spotlighting some of South Africa's marine life, including the amazing diversity of sea birds he saw on a recent boat trip with friends.

    Robi Watkinson is a Conservation Biologist and wildlife filmmaker specialising in the spatial and movement ecology of large carnivores, camera trapping survey methods, rewilding, metapopulation dynamics and conservation planning. He has an MSc in Conservation Biology from the FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, and the Institute of Communities and Wildlife in Africa, University of Cape Town. He is based between Cape Town and London, and has strong interests in equitable and inclusive conservation, palaeontology and wildlife taxonomy and evolution!

    Emma Hodson is Zoologist and wildlife content creator, currently working in the community and engagement team at Avon Wildlife Trust. Emma’s role as a Wildlife Champions Coordinator involves supporting and upskilling people to take action for nature in their local communities. Emma has experience in remote wildlife fieldwork, and has been part of Arctic fox, macaw and cetacean research teams in Iceland, Peru and Wales respectively. She has also been involved in animal care and rehabilitation work in Costa Rica and South Africa. Emma is particularly passionate about the interface between community engagement and wildlife monitoring, and enjoys running workshops and giving talks on topics including camera trapping, beaver ecology and rewilding.

    You can follow more of our weird and wonderful wildlife adventures on instagram: @thezoologyramblingspodcast & @robi_watkinson_wildlife & @emma_hodson_wildlife

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    1 hr and 12 mins
  • Episode 27: Unfinished boar business, graveyard badgers, orca taxonomy, pickle slugs, the beauty in local, restore nature now, golden jackals and clam cancer
    Dec 15 2024

    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 importance of his local patch and Emma shares some audio clips from the Restore Nature Now march. Robi then delves into the spread of golden jackals in Europe and Emma ends by talking about cancers in animals, including clams!

    Robi Watkinson is a Conservation Biologist and wildlife filmmaker specialising in the spatial and movement ecology of large carnivores, camera trapping survey methods, rewilding, metapopulation dynamics and conservation planning. He has an MSc in Conservation Biology from the FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, and the Institute of Communities and Wildlife in Africa, University of Cape Town. He is based between Cape Town and London, and has strong interests in equitable and inclusive conservation, palaeontology and wildlife taxonomy and evolution!

    Emma Hodson is Zoologist and wildlife content creator, currently working in the community and engagement team at Avon Wildlife Trust. Emma’s role as a Wildlife Champions Coordinator involves supporting and upskilling people to take action for nature in their local communities. Emma has experience in remote wildlife fieldwork, and has been part of Arctic fox, macaw and cetacean research teams in Iceland, Peru and Wales respectively. She has also been involved in animal care and rehabilitation work in Costa Rica and South Africa. Emma is particularly passionate about the interface between community engagement and wildlife monitoring, and enjoys running workshops and giving talks on topics including camera trapping, beaver ecology and rewilding.

    You can follow more of our weird and wonderful wildlife adventures on instagram: @thezoologyramblingspodcast & @robi_watkinson_wildlife & @emma_hodson_wildlife

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    1 hr and 22 mins
  • Episode 26 (REWILDING DEEP DIVE): Aotearoan wildlife & pine marten reintroductions
    Aug 26 2024

    Welcome to the twenty-sixth episode of The Zoology Ramblings Podcast!

    This is a Rewilding Deep Dive episode, so we begin with some conservation news, followed by our species of the week, and then the Rewilding Deep Dive! For the species of the week, both hosts picked Aotearoan species, including the weird and wonderful kakapo parrot and the tuatara. Emma and Robi then get into the knitty details of pine marten reintroductions to the UK, sharing positive news of how pine martens are spreading across Britain, the importance of wildlife corridors and how pine martens could help native red squirrels.


    Robi Watkinson is a Conservation Biologist and wildlife filmmaker specialising in the spatial and movement ecology of large carnivores, camera trapping survey methods, rewilding, metapopulation dynamics and conservation planning. He has an MSc in Conservation Biology from the FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, and the Institute of Communities and Wildlife in Africa, University of Cape Town. He is based between Cape Town and London, and has strong interests in equitable and inclusive conservation, palaeontology and wildlife taxonomy and evolution!


    Emma Hodson is Zoologist and wildlife content creator, currently working in the community and engagement team at Avon Wildlife Trust. Emma’s role as a Wildlife Champions Coordinator involves supporting and upskilling people to take action for nature in their local communities. Emma has experience in remote wildlife fieldwork, and has been part of Arctic fox, macaw and cetacean research teams in Iceland, Peru and Wales respectively. She has also been involved in animal care and rehabilitation work in Costa Rica and South Africa. Emma is particularly passionate about the interface between community engagement and wildlife monitoring, and enjoys running workshops and giving talks on topics including camera trapping, beaver ecology and rewilding.


    You can follow more of our weird and wonderful wildlife adventures on instagram: @thezoologyramblingspodcast & @robi_watkinson_wildlife & @emma_hodson_wildlife

    To get exclusive access to podcast notes, background research and references, consider supporting our Patreon (link to come), where you can get all sorts of extra goodies and Zoology Ramblings merch!


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    1 hr

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