Episode 18: bottlenose dolphins and black storks, Truss going backwards, cheetahs returning to India, the Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre and the lions of the Gir Forest

Welcome to the eighteenth episode of The Zoology Ramblings Podcast!This episode is recorded “in the field”, from Emma’s field site in New Quay, Wales! In the news section, we chat about the UK government’s miserable record on environmental laws and the biodiversity crises. For the species of the week, Emma talks about her current study species, the bottlenose dolphins, and Robi chats about the black storks he recently saw on a recent trip to northern Greece. For our conservation section, the dynamic duo discuss the Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre (where Emma works), and two topics from India, the reintroduction of the cheetah to Kuno National Park and the Asiatic lions of the Gir Forest in Gujarat. 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 a 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_wildlifeTo 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!