Episode 23: nature is queer, Iberian lynx, whistling dogs, big cats in the UK and the Festival of Nature

Welcome to the twenty-third episode of The Zoology Ramblings Podcast! This week, for the news section, the dynamic duo got together to speak at a Pride Community Campfire that Emma hosted for the Avon Wildlife Trust, followed by a wonderful conversation about the innate queerness of nature featuring lesbian bonobos and elephant orgies … as you do! For the species of the week, Robi pitches the majestic Iberian lynx and Emma puts forward the unusual whistling dogs of Asia, the dholes. For their UK conservation section, Robi and Emma delve into the recent story of “Panthera” genus DNA found wild in the UK, and whether this evidence is enough to prove that big cats are living wild in Britain. For the global conservation section, the pair talk about the Festival of Nature that celebrates action being taken for biodiversity. 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_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!