Episode 26 (REWILDING DEEP DIVE): Aotearoan wildlife & pine marten reintroductions

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 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!