Episode 9.7: Understanding African ecosystems through antelopes and elephants

Question: What is your favorite African animal? Meet Ryan Long (go.uidaho.edu/4l9hrvI), an associate professor of wildlife sciences in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences (go.uidaho.edu/44dwZIK) at University of Idaho. In Disney’s “The Lion King,” all the regional animals show up to honor Simba’s birth. Now that’s obviously fictitious, but lots of large animals do live alongside each other in Africa. Long is working to understand how that works and how those animals interact with humans. Visit our website go.uidaho.edu/thevandaltheory​. Email us at [email protected]. Learn about Idaho’s premier research university, University of Idaho, at uidaho.edu. Time stamps (0:00) Introduction (1:01) What is your favorite African animal? (1:52) Meet Ryan Long (2:53) Why large mammals? (3:41) Why Africa? (4:24) Gorongosa National Park history (6:24) Spiral-horned antelope (14:55) Tuskless elephants (20:55) Crop-raiding elephants (26:51) Curiosity and observation Music “Young Republicans” by Steve Combs (go.uidaho.edu/3U3MNHs) via freemusicarchive.org, not modified (go.uidaho.edu/3Q6LeY5). “Find The Good” by Zach Sundwall (go.uidaho.edu/4jcr1fw) via Amphibious Zoo Music.