Episode 9 (PART 1): hot pink slugs, alien-like antelopes and the illegal ivory trade

Welcome to the ninth episode (part 1) of The Zoology Ramblings Podcast! This episode has been split into two parts because of it’s length. In part 1, we touch on the species of the week, including neon-pink slugs which live atop a mountain in Australia, as well as the hirola, an alien-looking antelope on the brink of extinction. The team also talk about the first of their global conservation topics - the illegal trade in elephant ivory, and how it has become a conservation crisis for the persistence of wild elephant populations.  ⁠https://elephantsandbees.com⁠ 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!