All Creatures Podcast

Chris draws on his PhD-era experience at Texas A&M—including meeting Dewey, the world’s first cloned deer—to unpack de-extinction and why cloning is far harder and less efficient than headlines suggest.

He revisits Dolly’s breakthrough, explains somatic cell nuclear transfer, and highlights low success rates and frequent abnormalities. Chris explores the only true de-extinction attempt, the Pyrenean ibex, which survived only minutes, and explains why mammoths and “dire wolves” cannot be truly cloned due to fragmented DNA, with current efforts relying instead on genetic engineering.

Chris also outlines major challenges around elephant egg sourcing, embryo transfer, and gestation, questions claims that mammoths could meaningfully impact climate change, and argues conservation resources are better directed toward protecting existing species, while acknowledging potential scientific benefits from the research.

Timeline

00:00 Podcast Intro and De-Extinction
00:38 Meeting Dewey the Clone
03:31 Cloning Hype vs Reality
05:06 Elephant Repro Research Shift
07:02 Dolly and Cell Reset
10:22 How Cloning Works
15:46 Lab Data on Efficiency
20:50 De-Extinction Case Study Ibex
22:32 Why Mammoths Aren't Clones
26:40 Elephant Surrogates and Obstacles
30:36 Elephant Egg Retrieval
31:43 Lab Grown Gametes
32:33 Embryo Transfer Challenges
33:01 Welfare and Ethics
34:26 Climate Claims Debunked
36:28 Funding Priorities Debate
38:50 Real Conservation Wins
40:07 False Tech Fix Narrative
42:58 Forest Elephants Solution
47:01 Moonshot Case for Science
49:57 What De Extinction Delivers
52:02 Choose Protection Today

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Another thank you to all our Patreon supporters. You too can join for one cup of "good" coffee a month. With your pledge you can support your favorite podcast on Patreon and give back to conservation. With the funds we receive each month, we are have been sending money to conservation organizations monthly. We now send a check to every organization we cover, as we feel they all are deserving of our support. Thank you so much for your support and for supporting animal conservation. 

Please considering supporting us at Patreon HERE.

We also want to thank you to all our listeners. We are giving back to every conservation organization we cover and you make that possible. We are committed to donating large portions of our revenue (at minimum 25%) to every organization we cover each week. Thank you for helping us to grow, and for helping to conserve our wildlife.

Please contact us at [email protected]

if you would like to advertise on our podcast

You can also visit our website HERE. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris and Angie venture into the darkest depths of the ocean to meet one of the most bizarre and misunderstood creatures on Earth—the anglerfish.

In this episode, we explore how these deep-sea predators survive in a world without light, using bioluminescent lures to hunt in the abyss. But it’s their reproduction that truly defies belief, featuring one of the most extreme mating strategies in the animal kingdom. We also unpack what anglerfish reveal about life in extreme environments and why the deep ocean, still largely unexplored, matters more than ever.

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Another thank you to all our Patreon supporters. You too can join for one cup of "good" coffee a month. With your pledge you can support your favorite podcast on Patreon and give back to conservation. With the funds we receive each month, we are have been sending money to conservation organizations monthly. We now send a check to every organization we cover, as we feel they all are deserving of our support. Thank you so much for your support and for supporting animal conservation. 

Please considering supporting us at Patreon HERE.

We also want to thank you to all our listeners. We are giving back to every conservation organization we cover and you make that possible. We are committed to donating large portions of our revenue (at minimum 25%) to every organization we cover each week. Thank you for helping us to grow, and for helping to conserve our wildlife.

Please contact us at [email protected]

if you would like to advertise on our podcast

You can also visit our website HERE. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris welcomes Dr. Sammy Ramsey (“Dr. Bugs”), entomologist at the University of Colorado Boulder, to discuss Secrets of the Bees (National Geographic, Disney+/Hulu).

They explore surprising bee intelligence—from navigation using the sun to puzzle-solving, teaching, and even play—alongside fascinating behaviours like the waggle dance and swarm decision-making. Ramsey debunks common myths about honeybees and explains why they’re less aggressive than wasps. The episode also tackles colony collapse, ongoing hive losses, and the impact of varroa mites. He shares simple, practical ways people can help protect pollinators at home.

Tune in on Nat Gro March 31, 2026

Disney+/HULU April 1, 2026

Dr. Ramey's website and socials can be found HERE

Timeline

00:00 Welcome and Introductions
01:12 Why Bees Amaze Us
01:46 Tiny Brains Big Intelligence
02:52 Secrets of the Bees Visuals
04:03 Bees vs Wasps Misconceptions
07:24 Colony Collapse Explained
09:58 Annual Losses and Data Confusion
14:09 Bumblebee Lab Play and Puzzles
18:42 Insect Culture and Conservation
20:25 Inspiring Future Scientists
21:46 Why Bees Deserve Spotlight
22:01 Secrets Series Perspective Shift
23:39 Waggle Dance Explained
25:21 Honeybee Democracy Swarms
28:04 Varroa Mites Threat
31:41 Fighting Mites With Genetics
32:24 Help Pollinators At Home
35:51 Hope And Final Plug
37:19 Where To Follow Dr Sammy

===========================================================

Another thank you to all our Patreon supporters. You too can join for one cup of "good" coffee a month. With your pledge you can support your favorite podcast on Patreon and give back to conservation. With the funds we receive each month, we are have been sending money to conservation organizations monthly. We now send a check to every organization we cover, as we feel they all are deserving of our support. Thank you so much for your support and for supporting animal conservation. 

Please considering supporting us at Patreon HERE.

We also want to thank you to all our listeners. We are giving back to every conservation organization we cover and you make that possible. We are committed to donating large portions of our revenue (at minimum 25%) to every organization we cover each week. Thank you for helping us to grow, and for helping to conserve our wildlife.

Please contact us at [email protected]

if you would like to advertise on our podcast

You can also visit our website HERE. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bringing back an older episode, but a classic! This week, great news as Monarch Butterfly winter populations have regained 60% of their population numbers vs previous years! Once again, conservation is proving to work and thus, we are releasing this older episode.

Chris and Angie delve into their life cycle, migration patterns and unique 'super generation'. They also discuss the butterflies' ecological importance and the role they play in pollination and ecosystems.

The hosts share their experiences of visiting a university's natural history museum and butterfly breeding program. With a focus on the alarming decline in the Monarch butterfly population, threats like climate change, pesticide use and habitat loss are highlighted.

They also bring attention to active conservation organizations like Monarch Watch and the ESS Society, and promote involvement in citizen-science projects. They encourage listeners to contribute to butterfly conservation by planting pollinator gardens, with a forthcoming resource on suitable plants for different U.S regions.

Podcast Timeline

00:50 Introduction and Welcome

00:59 Exploring the World of Insects

01:40The Significance of Monarch Butterflies

02:20 The Research and Preparation Process

02:37 The Passion for Learning about Creatures

03:06 The Fascinating Journey of Monarch Butterflies

04:28 The Importance of Insect Conservation

04:05 The Incredible Migration of Monarch Butterflies

04:42 The Monarch Butterfly in New Zealand

05:39 The Beauty and Importance of Monarch Butterflies

06:43 The Life Cycle of Monarch Butterflies

10:19 The Impact of Climate Change on Monarch Butterflies

15:27 The Role of Citizen Scientists in Monarch Conservation

32:13 The Evolution and Migration of Monarch Butterflies

42:24 The Mystery of Monarch Migration

43:10 Theories on Monarch Migration

44:26 Adaptation and Migration Patterns

44:48 Monarch Butterflies in New Zealand

45:20 The Fascinating Multi-Generational Relay Race

46:07 The Incredible Journey of Monarch Butterflies

53:32 The Monarch Butterfly Life Cycle

54:56 The Super Generation of Monarch Butterflies

57:02 The Intriguing Physiology of Monarch Butterflies

01:03:13 The Importance of Conservation Efforts

01:23:48 The Role of Citizen Science in Monarch Conservation

01:26:00 The Impact of Planting Pollinator Gardens

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Another thank you to all our Patreon supporters. You too can join for one cup of "good" coffee a month. With your pledge you can support your favorite podcast on Patreon and give back to conservation. With the funds we receive each month, we are have been sending money to conservation organizations monthly. We now send a check to every organization we cover, as we feel they all are deserving of our support. Thank you so much for your support and for supporting animal conservation. 

Please considering supporting us at Patreon ⁠HERE⁠.

We also want to thank you to all our listeners. We are giving back to every conservation organization we cover and you make that possible. We are committed to donating large portions of our revenue (at minimum 25%) to every organization we cover each week. Thank you for helping us to grow, and for helping to conserve our wildlife.

Please contact us at ⁠[email protected]⁠

if you would like to advertise on our podcast

You can also visit our website ⁠HERE.⁠ 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This was our 50th episode we did back in 2018. How far we have come over the years.

Sea dragons are among the most extraordinary fish on Earth, found only in the temperate coastal waters of southern Australia. Close relatives of seahorses, species like the leafy, weedy, and ruby sea dragon drift through kelp forests and seagrass meadows disguised as floating seaweed. Their intricate, leaf-like appendages aren’t used for swimming but for camouflage, allowing them to vanish into their surroundings. And like seahorses, it’s the males who carry the eggs, brooding them externally until they hatch.

Although they look mythical, sea dragons are very real — and increasingly vulnerable. They rely on healthy kelp forests and stable coastal ecosystems, which are under pressure from warming oceans, marine heatwaves, pollution, and habitat degradation. Because they are poor swimmers and highly specialized to their environments, they cannot easily relocate when conditions change. Protecting sea dragons means protecting entire underwater ecosystems that support rich marine biodiversity.

===========================================================

Another thank you to all our Patreon supporters. You too can join for one cup of "good" coffee a month. With your pledge you can support your favorite podcast on Patreon and give back to conservation. With the funds we receive each month, we are have been sending money to conservation organizations monthly. We now send a check to every organization we cover, as we feel they all are deserving of our support. Thank you so much for your support and for supporting animal conservation. 

Please considering supporting us at Patreon HERE.

We also want to thank you to all our listeners. We are giving back to every conservation organization we cover and you make that possible. We are committed to donating large portions of our revenue (at minimum 25%) to every organization we cover each week. Thank you for helping us to grow, and for helping to conserve our wildlife.

Please contact us at [email protected]

if you would like to advertise on our podcast

You can also visit our website HERE. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices