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The Zoology Ramblings Podcast

The Zoology Ramblings Podcast

By: Robi Watkinson and Emma Hodson
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Welcome to the Zoology Ramblings podcast! Join conservation biologists and wildlife filmmakers Robi Watkinson and Emma Hodson as they ramble away about zoology, the pressing conservation issues of our times, the global climate and biodiversity crises, wildlife taxonomy, and everything in between! Robi and Emma met during their undergraduate studies and the Zoology Ramblings podcast grew from their infectious love for the wild world! The podcast was one of the recipients of the “Spotify Next Wave Initiative, 2021”, and they also co-founded The Biome Project, an educational filmmaking platform.Robi Watkinson and Emma Hodson Biological Sciences Science
Episodes
  • Episode 42: Sponge of death, wild Moo Deng, fragile wolf genomes, David Attenborough turns 100, tamarin trafficking & rediscovered marsupials
    Jun 19 2026

    Welcome to the forty-second episode of the Zoology Ramblings Podcast!

    In this episode, Emma and Robi return with busy updates, including Robi's recent fieldwork adventures in Africa and Emma's bittersweet time at work wrapping up a year-long programme with the Wildlife Champions she supports. For their species of the week, Emma goes rogue and Robi goes cute. Emma talks about the death ball sponge and Robi talks about his adventures looking for pygmy hippos in West Africa. For their local conservation stories, Robi delves into the genomic fragility of Europe's Grey Wolves and Emma pays tribute to Sir David Attenborough, who recently celebrated his 100th birthday. To end, Emma talks about the rise in trafficking of the golden lion tamarin and Robi shares some exciting news about the discovery of two species of marsupial thought to only exist in the fossil record.

    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 Project Officer 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: @zoologyramblingspodcast & @robi_watkinson_wildlife & @emma_hodson_wildlife

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    1 hr and 11 mins
  • Episode 41: Snot otters, giraffe weevils, guga hunt, toad patrols, forest elephant dung research, & Nepal pangolin conservation
    Mar 23 2026

    Welcome to the forty-first episode of the Zoology Ramblings Podcast!

    In this episode, Emma and Robi start by welcoming the newest Patreon members and sharing some exciting news about Robi's new research paper and Zoology Ramblings merch on Teemill. For their species of the week, Robi talks about the brilliantly named snot otter and Emma discusses the small but mighty giraffe weevil. For their local conservation stories, Robi sheds light on a little known hunting practice in the UK called the guga hunt and Emma talks about the importance of toad patrols in helping toads reach their breeding ponds. For their global conservation stories, Robi shares some good news for forest elephants, with DNA from dung helping improve the accuracy of recording this species across its range. To end, Emma spotlights the amazing work of 'pangolin lady', Dr. Tulshi Laxmi Suwal, who has been pioneering pangolin research in Nepal over the last 15 years.

    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 Project Officer 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 watch "Rewilding A Nation" for free on WaterBear by following this link: https://www.waterbear.com/watch/rewilding-a-nation . You can follow more of our weird and wonderful wildlife adventures on instagram: @zoologyramblingspodcast & @robi_watkinson_wildlife & @emma_hodson_wildlife

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    1 hr and 18 mins
  • Episode 40 (REWILDING DEEP DIVE): Merch launch, mummified cheetahs, Chinese mitten crabs, death by sex, elk reintroduction
    Feb 15 2026

    Welcome to the fortieth episode of the Zoology Ramblings Podcast!

    In this episode, Emma and Robi share some exciting news about the launch of their new merch range on Teemill, featuring beaver t-shirts, bison hoodies, stork tote bags, lynx jumpers and more. These have been designed by the awesome artist Nature Squiggles. You can browse our awesome nature merch here:

    https://zoology-ramblings.teemill.com/

    Emma and Robi then delve into their strange species of the week, with Emma talking about the highly invasive Chinese mitten crab and Robi discussing the Antechinuses which display suicidal mating behaviours (aka death by sex). Emma and Robi then delve into a 'Rewilding Deep Dive', exploring the proposed reintroduction of elk to the UK.

    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 Project Officer 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 watch "Rewilding A Nation" for free on WaterBear by following this link: https://www.waterbear.com/watch/rewilding-a-nation . You can follow more of our weird and wonderful wildlife adventures on instagram: @zoologyramblingspodcast & @robi_watkinson_wildlife & @emma_hodson_wildlife

    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 7 mins
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