Our Wild World

In this episode, we will learn all about the three species of zebras – the Plains, Mountain, and Grevy’s zebras.  We will explore the physical and behavioral similarities between the species.  Their social organization, habitats, ranges, diets, and their threats to survival will all be discussed.  Finally, no discussion of zebras can be complete without addressing the various theories as to the function of those incredible stripes which make the zebra so endearing. 

Cheetahs have long captured our the imagination of humans, and were frequently depicted in the artwork of the ancient Egyptians and San Bushmen of the Kalahari.  As the fastest mammal on earth, cheetahs have an athletic body – long legs, a small, round head, slim torso, flexible spine, and semi-retractable claws.  They can run breathtakingly fast – up to 70 mph (113 kph) – a speed they can reach astonishingly fast, in just three seconds. Cheetahs are more successful at killing prey than any of the other African cats.  They are second only to wild dogs as the most successful predators. Cheetahs are successful at killing...

In this podcast, we will learn about African buffalo, a formidable animal with a well-deserved reputation for being grumpy and unpredictable. The nicknames given to African buffalo reflect their formidable strength, short-temper, and unpredictability: Black Death, Widow Maker, and the Mafia of the Bush.  Some Pygmy groups in Cameroon avoid buffalo because of a commonly held belief that it is inhabited by powerful evil spirits.  We will introduce the different species of buffalo, their social organization, behavior, range, physical attributes, and their current status in the wild.  

Leopards have the widest range of any of the great cats and can be found in any landscape from sea level to 17,000 feet.  Their range includes all of sub-Saharan Africa and west of the Kalahari Desert as well as the Middle East and Asia.  Yet, many a safari goer can attest that they are exceedingly hard to find on safari.  This is because they are very shy, solitary, and do most of their hunting at night.  Because they do not have a pack to depend on, leopards have to guard their kills against both lions and hyenas.  Leopards are exper...

In this episode, Part 3 of the Gorillas in Our Midst miniseries, you’ll hear about the amazing treks my wife and I made to see the mountain gorillas that Dian Fossey studied at Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, and the mountain gorillas of Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.  Of course, along the way, we will also learn more about the behavior of mountain gorillas.  If you haven't listened to the first two episodes, I encourage you to do so.  Part 1 detailed my 1991 trip to see lowland gorillas at Kahuzi-Biega National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as...

This special three part miniseries from Our Wild World explores both lowland and mountain gorillas can be listened to in any order.  Part 2 begins with the life and legacy of the American primatologist Dian Fossey – no one loved gorillas more.  By the time Dian Fossey began her study of mountain gorillas in 1966, the species was well on the way to extinction due to poaching and habitat loss.  Dian Fossey’s groundbreaking research of mountain gorillas and her battles to save them will be featured.  Fossey’s active conservationism gained her much acclaim as well as some fierce enemies.   Fossey was murdered...

In this special three part miniseries from Our Wild World, we will explore the behavior of both lowland and mountain gorillas.  For many of us of a certain age, the first gorilla we ever became aware of was King Kong, scaling the Empire State Building and batting airplanes and helicopters like they were no more than bothersome flies.  The film reflects the prevailing misconception of gorillas that dated back to their discovery in the mid-19th century as being fierce, even monstrous creatures.  Almost as soon as they were discovered, European and American trophy hunters began hunting them.  By the...

In this special three part Elephants Among Us series of Our Wild World, we will explore the savannah elephants of Africa.  If you’ve missed the first two episodes, I recommend you go back to listen to them before starting this third episode. In Part 3 of Elephants Among Us, we will further explore elephant adolescence and the importance of play.  I'll share an amazing farewell that an elephant family gave Chris and I at Masai Mara National Park.  Then, I'll recommend the best parks in Africa to see elephants, some excellent books and films on elephants, the threats to eleph...

In this special three part Elephants Among Us series of Our Wild World, we will explore the savannah elephants of Africa.  In Part Two we will dig deeper into elephant communication, including the recent exciting discovery that elephants use unique names to identify each other, and its implications.  I'll share the amazing account of a lone female elephant in South Africa apparently using infrasound to communicate with a blue whale just off the coast.  Then, I'll also recount how Chris and I saw a large bull elephant bully a family at Amboseli National Park, and how they used infrasound to...

In the first of a three part Elephants Among Us series of Our Wild World, we will explore the savannah elephants of Africa.  Elephants are highly intelligent, emotional and social beings and you’ll learn all about their strong family bonds, their social behavior, the different roles of males and females, their unique anatomy, and the truly amazing discoveries being made on how elephants communicate.  Elephants are the gardeners and architects of Africa spreading seeds and creating habitat wherever they go.  Yet they could disappear within our lifetime due to poaching, habitat loss, and climate change without our help. You’l...