ZSL Wild Science Podcast Zoological Society of London

The world is facing a crisis of species extinction, however targeted efforts in conservation biology can provide a glimmer of hope. A new study led by ZSL, published recently in Science, is the first to assess animals and plants categorised as ‘Extinct in the Wild’ by the IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species – until now, a surprisingly overlooked group. In this episode, our host Ellie Darbey, with the help of four fantastic guests, discovers the incredible potential for conservation zoos, aquariums, botanical gardens and seedbanks across the world to save these species from the brink of extinction. What are the problems associated with tiny populations? How is ZSL involved in Extinct in the Wild projects? And why won’t anyone just choose their favourite species?!
 
Overview
03:36 - Ellie Darbey introduces the first guest, Dr Donal Smith (Postdoctoral Research Associate) to discuss the new publication and small population biology
18:50 - Ellie is joined by Dr John Ewen (Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Zoology, ZSL) to talk about ZSL’s Extinct in the Wild initiative and conservation decision making
28:25 - Species Spotlight: Partula snails!
29:40 - Ellie welcomes Alex Cliffe (Ectotherms Team Leader, ZSL Whipsnade Zoo), to discuss breeding programmes in zoos, and ZSL’s work with the Mexican pupfish
39:45 - Ellie is joined by the final guest, Melanie Mesa Blas (Guam Department of Education and recipient of 2022 National Geographic Explorer Grant with ZSL) to find out about the future of the Sihek, or Guam kingfisher and considerations for releasing back into the wild
49:28 - The guests give their thoughts on the most important thing needed now to save these species on the brink of extinction
 
Resources
If there’s a topic you’d like to hear on a future podcast, or if you’d like to share your thoughts on the one thing these Extinct in the Wild species need to survive, email the ZSL Wild Science Podcast at: wild.science@zsl.org Check out our science and conservation work at: www.zsl.org/Science or www.zsl.org/conservation Previous Episode mentioned #010 on the IUCN Red List: https://www.zsl.org/zsl-wild-science-podcast IUCN Red List: https://www.iucnredlist.org/ The new publication ‘Extinct in the wild: The precarious state of Earth’s most threatened group of species’: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.add2889 and blog: https://www.zsl.org/news-and-events/news/conservation-zoos-have-powerful-potential-reverse-extinction ZSL’s conservation work with partula snails: https://www.zsl.org/what-we-do/projects/partula-snail-conservation ZSL’s Sihek or Guam Kingfisher conservation project: https://www.zsl.org/what-we-do/projects/sihek-conservation Previous ZSL Science and Conservation Event: https://www.zsl.org/news-and-events/events/return-wild-how-can-we-recover-extinct-wild-species  
Get in touch
Email wild.science@zsl.org with your questions, comments, and thoughts for future episodes! Tweet us @ZSLScience with the hashtag #ZSLWildScience Follow us on Facebook @ZSLScienceAndConservation

It’s no secret that cities are generally perceived as spaces of little conservation relevance, yet local urban wildlife underpins a range of ecosystem services. In a time where rapid changes in the climate are causing more extreme natural events, wildlife is disappearing and we are becoming more and more disconnected from nature through urbanisation, could the recovery of urban ecosystems be a potential solution for a more resilient planet? In this episode, our host Ellie Darbey will discover how we can recover nature in our cities, with ZSL’s experts in rewilding, reconnecting habitats and river restoration. Does the answer lie in empowering local communities? Or is it in the plight of the hedgehog? And why must we enact the mysterious Schedule Three?  
Guests
Professor Nathalie Pettorelli, Institute of Zoology, ZSL Dr Chris Carbone, Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Zoology, ZSL Joe Pecorelli, Conservation Project Manager, Marine and Freshwater, Conservation & Policy, ZSL Overview
03:31 – Ellie Darbey introduces the first guest, Professor Nathalie Pettorelli to discuss how to rewild in urban environments 16:39 – Ellie is joined by Dr Chris Carbone to talk about the London Hogwatch Project, and their community engagement 26:59 – Species Spotlight: The European hedgehog! 28:12 – Ellie welcomes the final guest Joe Pecorelli to discuss river restoration in London, and the power of the waterways 37:19 – The guests give their answer for the one thing they’d like to change in policy or legislation to help recover urban nature. Resources
If there’s a topic you’d like to hear on a future podcast, or if you’d like to share your thoughts on the one change you’d like to see in policy or legislation to help recover nature in cities, email the ZSL Wild Science Podcast at: wild.science@zsl.org  Check out our science and conservation work at: zsl.org/Science or www.zsl.org/conservation Living Planet Report: https://www.zsl.org/global-biodiversity-monitoring/indicators-and-assessments-unit/living-planet-index/living-planet Previous Episode mentioned #035 on Nature-based solutions: https://www.zsl.org/zsl-wild-science-podcast Rewilding your cities ZSL report: https://www.zsl.org/science/news/rewilding-our-cities-could-reduce-impacts-of-extreme-weather-says-new-report Rewild my street: https://www.rewildmystreet.org/ London Hogwatch: https://www.zsl.org/conservation/species/mammals/london-hogwatch Pine Marten sighting: https://www.zsl.org/conservation/news/nationally-critically-endangered-pine-marten-spotted-in-london London’s Rivers: https://www.zsl.org/conservation/regions/uk-europe/londons-rivers State of the Thames Report: https://www.zsl.org/natureatheart/the-state-of-the-thames-2021 Volunteer for London’s Rivers: https://www.zsl.org/conservation/regions/uk-europe/volunteer-for-londons-rivers Flood and Water Management act: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/29/contents Get in touch
Email wild.science@zsl.org with your questions, comments, and thoughts for future episodes! Tweet us @ZSLScience with the hashtag #ZSLWildScience Follow us on Facebook @ZSLScienceAndConservation

Pathology is the science of diagnosing diseases by observing physical changes in animal cells and tissues, either in living, or more commonly dead animals. In this episode, our host Ellie Darbey will explore the unseen…or rather, unheard world of wildlife pathology with the help of ZSL’s experienced pathologists, veterinarians, and scientists. Through post mortems on black widow spiders, to giant stranded humpback whales, these four pathology professionals will show the value of this diagnostic work to the conservation and welfare of animals in zoos and in the wild. What are the practicalities of examining large animals like elephants and rhinos? How can pathology be used to solve wildlife crimes? And what do pathology and The Supreme Court have in common?
Guests
Dr Simon Spiro, Wildlife Health Services, Zoological Society of London Dr Becki Lawson, Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London Rob Deaville, Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London Dr Tammy Shadbolt, Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London Overview
01:22 – Ellie Darbey introduces the first guest, Dr Simon Spiro, to discuss what it’s like to be a veterinarian pathologist, and how pathology can be used for animal welfare and conservation
14:06 – Ellie is joined by Dr Becki Lawson to explore the Garden Wildlife Health Project and the detective work used to discover a snake fungal pathogen in Europe.
27:15 – Rob Deaville joins to explain what happened to “Hessy” the humpback whale, and how the Cetacean Strandings programme works.
40:10 – Ellie welcomes the final guest Dr Tammy Shadbolt to discuss the Disease Risk Analysis and Health Surveillance Project and how pathology can help solve wildlife crimes.
49:44 – The speakers give their advice for pursuing a career involving wildlife pathology from their varied backgrounds and perspectives.
Resources
Previous ZSL Event “Revealing the unseen: the amazing world of wildlife pathology”: https://www.zsl.org/science/whats-on/revealing-the-unseen-the-amazing-world-of-wildlife-pathology Blog: Grass in the Snake - Zoo Pathology in Practice: https://www.zsl.org/blogs/science/grass-in-the-snake-zoo-pathology-in-practice Royal College of Pathologists: Careers in Pathology: https://www.rcpath.org/discover-pathology/careers-in-pathology.html Royal College of Pathologists: Become a Veterinary Pathologist: https://www.rcpath.org/discover-pathology/careers-in-pathology/become-a-veterinary-pathologist.html Garden Wildlife Health Project: gardenwildlifehealth.org UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme (CSIP): https://www.zsl.org/science/research/uk-cetacean-strandings-investigation-programme-csip “Hessy” the humpback whale in the media: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/09/humpback-whale-found-dead-thames-hit-by-ship Collaborative UK Marine Mammals Strandings Project: summary of contaminant data for the period 1993-2001: https://www.cefas.co.uk/publications/techrep/tech131.pdf Disease Risk Analysis and Health Surveillance (DRAHS) Project: https://www.zsl.org/science/wildlife-health/disease-risk-analysis-and-health-surveillance Hazel dormouse 1000th reintroduction: https://www.zsl.org/blogs/science/dormouse-reintroductions--a-landmark-day Study and Research Opportunities at ZSL: https://www.zsl.org/science/postgraduate-study

The anthropogenically driven climate crisis and unprecedented rates of biodiversity loss are both threatening the foundations of economies, livelihoods, food security, health and quality of life worldwide. Treating these two crises separately can be ineffectual or even deepen the problem. A recent landmark study calls for a more integrated approach to tackling the climate and biodiversity crises. Ellie Darbey will be joined by lead author of the article, Dr Nathalie Pettorelli, along with three co-authors, to share their expertise on these issues and help untangle the web of science and policy. Why is it important to tackle both these crises together? How can Nature-based Solutions help? And what needs to be done to integrate these solutions into global science-policy agendas?
 
Guests:
Dr Nathalie Pettorelli, Zoological Society of London Professor Heather Koldewey, Zoological Society of London Professor William Sutherland CBE, University of Cambridge Matthew Lowton, Zoological Society of London  
Overview
01:26 – Ellie Darbey introduces the co-host of this episode, Dr Nathalie Pettorelli, to discuss the climate change and biodiversity crises, and introduce Nature-based solutions (NbS).
12:12 – Ellie and Nathalie are joined by Professor Heather Koldewey to explore the use of protected areas and restoration projects in the marine world.
28:59 – Professor William Sutherland joins to explain how to measure the risks of NbS, and emphasises the importance of evidence-based science policies.
38:42 – Ellie and Nathalie welcome Matthew Lowton to discuss the global conventions for climate change and biodiversity, and the ways to get NbS into science-policy agendas.
 
Resources
Article: “Time to integrate global climate change and biodiversity science-policy agendas”: https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2664.13985 Upcoming live ZSL Event on 12 October: https://www.zsl.org/science/whats-on/time-to-integrate-global-climate-change-and-biodiversity-science-policy-agendas Putting Nature at the heart of global decision making: https://www.zsl.org/natureatheart “Unite solutions to climate and biodiversity crises to save life on earth”: https://www.zsl.org/news/unite-solutions-to-climate-and-biodiversity-crises-to-save-life-on-earth-says-zsl-led-study Previous ZSL Event “Nature to get out of the climate crisis - how does that work?”: https://www.zsl.org/science/whats-on/nature-to-get-out-of-the-climate-crisis-how-does-that-work Previous Wild Science Podcast Episode “ZSL #028 What's next for rewilding?”: https://www.zsl.org/zsl-wild-science-podcast United Nations (UN) Framework Convention on Climate Change: https://unfccc.int/ UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties UK 2021 (CoP 26): https://ukcop26.org/ Convention on Biological Diversity: https://www.cbd.int/ ZSL’s Protected Areas and Restoration work: https://www.zsl.org/regions/uk-overseas-territories/chagos-archipelago https://www.zsl.org/conservation/regions/asia/rehabilitating-mangroves-in-the-philippines https://www.zsl.org/conservation/regions/uk-europe/thames-conservation/native-oyster-restoration Conservation Evidence Resource: https://www.conservationevidence.com Book by William J. Sutherland et al. “What Works in Conservation 2021”: https://www.openbookpublishers.com/product/1490 Breadth of ZSL’s conservation work: https://www.zsl.org/conservation/how-we-work

Coastal marine habitats are essential to the health of our marine ecosystem, and hold both environmental and social importance. They provide valuable ecosystem services, but for decades they have been impacted by harmful human activities. In her final episode as host, Monni Böhm will be joined by co-host Celine Gamble and an expert panel to explore the need for active restoration to conserve four incredible marine habitats: native oyster beds, saltmarshes, kelp forests and seagrass. How can we scale up these restoration efforts? What makes some species in these habitats ecological superheroes? And what on earth is a scuba-diving spider?
Please note: this episode was recorded in 2020.
 
Guests:
Celine Gamble, Zoological Society of London Dr Joanne Preston, University of Portsmouth Angus Garbutt, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology Dr Ian Hendy, The Blue Marine Foundation Dr Richard Unsworth, Swansea University and Project Seagrass  
Overview
01:06 – Dr Monni Böhm introduces the co-host of this episode, Celine Gamble, to discuss why marine habitat restoration is needed, and introduce the Native Oyster Network.
05:29 – Monni and Celine are joined by Dr Joanne Preston who will discuss the forgotten ecosystem of oyster beds, and how to restore native oyster reefs in the UK.
14:51 – Angus Garbutt describes the diversity of saltmarshes of the UK, provides unique insight into their ecological and cultural importance, and the methods used to restore them.
28:12 – Monni and Celine introduce Dr Ian Hendy who explains what can be done to ‘Help our Kelp’ and why conserving it is crucial for marine biodiversity in the UK.
39:16 – Dr Richard Unsworth joins the hosts to talk about the importance of seagrasses, and the lessons learned from the UK’s first major seagrass restoration project .
 
Resources
25 Year environment plan: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/25-year-environment-plan UN decade on Ecosystem Restoration: https://www.decadeonrestoration.org/ Native Oyster Network: https://nativeoysternetwork.org/ Native Oyster Network Habitat Restoration Handbook (November 2020): https://nativeoysternetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2020/11/ZSL00150%20Oyster%20Handbook_WEB.pdf ZSL Native oyster restoration: https://www.zsl.org/conservation/regions/uk-europe/thames-conservation/native-oyster-restoration Twitter: @NativeOysterNet; #OysterLove UKCEH Restoration of coastal habitats: https://www.ceh.ac.uk/our-science/projects/restoration The Saltmarsh App: https://www.saltmarshapp.com/ Blue Marine Foundation Sussex Kelp Project: https://www.bluemarinefoundation.com/projects/sussex-kelp/ Lyme Bay Reserve: https://www.lymebayreserve.co.uk/science/ Research on Kelp and Oyster restoration in Australia: kelp and oyster restoration in Australia? https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2664.13719 Project Seagrass (Seagrass Ocean Rescue): https://www.projectseagrass.org/ Chesapeake Bay Seagrass Restoration: https://www.vims.edu/research/units/programs/sav1/restoration/index.php 750,000 seeds planted in Wales in UK’s Biggest Seagrass Restoration Scheme: https://www.swansea.ac.uk/press-office/news-events/news/2020/03/750000-seeds-planted-in-wales-inuks-biggest-seagrassrestoration-scheme-.php

Reptiles - lizards, snakes, turtles and crocodilians – make up almost one third of all land vertebrate species on Earth, and also occur in many marine and freshwater systems. Yet despite their amazing diversity, reptiles remain hugely underrepresented in conservation research and action, when compared to mammals, birds, and even amphibians. In this episode, our host Ellie Darbey finds out from four fantastic reptile experts how this is changing through increased global efforts to put reptiles on the conservation map. What key advances in species assessments have already made an impact for reptile conservation? How does ZSL’s science and conservation work directly contribute to protecting reptiles in the wild? And wait…where is Monni?
Guests:
Dr Monika Böhm, Freshwater Coordinator, Indianapolis Zoo Global Center for Species Survival. Dr Rikki Gumbs, EDGE Postdoctoral Research Scientist, Zoological Society of London. Emmanuel Amoah, Executive Director, Threatened Species Conservation Alliance (THRESCOAL). Benjamin Tapley, Head of the Reptile Team, Zoological Society of London. Overview
01:38 – Ellie welcomes the first guest, Dr Monni Böhm, to discuss how assessments like the IUCN Sampled Red List Index and Global Assessment of Reptile Distributions are essential for advancing the agenda for reptilian conservation.
14:30 – Dr Rikki Gumbs joins the podcast to talk about the reptilian Tree of Life, and the purpose and impact of ZSL’s EDGE of Existence programme.
24:08 – Emmanuel Amoah discusses the aims of Ghanaian NGO, THRESCOAL, set up following his EDGE Fellowship, and how community-led conservation can be used to help protect the West African slender-snouted crocodile.
33:32 – Ellie is joined by the final guest, Benjamin Tapley, who provides an overview of the contribution of zoos to conservation in the wild, using the example of the Big-Headed Turtle project in Vietnam.
46:25 – All four guests provide their recommendations for the next step in reptile conservation.
Resources
The IUCN Sampled Red List Index: zsl.org/global-biodiversity-monitoring/indicators-and-assessments-unit/the-sampled-red-list-index Global Reptile Assessment: natureserve.org/conservation-tools/projects/global-reptile-assessment The Global Assessment of Reptile Distributions: gardinitiative.org/ Indianapolis Zoo: indianapoliszoo.com/conservation/ ZSL’s EDGE of Existence Programme: edgeofexistence.org/ Imperial College London’s Grantham Institute: https://granthaminstitute.com/ THRESCOAL: threscoal.org/ Emmanuel’s ZSL EDGE project page: edgeofexistence.org/fellow/emmanuel-amoah/ ZSL London Zoo Reptile House: zsl.org/zsl-london-zoo/exhibits/reptile-house ZSL online Science and Conservation Event: zsl.org/science/whats-on/putting-reptiles-on-the-map-zsl-science-for-reptilian-conservation Related ZSL Wild Science podcast episodes: zsl.org/zsl-wild-science-podcast #007: Ten years on the EDGE of Existence #010: Species in the red: behind the scenes of the IUCN Red List #015: Biodiversity indicators: getting the measure of biodiversity and what it all means