Show Notes
Turtles are built like tiny tanks—ancient, armored, and famously tough. But in the modern world, that toughness may be their greatest vulnerability. In part two of our turtle two-parter, we dive into the shadowy world of turtle trafficking, where backyard collectors, international smugglers, and unsuspecting pet owners all play a role. From sting operations to turtle triage, we meet the unlikely defenders working to stop the trade—and care for the reptiles caught in the middle. Because once a turtle is taken from the wild, getting it home again is a lot harder than you’d think. Guests Thomas Akre, head of the Turtle Conservation Ecology Lab at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute John (JD) Kleopfer, State Herpetologist for the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources First Sergeant Tim Dooley, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of Special Operations for the Virginia Conservation Police, Department of Wildlife Resources Connor Gillespie, Director of Outreach at the Wildlife Center of Virginia Dr. Karra Pierce, Director of Veterinary Services at the Wildlife Center of Virginia
More from Sidedoor
Beetles make up a quarter of all known animal life on Earth. A QUARTER! Beetles are everywhere, doing almost everything. From eating flesh off skeletons to making poop disappear, these little buggers make the world a lot less gross for the rest of us… and look cool doing it. With a little help from the Smithsonian’s beetle experts, we’ll discover why these tiny powerhouses are so wildly diverse, why Ancient Egyptians considered them sacred, and what makes a dung beetle beautiful. (Yes, really.) Get ready to see beetles in a whole new light. Just watch where you step. Guests: Inger Toraason, osteological specimen preparator at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of National History's Osteo Prep Lab Floyd Shockley, entomologist and collections manager for the Department of Entomology at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History Frank Krell, coleopterist and curator of beetles at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
When baby Asian elephant Linh Mai was born at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, her mother rejected her. Then things got worse. Linh Mai couldn’t digest her formula, she was losing weight, and her care team was running out of time. Join us behind the scenes at the National Zoo to learn how curators and "turd nerds" race to save Linh Mai with an unusual treatment: a fecal microbiota transplant. But not just any poop will do! Roll up your sleeves (and pinch your nose) as we explore the extraordinary lengths people will go to save one very big baby. Guests: Sally Bornbusch, Microbial Ecologist with the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute’s Center for Conservation Genomics and Department of Nutrition Science Robbie Clark, Curator and Manager for Elephant Trails at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute Erin Kendrick, Clinical Nutritionist at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute
Season 13 of Sidedoor is almost here! Follow us behind the scenes at the National Zoo to meet the new baby elephant, Linh Mai. We open the vaults to see some of the weirdest beetles in the collection. And we track the wild journey of the Declaration of Independence after it was signed (which was actually not on July 4, 1776). New episodes begin next week!
One of the deadliest poisons known to man is now used to treat wrinkles, migraines, and even, maybe, depression. How did that happen? This is a special episode from Unexplainable podcast from Vox and the Vox Media Network. Guests: Jean Carruthers, ophthalmologist and “godmother” of cosmetic Botox. David Simpson, neurologist at Mount Sinai hospital in New York. Axel Wollmer, psychiatrist at the Asklepios clinic in Hamburg, Germany.
What happens when we slow down enough to really experience art? We visit a museum to discover how slow looking at art can cultivate awe, empathy, and a greater sense of connection in a distracted world. This episode comes from the podcast The Science of Happiness. Science of Happiness on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-science-of-happiness/id1340505607 Science of Happiness on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4dq0wmiZlk58Eu0NcqgWei?si=6756c114ff904008 Science of Happiness Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scienceofhappinesspod/ Science of Happiness Website Landing Page: https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/podcasts/series/the_science_of_happiness