Episode 21: Cape Town re-union, African penguins, new species in 2023, beaver updates and rewilding in Swedish Lapland

Welcome to the twenty-first episode of The Zoology Ramblings Podcast!

The dynamic duo shares some exciting updates about their recently released Rewilding A Nation documentary, Robi’s leopard research in Namibia and what the 2024 programme of the Avon Wildlife Trust’s Wildlife Champions project has in store! For species of the week, Emma and Robi chat about a sleath of new species discovered in 2023, as well as the African penguins of South Africa. They give some positive updates on new beaver releases in the UK, and the pair round off the episode in the festive spirit by talking about rewilding in Swedish Lapland!

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 Coordinator 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: @thezoologyramblingspodcast & @robi_watkinson_wildlife & @emma_hodson_wildlife

To get exclusive access to podcast notes, background research and references, consider supporting our Patreon (link to come), where you can get all sorts of extra goodies and Zoology Ramblings merch!