Nature

Just the Zoo of Us

Join us, Ellen and Christian Weatherford, while we review your favorite species of animals and rate them out of ten in the categories of effectiveness, ingenuity and aesthetics.
More information can be found at justthezooofus.com 😊
Got a species you want us to review? Submit your animal friend to us at ellen@justthezooofus.com and when we review your animal we’ll give you a shoutout! 😊
Cover art by Mrs. Brainbow (Taylor Gordon-Wood). Theme music by Louie Zong.

Latest Episodes:

150: Saiga & Alligator Gar Jun 30, 2022

Show notes

Join the Weatherfords for a weekly animal review! This week, Ellen steppes up to the plate with the saiga & Christian gar-ners support for the alligator gar. We discuss the inner workings of the saiga's bizarre nose, the funky antelope's conservation roller coaster ride, river monsters, and forbidden boba pearls.

Learn more about saiga conservation & how you can support them with the Saiga Conservation Alliance!

Hear about gars from Dr. Solomon David on his episode of Ologies from December of 2020: Garology (LONG CUTE ANCIENT PATIENT BOOPABLE NIGHTMARE FISH) with Solomon David

Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram & join Ellen for weekly video game streams on Twitch!

Cover photos: Victor Tyakht (saiga) & Bill Roque (alligator gar)

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

149: Red-Tailed Hawk w/ Maya Higa! Jun 22, 2022

Show notes

Join Ellen & conservationist, wildlife educator and streamer Maya Higa to talk about one of the toughest, bravest predators in the sky: red-tailed hawks! We talk about the joys of falconry and wildlife rehabilitation, the reckless raptor lifestyle, environmentally-friendly window decor, what to do if you find a baby bird on the ground, and what it’s like to work alongside these modern-day dinosaurs.

Follow Maya on Twitch, YouTube, Twitter & Instagram!

Learn more about Alveus Sanctuary & follow along with their work on Twitter, Instagram, Tiktok and Twitch!

Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram & join Ellen for weekly video game streams on Twitch!

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

148: Japanese Spider Crab & Saharan Silver Ant Jun 15, 2022

Show notes

Join the Weatherfords for a weekly animal review! In this week's episode, Christian reads the manual to the Japanese spider crab & Ellen turns up the heat with the Saharan silver ant. We discuss optical physics, exoskeletons, and the highs and lows of arthropod life from the dunes of the Sahara desert to the bottom of the ocean.

Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram & join Ellen for weekly animal-themed video game streams on Twitch!

Cover photo: Arrlxx via Getty images (Japanese spider crab) & Bjørn Christian Tørrissen via Wikipedia (Saharan silver ant)

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

147: Assassin Bugs w/ Ilan Domnich! Jun 09, 2022

Show notes

Join Ellen & special guest, entomologist Ilan Domnich, for a review of a fascinating family of bugs that are always one slow, methodical step ahead of the competition: assassin bugs! We discuss why their bite packs such a powerful punch, how they’re able to outsmart both predators and prey with downright machiavellian tactics like corpse armor and spawncamping and trap-setting, and what wonders you’ll find when you take a minute to stoop down and appreciate the intricacies of insects. This episode is quite long, but trust the process because this episode is PACKED with mind-blowing revelations about the cutthroat world of bugs.

Visit the Bugs 101: Insect-Human Interactions course on Coursera!

Follow Ilan on Instagram!

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Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

146: Hedgehog & Bandicoot Jun 01, 2022

Show notes

Join the Weatherfords for a weekly animal review! In this week's trip to the childhood arcade, Ellen rolls around at the speed of sound with the European hedgehog & Christian crashes the party with the eastern barred bandicoot. We discuss the hedgehog's formidable defenses, the bandicoot's triumphant return from extinction, and the role these two remarkable critters played in our very own childhoods.

Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!

Email or DM us for a link to our Discord server. :)

Cover photos: lostbear via Getty images (hedgehog), JJ Harrison via Wikipedia (bandicoot)

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

145: Owl Monkeys w/ Alexi Grousis! May 26, 2022

Show notes

Join Ellen & special guest, zookeeper & host of the We Out Here podcast Alexi Grousis, for a review of a unique and mysterious creature bouncing around rainforest canopies by the light of the moon: owl monkeys! We talk about how owl monkeys have adjusted to thriving in the twilight, what’s going on behind those big bright eyes, and what it’s like to work with these little fluffy forest sprites.

Check out The We Out Here Podcast on your podcast app & follow them on Twitter and Instagram!

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Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

144: A Grand Scale Adventure May 20, 2022

Show notes

Join the Weatherfords for a fantasy roleplaying adventure as Christian plays a Dungeons & Dragons homebrew one-shot written by Ellen! In this week's episode, Monax Tufdert takes on a clandestine mission of the reptilian persuasion from a local government official. Along the way, he seeks to befriend a dog, rescue wildlife in peril, and restore ecological balance to the wetlands.

All sounds used in this episode came from freesound.org & attribution can be found here.

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Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

143: Muskox w/ Kirsten Engeseth! May 11, 2022

Show notes

Ellen & special guest, herbivore ecologist and researcher Kirsten Engeseth, who joins us all the way from Norway to review the fluffiest, softest living tank you’ve ever seen: the muskox! We talk about how these real-life Banthas keep warm in the harsh arctic winters, band together to defend their herd with unwavering honor, and do their absolute best to overcome the challenges of new environments and a changing world.

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Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

142: Questions, Answers and Stories May 04, 2022

Show notes

For the second and final week of the MaxFunDrive, we're answering your questions and sharing your stories! We share some deeply personal intimate details like our inspirations behind the podcast, what the journey has been like to make it over the last 3 years, and how much ham we could eat in one sitting.

Be a part of the MaxFunDrive & sign up to become a supporting member of the network and get access to exclusive content and beautiful gifts!

Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for updates on our membership goals and news about upcoming livestreams.

Follow @ginkgozee on Instagram for beautiful, Just the Zoo of Us inspired artwork!

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

141: Bigfoot w/ Elliot Helmer! Apr 27, 2022

Show notes

Join Ellen & special guest, archaeologist and cryptid enthusiast Elliot Helmer, on a search for the truth about our most mysterious neighbor: Bigfoot. We discuss hominid evolution, cryptid ecology, the importance of oral history and traditional knowledge, and what Bigfoot can teach us about ourselves and our own relationship with nature wherever you fall on the spectrum of skepticism.

Visit the Black Trowel Collective to learn more about & support their mutual aid initiative for archaeology students, as well as the Na'ah Illahee Fund to support their organization's work regenerating Indigenous communities.

Follow Elliot on Twitter!

Follow Just the Zoo of Us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!

Be a part of the MaxFunDrive & sign up to become a supporting member of the network and get access to exclusive content!

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo

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