Urban Wildlife Podcast

Hawk Watching and Bird Feeding Sep 25, 2024

Billy and Tony sit down with Rich Conroy of the Militia Hill Hawk Watch and of the Dresher, PA Wild Birds Unlimited to chat about the joys of hawk watching and lots of other birding topics in the conversation. Topics covered include bird feeding, how raptors migrate using updrafts, raptor kettles, the hawk watching spectacle of Veracruz in Mexico, the year Tony was a sandpiper, Kirtland’s snakes and Billy striking out at finding urban Kirtland’s snakes, and how you can be pretty old and still be considered young at a birding club.

Urban Life Rafts for Migrating Birds May 02, 2024

Billy talked with author Scott Weidensaul about the wonders of bird migration and how urbanite humans can make their city habitats better for avian visitors. Topics include shorebirds, songbirds, raptors, outdoor cats, dogs, urban parks, window collisions, artificial light at night, and why bald eagles aren’t trash birds.

Urban Coyotes with Stan Gehrt Mar 10, 2024

Tony and Billy talk with one of their urban wildlife heroes, Stan Gehrt, who has been studying Chicago’s coyotes for more than 20 years. Dr. Gehrt has just authored a new book Coyotes Among Us: Secrets of the City’s top Predator. We talk coyotes, mange, how to pronounce “coyote,” coyote predation on deer and woodchucks, which is cuter: fawns or coyote pups, coyote monogamy, how foxes and woodchucks will tell you whether there are coyotes around, urban coyote diets, why coyote attacks (rarely) happen, why coyotes can’t keep away from airports and why they should, why Philadelphia doesn’t have coyotes like Chicago does, the coywolf silliness, and much more.

It’s Always Groundhog Day Feb 11, 2024

Tony and Billy talk about one of their favorite critters, the (urban) woodchuck (a.k.a. groundhog, monax, whistle pig, etc.) and its marmot relatives around the globe. Other topics include yellow-bellied and hoary marmots; when iNaturalist makes it look like a critter has an urban distribution, but it’s really just a park next to a city; WTSHTF hobbyists who kill ratsnakes for no good reasons; groundhog day, eating woodchucks, and coyotes and woodchucks.

Tony and Billy Catch up and Opine on Beavers, Hunting & Conservation, and Land. Aug 15, 2023

Tony and Billy got together ostensibly to talk about urban beavers (Castor canadensis), but the conversation wandered far and wide, touching on such subjects as hunting and conservation, rowhouse rednecks, groom cakes, Coleman coolers, the absurdity of private land ownership, and how Tony introduced “your mom” jokes to Brazil.

Charismatic Mega Fish Fauna May 28, 2023

The biggest animal in Philadelphia (and other port cities) isn’t a deer or a coyote, it’s a fish. We talk with biologist Shannon White about Atlantic sturgeon and her research into their depressingly reduced populations. We talk about how the caviar boom of the late 1800s devastated sturgeon populations, and about how their slow life history, channelization, boat traffic, anchor dragging, and exotic species (like blue and channel catfish) work against their recovery. We talk about how people might accidentally or intentionally introduce captive stock of sturgeon into the wild and why that is a terrible idea. Tony blames America’s dysfunctional health insurance system on shad (and how they fed George Washington’s troops at Valley Forge). We also talk about snorkeling in rivers (are smallmouth bass really cuddly?), how fish ladders work, and Billy’s dreams of spear fishing flathead catfish to examine their stomach contents, even though they are too toxic to eat.

Chasing the Urban Exotic Episode Repost (In Memory of Scott McWilliams) May 28, 2023

In memory of Scott McWilliams, who passed away from brain cancer recently, we are reposting this episode from 2015. Scott was a great Philadelphian, physician, Billy’s herping buddy and close friend, and an endlessly inquisitive naturalist.

Harbor Seals to Whales, Everything in Between Apr 08, 2023

Andrew Budziak traveled from Vancouver to St. John’s and four cities in between to photograph Canadian urban wildlife for his video series Edge of Frame. Billy and Andrew talk about the wildlife he saw and the humans too.

You can watch the videos at his site or on Narcity’s YouTube channel.

The Most Beautiful Snake in the Country Mar 15, 2023

The San Francisco garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis tetrataenia) is shockingly beautiful and sadly endangered. It’s small range lies within the San Francisco Bay Area (no surprise there), one of the most densely populated regions of the United States.

Billy is joined by Dr. Brian Halstead of the US Geological Survey to talk about the snake and the efforts to keep it from going extinct.

The Tyranny of Roads (and what to do about it) Jan 29, 2023

You might only think of them as paths from here to there, but roads are vast structures whose density largely defines urban areas and determine what can survive in them. Darryl Jones, author of A Clouded Leopard in the Middle of the Road, joins Billy and Tony to talk about the environmental impacts of roads and solutions to them.

Post Office Fossils and Mountain Beavers Dec 19, 2022

Seattle naturalist and author David B. Williams talks with Billy about the urban nature world of Seattle, including the geology of building stone, backyard eagles, and mountain beavers. (and if anyone out there wants to do a full episode about … Continue reading →

What do to about deer? Sep 29, 2022

There are too many white-tailed deer for forests in much of eastern North America to regenerate. Should we put them on birth control? Should we let hunters take care of the problem? Is more-intensive culling the solution? Can wolves and … Continue reading →

Book Talk: Exploring Philly Nature and BEYOND! Aug 03, 2022

Billy’s book, Exploring Philly Nature: A Guide for All Four Seasons is out! Buy your copy ASAP! (go ahead, this podcast episode will still be here when you’re done). Tony’s got some book ideas too (and a R.A.M.B.O. album due … Continue reading →

City Nature Challenge and Urban Biodiversity in Southern Ecuador Apr 28, 2022

(English/Español) The City Nature Challenge starts on Friday, April 29, and in this episode Billy talks with Angel Mario Hualpa Erazo of Ecuador’s Green Jewel, based in Loja in southern Ecuador. We get to know Loja, hear about Green Jewel’s … Continue reading →

Save the Rats Mar 15, 2022

Urbanites are starting to learn to live with predators like coyotes, bobcats, and hawks, but what about their rodent prey, like rats? We talk with political scientist and human/wildlife researcher Christian Hunold about his paper looking at rodenticide bans and … Continue reading →

A New Urban Hunter Jan 24, 2022

Troy Bynum (@tb_wildlife_photography on Instagram) is Philly naturalist, wildlife photographer, and a new urban hunter. Troy talks with Billy about the experience of hunting for the first time, and they discuss issues of race and hunting.

A New Hope: Advocating for Wildlife, Cats, and People in Tulsa Dec 23, 2021

Local wildlife lovers and cat lovers can all feel outgunned and overwhelmed when the national, multi-million-dollar organizations that push TNR come to town. Tulsans for Public Safety shows how one community has organized on a grassroots level to promote sound … Continue reading →

Best Summer Ever Dec 11, 2021

Billy and Tony chat about a summer spent doing urban environmental education together.

Wildlife of Urban Zanzibar Jul 12, 2021

Learn about the neighborhood galagos and the red-banded rubber frogs of urban Zanzibar with Jonathan Richard Walz. Billy and Tony talk with Richard about the urban wildlife of this corner of East Africa as well as the impact of the … Continue reading →

Should Billy Take Up Hunting? May 26, 2021

Inspired by a conversation with past podcast guest Brad Gates, Billy, who has been vegetarian for over 25 years, is thinking about taking up urban hunting. Tony and Billy talk about the implications, ethical and ecological.

Juncos Take Los Angeles May 08, 2021

The city can be a tough place for a little bird, unless that city has lots of pine trees and cozy places to build nests. Dark eyed juncos have adapted to Los Angeles, and we’ll hear about it from ornithologist … Continue reading →

The Cat that Changed America Apr 11, 2021

Tony and Billy talk with Tony Lee, film producer and author of The Cat that Changed America, the story of Los Angeles’ P22 mountain lion.

Singapore Wildlife Mar 04, 2021

Tony and Billy talk with Singapore nature guide Ivan Kwan about wild boar, huge water monitor lizards, introduced myna birds, and what it’s like to explore nature in one of the world’s greenest cities, Singapore.

Great Southern Bioblitz! Feb 17, 2021

Philly naturalist Robin Irizarry and Billy talk with their antipodean urban bioblitz colleague Stephan Fricker about the Great Southern Bioblitz, the fall (or spring if you’re down under) counterpart to the City Nature Challenge.

Urban Falcons Jan 25, 2021

Wherever you live, it’s time to start looking up! Billy brings his lawn chair and watches some West Philly peregrine falcons with local birder Schubert Sweat. He then talks with Peter Green about his Providence Raptors blog and book.

Mammals of Bogota and Where to Find Them Dec 16, 2020

Billy talks with Colombian biologists Sara Acosta and Rodrigo Mutis about their urban mammal coloring book, Mamíferos de Bogotá y Donde Encontrarlos (Mammals of Bogota and Where to Find Them). The episode kicks off with a summary of the conversation … Continue reading →

The Red Fox Aug 13, 2020

The trash panda of Europe is also an urban critter in North America. Billy talks about fox range expansion in in North America and urban fox evolution in England with Kate Garchinsky, illustrator of the Secret Life of the Red … Continue reading →

Mouse History is Human History Jun 14, 2020

We take a look at one of our most humble companions in civilization, the house mouse. Michelle Niedermeier of the Penn State Cooperative Extension’s Integrated Pest Management program joins Billy as we talk about research into how mouse genetics can help us … Continue reading →

Bringing Shorelines back to Life Jun 02, 2020

Tony talks with Dr. Joshua Moody of the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary about living shorelines, which work for us (fighting erosion, helping us cope with the effects of Global Warming) while working for nature.

Triangulum Translocation: Lucille’s Story (UWP + Herpin’ Ain’t Easy) May 13, 2020

What happens when a snake isn’t welcome in a back yard? Billy talks with Mike McGraw about a milk snake (Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum) named Lucille and how she ended up in a tank on his desk. This is a co-post … Continue reading →

Dead Porcupines Count! City Nature Challenge 2020 Apr 21, 2020

How do you do an urban international bioblitz during a pandemic? Navin Sasikumar, Robin Irizarry, and Billy talk about the City Nature Challenge 2020 and how we can all take part on our own, together. (here’s that dead porcupine video) … Continue reading →

Spotted Lantern Flies & Japanese Beetles: Invaders FTW!, (For The W.O.N.) Feb 27, 2020

Smash invasive spotted lantern flies with Billy and Michelle Niedermeier of Penn State’s Community Integrated Pest Management program. Billy talks about the Japanese beetle invasion a century ago (working off Ken Frank’s paper about the topic), and we (joined by … Continue reading →

Urban Boars (and Hogs Go Wild) Oct 19, 2019

Our domestic pig’s wild Eurasian cousins enjoy urban living all the way from Spain to Japan. Billy and Tony talk about urban boar and the increasingly urban feral hogs on their own continent. They also discuss the research of Barcelona’s … Continue reading →

Science vs. the Cat Hoarders Oct 04, 2019

Is science a match for the pathological passions of the bighearted but monomaniacal people who maintain outdoor cats? We talk with the Urban Wildlands Group‘s Dr. Travis Longcore, whose critique of “trap-neuter-release” (TNR) is still one of the best out … Continue reading →

Moth Night Every Night! Sep 05, 2019

Urban night life isn’t just about bars, clubs, and theater. When night falls, the bugs fly. Tag along with Billy and Ken Frank (author of the Ecology of Center City Philadelphia) as they have a moth night in Billy’s community … Continue reading →

More Squash Bees! Jul 26, 2019

Do you like pumpkin pie? Thank the pollinators who make squash (fruit of members of the genus Cucurbita) possible. But don’t thank a honeybee, look to the squash bee, Peponapis pruinosa, a solitary bee that, centuries ago, followed the original … Continue reading →

Black Beasts of the Urban Wild Jul 12, 2019

White whales don’t have to be white. Billy and Tony talk with Brad Gates (hunter and bear wrangler extraordinaire) about the culmination of years-long personal urban wildlife quests: a black rat snake for Billy and a black bear for Tony. … Continue reading →

London Plane Trees: More than Just the Hostas of Street Trees? Jun 25, 2019

Research Ecologist Lara Roman and Arborist Jason Lubar try to convince Billy that London Plane Trees aren’t just taking up space better used for more interesting trees in the urban canopy. Recording outside on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, they are … Continue reading →

Cape Town Kicked Our Butts Jun 07, 2019

Tony and Billy talk about the City Nature Challenge 2019 and hear from four other participating cities: Kelly O’Donnell from NYC, Peter Kleinhenz (remember him from Right Under Our Noses?) from Tallahassee, and John Starmer from Maui, AND we hear … Continue reading →

Kenya Honeymoon Part 2 Apr 15, 2019

Tony and Angie covered a lot of topics with their guide Dominic, and we’ve split off some of the non-urban-wildlife topics in this Part 2, namely Dominic’s fascinating life growing up Samburu Maasai plus more about the Maasai’s place in … Continue reading →

Kenya Honeymoon Part 1 Apr 15, 2019

Tony (and of course Angie) went on safari for their honeymoon. They spent most of their time out in the bush, but that didn’t stop them from observing urban wildlife when they were in cities and talking about marabou storks, … Continue reading →

Is It More Than Just Pigeons? Mar 13, 2019

What does the non-human community of a city look like? Is it the same species everywhere (pigeons, dandelions, bridge spiders, yawn) or does the wildlife from the surrounding area show up? We hear from Dr. Misha Leong of the California … Continue reading →

Urban Creeps: BugScope Crossover! Feb 11, 2019

Billy joins entomologist and bug ambassador Isa Betancourt on her BugScope Periscope cast to talk about urban snakes. We focus on urban garter snakes from Philadelphia to Mexico City, but Billy fits in a few Philly milk snakes too. Be sure … Continue reading →

Botanical Time Machine: Mid-Atlantic Megalopolis Digitization Project Jan 25, 2019

Tony and Billy are back after a hiatus, talking about Tony’s new house next to a trail head and the urban raptors you happen to see while counter-protesting fascists. Then (at around 27 min) we hear from Dr. Cynthia Skema the … Continue reading →

We’re Gonna Kick Tokyo’s Ass Nov 22, 2018

The 2019 City Nature Challenge is a competitive urban bioblitz. Tony and Billy talk about the CNC and Philadelphia’s plans after talking about Tony’s new rescued cat (about 15 min). We also go through a grab bag of fun urban … Continue reading →

Wildlife Rescue in the City, Part 2 Oct 09, 2018

What do we owe the animals that live around us? Do we spend money on animals when there are humans in need? Do we feed animals to animals to save animals? We tackle the tough questions as we wrap up … Continue reading →

Wildlife Rescue in the City, Part 1 Oct 09, 2018

What do we owe the animals that live around us? Do we spend money on animals when there are humans in need? Do we feed animals to animals to save animals? We tackle the tough questions as we wrap up … Continue reading →

Bat Rescue Sep 27, 2018

How can you use up 50,000 meal worms per week? Try rescuing injured and sick bats. In this latest post on our series on wildlife rescue and rehab, Tony talks to Stephanie Stronsick of PA Bat Rescue (along with podcast … Continue reading →

Where to Put Toilet- and Backyard-Snakes (Part 2) Sep 06, 2018

So you find a snake in your backyard, or your kitchen, or your toilet. Who do you call? And what do THEY do with the snake? In this episode we talk with Yatin Kalki, snake rescuer interested in harnessing snake … Continue reading →

Where to put Toilet- and Backyard-Snakes (Part 1) Sep 06, 2018

So you find a snake in your backyard, or your kitchen, or your toilet. Who do you call? And what do THEY do with the snake? In this episode we talk with Yatin Kalki, snake rescuer interested in harnessing snake … Continue reading →

Native? Exotic? Do We Care? Squash Bees Aug 06, 2018

Entomologist and urban bee specialist Doug Sponsler joins Billy and Tony early in the morning in a community garden spot in West Philadelphia to observe squash bees and talk about what counts as native. Squash are not strictly native to … Continue reading →

Taking Peregrines to the People Jul 27, 2018

Tony and Billy take to the field… the Philadelphia neighborhood of Manayunk to observe the peregrine falcons of St. John the Baptist’s steeple. We talk urban raptors and perform incidental urban wildlife outreach with the neighbors. If you like this … Continue reading →

Extreme Philly Fishing: Tight Lines with Leo Sheng Jul 20, 2018

It doesn’t matter where you live. If there’s water, you can go fishing. Learn about urban fishing, multi-species fishing, even micro-fishing as Tony and Billy join Leo Sheng of Extreme Philly Fishing for an outing in Philadelphia’s Cobbs Creek. And … Continue reading →

Buzzing Hard, Part 2 Jul 05, 2018

It’s not just about honey. Cities are full of bees, and in this double episode we hear about Brisbane bees and the Australian native alternative to European honey bees from Tim Heard of Sugarbag Bees, we talk with urban bee … Continue reading →

Buzzing Hard, Part 1 Jul 05, 2018

It’s not just about honey. Cities are full of bees, and in this double episode we hear about Brisbane bees and the Australian native alternative to European honey bees from Tim Heard of Sugarbag Bees, we talk with urban bee … Continue reading →

F*** the Border Wall Jun 13, 2018

Tiffany Kersten joins Tony to talk about the proposed border wall and how it will impact wildlife and wildlife viewing in the lower Rio Grande Valley. The border wall plans do seem to be on hold for the moment, but … Continue reading →

The Truth about Cats Part 2 Jun 02, 2018

Special (very long, thorough – don’t make this your first Urban Wildlife Podcast episode) Episode: Billy, Tony, and biologist Clint Springer dive into the outdoor cat literature. This is a companion to our Cat Wars episode. Finally we sat down and went through the … Continue reading →

The Truth About Cats Part 1 Jun 02, 2018

Special (very long, thorough – don’t make this your first Urban Wildlife Podcast episode) Episode: Billy, Tony, and biologist Clint Springer dive into the outdoor cat literature. This is a companion to our Cat Wars episode. Finally we sat down … Continue reading →

City Lights of Doom? (part two) May 02, 2018

City lights attract birds to cities where they are vulnerable to windows, cats, and other dangers of city living… or, depending on what we do, they can have a meal and be on their way. Spring migration is a great … Continue reading →

City Lights of Doom? (part one) May 02, 2018

City lights attract birds to cities where they are vulnerable to windows, cats, and other dangers of city living… or, depending on what we do, they can have a meal and be on their way. Spring migration is a great … Continue reading →

Darwin Comes to Town: Interview with Menno Schilthuizen Apr 09, 2018

Evolution by natural selection is happening all around us, all the time, even in our cities. Biologist Menno Schilthuizen, author of Darwin Comes to Town: How the Urban Jungle Drives Evolution, talked with Billy about how species adapt to urban … Continue reading →

Sparrow Wars!!! (Happy World Sparrow Day 2018!) Mar 20, 2018

This year we honor World Sparrow Day with a look at how they got to North America and the Sparrow War of the 1870s that followed. Matt Halley joins us to talk about the weird but true history of exotic … Continue reading →

Last Child in the Watershed? Interview with Richard Louv Feb 19, 2018

What can cities do to connect kids with nature? Billy and frequent guest host Robin Irizarry of the Tookany/Tacony/Frankford Watershed Partnership (TTF) interview Richard Louv to find out. Richard will be speaking on February 28th, 6pm at the Friends Center … Continue reading →

Re-Post: Cat Wars (Pete Marra special) Feb 01, 2018

Pete Marra joins us for a special episode to talk about his (and Chris Santella’s) book Cat Wars: The Devastating Consequences of a Cuddly Killer. We originally posted this for his talk last year at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. … Continue reading →

Off the Wall: the Power of Urban Wildlife Murals Jan 07, 2018

When is a raccoon not just a raccoon? What can a dandelion teach us about changing the world? We talk with Evan Lovett of V.U.R.T. about their Philly Local Critter series of murals, including a pretzel-eating raccoon. We also hear … Continue reading →

Why not the City? Urban Hawk Walk Dec 15, 2017

Dr. Christian Hunold, a political scientist at Drexel University, is a dedicated wildlife photographer and wrote a paper, Why not the City?, about the hawks of Center City Philadelphia, the humans who watch and love them, and what all that … Continue reading →

War Dec 08, 2017

It’s the worst thing humans do, but nature fills in the scars on city landscapes. We discuss how naturalists from London to Berlin studied the ruins, and we hear from the Urban Birder, David Lindo, about the black redstart, a … Continue reading →

Special Episode: Robin in Rome Oct 30, 2017

This summer our frequent guest host Robin Irizarry (Philadelphia Watershed Coordinator for the Tookany/Tacony Frankford Watershed Partnership) took a trip to Rome. Lots of people see the history, enjoy the culture and food of the eternal city. Robin brought his binoculars … Continue reading →

Nature and Nature Lovers in Palestine Oct 07, 2017

It’s easy to be a birder in Philadelphia, but what about Bethlehem (not the one near Allentown) or the Gaza Strip? Learn about nature and nature loving under occupation, and hear about two organizations training citizen scientists, educating children about nature, … Continue reading →

Things that go Flap in the Night: Nighthawks and Bats at the Cemetery Sep 27, 2017

Nighthawks and bats come out at dusk to fatten up on cemetery bugs before migration and hibernation. In this special mini episode, we take a page from the Field Guides and record a full episode outside at one of our … Continue reading →

Shiners, Mussels, and Marbled Sallies: Helping Critters that Rely on City Waters Sep 17, 2017

Tony and Billy join Robin Irizarry (Philadelphia Watershed Coordinator for the Tookany/Tacony Frankford Watershed Partnership) at his Irizarry Hillstead and hear Bryan Windmiller talk about Grassroots Wildlife Conservation‘s work with marbled salamanders and bridle shiners in the Boston area and … Continue reading →

Rattlesnakes and Urbanization (Special Listener-Generated Episode) Aug 09, 2017

What’s it like to be a rattlesnake in an urbanizing landscape, keeping to your patch, dodging car tires if you leave? In this special episode we air an interview that listener and wildlife biologist Pete Havlik did with Ecologist/Conservation Biologist … Continue reading →

We the Weeds Jul 23, 2017

Zya Levy and Kaitlin Pomerantz of the We the Weeds project join us for a weed walk in the neighborhood. Then we retire back at the Urban Wildlife Podcast studio with invasive species beverages, including a cocktail featuring utopic/dystopic bitters. … Continue reading →

Wildlife Bling: Red Squirrels, Black Rat Snakes, Lunch with Hawks Jun 25, 2017

On this impromptu, patched-together, mini episode, we present recordings in the moment: Mike McGraw, Billy, and Magnolia check out a Philadelphia black rat snake; Billy nerds out over urban short-headed garter snakes in Pittsburgh; and a red-tailed hawk picks up some squirrel … Continue reading →

Cute, Furry, and in Your Roof: Part 2 Jun 12, 2017

Urban wildlife is great to look at, but what about when it makes your home its home? Guest host Christian Hunold (dig his photos) joins us as we look at cute omnivorous mesofauna in this episode: opossums, possums, skunks, palm … Continue reading →

Cute, Furry, and in Your Roof: Part 1 Jun 07, 2017

Urban wildlife is great to look at, but what about when it makes your home its home? Guest host Christian Hunold (dig his photos) joins us as we look at cute omnivorous mesofauna in this episode: opossums, possums, skunks, palm … Continue reading →

Skyscraper Bats and Ritzy Coyotes May 03, 2017

In this mini episode Dr. Seth Magle of the Urban Wildlife Institute of Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo talks with Billy about the Institute and how they’re remotely monitoring urban wildlife in Chicago and beyond. (you might remember Dr. Magle from … Continue reading →

Flyover Critters (and a bald eagle death match) Apr 14, 2017

Irish hares dig Belfast’s airport and rare El Segundo blue butterflies persist on dunes protected by the the airplane noise of LAX. Dr. Neil Reid of Queen’s University Belfast talks to us about the hares, and we hear from Dr. Travis Longcore … Continue reading →

Special Episode: Tony in Australia Mar 27, 2017

Tony doesn’t take it easy on vacation. In December he flew to Australia to bird, herp, and explore. Of course he checked out some urban wildlife while he was down there, and in this episode we listen to his interviews … Continue reading →

Happy World Sparrow Day [Re-post] Mar 20, 2017

[This is a re-post of our World Sparrow Day episode in honor of… World Sparrow Day 2017!!!] We celebrate World Sparrow Day (March 20th) with a look at Passer domesticus, a bird North American birders love to hate but that … Continue reading →

Wonder Wall Lizards Mar 14, 2017

European wall lizards are spreading, and we’re gonna talk and sing about it. Dr. Russell Burke from Hofstra University tells us about the wall lizards of New York, and Dr. Kenneth Petren of the University of Cincinnati talks about his city’s … Continue reading →

Cat Wars Feb 21, 2017

Pete Marra joins us for a special episode to talk about his (and Chris Santella’s) book Cat Wars: The Devastating Consequences of a Cuddly Killer. Pete will be speaking on Thursday February 23rd at 6:30 pm at the Academy of Natural … Continue reading →

Urban Sea Turtles Feb 15, 2017

Urban wildlife isn’t just on land, especially in the world’s biggest port cities. In this episode we hear about what happens when turtles navigate the urban/ocean interface. We hear from Umair Shahid from WWF Pakistan about Karachi’s sea turtles, Dr. … Continue reading →

Mapping the Micro Wilderness: Urban Bugs Jan 29, 2017

Urban biodiversity explodes as you shrink your view. Explore urban invertebrate biodiversity projects in Los Angeles (BioScan) and Boston (Boston Harbor Islands All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory). Guest host Isa Betancourt (remember her from Season 1?) joins us to share her … Continue reading →

Smog, Sprawl, and Lifers: Birding Shanghai Jan 10, 2017

What is urban birding like in the biggest city in the world? Join Tony as he interviews Craig Brelsford, the birder behind Shanghai Birding. They discuss birding in a city of 24 million souls, all while racing rampant coastal … Continue reading →

You Deserve Hedgehogs Dec 30, 2016

How do you bring biodiversity to urbanites? Guest host Joan Blaustein of Philadelphia Parks and Recreation joins us to talk about preserving urban parks biodiversity. We also listen to Dr. Nigel Reeve tell us about the effort to save the hedgehogs … Continue reading →

Wall Swifts, Wall Lizards, Wall Dolphins? (Part 2) Dec 22, 2016

Sometimes the artificial IS natural. Helena Van Vliet of BioPhilly (of the Biophilic Cities network) joins us as guest host to envision cities as habitat. Of course several species already use cities as habitat: We listen to Amnonn Hahn of … Continue reading →

Wall Swifts, Wall Lizards, Wall Dolphins? (Part 1) Dec 22, 2016

Sometimes the artificial IS natural. Helena Van Vliet of BioPhilly (of the Biophilic Cities network) joins us as guest host to envision cities as habitat. Of course several species already use cities as habitat: We listen to Amnonn Hahn of … Continue reading →

Raccoons (not really Nazis) and Raccoon Dogs Dec 05, 2016

Learn more about your cute, furry, smart, and sometimes destructive mesopredator neighbors. Christian Hunold, political scientist and urban wildlife photographer extraordinaire, joins us as guest host has we hear about German (not exactly Nazi) raccoons from researcher Ulf Hohmann, about … Continue reading →

Lions and Tegus and Deer! Find them in the Park Next Door Nov 19, 2016

Get wild right down the street. This episode we podcast from the Wissahickon Valley in Philadelphia and talk about the wild parks right next to or right in our cities. We hear from Akshay Vishwanath of the Friends of Nairobi … Continue reading →

Parakeets Invade! Nov 06, 2016

What are rose-ringed parakeets doing in London, or in Tokyo, or Amsterdam, or in Glasgow…? Learn about how escaped pets birds are colonizing cities around the globe. Matt Halley joins us to talk about his own parrot field work and … Continue reading →

Bonus: Awesome Turtles and Youth Research Assistants Oct 21, 2016

What’s cooler than turtles breaking a bite-o-meter? High school urban ecology research assistants, that’s what! We had so much great conversation with Tobias Landberg from Episode 13 that we’re posting some more of it as a bonus episode. Tony and Tobias … Continue reading →

Assisting Axolotls, Transplanting Toads, and Preserving Pond Turtles Oct 13, 2016

Urban wildlife can’t always take care of itself. Herpetologist Tobias Landberg of Arcadia University joins us as we take our podcast to Mexico City with Luis Zambrano of the Reserva Ecologica del Pedregal de San Angel and a project to … Continue reading →

Bonus: Nature on Tour, and Synanthropic Organism – the Song! Sep 26, 2016

Tony Croasdale was always a birder. But before he was a podcast host, an environmental educator, or a biologist, he was a anarcho punk star with R.A.M.B.O. This bonus episode features Tony’s ex-bandmate and fellow naturalist Bull Bolo, Liam Wilson of the … Continue reading →

Urban Birding, Part 2 Sep 11, 2016

Any city in the world you go, you will find birders. To prove it we bring you conversations with guest host Keith Russell, of Audubon PA, as well as birders from around the world. In Part 2 Tykee James and … Continue reading →

Urban Birding, Part 1 Sep 11, 2016

Any city in the world you go, you will find birders. To prove it we bring you conversations with guest host Keith Russell, of Audubon PA, as well as birders from around the world. In Part 1 we join Keith … Continue reading →

One Man’s Pest is Another’s Gorgeous Rattlesnake Aug 21, 2016

It’s hard to appreciate wildlife when it’s eating your food or giving you asthma. Michelle Niedermeier of the Penn State Cooperative Extension’s Integrated Pest Management program joins Billy and Tony to talk about how to get along with our non-human neighbors without … Continue reading →

Fruit Bats, Prairie Dogs, and Sausage Weasels Aug 01, 2016

No theme this week, just an episode jam packed with some of our favorite urban mammals: We talk about the fruit bats (flying foxes) that call Australian cities (and lots of Asian and African cities too) home with Maree Treadwell Kerr of … Continue reading →

Humping Deer, Bearded Dragons, and Singing Toads: Part II Jul 16, 2016

We had so much fun with cemeteries that we made two episodes! We record as guests of guest host Jessica Baumert, director of the the historic Woodlands Cemetery in Philadelphia. There we learned about their grave-digging ground hogs, shagging stags, and … Continue reading →

Humping Deer, Bearded Dragons, and Singing Toads: Part I Jul 16, 2016

We had so much fun with cemeteries that we made two episodes! We record as guests of guest host Jessica Baumert, director of the the historic Woodlands Cemetery in Philadelphia. There we learned about their grave-digging ground hogs, shagging stags, and … Continue reading →

Urban Nature Bikesploration! Jun 26, 2016

We’re not just urban wildlife podcasters, Tony and Billy are urban bikesplorers! Spoke Magazine and Hidden City set it up, and on Sunday June 19th we linked up with our podcast’s BFF Robin Irizarry of the Tookany/Tacony/Frankford Partnership to explore … Continue reading →

All the Urban Raptors We Could Fit in One Episode Jun 16, 2016

Barred owls? Yep. Peregrine falcons? Got them too. Black sparrowhawks? You betcha! Osprey, tawny owls, and great horned owls also come up in the conversation with Rob Bierregaard as we stake out his backyard screech owls and talk about urban birds … Continue reading →

From Bison to Warblers, Connecting Youth to Wildlife Jun 02, 2016

How do you connect urban kids with the nature next door? We talk to Justin Twist from Environmental Learning for Kids at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge near Denver, Hendra Aquan of Transformasi Hijau (Green Transformation) in Jakarta, and … Continue reading →

Save the Beetles and Salamanders! May 16, 2016

Cities can rally ’round all sorts of mascots, even unconventionally charismatic micro fauna like beetles and salamanders. We talk with Nathan Bendik, who works to protect Austin, TX’s spring and cave salamanders, and we hear about York’s (UK) tansy beetles … Continue reading →

Urban Caracals and Barcelona Boars Apr 30, 2016

This week we explore the Urban Caracal Project with Dr. Laurel Serieys and fawn over the most charismatic urban mesofauna we’ve seen to date (get a load of those ear tufts!). Caracals might have been enough to discuss on a … Continue reading →

Arthropods through the Ages Apr 15, 2016

Join Billy, Tony, and guest host Ken Frank as we explore history through our many-legged neighbors and hitchhikers. Environmental Archeologist Allison Bain of Université Laval in Quebec City, Canada tells us how insects can teach us about the European colonization of North … Continue reading →

Urban Wildlife Art Mar 28, 2016

Get inspired with urban corals and urban shaliks. Hannah Waters joins us as we hear from Coral Morphologic‘s Colin Foord to talk about the corals of Miami’s gritty waterways and art installations based on Miami’s marine life. Our synanthropic organism … Continue reading →

Happy World Sparrow Day! Mar 20, 2016

We celebrate World Sparrow Day (March 20th) with a look at Passer domesticus, a bird North American birders love to hate, but that is in a mysterious decline in its native Eurasian range. We hear from Mohammed Dilawar, founder of … Continue reading →

S2 Episode 1: Leopards, Hyenas, and Synanthropic Dogs Mar 06, 2016

Pigeons might join us in cities to take advantage of resources like nesting spots and tasty crumbs. Leopards and hyenas might join us in cities to take advantage of resources such as tasty dogs… not hot dogs; we’re talking about Canis … Continue reading →

Send Us Your Audio Postcards! Dec 19, 2015

We want to hear from YOU. We’re working hard on Season Two – researching urban wildlife topics and recording interviews and expeditions, but we also want to involve you in our upcoming episodes. We know that our listeners are nature … Continue reading →

Bonus Episode: Pier 53 Skinks Oct 30, 2015

(FT Hannah Waters) Nature writer Hannah Waters joins us as we talk about Benjamin Rush’s sugar maples with David Hewitt and then, in a rambling, kind of boozy interview, we discuss the five-lined skinks of Pier 53 with biologist and … Continue reading →

Episode 9: Return of the Sturgeon Oct 14, 2015

(FT Robin Irazarry) What’s the biggest wild animal in your city? Is it a fish the size of a car? Guest host Robin Irazarry, Philadelphia Watershed Coordinator for the Tookany/Tacony Frankford Watershed Partnership (TTF) and the brains behind #HerpingTheHood, joins us as we listen to … Continue reading →

Episode 8: Does a Striper Know It’s in a City? Sep 21, 2015

(FT Julie Ulrich of The Nature Conservancy) Fishing isn’t just a way to connect with aquatic wildlife. Avid fisher and sociologist Len Albright of Northeastern University talks about urban fishing and how one striper can help an urbanite engage with … Continue reading →

Episode 7: Chasing the Urban Exotic Sep 04, 2015

(FT Scott McWilliams and Ali Hurwitz) Tony flies to Miami to add some urban exotic birds to his ABA list, but pre-games with the American Birding Association‘s Jeff Gordon and George Armistead. Billy embarks on a sidewalk flora expedition with the Chrysler … Continue reading →

Episode 6: Our River is Better than Your Dammed River Aug 16, 2015

(FT Lori Hayes) Philadelphia Parks and Recreation‘s Lori Hayes, general naturalist about town, joins us to talk about what hooks kids into nature and how cities might have more to offer them than you might think, all while we listen … Continue reading →

Episode 5: Squirrels vs. Hawks Aug 03, 2015

(FT Christian Hunold) Which is the better gateway drug to nature, squirrels or hawks? Christian Hunold, wildlife photographer and Associate Professor of Political Science at Drexel University joins us to talk about red tailed hawks and ecological citizenship as we … Continue reading →

Episode 4: Cats and Coyotes Jul 17, 2015

(FT Nelson Melendez) Who is tiptoeing past your door tonight? Is it a cat? Is it a coyote? Is it a coyote with a dead cat in its mouth? Troi and Riana of Your Wild Life‘s Cat Trackers bring da Rouckus and … Continue reading →

Episode 2: Right under our noses? Jul 01, 2015

(FT “President” Tykee James) Wildlife can be big, and wildlife can be small. In either case it can be right under our noses without our knowing it. In Episode 2, we turn to some of the smaller critters we don’t … Continue reading →

Episode 3*: Timbers on a Boston Island May 30, 2015

(FT Michael McGraw and Matthew Halley) In this episode Billy talks to one of his literary idols, Thomas Palmer, about Palmer’s classic Landscape with Reptile: Rattlesnakes in an Urban World, and to rattler researcher Anne Stengle about the current state of … Continue reading →

Episode 1: Bangkok Pythons and Gotham Whales May 03, 2015

Q: How do huge animals get right up close to millions of people who don’t even know they’re there? A: Water. Whales are actually in it while reticulated pythons use the canals and ditches that drain Southeast Asian cities to … Continue reading →

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