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1 week ago | 
wmnf.org | Duncan Strauss |Colleen Cole
Kari Bagnall–founder and executive director of Jungle Friends Primate Sanctuary, which offers permanent care to nearly 200 monkeys retired from laboratory research, who are former pets, or have been confiscated by the authorities—recalls the first monkey that entered her world and forever altered her life. As part of this account, Bagnall describes creating the earliest iteration of Jungle Friends, and we go on to discuss the array of challenges faced by those who run animal sanctuaries.
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1 week ago | 
wmnf.org | Duncan Strauss |Colleen Cole
Kelly McCormick and Glenn Maresca–co-founders of Florida Rescue Farm, a sanctuary in Duette, FL, devoted to rescuing, rehabilitating, and housing pigs, goats, geese, chickens, ducks, cattle, other critters, and no less devoted to cultivating a strong educational presence—described the remote community of Duette, and what prompted them to settle there.
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1 month ago | 
wmnf.org | Duncan Strauss |Colleen Cole
This show was presented in direct acknowledgement of Women’s History Month…Jocelyn Stokes and Katie Schuler—co-creators of “In Her Nature,” a new digital series carried on the YouTube channel for the longstanding PBS program, “Nature”—retrace the path that led each of them toward their present filmmaking careers, specializing in natural history documentaries.
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1 month ago | 
wmnf.org | Duncan Strauss |Colleen Cole
Michael Schneider, a pilot and founder of Pilots To The Rescue—which flies animals from shelters plagued by low rates of adoption (and, often, high rates of euthanasia), to rescues where foster or forever homes have been arranged—describes the career reinvention that preceded his taking flying lessons. Schneider remembers that, back then, like most new pilots, he was perennially seeking opportunities to fly—hours in the air—and some of those opportunities involved transporting shelter animals.
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1 month ago | 
wmnf.org | Duncan Strauss |Colleen Cole
Joining me on “Talking Animals” to discuss bird flu and the Avian Flu Resource Center–an online portal Cornell recently launched, designed to provide timely and accurate information about bird flu, amidst ongoing rumors and misinformation—Travis describes the current strain, and why it’s become so nefarious.
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1 month ago | 
wmnf.org | Duncan Strauss |Colleen Cole
As we’ve done 11 times prior—spanning nearly four years–today’s program involved setting aside the usual “Talking Animals” format in order to present the show-length feature, “Ask The Trainer.” In each instance, listeners are invited to call or email questions about their dogs or cats, particularly involving behavioral issues or training concerns.
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1 month ago | 
wmnf.org | Duncan Strauss |Colleen Cole
Jessica Farrer–a marine biologist who serves as Research Director at The Whale Museum, and part of the team of scientists working temporarily in Antarctica Peninsula, profiled in “Expedition Killer Whale,” a new installment of the PBS series “Nature”—recalls growing up landlocked in Colorado, moving as soon as possible to Washington state.
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2 months ago | 
wmnf.org | Duncan Strauss |Colleen Cole
Hannah Shaw–recognized as an influential humane educator, her specialty is providing instruction in caring for neonatal kittens; she’s also a NYT bestselling author whose latest book “Cats Of The World,” is a collaboration with her husband, photographer Andrew Marttila—recounts how she developed the expertise in caring for neonatal kittens and, along the way, built a humongous social media following in her “Kitten Lady” guise.
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2 months ago | 
wmnf.org | Duncan Strauss |Colleen Cole
Steve Nesbitt–a retired Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission wildlife biologist, who over a FWC stint of some 35 years, developed a reputation for extensive knowledge about a slew of species—recalls his interest in birds was cultivated as a kid by his grandfather, a passionate birder. Nesbitt elaborates, noting that his childhood was marked by frequent forays exploring nature, including regular camping trips, as well as going hunting and fishing.
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Jan 22, 2025 | 
wmnf.org | Duncan Strauss |Colleen Cole
Dr. Marcie Fallek–a veteran veterinarian and author of the memoir, “Little Miracles Everywhere: My Unorthodox Path to Holistic Veterinary Medicine”—recalls what prompted her to attend veterinary school in Italy. Fallek enumerates the significant challenges of being a vet student there, most notably that she didn’t speak any Italian when she started—meaning that studying her notes involved translating every word.
