Ellen Weatherford

Jacksonville

Host at Just the Zoo of Us

I make @justthezooofus & @sbagpodcast

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Articles

292: Ivan Phillipsen’s 3 Weirdest Birds!

1 week ago | maximumfun.org | Ellen Weatherford

Episode notes Join Ellen and acclaimed naturalist Ivan Phillipsen to round up his top 3 weirdest birds. We discuss what makes a bird truly “weird,” the distinct silhouette of a style icon, never letting a perfectly good placenta go to waste, birds getting tipsy on fermented berries, and so much more.
291: Kid Questions with Isaac!

2 weeks ago | maximumfun.org | Ellen Weatherford

Episode notes Ellen & special guest Isaac answer questions from young listeners! We discuss albinism, whales and dinosaurs, what makes an organism an animal, raccoon stripes, the puppification of foxes, and so much more.
290: Rabbits w/ Zoe Feigen!

3 weeks ago | maximumfun.org | Ellen Weatherford

Episode notes Join Ellen & special guest, veterinarian and rabbit parent Zoe Feigen, for an exposé on rabbits and the secret horrors they’re hiding underneath all that adorable fluff. We discuss biological warfare on an ecological menace, self-sharpening glass crunchers, eating poop, outie butts, flirting with pee, tearaway hair, haunting screams, and so much more.
289: Parrotfish | Maximum Fun

1 month ago | maximumfun.org | Ellen Weatherford

Episode notes Ellen bites off more than she can chew with parrotfish. We discuss the Mohs scale, Korn corn, throat teeth, crystal chainmail, sleeping bags made of snot, being terminally male, and so much more.
288: Corals w/ Jessie Palmer!

1 month ago | maximumfun.org | Ellen Weatherford

Episode notes Join Ellen & special guest, champion of the reef Jessie Palmer, as we try to save the world one polyp at a time.
286: A Review of the Animal Kingdom in Miniature w/ Dr. Mark D. Scherz!

1 month ago | maximumfun.org | Ellen Weatherford

Episode notes Join Ellen & special guest, evolutionary biologist and herpetologist Dr. Mark D. Scherz, for a look through the magnifying glass at miniaturized animals.
285: American Woodcock & Camel Spider

2 months ago | maximumfun.org | Ellen Weatherford

Episode notes Christian walks to the beat of the American woodcock & Ellen throws shade at camel spiders. We discuss peent, walking with rhythm to attract the worm, beak smooches, chain e-mails, girl dinner, ant massacres, and so much more.
283: Paddlefish & Pigbutt Worm

2 months ago | maximumfun.org | Ellen Weatherford

Episode notes Christian is up a creek without a paddlefish & an unusual deep-sea worm becomes the butt of Ellen’s jokes. We discuss a previous guest getting electrocuted for shark science, hot takes on the whole direwolf de-extinction thing, the unexpected hybridization of the sturddlefish, why pigbutt worms are like that, statistically insignificant haters, and so much more.
282: Brooke Hartman’s Top 3 Cutest Killers!

2 months ago | maximumfun.org | Ellen Weatherford

Episode notes Join Ellen & special guest, author Brooke Hartman, for a look at some of the animal kingdom’s most deceptively adorable assassins. We discuss evolutionary arms race, hot ones for mice, Mr. Yuck, an insect isekai, a toxic honeypot, and so much more. These cuties are slaying more than just their prey.
280: Eastern Gray Squirrel & Budgerigar (aka Parakeet)

Mar 19, 2025 | maximumfun.org | Ellen Weatherford

Episode notes Ellen goes nuts for the eastern gray squirrel & a little bird told Christian about the budgerigar (AKA parakeet). We discuss the MaxFunDrive, Pikachu, the e-nut, squirrel crime, fluorescent feathers, spicy air, Bluey, and so much more.