Shows / Just the Zoo of Us
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.
Episodes
Just the Zoo of Us136: Cuckoo Wasps w/ Katie Goldin!
Join Ellen & special guest, fellow animal science podcaster and Cool Bug Appreciator Katie Goldin, for a review of the spectacular and delectably devious…
Just the Zoo of Us135: Egyptian Vulture & Eastern Spotted Skunk
Join the Weatherfords for a weekly animal review! In this week's especially odoriferous episode, Christian gives high marks to the Egyptian vulture and Ellen…
Just the Zoo of Us134: Hyenas w/ Dr. Christine Wilkinson!
Join Ellen & special guest, conservation biologist Dr. Christine Wilkinson, for a review of the oft-maligned powerhouses: hyenas! We discuss the diversity of…
Just the Zoo of Us133: Slow Loris & Cassowary
Join the Weatherfords for a weekly animal review! In this week's episode, Ellen hangs out with the slow loris & Christian observes leg day with the southern…
Just the Zoo of Us132: Blanding's Turtle w/ Tharusha Wijewardena!
Join Ellen & special guest Tharusha Wijewardena for a review of the charming and endangered Blanding's turtle. We discuss what to do if you see a turtle…
Just the Zoo of Us131: Green Iguana & Blue Marlin
Join the Weatherfords for a weekly animal review! In this week's episode, Christian drops in on green iguanas and Ellen reels in the blue marlin. Topics…
Just the Zoo of Us130: Turacos w/ Aeralyn Rudnick!
Join Ellen & special guest, animal trainer Aeralyn Rudnick, for a review of the relentlessly charming turacos! They are here to tell us all about what it’s…
Just the Zoo of Us129: Icefish & Wombat
Join the Weatherfords for a weekly animal review! In this week's episode, Ellen chills out with icefish & Christian tells us why the wombat really shines…
Just the Zoo of Us128: Ground Squirrels w/ Stephanie Martinez!
Join Ellen & conservation biologist Stephanie Martinez for a review of the little deceptively adorable critters tunneling through the grasslands: ground…
Just the Zoo of Us127: Bull Shark & Green Heron
Join the Weatherfords for a weekly animal review! In this week's episode, Christian tells us how the bull shark gets fresh by staying salty & Ellen takes a…
Just the Zoo of Us126: Carnation Corals w/ Rosie Steinberg!
Join Ellen & marine biologist Rosie Steinberg for a review of some beautiful animals that you might not have even known were animals: carnation corals! We talk…
Just the Zoo of Us125: Crested Gecko w/ Dominique DiFalco!
Join Ellen & reptile keeper Dominique DiFalco for a review of the fabulously lashed crested gecko! Learn all about the joys of loving and caring for reptiles…
Just the Zoo of Us124: Northern Giraffe w/ Ashley Hamer!
Join Ellen and special guest, science communicator & podcaster Ashley Hamer, for a review of the towering leaf-eaters of the African savannahs: the northern…
Just the Zoo of Us123: Vampire Bats w/ Nate Marshall!
Join Ellen & special guest bat enthusiast Nate Marshall for a review of the not-so-sinister vampire bats! In this episode, we discuss leaf noses, Pope tweets…
Just the Zoo of Us122: Tarantula Hawk & Vulture Bee
Join the Weatherfords for a weekly animal review! In this week's episode, Ellen squares up with the formidable tarantula hawk & Christian gives the buzz on…
Just the Zoo of Us121: Nine-banded Armadillo w/ Carly Haywood!
Join Ellen & special guest Carly Haywood for a review of the scaly, pig-snouted friends of the underbrush: nine-banded armadillos! In this episode, we discuss…
Just the Zoo of Us120: Acorn Woodpecker & West African Lungfish
Join the Weatherfords for a weekly animal review! In this week's episode, Christian brings the acorn woodpecker to trial for its rampant vandalism & Ellen goes…
Just the Zoo of Us119: Pigeons w/ Rosemary Mosco!
Join Ellen & special guest, science writer & naturalist Rosemary Mosco, for a review of the little grey guy strutting down a street near you: the pigeon! We…
Just the Zoo of Us118: Ocean Sunfish & Tanuki
Join the Weatherfords for a weekly animal review! In this week's episode inspired by Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Ellen basks in the unexpected glory of the…
Just the Zoo of Us117: Flatfish w/ Dr. Kory Evans!
Join Ellen & special guest evolutionary biologist Dr. Kory Evans for a review of the dimensionally innovative flatfish! Learn the story of why these quirky…
Just the Zoo of Us116: Painted Bat & Dracula Parrot
Join the Weatherfords for a weekly animal review! In this week's festively spooky episode, Christian kicks off the celebration with the painted bat & Ellen…
Just the Zoo of Us115: Myriapods (Millipedes, Centipedes & Pauropods) w/ Dr. Derek Hennen!
Join Ellen & special guest, entomologist Derek Hennen, for a review of our many-legged friends, the myriapods! We’re talking millipedes, centipedes, and…
Just the Zoo of UsMeet the Neighbors: Just the Zoo of Us x One Bad Mother
Just the Zoo of Us and One Bad Mother got together to celebrate MaxFun Block Party! If you enjoyed this conversation we had with host Biz Ellis, be sure to…
Just the Zoo of Us114: Amazon Molly & Aardvark
Ellen inspects an army of fish clones, the Amazon molly, and Christian finally digs in to the details of the inimitable aardvark. Learn how clones are made in…
Just the Zoo of UsSpecial announcement: We're joining Maximum Fun!
We've got big, exciting, great news! Just the Zoo of Us is joining the Maximum Fun network! Listen to our announcement for more information about the network…
Just the Zoo of Us113: Freshwater Sponges w/ Mallory McNulty!
Join Ellen & special guest Mallory McNulty for a review of our porous friends, freshwater sponges! Get the real answers to your burning sponge questions, like…
Just the Zoo of Us112: Mexican Mole Lizard & Echidna
Join the Weatherfords for a weekly animal review! In this week's episode, Christian reviews the reptile disguised as an earthworm, the Mexican mole lizard, and…
Just the Zoo of Us111: Common Loon w/ Ivan Phillipsen!
Join Ellen & special guest, naturalist Ivan Phillipsen, for a review of the iconic common loon! In this episode, we discuss why they got stuck with such a rude…
Just the Zoo of Us110: Backswimmers w/ Gavin Campbell!
Join Ellen & special guest, ecologist Gavin Campbell, for a review of the surprising little bugs zipping just beneath the surface of a pond near you…
Just the Zoo of Us109: Philippine Eagle & Humpback Whale
Join the Weatherfords for a weekly animal review! In this week's episode, Ellen details what makes the Philippine eagle soar above the competition & Christian…
Just the Zoo of Us108: Great Horned Owl w/ Ashley Bray!
Join Ellen & special guest, wildlife biologist Ashley Bray, for a review of the tigers of the sky: great horned owls! In this episode, we discuss fake ears…
Just the Zoo of Us107: Thresher Shark w/ Jaida Elcock!
Join Ellen & special guest, shark scientist & co-founder of MISS Jaida Elcock, for a review of the chronically anxious scorpion of the sea: thresher sharks!…
Just the Zoo of Us106: Mudskipper & Hoatzin
Join the Weatherfords for a weekly animal review! In this week's episode, Christian reviews how the mudskipper gets the best of both worlds & Ellen strongly…
Just the Zoo of Us105: Fossa w/ Asia Murphy!
Join Ellen & special guest, ecologist Asia Murphy, for a review of the fossa! In this episode, we discuss their catlike (but not feline!) features, an unusual…
Just the Zoo of Us104: Blue-Eyed Black Lemur w/ Dr. Jen Tinsman!
Join Ellen & special guest, evolutionary biologist Dr. Jen Tinsman, for a review of Madagascar's striking blue-eyed black lemurs! In this episode, we discuss…
Just the Zoo of Us103: Malayan Tapir & Lone Star Tick
Join the Weatherfords for an animal review! In this week's episode, Ellen takes a look at the long-snouted Malayan tapir & Christian checks every nook and…
Just the Zoo of Us102: Plants w/ Dr. Vikram Baliga!
Join Ellen & special guest, horticulturist Dr. Vikram Baliga, for a review of... plants! We left the animal kingdom for this look at some of the fascinating…
Just the Zoo of Us101: Mantis Shrimp w/ Alice Chou!
Join Ellen & special guest, marine neurobiologist Alice Chou, for a review of the ocean's feisty boxers, mantis shrimps! In this episode, we discuss why the…
Just the Zoo of Us100th Episode Q&A Celebration!
Join Ellen & Christian for a special episode answering questions from our beautiful listeners about topics including (but not limited to): making the podcast…
Just the Zoo of Us99: Bald Eagles w/ Patch, creator of TierZoo!
Join Ellen & special guest Patch, creator of zoology-meets-gaming web series TierZoo, for a review of North America's iconic raptor, the bald eagle. In this…
Just the Zoo of Us98: Cockroaches w/ Charles Wallace!
Join Ellen & special guest entomologist Charles Wallace for a review of nature's oft-maligned rogues, cockroaches! In this episode, we bust myths about the…
Just the Zoo of Us97: Sea Otter & Blue-Ringed Octopus
Join the Weatherfords for a weekly animal review! In this week's episode, Ellen reviews the ocean's most adorable monsters, sea otters, & Christian rates the…
Just the Zoo of Us96: Orangutans w/ Dr. Lara Durgavich!
Join Ellen & special guest, biological anthropologist Dr. Lara Durgavich for a review of the arboreal royalty, orangutans! In this episode, we discuss how…
Just the Zoo of Us95: Cape Stumpnose w/ Dr. Yanasivan Kisten!
Join Ellen & special guest, marine ecophysiologist Dr. Yanasivan Kisten for a review of the unassuming yet impressive Cape stumpnose! In this episode, we…
Just the Zoo of Us94: American Black Bear & Scaly-foot Snail
Join the Weatherfords for a weekly animal review! In this week's episode, Christian teaches us why you should resist that urge to feed the bears & Ellen takes…
Just the Zoo of Us93: Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle w/ Alex Troutman!
Join Ellen & special guest wildlife biologist Alex Troutman for a review of the most dedicated beach babes of all, Kemp's ridley sea turtles! In this episode…
Just the Zoo of Us92: Archerfish w/ Dagmar der Weduwen!
Join Ellen & special guest ecologist Dagmar der Weduwen for a review of the sharpshooting archerfish! In this episode, we discuss the archerfish's unparalleled…
Just the Zoo of Us91: Periodical Cicadas & Portuguese Man O' War
Join the Weatherfords for a weekly animal review! In this week's episode, Ellen gives the buzz on periodical cicadas & Christian unfurls the sails of the…
Just the Zoo of Us90: Pronghorn w/ Vinny Thomas!
Join Ellen & special guest, comedian Vinny Thomas, for a review of the champion of the sagebrush, the pronghorn! In this episode, we discuss how this charming…
Just the Zoo of Us89: Vietnamese Mossy Frog w/ Gina Zwicky!
Join Ellen & special guest, biologist & naturalist Gina Zwicky, for a review of the amphibian master of disguise, the Vietnamese mossy frog! In this episode…
Just the Zoo of Us88: Stargazer & Pink Fairy Armadillo
Join the Weatherfords for a weekly animal review! In this week's very fossorial episode, Christian reveals the hidden nightmares of the stargazer fish and…
Just the Zoo of Us87: Jumping Spiders w/ Dr. Sebastian Echeverri!
Join Ellen & special guest, arachnologist Dr. Sebastian A. Echeverri for a review of the overpowered bards of the arachnid world, jumping spiders! In this…
Just the Zoo of Us86: Copepods w/ Jimmy Bernot!
Join Ellen & special guest, evolutionary biologist Jimmy Bernot, for a review of the microscopic crustaceans truly running the world, copepods! In this…
Just the Zoo of Us85: Opossum & Burrowing Owl
Join the Weatherfords for a weekly animal review! In this week's episode, Ellen's heart is stolen by the trash bandit opossum & Christian digs up all the dirt…
Just the Zoo of Us84: Cheetahs w/ Gabi Fleury!
Join Ellen and special guest, conservation biologist Gabi Fleury, for a review of the punk nerds of the big cat family, cheetahs! In this episode we discuss…
Just the Zoo of Us83: Tarantulas w/ Tea Francis!
Join Ellen & special guest, artist and arachnid enthusiast Tea Francis, for a review of our fuzzy, chunky, leggy friends: tarantulas! In this episode we…
Just the Zoo of Us82: Olm & Maned Wolf
Join the Weatherfords for a weekly animal review! Christian returns with the secretive underground cave puppy, the olm, and Ellen reviews the uniquely stunning…
Just the Zoo of Us81: Barnacles w/ Elizabeth Mills!
Join Ellen and special guest, marine biologist Elizabeth Mills, for a review of the often-overlooked ride-or-die friends of the sea, barnacles! Topics include…
Just the Zoo of Us80: Sea Stars w/ Dr. Christopher Mah!
Join Ellen and marine biologist Dr. Christopher Mah for a review of the mysterious, complicated, many-armed predators of the deep, sea stars! In this episode…
Just the Zoo of Us79: Reindeer (aka Caribou) w/ Olivia deBourcier!
Join Ellen and special guest, environmental scientist & host of the Beyond Blathers podcast Olivia deBourcier, for a review of a festive icon, the reindeer…