South America
Episodes 44-47

Ever wonder what the animals we talk about look like, or which episodes cover what animals? Find the answers you seek below! Our episode guides give a brief breakdown of each episode as well as links to the articles we discuss, our sources, and of course, pictures of the animals!

All pictures are either Public Domain or Stock photos unless otherwise noted.
Unfortunately we are not able to provide photos for every animal, especially the more obscure ones, due to not being able to obtain photos which don't violate copyright law. For any animals lacking a photo we remind you that Google is your friend.

Episode 44: Fantastic Frogs and Remarkable Rodents

Casey kicks the episode off by talking about some highlights from a Nat talk (San Diego Natural History Museum) on bees, and Ali talks about her recent experience visiting the San Diego Wild Animal Park (Safari Park) with a friend. Casey discusses an article on how GMO mosquitoes are being used in Florida to help control the mosquito population, and Ali talks about a newly discovered cute frog species, the Chocolate Frog. They go on to talk about their favorite South American Rodents, the Prehensile Tail Porcupine and the Capybara. Casey talks about their very wrinkly Animal of the Week, the Titicaca frog, and wraps up the episode with a Two Truths and a Lie style challenge for Ali.

Pictured from top to bottom: Titicaca Frog, Prehensile Tail Porcupine, and Capybara.

Sources and Links

https://undark.org/2021/04/12/gmo-mosquitoes-to-be-released-florida-keys/

https://www.sciencealert.com/look-at-this-new-species-of-cute-chocolate-frog

https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Coendou_prehensilis/

https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/prehensile-tailed-porcupine

https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/capybara

https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Hydrochoerus_hydrochaeris/

https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Telmatobius_culeus/

https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/57334/178948447#threats

https://www.amphibians.org/amazing-amphibians/titicaca-water-frog/

https://zooatlanta.org/the-amazing-lake-titicaca-water-frog/

Episode 45: Gentle Giants and Adorable Arachnids

Casey talks about getting ready for his upcoming graduation and finding some interesting insects, and Ali reviews Secrets of the Whales: Beluga Kingdom a rating of Mostly Safe. Casey talks about how scientists found a gray whale in the Atlantic Ocean, while Ali brings up a silly Facebook horse game and highlights the Friesian horse. They go on to talk about their Favorite Spiders, the Portia Jumping Spider and the Peacock Jumping Spider, before Casey educates us on our insectivorous Animal of the Week, the Giant Anteater. Finally, they conclude the episode with another round of the ‘Cups’ challenge.

Pictured from top to bottom: Giant Anteater, Portia Jumping Spider, Peacock Jumping Spider, and Friesian.

Sources and Links

https://www.wsj.com/articles/gray-whales-were-thought-to-be-extinct-in-the-atlantic-so-how-did-wally-end-up-off-the-riviera-11621180801

https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Portia_fimbriata/

https://australian.museum/learn/animals/spiders/fringed-jumping-spider/

https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Maratus/

https://www.livescience.com/39052-peacock-spider-mating-dance.html

https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Myrmecophaga_tridactyla/

https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/14224/47441961

http://www.edgeofexistence.org/species/giant-anteater/

https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/giant-anteater

By Jurgen Otto, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31209998

Episode 46: Distinct Doggo

Casey talks about finally becoming a college graduate, and Ali reviews her experience seeing In the Heights and gives an update on her parents’ dog, Duke. Casey brings up an article that discusses the first sighting of a giant river otter in Argentina, and Ali talks about the ‘resting elephants’ in China. They go on to talk about their Favorite South American Monkeys, the Red Uakari and the Squirrel Monkey, before Casey teaches us about our interesting canine Animal of the Week, the Bush Dog. They close out the episode with an offshoot of their ‘Alphabet Challenge’, specifically having to name animals that begin with the last letter of the previous animal, but this time they’re limited to South American inhabitants.

Pictured from top to bottom: Bush Dog, Red Uakari, and Squirrel Monkey.

Sources and Links

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/may/25/a-huge-surprise-as-giant-river-otter-feared-extinct-in-argentina-pops-up-aoe

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/08/chinas-herd-of-wandering-elephants-takes-a-rest-after-500km-trek

https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Cacajao_calvus/

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/facts/bald-uakari

https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Saimiri_sciureus/

https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Speothos_venaticus/

https://www.iucnredlist.org/fr/species/20468/9203243

https://www.zoonewengland.org/stone-zoo/our-animals/mammals/bush-dog/

https://animalia.bio/bush-dog

Episode 47: A Variety of Avians

Casey kicks the episode off talking about his day spent at the San Diego Zoo with his little sister, and Ali talks about Tiger Lily’s birthday. Casey talks about the problematic ‘cocaine hippos’ from Colombia, while Ali gives an update on Magawa, the mine-detecting rat. They go on to discuss their Favorite Birds from South America, the Greater Rhea and the White-Throated Toucan. Casey teaches us about an even more peculiar feathered Animal of the Week, the Hoatzin. The episode wraps up with a challenge where both hosts must name as many animals as they can with other animals in their name within the time allotted.

Pictured from top to bottom: Hoatzin, Greater Rhea, and White-Throated Toucan.