The WildLife: Wildlife Rescue Centers, Tracy O’Toole

  Tracy O’Toole talks about the illegal international pet trade in Central America and what happens to birds, primates and other animals once they’re confiscated by wildlife law enforcement. She tells “The WildLife” host Laurel Neme about the challenges facing wildlife rescue centers and what’s required for successful rehabilitation and release of seized wildlife. Listen and hear how…

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The WildLife: Elephant Seals, Christine Heinrichs

    Christine Heinrichs exposes elephant seals’ captivating habits and bizarre lifestyle as she takes us to Piedras Blancas elephant seal rookery on California’s central coast. She tells “The WildLife” host Laurel Neme how elephant seals spend 8 to 10 months a year in the open ocean and that, to find food, they dive incredibly deep, up to a…

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The WildLife: Bird Strikes & Feather Identification, Marcy Heacker

  Marcy Heacker, a wildlife forensic scientist at the Smithsonian Institution’s Feather Identification Lab in Washington, DC, discusses wildlife forensics, bird strikes and feather identification. She tells “The WildLife” host Laurel Neme how her analysis helps airports manage wildlife to enhance airline safety and also talks about how she and the other forensic scientists at the lab helped analyze the…

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The WildLife: Rhino Horn Trade, Rhishja Larson

  Rhishja Larson, founder of Saving Rhinos, discusses the illegal trade in rhino horn and what can be done to stop it. She tells “The WildLife” host Laurel Neme that, because rhino horn has no real medicinal properties, this multimillion dollar illegal trade is built on a myth. Rhishja is trying to bust this myth – which in…

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The WildLife: Marine Aquarium Trade, Brian Tissot

  Brian Tissot, marine ecologist, discusses the marine aquarium trade. He tells “The WildLife” host Laurel Neme how the United States, as the world’s largest importer of marine ornamental species for the aquaria, curio, home decor and jewelry industries, has an opportunity to leverage its market power to promote more sustainable trade and reduce the effects of…

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The WildLife: Gorillas & Bushmeat Trade, Pierre Fidenci

  Pierre Fidenci, president of Endangered Species International (ESI), talks about gorillas and the bushmeat trade. He tells “The WildLife” host Laurel Neme about how ESI went undercover in Republic of Congo (Brazzaville) to monitor the bushmeat trade in key markets and found over 300 western lowland gorillas were butchered each year, with 95 percent of the illegal bushmeat originating from the Kouilou…

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Mongabay.com: Dangerous and exploitative: a look at pet wild cats

By Laurel Neme, special to mongabay.comJuly 13, 2010     Lisa Tekancic, president of the WildCat Conservation Legal Aid Society spoke with Laurel Neme on her “The WildLife” radio show and podcast about captive wildcats and the wildcat pet trade. During her interview, Lisa describes the history of wildcats in captivity—from the Roman spectator games and royal…

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The Wildlife: Captive Wild Cats, Lisa Tekancic, & Creature Call Contest Answers

Lisa Tekancic, president of the WildCat Conservation Legal Aid Society, discusses captive wild cats and the wild cat pet trade. She tells “The WildLife” host Laurel Neme about the history of wild cats in captivity, how captive wild cats are used for commercial purposes such as in the entertainment industry and the pet trade, and why this is…

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The WildLife: Philippine Forest Turtle, Pierre Fidenci

  Pierre Fidenci, president of Endangered Species International (ESI), talks about his work to save “forgotten” endangered species. Speaking to “The WildLife” host Laurel Neme from the Philippines, he tells of his recent activities to save the rare Philippine Forest Turtle, one of the most endangered turtles on earth that is found on only two islands in the southern Philippines, and…

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