Episode 4 of Series 15: Animal Communications - Transcript

The discussion dives into the often misunderstood social behaviors and communication methods of reptiles, from chemical and tactile cues to visual displays. The episode also explores ethical considerations in reptile pet ownership, conservation challenges, and groundbreaking research on reptile emotions and personalities.

Guest Bios: Dr. Julia Riley is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at Mount Allison University (MtA) and a Canada Research Chair in Integrative Wildlife Ecology. She leads the Integrative Ecology Lab that aims to increase our knowledge of amphibian and reptile behaviour, evolution, and ecology, as well as aid in the conservation of these imperiled taxa. She was a postdoctoral fellow at University of New South Wales in Australia, Stellenbosch University in South Africa, and at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, Canada. Her research has broadly fit into the fields of behavioural ecology, evolutionary biology, and herpetology.

Dr. Emily Taylor is a professor of biological sciences at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, where she conducts research on the physiology, ecology, and conservation biology of reptiles and amphibians with her students. She is the author of the California Herping Guides. Learn more at EmilyTaylorScience.com and follow her on social media @snakeymama.

Book Recommendations: An Immense World by Ed Yong, The Overstory by Richard Powers, Snakes and Snake Hunting by Carl Kauffeld

Related Links: From Strange by Nature Podcast, Please Fish Don't Eat Me

109. How Do Aboriginal and Bengali Stories Shape Cultural Understanding of Nature? with Dipanwita Pal, PhD. (S12)

31: Attitudes Towards Animals with Matti Wilks (S5)

www.jonathanbalcombe.com
What a Fish Knows (NYTimes bestseller)
Super Fly (National Outdoor Book Award winner)
Jake and Ava: A Boy and a Fish (illustrated children's book)

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PHAIR Conference Coverage

New Miniseries begins Summer 2026