You Made It Weird with Pete Holmes
Episode: Forrest Galante
Date: August 21, 2025
Guest: Forrest Galante, wildlife biologist, adventurer, and TV host
Episode Overview
This episode features real-life adventurer and wildlife biologist, Forrest Galante. Known for hosting Animal Planet’s Extinct or Alive, Mysterious Creatures, and frequent appearances on Shark Week, Forrest dives into wild stories from his global explorations searching for rare and "extinct" animals, human-wildlife negotiations, the future of conservation, personal tales of brushes with danger, and how our modern lifestyle disconnects us from nature—and from our own happiness. The conversation flows with Pete's trademark blend of earnest curiosity, humor, and philosophical reflection.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Who is Forrest Galante?
- [01:47–03:41]
- Pete introduces Forrest as the first true “adventurer” on the podcast—“literally risks his life” on daring wildlife expeditions.
- [03:09] Forrest:
"I think I’m a wildlife communicator or educator. I travel around the world, (work) in some of the most remote and hostile environments, work with indigenous and tribal people to expose incredible wildlife... any wildlife that needs exposure and needs help, I work on those projects."
2. Navigating Cultural Differences in Conservation
- [03:41–05:18]
- Pete asks how Forrest navigates pushback from indigenous practices (e.g. hunting practices).
- [04:10] Forrest, who grew up in Zimbabwe, emphasizes universal negotiation:
"We all want wildlife on the planet. Sometimes it takes education... Just say, look, I know you've been doing it a certain way for this long, but you want it to be sustainable. Here's a way to do that so that you can continue to grow your family, grow your culture...”
3. Interconnectedness of Wildlife & Humans
- [05:35–06:55]
- Pete: “The planet as a body, and wildlife is almost like white blood cells…”
- Forrest explains the impact of shark extinction:
[06:34] "If sharks disappear from the planet, you and I... our families—they’re gone. If sharks cease to exist on planet Earth, we’re dead...They’re bioregulators for the ocean."
- [07:01] “People forget that we’re killing sharks at a rate of... 8 million sharks a year or something like that.”
4. Food Chains, Conservation, and Indigenous Knowledge
- [07:41–10:24]
- Discusses the global reliance on seafood (“91% of the world relies on the ocean for their main source of protein”).
- Connections drawn to survival shows (Alone), with insights that women on such shows "make life worth living" via art, joy, and homemaking even in survival.
5. Myth, Religion, and Environmental Impact
- [10:42–14:01]
- Pete explores how ancient myths captured the idea of not over-exploiting resources—"leave some of these parts.”
- [12:04] Forrest critiques biblical concepts of dominion and how they influenced the Industrial Revolution’s approach:
"… wildlife and nature and animals were here for our harvest dominion. Yeah, exactly… during the Industrial Revolution, it was like, how fast can we evolve technology to consume wildlife...”
- Conversation on modern meat consumption, invasive species (lionfish, wild boar), and sustainable eating.
6. Ecophobia & Optimism vs. Doom & Gloom
- [16:34–18:41]
- Forrest denounces “ecophobia” (overwhelming fear narrative):
[17:01] “It’s so demoralizing… let’s look for solutions and silver linings and ways to make things better as opposed to just doom and gloom.”
- He is "very optimistic," emphasizing the planet’s resiliency and the power of small proactive actions.
- Forrest denounces “ecophobia” (overwhelming fear narrative):
7. Proactive vs. Reactive Approaches to Environmentalism
- [18:41–19:01]
- Cites Tony Robbins: Humans are more likely to act to avoid pain than to gain pleasure.
- [18:53] Pete draws a parallel to health checkups — we are preventative with Earth, too: “We should be getting checkups and then you’ll be alright.”
8. How Human Well-Being Links to Planetary Care
- [20:11–21:56]
- Pete proposes: “If humans are happier and living longer, we might care more for the planet.”
- Forrest: “I think if you’re happier then it’s easier to contribute and to care about something outside of yourself...”
9. AI, Tech, and Conservation
- [22:05–23:54]
- Forrest gives examples of AI drone analysis of elephant herds, interpreting animal “language.”
- Future prospects of AI in conservation—for example, learning shark body language.
- Analogies drawn to ancient myths—“we might literally talk to the cows" in the future.
10. Sentience, Lab Meat, and Food System Futures
- [24:17–27:38]
- Thought experiment: If animals could express themselves (“If a pig could just look at you and say ‘Good morning’… you’d find a different breakfast.”)
- Forrest: “I think the Earth has a rhythm and a flow. When we try and print meat in a lab, maybe our bodies, our cells, will say, 'That’s not it.'”
- Both agree we need more connection to nature (“walk barefoot, eat some real food, get sun”).
11. Disconnect from Nature in Modern Life
- [29:03–37:46]
- Forrest shares that being outdoors is “medicine;” modern artificial environments lead to “wilting.”
- Pete: “We’ve gotten so far from being on a log sharing food…it’s really fucking bizarre.”
- Both reminisce about the 1980s as a recent “peak” of human/nature balance—technology was handy, but human connection and need were stronger.
12. Modern Technology, Meetings, and Mental Overload
- [49:00–51:34]
- Discussion on calendar overload, constant urgency, and burnout.
- [50:15] Forrest shares a tip from a friend: “I don’t take meetings anymore…I do a Loom video if I need something… Haven’t scheduled a meeting in two years.”
13. Presence, Nature, and Animal Behavior
- [54:13–56:26]
- Forrest on being “present” when tracking wildlife—no distractions, necessity for survival.
- Pete: “Dangerous to not be present...those people did die. And now only the distractible people are breeding!”
14. Hope for the Next Generation?
- [56:26–58:02]
- Forrest observes that younger generations, having grown up with tech, may be less addicted (“it’s boring now”).
- Pete compares it to how Europeans are less fascinated with wine since it’s normalized from a young age.
15. Forrest’s Near-Death Experiences
- [58:02–77:57]
Plane Crashes
- Two crashes: one in Zimbabwe ([59:01] "Plane got struck by lightning. All the instruments went out. When we landed, hit a termite mound, plane spun around, things got ripped off... [but] we were okay.").
Animal Encounters
- Stung by man o’ war jellyfish ("like an acid burn"), mauled by a lion, bitten by sharks, nearly killed by a hippo ([63:04] "In February, I almost got killed by a hippo while we were working down in Colombia.")
- Hippo story: Hippos were released into the Colombian wild by Pablo Escobar—now a huge, dangerous invasive population.
[64:20] "Hippos don’t have a fight or flight response. They have a fight response."
16. The Dragon and Cryptid Debate
- [78:10–81:45]
- Pete asks about “dragon stuff.” Forrest clarifies a viral Rogan clip was taken out of context—he’s not a dragon hunter, but remarked on interesting cross-cultural dragon myths and fossilization chances.
- Explains what a “cryptid” is (Bigfoot, chupacabra, etc.)—reasons why some myths lack fossil evidence.
17. Most Misunderstood Animal
- [81:45–83:54]
- [82:07] Forrest: "Pandas. They have the best PR campaign in the world. They’re dumb as dirt, the worst parents in the world…they’d hand you their baby for an apple."
- People want to cuddle them but they’re "vicious, defensive, territorial."
18. If You Could Witness an Extinct Beast
- [84:01–87:22]
- Forrest would visit the Tasmanian Tiger (“thylacine”)—a marsupial wolf that “may still exist in New Guinea”—over dinosaurs for its mysterious evolutionary mix.
19. Strange and Dangerous Nights in the Wild
- [87:44–94:51]
- Weird nights: bees invading tents, flooding, rebels (or, e.g., armed military) entering camp.
- [90:29] Forrest recalls being accused of spying on illegal logging, needing to bribe, hide footage, and eventually flee in a bush plane as “guys with machine guns” closed in ([94:51]).
- Emphasizes the value of “human connection” over confrontation to diffuse tension and build rapport, even in dangerous scenarios.
20. Happiness, Modernity, & Human Connection
- [96:07–99:11]
- Forrest discusses seeing happiness in communities with "nothing"—no tech, comfort, medicine, but “nothing but smiles,” a deep sense of belonging and presence.
- Pete: "The secret to happiness is not meeting all your needs...it seems like what these kids you’re talking about have is an attunement with their environment, with their community...belonging, present."
- [98:36] Forrest: “These people that have nothing have happiness.”
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Conservation:
“[We] all want wildlife on the planet… sometimes it takes education or figuring out very complex issues.” – Forrest [04:10] -
Interconnectedness:
“If sharks disappear, you and I, our families…they’re gone. Sharks are bioregulators for the ocean.” – Forrest [06:34] -
Optimism & Solutions:
“All hope is not lost. This planet is incredibly resilient…with small amounts of effort.” – Forrest [17:39] -
Thrill of Animal Encounters:
“Anytime something like this happens with wildlife, I’m the one to blame, not the animals...complacency set in…. I duct taped [my shark bite] and went back to work.” – Forrest [76:08] -
Pandas' PR:
“They’d hand you their baby to take the apple. These are animals that have been trying to head towards extinction for, like, thousands of years.” – Forrest [83:19] -
On Human Connection vs. Technology:
“If you pulled up to me at a gas station…and said, ‘Hey, where am I going?’ I’d be like, ‘Google it.’” – Forrest [39:24] -
On Happiness:
“These people that have nothing have happiness.” – Forrest [98:36]
Timestamps for Highlights
- [03:09] Forrest defines his role as a “wildlife communicator.”
- [06:34] Why losing sharks means losing humans.
- [12:04] Critique of biblical “dominion” and industrial impact.
- [17:39] Forrest’s optimism about the planet.
- [22:05] AI’s use in conservation (elephants, sharks).
- [24:17] Hypothetical: If pigs could talk.
- [29:03] Modern life’s disconnect from nature.
- [50:15] Forrest’s industry friend: “I don’t take meetings anymore.”
- [58:20] Forrest’s plane crash stories begin.
- [64:20] Hippos’ aggression explained.
- [82:07] Pandas: The “best PR campaign in the world.”
- [87:44] Dangerous nights: bees, rebels, machine guns.
- [98:36] “These people that have nothing have happiness.”
Tone, Style, and Concluding Feel
With Pete’s blend of wide-eyed curiosity, self-deprecating humor, and philosophical musing, the episode is alternately hilarious, harrowing, and deeply thoughtful. It explores what we’ve lost as a society, what we might regain, and why wildness—both in nature and in ourselves—still matters.
Forrest signs off:
“Check out any of the stuff I do online. The YouTube channel. That’s new... and keep it crispy.” [99:11]