The Wild Life

• Archive of Wonder with Jay Meredith

  What do a gaur, an aardvark, a flattened musk turtle, and a Matschie’s tree kangaroo have in common?They’ve all been photographed beautifully, reverently, and intentionally by my next guest—wildlife and zoo photographer Jay Meredith.In this episode, Jay shares the story behind his incredible project, The Animal Archives, documenting over 1,000 animal species across accredited zoos, aquariums, and conservation centers. But this is more than a numbers game. It’s a mission to help people fall in love with the overlooked, the endangered, and the often-forgotten.We talk about how Jay transitioned from zookeeper to photographer, the difference between photographing wild vs. captive animals, what it means to truly see an animal, why education and storytelling are just as important as the image itself, and the little-known species Jay wants everyone to know about!This episode is about photography, yes—but really, it’s about wonder. It’s about noticing. And it’s about how we grow empathy for the world when we take time to look closely.📸 Follow Jay on Instagram: @photos_with_jay_108 🦥 Support The Wild Life and Get Early Access at www.patreon.com/thewildlife

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• My Message for World Oceans Day

  Today is #WorldOceansDay and I’m feeling a whole lot of things. Wonder. Grief. Hope. Determination.The ocean isn’t just a place to visit. It’s not just a good backdrop for photos.It’s breath. It’s mystery. It’s the engine of life on Earth. And right now? It needs us.This isn’t a doom post. It’s a love letter.To the sea slugs and phytoplankton.To coral metropolises and whales that sing.And to whoever has felt small in the best possible way, standing in front of something as vast and alive as our seas.Let’s protect what’s left.Let’s restore what we can.Let’s be the kind of people the ocean would be proud of.~Devon

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• Ancient Finds, Changing Times with Andrew Schwartz

  What if the key to understanding our future was hidden in the teeth of creatures that lived millions of years ago? In this episode, we dive into the world of dental microwear with paleontologist Andrew Schwartz (@eyesonthedirt), who takes us from the fossil beds of ancient Wyoming to the jungles of Costa Rica and the highlands of the Wari Empire. Along the way, we uncover how past climate shifts reshaped life on Earth—and what that means for us today.We explore:How capuchin monkeys and ancient Andean civilizations left clues in their teethWhat the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) can teach us about modern climate changeWhy some mammals shrank while others thrivedWhat a warming world could mean for our ecosystems, agriculture, and future survivalLinks & Resources:Learn more about Andrew Schwartz’s researchDeep dive into the PETM and its modern implicationsSupport The Wild Life on Patreon!If you love deep dives into science and nature, consider supporting The Wild Life on Patreon. Your support helps me continue making episodes like this, bringing expert voices and fascinating stories. Plus, Patrons get bonus content, early access, and more! Join us at Patreon.com/TheWildLife.Let me know what you think! Leave a review, share the episode, and keep exploring the wild world around you.

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• Giant River Otters and Other Adventures with Kat Foree

  Giant river otters are social, intelligent, and deeply connected to the health of their ecosystems—but what happens when their food supply starts to dwindle? In this episode of The Wild Life, we’re joined by Katherine Foree, a researcher studying how these apex predators use their habitat in the Madre de Dios region of Peru. With a Fulbright grant supporting both her research and cultural exchange, Katherine is three months into her work at Cocha Cashu Biological Station and preparing for a second study on the impact of fish depletion on otter food-sharing behaviors. We also dive into her past experiences with orangutans, lemurs, and conservation challenges around the world. Join us as we explore the fascinating lives of giant river otters and what they can teach us about the delicate balance of the Amazon’s waterways, talk books, the often overlooked humanity of scientists, animal psychology, and so much more!Support The Wild Life at www.patreon.com/thewildlifeFollow Kat on Instagram @a.kat.named.rin

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• Harvest Mice, 3-Legged Beavers, and Elephant Conflicts with Dylan Beckham

  Joining The Wild Life today is Dylan Beckham! She spent two years as a zookeeper caring for all sorts of exotics, including reptiles, invertebrates, fish, emus, wallabies, genets and Eurasian harvest mice. As a herpetology enthusiast, she was surprised to find it was the mice that stole her heart. This led to the development of her independent research project investigating their nesting behaviors in captivity, before ultimately leaving the zoo to pursue her passion for wildlife research. She managed to fit in an adventure to Canada, where she interned at a wildlife rehab facility, wrestled raccoons, and fell madly in love with a three-legged beaver! Now she's wading through nearly a hundred hours of harvest mouse data, while preparing to return to university for a top-up Bachelor's degree in September, where she'll be doing a research project on human-elephant conflict in Equatorial Guinea. Whether you're fascinated by the world of zookeeping, curious about the nuances of data collection, or passionate about conservation, this episode is for you. Follow Dylan on InstagramHave questions, topic suggestions, or want to be on the show? Email me at [email protected] or dm me on Instagram or TikTok @devonthenatureguySupport The Wild Life for as little as $1 per month at www.patreon.com/thewildlife

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