Europe and the Arctic
Episodes 99-102

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 99: That is One Fast Metabolism

The first episode of Europe and the Arctic month begins with Casey sharing his experience officially starting his volunteer work with Wild Wonders, and Ali rating another documentary, giving National Geographic’s Super/Natural: Strange Relations a rating of safe. Casey continues by discussing a few groups that help zoos during disasters, while Ali shares an article about a sunfish that set the record for the largest bony fish ever recorded. They go on to discuss their Favorite European Reptiles, the Iberian Worm Lizard and the Ocellated Lizard, and the first Animal of the Week for this region, the Etruscan Shrew. The episode concludes with another round of ‘Cups’.

Pictured from top to bottom: Etruscan Shrew, Iberian Worm Lizard, and Ocellated Lizard

Sources and links

Zoos and Aquariums Gather To Help Florida Zoos and Aquariums After Hurricane Ian | Petlife (vocal.media)

https://www.livescience.com/heaviest-bony-fish-ever-recorded

Iberian worm lizard - Facts, Diet, Habitat & Pictures on Animalia.bio

Blanus cinereus | The Reptile Database (reptarium.cz)

Iberian Worm Lizard (Blanus cinereus). Great Malaga Path - Tourism - Diputación de Málaga

Iberian Worm Lizard articles - Encyclopedia of Life (eol.org)

Blanus cinereus (Iberian Worm Lizard) (iucnredlist.org)

Amphisbaenia (ucl.ac.uk)

About the Ocellated lizard in France (planetepassion.eu)

Eyed Lizard - Timon lepidus (sauria.org.uk)

Ocellated Lizard articles - Encyclopedia of Life (eol.org)

Timon lepidus (Ocellated Lizard) (iucnredlist.org)

ADW: Suncus etruscus: INFORMATION (animaldiversity.org)

Etruscan Shrew - Facts, Diet, Habitat & Pictures on Animalia.bio

Strange and Unbelievable Facts About Shrews - Cool Green Science (nature.org)

Suncus etruscus (Pygmy White-toothed Shrew) (iucnredlist.org)

A miniscule model for research | Lab Animal (nature.com)

Etruscan shrew (Suncus etruscus) (thainationalparks.com)

needs credit wiki iberian worm lizard Culebra_Ciega_-_panoramio (1).jpg

By ^ozo^, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=36762844

Episode 100: We’ve Reached 100 Episodes!

Casey kicks the 100th episode talking about his trip to the San Diego Zoo with his mother, while Ali shares two stories which occurred within a month of each other involving sharks off the coast of San Diego, one where a photographer caught a shark breaching during a surf competition, and the latter involving a non-fatal shark attack. Casey then tells us about a lioness that has grown a mane, and Ali shares a story about some escaped lions from the Taronga Zoo in Australia. The pair then talk about their Favorite Animals Found in the Alps, the Alpine Salamander and the Chamois, and our distinctive-looking Animal of the Week, the Eurasian Hoopoe. They wrap up the episode with a challenge where they must name the Animals of the Week by Orders within the allotted time.

Pictured from top to bottom: Eurasian Hoopoe, Alpine Salamander, and Chamois.

Sources and Links

https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2022-11-04/swimmer-attacked-by-shark-in-waters-near-san-diego

https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/05/us/great-white-shark-surfer-photobomb-trnd/index.html

The rare case of a lioness with a mane | Popular Science (popsci.com)

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/five-lions-escape-enclosure-alarm-sydney-zoo-rcna55190

ADW: Rupicapra rupicapra: INFORMATION (animaldiversity.org)

Chamois - Facts, Diet, Habitat & Pictures on Animalia.bio

Rupicapra rupicapra (Northern Chamois) (iucnredlist.org)

AmphibiaWeb - Salamandra atra

Salamandra (cell.com)

Alpine salamander - Facts, Diet, Habitat & Pictures on Animalia.bio

Alpine salamander articles - Encyclopedia of Life (eol.org)

Salamandra atra (iucnredlist.org)

Eurasian hoopoe (Upupa epops) (thainationalparks.com)

Eurasian Hoopoe - eBird

The Hoopoe: Emissary of Kings, Secreter of Stink | Audubon

Upupa epops (Common Hoopoe) (iucnredlist.org)

Episode 101: Adorably Misunderstood

Casey begins the episode with some updates on his volunteer program, while Ali talks about a game night with friends where she played Parks, a game she can now officially recommend. Casey goes on to tell us about a technique being used in the Netherlands to discourage wolves from hanging around humans, specifically shooting paintballs at them. Ali then features another dog breed, the Czechoslovakian Vlcak, or Czechoslovakian Wolfdog, before they continue on to their Favorite European Birds of Prey, the Red Kite and the Peregrine Falcon. Casey teaches us about our adorable Animal of the Week, the Norway Lemming, before Ali closes out the episode challenging Casey to a quiz called ‘Weird Laws’.

Pictured from top to bottom: Norway Lemming, Red Kite, Peregrine Falcon, and Czechoslovakian Vlcak.

Sources and Links

Paintballs to be shot at Dutch wolves in bid to make them less tame - BBC News

Wolves return to Netherlands after 140 years - BBC News

https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/czechoslovakian-vlcak/

Red Kite Bird Facts | Milvus Milvus - The RSPB

Red kite | The Wildlife Trusts

Red Kite (Milvus milvus) - British Birds - Woodland Trust

ADW: Milvus milvus: INFORMATION (animaldiversity.org)

Milvus milvus (Red Kite) (iucnredlist.org)

Peregrine Falcon Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Peregrine Falcon | National Wildlife Federation (nwf.org)

Peregrine Falcon | The Nature Conservancy

Falco peregrinus (Peregrine Falcon) (iucnredlist.org)

Peregrine Falcon | The Peregrine Fund

Norway Lemming - Facts, Diet, Habitat & Pictures on Animalia.bio

Norway Lemming - Encyclopedia of Life (eol.org)

The nature of the Norwegian lemming: 'bloodthirsty, hairy berserkers' | Helen Sullivan The Guardian

ADW: Lemmus lemmus: INFORMATION (animaldiversity.org)

Lemmus lemmus (Norway Lemming) (iucnredlist.org)

Episode 102: So That’s Why They’re Called That

The final episode from Europe and the Arctic kicks off with Casey fanboying over the World Cup, and Ali sharing the full article about the previously mentioned Houdini, the King Cobra escape artist. Casey continues by sharing a story about the discovery of a “fossil of car-sized dinosaur-era sea turtle in Spain”, while Ali shares a story about 53 rescue dogs that survived a plane crash along with all the humans on board. The pair then discuss their Favorite European Songbirds, the Eurasian Magpie and the Eurasian Blue Tit, and awesome looking Animal of the Week, the Great Crested Newt. Casey closes out the episode challenging Ali to a quiz where she must name Animals of the Week by Family within the allotted time.

Pictured from top to bottom: Great Crested Newt, Eurasian Magpie, and Eurasian Blue Tit.