That's WILD! Podcast

About That's WILD! Podcast

Join us as we explore the amazing natural world that surrounds AND ASTOUNDS us. We’ll share insights and mind-blowing facts with special guest appearances that will leave you saying “That’s WILD!” Podcast edited and produced by Vines/Brookshire https://www.vinesbrookshire.com (https://www.vinesbrookshire.com)

Publisher

Susan Altrui & Joy Matlock

Category

kids & family · science

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

30 Oct 2024

Latest episode

13 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

36 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   13 Oct 2026

   The Villain Edit with Bats, Snakes and Madonna (The Opossum)

   In this episode of "That’s Wild!" (Season 2, Episode 13), host Susan Altrui, co-host Joy Matlock, and MC Dustin Bean explore "the villain edit," taking a look at how pop culture, myths, and fear give certain animals an unfairly bad reputation. They are joined by Hannah Baker, General Curator at the Little Rock Zoo, to listen to real voicemails from concerned citizens and separate animal facts from fiction. The conversation also features a special in-studio appearance by Madonna, a 1.5-year-old rescue ambassador opossum living at the zoo. The team kicks off the voicemails with a caller panicked over 30 to 50 vultures sitting on his roof, tearing the heads off fake owls, and "drooling disease". Hannah Baker sets the record straight, pointing out that vultures actually destroy disease rather than spread it, as their stomach acid has a pH of zero to one—as strong as battery acid. Next, a caller trapped in her bathroom complains about a "blind, flying rat" that drinks blood, carries rabies, and wants to nest in her hair. Hannah clarifies that bats are warm-blooded mammals belonging to the order Chiroptera, not rodents, and they are the only mammals capable of sustained powered flight. They do not nest in human hair, and they are not blind, using exceptional low-light vision paired with echolocation to navigate. Out of about 1,400 bat species worldwide, only three are vampire bats—none of which live in Arkansas—and while bats can vector rabies and should never be handled directly, they are essential for insect control. A third voicemail comes from a sleep-deprived new mom worrying if daddy longlegs are the most poisonous spiders in the world, if detaching a leg is a magic trick, and if killing one summons more. Hannah explains that harvestmen are arachnids but not true spiders, possessing zero venom glands. Detaching a leg, known as autotomy, is a survival distraction technique to escape predators while the leg keeps moving. They do not release recruitment pheromones when killed, and as omnivores, they even hunt black widows. The hosts also debunk the viral internet myth that humans swallow six to eight spiders a year in their sleep. The fourth caller vents about mosquitoes bypassing bug zappers, citronella, and garlic oil while completely ignoring his wife. Hannah explains that bug zappers mostly kill harmless insects like moths because mosquitoes are drawn to carbon dioxide, body heat, and moisture rather than light. Only female mosquitoes bite because they need blood protein for egg development, and they carry diseases like West Nile Virus regardless of climate. The hosts jokingly agree that mosquitoes deserve their villain status. The fifth voicemail describes a neighbor who "grieved" a dead opossum in her garage until it suddenly stood up and walked away, leaving behind a foul odor. Hannah clarifies that opossums are North America's only marsupial, not rodents, and "playing dead" is an involuntary, stress-induced reflex where they pass out and emit a nasty smell to deter predators. Due to their low body temperature around 92°F, they rarely carry rabies. They possess 50 teeth and a prehensile tail, which can hold onto branches for balance, though adults cannot hang upside down by their tails for long. The final caller, a worried grandfather, fears sharks are tracking his grandson's blood from an old wound, swimming up freshwater rivers, and riding in "tornadoes". Hannah explains that sharks can detect blood up to a quarter-mile away under ideal conditions, but they do not go into frenzies over human blood. While bull sharks can navigate fresh water via osmoregulation, landlocked lakes remain safe. While sharks account for 5 to 10 human deaths worldwide per year, humans kill over 100 million sharks annually through finning, overfishing, and bycatch.

2. 

   29 Sept 2026

   Meet Mojave the Rosy Boa with Hannah Baker

   In this episode of That’s Wild, hosts Susan Altrui and Joy Matlock sit down with Hannah Baker, the general curator at the Little Rock Zoo, to bust common snake myths and explore the fascinating biology of reptiles. The conversation kicks off with Susan playfully describing a snake as "maybe a tube with teeth", which sets the stage for a deep dive into the complexities hidden inside that body. Hannah introduces Mojave, a 20-year-old Rosy Boa who serves as a zoo ambassador. Originally kept as a pet before coming to the zoo in 2015, Mojave helps educate the public that snakes aren't scary pests, but unique animals that play a vital role in our ecosystem. Throughout the discussion, Hannah debunks several persistent reptile myths, including the idea that vertical slit pupils automatically mean a snake is venomous. As Hannah explains, "A ground-dwelling ambush predator usually has vertical eye slits", which simply helps them with depth perception when waiting for prey rather than indicating venom. She also addresses how constrictors capture prey, dispelling the belief that they break bones or suffocate animals. Instead, constrictors cut off blood circulation, leading to a rapid loss of oxygen to the brain. Beyond hunting mechanics, the group discusses sensory adaptations, noting how snakes detect ground vibrations using their lower jaw and gather scent molecules with their unique split tongues. The episode emphasizes responsible pet ownership and wildlife conservation. Hannah highlights the long lifespan of snakes—explaining that they can easily live 20 to 30 years in human care—and warns against releasing exotic pets into the wild. Releasing non-native species can severely damage local ecosystems, as seen with invasive pythons in the Florida Everglades. The hosts remind listeners that zoos rarely have space to accept unwanted pets, urging prospective owners to do thorough research first or adopt traditional pets from shelters. The episode concludes with a appreciation for snakes, reminding listeners to value and conserve the natural world around them.

3. 

   15 Sept 2026

   Behind the Bowl with Dr. Sara Stoneburg

   This episode of That's Wild! hosted by Susan Altrui and Joy Matlock features returning guest Dr. Sarah Stoneburg, who serves as a veterinarian at the Little Rock Zoo and oversees the zoo's commissary operations. The discussion highlights the massive logistical operation required to feed over 400 animals representing more than 200 species every day. Dr. Stoneberg explains the diverse diet categories handled by her team of three commissary keepers, noting, "we have carnivores, we have insectivores, we have herbivores, we have frugivores... a frugivore is a fruit-based diet". She emphasizes the intense meal preparation and safety standards involved, sharing that keepers follow human-grade kitchen standards and pass "ServSafe for our commissary keepers" to prevent cross-contamination between produce and meat. Managing supply lines requires constant calculation and spreadsheet tracking, as Dr. Stoneberg admits, "some deliveries take two weeks, some deliveries take six to eight weeks depending on what we're ordering, so we have to be paying attention of how much we still have in stock and then ordering to make sure we cover it at the right time". The conversation covers several specific species and their unique nutritional needs. For instance, the zoo participates in sustainable sourcing for its fish and krill to protect wild marine populations. When describing flamingos, Dr. Stoneberg reveals that krill and a specialized grain pigment called "canthaxanthin" help "maintain their coloration". Addressing their elephants, she notes that Zyna weighs about 6,000 pounds while Babe "weighs closer to 12,000 pounds," requiring carefully calibrated daily rations of grain, produce, and Bermuda hay. Handling picky eaters and administering medication also demands creative solutions. When a sloth rejected her formulated gel diet, Dr. Stoneberg notes that keepers got creative by "forming it into different shapes... we got different silicone molds to make sticks or stars" until she accepted it. To give medication to clever animals like big cats or primates who try to avoid pills, staff resort to using "jelly or pie filling," disguising pills inside whole prey, or even using "needles and inject it into superworms and mealworms". To manage costs and ensure a reliable food supply, the zoo operates a dedicated "bug shed" on site where they "propagate superworms on grounds... crickets... fruit flies... and then roaches" for the insect-eating animals. Ultimately, Dr. Stoneberg explains that all training rewards and enrichment foods are strictly factored into each animal's daily calorie count because "we love our animals at the zoo, but we want them to be healthy and not obese".

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.2 / 5

6 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 22 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

31

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

31

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Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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