Afleveringen
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The world's smallest sturgeon species, the Syr Darya Shovelnose Sturgeon, is found in muddy rivers flowing through Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and other parts of Central Asia. It tops out at a diminutive 9 inches long.
But the thing is, it hasn't been seen in more than 60 years.
In this episode of the podcast, two of our scientists, Dr. Bernie Kuhajda and Dr. Dave Neely, and graduate student Christian Swartzbaugh discuss a recent trip they made to Uzbekistan as part of the Search for Lost Species. Their quest? To ascertain whether the Syr Darya Shovelnose Sturgeon is still around or if it has gone extinct.
From clandestine show-and-tells of preserved specimens in back alleys to adhesive catfish to self-destructing dirty diapers, this one's got it all.
Episode Cast
Casey Phillips, senior communications specialist, host and sturgeon stanDr. Bernie Kuhajda, aquatic conservation biologistDr. Dave Neely, adjunct scientistChristian Swartzbaugh, graduate student, University of Georgia -
In the early 2000s, the Tennessee Aquarium was closing out its first decade on the river with plans underway for a major expansion: the Ocean Journey building. At the same time, two other nearby institutions were in the midst of their own major expansions. The three joined forces, under the leadership of former U.S. Sen. Bob Corker (then mayor of Chattanooga) to embark on a combined campaign for funding.
The plan worked, and these expansions were important facets of an even larger plan to transform Chattanooga's riverfront experience: the 21st Century Waterfront Plan.
Twenty years later, Sen. Corker popped by the Studio Dive Cage to talk about the origins of the Plan, the perpetual optimism with which it was realized and the continuing impact it's having on the Aquarium's hometown so many years later.
Episode Cast
Casey Phillips, host, senior communications specialist, resident of ChattanoogaBob Corker, former mayor of Chattanooga and two-term U.S. SenatorTodd Womack, Corker's former senatorial chief of staff, current president/CEO of Bridge Public Affairs -
Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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After eight years under the leadership of former president & CEO, Keith Sanford, the Tennessee Aquarium has welcomed a new chief executive: Andy Wood. With more than 14 years of leadership experience at the Florida Aquarium and Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut, Wood is bringing a wealth of knowledge of the zoo and aquarium world to bear in his new role.
In this episode, we get to know a lot more about him, from the animal that best reflects his personality and how he thinks the aquarium benefits the community (and vice versa) to why working in a land-locked state reminds him how interconnected all water -- and life -- on earth really is.
Episode cast
Casey Phillips, senior communications specialist and hostAndy Wood, president & CEO -
From much-maligned pigeons and purportedly "wise" owls to noble raptors and cereal hawking toucans, birds are one of the world's most diverse, widespread class of animals.
To many of us, birds are so much a part of our lives that we often fail to notice or appreciate them. Such is definitely not the case for the special guest of this episode, the Aquarium's curator of forests, Kevin Calhoon.
In this episode, we chat about all things birding, from how to do it and what equipment to invest in to Kevin's far-flung adventures in search of rogue swans and other rare or out-of-place avians.
Additional resources:
The Christmas Bird Count 101 and winter birds in Chattanooga: https://youtu.be/Xqk8gCmpqbc?si=jZVzxV_7lnZ8YmKf
Kevin Talks About The Joy of Birding:
https://youtu.be/aReP4q4uYE0?si=MbwNHWSClqo3wLmI
Episode cast
Casey Phillips, senior communications specialist, host and bird appreciator Kevin Calhoon, curator of forests
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For our first Earth Day special on The Podcast Aquatic, we're focusing in on the important work being done by the Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute (TNACI), not only to raise freshwater fish but also freshwater scientists.
As a nexus for a great deal of conservation science in the Southeast, TNACI is carrying forward long-term species restoration efforts while also attracting new generations of researchers who will carry on this work in years to come.
Learn more about the work of TNACI at https://tnaqua.org/conserve/what-we-do/
See our scientists in action:
Snorkeling for Tangerine DartersReleasing Critically Endangered Laurel DaceCollecting Southern Appalachian Brook Trout EggsSpawning Wild Lake SturgeonEpisode Cast
Casey Phillips, senior communications specialist, host and thankful resident of Planet EarthDr. Anna George, vice president of conservation science & educationTeresa Israel, reintroduction biologist IISarah Kate Bailey, reintroduction biologist II -
Smack dab in the middle of Tennessee in Hohenwald is a population that would probably surprise must residents of the Volunteer State: a dozen African and Asian Elephants.
This year, The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee is celebrating 30 years of serving as a sprawling "retirement community" for elephants that lived most of their life in human care. In this episode, we chat with the sanctuary's education manager, Laura Roddy, who will be visiting the Aquarium to help launch a new IMAX film, Elephants: Giants of the Desert 3D.
Together, we cover a lot of ground, from what working "on elephant time" means and how elephants modify their environment. In addition, this episode launches on Save the Elephant Day (April 16), and Laura discusses several ways everyday people can do their part to help elephants all over the world!
Check out the trailer for Elephants: GIants of the Desert 3D: https://youtu.be/VpsEBQyNfmo?si=PSOsyIlX5Ki5fIZh
Learn more about The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee at https://www.elephants.com
Episode cast
Casey Phillips, senior communications specialist, host and pachyderm palLaura Roddy, education manager, The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee -
April is National Frog Month, and what better way to celebrate these boisterous, shape-shifting amphibians than hearing from the experts who care for them here at the Aquarium?
In this episode, our ambassador animal coordinator and senior herpetologist wax poetic about frog calls, explain why our poison dart frogs actually aren't poisonous and talk about the incredible survival strategies that allow frogs to survive in places you probably wouldn't believe.
Learn more about the Poison Dart Frogs' Malagasy cousins, the Mantellas: https://youtu.be/QjDMz8yLR3g
Episode cast
Casey Phillips, senior communications specialist, host and foster frog parentCharlie Olson, senior herpetologistTanisha La Guardia, ambassador animal coordinator -
Whether you think of them as the horizontally compressed cousins of sharks or "majestic underwater flap-flaps," there's no denying that stingrays are some of nature's most interesting aquatic animals.
This listener-request special episode features a panel of aquarists whose job it is to care for the many species of stingrays that live at the Aquarium. We chat about the different types of rays that reside in our exhibits, how they reproduce, their capacity to learn and their perhaps-surprising love of bubbles.
Watch the don't-do-this-if-you-like-your-clothes-dry approach we take to feeding our Cownose Rays at https://youtu.be/3XWg13Yszk4
Episode cast
Casey Phillips, communications specialist, host and amateur stingray-watcher Kyle McPheeters, life support system lead aquarist Cody Beavers, aquarist II Brenda Salgado, aquarist II -
Few people are as well-versed in documenting the underwater world as giant-screen filmmaker Jonathan Bird. The charismatic producer and host of award-winning web series, Jonathan Bird's Blue World, he's plumbed the depths of sites all over the world, from diving alongside Whale Sharks in the Galapagos and dodging Barracuda in Portugal to navigating flooded caves in Mexico.
In 2023, Bird paid a visit to Chattanooga to document our work raising marine fish species from eggs laid in our own exhibits as well as our role as one of the world's leading freshwater aquariums. In this episode, he joins us in the studio dive cage to chat about that experience as well as to promote his fourth giant-screen film, Call of the Dolphins 3D.
Check out the Tennessee Aquarium specific episodes of Blue World at:
Episode cast
Casey Phillips, senior communications specialist, host and longtime Blue World fan Jonathan Bird, underwater filmmaker
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All over the world, otherwise inoffensive plants and animals are wreaking havoc on ecosystems just by ... well, existing. Often (if not usually) through no fault of their own, invasive species upend the natural order by reproducing with wild abandon, outcompeting or preying on native species and disrupting entire economies dependent on healthy fisheries and eco-tourism.
In this episode, three Aquarium experts with experience either caring for or dealing with the impacts of invasive species visit the studio dive cage to discuss how these plants and animals ended up where they shouldn't be, how they're impacting native wildlife and what, if anything, can be done about it.
Check out a three-part video series discussing the impact of Asian Carp on American river systems and approaches to stemming their spread: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjkmEccUchZbEYwxDE1KrxGauykYlGm4_&si=nYeLRKHHV7MnMpZV
Episode cast
Casey Phillips, senior communications specialist, host and invasive homo sapienBen Stenger, River Journey lead aquaristSharyl Crossley, Ocean Journey lead aquaristMatt Hamilton, curator of fishes -
Comedian Jim Gaffigan may have famously described them as "rocks with snot in them," but mussels (along with oysters, clams and other bivalve molluscs) are incredible — and incredibly important — animals.
Freshwater mussels' filtration of water as they feed helps to ensure the health of our rivers, lakes and streams. Their reproductive strategies are awe-inspiringly cunning, not to mention a little bit horrifying. And most importantly, they're a homegrown biological treasure, with the Southeastern United States sporting a greater diversity of freshwater mussels than almost anywhere else on Earth.
So in honor of International Day of Women and Girls In Science (and Galentine's Day), we've invited four Aquarium mussel fans and experts on the show to put the notion of mussels being underwhelming well and truly to bed.
Check out a hotspot of freshwater mussels diversity in Tennessee's Duck River:https://youtu.be/IcBSk6WnGY0?si=z-Hj5aPuLoJxggVE
Episode cast
Casey Phillips, senior communications specialist, host and amateur mussel-man Dr. Anna George, VP of conservation science and education Stephanie Chance, conservation manager Avery Millard, senior aquarist
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When it comes to displays of aerial prowess, few pilots can match the razor-sharp skills of the Navy and Marine Corps selectees for the Blue Angels. The Navy's storied Flight Demonstration Squadron has been going strong for 79 years, and Capt. Greg "Boss" Wooldridge was the team's flight leader and commanding officer for an unprecedented three terms.
Wooldridge is also one of the executive producers of a thrilling new giant-screen film, The Blue Angels 3D, which will be playing at the Tennessee Aquarium IMAX 3D Theater beginning late January and throughout February 2025.
In this episode, Boss joins us in the studio to talk about blacking out on his first flight with the Blues and the importance of iron-clad team building to safely piloting multi-million-dollar jets at hundreds of miles an hour with only 18 inches separating them.
Watch a trailer for The Blue Angels 3D at https://youtu.be/B5dSYSDOk_U?si=WYipr5yMlO6Cbm9b
Episode cast
Casey Phillips, senior communications specialist, host and long-time Blue Angels fan
Capt. Greg "Boss" Wooldridge, former Blue Angels flight leader and executive producer for The Blue Angels 3D
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Millions (tens of millions, even) of families in the U.S. have pets, and all the love and comfort they give us comes with a heaping helping of responsibility for their care and well being. Fortunately, there are more than 125,000 veterinarians around the country that can lend a practiced hand to ensuring our four-legged, winged, scaly and finned companions lives are healthy and happy.
Imagine how much more fulfilling and difficult the job of a veterinarian becomes, though, when they're charged with seeing to the needs of thousands of animals representing hundreds of species.
In this episode of the podcast, we'll chat with the Tennessee Aquarium's long-time vet, Dr. Chris Keller, and veterinary assistant II Shelby Ferguson, about the challenges and rewards of tending to penguins, alligators, sharks and lemurs (among many, MANY other animals).
After you're done, check out videos showing a vet's eye view of a Sea Turtle check up, a cutting-edge cold laser therapy session and the new avenues of treatment made possible through wireless x-ray technology.
Episode cast
Casey Phillips, senior communications specialist, host and ardent feline fan Dr. Chris Keller, veterinarian Shelby Ferguson, veterinary assistant II
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The Aquarium requires the work of a lot of people to function. Some might not surprise you — animal care specialists, veterinarians, housekeeping, plumbers — but did you know our team also includes a pair of horticulturists?
It's thanks to the tireless efforts of these plant experts that our exhibits mimic, as closely as possible, the natural environments our residents would call home in the wild. Normally, their work goes largely unnoticed by guests, but in this episode, we're giving them a much-deserved moment in the spotlight!
Episode cast
Casey Phillips, senior communications specialist, host and slayer of orchids Austin Prater, senior horticulturist Jenna Paler, horticulturist II -
Whether it's just a pop across the border into Tijuana, a cruise along the Rhine, backpacking through Nepal or visiting relatives in Uganda, there's nothing quite like the full-body culture shock of international travel.
In this episode, three Aquarium adventurers share life-altering experiences from their international sojourns. We'll chat about the joy of watching cheetahs learning to hunt in Kenya, visiting sustainable fisheries in the Amazon and the stark, otherworldly beauty of the Antarctic Peninsula.
Grab your passport, pack a toothbrush, and let's go!
Episode cast
Casey Phillips, communications specialist and tour guide Thom Benson, vice president and chief communications/marketing officers Claudia Mendez-Marti, community engagement educator Elaine Robinson, senior aquarist -
With all the talk about lab coats, beakers, bunsen burners and such, science can seem awfully intimidating, but these days, the barrier to participation in science is lower than ever.
In this episode of the podcast, Aquarium Educator II Stephanie Soto talks about how you — yes, YOU — can help a brother or sister researcher out through citizen science projects. This egalitarian approach to academic studies opens the door for laypeople to make meaningful contributions by recording and reporting their observations and other data to a project creator.
Check out Stephanie’s iNaturalist page, including herongoing project to document plant and animal species found in downtown Chattanooga at https://www.inaturalist.org/users/101301
Looking for a citizen science opportunity that’s coming upsoon (or will happen predictably each year)? Learn how you can take part in the Audubon Christmas Bird Count at https://www.audubon.org/community-science/christmas-bird-count/join-christmas-bird-count
Episode cast
Casey Phillips, senior communications specialist and host-captain Stephanie Soto, educator II and citizen scientist extraordinaireCitizen Science Resources
NASA's Citizen Science projects: https://science.nasa.gov/citizen-science/ Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s eBird: https://ebird.org/home FrogWatch USA: https://www.akronzoo.org/frogwatch National Weather Service SKYWARN program: https://www.tn.gov/twra/wildlife/fish/sturgeon.html Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute Freshwater Information Network: https://tnacifin.com/ BugGuide.net: https://bugguide.net/node/view/15740 Zooniverse: https://www.zooniverse.org/projects iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org -
Even among other imperiled aquatic species, the Laurel Dace probably gets winces of sympathy. This little fish is the quintessential hard-luck story. In the last ten years, its numbers have dramatically dwindled thanks to a take-your-pick collection of challenges: invasive species, dirt choking its streams, a plague of cyst-causing grubs and (most recently) catastrophic drought.
To say this little fish needs help is a dramatic understatement, but our scientists are doing their level best to keep this plucky survivor around. In this episode, two of these champion biologists join us to discuss our ongoing efforts to save a fish that desperately needs the assist.
Episode cast
Casey Phillips, communications specialist and host Dr. Anna George, vice president of conservation science and education Abbey Holsopple, recovery biologist -
Did you realize the Tennessee Aquarium is home to the largest collection of freshwater turtles at a public institution in North America? Yessiree, we're really fond of our chelonians (read: tortoises and turtles) here, so we invited our resident herp expert to help us shellebrate these amazing reptiles.
(And no, we can't promise those are the last puns you'll encounter during this slightly-longer-than-normal episode.)
Episode cast
Casey Phillips, communications specialist and host Bill Hughes, herpetology collection coordinator -
With Halloween just around the corner, many of our minds are drawn to all things spooktacular. To many people, the spookiest of spooks — and the source of the most common animal-centric phobias — are snakes and spiders. But do these creepy, slithery, jittery critters deserve their bad reputation or are they just the victims of bad PR?
In this episode, two Aquarium experts and resident spider- and snake-friends delve into the how and why of arachnophobia and ophidiophobia and explain why these legless and (some would argue) too-many-legged animals deserve more respect than fear.
Episode cast
Casey Phillips, communications specialist and host Rose Segbers, entomologist II Charlie Olson, herpetologist IIResources
Scary and nasty beasts: Self-reported fear and disgust of common phobic animals: https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/bjop.12409 Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency guide to snakes of Tennessee: https://www.tn.gov/twra/wildlife/reptiles/snakes.html Seriema prey-thrashing behavior: https://youtu.be/mg7Qxr70IR0?si=GunddScc7l1Bb7c4 -
Did you realize it's legal to keep lemurs as pets in Tennessee (and several other American states)? Yeah, we were shocked, too. Trust us, though, you don't want to go down that path for a lot of reasons.
In this week's episode, we've brought in one of our lemur caretakers to explain why these prosimians are like furry little fireworks displays. They're beautiful and fun to watch, but you wouldn't want one in your living room.
Episode cast
Casey Phillips, communications specialist and host Maggie Sipe, senior animal care specialist - Laat meer zien
