DeepSummary
In this episode, Allie Ward interviews Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant, a large carnivore ecologist, about her work studying animals like bears, mountain lions, and wolves. Dr. Wynn-Grant explains the difference between obligate carnivores that strictly eat meat and omnivorous carnivores that can also eat plants, and discusses how carnivores like bears are classified based on their ability to digest meat even if they don't always eat it.
Dr. Wynn-Grant shares details about her research studying a population of black bears and mountain lions in California, investigating whether they are accessing marine food sources from the coast. She also talks about the challenges and rewards of her job, such as physically demanding hikes to remote field sites and the personal growth that comes from pushing herself.
The interview covers other topics like bear hibernation, the cognitive abilities of carnivores, whether they have taste preferences for certain prey, and Dr. Wynn-Grant's childhood fascination with tigers that led her into this field. Allie expresses admiration for Dr. Wynn-Grant's media work showcasing her up-close interactions with bear cubs.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Carnivores are classified based on physiological traits like sharp teeth, claws, and gut bacteria for digesting meat, even if some species like pandas have evolved to be herbivores.
- Obligate carnivores like lions strictly eat meat, while others like bears are omnivores that can eat a mix of meat and plants.
- Bears and other large carnivores can be surprisingly intelligent, with bears having large brain-to-body ratios similar to primates.
- Field research on large carnivores often involves strenuous physical challenges like long hikes to track and observe the animals in remote areas.
- Tracking an animal's patterns of habitat use is important for targeted conservation efforts to protect critical landscapes.
- While cute, handling bear cubs for research is difficult due to their sharp claws and requires keeping them warm since they cannot regulate body temperature.
- Carnivores tend to have a much stronger sense of smell than taste when it comes to detecting and preferring certain foods.
- Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant draws immense personal satisfaction from the mental and physical challenges of her demanding but rewarding career as a carnivore ecologist.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “My favorite thing is that I get to physically challenge myself a lot, and I guess maybe mentally challenge myself, too. And those things are tied in together because I have to say, I have to hike a lot for work just to get places in the field. And hiking is hard. And going through that, not for fun, but for work, there's always a benefit at the end. I never finish a hike and think to myself, like, I wish I hadn't done that. I almost always finish a hike and say to myself, like, whoa, look at me. I just did a hard thing.“ by Rae Wynn-Grant
- “So, carnivora is an order of mammals, and it's defined by these animals that have super sharp teeth and typically very long claws and of ferocity. Like, they're these kind of ferocious animals that are able to hunt and kill, and they all have digestive enzymes or basically, like a gut microbiome that is able to process meat. And therein, I think, lies the clincher, because it doesn't mean that a carnivore has to eat meat, right? They don't have to, but they could if they did.“ by Rae Wynn-Grant
- “Oh, my know, I was really hoping that someone would not ask a question that I don't know the answer to, but here I am. I don't know if they have taste buds.“ by Rae Wynn-Grant
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Episode Information
Ologies with Alie Ward
Alie Ward
2/17/24
Ah, charismatic megafauna! Teeth, claws, fur, poop, hibernation, hiking, nature preserves, and living your childhood dreams with Alie’s longtime -ologist crush, Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant. The large carnivore ecologist, researcher and TV presenter tells us all about her field work, what it’s like to stuff a baby bear in your coat, carnivore microbiomes, how well carnivores can taste and smell their food (and yours), how smart the average bear really is and more. Also: Is there such thing as a vegetarian carnivore?! We love her.
Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant’s website, Twitter, and Instagram
Listen to Dr. Wynn-Grant’s podcast, Going Wild
A donation went to Black Outside
Full-length (*not* G-rated) Carnivore Ecology episode + tons of science links
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media and Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions
Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Kelly R. Dwyer & Erin Talbert
Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm