Asshole Animals, with Alice

Are you a millenial with a slightly nihilistic take on life? Can't afford kids but bored of gaming and doom-scrolling on Hinge? Why not take up birdwatching? If you're over 30 and wanted to feel a semblance of excitement towards something that isn't generated by pixels on a screen, birdwatching is the hobby for you!

Comedian and bird-acknowledger, Max St John, comes on this episode to talk about his experience with birdwatching in New York, and to discuss the "if you know you know" bird that all birdwatchers hate: Blue jays.

Why are they the target of birdwatcher gossip, you ask? Well, jesus christ, I can't do everything for you - listen to the damn episode!

Our charity of the week this week is the New York City Bird Alliance - safeguarding the Big Apple's birds and encouraging you all to get out and learn about them. Check them out at: www.nycbirdalliance.org for more info.

Deep in the Eucalyptus forests of Australia, a fluffy grey creature dozes peacefully in the nook of a branch, blissfully unaware that across the world, a Zookeeper and amateur comedienne is determined to get to the bottom of whether or not Koalas are "assholes" or not.

Thankfully for the small-brained Koala, they never will know. And you're not going to tell them...right?

Joining Alice on her quest to find the truth is wildlife veterinarian, conservationist and Koala warzone resident - Dr Chloe Buiting. Listen as these two discuss Squirrel Monkey pickpocketing, Australian Magpie swooping, and Koala screeching.

Our charity of the week this week is "Friends of the Koala" - a Koala Hospital in New South Wales putting any injured little guys back out into the bush. Check our their incredible work at: https://friendsofthekoala.org - and donate today if you love Koalas and want to save them!

Alright, so we may need to up our PR budget for this one...NO ONE is protesting on the side of Ticks. They are bitey, blood-sucky, gross-looking little creatures that look like they belong in a sci-fi movie...or are they?

It just so happens that we managed to find an expert willing to put his reputation on the line to defend the tiny Tick - vet, conservationist and hilarious human Dr Sean McCormack, survivor of Lyme disease and lover of parasites.

Join Sean and Alice at Global Birdfair 2025 as they educate not only the live audience, but listeners worldwide, about the importance of Ticks in our ecosystems, and some handy tips for preparing for Tick season! God bless you, Sean, you're doing God's work!

What do you think you know about Iguanas? That they're big ol' Lizards that hang around Florida? That they make great emotional support pets for lonely spinsters? (Shout-out to Jub-Jub from "The Simpsons").

What if we told you that Iguanas are some of the most diversely located reptiles on Earth? What if we told you that they have the quiet dignitas of an animal that's achieved spiritual enlightment but have teeth that say "yeah, fuck around and find out, pal"? What if we mentioned that one species can hold their breath for 30 minutes underwater?

Well, this is all the crazy shit you'd be missing out on if you DON'T tune in to this week's episode, featuring reptile-enthusiast and Iguana-nerd, the actor, the podcaster, the "Masked Singer"s: Matthew Lawrence!

So hit play and prepare to appreciate the salad-powered sass of the Iguana.Our sponsor of this episode is the incredible Bristol Fungarium - giving you a little mushroom magic to help with that pesky ADHD or Anxiety! Give their products a whirl at: www.bristolfungarium.com

Our Charity of the Week is the International Iguana Foundation - who are putting in the WORK to protect our scaly friends - find them at www.iguanafoundation.org.

It's difficult not to be jealous of Eagles, isn't it? Their giant wingspan, their majesty in the air, the gasps of wonder that follow them wherever they fly. The awe they strike upon us by simply existing in our skies is something to behold. And yet here we are - talking White-Tailed Eagles today...

On the show to talk about his relationship with these majestic birds and to discuss his new book, which is CHOCK-FULL of cool animal facts, is wildlife photographer and honorary eagle himself, Hamza Yassin. Listen to this episode to hear about why we need Eagles and which animal Hamza considers an absolute asshole...

Our charity of the week this week is the fabulous Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation - putting in the hard work to return White-Tailed Eagles to our skies. Find them at https://roydennis.org to hear more about their work.

Our sponsors of the show today are the fabulous Bristol Fungarium, who have made mushrooms their business and are interested in helping you add some mushroom magic to your life! Check them out at www.bristolfungarium.com!