Not a Biologist - A Wildlife Behaviour Podcast

Latest episode

24 Sep 2026 · 32 min

Studying the Orca Invasion of The Arctic (w/ Steve Ferguson, Arctic Marine Mammal Research Scienctist)

Orcas have been invading the arctic, drifting further north as ice melts over the summer months and exposes new hunting grounds for the "Killer Whale". Beluga, Narwhal and Bowhead whales became new food sources for the Orca during these months, creating a new reality not just for the wildlife but for the Inuit communities who live in the far noth of the North American Continent. 12 years ago, the hunting behaviour of these orca was recorded in the nature documentary "Killer Whales - Fins of Change". Steve Ferguson, an arctic marine mammal research scienctist at Fisheries and Oceans Canada,…

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Earlier episodes 7 most recent

1. 

   S1 · E7 · 18 Sep 2026 · 27 min

   The Incredible Chameleon - and why they’re in Danger (w/ Caroline Reinwald, Science Communicator and Zoologist)

   In this episode of Not a Biologist, Alex talks to zoologist and science communicator Caroline Reinwald about what really makes chameleons some of the coolest animals on Earth. Caroline Reinwald is a zoologist and science communicator at Vienna Zoo, where she works with some of the world's rarest chameleon species—including animals rescued from the illegal wildlife trade.From independently moving eyes and lightning-fast projectile tongues to feet built like climbing tongs, chameleons are basically the Inspector Gadgets of the reptile world. Alex and Caroline also bust one of the biggest myths…

2. 

   S1 · E6 · 16 Sep 2026 · 22 min

   Are Wild Bees Better than Honey Bees? (w/ Sophie Kratschmer, Zoologist)

   Alex sits down with Sophie Kratschmer, a wild bee specialist at BOKU University in Vienna, to unpack one of nature's most fascinating, and important, groups of animals - bees.It starts with a clip from Terra Mater's documentary "Wild Korea": a swarm of Asian honeybees forming a "hot defensive bee ball" around a asian giant hornet. They vibrating their wing muscles to raise the temperature inside the ball to 46–47°C, cooking the predator alive. A amazing defense mechanism!But honeybees are just seven species out of an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 wild bee species worldwide. Sophie explains the…

3. 

   S1 · E5 · 25 Jun 2026 · 17 min

   What Beavers Do When Nobody's Watching | Not a Biologist

   In this episode of Not a Biologist, Alex talks to sound recordist and beaver expert Fabian Holzinger about the secret lives of Europe’s largest rodents: the beaver. Together, they explore what happens inside a beaver lodge, why beavers might be better water engineers than humans, and what it’s like to spend hours listening to a sleeping beaver snore. Alex and Fabian discuss beaver family life, underground homes, iron-reinforced teeth, and the surprising sounds these animals make, from sneezes and stomach gurgles to what can only be described as beaver bedtime drama. They also dive into the…

4. 

   S1 · E4 · 28 May 2026 · 29 min

   Why Wild Hamsters live where Beethoven is buried (w/ Yaz Ellis, Wildlife Filmmaker)

   When you hear “hamster,” you probably think of tiny cages, spinning wheels, and sunflower seeds. But wild European hamsters are a completely different story. In this episode of Not a Biologist, Alex talks to wildlife filmmaker Yasmine Ellis about the secret lives of Vienna’s wild hamsters, which are thriving on the city's graveyards. Alex and Yaz will talk about dramatic cemetery fights, underground tunnel systems and also about why one of Europe’s cutest rodents is now critically endangered. We also dive into how you even film these tiny chaos goblins, why Vienna has become one of their…

5. 

   S1 · E3 · 14 May 2026 · 30 min

   He is learning to Speak to Sperm Whales (w/ David Gruber, marine biologist, President & founder of Project CETI)

   What does it look like when a sperm whale is born? 🐋 Terra Mater sat down with David Gruber, marine biologist, President & founder of Project CETI (Cetacean Translation Initiative), to talk about one of the most extraordinary moments ever caught on camera: the first-ever filmed sperm whale birth. In this episode of Not a Biologist, host Alex and David break down the incredible footage frame by frame: the mother (named Rounder) is helped by her family holding up the newborn whale, pilot whales arriving as unexpected witnesses, and one subadult male named Alan who showed up and did... not very…

6. 

   S1 · E2 · 29 Apr 2026 · 16 min

   The Truth Behind this Viral Eagle video (w/ Thomas Enders, Veterinarian)

   A clip of a golden eagle hunting a chamois got over 6 million views on the Terra Mater YouTube channel — and for good reason. People couldn't believe what they were seeing was real. In this episode of Not a Biologist, host Alex sits down with Thomas Enders, a veterinarian from Vienna with over 25 years of experience and a deep specialization in birds of prey, to break down exactly what's happening in that extraordinary footage. Together they unpack two distinct killing techniques used by golden eagles — active grip through the talons, and the remarkable strategy of using gravity itself to…

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