Rephonic
Artwork for Just the Zoo of Us
Conservation
Marine Biology
Ecology
Wildlife Conservation
Evolution
African Pygmy Hedgehog
Common Snapping Turtle
Bobcats
Solenodon
Sturgeon
Habitat Loss
Cicadas
Leafcutter Ants
Sea Turtles
Hazel Dormouse
Albatrosses
American Paddlefish
Giant Anteater
Hairy Frog
Endangered Species

Join us, Ellen and Christian Weatherford, while we review your favorite species of animals and rate them out of ten in the categories of effectiveness, ingenuity and aesthetics. More information can be found at justthezooofus.com 😊 Got a species you want us to review? Submit your animal friend to us at ellen@justthezooofus.com and when we review your animal we'll give you a shoutout! 😊 Cover art... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes362Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
NatureKids & FamilyPets & AnimalsScience

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Artwork for Just the Zoo of Us

Latest Episodes

Join Ellen & special guest, writer and scientist Dan Werb, for a look at the animal neighbors that have made themselves at home in our own backyards: synanthropes. The word means a wild, undomesticated animal that lives closely alongside humans, whet... more

Ellen and Christian return from their travels to review the good, the bad, and the ugly of the mongooses. We discuss the Shedd Aquarium and the Field Museum, historical plurals, neurotoxin Darth Vader, checking in with Pliny the Elder, the most "mean... more

YouTube

Ellen & special guest, science journalist and host of Radiolab and Terrestrials Lulu Miller, discuss the lifelong impact of science communication, review bald eagles, and share a very special podcast treat. Terrestrials: The Trio originally aired on ... more

YouTube

Join Ellen & special guest science communicator, infectious disease researcher, and the Khaleesi of Mosquitos for a review of some of the animal kingdom’s most controversial creatures. We discuss whether our guest would rather fight 10,000 mosquitos ... more

YouTube

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Dan Werb
Writer, epidemiologist, and researcher
Author of Our Wild Familiars
Episode: 343: Synanthropes w/ Dan Werb!
Ed Britten
Wildlife biologist who works for the government
Illinois wildlife forestry program (Mississippi River corridor)
Episode: Terrestrials: The Trio w/ Lulu Miller!
Nathani Means
Hip hop artist with Indigenous heritage
Indigenous communities (Lakota/Dene)
Episode: Terrestrials: The Trio w/ Lulu Miller!
Crystal Flesher
Amateur birder, associated with the American Eagle Foundation
American Eagle Foundation
Episode: Terrestrials: The Trio w/ Lulu Miller!
Cassandra Fieldson
Science communicator and infectious disease researcher
Seattle Children's Research Institute, Kaushansky Lab
Episode: 341: Elephant Mosquito w/ Cassandra Fieldson!
Rick Schwartz
Wildlife educator affiliated with San Diego Zoo and wildlife education initiatives
San Diego Zoo
Episode: 339: Binturong w/ Rick Schwartz!
Lisa Dabek
Founder of the Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program; senior conservation scientist at Woodland Park Zoo
Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program / Woodland Park Zoo
Episode: 337: Tree Kangaroos w/ Lisa Dabek!
Jack Koch
Scientist from Louisiana State University Agricultural Center
Louisiana State University
Episode: 336: Crawfish w/ Jack Koch!
Tom Lum
Co-host from Let's Learn Everything, introduced as a guest from the Other show
Let's Learn Everything
Episode: 334: Animals in Space w/ Let's Learn Everything!

Hosts

Ellen Weatherford
Host of Just the Zoo of Us; co-hosts with Christian Weatherford; known for warm, story-driven animal science discussions.
Christian Weatherford
Co-host; provides complementary scientific curiosity and humor in animal science conversations.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 1.4k ratings
  • So good !

    This is a brilliant podcast and I’m so glad I found it! I’ve learnt so much about animals and I love sharing all the facts I’ve learnt with other people. Ellen and Christian are fab ☺️ Sending lots of thanks for the show, all the way from England 💛

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Abi-Norris
    United Kingdom2 months ago
  • Undeniably best podcast ever

    I haven’t quite been listening from the start, but over the past three to four years I have listened to every episode at least a solid four times. I absolutely love the Ellen-Christian dynamic, but we really need more Christian in the mix! I feel like his light isn’t shining as bright as it could/used to. Overall, keep posting ‘til you drop please!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    🐌Mooraw Fish🍃
    United States2 months ago
  • I love this podcast 🐸💕🫰🏻

    I love the podcastBut first, I did not think it would be fun to listen to the grocery actually started, listening to it and i loved it it to all of my friends😻🫶🏼

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Girl 😻🫠🫶🏼👠
    United States2 months ago
  • Any podcast that can fit in a Hey Arnold reference (Sand Cat) well gets 5 stars in my books.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    itsallosiernow
    2 months ago
  • My new favorite podcast

    I don’t like podcasts that much, and I could never really get into them. But when I was really young, I loved shows and books about animals and I loved learning silly little facts about animals. When I found this podcast, I found myself listening to it all the time. I would highly recommend this to anyone!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Gracebert jones
    United States2 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Fans appreciate cross-show collaborations and conservation-focused topics.
Episodes are described as informative, entertaining, and accessible for non-experts.
The show is commended as a reliable, engaging entry in natural world storytelling.
Guest diversity and practical takeaways are frequently highlighted.
Listeners praise the hosts' mix of humor and solid science.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#12
United States/Science/Nature
Apple Podcasts
#75
United States/Science
Apple Podcasts
#27
United Kingdom/Science/Nature
Apple Podcasts
#30
Canada/Science/Nature
Apple Podcasts
#146
United Kingdom/Science
Apple Podcasts
#201
Canada/Science

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Terrestrials: The Trio w/ Lulu Miller!
Q: Could you summarize what makes this trio biologically possible and socially significant?
The trio shows that cooperative nesting can arise in bald eagles, with two males and a female sharing duties, fending off threats, and parenting together, which expands our understanding of what 'family' can look like in wildlife.
337: Tree Kangaroos w/ Lisa Dabek!
Q: How long do the young stay with the mother in the pouch?
The joeys spend about three months in the pouch with teats, then start wriggling and poking heads out around five months, and are mostly weaned by 14 months, though they may stay with the mother longer in some cases.
337: Tree Kangaroos w/ Lisa Dabek!
Q: What about ingenuity—how do they navigate their forest is particularly impressive?
They climb up to 100 feet, curl up in the rain with a fur gutter, sun themselves when possible, and can leap down up to around 60 feet, which is an extraordinary suite of survival skills for a rainforest marsupial.
337: Tree Kangaroos w/ Lisa Dabek!
Q: Lisa, what do you give Tree Kangaroos out of 10 for effectiveness?
I'd give them an eight for effectiveness because their arboreal adaptations and camouflage are strong, though joeys still have a learning curve and sometimes fall during climbs, which prevents a perfect 10.
336: Crawfish w/ Jack Koch!
Q: What exactly is a crawfish?
They are crustaceans, not fish, and belong to a diverse group with several hundred species in the United States; in Australia they're called yabbies and in many places the common term is crawfish or crayfish depending on region.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Just the Zoo of Us

What is Just the Zoo of Us about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A science-forward, lighthearted show that explores a broad range of wildlife topics through engaging conversations with researchers, conservationists, and educators. Episodes balance deep-dive biology with practical takeaways, fieldwork anecdotes, and cultural context, often featuring guests who bring hands-on expertise in animal behavior, conservation, and science communication. The hosts pair curiosity and humor to make complex topics accessible, covering charismatic species, ecological challenges, and intriguing intersections between animals and human culture. A standout element is the mix of field-based insights, cross-podcast collaborations, and real-world actions listeners can take (volunteering, donations, educational outreach). This... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Just the Zoo of Us?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Just the Zoo of Us:

1. Sawbones: A Marital Tour of Misguided Medicine
2. Let's Learn Everything!
3. Secretly Incredibly Fascinating
4. Wonderful!
5. Shmanners

How many episodes of Just the Zoo of Us are there?

Just the Zoo of Us launched 7 years ago and published 362 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Just the Zoo of Us?

Recent guests on Just the Zoo of Us include:

1. Dan Werb
2. Ed Britten
3. Nathani Means
4. Crystal Flesher
5. Cassandra Fieldson
6. Rick Schwartz
7. Lisa Dabek
8. Jack Koch

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