10 Podcasts for Well-Rounded Wildlife Biology Students (and pros!)

The world of wildlife biology is incredibly diverse, and there is always more to learn! Science is always building upon itself and we are learning more about the species we study each year. It can be tough to keep up with everything, but podcasts are an easy way to help build and maintain your knowledge outside of the classroom or workplace.

Whether as a student or professional, many of us find ourselves “niche-ing down” into a particular interest. Expertise in one area is an amazing asset, but it never hurts to build knowledge in areas outside of your main work/study focus. 

As someone who spends a ton of time driving in the field, I listen to a ton of podcasts. Here are my top 10 wildlife-biology focused or adjacent podcasts that I believe would benefit students (or anyone wanting well-rounded wildlife knowledge).

10 of the Best Podcasts for Wildlife Biologists

Click the show’s cover art for a link to its Spotify page!

Fish of the Week! By USFWS

The US Fish and Wildlife Service produces this podcast hosted by two fish experts, plus guests! The podcast covers a diverse array of swimming species all across North America. As a biologist focused on terrestrial species, I am able to expand my knowledge of the zero-legged vertebrates by listening to this show.

Typical episode length: 40 minutes

Snake Talk

The Orianne Society is a nonprofit that works in reptile and amphibian conservation. Their podcast Snake Talk deep-dives various serpentine topics each episode. Students and experts are guests on the show and discuss in-depth research, biology and conservation of snakes and other reptiles. 

Typical episode length: 1 hour

Nature’s Secret Service

Hosted by a former US Fish and Wildlife Law Enforcement officer, the podcast Nature’s Secret Service details various cases in which the USFWS was involved. There are interviews with USFWS law enforcement officers, and exciting stories of investigating wildlife crime. A good behind-the-scenes look at some of the wildlife crime in the US and the people who work to prevent it.

Typical episode length: 1 hour

Our Wild Lives

Our Wild Lives is the official podcast produced by our professional organization, The Wildlife Society. The show covers a variety of topics pertinent to wildlife professionals, from research to the more human side of the job. Our Wild Lives has nuanced coverage of current events pertaining to the profession and fun field stories.

Typical episode length: 1 hour

The Science of Birds

The Science of Birds is a highly informative and entertaining show I choose when I want to deep-dive an avian biology subject. The host puts a lot of research into each podcast episode and you are guaranteed to learn something new.

Typical episode length: 45 minutes

The Wandering Naturalist

This show, produced by the Three Rivers Park District in Minnesota, has 8 seasons and nearly 300 episodes about the natural world. From bats to mosquitoes to carp to monarchs to oak trees, this show covers it all with interviews with the experts. This is a good show to scroll through when you think to yourself, “I want to learn about something I have zero knowledge in today.”

Typical episode length: 30 minutes

Trap House Podcast

A trapping podcast on a list of shows for wildlife biology students? Absolutely! If you plan to work with any furbearing species, trapping knowledge is a must. Professionals trap for research, and relationships with traditional fur trappers will take you far. There is a ton to learn from people who trap, and this podcast can help with that. The show has interviews with trappers, wildlife biologists, and goes into history and economics of trapping.

Typical episode length: 1 hour

Wildlife Health Talks

Wildlife Health Talks is the podcast produced by the Wildlife Disease Association. The interviews with veterinarians and researchers focusing on wildlife health span across the globe. You will learn a ton about various wildlife health and disease issues all around the world in a wide diversity of species! This is a great one for aspiring wildlife veterinarians or wildlife biologists who are interested in wildlife health and disease research.

Typical episode length: 30 minutes

Your Mountain

For staying up-to-date on wildlife and natural resources policy, Your Mountain is one of the best podcasts out there. The hosts have a background in natural resources policy, and they break down the intricacies of big issues to a level a non-lawyer can understand. This show covers everything from public lands access issues to the Endangered Species Act. Definitely one of my favorites for making legalese more accessible to wildlife biologists.

Typical episode length: 1 hour

Completely Arbortrary

Any wildlife professional who has worked a habitat-focused technician job knows that at some point in your career, you will have to identify trees. Make tree ID more fun by going in-depth on the tree species you encounter in the field! The show Completely Arbortrary always teaches me something new. Each episode deep-dives a species of tree and is great for dendrology-loving and dendrology-curious wildlifers alike.

Typical episode length: 1 hour