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The Natural History Cupboard Podcast

The Natural History Cupboard Podcast

By Gareth

Are you passionate about natural history? Join these nerds as they explore the most amazing, & often oddest, organisms & news that natural science offers! The cupboard is open, come on in...
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A venerable giant

The Natural History Cupboard PodcastJan 08, 2023

00:00
01:04:38
A polar predator

A polar predator

This week meet one of the Antarctics most powerful predators the Leopard seal. Learn what makes this a sublime sub surface predator of penguins. In the news we look at the potential for sustainably sourced snake meat. All this and more this week the cupboard is open come on in!
Mar 24, 202401:16:06
A delightful duck bill

A delightful duck bill

This week we meet the animal that no one thought was real when it was discovered the platypus. In the news this week Devon takes the crown for oldest tree fossils. All this and more this week the cupboard is open come on in!
Mar 17, 202401:01:34
A sky high sauropod

A sky high sauropod

This week we meet one of the most well known sauropods Brachiosaurus. Learn why it might not be exactly the dinosaur that you thought it was. In the news a brand new species of anaconda has been discovered. All this and more this week, the cupboard is open come on in!
Mar 10, 202401:06:52
A terrible claw

A terrible claw

This week meet the real life inspiration for the Jurassic Park raptor Deinonychus. Find out why this dinosaur is more than just a movie monster. In the news hear how one zoo has gone above and beyond to help on of its smallest residents. All this and more this week the cupboard is open come on in!
Mar 03, 202401:15:32
A predator of the pines

A predator of the pines

This week we meet the pine marten an amazing tree top terror of squirrels and learn how it’s making a comeback. In the news there might be good news for Idahos bear population. All this and more this week the cupboard is open come on in!
Feb 25, 202401:15:03
A king amongst snakes

A king amongst snakes

This week we meet a King amongst snakes the king cobra.we learn what it takes to be such a regal reptile. In the news their is talk or Wildcats being brought back to the southwest of England. All this and more this week the cupboard is open come on in!
Feb 18, 202401:13:40
A beagle that changed the world

A beagle that changed the world

This week we look at the life of another natural history icon Charles Darwin. We examine what made him go from a rather rubbish student of medicine to the father of evolution. All this and more this week the cupboard is open come on in!
Feb 11, 202401:11:13
A smelly bear cat

A smelly bear cat

This week meet the large hairy member of the civet family who smells like popcorn the binturong. In the news we count up the number and importance of Englands hedgerows. All this and more this week the cupboard is open come on in!
Feb 04, 202401:04:03
A superhero of the swamp

A superhero of the swamp

This week we take a trip into the swamps of America to meet one of its most important and iconic reptiles, the alligator. In the news we look at red deer populations and how they are controlled. All this and more this week the cupboard is open come on in!
Jan 28, 202401:07:39
A really early bird

A really early bird

This week we deep dive into the world of arguably one of the in most important dinosaur fossil finds ever, the archaeopteryx. In the news this week there is a new tyrannosaur on the block that could change what we know about the tyrant lizards. All this and more this week, the cupboard is open come on in !
Jan 21, 202401:13:50
A prehistoric prosimian

A prehistoric prosimian

This week head to prehistoric Madagascar to meet the largest lemur ever to exist archioindris. In the news we have the on going saga of nanotyrannus. All this and more this week the cupboard is open come on in!
Jan 15, 202401:07:57
A pandaemonium of an episode

A pandaemonium of an episode

This week we head to the bamboo forests to meet one of the most iconic and endangered bear species ,the panda. We also have news of how public pressure has made a difference to rewilding. All this and more this week the cupboard is open come on in!
Jan 07, 202401:07:11
New year’s special ( A Fossil foray)

New year’s special ( A Fossil foray)

This week for our final episode of the year as for a bit of a change we go mobile and head to the beach to find some fossils. Join us as things don’t quite go as planned. The cupboard is open come on in!
Dec 31, 202359:60
A very Christmassy episode (2023)

A very Christmassy episode (2023)

Ho ho ho! Merry Christmas cupboard dwellers! To celebrate the holidays we bring you three neatly wrapped creature features. So settle yourself down and enjoy a festive feature or three. The cupboard is open, come on in!
Dec 24, 202358:33
A mountain ghost

A mountain ghost

Join us this week as we head into the Himalayas to meet the ghost of the mountains the Snow leopard. Then in the news a new giant pliosaur is revealed to the public. All this and more this week the cupboard is open, come on in!
Dec 17, 202301:04:38
An Interview that found a way

An Interview that found a way

Join us this week as we talk to Andrew Pask, Melbourne University professor and head of the Thylacine Integrated Genomic Restoration and Research Lab (TIGRR). He tells us all about the process of bringing back the thylacine. All this and more this week the cupboard is open come on in!
Dec 10, 202301:04:39
A bird not a fruit

A bird not a fruit

This week we meet the iconic New Zealand bird the kiwi. In the news we talk about sleeping dinosaurs and just how bird like they are. All this and more this week .The cupboard is open come on in!
Dec 03, 202355:03
A painted pup

A painted pup

This week we take a safari to meet one of Africas most iconic canids the African painted dog. We then have news about a giant fossil vulture from Australia. All this and more this week the cupboard is open come on in!
Nov 26, 202301:12:21
A whopper of a wombat

A whopper of a wombat

This week we meet the largest marsupial that’s ever existed the Diprotodon. In this weeks news the Pūteketeke wins bird of the century with a little help from John Oliver. All this week and more the cupboard is open come on in!
Nov 19, 202350:26
A microscopic marvel

A microscopic marvel

This week we shrink down to meet the tardigrade. A creature that is so tough it can survive in space. In the news Gareth tells us about how a new pangolin species has been discovered. All this and more this week the cupboard is open come on in!
Nov 12, 202349:28
A striped anteater

A striped anteater

This week to celebrate world numbat day join us as we discuss one of Australia’s rarest and also cutest mammals. In the news Aaron tells us why we should all be counting spiders. All this and more this week the cupboard is open come on in!
Nov 05, 202301:19:37
A heck of a cow

A heck of a cow

This week we go on a trip through time and space to meet the ancestor to all modern cows, the aurochs. We also meet its dark doppelgänger, the heck cattle. Aaron then brings us news of how elephants have specific names for each other. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!


Nov 02, 202301:21:24
A spooky species special 2023

A spooky species special 2023

This week we sit around the campfire for our Hallowe'en Special 2023. We have terrifying tales of satanic birds zombifying fungus’s and devils that cry out in the night. The cupboard is open come on in if you dare!
Oct 29, 202301:43:02
A magnificent marsupial

A magnificent marsupial

This week we take to the trees of southern Australia as meet the koala. A marsupial known to all. Gareth then has news that humans are scarier than lions to other animals. All this and more this week. The cupboard is open come on in!
Oct 15, 202301:08:43
A fine fern indeed

A fine fern indeed

This week take a wander into the real fern gully to meet the Tasmanian tree fern a truly ancient giant of the bush. Aaron has news of teams helping to stop coral bleaching on barrier reef. All this and more this week the cupboard is open come on in!
Oct 08, 202301:16:29
A perfectly preserved plesiosaur

A perfectly preserved plesiosaur

This week take a dip in ancient Jurassic seas to come face to face with the Plesiosaur or is it Nessie. Gareth brings us news of a new spider fossil from Australia. This and more this week The cupboard is open come on in!
Oct 01, 202301:05:53
An original sabre tooth

An original sabre tooth

This week we travel back to the Permian period to meet the original sabre tooth inostrancivia. Aaron then brings us news of on going palm oil issues and the brands that are involved. All this and more this week the cupboard is open come on in!
Sep 24, 202301:15:56
A Surface Sailing Symbiote

A Surface Sailing Symbiote

This week in the cupboard float along to meet the Portuguese man o war. A creature that’s more than it seems. In the news we look at how for the first time in 40 years the kakapo will return to mainland New Zealand. All this and more the cupboard is open come on in!
Sep 17, 202301:21:26
A rare ratite

A rare ratite

This week in the cupboard we ask the question Just how deadly is the Cassowary. In the news we look at the alarming issues effecting animals at both of the poles. All this and more this week the cupboard is open come on in!
Sep 10, 202301:21:45
A king of the river

A king of the river

This week come sit by the river and try spot the orange and blue blur that is the Kingfisher. In the news Gareth tells us about a new giant eagle that ruled the prehistoric skies of Australia. All this and more the cupboard is open come on in!
Sep 03, 202301:12:23
A wilder interview

A wilder interview

This week we are joined in the cupboard by Katie Wilkinson from the Devon wildlife Trust.She gives us a rundown of all the different ways the Wilder Community’s Team are helping to bring people and wildlife closer. All this and more this week the cupboard is open come on in!
Aug 27, 202301:15:12
A six foot turkey

A six foot turkey

This week say hello to the dinosaur that is one of the most famous prehistoric predators of the Cretaceous, Velociraptor! We look at this fascinating species in both movies and in real life. In this weeks news "Are there great whites in UK waters?" an American team hopes to find out. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!
Aug 20, 202301:20:47
A deadly knife tooth

A deadly knife tooth

This week we travel back in time and to the plains of North America to meet one of the deadliest cats to have ever existed Smilodon . In the news we ask the question is that a sun bear or a person in a costume. All this and more the cupboard is open come on in !
Aug 13, 202301:32:00
A household dragon

A household dragon

This week we head into the outback to meet a reptile that is globally renowned the bearded dragon. In the news we talk about a tragic shark attack in Egypt and what it means for wildlife in the area. All this and more this week the cupboard is open come on in!
Aug 06, 202301:40:46
A desert dwelling rodent

A desert dwelling rodent

This week we journey to the desert to meet a small skilled survivor the Jerboa. Gareth brings us news of an Amazing fossil of a dinosaur fighting a mammal. All this and more this week the cupboard is open come on in!
Jul 30, 202301:01:51
An interview written in time

An interview written in time

This week we welcome Lindsey Kinsella author of the Lazarus taxa in the cupboard to talk time travel, dinosaurs and imaginary dimetrodons. All this and more this week the cupboard is open come on in!
Jul 23, 202356:59
A cunning canid

A cunning canid

This week is Drew's last episode (for now) and, in the news, we talk about orcas and yachts. Then for our feature, Drew takes us on an emotional journey, from the furry fandom to blood sports with his favourite animal: the red fox (warning: some of this feature is very unpleasant). All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!


Jul 16, 202301:36:38
A world dominating dicynodont

A world dominating dicynodont

This week we have the annoying news that TV gardeners Monty Don and Alan Titchmarsh are calling wildlife gardening “puritanical nonsense”. Then travel back to one of Earth's most deadly time periods as we meet Lystrosaurus. An animal so tough it survived a mass extinction and then become the dominant species on the planet. All this and more this week.The cupboard is open, come on in!
Jul 09, 202301:00:48
An Interview to End Extinction

An Interview to End Extinction

This week we welcome Tahnee Barnes, founder of End Extinction International in to the cupboard. We discuss climate change; environmental politics; women in conservation sciences; and role models. All this and more this week. The cupboard is open come on in!
Jul 02, 202345:23
A crazy chimera

A crazy chimera

This week we have news of how cloning could help save endangered species. Then journey back in time to meet the horse relative that walked like a gorilla and had claws like an anteater, the Chalicotherium. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!
Jun 25, 202301:24:20
A three horned face

A three horned face

This week we talk how peas could help save the planet and then we time travel back to the Cretaceous to meet probably one of the most famous dinosaurs to have ever existed, the Triceratops! All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!


Jun 18, 202301:21:60
A cat of many names

A cat of many names

This week we have shocking news of a Illness that is killing sea urchins in the Mediterranean. Then we meet the puma a cat with so many names it’s a world record holder. All this and more this week , the cupboard is open come on in!
Jun 11, 202301:13:55
A rare red rodent

A rare red rodent

This week we have news of how you can win an award for your eco gardening skills. There’s been new feeding styles discovered from a controversial fossil spinosaurid. Then climb up into the trees to meet this week’s creature feature the red squirrel on of Britain’s rarest mammals. All this and more this week, the cupboard is open come on in!
Jun 04, 202301:12:41
A super sized siren

A super sized siren

This week we hear from British politicians that’s it’s ok to swim in sewage. Aaron then has news of the importance of Caribou to the ecosystems of Northern America. We then meet the stealers sea cow a super sized sea creature sadly no longer with us. All that and more this week the cupboard is open come on in!
May 28, 202301:15:54
A wild interview

A wild interview

This week we welcome the amazing Derek Gow, from Rewilding Combeshead, into the cupboard to talk all things rewilding as well as the importance of beavers. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!
May 21, 202301:42:16
A household bird

A household bird

This week in the Natural History Cupboard Podcast we have news of Wonderful Welsh fossils that have been discovered. German wolves look to be under threat . We then meet the most widespread bird on the planet that you probably don’t even notice most of the time the house sparrow. All this and more this week. The cupboard is open come on in!
May 14, 202301:05:10
A Micro Thief

A Micro Thief

This week in the Natural History Cupboard Podcast we have great news of successful Partula snails releases . Scottish lynx take another step closer to being a reality. Then journey to prehistoric China to meet the microraptor a tiny treasure all this week and more. The cupboard is open come on in!
May 07, 202358:50
A extreme extinct earwig

A extreme extinct earwig

This week in the Natural History Cupboard we talk about newly discovered Sea grass beds right of the Cornish coast. Aaron has the run down on the announcement of the second series of prehistoric planet . Then head to one of the most remote islands on earth to hear the sad tail of the st.Helena giant earwig and it’s unfortunate demise. All this and more this week. The cupboard is open come on in!
Apr 30, 202301:18:09
A coastal curiosity

A coastal curiosity

This week Drew has news of the best daddy of all hellbenders and Gareth talks maniraptorian dinosaur teeth. Then take a dip into the sea with Aaron to come face to snout with the Yellow Seahorse. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!
Apr 23, 202301:18:02
A king of the Australian sky

A king of the Australian sky

This week we hear about a newly protected peregrine falcon nest. Drew gives us a review of the controversial Wild isles sixth episode. Then head to Australia where we meet the king of the skies, the wedge-tailed eagle. All this and more. The cupboard is open, come on in!
Apr 16, 202301:18:26