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 đ
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! đ
Cover art by Mrs. Brainbow (Taylor Gordon-Wood). Theme music by Louie Zong.
Ellen and Christian get a feel for the garden eel. We discuss fortified butts, science's greatest unsolved mysteries, flirting techniques for the ultimate homebodies, vid
Sep 24 42 min
351: False Water Cobra w/ Harpreet Singh Sethi!
Joined Ellen & special guest, conservationist and herpetologist Harpreet Singh Sethi, for a look at the snake appropriately named the Giant Lord of the Water. While the f
Sep 17 54 min
190: Pom-Pom Crab & Mourning Dove (REPLAY)
In this week's re-broadcast of an episode from April of 2023, Christian cheers for pom-pom crabs & Ellen explains what makes mourning doves so coo-l. We discuss how crabs
Sep 11 53 min
350: Monarch Butterfly
It's fall yall - time for Ellen and Christian to embark on a multi-generational odyssey with monarch butterflies. We discuss why butterflies are total heartstoppers and t
Sep 3 1 h 04 min
349: Clouded Leopard w/ Alice Vassallo!
Join Ellen & very special guest zookeeper and conservationist Alice Vassallo for the inside scoop on one of the worldâs most mysterious not-so-big cats. We discuss differ
Aug 27 58 min
348: Sociable Weaver
Ellen weaves her magic on sociable weavers. We discuss the three pillars of science communication, trick entrances, plane cabin pressurization, bullying for the greater g
Aug 20 52 min
347: Sea Otters w/ Kristyn Plancarte!
Join Ellen & special guest marine biologist Kristyn Plancarte for a review of the worldâs wettest weasels. We discuss beluga whalesâ fake six packs, the unique challenges
Aug 14 51 min
346: Pufferfish
Ellen is blowing up about pufferfish. We discuss what pufferfish have in common with chameleons, seafloor crop circles, culinary applications of deadly neurotoxin, and so
Aug 6 54 min
345: Conservation Stories w/ Sharon Guynup!
Join Ellen & special guest, journalist and writer Sharon Guynup, for stories from the world of conservation. Our guestâs career has taken her all over the world, from the
Jul 31 55 min
344: Kid Questions with Isaac!
Ellen & special guest Isaac answer questions from young listeners! We discuss bug guts, milking squids, the blobfish's secret Final Form, getting upped, ancient sharks wi
Jul 23 59 min
343: Synanthropes w/ Dan Werb!
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 wo
Jul 16 53 min
342: Mongoose
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 p
Jul 9 1 h 01 min
Terrestrials: The Trio w/ Lulu Miller!
Ellen & special guest, science journalist and host of Radiolab and Terrestrials Lulu Miller, discuss the lifelong impact of science communication, review bald eagles, and
Jun 26 49 min
341: Elephant Mosquito w/ Cassandra Fieldson!
Join Ellen & special guest science communicator, infectious disease researcher, and the Khaleesi of Mosquitos for a review of some of the animal kingdomâs most controvers
Jun 18 57 min
340: Fiddler Crab
We add another string to our bow by learning about the fiddler crab. We discuss the arc of history bending towards crab, the MogBot 2000, bad dating advice, non-orientabl
Jun 12 52 min
339: Binturong w/ Rick Schwartz!
Join Ellen & special guest science communicator and ambassador for wildlife Rick Schwartz for a review of the wise old wizards of Asian forests: binturongs. We discuss ca
Jun 4 1 h 05 min
338: Seriema
Ellen gets her claws out for seriemas. We discuss terror birds, reverse mullets, sickle claws, weird scenes from Jurassic Park, golf ball physics, and so much more.
Work
May 28 48 min
337: Tree Kangaroos w/ Lisa Dabek!
Join Ellen & special guest, senior conservation scientist at Woodland Park Zoo and founder of the Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program Lisa Dabek, as we celebrate World Tre
May 21 59 min
336: Crawfish w/ Jack Koch!
Join Ellen & special guest, technobiologist and professor Jack Koch, for a review of the iconic crustacean known and loved by many names: the crawfish. We discuss sea har
May 15 46 min
Chart trend
Position in the Nature chart (US), last 90 days.
#1#10#19JulAugSepOct
#4
all-time peak
109
days in the top 10 since Nov 2024
Chart positions
Where Just the Zoo of Us ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Oct 2, 2026).
A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.
I havenât 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! Definitely recommend, and itâs by far the number one animal podcast for sure (trust me, Iâve listened to my share). Love the podcast! â€ïžđ
đMooraw Fishđ · Aug 2026
As a person who loves going on Internet rabbit holes and yapping about said rabbit holes.This podcast does the research for me but I can still yap about all the things I learned.thanks Ellen and Christian!!
ïżŒShade mist · Aug 2026
I just started listening, and I love this podcast! I love animals so whenever I listen to it I am captivated. I didnât have high hopes for this podcast but itâs a ten out of ten would recommend. Thank you Ellen and Christian.
Banana26girl · Apr 2026
As a grown-up PBS kid, I really appreciate how this podcast blends fascinating research with funny, lighthearted entertainment. The hosts and guests crack me up and keep me curious about the natural world. I love listening to an episode on my commute to work then infodumping all the cool facts onto my coworkers!
Leif Dodig · Apr 2026
We strive to present a balanced view by showing a diverse range of reviews from Apple Podcasts.
Here you find the Apple Podcasts chart positions of Just the Zoo of Us, its latest episodes to listen to directly, and reviews from listeners. Rankings are updated daily for the United States.
