Welcome to the next in the Podcast Showcase series, where we share podcasts with you in the words of the podcasters themselves. This time, we talk to Strange Animals Podcast
Sum up your podcast in three sentences
Strange Animals Podcast is a weekly family-friendly podcast about animals: living, extinct, and possibly imaginary! Sometimes no one’s sure which category an animal belongs in. I work hard to keep the show science-based without losing the wonder and excitement of discovery.
Who is your ideal listener? Who loves your show?
I get fan mail from kids and parents but I also hear from adults who don’t have kids. I never intended the show to be for kids but my background is in elementary education, so I suppose my approach has a certain simplicity that kids appreciate.
When the Covid-19 lockdowns started in 2020, most podcasters I know saw their numbers drop as fewer people were listening during commutes. My numbers actually went up as parents tried to find a resource to help their kids learn science. I hope I helped a little!
What made you start this podcast?
I was frustrated that I couldn’t find a podcast about mystery animals that was well researched, so I started my own.
What have you learned about your subject thanks to this podcast?
I thought I knew a lot about animals, but oh boy did I not! I’m still no expert but I’m good at research and love finding a fun angle to approach a topic from.
My aunt asked me a few years ago what I’d do when I ran out of strange animals to feature. I replied that I’ll never run out of topics — all animals are strange in their own ways. After five years and more than 250 episodes, I’m still finding animals that surprise me.
What has your experience of podcasting been? What do you love / hate about the process?
I enjoy sharing information with people and enjoy the process of creating something from nothing. I don’t enjoy recording and editing my audio! And, of course, I no longer have free time because the podcast eats it all up — each episode takes hours to research and hours to record and edit. But I’m proud of the result.
If someone wants to start listening to your podcast, which episode would you recommend they start with? Why?
Don’t start with the first episode of any podcast! (Unless it’s sequential, of course.) I’ve re-recorded my first few episodes, but even so, the audio is terrible and the content is kind of lackluster. It took me a long time to figure out what works best for my podcast and how I wanted to present information.
My suggestion is to look at the list of recent episodes and just pick one that sounds interesting. If you’re especially into mystery animals, try the October episodes. October is monster month at Strange Animals Podcast and we learn about creatures like Mothman, the Dover Demon, and other fun mysteries.
Which other podcasts do you love listening to?
There are so many good ones! For other animal podcasts, try Varmints!, BewilderBeasts, and The Casual Birder Podcast. For well researched mysteries of various kinds, try Arcane Carolinas, The Shocking Details, MonsterTalk, and Dark Histories. For podcasts about various other topics, I recommend Strong Songs, Because Language, In Research Of, Perhaps It’s You, FilkCast, Drum History, DRUM with Mike & Eddy, Sandman Stories Presents, Southern Mysteries Podcast, The Flopcast, Your Brain on Facts, and Doomsday: History’s Most Dangerous Podcast.
If people want to find you online, where can they do so?
You can find Strange Animals Podcast pretty much everywhere. Our website is https://strangeanimalspodcast.blubrry.net/ and we’re on Twitter @strangebeasties.
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Image: Meg Jerrard