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Conservationists Assemble: Deep dives with wildlife guardians and conservation experts

Conservationists Assemble: Deep dives with wildlife guardians and conservation experts

Written by: Jonny Bloxham
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About this listen

Passionate about wildlife and conservation but craving deeper stories behind endangered species and those who save them?

Then welcome to the Conservationists Assemble, the podcast uniting with field conservation and captive breeding experts to share conservation stories of wildlife protection and actionable insights that helps save threatened species.

Join your host, Jonny, each week as he teams up with Earth’s mightiest conservation heroes as they discuss the efforts for our planets most endangered species.

Will you join the assembly? Subscribe for new episodes every week and start your journey with Volume 50 'Can we reverse extinction? Meet the Lord Howe island stick insect, nature's comeback story' to learn about one of nature’s greatest survivors.

Follow on instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/conservationistsassemblepod?igsh=Y2Ftd2k3c2pidDVi

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Biological Sciences Science
Episodes
  • Securing a future for the Francois’ Langur: How the European breeding programme supports genetic strength.
    Jan 19 2026

    Get ready for an exciting journey with the 'Conservationists Assemble' podcast, where we delve into the mysterious world of the Francois’ Langur alongside the knowledgeable Andrew Hope!

    Explore their unique forested habitats, the collaborative efforts of Belfast Zoo and their conservation partners, and importance of having a genetically diverse population in accredited zoos as an insurance policy for the looming challenges of this remarkable primate.

    Andrew, the Francois Langur EEP coordinator and curator at Belfast Zoo in Ireland, guides us through an enthralling exploration of these bold primates with the hair-style to match, shedding light on the impact of human activities on their numbers despite living in inaccessible habitat.

    The focus then shifts to how growing up in South Africa and being exposed to wildlife from a young age with a particular passion for reptiles lead to pursuit of a career within conservation that continued when Andrew and his family relocated to Ireland. A career that has granted the opportunity to work with apes, large carnivores, ungulates and primates, with a particular fondness for Bongo.

    Wrapping up the podcast, Andrew shares that how much a round of golf would do for downtime should the northern Irish whether permit And how he has desire to return to South Africa in the future and ambition to see wild Francois’ Langurs, Penguins and Tree Kangaroos.

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    34 mins
  • 52. The Malayan Giant Turtle
    Oct 5 2025

    The Conservationists Assemble is back with episode 52. In this episode Jonny welcomes Irna, Dhanu & Vanda to discuss the collective journey and efforts of wildlife rescue centre Jogja, konklusi & the gembira loka zoo in Yogyakarta, Indonesia in their mission to raise the profile of and save the critically endangered Malayan giant turtle (Orlitia borneensis).

    Links/Extra reading:

    Saving Malayan Giant Turtle from brink of extinction, Phase I: establishing healthy and genetically viable assurance colony — Asian Species Action Partnership | ASAP

    Species Conservation – WRC Jogja

    (PDF) Turtles in Malaysia: A Review of Conservation Status and a Call for Research

    ZQ_107_92d68e56d4.pdf - Zooquaria Issue 107 (has some background on the founding population of O. borneensis in EAZA member organisations.

    2022_TAG_Annual_Reports_web_7d92d2e668.pdf - The 2022 EAZA TAG report mentions an upgrade from an ESB to a new style EEP for O. borneensis).

    EAZA_AC_22_PROGRAMME_BOOKLET_0f9083bedf.pdf - The 2022 EAZA annual conference featured poster publicising the efforts of Gdansk zoo, Poland in assisted breeding of O. borneensis.

    ZootierlisteHomepage - Current estimates of O. borneensis under human care globally

    Orlitia borneensis (Malaysian Giant Turtle)

    (PDF) Orlitia borneensis (Gray, 1873) (Testudines, Geoemydidae), Malaysian Giant Turtle, from Belitung Island, Indonesia: filling a distribution gap - a paper published since recording this episode filling a distribution gap in O. borneensis

    Kolaborasi Inklusi Konservasi (KONKLUSI) — Asian Species Action Partnership | ASAP - konklusi

    Kolaborasi Inklusi Konservasi (@konklusi_id) • Instagram photos and videos - konklusi Instagram

    Homepage | Happy Loka Zoo - gembira loka zoo homepage

    Gembira Loka Zoo (@gembiraloka.zoo) • Instagram photos and videos - gembira loka instagram

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    49 mins
  • 51. The Lord Howe island stick insect (part. 2)
    Aug 7 2025

    The Conservationists Assemble is back with Volume 50! Tune in to part 2 of the conversation with your host Jonny Bloxham and special guests, Kate Pearce and Rohan Cleave from Melbourne Zoo & Zoos Victoria. This episode is all about the Lord Howe island stick insect. A critically endangered invertebrate endemic to Lord Howe island that went from estimated millions in population to what was thought to be complete extinction in the matter of a decade with the wreckage of a ship and the arrival of invasive rodents in the 1900s. That was until 2001 when a population of anywhere between 9-35 individuals were found on six Melaleuca howeana shrubs on the nearby and almost inhospitable, Ball's pyramid. This conversation highlights a tremendous and ongoing effort to save a species from extinction. Find some awesome resources and links below:

    Sticky: Rediscovering the Lord Howe Stick Insect - Island Conservation

    (PDF) The recovery programme for the Lord Howe Island Phasmid (Dryococelus australis) following its rediscovery

    (PDF) Rediscovery of the ‘extinct’ Lord Howe Island stick-insect (Dryococelus australis (Montrouzier)) (Phasmatodea) and recommendations for its conservation

    Lord Howe Island Stick Insect Conservation Breeding Program turns 20

    Beyond Mega Zoo - The Lord Howe Island stick insect

    Lord Howe Stick Insects, resilient survivors but are they cute?

    Museum Lecture: The true life adventure story of Lord Howe Island Stick Insect

    Reading with a Ranger – “Phasmid Saving the Lord Howe Island Stick Insect”

    Home | Lord Howe Island Board

    Phasmid Pale Ale 16-Case – Lord Howe Island Brewing Co

    https://www.instagram.com/lenkomelb?igsh=cWdnZDdtaXpubThy - a link to the talented Dana Lenko who produced the jumper that Kate was wearing (and briefly discussed in part. 2)

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    44 mins
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