Snake Talk

In this episode, Dr. Chris Jenkins sits down with Dr. Thilo Beck, a recent graduate of the University of the Witwatersrand. Originally from Germany, Thilo moved to South Africa in pursuit of greater snake diversity, and found himself studying one of the continent’s most fascinating species, the Cape Cobra.

Thilo dives into his research on the thermal ecology of Cape Cobras, exploring how these snakes interact with their environment and regulate their body temperature. He also unpacks what his findings reveal about the future—how shifting climates could influence behavior, distribution, and survival for snakes in a rapidly changing world.

Connect with Thilo at the Tswalu Foundation.

Connect with Chris on Facebook, Instagram or at The Orianne Society.
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Dr. Jenkins sits down with Sam Schenker from North Carolina. Sam is a high school student who has already done an incredible amount of work to advance her career as a herpetologist. Multiple herp focused ecotourism trips led to interests in research and photography. Sam started by taking a Master Herpetologist class and then began working with a conservation organization in Ecuador. She also works with former Snake Talk guest, Dr. Reynolds, at University of North Carolina Asheville. They discuss Sam’s journey and where she hopes the future will take her.

Connect with Sam at the Khamai Foundation, or on her website, Scale Snaps.

Connect with Chris on Facebook, Instagram or at The Orianne Society.
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If you like what you’ve been hearing on this podcast, consider supporting The Orianne Society today.

Dr. Jenkins sits down with Jade Samples and Eva Kerr, recent graduate students from the University of Georgia (UGA) who both study rare amphibians that breed in isolated wetlands. During their time at UGA, Jade and Eva collaborated on statewide surveys to better understand where these elusive species occur and what environmental factors shape their distribution.

Jade shares insights from her work on Striped Newt reintroductions, exploring the factors that influence whether restored populations succeed. Eva dives into her research on Gopher Frogs, examining gene flow in different landscapes and describing the ecological model she developed to simulate how disturbance can influence their populations and long-term persistence.

Connect with Jade and Eva at Dr. Maerz’s Herpetology Laboratory at UGA.

Connect with Chris on Facebook, Instagram or at The Orianne Society.
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If you like what you’ve been hearing on this podcast, consider supporting The Orianne Society today.

In this episode, Dr. Jenkins sits down with Cameron Ketchum and Ariana Coles, undergraduate researchers at the University of Northern Colorado, to discuss their undergraduate research on snake venom. The conversation focuses on efforts to characterize rattlesnake venom across the Americas and how this work can help make antivenom more efficient.

Connect with Cameron and Ariana at the University of Northern Colorado.

Looking to learn more about venom?  Check out Snake Talk 117 | Snake Venom with Dr. Stephen Mackessy.

Connect with Chris on Facebook, Instagram or at The Orianne Society.
Shop Snake Talk merch.
If you like what you’ve been hearing on this podcast, consider supporting The Orianne Society today.

How do weather, habitat, and season influence a snake’s ability to fight disease?
In this episode, Chris Jenkins sits down with Catherine Hanks, a graduate student in ecology at the University of Georgia, to talk about her path into graduate school, from studying tropical ecology in Costa Rica to finding the right lab as an undergraduate. They also dive into her thesis research on the immune capacity of Eastern Indigo Snakes and what it may reveal about how these iconic snakes respond to Snake Fungal Disease in the wild.

Connect with Chris on Facebook, Instagram or at The Orianne Society.
Shop Snake Talk merch.
If you like what you’ve been hearing on this podcast, consider supporting The Orianne Society today.