Tiny Matters

How do you save a species?: Breakthroughs from cheetahs, red wolves, and 'spicy' toads

September 30, 2026·41 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

Cheetahs carry the genetic scars of an Ice Age bottleneck, red wolves are so rare that every egg matters, and harlequin frogs need their natural toxins restored before they can thrive in the wild again. But avoiding extinction requires far more than protecting habitat alone. In this episode, we talk with scientists at Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute to explore cutting-edge science helping these animals not just survive but thrive, including innovative reproductive technologies like ‘ovary-on-a-chip.’Similar episodes you may enjoy:Extinction: Rethinking the dodo's demise, and could a supervolcano threaten humanity's future?What is de-extinction, really? Conservation, genetics, and lessons from 'dire wolves'See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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