An edited overview of the CREEP podcast's second season. The segments originally aired between July 26 and Oct. 11, 2022. Posted for RTDNA award contest.
CREEP is a podcast that encourages us to lean in for a closer look at how insects and animals are changing the environment, economy and health of our region in ways we never expected.
Episodes included in overview:
Black And White And Banned All Over* *Almost: Tegus are armed with a metabolic superpower and a powerful appetite for eggs, but they’re also easily domesticated, making them both beloved family pets and unwelcome hungry pests. Throughout the South, these giant lizards are raising eyebrows, breaking hearts and launching lawsuits.
Swat, Spray, Repeat: As if our native mosquitoes weren’t pesky enough, we humans have imported some of the most invasive mosquito species to the U.S., bringing with them painful and debilitating diseases. Is there a human solution to this human-caused problem? Or are we destined to see history repeat itself, as we try (again and again) to outwit the deadliest animal on the planet?
Hippocalypse Now: Beyond the hype about Pablo Escobar’s cocaine hippos, the real story of what’s happening in Colombia’s Rio Magdalena is surprising and complex. Some look on these hungry herbivores with affection and admiration, others fear their aggressive attitude and huge ecological footprint. Follow these unlikely invaders from Africa to Colombia with a possible layover in…Louisiana?
All Relative: Much of the conversation around invasive species frames our relationship with these plants and animals as an ongoing battle, a war to be won. But what can we learn when we move beyond the language of domination and explore the broader connections between ourselves, our planet, and the creatures we share this space with?