Bad at Goodbyes

Spoon-billed Sandpiper :: Calidris pygmaea
Bad at Goodbyes :: Episode 063
On today’s show we learn about the Spoon-billed Sandpiper, a critically endangered migratory avian, a bird native to breeding ground in far northeastern Russia in the Chukotka autonomous district, that migrates to summer in Southeast Asia, in Bangladesh, Thailand, Myanmar and China.
(00:05) Intro
(02:05) Species Information
(25:24) Citations
(27:20) Music
(35:19) Pledge

For more information about Spoon-billed Sandpiper conservation see the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust at https://wwt.org.uk/.
Research for today’s show was compiled from:
Animal Diversity Web at the University of Michigan. Labuda, C. 2023. "Eurynorhynchus pygmeus". https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Eurynorhynchus_pygmeus/
Bird Conservation International v.20, no. 2 (2010): 95–111. Zöckler, Christoph, Evgeny E. Syroechkovskiy, And Philip W. Atkinson. “Rapid and Continued Population Decline in the Spoon-Billed Sandpiper Eurynorhynchus Pygmeus Indicates Imminent Extinction Unless Conservation Action Is Taken.” – https://doi.org/10.1017/S0959270910000316
Bird Conservation International v.26, no. 4 (2016): 476–89. Zöckler, Christoph, Alison E. Beresford, Gillian Bunting, Sayam U. Chowdhury, Nigel A. Clark, Vivian Wing Kan Fu, Tony Htin Hla, et al. “The Winter Distribution of the Spoon-Billed Sandpiper Calidris Pygmaeus.” – https://doi.org/10.1017/S0959270915000295
Bird Conservation International v.28, no. 2 (2018): 251–62. Chowdhury, Sayam U., Mohammad Foysal, M Abdullah Abu Diyan, And Sakib Ahmed. “Discovery of an Important Wintering Site of the Critically Endangered Spoon-Billed Sandpiper Calidris Pygmaea in the Meghna Estuary, Bangladesh.” – https://doi.org/10.1017/S0959270917000247
Birds of the World. Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. van Gils, J., P. Wiersma, C. J. Sharpe, and G. M. Kirwan (2020). Spoon-billed Sandpiper (Calidris pygmaea), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). – https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.spbsan1.01
Diversity v. 15, no. 4: 584. Loktionov, Egor Y., Roland A. Digby, Nickolay N. Yakushev, Ivan A. Shepelev, Jodie P. Clements, Pavel S. Tomkovich, Nigel S. Jarrett, Nigel A. Clark, Rhys E. Green, Elena G. Lappo, and et al. 2023. "Evaluating the...

We're on a short holiday break. New episodes return in January 2026. Thanks for listening!

Mulanje Cedar :: Widdringtonia whytei
Bad at Goodbyes :: Episode 062
On today’s show we learn about the Mulanje Cedar, a critically endangered conifer tree native to the African nation of Malawi, specifically to Mount Mulanje in the southeast.
(00:05) Intro
(02:05) Species Information
(23:53) Citations
(25:52) Music
(32:02) Pledge

For more information about Mount Mulanje conservation, please see the Mulanje Mountain Conservation Trust at https://mountmulanje.org.mw

Research for today’s show was compiled from:
Bayliss, Julian, Steve Makungwa, Joy Hecht, David Nangoma, and Carl Bruessow. “Saving the Island in the Sky: The Plight of the Mount Mulanje Cedar Widdringtonia Whytei in Malawi.” Oryx 41, no. 1 (2007): 64–69. – https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605307001548
Burger, Niel. “Disturbance ecology and size-class structure of the Mulanje cedar of Malawi, Widdringtonia whytei, and associated broadleaved forest.” Botany honours project 2010. University of Cape Town. – http://hdl.handle.net/11427/24397
Chanyenga, Tembo F., Coert J. Geldenhuys, and Gudeta W. Sileshi. “Effect of Population Size, Tree Diameter and Crown Position on Viable Seed Output per Cone of the Tropical Conifer Widdringtonia Whytei in Malawi.” Journal of Tropical Ecology 27, no. 5 (2011): 515–20. – https://doi.org/10.1017/S0266467411000204
Chanyenga, T., Shaw, K. & Mitole, I. 2019. “Widdringtonia whytei.” The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T33216A126090798. – https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T33216A126090798.en
CNN. “Saving Malawi’s Mulanje Cedar.” October 2025. Inside Africa S21 E21. – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTNGckdP7kk
Earle, Christopher J., ed. "Widdringtonia whytei." The Gymnosperm Database. February 10, 2025. – https://conifers.org/cu/Widdringtonia_whytei.php.
Farjon, A. 2019. “Widdringtonia whytei.” Threatened Conifers of The World – https://threatenedconifers.rbge.org.uk/conifers/widdringtonia-whytei
Frank, Fred & Mwabumba, Lusayo & Mhango, Jarret & Missanjo, Edward & Kadzuwa, Henry & Likoswe, Michael. (2023). “Genetic and Phenotypic Parameters for Growth Traits of Widdringtonia whytei-Rendle Translocation Provenance Trials in Malawi.” Journal of Global Ecology and Environment. Volume 17, Issue 4. 32-48. – https://doi.org/10.56557/jogee/2023/v17i48222
Martin, Emma, and Burgess, Neil. "Mulanje Montane Forest-Grassland." One Earth. September 23, 2020. – https://www.oneearth.org/ecoregions/mulanje-montane-forest-grassland
Mitrani, Leila. 2017. “Reproduction and establishment of two endangered African cedars, Widdringtonia cedarbergensis and...

Corsican Bat :: Myotis Nustrale
Bad at Goodbyes :: Episode 061
On today’s show we learn about the Corsican Bat, a critically endangered flying mammal native to the French island territory of Corsica in the Mediterranean Ocean.
(00:05) Intro
(02:05) Species Information
(30:46) Citations
(32:42) Music
(40:26) Pledge

For more information about Corsican Bat conservation see the Corsica Bat Group, in French: Groupe Chiroptères Corse at https://chauvesouriscorse.fr

Big thanks and deep gratitude to Kate Derrick at the Corsica Bat Group for sharing her expertise, insights and her work with us. It was so inspiring to speak with her.

Research for today’s show was compiled from:
Aulagnier, S., Beuneux, G. & Russo, D. 2024. Myotis nustrale. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2024: e.T248107314A248107503. – https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2024-2.RLTS.T248107314A248107503.en
Derrick, K. Groupe Chiroptères Corse (Community Manager, Communications Manager, Scientific Officer). Interview by Joshua Dumas, October 30, 2025
Derrick, K. and Beuneux, G. 2024. L’espèce endémique de Corse, Myotis nustrale, enfin décrite officiellement ! Envol des Chiros 36: 12-13. – https://www.sfepm.org/sites/default/files/inline-files/EDC36.pdf
Groupe chiroptères Corse, 2019 - Programme d'étude concernant l'amélioration des connaissances sur l'écologie d'une nouvelle espèce de chauve-souris endémique à la Corse : Myotis sp. C (ex - Myotis nattereri) - Année 2018 – https://gaia.oec.fr/documents/39037ba8a97630e6c387281c39766ece.pdf
Javier Juste, Manuel Ruedi, Sébastien J. Puechmaille, Irene Salicini, Carlos Ibáñez "Two New Cryptic Bat Species within the Myotis nattereri Species Complex (Vespertilionidae, Chiroptera) from the Western Palaearctic," Acta Chiropterologica, 20(2), 285-300, (14 February 2019) – https://doi.org/10.3161/15081109ACC2018.20.2.001
Martinetti, Jean-Michel dir. Belle de Nuit. France 3 Corse ViaStella and Mediterranean Dream Productions, 2024. 52 min – https://www.france.tv/france-3/corse-viastella/corsica-salvatica/6717952-regards-croises-sur-le-monde-animal.html
Office de l'Environnement de la Corse. Faune Sauvage de Corse. Murin de Corse. – https://faunesauvagedecorse.oec.fr/Espece_mpage_224_idtaxon,4905.htm
One Earth – https://www.oneearth.org/ecoregions/corsican-montane-broadleaf-and-mixed-forests/
Schmidbauer, P., & Denzinger, A. (2019). Social calls of Myotis nattereri during swarming: Call structure mirrors the different behavioral context. PloS one, 14(9), e0221792. –

Erubia :: Solanum ensifolium
Bad at Goodbyes :: Episode 060
On today’s show we learn about the Erubia, a critically endangered flowering shrub native to the US island territory of Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Sea.
(00:05) Intro
(02:05) Species Information
(19:24) Citations
(21:02) Music
(26:42) Pledge

For more information about conservation in Puerto Rico, please visit Para la Naturaleza at https://paralanaturaleza.org

Research for today’s show was compiled from:
Eastern Connecticut State University – https://www.easternct.edu/news/_stories-and-releases/2025/01-january/easterns-greenhouse-is-a-sanctuary-for-imperiled-plants.html
Gann, G.D. 2024. Solanum ensifolium. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2024: e.T212065930A253642712. – https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2024-2.RLTS.T212065930A253642712.en
Graham, M.R., Kaur, N., Jones, C.S. et al. A phoenix in the greenhouse: characterization and phylogenomics of complete chloroplast genomes sheds light on the putatively extinct-in-the-wild Solanum ensifolium (Solanaceae). BMC Plant Biology 25, 320 (2025). – https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-025-06338-8
The Institute for Regional Conservation – https://www.regionalconservation.org/ircs/database/plants/PlantPagePR.asp?TXCODE=Solaensi
Jankauski Mark, Ferguson Riggs, Russell Avery and Buchmann Stephen. 2022. Structural dynamics of real and modelled Solanum stamens: implications for pollen ejection by buzzing bees. Journal of the Royal Society Interface. Volume 19 Issue 188. 1920220040 – http://doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2022.0040
National Science Foundation’s Solanaceae Source – https://solanaceaesource.myspecies.info/content/solanum-ensifolium
Pascarella, John & Aide, T. Mitchell & Serrano, Mayra & Zimmerman, Jess. (2000). Land-Use History and Forest Regeneration in the Cayey Mountains, Puerto Rico. Ecosystems. 3. 217-228. – https://doi.org/10.1007/s100210000021
Rosario, Lumariz Hernandez, Juan O. Rodríguez Padilla, Desiree Ramos Martínez, Alejandra Morales Grajales, Joel A. Mercado Reyes, Gabriel J. Veintidós Feliu, Benjamin Van Ee, and Dimuth Siritunga. "DNA Barcoding of the Solanaceae Family in Puerto Rico Including Endangered and Endemic Species." Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science 144, no. 5 (2019): 363–374. – https://doi.org/10.21273/JASHS04735-19
Strickland-Constable, R., Schneider, H., Ansell, S.W., Russell, S.J. and Knapp, S. (2010), Species identity in the Solanum bahamense species group (Solanaceae, Solanum subgenus Leptostemonum). Taxon. 59. 209-226. –