The Fur Real Podcast with Mark A Kyle

What makes the praying mantis one of the most fascinating predators on Earth? In this episode, Lohit Garikipati joins Mark A. Kyle to explore the strange, beautiful, and sometimes terrifying world of praying mantises. From lightning-fast attacks and incredible camouflage to their almost “alien” appearance and ability to track movement with precision, these insects are among nature’s most efficient hunters.
Lohit shares how mantises evolved into masters of ambush, the surprising intelligence and behaviors they display, and why they continue to captivate scientists, photographers, and insect lovers around the world. The conversation also dives into mantis myths, their unique vision, their role in ecosystems, and what most people completely misunderstand about these remarkable creatures.
Tiny, mysterious, and deadly effective, the praying mantis may be one of the closest things we have to an alien life form right here on Earth.
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In this episode, Mark sits down with Dr. Heather Berst of Zoetis to discuss Breed Explorer — a tool designed to help people find the right pet for their lifestyle, personality, living situation, and activity level.
Not every pet is the right fit for every home, and this conversation explores why making the right match matters for both humans and dogs. Apartment dwellers, active outdoor families, first-time pet owners, seniors with limited mobility, and people with large yards all have very different needs — and pets do too. Heather explains how Breed Explorer helps guide potential owners toward breeds that better fit their daily lives, energy levels, and long-term expectations.
The episode also dives into breed-specific health concerns, behavioral tendencies, exercise requirements, and what owners should know at different stages of a pet’s life. Whether you’re thinking about getting your first pet or looking for the right companion for your current lifestyle, this episode offers practical insight into building healthier, happier, and more successful relationships between pets and humans.
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Blair Braverman is a musher, adventurer, and celebrated author who has found her greatest teachers on four legs. From long distant racing treks including the Iditarod across 1,000 miles of Alaskan wilderness to the quiet moments between a musher and her dogs, Blair's life is a masterclass in love, resilience, and what it means to keep moving forward. In this conversation, we explore the personalities of her dogs, the brutal beauty of life on the trail, and the profound wisdom that only a pack of sled dogs can teach you. She's a woman with an old soul — and her dogs have much to do with it.
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https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-to-carry-what-to-burn/id1896260781
https://www.amazon.com/Dogs-Trail-Year-Blair-Braverman/dp/0063066262
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/18/magazine/sled-dogs-pack-racing-mushing.html
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Heather Gibson of Big Hearted Breeders joins for a thoughtful conversation that challenges the idea that it has to be adopt or shop. From ethical breeding to rescue, we explore how both paths can coexist when the focus stays where it belongs: on the dogs.
We also dive into the powerful role dogs play in our lives—how they support, heal, and connect us in ways that go far beyond companionship.
At the end of the day, it’s not about sides—it’s about doing right by dogs and the people who love them.
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What if the most powerful weapon against landmines and disease weighed less than three pounds and ran on banana rewards? Meet the HeroRATs.
This week, Mark sits down with Christophe Cox — CEO and co-founder of APOPO — to tell the remarkable story of how a wild idea born in Belgium became one of the most innovative humanitarian organizations on the planet. From the organization's scrappy origins to deploying specially trained African giant pouched rats across minefields in Cambodia, Angola, and Mozambique, Christophe shares what it really takes to clear land that's been terrorizing communities for decades.
But landmines are just the beginning. These extraordinary animals are also sniffing out tuberculosis in clinics across Africa — catching cases that traditional testing misses — and now being trained for search and rescue and wildlife trafficking detection.
It's inspiring, it's eye-opening, and yes, it will make you see rats in a completely different light.
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