Talking Apes

Borneo is facing a devastating fire crisis, threatening forests, wildlife and communities across the island. In this special, urgent episode of Talking Apes, we welcome back Dr. Susan Cheyne of Borneo Nature Foundation to help us understand what is happening, why these fires are so difficult to stop, and what is at stake. These are not ordinary forest fires. In Borneo's tropical peatlands, fires can burn deep underground, travel unseen and re-emerge far from where they began. The consequences...

For our Season 5 finale, Talking Apes marks World Chimpanzee Day with one of the most fitting guests imaginable. Dr. Deus Mjungu is Director of the Jane Goodall Institute's Gombe Stream Research Centre in Tanzania, home to the world's longest-running study of wild chimpanzees. Having begun his career there as a young research assistant in 2002, Deus now leads the very research programme founded by Dr. Jane Goodall more than sixty years ago. In this fascinating conversation, Gerry and Deus exp...

This week on Talking Apes, Gerry Ellis is joined by one of the world's leading gibbon experts, Dr. Susan Cheyne. After nearly three decades working in the rainforests of Borneo, Susan has dedicated her career to studying these remarkable yet often overlooked apes. Often called the "forgotten apes," gibbons are extraordinary animals. They are masters of movement, capable of swinging effortlessly through the forest canopy, and their haunting songs echo across the rainforest each morning. In thi...

This episode explores aspects of primate behavior, including non-reproductive sexual behaviors, from a scientific and evolutionary perspective. Some listeners may find parts of the discussion sensitive. This week on Talking Apes, Gerry Ellis is joined by evolutionary biologist Dr Matilda Brindle for one of our most fascinating, funny, and unexpectedly revealing conversations yet. From kissing to masturbation, Neanderthals to bonobos, Matilda takes us deep into the evolutionary roots of behavi...

Welcome to our Earth Day 2026 Special. What happens when cutting-edge technology meets community-led conservation? In this episode of Talking Apes, Gerry Ellis sits down with Dr. Lilian Pintea, Vice President of Conservation Science at the Jane Goodall Institute, to explore how data, people, and innovation are reshaping the future of conservation. From satellite imagery and AI to village-led land-use planning, Lilian shares how his work in Tanzania revealed a stark reality: while protec...