Chris Mortensen

Chris J. Mortensen, Ph.D., is a graduate of Texas A&M University and is passionate about animal conservation and continues to fight to save endangered species. The idea of the All Creatures Podcast began a few years ago after he read “Has the Earth’s 6th Mass Extinction Already Arrived” in the world’s #1 scientific journal, Nature. A very poignant article detailing the rapid loss of biodiversity around the planet. Chris realized as an educator he had an opportunity to try and make a difference. First, as a faculty member at the University of Florida he started with educating his students. Then he transformed his research from domestic animals to investigating endangered species reproductive physiology. His scientific research involved Asian and African elephants, Florida manatee, Somali wild ass, White rhinoceros, to just name a few.

Animal behavior is an absolute passion of his. He firmly believes with the many environmental and animal crises we now find ourselves in, sound research is sorely needed to answer these challenges, and he believes educating others will be critical to a healthy and stable planet.

Angie Adkin

Angie Adkin, Ph.D., is a graduate from the University of Florida with a Ph.D. in Animal Physiology. Angie also attended Michigan State University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in environmental biology and zoology. Always up for adventure and international exposure, she spent time traveling South America and Africa before starting her career as a zookeeper at Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, Illinois. As a zookeeper, Angie spent seven years learning about, caring for, training, and managing many species of both exotic and domestic animals – from reptiles to dairy cows, to zebras and camels. While at the zoo, Angie assisted with several research projects that focused on assessing the behavior and activity of sable antelope, Grevy’s zebra and Sichuan takin. Her research later carried on into helping endangered ungulates, which continues to this day.

Encouraged by the ever-evolving zoo industry and its need for science-backed solutions, Angie has always been driven to enhance her knowledge of scientific research and ungulate physiology to make a positive impact on zoo animal welfare. Angie is currently helping to implement scientific research in a zoo and/or field setting that will undoubtedly enhance current knowledge about wildlife reproduction, nutrition, welfare, management and conservation.