Hey there, friends, and welcome to episode 209 of Just the Zoo of Us.

This week, I'm joined by a science communicator and educator for a review of the iconic little birds

zooming around the cactuses and tumbleweeds, Roadrunners. We discuss things like the glamorous

highlights of working for a science museum, what Looney Tunes got right and wrong about Mr. Runner,

and how these fascinating animals are able to thrive in the extreme climates of the American Southwest.

Just the Zoo of Us presents Roadrunners with Alana Beliga. I'm I'm I'm

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The Hey there, everybody. It's Ellen Weatherford with your favorite animal review podcast, just the zoo of us. This week, I'm very excited to be speaking with a brand new

friend about a very punk rock, as I understand it, to be animal. This is Alana Beliga. Say hi,

Alana. Hello. And Alana, what are your pronouns real quick? She her. Thank you so much.

Absolutely. Folks listening may recognize your last name from a guest that we've had on

on the podcast before, Vikram Beliga. I am married to the plant prof himself. So it was

exciting that he, I love that y'all have collaborated on podcasts before. Yeah, he loves all things

plants and I love all things wildlife. So when we go to zoos, I'm normally looking at the

animals and he has his back turn looking at the plants. That's such a perfect dynamic for going to

zoos because then neither of you are annoyed that the other one wants to spend like 30 minutes in one

spot. Exactly. It works out really great. But also like it's important to have both sides of, like, the ecosystem emphasized, right? Like, you need to have passion for both. Because I'm sure you can tell him a lot that's cool about the animals, and he can tell you a lot that's cool about the plants. Exactly. Whether we want to hear it from each other or not. Absolutely. But, you know, with science types, You know, it's always like you dangle like a, just

the tiniest little whiff of a fun fact in front of them.

Go nuts for it.

Yeah, absolutely.

Alana, you are a science communicator and someone who has worked in educating people

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