Welcome back to Part 2 of a fascinating kōrero with science journalist and author Bethany Brookshire. This one gets a smidge more controversial...We talk about the animals we hate because they’re successful (looking at you, pigeons), the cultural weirdness of how we define pets vs pests, and how control - or our lack of it - shapes our relationship with the natural world. Plus, there's a story involving Burmese pythons and a pair of trousers (you’ve been warned) and yes, we talk about cats in Aotearoa. In this episode we cover: The rise and fall of the humble pigeon - and why we hate them nowCats and conservation in New Zealand (yes, it’s a problem)Pets vs pests - what’s really the difference?Why “invasive species” is more about us than the animalsThe real reason we hate common animalsEmpathy, ethics, and ice cream trucks on every cornerAnd the man who hiked pantless through the Everglades with snakes in his trousersFor more about Bethany find her via her website And don’t forget to head to our Instagram ⁠for a chance to win her book Pests: How Humans Create Animal VillainsYou can get involved with the podcast online too of course. Find our full podcast via the website here: ⁠https://www.nowthatwhatsicall.com⁠Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/nowthatswhaticallgreen⁠You can follow me on socials on the below accounts.Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/briannemwest/⁠Tiktok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@briannemwest⁠ Linkedin: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/briannemwest/⁠For our latest big project, find out more about Incrediballs here: ⁠https://incrediballs.com/⁠

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