Chris Packham’s Six Species: Personal Journeys Through Badgers, Wasps, Song Thrush, T. rex and More

In a deeply personal New Scientist desert island discs style conversation, Chris Packham selects six influential species that shaped his life and science. From a badger cub smuggled into a bedroom to a lifelong obsession with kestrels, wasps and the song thrush, Packham blends vivid memories with scientific insight and a strong conservation message. He also reflects on Paleontology’s T rexes and woolly rhinoceros teeth to illustrate the romance of science, and ends with stories about his poodles and the human-animal bond. Across these narratives, the talk highlights how observing wildlife in natural settings enriches understanding, and why protecting habitats and reforming policy are essential for a healthy planet.

Introduction and Format

New Scientist hosts a conversation with wildlife expert Chris Packham, inviting him to choose six species that have mattered most to him. The format blends memoir with science outreach, highlighting how personal experiences kindle scientific curiosity and advocacy.

Badgers: Personal Roots and Politics

Packham recalls his first deep engagement with badgers, using latrine marking through anal glands to map territories. He shares early field work with badgers and his eventual role in defending them amid the UK badger cull controversy, emphasizing science-based solutions like cattle testing and biosecurity rather than culling.

Kestrels and Early Field Science

As a teenager, Packham discovers the power of observing wildlife in its natural environment. He trains a kestrel, documenting its nesting and data, a formative experience that cemented his belief in empirical observation and field data as foundations for a career in science communication.

Wasps and Ecological Perspective

Packham explains a nuanced view of wasps, their social structure, and ecological role. He recounts home experiments with wasp nests for filming, offering practical safety tips and stressing that even seemingly troublesome species have essential roles in ecosystems.

Song Thrush: Tool Use and Personal Joy

The song thrush becomes a symbol of accessible, joyful science. Packham discusses its interesting foraging behavior using an anvil, snail predation, and the dopamine-like pleasure of singing, linking animal behavior to human happiness and the broader importance of garden biodiversity.

Dinosaurs and Fossil Fascination

Turning to an ancestor world, Packham discusses T. rex and paleontology’s evolving knowledge about lips, feathers, hearing, and behavior. He uses fossil exploration and recent paleontological advances to illustrate how science updates our understanding of extinct life, and he keeps a woolly rhinoceros tooth as a tactile link to deep time.

Poodles, Grief and Love of Companionship

The final animal focus is Packham’s dogs, including the emotional highs and lows of pet ownership, loss, euthanasia decisions, and the life-changing bond with his poodles that underscores the human-animal relationship as a powerful driver of mental health and purpose.

Closing Reflections

Across these six species, Packham champions the idea that romance and wonder belong in science, that non-traditional subjects matter, and that biodiversity protection requires urgent, concerted action supported by policy reform and public engagement.