The Fur Real Podcast with Mark A Kyle

Dingos have been called pests. Predators. Even villains.
But what if we’ve been telling the wrong story?
In this episode, Kylie Cairns takes us deep into the Australian outback to uncover the truth about one of the world’s most misunderstood canines. Are dingos wild dogs? A separate species? A missing evolutionary link? And what role do they really play in balancing fragile ecosystems?
We explore the science behind their intelligence, the controversy surrounding their protection, and the powerful bond that can exist between humans and truly wild animals. From ancient DNA to modern conservation battles, this conversation challenges what we think we know about “man’s best friend.”
Dingos aren’t just survivors of the harsh Australian landscape — they’re architects of it.
Wild. Wise. And far more complex than most of us realize.
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Recent articles...
https://theconversation.com/dingoes-are-not-domestic-dogs-new-evidence-shows-these-native-canines-are-on-their-own-evolutionary-path-262938
https://theconversation.com/impacts-of-colonisation-on-dingoes-are-written-in-their-bones-new-research-finds-270082
https://theconversation.com/the-boss-of-country-not-wild-dogs-to-kill-living-with-dingoes-can-unite-communities-214212
https://theconversation.com/new-dna-testing-shatters-wild-dog-myth-most-dingoes-are-pure-206397
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What if intelligence isn’t what we’ve always assumed it is?
In this episode, corvid researcher Kaeli Swift invites us to reconsider how intelligence is defined by exploring the inner lives of crows and their relatives. Drawing from her groundbreaking work on crow funerals—where crows gather silently around their dead to observe, learn, and assess danger—she reveals how these birds use memory, reasoning, and social awareness in ways that don’t fit traditional human benchmarks, yet are deeply sophisticated.
From recognizing individual human faces to communicating risk across generations, crows demonstrate intelligence shaped by survival, community, and experience rather than language or tools. This conversation challenges the idea that intelligence must look human to be meaningful—and asks what we might learn if we paid closer attention to the forms of intelligence we’ve been overlooking all along.
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What began as playful Super Bowl counter-programming has grown into one of the most successful adoption platforms in television history. Now in its 22nd year, the Puppy Bowl has helped prove that joy, storytelling, and animal rescue can coexist — and work.
In this episode, we go inside the Puppy Bowl with Dan Schachner, the longtime “Rufferee” who has been part of the event’s evolution into a cultural phenomenon. Dan shares how the Puppy Bowl actually comes together behind the scenes, how puppies are selected from shelters and rescues, and why adoption has always been the true goal.
A remarkable 100% of the dogs featured on the Puppy Bowl have been adopted, and Dan opens up about what that impact really looks like — from unforgettable on-set moments to the quieter success stories viewers never see. We also talk about what’s new this year, the growing focus on senior and special-needs dogs, and how fostering and adoption have shaped Dan’s own life.
It’s funny, heartfelt, and a reminder that sometimes the most joyful things on TV can also change lives.
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Snow leopards are among the most elusive animals on Earth—so rarely seen they’re known as the ghosts of the mountains.
In this episode, Mark is joined by Dr. Koustubh Sharma, a leading snow leopard researcher, to explore the hidden world of these remarkable big cats and the fragile high-altitude ecosystems they call home.
Dr. Sharma takes listeners deep into the remote mountain ranges of Central and South Asia, explaining how snow leopards survive in extreme environments, why studying them is so difficult, and how cutting-edge science is helping researchers track and protect a species that spends most of its life unseen. The conversation also examines the delicate balance between snow leopards and the human communities who share their habitat—and why conservation success depends on protecting both.
Equal parts science, storytelling, and awe, this episode reveals why snow leopards matter far beyond the mountains—and what their survival tells us about the health of some of the world’s most important ecosystems.
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Dogs experience the world through scent in ways humans can barely imagine.
In this episode, I sit down with Maria Ikenberry, founder of Eyes Ears Nose and Paws, to explore how specially trained dogs use their extraordinary noses—and their training—to support people with medical needs. We talk about how dogs can alert to seizures and other medical events through scent, as well as how they’re trained to provide practical assistance, such as retrieving phones or keys when someone is unable to do so.
We also dive into a lesser-known but deeply meaningful part of this work: the role of incarcerated trainers who help prepare these dogs for service. It’s a powerful story of second chances at both ends of the leash (ABEL) —where dogs find purpose through meaningful work, and people find responsibility, dignity, and hope through training them.
From the science of scent to the life-changing impact of medical assistance dogs, this conversation reveals why a dog’s nose remains one of the most remarkable tools we have—and how its influence reaches far beyond the dogs themselves.
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