The Animal House from WAMU 88.5

John Lill, associate professor of biology at The George Washington University, shares his considerable knowledge of the singing insect species known as Magicicada, in anticipation of their arrival this spring after 17 years underground. Cori Menkin of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, or ASPCA, talks about the organization’s campaign to expose the mistreatment of animals in large-scale commercial dog breeding operations known as puppy mills.

Music: “La Cigarra (The Cicada)” by Linda Ronstadt

Although species decline and habitat loss is widespread throughout the animal kingdom, the feral pig is in the midst of a dramatic population increase and territory expansion. Once considered a regional phenomenon, the destructive mammal is becoming commonplace across much of the nation, leaving billions of dollars of damage in its wake. There are an estimated 5 million wild hogs in the United States, and more than half of them can be found in Texas, where Dr. Billy Higginbotham, a wildlife specialist at Texas A&M University is a key figure among scientists working to control the animal in the state. Higginbotham tells us about this herculean effort. Meanwhile, wild ponies have become a popular attraction at a state park in southwest Virginia and we find out why from Beverley Amsler of Radio IQ.

Ari Daniel Shapiro of NOVA and PRI’s The World travels to Mexico to profile a biologist in who is trying to convince his countrymen to protect bats. He is training a new generation of researchers to look after the animals. Arizona based filmmaker Justin Willis talks about his short movie, "Catnip," a prize winner at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.

Researchers at University of California, Irvine may have uncovered a new method for controlling the dreaded insect, inspired by a successful remedy used in Europe centuries ago. Catherine Loudon is leading the team responsible for this breakthrough and she shares the details. Actress, model and animal advocate Beth Stern gives a preview of her new TV program "Spoiled Rotten Pets," which airs on the NatGeo Wild cable network.