The Animal House from WAMU 88.5

Disease sufferers have a new weapon in the fight against their maladies: mice. There is a growing trend toward using lab mice as “avatars” in an effort to identify proper drug therapies for individual patients. New York Times reporter Andrew Pollack has covered this new development, and he relayed the specifics to Sam Litzinger. Military vet Alisa Johnson talks about her new organization, Dogs On Deployment, which finds temporary homes for canines left behind by caretakers who are deployed for military duty. Bird Note, the weekly review of avian species, highlights a conservation program sponsored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society's Project Feeder Watch.
Music: “Animal Dreams” by Bob James

National Geographic and the Wildlife Conservation Society recently collaborated on an expedition to locate and tag snow leopards in the mountains of Afghanistan using GPS technology to follow the movements of the elusive feline. The team of experts assembled for this difficult mission included the legendary, third-generation big cat tracker Boone Smith. Sam Litzinger spoke with Smith about his experience, which was filmed as part of an upcoming documentary for the National Geographic Channel. The Loh Down on Science with Sandra Loh features details of a new study that suggests viewing photos of cats can help your productivity at work.

Music: “Walk on the Wild Side” by Jimmy Smith

It is the world’s largest single structure built by living organisms, but the Great Barrier Reef has lost half its size since 1985. This dismal assessment is part of a new study of the reef that Washington Post environmental reporter Juliet Eilperin shared with Sam Litzinger. WAMU news reporter Sabri Ben-Achour has more information about the desperate plight of coral populations worldwide. Bird Note, the weekly review of avian species, features a story about a small American sea duck known as the Bufflehead.

Music: “Animal Dreams” by Bob James

Like the character her father portrays in his "Dirty Harry" films, animal advocate Alison Eastwood is on a mission to serve and protect society from those who harm others. But in this case, keepers of exotic animals are in the crosshairs. Eastwood is the co-host of the new NatGeo Wild television program, Animal Intervention, in which she and animal welfare expert Donald Schultz aid and confront people who house monkeys, bears and big cats in residential neighborhoods and potentially hazardous environments. Eastwood visited The Animal House to preview the program and discuss why animal advocacy is so important to her. The Loh Down on Science with Sandra Loh features details of new technology that allows sheep to send text messages.