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Despite making up roughly 97% of all animals on Earth, invertebrates are often overlooked in mainstream animal rights advocacy. This episode is focused on these fascinating and widely misunderstood creatures, particularly insects and crustaceans.
We open the show with a brief chat about Gillian’s visit to RASTA Animal Sanctuary in Chemainus, BC, as well as the recent controversy over Daiya vegan cheese.
Invertebrates: Interesting Facts, Stories, and Ideas for Advocacy
In our first main segment, we discuss some of the eye-opening research done in recent years on crustaceans, insects, and other invertebrates indicating that they can feel, think, and even experience emotions. Members of the Animal Voices team share some of our experiences interacting with invertebrate animals, starting in childhood. We also discuss some possible strategies for promoting greater respect and empathy for these creatures.
Dr. James Traniello, Ant Biologist
Our feature interview is with Dr. James Traniello, a professor of biology at Boston University who has dedicated the
last 40 years of his life to the study of ants. He explains how the social structure of ant societies and their brain chemistry provide surprising insights into those of humans.