Global Guardians

Big Cat Conservation: Saving Costa Rica's Jaguars - Tico Haroutiounian - Ep. 12

Jaguar conservationist and photographer Tico from Las Oncas joins Mario for a conversation centered on one of Mario’s favorite big cats—the jaguar. Originally from France, Tico shares how his journey led him to Costa Rica, where he immersed himself in the culture and saw a growing need to study these elusive predators. What began as a passion for photography evolved into a powerful conservation tool through the use of trail cameras, allowing Tico to identify individual jaguars across different regions. One of the most exciting discoveries? The presence of rare melanistic “black” jaguars in Costa Rica’s mountainous areas. Tico discusses the threats these cats face, the importance of preserving their habitat, and how viral footage on social media is helping raise awareness and support for their protection. Learn More: https://www.lasoncas.com/ Follow: https://www.instagram.com/lasoncas/?hl=en FOLLOW Global Guardians on Instagram - / / global_guardians_pod FOLLOW Global Guardians on TikTok - / / global.guardians FOLLOW Mario Aldecoa on Instagram - / mario_aldecoa FOLLOW Trent Underwood on Instagram - / thetrentunderwood CREDITS: HOST - Mario Aldecoa HOST - Trent Underwood DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY - Trent Underwood CAMERA OPERATOR & WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST - Mario Aldecoa EDITOR - Trent Underwood MARKETING - Matt Fujita GRAPHIC DESIGN - Chance Ross PRODUCER - Suzanne Zonner PRODUCER - Beau Sedivy EP - Coyote Peterson PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REENACT OR RECREATE ANY EVENTS OR SCENES  FROM OUR VIDEOS. THE ANIMALS, INSECTS, PLANT LIFE, AND TERRAIN FEATURED IN  OUR VIDEOS CAN BE DANGEROUS AND CAN POSE A SIGNIFICANT RISK OF INJURY OR  DEATH. The Global Guardians hosts and crew are professionally trained and routinely  receive assistance from wildlife experts, guides, and safety personnel when filming to  ensure the safety of our crew and all wildlife. No animals were harmed or removed from  their natural habitat while making this video. Global Guardians has obtained permission  to film in each location featured in this video. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Field Notes from Australia: Crocs, Cameras, and Chaos - Ep. 12

In this Studio Sessions episode, Mario and Trent dive into their love for Australia—one of their favorite filming destinations and a place that’s come to feel like a second home. With nearly 5% of all Brave Wilderness content filmed there, they recount highlights from their most recent trip in 2023, including behind-the-scenes stories about travel logistics, production goals, and the incredible friendships they’ve built over the years. For Mario, filming in Australia was a childhood dream come true, and thanks to their go-to wildlife guides Max and Lockie from Australian Wildlife Encounters, the team has captured some of the country’s most iconic animals. They also reflect on the not-so-glamorous side of fieldwork, from Trent’s battle with food poisoning in Darwin to Mario chipping his camera lens on a rock. Chapters: 00:00:00 - Brave Wilderness Down Under 00:08:00 - Our mates in Australia 00:18:02 - Australia: the best place for snakebites? 00:27:22 - New South Whales: Tazy Devils & Komodos 00:35:58 - Sunshine Coast moments 00:42:12 - Darwin: food poisoning & camera incident 01:03:01 - Cape York : green pythons, flight delays, & conclusion CREDITS: HOST - Mario Aldecoa HOST - Trent Underwood DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY - Trent Underwood CAMERA OPERATOR & WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST - Mario Aldecoa EDITOR - Trent Underwood MARKETING - Matt Fujita GRAPHIC DESIGN - Chance Ross PRODUCER - Suzanne Zonner PRODUCER - Beau Sedivy EP - Coyote Peterson PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REENACT OR RECREATE ANY EVENTS OR SCENES  FROM OUR VIDEOS. THE ANIMALS, INSECTS, PLANT LIFE, AND TERRAIN FEATURED IN  OUR VIDEOS CAN BE DANGEROUS AND CAN POSE A SIGNIFICANT RISK OF INJURY OR  DEATH. The Global Guardians hosts and crew are professionally trained and routinely  receive assistance from wildlife experts, guides, and safety personnel when filming to  ensure the safety of our crew and all wildlife. No animals were harmed or removed from  their natural habitat while making this video. Global Guardians has obtained permission  to film in each location featured in this video. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

World's Most Dangerous Apex Predators - Casey Anderson - Ep. 11

Predatory mammal expert and renowned wildlife filmmaker Casey Anderson joins Mario for a powerful conversation about animal intelligence, respect, and the deep bonds that can form between humans and wildlife. Known for raising a grizzly bear named Brutus, Casey shares how that experience shaped his understanding of bear behavior and taught him that every animal is an individual. He shares the hilarious story of a moment when Brutus found himself in an awkward predicament and how their special bond allowed him to step in and help. The two dive into what it means to safely coexist with wild animals, why education is crucial to preventing dangerous encounters, and how our interactions with wildlife are, in fact, a form of negotiation. From recounting their time camping among the massive brown bears of Katmai, Alaska, to answering the ultimate showdown question, grizzly vs. polar bear—this episode offers insight, adventure, and heartfelt respect for the wild. Follow Casey on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grizzlyguy/?hl=en Subscribe to Casey's YouTube channel, Endless Ventures: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu92-KmMbO6w5f9QqPG8_Dw Chapters: 00:00:00 - Casey’s Background; Brutus the Bear 00:20:00 - Bear Behavior & Intelligence 00:50:49 - Bear Species & Biology: An Overview 01:00:58 - Polar Bears vs. Brown Bears (& Hybrid Bears) 01:20:00 - Bear Safety, Attack Statistics, & Staying Safe in Katmai 01:34:30 - Casey’s Scariest Bear Encounter 01:48:45 - BTS: Our Time in Katmai National Park 02:13:35 - Other Dangers in Katmai: The Risky River Crossing CREDITS: HOST - Mario Aldecoa HOST - Trent Underwood DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY - Trent Underwood CAMERA OPERATOR & WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST - Mario Aldecoa EDITOR - Trent Underwood MARKETING - Matt Fujita GRAPHIC DESIGN - Chance Ross PRODUCER - Suzanne Zonner PRODUCER - Beau Sedivy EP - Coyote Peterson PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REENACT OR RECREATE ANY EVENTS OR SCENES  FROM OUR VIDEOS. THE ANIMALS, INSECTS, PLANT LIFE, AND TERRAIN FEATURED IN  OUR VIDEOS CAN BE DANGEROUS AND CAN POSE A SIGNIFICANT RISK OF INJURY OR  DEATH. The Global Guardians hosts and crew are professionally trained and routinely  receive assistance from wildlife experts, guides, and safety personnel when filming to  ensure the safety of our crew and all wildlife. No animals were harmed or removed from  their natural habitat while making this video. Global Guardians has obtained permission  to film in each location featured in this video. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

When The River Dries: Conservation with Crocodile Biologist Dr. Chris Murray - Ep. 10

Crocodile biologist Dr. Chris Murray, one of Mario’s longtime best friends, joins the show for a special episode filmed on location at the Palo Verde Biological Station in Costa Rica. As the two spend a week catching American crocodiles for Chris’s long-term research project, they reflect on their shared journey into science, the mentors who guided them, and how their parallel paths led to studying the same remarkable species. Chris shares insights from his research, the future of croc conservation, and how even the most fundamental parts of science, like forming a hypothesis, can be a deeply creative and rewarding process. Learn more about Dr. Chris Murray's work here: https://sites.google.com/site/murracm/home?authuser=0 Follow Dr. Chris Murray on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crocchris11/?hl=en 00:00:00 Intro and history 00:10:28 The art of the hypothesis 00:17:41 Costa Rica croc work 00:32:50 Listing all the crocodilian species 00:45:51 History of alligator conservation 00:54:33 Croc Research findings in Costa Rica 01:15:39 Future research goals and conclusion CREDITS: HOST - Mario Aldecoa HOST - Trent Underwood DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY - Trent Underwood CAMERA OPERATOR & WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST - Mario Aldecoa EDITOR - Trent Underwood MARKETING - Matt Fujita GRAPHIC DESIGN - Chance Ross PRODUCER - Suzanne Zonner PRODUCER - Beau Sedivy EP - Coyote Peterson PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REENACT OR RECREATE ANY EVENTS OR SCENES  FROM OUR VIDEOS. THE ANIMALS, INSECTS, PLANT LIFE, AND TERRAIN FEATURED IN  OUR VIDEOS CAN BE DANGEROUS AND CAN POSE A SIGNIFICANT RISK OF INJURY OR  DEATH. The Global Guardians hosts and crew are professionally trained and routinely  receive assistance from wildlife experts, guides, and safety personnel when filming to  ensure the safety of our crew and all wildlife. No animals were harmed or removed from  their natural habitat while making this video. Global Guardians has obtained permission  to film in each location featured in this video. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Science of Survival: Sea Turtles, Habitat Loss, and Human Impact - Marine Conservationist Laura Exley - Ep. 9

In this Global Guardians episode, Sea turtle specialist Laura Exley joins Mario to share the story of how a research trip studying monkeys in South America unexpectedly led her to the shores of Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula. There, she launched COPROT—a grassroots conservation initiative focused on protecting critical sea turtle nesting beaches. Laura dives into the daily realities of monitoring turtles, building community involvement, and navigating the growing threats these animals face, including habitat loss and climate change. Together, she and Mario explore what it takes to safeguard one of nature’s most ancient mariners in one of the world’s most biodiverse regions. Learn how you can get involved by visiting: www.tortugasdeosa.org [https://www.tortugasdeosa.org/] FOLLOW Tortugas de Osa on Instagram - / https://www.instagram.com/tortugasdeosa/ FOLLOW Lauran on Instagram - / https://www.instagram.com/laurita_pacita/ FOLLOW Global Guardians on Instagram - / https://www.instagram.com/global_guardians_pod/ FOLLOW Global Guardians on TikTok - / https://www.tiktok.com/@global.guardians CREDITS: HOST - Mario Aldecoa HOST - Trent Underwood DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY - Trent Underwood CAMERA OPERATOR & WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST - Mario Aldecoa EDITOR - Trent Underwood MARKETING - Matt Fujita GRAPHIC DESIGN - Chance Ross PRODUCER - Suzanne Zonner PRODUCER - Beau Sedivy EP - Coyote Peterson PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REENACT OR RECREATE ANY EVENTS OR SCENES  FROM OUR VIDEOS. THE ANIMALS, INSECTS, PLANT LIFE, AND TERRAIN FEATURED IN  OUR VIDEOS CAN BE DANGEROUS AND CAN POSE A SIGNIFICANT RISK OF INJURY OR  DEATH. The Global Guardians hosts and crew are professionally trained and routinely  receive assistance from wildlife experts, guides, and safety personnel when filming to  ensure the safety of our crew and all wildlife. No animals were harmed or removed from  their natural habitat while making this video. Global Guardians has obtained permission  to film in each location featured in this video. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]