Here are Species Unite’s five most-listened to podcast episodes of 2025
From an owl who taught a city how to hope, to the fight to restore collapsing kelp forests, to the urgent push for justice for animals harmed by human systems - these are the stories behind Species Unite’s most listened-to podcast episodes of 2025.
At Species Unite, we hear from some of the brightest minds who are working to make the world a better and kinder place for animals (and humans!).
This year has been packed with episodes that give us a reason to find hope, with so many inspiring and incredible guests who have shown us how much impact one person can have.
Listen, and be inspired - here’s the episodes our community listened to most during 2025:
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The episode that captured more hearts than any other in 2025, this conversation centers on Flaco, the Eurasian eagle-owl who escaped the Central Park Zoo and taught himself to fly, hunt, and survive in the heart of New York City. Animal advocate and attorney Christine Mott shares Flaco’s extraordinary journey and the inspiration behind her children’s book Free Bird: Flaco the Owl’s Dreams Take Flight, reflecting on resilience, captivity, and the right of all animals to live free.
After a devastating marine disease outbreak pushed sunflower stars to near extinction, Northern California’s kelp forests began to unravel, declining by an astonishing 96% in just a decade. In this episode, Reuven Bank and Andrew Kim of Sunflower Star Laboratory share how a small group of determined citizens is growing sunflower stars with the goal of restoring a keystone species and reviving entire kelp forest ecosystems.
After a carriage horse named Ryder collapsed on a Manhattan street and later died, his case ignited global outrage and put New York City’s horse-drawn carriage industry under scrutiny. In this episode, NYCLASS Executive Director Edita Birnkrant and Ryder trial juror Tracy Winston unpack what happened in court, why accountability fell short, and how outdated animal protection laws continue to put horses at risk, highlighted by yet another preventable death just days after this conversation was recorded.
In this episode, author Trevor Ritland reflects on his journey into Costa Rica’s cloud forest in search of the vanished golden toad. What began as a quest to find a lost species becomes a moving exploration of ecological grief, hope, and the urgent need to protect what remains of the natural world—before more wonders disappear.
In this episode, writer and artist Mari Andrew joins us to explore her book How to Be a Living Thing, a reflection on animals, embodiment, and what it means to feel fully alive. Through stories of rats and oysters, cardinals and bears, Mari invites us to learn from creatures who live without apology - and to reconnect with curiosity, connection, and our own enoughness.
More stories:
From an owl who taught a city how to hope, to the fight to restore collapsing kelp forests, to the urgent push for justice for animals harmed by human systems - these are the stories behind Species Unite’s most listened-to podcast episodes of 2025.