TRENDING The Talking Animals Annual Holiday Animal Song Special

About Us

Hosted by Duncan Strauss, “Talking Animals” airs every Wednesday, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET, on WMNF (88.5 FM), a 70,000-watt, community-oriented NPR affiliate in Tampa, Florida.
Duncan Strauss
While “Talking Animals” consists of multiple elements–including animal news and announcements, animal songs, animal comedy, and our quick quiz feature, “Name That Animal Tune”– the true heart of the show is the guest interview.
“Talking Animals” guests tend to be prominent figures in the animal world, or notable folks in other fields who have ties to animal welfare, including Jane Goodall, Alec Baldwin, Temple Grandin, Paul Watson, Ingrid Newkirk, Ric O’ Barry, Dr. Dame Daphne Sheldrick, Brian May, Pat Derby, Emmylou Harris and Triumph The Insult Comic Dog.

Just as often over the years, though, “Talking Animals” guests have been folks whose names may not be as recognizable, but have been doing important, often heroic, work on behalf of animals.

Strauss created “Talking Animals” and launched the program in 2003 at KUCI, the campus-community station broadcasting from the University of California at Irvine. In 2005, “Talking Animals” moved to WMNF, where in 2011 it became an hour-long, weekly show.

Who is Duncan Strauss
Duncan Strauss on Air at WMNF 88.5 FM

More About the Host

The producer and host of “Talking Animals,” Duncan Strauss began his radio career in 1978 at KDVS, the campus-community station broadcasting from the University of California at Davis.

In the ensuing years, often simultaneously, there have been other careers in other fields, including a decade-long stint writing for The Los Angeles Times, and a similar period as a talent manager, specializing in comedy. He currently co-owns a comedy club in Austin, among other ventures. Still, Strauss never strayed too far from radio, whether writing in the 80s for “The New Music News,” a syndicated music newscast hosted by then-KROQ icon Richard Blade or working in the 90s as a writer-segment producer for “ComedyLine,” a nationally-syndicated interview program—much of that time holding down on-air shifts at assorted public radio stations.

In 2003, Strauss launched “Talking Animals” at KUCI, the University of California at Irvine’s campus-community station. In 2005, “Talking Animals” moved to Tampa’s WMNF, where in in January of 2011 it returned to its original format as an hour-long, weekly program. In recent years, Strauss has written about animals and animal welfare for The Huffington Post, The Palm Beach Post and Deep Roots Magazine. He lives in Jupiter Farms, FL with his family, including four cats, two horses and one dog.

In recent years, Strauss has written about animals and animal welfare for The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Huffington Post, The Palm Beach Post and Deep Roots Magazine. Other related pursuits outside the studio include moderating several panels over the years at the International Captive Wildlife Conference, and interviewing Temple Grandin multiple times onstage at The Paramount Theater In Austin. Strauss lives in Jupiter Farms, FL with his family, including four cats, one dog, and various horses who visit from next door.