Part 1 of the TED Radio Hour episode Curious stories of coexistence
As otters have taken up residence in Singapore, tensions are rising with their human neighbors. Biologist Philip Johns argues that with some effort, these two species can live side-by-side.
About Philip Johns
Philip Johns is an evolutionary biologist and an associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the Yale National University of Singapore College. He studies animal behavior, focusing on species like spiders, mantises, stalk-eyed flies, scorpions and otters.
Before his professorship at Yale-NUS College, he was a Research Fellow at the University of Maryland, and he taught in various capacities at Villanova University, Swarthmore College, Bard College, and University of California, Los Angeles.
This segment of the TED Radio Hour was produced by James Delahoussaye and edited by Sanaz Meshkinpour. You can follow us on Facebook @TEDRadioHour and email us at TEDRadioHour@npr.org.
Web Resources
Related TED Bio: Philip Johns
Related TED Talk: Let your garden grow wild
Related TED Talk: How poop turns into forests
Related NPR Links
Morning Edition: When sea otters lose their favorite foods, they can use tools to go after new ones
All Things Considered: Invasive crabs threatened West Coast ecosystems for decades. One solution? Otters
Science: What Happens When Sea Otters Eat 15 Pounds of Shellfish A Day
Copyright 2025 NPR