Public radio’s longest-running daily global news program.AboutContactDonateMeet the TeamPrivacyTerms of use©2026 The World from PRXPRX is a 501(c)(3) organization recognized by the IRS: #263347402.Out of Eden Walk: The music of animal husbandryThe keeping of livestock requires both maintaining a bond with the animals under one’s care and effective communication. National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek knows that from his own past as a cattle rancher in Mexico. And, as he tells Host Carolyn Beeler, so do the shepherds and nomads he has encountered along his global walking project, the Out of Eden Walk. He explains and demonstrates some of the language of animal husbandry. Out of Eden WalkMay 1, 2026Updated: May 1, 20268:01A mountain mule’s first bath in the Euphrates River, with guide Mustafa Filiz. Near Siverek, Turkey.If you have pets, you’ve probably “talked” to them at some point — just like shepherds and animal herders do.For livestock keepers, the stakes are higher. They must protect animals from predators and harsh weather, relying on mutual trust between man and beast.National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek has often observed this relationship firsthand, as he travels by foot to retrace the journeys of the world’s earliest migrants. This journey is being documented in the Out of Eden Walk project.Host Carolyn Beeler spoke with Salopek about the unique communication and connection seen in animal husbandry.Below are excerpts from the interview — to hear the full interview, click on the audio player above.Paul Salopek: Sure, happy to. And, you know, it’s a little bit funny, since those days, when I was kind of a paquero, or a cowboy, when I’m walking with animals, I try to speak the local shepherd language to them, right? So, when I would get frustrated, I would sometimes break into my Mexican urging language, which is “arre,” “arre mula,” or, you know, “arreburo,” which of course the donkey or mule from Turkey or from Kyrgyzstan did not understand.Parts of this interview have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Out of Eden Walk: The music of animal husbandry - The World from PRX
The keeping of livestock requires both maintaining a bond with the animals under one's care and effective communication. National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek knows that from his own past as a cattle rancher in Mexico. And, as he tells Host Carolyn Beeler, so do the shepherds and nomads he has encountered along his global walking project, the Out of Eden Walk. He explains and demonstrates some of the language of animal husbandry.
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