Whether it's man's best friend or the king of the jungle, animals occupy a central place in our social, emotional and cultural lives. We're happy as clams or pigs in mud; we hold our horses or take a lion's share of what we want; we avoid the elephant in the room or try not to open a can of worms.

Animal Magic visits habitats near and far, wild and domestic -- the backyard and the dog park, the jungle and the desert, the field and the farm -- to examine our complex interactions with creatures furry or scaled, four-legged or eight-limbed, winged or feathered.

How has the human-animal bond evolved over the centuries? Is it ethical to have a pet? Why are so many of us averse to insects when their extinction would spell the end of life on Earth? And what truly separates us from the creatures we share the planet with?

Griffith Review 82: Animal Magic lets the cat out of the bag to explore all these questions and more.