The Wild with Chris Morgan

When I was eight, growing up in England, I was already really into birds. I was in the Young Ornithologists Club for goodness sake! I didn't have one friend who was into birds. But these days, things are different. Here in the USA, almost 100 million people birdwatch. And that number's growing. There's a lot going on between the birds, as they flit around chirping and singing  To us, it might just sound like beautiful little tunes. But to birds, and even other species in the forest,  there’s a whole hidden world of conversation out there— love songs, alarm calls, turf wars, parenting struggles — entire dramas unfolding above our heads. So what are they saying? And why are they saying it? Naturalist Libby Mills has spent almost her entire life learning how to make sense of what the birds are saying. Today, I take a walk with Libby in her backyard where she helps us slow down, listen deeply, and try to better understand what’s going on in a bird’s world. GUEST:Libby Mills, naturalist at the North Cascades Institute Check out our Great British Birding Show episode to meet a wildly enthusiastic birder on the other side of the pond. Bird book Libby recommends: The Sibley Guide to Birds - Second Edition Birding app: Merlin Bird ID This is our last official episode of the season. It’s been so much fun - thank you for coming along with us to some truly wild places. We will be back in the fall with more episodes. But in the meantime, we want to hear from you! What kinds of stories do you want to hear? What should we do differently? Please consider taking THE WILD survey. It will only take a few moments of your time. Thanks! Enjoy BONUS CONTENT and help us continue to create this special immersive storytelling by joining THE WILD Patreon community at www.patreon.com/chrismorganwildlife and you can donate to KUOW at kuow.org/donate/thewild. Thank you. THE WILD is a production of KUOW in Seattle in partnership with Chris Morgan Wildlife and Wildlife Media. It is produced by Matt Martin and Lucy Soucek, and edited by Jim Gates. It is hosted, produced and written by Chris Morgan. Fact checking by Apryle Craig. Our theme music is by Michael Parker. Follow us on Instagram @chrismorganwildlife and @thewildpod for more adventures and behind the scenes action!Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/ChrisMorganWildlifeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, a fun trip down memory lane!  Lots of things have shaped my life and work as an ecologist, and this experience when I was 25 was one of them. As I wrapped up my master's degree at the University of Durham in England, I was hired onto a grey seal project on some tiny, uninhabited islands off the coast of Scotland.  While I was there, I recorded the seals and the six weeks of fieldwork on my Walkman cassette recorder. I had no idea I’d be digging into those archives 32 years later!  Hear the tape, learn about the seals, and listen to our conversation when I track down Dr Sean Twiss who hired me all those years ago. This was a fun one! GUEST:Dr. Sean Twiss, associate professor of animal behavior and behavior ecology at Durham University in England We want to hear from you! What kinds of stories do you want to hear? What should we do differently? Please consider taking THE WILD survey. It will only take a few moments of your time. Thanks! Enjoy BONUS CONTENT and help us continue to create this special immersive storytelling by joining THE WILD Patreon community at www.patreon.com/chrismorganwildlife and you can donate to KUOW at kuow.org/donate/thewild. Thank you. Follow us on Instagram @chrismorganwildlife and @thewildpod for more adventures and behind the scenes action! THE WILD is a production of KUOW in Seattle in partnership with Chris Morgan Wildlife and Wildlife Media. It is produced by Matt Martin and Lucy Soucek, and edited by Jim Gates. It is hosted, produced and written by Chris Morgan. Fact checking by Apryle Craig. Our theme music is by Michael Parker.Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/ChrisMorganWildlifeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ruben de Kock, veteran ranger trainer who runs brutal selection and training. Anton Mzimba, Timbavati head ranger whose life and work inspired Rhino Man. John Jurko II, filmmaker who chronicled Anton’s struggle. They discuss paramilitary ranger training, the grim scale of rhino poaching, frontline firefights with poachers, ranger trauma and threats, and the legacy and funds supporting future rangers.

Dr. Helen Pilcher, neuroscientist-turned-science communicator and author of Bring Back the King, untangles the fuss around de-extinction and genetic edits. She contrasts dramatic headlines with what was actually made. Short takes cover CRISPR edits, cloning and gene drives, real conservation uses versus publicity projects, museum DNA tricks, biosecurity risks, and the thorny ethics of changing wild genomes.

J.R. Bluff, Kalispel elder and language/culture leader, recalls tribal history and the Buffalo Trail. Derek Bluff, tribal agriculture director and herd manager, runs daily care, community food programs, and youth training. They talk about restoring buffalo to the reservation, herd care and genetics, inter-tribal transfers, cultural revival through powwows and food sharing, and dreams for expanded grazing and youth stewardship.

Dr. Diego Ellis Soto, a conservation scientist and musician who sonifies animal movement, turns migrations, swarms, and tortoise tracks into music. He explains data sonification, low-cost field recordings, projects with pigeons, termites and an albino alligator, and how musical translations of movement can communicate ecology and inspire conservation.

Join Dr. Nathalia Holt, a biologist and bestselling author, as she shares riveting tales from her book, *The Beast in the Clouds*. Discover how two Roosevelt brothers embarked on a treacherous expedition to find the elusive giant panda, an adventure fraught with bandit attacks and harsh conditions. Holt discusses how their quest not only led to the panda’s discovery but also ignited the modern conservation movement. From early misunderstandings to the complex realities of protecting pandas today, this story weaves science, history, and moral responsibilities.

In this engaging discussion, marine researcher Chloe Robinson shares her insights on the resurgence of humpback whales in the Salish Sea after a century of near extinction due to whaling. Chloe explains groundbreaking eDNA sampling techniques that allow scientists to gather genetic information without disturbing the whales. She highlights modern threats like ship strikes and emphasizes the importance of citizen science in tracking whale populations. Tune in to discover how genetics might shape future conservation efforts and give these majestic creatures a second chance.

Happy holidays! Thanks for tuning into THE WILD. I’m so glad you’re here.  THE WILD team is hard at work on some more brand-new episodes that will come out in the new year. But for now, I want to revisit a very popular episode from last season that I think is perfect for this busy time of holiday travel.  It’s a conversation I had with author Ben Goldfarb about roads and their impact on pretty much everything in the natural world.  So, if you’re piling into the car to get to the airport, or taking a road trip to visit your friends and family, give a listen to this episode. I bet it’ll get you thinking differently about America’s roads. We'll be back in your feed in a few weeks. Have a happy and safe holiday season! GUEST:Ben Goldfarb, is an award-winning environmental journalist and author of Crossings: How Road Ecology Is Shaping the Future of Our Planet Enjoy BONUS CONTENT and help us continue to create this special immersive storytelling by joining THE WILD Patreon community at www.patreon.com/chrismorganwildlife and you can donate to KUOW at kuow.org/donate/thewild. Thank you. Follow us on Instagram @chrismorganwildlife and @thewildpod for more adventures and behind the scenes action! THE WILD is a production of KUOW in Seattle in partnership with Chris Morgan Wildlife and Wildlife Media. It is produced by Matt Martin and Lucy Soucek, and edited by Jim Gates. It is hosted, produced and written by Chris Morgan. Fact checking by Apryle Craig. Our theme music is by Michael Parker.Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/ChrisMorganWildlifeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Javier C. Hernández, Tokyo bureau chief for The New York Times, and Masahiro (Masa) Onishi, a principal research scientist at Japan's Wildlife Management Office, dive into Japan's alarming rise in bear attacks. They discuss how climate change and demographic shifts have intensified encounters with bears. Javier reveals community fears and government responses, while Masa offers insights on bear behavior and conservation efforts. They highlight the need for public education and effective management strategies, emphasizing a delicate balance between coexisting with wildlife and ensuring public safety.