The Wild with Chris Morgan

Hey everybody….. I just wanted to say thanks for tuning into our third season of THE WILD. It’s been such a pleasure to share these stories and hear your reactions. We’ve already started working on season 4. I am really  excited to bring you even more wonder from the natural world. It’s very rewarding tracking down interesting species, human characters and amazing places and turning them into stories for you. This planet we live on seems to have a limitless pool of them. But now is your chance to let us know what you want to hear. We are doing a season 3 survey. Let us know what you liked, didn’t like, and help shape season 4. You can take our survey here. If you take the survey, you’ll be entered into a drawing to win a prize from the show. We can't wait to hear from you. We’ll be back with new episodes in the fall. Until then, I really hope you are able to get out and enjoy the rest of the summer if you’re here in the pacific NW, or whichever season you might be in wherever you are in the world. Take care. Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/ChrisMorganWildlifeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rattlesnakes have long been persecuted, even killed for sport or having their entire dens burned. I head out with two wildlife biologists to look for rattlesnakes as they emerge from hibernation and learn about the important role these snakes play in our ecosystem.Take our listener survey by clicking the link here. You could be selected to get a WILD sticker.THE WILD is a joint production of myself and KUOW Public Radio. One way to support this vital work and become part of THE WILD community is through my wildlife organization, Chris Morgan Wildlife. You can find more information at Patreon.Follow us on Instagram @thewildpod and @chrismorganwildlifeSupport the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/ChrisMorganWildlifeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For an ecologist like me, Santa Cruz island is a bit of a dream. It is home to a quite famous fox. It is like no “apex predator” I’ve ever seen before. These aren’t the type of foxes you might see on the mainland. These island foxes are small, very small. These foxes are endemic to the Channel Islands, meaning they are found here and nowhere else in the world. But about 20 years ago, people on these islands started noticing fewer and fewer foxes on the landscape. Their numbers were crashing dramatically….on Santa Cruz island they dropped to around one hundred animals. But nobody was sure why.It was an ecological whodunnit that needed to be solved before the foxes disappeared forever. The clock was ticking. What scientists discovered was a cascade of curiously connected events involving toxic waste, feral pigs, and a couple of New Zealanders jumping out of a helicopter.Take our listener survey by clicking the link here. You could be selected to get a WILD sticker.THE WILD is a joint production of myself and KUOW Public Radio. One way to support this vital work and become part of THE WILD community is through my wildlife organization, Chris Morgan Wildlife. You can find more information at Patreon.Follow us on Instagram @thewildpod and @chrismorganwildlife.Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/ChrisMorganWildlifeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hundreds, maybe even thousands of people have been involved in saving the California condor. We meet some of them in this episode, including a former gang member who has made it his life’s mission to help the birds he loves.California condors are so iconic that when I finally saw one in person, it felt a bit like meeting a movie star. Condors were one of 78 species listed on the original endangered species list in 1967. And they are still on it. That's 54 years of living on the edge.Condors are huge. They have a 9 foot wingspan and a bald, orange pumpkin like head. They are North America's biggest bird.But today, they face a hidden threat….lead. And it is poisoning them. But these birds have brought together a curious team of people who love them, and are doing everything they can to make sure they are around for not just another 54 years, but well beyond all of us.THE WILD is a joint production of myself and KUOW Public Radio. One way to support this vital work and become part of THE WILD community is through my wildlife organization, Chris Morgan Wildlife. You can find more information at Patreon.Follow us on Instagram @thewildpod and @chrismorganwildlife.Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/ChrisMorganWildlifeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, I’m talking with Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant. Rae is a large carnivore ecologist and a fellow with the National Geographic Society. She is also a Research Faculty member at the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management at the University of California at Santa Barbara and the blend of her work is really fascinating. For 15 years she’s studied the behavior and ecology of black bears and african lions and she does it on a backdrop of social justice as an advocate for women and people of color in the sciences. She’s one of the most effective science communicators I’ve seen. And Dr Wynn-Grant has degrees from Columbia, Yale, and Emory! That’s all! THE WILD is a joint production of myself and KUOW Public Radio. One way to support this vital work and become part of THE WILD community is through my wildlife organization, Chris Morgan Wildlife. You can find more information at Patreon. Follow us on Instagram @thewildpod and @chrismorganwildlife.Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/ChrisMorganWildlifeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Northern Sumatra is a magical tropical home to the endangered orangutan. But their rainforest home is being cut down, and many are orphaned as their habitat is lost. Researchers are working hard to understand how orangutans process and learn, while others rehabilitate young individuals for a life back in the wild.THE WILD is a joint production of myself and KUOW Public Radio. One way to support this vital work and become part of THE WILD community is through my wildlife organization, Chris Morgan Wildlife. You can find more information at Patreon.Follow us on Instagram @thewildpod and @chrismorganwildlifeSupport the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/ChrisMorganWildlifeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The shrill calls of billions of Brood X cicadas emerging from the earth have captured the nation’s ears and attention this spring. But what do these noisy insects DO for the 17 years they live underground? In this episode we dig deep into that question.THE WILD is a joint production of myself and KUOW Public Radio. One way to support this vital work is through my wildlife organization, Chris Morgan Wildlife. You can find more information at PatreonFollow us on Instagram @thewildpod and @chrismorganwildlifeSupport the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/ChrisMorganWildlifeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I hope you're enjoying spring wherever you are. I just wanted to let you know that we're taking a short break to work on some new episodes. We just got back from an incredible trip in California for two stories. One is about California condors, North America's biggest bird that almost became extinct and island foxes on the Channel Islands. We'll be back in June, which means that now is the perfect time to listen to past episodes if you missed them. Keep well everybody and stay in touch.Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/ChrisMorganWildlifeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Something a little different this week everyone - WILD producer Matt Martin found a surprising story about an opportunity to do something good for one of the pacific northwest’s most important creatures....the salmon.In this episode, Matt uncovers what one city has done to help salmon. How they redesigned their built environment to benefit not just humans but wildlife too. And how it was all made possible by something quite unexpected…..the rumbling force of a destructive earthquake.Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/ChrisMorganWildlifeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Being a “bird brain” is a complement if you’re talking about ravens. They are smart. Their intelligence allows them to empathize and read emotions, which helps them survive. But it’s their ability to manipulate others, and even plan for the future that allows them to really thrive in the wild.Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/ChrisMorganWildlifeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.