The Wild with Chris Morgan show

The Wild with Chris Morgan

Summary: "THE WILD with Chris Morgan" explores how nature survives and thrives alongside (and often despite) humans. Taking listeners across the Pacific Northwest and around the world, host Chris Morgan explores wildlife and the complex web of ecosystems they inhabit. He also tells the stories of people working in and protecting the wild around us.

Podcasts:

 The power of poop | File Type: audio/mp3 | Duration: 00:28:28

I take a look at three ways biologists are using scat to understand and protect wildlife, including poop parties, a dog on a boat, and an international crime fighter.

 How to bring back a Scottish forest | File Type: audio/mp3 | Duration: 00:29:56

I visit a forest of trees so old, they were around before the last wolf was killed in the 1700s.

 How to Bring Back a Scottish Forest | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 29:57

One man in Scotland is on a mission. He wants to rewild the Scottish Highlands. His plan includes planting more than a million trees. But it is not just about the trees, it is about a whole ecosystem that comes with a forest…perhaps someday even including the return of the wolf…a truly wild Scotland again. You can learn more about the work of Paul Lister and his team at The European Nature Trust. It takes a lot of resources to produce these stories. If you are able, I’d like you to consider making a donation of any size to help support this work. Find out more information at our donation page.

 Owls: Nature’s hunting machine | File Type: audio/mp3 | Duration: 00:28:30

If you want to find an owl, first you need to find some voles.

 Owls: Nature’s Hunting Machine | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 28:36

It takes a lot of resources to produce these stories. If you are able, I’d like you to consider making a donation of any size to help support this work. Find out more information at our donation page. When Europeans first came to North America centuries ago there were 19 different species of owl. Today...there are still 19. Owls are resourceful and resilient but some species are under threat. Author and wildlife photographer Paul Bannick has documented and studied owls for nearly two decades and will take us to one of his favorite places to observe these amazing creatures and learn about their unique connection to the landscape.

 Sidedoor - Alexander von Humboldt | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 30:28

We’ll be back next week with a new episode, but this week we wanted to share an episode from one of our favorite podcasts called Sidedoor. Sidedoor is brought to you by the Smithsonian Institution. This episode caught our attention because it is about one of the most influential early explorers and naturalists that you’ve probably never heard of: Alexander von Humboldt. The man who used science to show how everyone and everything in nature is connected. Not to mention that he was an inspiration to a fella named named Charles Darwin? I hope you enjoy this episode of Sidedoor.

 So you caught a cougar, now what? | File Type: audio/mp3 | Duration: 00:33:37

I visit a prison on the Olympic Peninsula where incarcerated individuals catalog wildlife videos for local biologists.

 So, you've caught a cougar. Now what? (Tech 2) | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 33:37

Consider supporting The Wild by making a financial gift. Find out more information at our donation page. As technology has advanced in the research community, scientists are now faced with an ironic issue: they have become so overwhelmed with data that it is a challenge to analyze it. In one case researchers on the Olympic Peninsula have turned to prisoners to cull through hundreds of images of animals by hand and categorize the  different species. In this episode we’ll take a look at new developments in artificial intelligence similar to facial recognition that will make it possible for computers to “read” wildlife images and quickly sort through vast amounts of data. 

 How to catch a cougar | File Type: audio/mp3 | Duration: 00:28:24

I meet biologists who can track multiple cougars in the forest, thanks to some special collars, GPS, and the click of a mouse.

 How to Catch a Cougar (Tech 1) | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 28:25

Consider supporting The Wild by making a financial gift. Find out more information at our donation page. Over the years the ways that researchers have used technology to study animals have changed dramatically. Just a few decades ago, scientists would tie a string to a chicken leg then attach the other end of the string to a camera shutter. When an animal pulled at the bone, the camera would be triggered. Today, far more sophisticated cameras and devices are used to study animals. We’ll look at how this has evolved and see first hand how technology is used to track a cougar.

 The ancient wild | File Type: audio/mp3 | Duration: 00:28:23

The "salmon people" have lived on the Pacific Coast for more than 10,000 years. Through their long history, stories have been their lifeblood.

 The Ancient Wild | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 28:23

Consider supporting The Wild by making a financial gift. Find out more information at our donation page. When we talk about the wild in North America, the narrative is usually from the perspective of white European settlers. But the wild of this amazing continent, and it’s relationship with humans goes back way beyond that - thousands of years. Members of the Lummi Nation share with me their tradition of storytelling and how it is used to teach future generations about their past and their connection to the land and animals that live among them.

 Finding Peace in the Silence | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 31:45

Consider supporting The Wild by making a financial gift. Find out more information at our donation page. These are strange times for all of us.....unknown territory......it's only reasonable that we're all worried - a global pandemic is a huge concern. We've heard from a lot of our podcast listeners about how THE WILD helps them escape for 20 or 30 minutes each week, and reconnect with nature, which is wonderful because that's what we set out to do. So we've decided to re-release our most loved episode from season 1. It's about the sounds of nature, and the silence you can find there.....it's the perfect place to reflect if you need to think and recharge. Maybe listen to the story, and then step outside, stare up at a tree, take a deep breath and think about wild creatures, your neighbors, and this amazing place we all call home. A lot of time we go to nature to find silence, to find solace. But what is silence really? You might think you’re in a quiet place, but it is hard to find complete natural silence with no human noise pollution. In this episode, Chris hits the road with sound engineers Gordon Hempton and Matt Mikkelsen on a mission to find the quietest place on earth. You can learn more about Matt and Gordon’s work [[here]](http:// https://www.quietparks.org/partners.).

 The wildlife super dog | File Type: audio/mp3 | Duration: 00:30:51

I meet an adorable puppy that may be the key to saving bears and people.

 The Wildlife Superdog | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 30:51

Consider supporting The Wild by making a financial gift. Find out more information at our donation page. Karelian Bear Dogs were bred in Finland hundreds of years ago for hunting everything from bears to moose. Now, ironically, they are being used to save bears and other species. In some remote parts of the country grizzly bears have been known to wander into town, presenting a danger of encounters with humans. These Karelian Bear Dogs are being used to scare bears away and prevent future returns. We'll head to Montana to talk to the woman whose brainchild it was to bring this breed to North America to help with wildlife research, poaching, search and rescue, reducing conflict between humans and big wild animals.

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