Artificial Intelligence is making the stuff of science fiction a science reality, changing how humans interact with the world. It could also change the way we interact with wildlife, giving us the ability to talk to animals...but are we ready? On this episode Chris talks to Aza Raskin, co-founder of Earth Species Project and Karen Bakker, a professor at the University of British Columbia, about animal communication and the pros and cons of the latest AI technology.   This show would not be possible without listener support. You can help us continue to create this special immersive st ..read more

Here’s an episode for movie buffs, music nuts, animal lovers, and anyone dealing with anxiety. Yes, that's quite the range in a 40-minute chat, but Dr Dan Blumstein delivers them all in a fascinating conversation with Chris about FEAR. Dan is a professor of conservation biology at UCLA and author of the book The Nature of Fear: Survival Lessons from the Wild. He spent his career trying to better understand the emotion by looking at marmots. He says that animals can help us better understand ourselves. And we will explore what makes a scream a scream, and how to embrace our fears.  This sh ..read more

One day, Chris was on the search for a very rare animal: a single wolf that had made it to the western side of the North Cascade mountains. That day, to his amazement, he found a set of fresh tracks on a sandy riverbed. Wolves had been extinct here in Washington state for nearly a hundred years, so the find was incredible.   These mythical creatures are very slowly returning to the North Cascades. It’s a sign of hope for both Jason Ransom, a biologist at the National Park, and Scott Schuyler from the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe. But it’s taken a lot to get to this point, and there’s still a ..read more

Karelian Bear Dogs were bred in Finland hundreds of years ago for hunting. From bears to moose, these fearless dogs were on the frontline. 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. Now 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, search and rescue, reducing c ..read more

On this episode we team up with Story Collider to hear real life tales of adventure and exhilarating encounters with wildlife. From a temporary life-ending jolt from the sky to a 2,650-mile hike in search of healing and solace after a personal tragedy. We'll also hear about a very close encounter with a grizzly from our WILD story telling event at McCaw Hall in Seattle. This show would not be possible without listener support. You can help us continue to create this special immersive storytelling by donating at kuow.org/donate/thewild. Thank you. For some great photographs and clips from our j ..read more

How scientists are training corals to be ready for a warmer future. Biscayne National Park is unlike any other national park…it’s 95% underwater. It’s home to part of the third largest coral reef in the world and the only living coral barrier reef in the continental United States.  But this past summer, the corals in and around this park on Florida’s coral reef experienced the worst coral bleaching event ever recorded. Water temperatures broke records, rising to over 100 degrees for two days in a row. Hot tub water. So what can be done? In this episode, Chris takes a boat out to Biscayne ..read more

A cougar biologist with Washington state once received a complaint. An old lady called him up and said, “There’s a cougar in my backyard.” And the biologist responded, “Well, that’s funny because I got a call this morning from a cougar. He told me there’s an old lady in his front yard!” Our backyards are getting bigger. And the cougar’s front yard is getting smaller. This episode, we search out some of these big cats to understand the impact cougars and humans have on each other. This show would not be possible without listener support. You can help us continue to create this special immersive ..read more

It is safe to say that Americans love their cars. The mythology of the open road speaks to us all, calling us for adventure. But American wildlife might have something else to say about that. One million animals are killed on roads every day but the problem with our transportation system goes beyond roadkill. Environmental journalist Ben Goldfarb says practically everything in the natural world is influenced by all these miles of gravel and tarmac. His latest book is “Crossings: How Road Ecology is Shaping the Future of our Planet.”  Enjoy this fascinating conversation with an author who ..read more

Discover why scientists are chopping down redwood trees… to save them. Redwood National and State Parks are home to some of the tallest trees on Earth, coast redwoods. These ancient California forests support hundreds of different species, and store more carbon than any other forest on the planet. But in the last century, 95% of them were cut down by loggers.  Now, scientists are trying to find ways to bring old growth redwoods back and they've discovered a surprising strategy... cutting them down actually helps them grow. Chris heads to Redwood National and State Parks to learn about thi ..read more

This season's going to be a little different...we're headed to our national parks. We've got eight special episodes recorded on location in America’s national parks: stories about their biodiversity, their complex histories, and how they are protecting nature. We'll explore all sorts of different ecosystems, from the tallest trees on the planet to the hottest place on earth. Plus we've got more surprises for you including fun conversations where I try to keep up with the sharpest minds in wildlife conservation, and fresh releases of some of your favorite WILD episodes from our archives.  ..read more