Missouri’s Ozark and eastern hellbender populations are endangered, but a special partnership between the Missouri Department of Conservation and the Saint Louis Zoo is helping these salamanders stage a comeback. In February’s episode, hear from Justin Elden, Curator of Herpetology and Aquatics at the Saint Louis Zoo, and Director of the Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Institute Ron and Karen Goellner Center for Hellbender Conservation, as he shows us around the Zoo’s Herpetarium and talks about the challenges and success stories around this special breeding program.

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What the heck is a hellbender? Listen to this episode and find out! Missouri Herpetologist Dr. Jeff Briggler takes Nature Boost on an Ozark stream to check during breeding season for the eastern hellbender. This episode discusses the hellbender’s endangered status, the challenges both Ozark and eastern subspecies face, and MDC’s partnership with the Saint Louis Zoo to restore populations. Learn more about the hellbender by visiting mdc.mo.gov or stlzoo.org 

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Nature’s effect on our health is a topic we’ve discussed before, but it bears repeating! Primary Care Physician Dr. Jennifer Allen joins us to discuss why our bodies and minds need nature and why getting outside is especially important in the winter!

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MDC Naturalist Sarah Easton joins us again to answer common questions received during the fall and winter seasons. Topics include white-tailed deer, MDC’s Eagle Days, leaving the leaves, and how to recycle live Christmas trees for wildlife.

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Nature Boost learns the ropes this episode with Kevin McCarthy and Russell Errett from the BETA Fund. These two rock climbing enthusiasts helped establish the first rock climbing bluff offered on an MDC area at Rockwoods Reservation. Learn rock climbing basics, safety, how to get started, and hear about BETA Fund’s mission to conserve outdoor spaces in the Midwest for recreational rock climbing. Read more about the organization at betafund.org.

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Nature Boost meets up with MDC Conservation Educator Ginger Miller for a picnic lunch in Windsor. What’s on the menu? Listen and find out!

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Join us for a night of theater at the Muny! Muny CEO Kwofe Coleman tells us what makes this outdoor theater so special, how the nature setting adds to productions, and why so many continue to attend shows year after year. Later, MDC’s Karen Hudson guides us around Forest Park and tells us about MDC’s partnership with the Muny.

Learn more and visit at muny.org!

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MDC Naturalist Sarah Easton sits down with Jill to answer common questions MDC receives from the public during the summer season. Topics include summer bird-feeding, what to do if you find an abandoned or injured animal, and best ways to protect yourself against mosquitos, ticks, and poison ivy.

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Learn why Missouri is dubbed “The Cave State” as Jill goes cave exploring with MDC Naturalist and cave expert Shelly Colatskie. Learn why the state hosts so many caves, how they form, and tips and resources on how to become a caver yourself!

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Morel mushrooms are tricky fungi to hunt. Join Jill as she sets out on another quest to find the coveted springtime mushroom. Will she succeed? Or will she spend another year wondering if these mushrooms actually live up to the hype? Listen and find out.

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