Nature's Archive

I’ve been looking forward to today’s episode for a really long time - and for two great reasons. One, it’s about wildlife forensics, which is an immense field that requires knowledge of everything from wildlife behavior and morphology, to DNA, to crime scene investigation, to policy and the law. I’ve always been a bit of a generalist who likes to deep dive into topics on occasion…so this is a field true to my heart.

And the second reason I’ve been looking forward to it is the guest - forensic wildlife biologist Ashley Bray. As you’ll hear, Ashley - in addition to being a forensic wildlife biologist - is also a podcaster. And her podcast is a slant on human/wildlife conflict - with - as you might expect from a forensic biologist - with a true crime twist. Oh - it’s called Get Out Alive - be sure to check it out.

Today we take a broad look at what forensic wildlife biology entails, and the surprising connections it reveals, such as the connection between wildlife crimes and drug and human trafficking - and organized crime in general.

Ashley has a few nice case examples that we review. And hold tight - you’re going to learn about a super cute animal called a vaquita.

So, get ready for a wide ranging discussion with forensic wildlife biologist Ashley Bray. And you can find Ashley on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook!

FULL SHOW NOTES (Includes Photos!)

LINKS
An Immense World by Ed Yong

CITES Treaty information

Sea of Shadows documentary

Sea Shepherd Conservation Society

University of Florida's Wildlife Forensics Program

RELATED PODCAST EPISODES
#102: Sophie Osborn - From the Brink: Reintroducing Endangered Birds

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Music: Spellbound by Brian Holtz Music
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Discover the Jumpstart Nature Podcast - entertaining and immersive, it's the nature fix we all need.

Check past Nature's Archive episodes for amazing guests like Doug Tallamy, Elaine Ingham, and Rae Wynn-Grant, covering topics from bird migration to fungi to frogs and bats!

What do parasitic plants, 600 year old oak trees, salmon, and hoverflies have in common? Well, they are some of Griff's, Michelle Fullner’s and my favorite wild organisms!

Today’s episode is a fun conversation with Michelle Fullner, Griff Griffith, and myself, Michael Hawk, where we advocate for our 10 favorite animals and plants. We each bring three species to the conversation…well, not physically. And we had a bit of a game to decide who got to pick the 10th one. All I’m saying is that I still think that aphids would be good at soccer, but you’ll have to listen to hear what that’s about.

This idea was all Michelle’s - and if you don’t know Michelle, she’s the host and producer of the Golden State Naturalist podcast, which is a fun and entertaining California-centric nature podcast. Her fourth season is about to launch, and she plans to cover topics that I know you’ll love - wildlife crossings, coastal wetlands, red-legged frogs, and much more. Be sure to check out her podcast and follow her social media, too.

And looking ahead, Jumpstart Nature is in the late stages of three new episodes for this fall, covering invasive species, outdoor cats, and an inspiring land conservation story that succeeded against all odds. And if you’re listening to this on the Nature’s Archive feed, well, we have plenty of fun episodes coming too - covering topics ranging from wildlife forensics to ants!

FULL SHOW NOTES (be sure to check it for some great photos!)

LINKS
Snakes with Emily Taylor - Nature's Archive
Newt Patrol

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Music: Spellbound by Brian Holtz Music
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
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Discover the Jumpstart Nature Podcast - entertaining and immersive, it's the nature fix we all need.

Check past Nature's Archive episodes for amazing guests like Doug Tallamy, Elaine Ingham, and Rae Wynn-Grant, covering topics from bird migration to fungi to frogs and bats!

Have you ever wondered what it takes to bring a species back from the brink of extinction? Today, we’re diving into the front lines of one of the most challenging and inspiring conservation efforts of our time, with Sophie Osborn as our guide. This episode unravels the incredible stories of the Peregrine Falcon, Hawaiian Crow, and California Condor—three iconic birds with a common thread of survival against the odds.

We’ll explore the daunting threats these birds have faced, and surprisingly, how those same dangers continue to impact us all. Take lead ammunition, for instance—it’s a well-known hazard to wildlife like the Condor. But did you know that the tiny fragments left behind in game can be ingested by people, leading to serious health risks? You’ll find a striking X-ray image in our show notes that drives this point home.

But this isn’t just a tale of challenges—it’s also a story of hope. Sophie shares the hard-won successes and the relentless dedication of biologists who are making a difference. Sophie discussed all of this and much more in her new book, ‘Feather Trails’. It’s a beautifully crafted narrative that blends humor and suspense, along with Sophie’s personal journey alongside these remarkable species. Trust me, it’s well worth the read.

Be sure to check out Sophie’s work at wordsforbirds.net, and her Substack blog, ‘Words for Birds.’

FULL SHOW NOTES with photos

Links from Today's Episode
Feather Trails: A Journey of Discovery Among Endangered Birds - Sophie Osborn's most recent book

School for Field Studies

Sophie's Substack Blog: Words for Birds

Sophie's website: wordsforbirds.net

Vocalizations of the Hawaiian Crow

Note: links to books are affiliate links to Bookshop.org. You can support independent bookstores AND Jumpstart Nature by purchasing through our affiliate links or our bookshop store.

Related Podcast Episodes

Plant Your Birdfeeder

Condors with Tiana Williams-Claussen (Golden State Naturalist Crossover!)

CREDITS:
Thanks to Kat Hill for editing help with this episode!

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Music: Spellbound by Brian Holtz Music
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Artist site: https://brianholtzmusic.com

Discover the Jumpstart Nature Podcast - entertaining and immersive, it's the nature fix we all need.

Check past Nature's Archive episodes for amazing guests like Doug Tallamy, Elaine Ingham, and Rae Wynn-Grant, covering topics from bird migration to fungi to frogs and bats!

Have you ever wondered how biologists figure out how plants respond to drought, heat, cold, and other environmental factors? 

One way is to study phenology. That’s a fancy word that accounts for seasonal and cyclical growth patterns of plants and animals. Researchers can look at various attributes, like when a plant flowers, leafs out, drops leaves, and more, and then see how that correlates to environmental factors, weather, climate, and genetics.

Today, our guest is Dr. Hanna Makowski, and she tells us all about her research at Black Rock Forest in New York - and why she’s had to become proficient with a shotgun!

Dr. Makowski shares her work on understanding the variations in leaf-out and leaf-drop phases among trees, the genetic and environmental factors driving these changes, and the broader implications for biodiversity and climate change adaptation.

Black Rock Forest is a special place for this kind of research, because it is at a transition zone where southern species and northern species meet. I know that I want to visit if I ever find myself in that part of New York.

Dr. Makowski’s findings could be helpful for tree conservation efforts and predicting forest resilience in the face of global climate shifts.

You can find Dr. Makowski on her website at www.hannamakowski.com, on twitter @hannamakowski, and on LinkedIn.

FULL SHOW NOTES

LINKS
Black Rock Forest

Hillary Cooper - Dr. Makowski referenced Hillary Cooper’s study on Fremont Cottonwood phenology

Sarah Fitzpatrick of Michigan State

The Yard of the Future Podcast

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Music: Spellbound by Brian Holtz Music
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
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Discover the Jumpstart Nature Podcast - entertaining and immersive, it's the nature fix we all need.

Check past Nature's Archive episodes for amazing guests like Doug Tallamy, Elaine Ingham, and Rae Wynn-Grant, covering topics from bird migration to fungi to frogs and bats!

Nature's Archive has published 100 episodes now. Well, actually over 100, because I normally don't count solo episodes.

This week, I wanted to share one of the most important lessons I've learned from these past four years and 100 episodes. Spoiler: it's an angle on how 'everything is connected', and a deeper, more profound understanding of ecosystem services.

Regular interview episodes return in two weeks, so stay tuned!

FULL SHOW NOTES

LINKS
Cadillac Desert by Marc Reisner

Wildfire with Lenya Quinn-Davidson

Hydrology and Water Management with Sam Sandoval

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Music: Spellbound by Brian Holtz Music
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Artist site: https://brianholtzmusic.com

Discover the Jumpstart Nature Podcast - entertaining and immersive, it's the nature fix we all need.

Check past Nature's Archive episodes for amazing guests like Doug Tallamy, Elaine Ingham, and Rae Wynn-Grant, covering topics from bird migration to fungi to frogs and bats!

Have you ever watched Planet Earth and wondered how they get that amazing footage of elusive and wild animals? Get ready to learn about that and much more.

Wildlife photographer Jake Davis shares his incredible journey from a 10-year-old with a disposable camera to capturing stunning footage for Planet Earth. Jake dives into the challenges and triumphs of filming elusive snow leopards in the Gobi Desert, including the technical intricacies of setting up camera traps. He also recounts dramatic encounters with Alaskan brown bears and the unique experience of placing a GoPro in a wolf den. Throughout, Jake emphasizes the importance of persistence, deep observation, the need to thoroughly understand wildlife behavior, and he even shares his connection between nature and mental health.

You can find Jake on instagram @revealedinnature, or on his website jakedavis.tv.

FULL SHOW NOTES

LINKS
Find Jake on instagram revealedinnature, or on his website jakedavis.tv.

America’s National Parks on Disney Plus

Cognisys (camera traps)

Planet Earth 1

Planet Earth 3

Voyageurs Wolf Project

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Music: Spellbound by Brian Holtz Music
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
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Discover the Jumpstart Nature Podcast - entertaining and immersive, it's the nature fix we all need.

Check past Nature's Archive episodes for amazing guests like Doug Tallamy, Elaine Ingham, and Rae Wynn-Grant, covering topics from bird migration to fungi to frogs and bats!

Have you seen all of the scary headlines about massive venomous Joro spiders invading the eastern USA? Well, as you might imagine, these headlines are designed to drive clicks so that individuals and media can monetize their content.

Dr. Sarah Rose helps set the record straight, and also answers some questions about spider mating rituals, which turn out to be complex and fascinating!

And after that short Q&A, we play the full interview with Dr. Rose from Episode 58. Here is the introduction from that episode:

Today we’re going to discuss an animal that can make wind sails, cast nets, produce its own antifreeze, and is an A-list impersonator. Well, it’s not one animal, but a category of animals – spiders!

And my guest today, Dr. Sarah Rose, is here to tell us all about it. Dr. Rose is the author of a spectacular new field guide, Spiders of North America from Princeton University Press, is chair of the American Arachnological Society’s Common Names Committee, and has a PhD in Restoration Ecology from The Ohio State University. 

We discuss Sarah’s journey to spiders, including her research into how spiders function as indicator species for habitats and ecosystems. Sarah tells us about the varied lifestyles of spiders, ranging from orb web weavers to sensing web weavers to ambush hunters, and more. We talk about different types of webs, spider guilds, profile some particularly interesting species such as the trash-line orb weaver, bolus spiders, and ant mimicking spiders, and much more.

And be sure to check Sarah’s YouTube for lots of fun spider videos. 

Check the full show notes (link below) for some amazing spider photographs.
 
FULL SHOW NOTES

LINKS
All Bugs Go To Kevin – Facebook group
American Arachnological Society
Jack Pine Forests
Joro Spider Post by Dr. Rose
Lucas the Spider – a YouTube channel with a cute animated jumping spider
Spider Guilds – Cardoso et al

Books
Common Spiders of North America by Richard Bradley and Steve Buchanan (illustrator)
Spiders of North America, An Identification Manual, by Darrell Ubick (Editor), Pierre Paquin (Editor), Paula Cushing (Editor), Nadine Dupérré (Illustrator)
Spiders of North America, by Dr. Sarah Rose [Princeton University Press | Amazon] 

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Music: Spellbound by Brian Holtz Music
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Discover the Jumpstart Nature Podcast - entertaining and immersive, it's the nature fix we all need.

Check past Nature's Archive episodes for amazing guests like Doug Tallamy, Elaine Ingham, and Rae Wynn-Grant, covering topics from bird migration to fungi to frogs and bats!

The ocean’s surface is a bit like the cover of a book. We have a title - the ocean - which gives us a hint about what it is. And we probably have some preconceived ideas about it based on the cover graphics or author.

But we can’t see inside to truly understand the stories it wants to tell. 

One of those stories is about a forest - yes, an underwater forest that serves multiple critical purposes for life on earth. I’m talking about kelp forests, which generates oxygen, stores carbon, balances chemical cycles critical to life, and supports amazing biodiverse habitats.

But kelp are in trouble. In fact, 96% of the kelp forests in today’s guest’s region have disappeared in just a few years, and the reasons are multiple and solutions unclear.

And that guest is Tristin Anoush McHugh, the Kelp Project Director for The Nature Conservancy in California. 

I knew I had to meet Tristin after seeing a wonderful short film called Forests Above and Forests Below, which was written and narrated by Tristin. It’s a powerful 6 minute film - check the show notes for a link.

And Tristin didn’t disappoint! Today Tristin helps us understand what kelp are and why they are in trouble. We discuss the complex relationships they have with sea otters, purple urchins, and sunflower sea stars.

We also discuss the dramatic impacts of sea star wasting disease, as well as how warming oceans might be disrupting kelps ability to reproduce.

I found the conversation to be incredibly enlightening, and extremely important. Oceans are disproportionately important to our climate and life in general, yet we all too often keep that book closed and on the shelf.

You can find Tristin at Tristin.McHugh(at)TNC(dot)org.

FULL SHOW NOTES

LINKS
Forests Above and Forests Below 

Friday Harbor Labs, Jason Hodin - an article about his research on sea star wasting disease 

Reef Check is looking for diving volunteers 

The Bay Foundation - restoring Santa Monica Bay 

Kelp Forest Alliance 

Thanks to Erica Zador for editing help!

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Music: Spellbound by Brian Holtz Music
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Discover the Jumpstart Nature Podcast - entertaining and immersive, it's the nature fix we all need.

Check past Nature's Archive episodes for amazing guests like Doug Tallamy, Elaine Ingham, and Rae Wynn-Grant, covering topics from bird migration to fungi to frogs and bats!

Forestry is incredibly interesting and important, and it really speaks to me personally, because it’s one of these fields that is inherently interdisciplinary. You have to understand how things relate and connect to create a healthy, sustainable system. 

But traditionally, forestry was all about resource extraction, which often is done at the expense of long term sustainability.

And my guest today, Ethan Tapper, is just the person to help us understand how forestry is changing. Ethan is a professional forester, and has incredibly unique personal experiences, which have helped him gain a compelling perspective on what makes for a “healthy” forest, and the trade-offs involved in getting there.

Ethan personally manages a tract of forest called Bear Island in Vermont, and has had to deal with expanses of invasive species, disease, mismanagement, and much more to turn the tides and make the forest healthier.

Today, we discuss exactly how Ethan defines what a healthy forest is, the trade-offs he considers when facing challenges such as invasive species and disease, the use of herbicides and forest thinning, and much more.

And by the way, Ethan has packaged his personal journey into a book, due out in September 2024 called How to Love a Forest. And you can find him on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. 

Also find Ethan at ethantapper.com, and his new consultancy, Bear Island Forestry.

FULL SHOW NOTES

LINKS
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Bringing Nature Home – by Doug Tallamy
The Hidden Forest Biography of an Ecosystem by Jon R. Luoma [Amazon Link]
Nature’s Best Hope – by Doug Tallamy, Dr. Tallamy’s 2020 release
The Nature of Oaks: The Rich Ecology of Our Most Essential Native Trees – by Doug Tallamy, 2021
Runes of the North by Sigurd Olsen 

Previous Podcast Episodes Mentioned
Doug Tallamy on Nature's Archive

People and Organizations
Griff Griffith TikTok / Facebook and Redwoods Rising TikTok / Facebook
Kyle Lybarger at The Native Habitat Project
Tom Groves

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Music: Spellbound by Brian Holtz Music
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Discover the Jumpstart Nature Podcast - entertaining and immersive, it's the nature fix we all need.

Check past Nature's Archive episodes for amazing guests like Doug Tallamy, Elaine Ingham, and Rae Wynn-Grant, covering topics from bird migration to fungi to frogs and bats!

Snakes are the perfect topic for Nature’s Archive. They are often over-generalized to fit a worst-case stereotype, but they are critically important to our food webs and ecosystems. And like so much of what we discuss, once you start learning just a bit about them, you see how amazing and diverse they are.

And there are few better suited to guide us through the world of snakes than Dr. Emily Taylor. Dr. Taylor is a professor of biological sciences at California Poly San Luis Obispo and has been studying mating systems and physiology of rattlesnakes for 25 years. She’s also founder of Project RattleCam, which monitors a huge Prairie Rattlesnake rookery in Colorado, founder of Central Coast Snake Services, and an author. In fact, her latest book California Snakes and How to Find Them comes out on May 7 2024, which is literally tomorrow from the original release date of this podcast.

Today, we discuss the diversity of snakes across the United States - and I have to say, I kept saying United Snakes as I tried to read this the first time. And of course, how to find snakes, just like in the title of her book.

We discuss what different snakes eat, why the Kingsnake is named kingsnake, why live animals can’t simply claw their way out of a snake’s belly, and what it’s like to be surrounded by dozens of rattlesnakes all rattling at the same time.

Of course, we also discuss how snakes contribute to our ecosystems, and the threats that they face.

Dr. Taylor can be found on Instagram, Twitter, and Threads as @snakeymama

You can check emilytaylorscience.com for events she is attending and much more.

FULL SHOW NOTES

LINKS
Advocates for Snake Preservation
California Snakes and How to Find Them - the NEW book!
Central Coast Snake Services
Dr. Christina Zdenek - Australian snake researcher, IG, Twitter
Free Snake Relocation Directory
Marissa Ishimatsu - major photographic contributor to Dr. Taylor's new book. Check Marissa's instagram for incredible snake and nature photography
Project RattleCam
Raptors Are The Solution - resources for dealing with rodents that don't harm snakes, birds, and pets
Save the Snakes

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Music: Spellbound by Brian Holtz Music
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Discover the Jumpstart Nature Podcast - entertaining and immersive, it's the nature fix we all need.

Check past Nature's Archive episodes for amazing guests like Doug Tallamy, Elaine Ingham, and Rae Wynn-Grant, covering topics from bird migration to fungi to frogs and bats!