Our backyards are getting bigger, and the cougar’s front yard is getting smaller.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Neighbor calls a biologist: ‘There’s a cougar in my backyard.’ And he says...

"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.

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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 storytelling by donating at kuow.org/donate/thewild. Thank you.
As always, there are some great photographs and clips from our journey on Instagram @thewildpod and @chrismorganwildlife.
THE WILD is a production of KUOW, Chris Morgan Wildlife, and the NPR Network. This episode was produced by Matt Martin and edited by Jim Gates. The Wild is hosted, produced and written by Chris Morgan. Fact checking by Apryle Craig. Our theme music is by Michael Parker. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Archive: There's a cougar in my backyard

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 traveled the world for answers about roads. Those roads take us to stories about cougars, butterflies, deer, and of course bears. 
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.
THE WILD is a production of KUOW, Chris Morgan Wildlife, and the NPR Network. This episode was produced by Matt Martin and edited by Jim Gates. The Wild is hosted, produced and written by Chris Morgan. Fact checking by Apryle Craig. Our theme music is by Michael Parker. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ben Goldfarb: How America’s roads alter our ecology

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 this new restoration effort and why saving the coast redwood trees will help countless other species in and around this national park. Plus Chris gets to climb a redwood, and learns about the relationship the Yurok have with this towering species. 
This season of THE WILD is about the incredible biodiversity in our national parks: from the tallest trees on the planet to the driest deserts and everything in between. And it’s about the people working in and around our national parks to protect the natural world, while we still can. 
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.
As always, there are some great photographs and clips from our journey through the national parks on Instagram @thewildpod and @chrismorganwildlife.
THE WILD is a production of KUOW, Chris Morgan Wildlife, and the NPR Network. This episode was produced by Lucy Soucek and edited by Jim Gates. The Wild is hosted, produced and written by Chris Morgan. Fact checking by Apryle Craig. Our theme music is by Michael Parker. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Redwood National Park: Saving the tallest trees on Earth

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. 
New episodes of THE WILD come out starting on May 28th.
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.
THE WILD is a production of KUOW in Seattle in partnership with Chris Morgan Wildlife and Wildlife Media. It is produced by Matt Martin and Lucy Soucek, and edited by Jim Gates. It is hosted, produced and written by Chris Morgan. Fact checking by Apryle Craig. Our theme music is by Michael Parker.
Follow us on Instagram (@thewildpod) and (@chrismorganwildlife) for more adventures and behind the scenes action! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome back to THE WILD for Season 6

If you’ve been a longtime listener of THE WILD then you know that I’ve been a champion of bringing back grizzly bears to the North Cascades of Washington here in the mountains near where I live. On April 25, 2024 that dream has taken a massive step towards becoming reality. The National Park Service and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service have announced that they will be restoring the grizzly population that called this place home for thousands of years. They were a key part of this ecosystem before they were basically eliminated by humans, so this is their chance to roam these mountains again. The plan is to bring 3-7 grizzly bears in per year for a few years to reach an initial population of twenty-five bears. It’s a big milestone. 
How we got here is a long and fascinating story. Which is why I wanted to share an episode that we did for THE WILD back in 2019. The 'Ghost Bears' of Washington. I hope it’ll give you a little more understanding about grizzlies, the rollercoaster ride it’s been here in the North Cascades, and what it will mean to have them back. Hope you enjoy!
And if you want to learn more about grizzlies here are links to two short films on the topic that we made a few years ago that have been really popular. Including one about an incredible translocated grizzly bear named Irene! 
WANTED: Grizzly Bears?
TIME FOR THE GRIZZLY?
THE WILD is a production of KUOW in Seattle in partnership with Chris Morgan Wildlife and Wildlife Media. It is produced by Matt Martin and Lucy Soucek, and edited by Jim Gates. It is hosted, produced and written by Chris Morgan. Fact checking by Apryle Craig. Our theme music is by Michael Parker.
Follow us on Instagram (@thewildpod) for more adventures and behind the scenes action! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Neighbor calls a biologist: ‘There’s a cougar in my backyard.’ And he says...

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