Pelecanus

On this episode of Conservation Conversations we talk with Dr. Davin Holen, an Associate Professor & Coastal Community Resilience Specialist, Alaska Sea Grant with the University of Alaska Fairbanks. We talk about coastal resilience throughout the whole of Alaska, which has more coastline than the lower 48 combined and diverse variety of communities, so he has his work cut out for him.

Thank you again to Dr. Holen for talking with us, Alaska is such an important place and we really appreciate the time and love the work he and his team are doing. Please check out his websites at adaptalaska.org

Producers are Austin Parker and Geoff Leech

Host is Austin Parker

Music was provided by A Picture Book studios

Thanks for tuning in, please like, comment, and subscribe if you want to help. We’ll talk to you next time.

Thank you again to the sponsor of this episode Tidal Influence. Check out their website for more information and how you can get involved: http://www.tidalinfluence.com/

Cloud Seeding

Delhi turns to cloud seeding to spur rain, curb pollution

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/delhi-turns-cloud-seeding-spur-rain-curb-pollution-2025-10-28/

Deforestation

Investors managing $3 trillion in assets urge countries to stop deforestation

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/investors-managing-3-trillion-in-assets-urge-countries-to-stop-deforestation/ar-AA1OPdyt

Fish

Salmon seen for first time in century after historic Calif. dam removal

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/salmon-seen-for-first-time-in-century-after-historic-calif-dam-removal/ar-AA1PgTm4

California Phases Out The Last Set Gillnets

https://ktla.com/news/california/california-passes-law-to-phase-out-gillnet-fishing-in-state-waters-to-protect-underwater-wildlife/

Wins

Green turtle bounces back from brink in conservation 'win'

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cg426qqqqnro

Australian Court issues major ruling impacting beloved endangered creatures: 'Today is a win'

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/court-issues-major-ruling-impacting-023000938.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZWNvc2lhLm9yZy8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAJ9vDCng51YwZcXjcpTcnXqTlRspKJmevErxGOdhj0OeF0LzjfAqCdf5rlehlNuCRdCeFghJ9cNnF6wEwO2XjTW0YcHdDGnQiSCu7sJ8dD4rKwXUFU5nZVmnLl3GVMwx53qu41GCSYAMTsV_zOYxEi0xyXmaMYtR_sblS6uhUAe6

Amazon Communities Deliver “Unprecedented” Conservation Wins

https://scitechdaily.com/amazon-communities-deliver-unprecedented-conservation-wins/

UNESCO Adds an Area the Size of Bolivia to Biosphere Reserve System to Protect 5% of the World's Land

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/unesco-adds-an-area-the-size-of-bolivia-to-biosphere-reserve-system-to-protect-5-of-the-worlds-land/

On today’s Conservation Conversations episode we talk with Dr. Kelton McMahon. Dr. McMahon is an associate professor in biological oceanography and runs the ocean Ecogeochemistry lab at the University of Rhode Island graduate school of oceanography. We really dive into the science on this one, but I promise it all comes together perfectly. Enjoy our conversation with Dr. McMahon!

Please check out the Ecogeochemistry lab’s website and find Kelton on Social Media if you want to follow their work!. https://keltonmcmahon.com/ @oceanecogeochemlab

Host and producer is Austin Parker

Music was provided by A Picture Book studio

Don't forget to like comment and subscribe if you want to help

Thank you again to the sponsor of this episode Tidal Influence. Check out their website for more information and how you can get involved: http://www.tidalinfluence.com/

System change

$115M gift — the largest ever for ASU — to establish School of Conservation Futures

https://news.asu.edu/20250922-environment-and-sustainability-115M-gift-largest-ever-asu-establishes-walton-school-conservation-futures

'Something is working': UN climate chief optimistic about green transition

https://www.worldenergydata.org/something-is-working-un-climate-chief-optimistic-about-green-transition/

Infrastructure

Recycled glass could help fend off coastal erosion

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/recycled-glass-fend-off-coastal-erosion

California’s First Solar Panel-Covered Canal Is Now Fully Online

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/solar/california-first-canal-array-project-nexus

Rewild

New pack of endangered Mexican gray wolves debuts at Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo

https://komonews.com/news/local/new-pack-of-endangered-mexican-gray-wolves-debuts-at-seattles-woodland-park-zoo-conservation-safe-livestock-cattle-conflict-pacific-northwest

The return of the red macaw to the Iberá Wetlands: an ecological and hopeful rebirth in Corrientes

https://noticiasambientales.com/animals/the-return-of-the-red-macaw-to-the-ibera-wetlands-an-ecological-and-hopeful-rebirth-in-corrientes/

Largest turtle nest in the world revealed in drone study

https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/09/largest-turtle-nest-in-the-world-revealed-in-drone-study/

Welcome to a Bonus Pelecanus episode where we highlight the 2025 recipient of our Carrie Wilson Memorial Scholarship, Sanjana Ramesh. She is a graduate student with Project Dragonfly in D.C.. We did a deep dive episode with Sanjana last year and this year she is our scholarship recipient.

Thank you so much to Sanjana for taking the time to talk with us, and for all of the amazing work she is doing.

The Carrie Wilson Memorial Scholarship will be open for applications for project dragonfly students again in the Spring of 2026, check our Pelecanus.org scholarship page for more information. We are a 501C3 non-profit organization that takes tax deductible donations if you’d like to contribute to the Carrie Wilson memorial programs or to Pelecanus in general.

Check out her article she mentions in the episode here:

https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/roots-and-wings-south-asian-women-shaping-the-future-of-conservation

Thank you again to our sponsor Tidal Influence. Check them out at tidalinfluence.com

Technology

First onshore wave energy project in the U.S. launches in Los Angeles

https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/eco-wave-energy-project-port-of-los-angeles/

Rewilding

Australian scientists release captive-bred endangered mountain frogs

https://english.news.cn/asiapacific/20250908/562aab2024d1431ea28a9ff84d75e70b/c.html

‘We’re winning a battle’: Mexico’s jaguar numbers up 30% in conservation drive

https://focusingonwildlife.com/news/were-winning-a-battle-mexicos-jaguar-numbers-up-30-in-conservation-drive/#google_vignette

Rediscoveries

Small Rabbit with a Black Tail Not Seen in 120 Years Found Hopping Around Mexican Mountains

https://www.rewild.org/press/found-small-enigmatic-rabbit-with-black-tail-lost-to-science-for-more-than

Endangered pallid sturgeon discovered in Des Moines River

https://www.iowadnr.gov/news-release/2025-08-26/federally-endangered-pallid-sturgeon-discovered-iowas-des-moines-river

Mammal feared extinct was recognized from Australian magazine. Now it's thriving

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/mammal-feared-extinct-was-recognized-from-australian-magazine-now-it-s-thriving/ar-AA1LTO44

Biodiversity

Sniffer dogs may have rediscovered a lost population of Sumatran rhinos

https://news.mongabay.com/2025/08/sniffer-dogs-may-have-rediscovered-a-lost-population-of-sumatran-rhinos/

France Sees a Doubling of Eagle Mating Pairs After Decades of Successful Work

https://focusingonwildlife.com/news/france-sees-a-doubling-of-eagle-mating-pairs-after-decades-of-successful-work/

100-year-old endangered tortoises at Pa. zoo become parents of 16

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/tortoise-hatchlings-born-of-century-old-parents-come-out-of-their-shells-at-philadelphia-zoo/ar-AA1KT73T

Experts thrilled as critically endangered Amur leopard makes stunning comeback -

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/experts-thrilled-critically-endangered-predator-223000616.html

Wolves

Federal court overturns decision denying Endangered Species protections to wolves

https://www.endangeredspecieslawandpolicy.com/federal-court-overturns-fish-and-wildlife-service-decision-to-delist-gray-wolf-in-the-west

Baby Endangered Species

Nashville Zoo welcomes new clouded leopard cub, helping preserve endangered species

https://www.newschannel5.com/news/nashville-zoo-welcomes-new-clouded-leopard-cub-helping-preserve-endangered-species

Brevard Zoo welcomes new baby zebra, offspring of endangered species

https://brevardzoo.org/news/welcoming-a-baby-grevys-zebra/

Czech zoo welcomes 4 rare Barbary lion cubs whose population is extinct in the wild

https://apnews.com/article/czech-zoo-barbary-lion-cubs-3376f7e3740469568fb1555260c6bd5d

Biodiversity

Jaguar population doubles around Brazil’s Iguaçu Falls

https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/jaguar-population-doubles-around-brazils-iguacu-falls/

Rare pygmy hippo born in Kansas zoo offers hope for endangered species

https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/rare-pygmy-hippo-born-in-kansas-zoo-offers-hope-for-endangered-species/

Experts thrilled as incredibly rare birds hatch at zoo

https://www.yahoo.com/news/experts-thrilled-incredibly-rare-birds-113044943.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZWNvc2lhLm9yZy8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAJ9vDCng51YwZcXjcpTcnXqTlRspKJmevErxGOdhj0OeF0LzjfAqCdf5rlehlNuCRdCeFghJ9cNnF6wEwO2XjTW0YcHdDGnQiSCu7sJ8dD4rKwXUFU5nZVmnLl3GVMwx53qu41GCSYAMTsV_zOYxEi0xyXmaMYtR_sblS6uhUAe6

Return of wolves to Yellowstone has led to a surge in aspen trees unseen for 80 years

https://www.livescience.com/animals/land-mammals/return-of-wolves-to-yellowstone-has-led-to-a-surge-in-aspen-trees-unseen-for-80-years

Nepal launches action plan to boost endangered dhole conservation

https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/nepal-launches-action-plan-to-boost-endangered-dhole-conservation/