Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem

We are honored to sit with such an incredible panel today to discuss our night skies. Listen as Jo Ann Eder, Theresa Whistler and Jeremy Battles describe the creation of a group called Red Lodge Dark Skies (RLDS), the goals and achievements of the group, what it takes to become a certified dark sky area, the importance of reducing light pollution for animals and humans, and what you can do to get...

In this episode, we bring on Mat Seidensticker, director and founder of the Northern Rockies Research and Education Services, the non-profit that we learned about in our last episode.  In this episode, however, we brought on the Director to gain a bigger picture of how a science-based non-profit works, what other projects they have going on, their partnership with MPG ranch, what DNA barcoding is,...

In this month’s episode, we have a fun conversation with Marian Kirst. If you have never taken a second to think about moths, please stop and listen to this episode. Have your mind blown! She works for the Montana Moth Project, a flagship program of the Northern Rockies Research and Educational Services, and is here with her inspiring passion to open your minds to how cool these little creatures a...

For this episode, we brought in Ellis Juhlin from Yellowstone Public Radio to talk about her experiences researching the lesser-known ferruginous hawk, and what she has noticed about the effects of a changing climate on this species and their habitat.   Photo Credit: Ellis Juhlin and High Country News    Resources: Hawk Watch International Boise State Raptor Research Center Morley Nelson Snake Riv...

This week is National ZooKeeper Week, so we have brought on Animal Educator, Jess Smallwood, and Keepers, Izzy Sommerdorf and Mason Williams from the Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary in Montana. Listen as we discuss and compare the variety of jobs you can have working with animals, and dive into the lesser-known challenges and unique benefits of the field. 

Our guest this episode is Ben Daley, Program Director from the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness Foundation. Gary and Eden discuss stewardship of our wild lands and how the A-B Wilderness fits into Custer National Forest and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem podcast is a production of the  Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary .

Bison are one of the most iconic animals of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, and for good reason. They are the national mammal of the United States and the largest animal in North America. They also have a dark — but successful — conservation story. Joining Gary and Eden to discuss the history, conservation, and management of bison in America is Dr. Chris Geremia, the lead bison biologist for Ye...

Can you keep a kangaroo as a pet? Why do Montana and Arizona have different laws? What does accreditation mean for a wildlife sanctuary or a zoo? Gary and Eden discuss all of this and more, and two distinguished guests join them to answer even more questions: Vernon Weir, Director of the American Sanctuary Association, and Jeff Ewelt, Executive Director of ZooMontana. The Greater Yellowstone Ecosy...

We haven't talked about red foxes since episode 17, way back in the "Two Minutes" days for this podcast. Today, we interview fox researcher Patrick Cross and discuss behaviors, genetics, the trickster foxes of legend, and much more. We dedicate this episode to Rex, our 12-year-old fox who passed away shortly after the interview was recorded. The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem podcast is a productio...

It's springtime, which means the bears are awake. It is also time to introduce Gary's new co-host, Eden Wondra, the Education Manager from the Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary. In this episode, Gary and Eden are joined by Kylie Kembel, a Bear Management Technician for Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, to revisit a subject we discussed back in episode 3. This time, though, with our new long format, we...

This episode is a history of the podcast and what it is. This is our first crossover episode, appearing both here in audio form and on YouTube in video form. That makes it a video about a podcast, which is — in itself — an episode of that podcast. Watch this episode on our YouTube channel for extra video content. The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem podcast is a production of the  Yellowstone Wildlif...

One of the most common questions we get at Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary is, "Why is that animal here?" That's often a more complicated question than you'd expect. In this episode, Gary and Courtney are joined by Laurie Wolf, Acting Education Bureau Chief for Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks to talk about rehabilitation and wildlife Sanctuaries. The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem podcast is a produc...

Chronic Wasting Disease, or CWD, has spread over most of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and is showing no signs of slowing down. In this episode, Gary and Courtney talk about what CWD is, how it spreads, and how it may affect you. The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem podcast is a production of the  Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary . This episode is sponsored by  Greater Montana Realty .

We have shed the restrictions of our old 2-minute radio show, and can now cover subjects in much greater depth. In this first episode with the new full-length format, we talk about wolves, from all of the "big bad wolf" legends through today's modern wolf management issues. The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem podcast is a production of the Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary . This episode is sponsored b...

Ben Franklin said of the turkey, “He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage.” That may be so, but when you feed them in town, problems can develop... The 2 Minutes in the Yellowstone Ecosystem podcast is a production of the Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary .

As we learn more about wildfires and their effects on ecosystems, we are changing the way we deal with them. The 2 Minutes in the Yellowstone Ecosystem podcast is a production of the Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary .

How do wild animals end up living in a wildlife sanctuary instead of roaming free? In this episode, Gary looks at how it happens and what we can do to prevent it. The 2 Minutes in the Yellowstone Ecosystem podcast is a production of the Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary .

In this episode, we talk about a mighty little predator called the Western Screech Owl, whose call isn't quite what you'd expect it to be. The 2 Minutes in the Yellowstone Ecosystem podcast is a production of the Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary .

For this episode, we're wrapping up bat week (and recording on Halloween!), so the obvious subject is the bats of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem! The 2 Minutes in the Yellowstone Ecosystem podcast is a production of the Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary .

Raccoons are adorable. They can also be pests. But should we fear them? Are they just waiting outside to give us rabies? Let's find out... The 2 Minutes in the Yellowstone Ecosystem podcast is a production of the Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary .

If Western movies have taught us anything, it's what an eagle sounds like. But that sound most movies use isn't really an eagle. It's a different American icon: the red-tailed hawk. The 2 Minutes in the Yellowstone Ecosystem podcast is a production of the Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary .

The biggest wildcat in the country may be called the cougar, panther, painter, mountain lion, puma, or catamount. No matter what you call them, they are amazingly efficient predators. The 2 Minutes in the Yellowstone Ecosystem podcast is a production of the Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary .

Migration routes may be instinctive or they may be learned. What's the difference? What happens if things go wrong? And what if a black vulture shows up in Red Lodge, Montana? The 2 Minutes in the Yellowstone Ecosystem podcast is a production of the Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary .

Hibernation time is approaching, and the bears are eating everything in sight. Join us for a chat about hyperphagia and some news about the Sanctuary's new education exhibits. The 2 Minutes in the Yellowstone Ecosystem podcast is a production of the Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary .

Our "Talk Like a Pirate Day" episode discusses some extremely smart birds with some surprising behaviors. Yep. It should have been ravens on the pirates' shoulders. The 2 Minutes in the Yellowstone Ecosystem podcast is a production of the Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary .