Our Wild Lives

Ocelots can be feisty, and researchers Lindsay Martinez, Meghan Murphy and Haylee Pearce are well aware that they can scratch worse than the Tamaulipan thornscrub they live in.  In this episode of “Our Wild Lives,” East Foundation researchers and field technicians take host Katie Rohrbach and associate editor Joshua Rapp Learn to El Sauz Ranch—one of the only footholds ocelots ( Leopardus pardalis...

As a kid, Rae Wynn-Grant dreamed of traveling the world to tell stories about wildlife science. But the path to realizing this dream wasn’t always clear.  In this episode of “Our Wild Lives,” Rae Wynn-Grant, large carnivore ecologist, author, podcast host and co-host of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild recounts the long days in the field, advanced college degrees and harsh reject...

Since the first mass wildlife casualty events at commercial windfarms in the early 2000s, conservationists have raised concerns about the impacts of wind energy development.  In this episode of “Our Wild Lives,” Misti Sporer, senior director of Environment and Permitting at Deriva Energy and Greg Forcey, senior principal scientist at Normandeau Associates, Inc. talk about their experiences working...

Plastic waste travels from your doorstep to the most remote places. In the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, currents concentrate vast amounts of marine debris along the shores of what should be a wildlife paradise.  Within the protected waters of Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, plastic debris and derelict fishing nets threaten endangered Hawaiian Monk Seals ( Neomonachus schauinslandi ),...

Somewhere deep in British Columbia’s boreal forest lives a small population of unique and secretive carnivores most humans never see. The fisher (Pekania pennanti) is a critter exceptionally good at eluding even the most talented wildlife trackers. But for today’s guests, who have spent many cold mornings out in the field to learn more about these mustelids, even the stealthiest of fishers couldn’...

Ecotourism can bring great benefits to a struggling economy and conservation attention and investment to fragile biomes and struggling species.  But is everything that glitters made of gold? This week, TWS’ associate editor Joshua Rapp Learn joins host Katie Perkins as they travel through South Texas to learn more about the positive and negative impacts of ecotourism on an otherwise struggling eco...

Indigenous people have been involved with wildlife conservation and management in the Americas for thousands of years. But it’s only since the 1980s when different Tribes in the U.S. organized into the Native American Fish and Wildlife Society. In this episode of “Our Wild Lives,” Julie Thorstenson, executive director of the Native American Fish and Wildlife Society (NAFWS) and a citizen of the Ch...

Every year, millions of birds make some of the most arduous journeys in the natural world. The Hudsonian whimbrel ( Numenius hudsonicus ) travels from its breeding grounds in Alaska’s High Arctic to as far south as Argentina.  Two endurance athletes are preparing to embark on their own journey to follow the paths of three GPS-tracked whimbrels. In this episode of “Our Wild Lives,” Timm Döbert, tro...

How does harvesting timber impact wildlife around the world? In this episode of “Our Wild Lives,” Darren Miller, vice president of forestry programs for the National Council for Air and Stream Improvement (NCASI) and director of research programs for the NCASI Foundation, and Jessica Homyack, director of environmental research and operational support at Weyerhaeuser, explore how commercial timber...

Since their introduction to North America in the 16th century, uncontrolled populations of wild pigs have wreaked havoc across North America. They can disrupt native wildlife, decimate riparian ecosystems, cause billions of dollars in agricultural damage and more.  Reducing the population has proved complex, but the state of Missouri has successfully removed feral swine populations from nearly 10...

For Remington Bracher, working on the reintroduction of bison back to Canada is not only a win for his wildlife career, but also for his culture as a Nêhiyaw (Cree) member of Muskoday First Nation.  In this episode of “Our Wild Lives,” Bracher, an Indigenous Liaison with Parks Canada and graduate student at the University of British Columbia, shares how growing up hunting and fishing led him into...

Wild sheep are known for their tenacity to endure some of the harshest landscapes around the world, yet the global population of the subfamily continues to decline due to a bacterium,  Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (M. ovi). Pneumonia caused by this bacterium can wipe out entire herds.  In this episode of “Our Wild Lives,” Kurt Alt and Corey Mason from the Wild Sheep Foundation (WSF) join us to talk ab...

New evidence reveals that mountain lions can fit through small wildlife crossing cut-outs on the border wall dividing the U.S. from Mexico. But researchers are concerned about the future connection of the population of the big cats.  In this episode of “Our Wild Lives,” carnivore ecologist Lisanne Petracca walks us through the monitoring being done to determine the potential effects of the constru...

Rex Brasher was one of the greatest bird artists of his time. His life’s mission was to see and paint every bird species in North America. But today, many people–even avid birders–have never heard his name.  In this episode of “Our Wild Lives,” Cynthia Carter Ayres and Matthew Schnepf from the Rex Brasher Association join us to tell the story of the man who painted 874 different bird species of No...

Birds have been declining since the 1970s. Now scientists, non-governmental organizations and everyday birders are doing everything they can to stabilize and rebound populations across the globe.  In this episode of “Our Wild Lives,” Katie and Ed are joined by Tammy VerCauteren, Executive Director at Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, and Steve Riley, Chief Conservation Officer at American Bird Cons...

As spring begins to emerge, so does the opportunity to support wildlife and increase biodiversity in your own yard.  In this episode of “Our Wild Lives,” TWS member Shaun McCoshum, a botanist and landscape ecologist, tells us about what has been lost from North American landscapes and how homeowners can mimic missing ecological processes to support wildlife in their own yards.  McCoshum shares pra...

Wildlife lovers had a special treat at this year’s Super Bowl—Bad Bunny’s halftime show featured an endangered Puerto Rican toad. While it may have been the first time some viewers saw the species, the amphibian’s natural and cultural significance goes much deeper.   The Puerto Rican crested toad’s story is emblematic of both environmental destruction and more recent attempts at restoration on the...

For a few short weeks starting in late February, there is a window of opportunity to see an enormous congregation of geese, swans, ducks and other birds at a wildlife management area in Montana during their annual migration to northern breeding grounds.  In this episode of “Our Wild Lives,” Brent Lonner, a wildlife biologist with Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks and Ali Marschner, a farm bill biolo...

Richard Dolbeer has spent his career trying to strike out airplane collisions on birds–his pitch for a solution has always been to support management action with good science. In this episode of “Our Wild Lives,” host Katie Perkins sits down to learn about Dolbeer’s storied career. From reducing agricultural conflicts with the Bye-Bye Blackbird Committee to sorting through the wreckage of the “Mir...

Our winter 2026 issue of The Wildlife Professional featured a special focus on the mental health of wildlifers with articles discussing burnout, rehumanizing the workplace, imposter systems and more.  In this episode of “Our Wild Lives,” TWS digital content manager Katie Perkins is joined by TWS member and special focus contributing author Michelle Doerr. Together they explore Doerr’s path from ur...

With nearly 60% of the United States under private ownership and management, private landscapes are a significant opportunity for large-scale wildlife conservation. In this episode of “Our Wild Lives,” TWS member Joe Roy, private lands wildlife biologist at Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and Erik Glenn, CEO at Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust explain how easements, i...

After nearly 60 years of the National Environmental Policy Act, proposed changes could threaten the strength of this cornerstone conservation legislation.   In this episode of “Our Wild Lives,” TWS members Natalie Jacewicz, assistant professor of law at the University of San Diego and Cameron Kovach, Juris Doctor and TWS Chief Program Officer, break down the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA...

Publishing peer-reviewed research in journals like the Journal of Wildlife Management shapes the wildlife profession every day, but where did it start and why does it continue?    The Wildlife Society’s Journal Manager, Anna Knipps, and Content Editor, Allison Cox, shed light on the scientific publishing industry and the role TWS journals play.   They share tips for first-time authors, discuss the...

After an unexpected early retirement from her 36-year-long career with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, TWS member John Ann Shearer looks back on a career rooted in collaboration and resiliency in this episode of the “Our Wild Lives” podcast. Through the Partners for Fish and Wildlife program, Shearer guided private landowners to restore thousands of acres of habitat across the U.S. Southeast. ...

Wildlife vehicle collisions are responsible for more than $10 billion in damage in the United States each year. They also kill or injure a massive number of wild species. Management tools such as overpasses, underpasses, and more help reduce these conflicts around the world.    In this episode of Our Wild Lives, Katie Perkins and Ed Arnett of The Wildlife Society are joined by TWS members, Patty C...