Nature Now

Curious about the role played by snails in shaping human history? Fashion? Diet? Economics? Class and politics? Or even, what makes snails such a huge, diverse and successful group of creatures? Join Nan Evans as she talks with snail conservationist, farmer, and all-around snail lover, Ric Brewer, to explore these, and other, questions (part 1 of a two-part program). (Airdate: April 3, 2024) Learn...

Host Jackie Canterbury talks with Bev McNeil about the nature of Anderson Lake State Park. The park encompasses 496 acres of land with a diversity of plant communities, wetlands, and forests. The park bears the family name of an earlier owner, Amanda Anderson. The land was purchased in 1947. The park now offers trails that pass along the lake and through grassy marshes, patches of salmonberries an...

Join host Debaran Kelso and puma specialist Dr. Mark Elbroch as they explore both mountain lion ecology and how we might learn to share our world with this large successful predator (part 1 of a two-part program). (Airdate: March 6, 2024) Learn more about the Jefferson Land Trust's 2024 Conservation Breakfast . Learn more about Panthera's Olympic Cougar Project . Learn more about the work of Mark...

Many of us who live near an ocean know in our hearts, bones and minds about the wonders of living near the water. Join Nan Evans as she talks with Paola Espitia of Ola-Pi Creative about marine biology and the science behind these benefits. (Airdate: February 21, 2024) Watch Paola's lecture: Water, Wonder, Wellness: How Living by Water Makes Life Better . Learn more about the Blue Mind effect . Wat...

Host Debaran Kelso dives once again into the fascinating world of humpback whales with Dr. Fred Sharpe. This week we focus on the phenomenon of “bubble ring" formation, and what they might mean as a form of communication (part 2 of a two-part program). (Airdate: February 14, 2024) Nature Now is created by a dedicated team of volunteers. If you enjoy this episode and want to support the work that g...

Mary Robson and Gary Bullock share experiences while observing nature, basing their thoughts on Rachel Carson's essay A Sense of Wonder. (Airdate: February 7, 2024) Nature Now is created by a dedicated team of volunteers. If you enjoy this episode and want to support the work that goes into making Nature Now, we invite you to go to kptz.org/donate to make a contribution. Thank you for your support...

Join host Debaran Kelso as we explore the mysteries of the universe with Dr. Fred Sharpe. Fred has been studying humpback whale social behavior for many years, and for the past decade has joined with SETI to think about intelligent life in the cosmos, and how understanding animal behavior in general, and whale vocalizations in particular, might serve as a model to understand messages from extrasol...

Nan Evans talk with local "thalassophile" Nam Siu about his love for the ocean, his work and adventures protecting marine life and ecosystems, and his artistic pursuits. Nam is a wizard of the traditional Japanese art of making fish impressions and at creating beautiful pressings of marine algae. His science inspires his art and, in turn, his art provides meaning for his science. (Airdate: January...

Hosts Debaran Kelso, Nan Evans, and Jackie Canterbury have a good time sharing their favorite recent natural history books. Join the fun and start your 2024 "to read" list. (Airdate: January 3, 2024) Books discussed: An Immense World by Ed Yong The Mind of a Bee by Lars Chittka Passings by Holly Hughes Alfie & Me by Carl Safina Owls of the Eastern Ice by Jonathan Slaght Take Heart by Kathleen Dean...

Jackie Canterbury talks with Dr. Steve Hampton about the oldest citizen science program of its kind, the Audubon Christmas Bird Count or CBC. The CBC began on Christmas Day 1900 as a way to count birds rather than shoot them as people began to become visibly concerned about declining bird populations. Today the CBC occurs each year from December 14 through January 5 relying on volunteer birders. A...

Thousands of crab pots go untended yearly in the Salish Sea; their release causes crab loss and ship damage. Nan Evans talks with Nathaniel Ashford about the efforts of Port Townsend’s STEM Club (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) to salvage those lost pots using robotics. Olivia Reinhart joins the conversation to share her experience working with the Sea Dragons team (part 2 of a t...

Join host Debaran Kelso as we explore the fascinating world of screech owls! Renowned ecologist Dr. Carl Safina is our guest, speaking about his most recent book Alfie and Me: What Owls Know, What Humans Believe, which describes his family’s raising of an orphaned Eastern Screech Owl and how this changed their lives. (Airdate: December 13, 2023) Learn more: Alfie and Me: What Owls Know, What Human...

Nan Evans talks with Jim Bodkin about what scientists have learned about sea otter ecology and conservation since otters were nearly forced into extinction by fur hunters – specifically how important sea otters are to healthy, diverse and resilient ocean ecosystems. How do we know if and when the sea otters have been restored to pre-hunting conditions? Is there a relationship between climate chang...

Join Debaran Kelso on a fall mushroom hunt with fellow fungiphiles Maxwell Fisher, Baylin Speidel, and Shawn Gisriel (part 2 of a two-part program). (Airdate: November 22, 2023) Learn more about mushrooms with: All That the Rain Promises and More by David Arora Mushrooms Demystified by David Arora Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest by Steve Trudell Profiles of Northwest Fungi by Buck McAdoo Fantas...

Nan Evans interviews wildlife biologist Jim Bodkin in a discussion about sea otters (part 1 of a two-part program). (Airdate: May 2016) Nature Now is created by a dedicated team of volunteers. If you enjoy this episode and want to support the work that goes into making Nature Now, we invite you to go to kptz.org/donate to make a contribution. Thank you for your support!

Nan Evans delves further into the background and lives of sea otters in a discussion with wildlife biologist Jim Bodkin (part 2 of a two-part program). (Airdate: May 2016) Nature Now is created by a dedicated team of volunteers. If you enjoy this episode and want to support the work that goes into making Nature Now, we invite you to go to kptz.org/donate to make a contribution. Thank you for your...

Nan Evans talks about sea otters with Jim Bodkin, Scientist Emeritus with the U.S. Geological Survey, in a wide-ranging discussion of the animals off the Washington coast (part 1 of a two-part program). (Airdate: December 2016) Nature Now is created by a dedicated team of volunteers. If you enjoy this episode and want to support the work that goes into making Nature Now, we invite you to go to kpt...

Nan Evans and Jim Bodkin, Scientist Emeritus of the U.S. Geological Survey, finish their discussion of sea otters off the outer Washington coast (part 2 of a two-part program). (Airdate: January 2017) Nature Now is created by a dedicated team of volunteers. If you enjoy this episode and want to support the work that goes into making Nature Now, we invite you to go to kptz.org/donate to make a cont...

Nan Evans talks with paleontologist Liz Nesbitt and natural history writer David Williams about fossils of Washington State, especially the Olympic Peninsula and the Puget Sound area. Liz and David share stories and explore many of the tales of ancient critters, big and small, that are discussed in their new book, Spirit Whales and Sloth Tales. (Airdate: November 8, 2023) Watch Liz Nesbitt's and D...

Join host Debaran Kelso on a fall mushroom hunt with fellow fungiphiles Maxwell Fisher, Baylin Speidel, and Shawn Gisriel (part 1 of a two-part program). (Airdate: November 1, 2023) Learn more about mushrooms with All That the Rain Promises and More and Mushrooms Demystified by David Arora. Nature Now is created by a dedicated team of volunteers. If you enjoy this episode and want to support the w...

Jackie Canterbury talks with Dr. Steve Hampton about the plight of the Caspian Tern colony on Rat Island near Flagler campground on Marrowstone Island. Hampton discusses the events of 2022 and 2023 that led to an 80% loss of the breeding colony due to human disturbance and an avian flu outbreak. If we understand the historical perspective of the Caspian Tern dilemma, perhaps humans and the agencie...

Jackie Canterbury talks with Dr. Katie Haman, Wildlife Veterinarian, and Dr. Scott Pearson, Senior Research Scientist – both with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife – who answer questions about the recent avian flu outbreak on Rat Island off Marrowstone Island and discuss the outlook for the future. The outbreak is the first H5N1 avian flu event in the marine environment in Washington...

Nan Evans talks with University of Washington marine biologist and researcher Dr. Jason Hodin about the mysteries of the endangered sunflower sea star. If we can understand these intricacies, perhaps humans can help restore the endangered sunflower sea star population in the Salish Sea by learning how to raise and take care of baby sea stars. (Airdate: October 4, 2023) Learn more about Dr. Jason H...

Thousands of crab pots go untended yearly in the Salish Sea; their release causes crab loss and ship damage. Jeff Taylor from the Jefferson County Marine Resources Committee and Nathaniel Ashford from the Sea Dragons robotics team describe their work to salvage those lost pots (part 1 of a two-part program). (Airdate: September 27, 2023) Learn more about the project to remove lost crab pots . Natu...

Join host Debaran Kelso as we meet at the remarkable Dungeness River Nature Center with our special guests and founding members Annette Hanson and Clare Manis Hatler, telling the story of how the dream of a world class nature center came to life (part 1 of a two-part program). (Airdate: August 30, 2023) Learn more about the Dungeness River Nature Center and Seattle Audubon's Guide to the Birds of...