Mark Leiren-Young

Skaana đŸ« One Ocean

Science EN ↓ 96 episodes

About Skaana: Skaana with Mark Leiren-Young — Ocean, Eco‑Ethics & the Environment — Interviews for a Changing Planet  is a podcast for anyone who loves the ocean and the animals who live there.  Host Mark Leiren-Young dives beneath the surface with scientists, authors, activists, and other dolphin-friendly humans for candid conversations about marine life, conservation, eco‑ethics, and the issues shaping our future. Launched in 2017 with a focus on orcas,  Skaana  has expanded to explore sharks, octopuses, whales, and the wider web of ocean stories—fact-based, curious, and always grounded in r...

Author

Mark Leiren-Young

Category

Science

Podcast website

www.skaana.org

Latest episode

Jun 19, 2026

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Episodes

BC Green Leader Emily Lowan - A New Generation of Politician 19.06.2026

BC Green Party leader, Emily Lowan, talks with Skaana host, Mark Leiren-Young, about fighting oligarchs, the joy of being underestimated and her journey from youth activist to one of the most successful young politicians anywhere, ever. To Support/Follow Emily Lowan & The BC Green Party Emily Lowan Instagram/ Facebook: @emilylowan  Bluesky: @emilylowan.bsky.social BC GREEN PARTY Website:...

Camille Labchuk on Animal Rights and Wrongs 15.05.2026

Sometimes animals who hang out with humans need a vet. Sometimes they need a lawyer. The belugas at Marineland in Niagara Falls need both. Whales around the world need sanctuary. And sharks everywhere were saved by a Canadian law. Camille Labchuk, executive director of Animal Justice, returns to Skaana to talk with host Mark Leiren-Young about fighting for animals who live in the water and on the...

When Orcas “Attack” – Alexandra Johnston on the world’s most infamous whales 10.01.2026

Iberian orca guardian, Alexandra Johnston, talks with Skaana host Mark Leiren-Young about hanging out with the world's most infamous orcas. On orcas as click-bait – the orcas who are “attacking” boats and how social media is creating orca hysteria. “Blue fin tuna is their main prey source. They are fish eaters, not boat eaters.” Alexandra Johnston. “I really feel these orcas have been used as clic...

Chilling With Polar Bears with Cate Collins 11.12.2025

Have you ever met a polar bear? They're the fiercest animal on earth, one of the most iconic and one of the most chill – in every possible way. Cate Collins – the lead scientist/science translator – for polar bear tours to Churchill, Manitoba, talks with Skaana host Mark Leiren-Young about hanging out with polar bears, polar bear mating and the impact of the climate crisis on their habits and habi...

Flipper Trainer Ric O’Barry on his journey from SeaWorld to Sanctuaries 13.10.2025

Legendary dolphin trainer turned anti-captivity icon Ric O'Barry on his journey from catching and training Flipper to going to jail to save dolphins. Skaana host Mark Leiren-Young dives into The Dolphin Project, the making of the Academy Award-winning documentary The Cove and his upcoming fundraiser in Victoria, BC. “I started sympathizing with the dolphins and I could see things from their point...

Misty MacDuffee on the Southern Resident Orcas and the Threat of Bright Extinction 29.09.2025

Salmon expert Misty MacDuffee on shrinking salmon, damn dams and what needs to be done NOW to save the iconic southern resident orcas. Skaana host Mark Leiren-Young dives into the Raincoast Conservation Foundation's report on what needs to be done to save these whales with one of the report's authors. “The solutions that government has focused on have not helped the whales and in some cases have p...

The Killer Whale That Changed the World 16.07.2025

The Killer Whale That Changed the World – the story of Moby Doll and the accidental orca capture that changed everything between humans and orcas – was created for CBC Radio's Ideas by Skaana host, Mark Leiren-Young and produced by Yvonne Gall. It originally aired on CBC in 2013, won the Jack Webster Award for Best Radio Documentary and sparked the award-winning book, The Killer Whale Who Changed...

Sharks Forever and Jaws Forever? 02.07.2025

Mark Leiren-Young reads the chapter about Jaws vs. shark from his award-winning book, Sharks Forever. Years after the movie based on his book was one of the biggest hits in the world, Peter Benchley said that in a new version of Jaws, the shark wouldn’t be the monster. “The shark in an updated Jaws could not be the villain; it would have to be written as the victim, for, worldwide, sharks are much...

50 Years of Jaws vs. Sharks With David Shiffman 18.06.2025

David Shiffman (author of Why Sharks Matter ) on how Jaws changed the world for sharks, humans and movies
 how the fear of sharks led to so many species being threatened and endangered and why you should be suspicious of “shark experts.” “More people in a typical year are bitten by other people in the New York City subway system than are bitten by sharks in the whole world
 More people die falling...

Speaking to Sperm Whales With Shane Gero 05.06.2025

Sperm whale expert Shane Gero on his whale family in Dominica, the power of storytelling and the culture, codas and language of sperm whales. Also
 why all science is political. “Science is inherently political
 until the sperm whales are able to speak for themselves, someone has to be their advocate
 conservation is inherently a human behavioural change.” Made in Canada, eh 🍁 Shownotes: 2:40 On...

Fighting for the Salish Sea with Beatrice Frank 23.05.2025

Beatrice Frank, new(ish) executive director of The Georgia Strait Alliance on the past, present and future of one of the most effective environmental organizations in British Columbia for their 35th anniversary. We talk about fighting threats with awareness – and lawyers – keeping the ocean clean, working with American eco-organizations in the age of Trump and the power of positivity. “We sue the...

Lummi Elder Squil-le-he-le on Her Relatives Beneath the Waves 08.05.2025

Squil-le-he-le – Lummi Elder and matriarch – on her relationship, and her nation's relationship, with the orca known as Lolita, Tokitae and Sk'aliCh'elh-tenaut, the attempt to bring her home and sharing that story in the powerful new documentary Resident Orca . Resident Orca is now available on Crave in Canada and is still in festivals in the USA and around the world. “You can't separate Canada an...

Mark Leiren-Young on Canadians Voting for the Ocean and Against Trump 25.04.2025

Skaana host Mark Leiren-Young breaks out his political pundit persona and talks about the Canadian election, how Trump upended the Canadian election and Canada and why that new baby orca needs a name NOW! A special audience Q&A episode with producer, Bug Lewis, asking the audience questions! “Don't vote for the guy who doesn't believe there's a problem with the climate.” Made in Canada, eh 🍁...

Arno Kopecky on Canada’s Election Climate 19.04.2025

Arno Kopecky (author The Environmentalist's Dilemma ) on covering Tory leader Pierre Pollution Poilievre's vs. the environment, Canadian eco-politics and the Greens vs. Greens.  When Pierre's not Trumpy. And when he is. And what he'll ask Pierre Poilievre – if he ever gets to ask him a question. “He turned the carbon tax into kryptonite.” Made in Canada 🍁 Shownotes: 4:25 On being the only j...

Octopus Ocean – Shaking Hands With A Giant Pacific Octopus 02.04.2025

Shaking hands with a Giant Pacific Octopus… Skaana host Mark Leiren-Young shares an excerpt from his new book Octopus Ocean: Geniuses of the Deep. “Mark Leiren-Young’s  Octopus Ocean  gives young readers a wonderful sense of many aspects of the world of octopuses in a very clear, concise and interesting way. It makes the reader think, and it educates without preaching. This book is a door to...

Lynda Mapes on Tahlequah’s Second Tour of Grief 19.03.2025

In 2018 Tahlequah captured the world's attention when she carried her dead daughter's body for seventeen days in what became known as the “tour of grief.” The human who shared that story with the world was Seattle Times reporter, Lynda Mapes. Tahlequah just lost another newborn daughter. She just completed a second tour of grief. And this time… the world wasn't watching. Lynda Mapes and Skaa...

Paul Watson – Free and Fighting! 20.02.2025

“In my lifetime I want to eradicate whaling.” – Paul Watson. Paul Watson is out of jail, back in France and still fighting for whales, dolphins, turtles, manatees and more. Paul Watson talks to Skaana host, Mark Leiren-Young, about his arrest and how it helped raise awareness about sketchy international arrest warrants, Japan's unjust justice system, illegal whaling, aggressive non-violence...

Eric Pelkey on BC’s Fishy Herring “Fishery” – “SHUT IT DOWN!” 01.01.2025

Let the Herring Live! Eric Pelkey is done pretending BC fishers should still be capturing herring. The Community Engagement Coordinator for the W̱SÁNEĆ leadership council talks about a proposed boycott, over-fishing, under-enforcement and the disappearance of a keystone species with significance to the W̱SÁNEĆ Nation and the entire eco-system of the Salish Sea. “Without the herring the salmon can'...

#FreePaulWatson – It’s Up to You! 13.12.2024

A letter from Captain Paul Watson from prison in Greenland, an interview with Paul in prison  and a plea for you – yes you – to help save his life. On December 18th, 2024, the government of Denmark will decide whether to send Captain Paul Watson to die in a Japanese prison. Please email the Danish Minister of Justice Peter Hummelgaard and ask for the immediate release of Captain Watson...

Andrew Lewin on Making Media Matter 28.11.2024

Andrew Lewin – host of the How to Protect the Ocean podcast – on Jaws vs. sharks, orcas vs. sharks, Asian carp and working with and against Canada's department of Fisheries and Oceans and how young people can and do change the world. “There's nothing scarier to a government than young people who care.” – Andrew Lewin Shownotes: 4:35 Andrew Lewin on how Jaws still defines and defa...

Dr. Andrew Rosenberg on Trump vs. Science, Facts & The Planet 05.10.2024

Talking Trump vs. science, facts and the planet with Dr. Andrew Rosenberg.  The former director of the Center for Science and Democracy at the Union of Concerned Scientists and former director of NOAA on Project 2025, popping social media bubbles and why it is so friggin' important that Americans vote… And not for Trump. “Whatever your issue is, should you be concerned? Yes! …This is n...

Podcaster Andrew Lewin On Protecting the Oceans 11.09.2024

Andrew Lewin – host of the How to Protect the Ocean podcast – on teaching the world about oceans, myth-busting fake facts and falling for the oceans from his home in Ontario. “This is what people should be talking about.” Shownotes: 3:25 How Andrew Lewin fell for the oceans and marine biology. 5:18 The first time Andrew saw a whale. 6:47 Finding Flipper and falling for dolphins. “You h...

16-year-old Rylee Brooke on Young People Saving the Planet 21.08.2024

Sixteen-year-old Hawaiian environmental activist Rylee Brooke hasn't just been fighting for the environment – and the rights of keiki (young people) – since the age of eight, she's teaching other young people and adults how to make change and make laws. Adventures in changing things locally and globally, making the case for Vote 16 and proving that young people can do pretty much anyth...

The King & Queen of OctoNation 10.07.2024

Sy Montgomery (author: Soul of an Octopus ) and Warren Carlyle (founder of OctoNation) on friendly octopuses, the Mayor of Octopus City, and their top octopus secrets from their new book Secrets of the Octopus that accompanies the National Geographic TV series. Second of a two-part interview about the wild world of octopuses! “We're in the age of octopus,” Sy Montgomery. Shownotes: 2:28  How the b...

The Beyonce of Octopuses and The OctoKing on Why Octopuses Needed a Publicist 19.06.2024

Sy Montgomery (Soul of an Octopus) and Warren Carlyle (founder of OctoNation) on octopuses taking over the media, the origins of OctoNation, why octopuses needed a publicist and some of the secrets of octopus from their new book Secrets of the Octopus that accompanies the National Geographic TV series. First of a two-part interview about all things octopus! Shownotes: 0:01 Meet author Sy Montgomer...

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