Wild Connection

A throwback to an episode from July 2023 where I talked with orca biologist and author Hanne Strager.  As you may have heard Orca's off the coast of Spain have been "misbehaving" and scientists are struggling to find a good answer to why they are attacking boats. A New York Times article [https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/27/world/europe/spain-orcas-boat-ramming.html] that was published on August 27th, 2024 proposes a new theory.  I don't really agree. Do you? Feel free to leave a comment.

As we celebrate the 75th Anniversary of A Sand County Almanac and the 100th Anniversary of the designation of the Gila Wilderness Area, I talk with Dr. Stan Temple, Senior Fellow at the Aldo Leopold Foundation and Professor Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison about the evolution of Leopold's perspective and his lasting contribution to the modern conservation philosophy of the United States.  You can connect with the foundation in several ways  https://www.aldoleopold.org/ [https://www.aldoleopold.org/] https://twitter.com/AldoLeopoldFdn [https://twitter.com/AldoLeopoldFdn] https://www.linkedin.com/company/aldo-leopold-foundation/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/aldo-leopold-foundation/] And of course you can connect with me, your host on Twitter or Instagram @RealDrJen and follow the podcast on Twitter @wildconnectpod

Right here in the United States, primarily in the Midwest and Southern portion an invasion is coming. Not of aliens, of cicadas. Brood 19 and 13 have begun emerging and they haven't come out of the ground together in 221 years! Even though I recorded this episode in 2021 during Brood 10's emergence, it's worth rebooting because  periodical cicadas are unique to the U.S. The guest is entomologist Dr. Floyd Shockley, who is the Collections Manager for the Department of Entomology at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Him and I talked all about these true bugs and the importance of museum collections. You can follow him on Twitter @Beetle_Guy And you can connect with the museum @NMNH [https://twitter.com/NMNH] If you want to hear one of the seven species of cicadas sing their love song check out this link [https://www.cicadamania.com/cicadas/magicicada-septendecim-linnaeus-1758-aka-linnaeuss-17-year-cicada/].  One of many cookbooks is the Cicada Cookbook and you can find it on Amazon [https://www.amazon.com/s?k=the+cicada+cookbook&gclid=Cj0KCQjw5PGFBhC2ARIsAIFIMNf75fWcOSftYCh0YxdPd8W9N9yy3BzoLTKM4gYeKH5IeD6wyJg7EKoaAsitEALw_wcB&hvadid=521634566100&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9012311&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=1411349013030376897&hvtargid=kwd-1266551422769&hydadcr=7495_9612500&tag=googhydr-20&ref=pd_sl_1ymv3vpv28_e].  If you are digging the show subscribe and share it so others can enjoy it too. You can follow the show on Itunes, Google Play, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Also follow the show on Twitter: @WildConnectPod You can also follow me on  Twitter: @realdrjen Instagram: @readrjen Facebook https://www.facebook.com/RealDrJen [https://www.facebook.com/RealDrJen] There is also a YouTube Channel where you can find a range of videos, some of them tied to podcast episodes, including one about this year's historic emergence. You can watch that here.

This week rounds out Earth Month and I am talking with writer and conservationist Lydia Millet. Her new book, We Loved it All, takes you on a journey through her childhood and yours at the same time. It's more than a memoir though. It's a gift, a gift full of stories about how other animals are part of the fabric of our lives.  We talk about many things in this episode, from her work at the Center for Biological Diversity and the attention needed on rapid loss of biodiversity to how stories connect us to each other and the personhood movement for other species.  Join this interesting, thought-provoking, and engaging conservation and drop a comment if you have a perspective you'd like to share.  You can pick up a copy of Lydia's book anywhere that books are sold but support local book shops by ordering your copy from Bookshop [https://bookshop.org/] You can keep up with Lydia by connecting with her on her website or on social media https://lydiamillet.net/ [https://lydiamillet.net/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/lydia.millet/] Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/lydiamilletpage] You can keep up with me at  www.jenniferverdolin.com [http://www.jenniferverdolin.com/]  or on Twitter and Instagram @RealDrJen Follow the podcast on twitter @wildconnecpod and check us out on YouTube at Wild Connection TV.

As we continue to celebrate Earth month, tune in to my conversation with author Leah Rampy. In this episode, we talk about her new book, Earth and Soul: Reconnecting Amid Climate Chaos. Not only is it a heartfelt discussion, but I hope it will invite you to reconsider how you interact with the natural world and inspire you to make that a bigger part of your life (if it isn't already!) If you want to keep up with Leah and purchase your copy you can visit her website: https://www.leahmoranrampy.com/ [https://www.leahmoranrampy.com/] If you want to be part of my conservation and education work, you can head over to www.jenniferverdolin.com  [http://www.jennifer] and sign up for my newsletter or www.wildconnection.org [http://www.wildconnection.org] where you can also donate to support the various projects I'm doing. All donations are tax deductible.  You can also follow me on Twitter and Instagram @RealDrJen or check out Wild Connection TV on YouTube.