The Scenic Route Podcast

57: Observing Means Conserving - Jon Hall | MammalWatching.com

Jon Hall is a dedicated mammal watcher and the founder of MammalWatching.com. He is one of the most active explorers in the quest to find and protect the world's most elusive species. For 20+ years, Jon worked on different ways of measuring wellbeing and progress, most recently with the United Nations' Human Development Index, the global measure of how countries are developing beyond just economic growth, incorporating life expectancy, education, and happiness. Jon's passion for wildlife and his innovative approach to conservation have made significant impacts in preserving Earth's incredible biodiversity. Join the Mammal Watching Community Today Via mammalwatching.com [https://www.mammalwatching.com] Gear up your mammal watching adventures, with WURU Wool - the merino wool apparel for you! Official Sponsor of The Scenic Route Podcast. Explore WURU here: https://wuruwool.com [https://wuruwool.com]

56: The Surprising Power of Storytelling - Kayla Shepherd | Wildlife Photographer

Kayla Shepherd is a wildlife ecologist, conservationist, photographer, and storyteller based in Alaska. Through her work as both a field biologist and content creator, she documents the wildlife and ecosystems of one of the most remote and rapidly changing landscapes in North America. She now focuses on connecting people with nature through her role as a communication specialist with the Southeast Alaska Conservation Council. Kayla uses social media to advocate for wildlife conservation, blending her artistic talents with her scientific background to engage and educate a broader audience. Follow Kayla on Instagram @kaylawildlife Support Kayla's Work Via: kaylawildlife.com [https://www.kaylawildlife.com] Gear up your adventures, with WURU Wool - the merino wool apparel for you! Official Sponsor of The Scenic Route Podcast. Explore WURU here: https://wuruwool.com [https://wuruwool.com]

55: Putting the Wild on Canvas - Des McCaffrey | Wildlife Artist

Desmond McCaffrey is a self-taught wildlife artist from northern Alberta whose work is deeply rooted in a lifelong connection to the outdoors. Born in Saskatchewan and raised exploring the forests and waterways of Alberta, he developed his artistic ability by sketching wildlife and landscapes from memory after hunting and fishing trips with his father. His career path included work in the oil industry, big game guiding, and operating a taxidermy studio, experiences that gave him a detailed understanding of animal anatomy and behavior. Since becoming a full-time artist in 1989, his work has been featured in national publications, earned numerous awards, and led to high-profile commissions, including projects with the Royal Canadian Mint. Follow Des on Instagram @des_mccaffrey_art View and Purchase Des's Art: https://www.desmccaffrey.com [https://www.desmccaffrey.com] Gear up your adventures, with WURU Wool - the merino wool apparel for you! Official Sponsor of The Scenic Route Podcast. Explore WURU here: https://wuruwool.com [https://wuruwool.com]

54: What It Takes to Name a Jaguar - Abbie Martin | Jaguar Identification Project

Abbie Martin is a wildlife ecologist, conservationist, and founder of the Jaguar Identification Project, a long-term research initiative dedicated to studying and protecting jaguars in Brazil’s Pantanal. Her work combines science, citizen participation, and story telling to better understand jaguar population dynamics and promote sustainable conservation strategies.Splitting her year between hemispheres, Abbie spends half the year in the field in Brazil and the other half working as a boat captain in the United States and the British Virgin Islands. Her efforts and story have been featured in the documentary Rise of Jaguars, highlighting both the beauty of the Pantanal and the challenges facing its apex predator. In April 2026, Abbie was accepted into a PhD program in Environmental Conservation, further advancing her commitment to long-term, science driven conservation. Support the Jaguar ID Project: https://www.jaguaridproject.com/jaguar-guides [ https://www.jaguaridproject.com/jaguar-guides] Follow the Project's Work on IG @jaguaridproject Gear up your adventures, whether you're in the mountains or the Pantanal, with WURU Wool - the merino wool apparel for you! Official Sponsor of The Scenic Route Podcast. Explore WURU here: https://wuruwool.com [https://wuruwool.com]

53: They Call Me "The Wolf Guy" - Oliver Starr | Tahoe Wolf Center

Oliver Starr is a wolf conservationist, author, and Executive Director of the Tahoe Wolf Center, a federally licensed nonprofit dedicated to wolf conservation and public education. His work focuses on closing the gap between myth and reality, helping people understand wolves not as symbols of dominance, but as complex, cooperative animals with lessons that extend far beyond the wild. He is the author of The Wolf Lover’s Guide to Raising Dogs, an Amazon #1 bestseller that challenges conventional dog training narratives and reframes the human–canine relationship through the lens of evolution and behavior. His recent TEDx talk, Defanging Alpha, builds on this work, confronting the long-standing “alpha” myth and offering a more accurate and humane model of leadership drawn from real wolf dynamics. Starr’s perspective isn't theoretical. It is built from decades of direct experience working with wolves and leading organizations. More recently, that perspective has been sharpened by his ongoing battle with metastatic head and neck cancer, which has forced a level of clarity about resilience, priorities, and leadership under pressure that few leadership models address honestly. Support Wolf Conservation and Education: TahoeWolfCenter.org [https://www.tahoewolfcenter.org] Follow Oliver on Instagram @ostarr Help Oliver in His Battle With Cancer via https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-oliver-the-wolf-guy-in-cancer-battle [https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-oliver-the-wolf-guy-in-cancer-battle] Gear up your adventures with WURU Wool - the merino wool apparel for you! Official Sponsor of The Scenic Route Podcast. Explore WURU here: https://wuruwool.com [https://wuruwool.com]