It’s time for me to face my fears! Oysters are iconic here in the Pacific Northwest. The glistening, oval shells and salty aroma are like having a tasty piece of the ocean on your plate. (Well…tasty for some). For a lot of people, including me, you try them once and hope you never have to again.

They’re also critical to the ecosystem. A single oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water a day. Their shells stick together as they proliferate, creating “reefs” that make habitat for over 300 other species from crabs, and herring, to sea anemones and young salmon.

But our native Olympia oysters have taken a real hammering. A combination of pollution, habitat degradation, and… the Gold Rush…. brought them to the brink. That’s when a strong group of oyster enthusiasts stepped in to help.

On today’s episode, we’ll meet the folks going to some extraordinary lengths to save this local population…and I sit down at a downtown Seattle oyster bar to taste this slimy delicacy and learn why eating them can also help support their future.

Enjoy BONUS CONTENT and help us continue to create this special immersive storytelling by joining THE WILD Patreon community at www.patreon.com/chrismorganwildlife and you can donate to KUOW at kuow.org/donate/thewild. Thank you.

THE WILD is a production of KUOW in Seattle in partnership with Chris Morgan Wildlife and Wildlife Media. It is produced by Matt Martin and Lucy Soucek, and edited by Jim Gates. It is hosted, produced and written by Chris Morgan. Fact checking by Apryle Craig. Our theme music is by Michael Parker.

Follow us on Instagram @chrismorganwildlife and @thewildpod for more adventures and behind the scenes action! We’re also on Tiktok! Check us out @chris.morgan.wildlife.

Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/ChrisMorganWildlife

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do you save sage grouse inside Grand Teton National Park? With robot birds… of course.

A group of sage grouse have started using the runway at the Jackson Hole Airport for their mating dance. Not an ideal place for birds or humans.

On today’s episode, THE WILD producer Matt Martin sits down in front of the mic to tell me the story of how park rangers plan to relocate this unique bird species away from danger. It’s a fascinating story that involves jet airplanes, a couple teenage engineering geniuses, and some very convincing robot decoys.

Enjoy BONUS CONTENT and help us continue to create this special immersive storytelling by joining THE WILD Patreon community at www.patreon.com/chrismorganwildlife and you can donate to KUOW at kuow.org/donate/thewild. Thank you.

THE WILD is a production of KUOW in Seattle in partnership with Chris Morgan Wildlife and Wildlife Media. It is produced by Matt Martin and Lucy Soucek, and edited by Jim Gates. It is hosted, produced and written by Chris Morgan. Fact checking by Apryle Craig. Our theme music is by Michael Parker.

Follow us on Instagram @chrismorganwildlife and @thewildpod for more adventures and behind the scenes action! We’re also on Tiktok! Check us out @chris.morgan.wildlife.

Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/ChrisMorganWildlife

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Almost everybody has seen the Grand Canyon, whether it’s on a road trip to northern Arizona or on a postcard. It’s one of the seven natural wonders of the world.

It’s one thing to see the canyon from a distance, even if that is standing on one of its storied rims. But it’s a whole other experience when you step down into it... to hike deep inside and walk along its ancient ridges. Best-selling author Kevin Fedarko did just that. In fact, he walked the entire 750-mile length of it.

Over the course of his ambitious trek, Kevin faced serious heat exhaustion, dehydration, and had multiple near-death experiences, including almost running out of food during a snowstorm. But he lived to tell the tale.

On today's episode, I sit down with Kevin Fedarko in the woods of Bellingham, WA to hear the remarkable story of his relationship with the Grand Canyon, his journey to uncover the human-made threats it faces, and what he learned along the way - through pain, misery, humiliation and laughter.

GUEST:
Kevin Fedarko, NYT best-selling author of A Walk in the Park: The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon

We’ve been nominated for a Signal award! A real honor. This award would mean the world to us and help us reach even more listeners. If you’d like to vote for us, click here. Voting closes October 15, 2026.

Enjoy BONUS CONTENT and help us continue to create this special immersive storytelling by joining THE WILD Patreon community at www.patreon.com/chrismorganwildlife and you can donate to KUOW at kuow.org/donate/thewild. Thank you.

THE WILD is a production of KUOW in Seattle in partnership with Chris Morgan Wildlife and Wildlife Media. It is produced by Matt Martin and Lucy Soucek, and edited by Jim Gates. Writing for this episode by Christopher Preston. It is hosted, produced and written by Chris Morgan. Fact checking by Apryle Craig. Our theme music is by Michael Parker.

Follow us on Instagram @chrismorganwildlife and @thewildpod for more adventures and behind the scenes action! We’re also on TikTok! Check us out @chris.morgan.wildlife.

Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/ChrisMorganWildlife

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.