Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary

We are honored to sit with such an incredible panel today to discuss our night skies. Listen as Jo Ann Eder, Theresa Whistler and Jeremy Battles describe the creation of a group called Red Lodge Dark Skies (RLDS), the goals and achievements of the group, what it takes to become a certified dark sky area, the importance of reducing light pollution for animals and humans, and what you can do to get involved and help out. Remember to look up!
 
Resources:
International Dark Skies website: DarkSky.org
Red Lodge Dark Skies Facebook page: facebook.com/RedLodgeDarkSkies
Calendar of Events for Whistler Observatory: HerosSteam.org
Citizen Science opportunities: darksky.org/news/globe-at-night-2023/
Dark Skies lighting available at Lowes: lowes.com/pl/Dark-sky--Outdoor
International Dark Sky Week (April 2-8, 2024): darksky.org/what-we-do/events
Email to get on the mailing list for RLDS: HerosSteamCenter@gmail.com 
 

In this episode, we bring on Mat Seidensticker, director and founder of the Northern Rockies Research and Education Services, the non-profit that we learned about in our last episode.  In this episode, however, we brought on the Director to gain a bigger picture of how a science-based non-profit works, what other projects they have going on, their partnership with MPG ranch, what DNA barcoding is, and so much more.  Mat also shares with us a crazy story from the field as well as some ways that you can help the project, and our climate! 
 
Resources:
MontanaMothProject.org - this is where you can contact Mat and Marian
“Wilted Wings” A Hunter’s Fight for Eagles” by Mike McTee
MPGRanch.com
 
Ways you can help:
Contact the Montana Moth Project (through their website, to tell them you would like to get involved!)
Plant wildflowers and let your yard go wild!
Post pictures of moths you take (and other insectivores!) on iNaturalist 
Join a mothing night! Learn how to do it, and then you could set up your own and contribute to the data collection. (Mothing nights happen often in the summers at Montana Audubon Center and ZooMontana)
Sign up for the Montana Moth Project Newsletter so you will receive news when new community science opportunities come up!

In this month’s episode, we have a fun conversation with Marian Kirst. If you have never taken a second to think about moths, please stop and listen to this episode. Have your mind blown! She works for the Montana Moth Project, a flagship program of the Northern Rockies Research and Educational Services, and is here with her inspiring passion to open your minds to how cool these little creatures are, their importance as pollinators, and how they may be affected by climate change.
 
Simple ways you can help moths:
Reduce your light pollution (only have lights on when needed, shield your lights so they are pointed down, change your light bulbs)
Post photos of moths you see on iNaturalist
Come out for citizen science projects, like mothing nights run by Montana Moth Project at the Audubon Center in Billings (contact Marian for more details)
Resources from the podcast:
MontanaMothProject.org
Colorado State University and their C.P. Gillette Museum of Arthropod Diversity (Where MMP collection is stored) 
Chuck Heart, Macro moth specialist
Peterson Field Guide 
“Moths of Western North America” by Jerry A. Powell and Paul A. Opler
Moth Photographers Group Website (Maps where moths are tracked, and pictures to help with identification) 
Pacific Northwest Moths Website 
Friends of the East Brunswick Environmental Commission (Run Moth Week each year)
Moths and Moth Watching Facebook Group
Research article on clothes moths

For this episode, we brought in Ellis Juhlin from Yellowstone Public Radio to talk about her experiences researching the lesser-known ferruginous hawk, and what she has noticed about the effects of a changing climate on this species and their habitat.
 
Photo Credit: Ellis Juhlin and High Country News 
 
Resources:
Hawk Watch International
Boise State Raptor Research Center
Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey
UM Bird Ecology Lab
Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary Ferruginous Hawk Species Page
 
With thanks to Todd Katzner and Natasha Hadden

This week is National ZooKeeper Week, so we have brought on Animal Educator, Jess Smallwood, and Keepers, Izzy Sommerdorf and Mason Williams from the Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary in Montana. Listen as we discuss and compare the variety of jobs you can have working with animals, and dive into the lesser-known challenges and unique benefits of the field. 

Our guest this episode is Ben Daley, Program Director from the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness Foundation. Gary and Eden discuss stewardship of our wild lands and how the A-B Wilderness fits into Custer National Forest and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem podcast is a production of the Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary.