30% Wild

Susan Dieterlen
  • 5.0 (4)
  • NATURE
  • WEEKLY SERIES

Season 1: Scary Animals in the Backyard- Bears in the suburbs? Mountain lions in Chicago? Wolves in…New York?? Where *can't* you run into big predators these days, as climate change and habitat destruction push wildlife to the brink? What's behind these stories and their grip on our imaginations? And what creatures could be lurking outside *your* door? As schemes multiply to re-forest and rewild vast acreage, it can be enough to keep newcomers to outdoor pursuits from setting foot outside - and make seasoned hikers, gardeners, and birders question how well they really know their favorite haunts. Join me, an author and designer who’s spent a lifetime wandering around the woods, as we confront the fear and fascination of encountering a scary animal outdoors, alone, in a place you thought was safe. For everyone intrigued by our wild neighbors and everyone peeking outside from behind the curtains, it's "30% Wild: Scary Animals in the Backyard." Listen and subscribe at thirtywildpod.com, and get every episode before it gets you

  1. EPISODE 1

    Introducing 30% Wild: Scary Animals in the Backyard

    Introducing “30% Wild,” the podcast that explores the adventure of life in a rewilding world. We start with “Scary Animals in the Backyard,” asking what’s behind reports of predators close to where you live. Stay safe, and know who’s watching you in the woods - or just outside your door. How this show is for you if climate doom is getting you down. What’s “rewilding,” and what does it have to do with your neighborhood?  What does rewilding have to do with climate change? How big predators and other scary animals live in our imaginations, as well as nearby wild places. What’s the most dangerous animal in *your* backyard?  What does it mean to face your fears, of scary animal encounters but also of life in a climate-changed world?  How is nature creeping in around the edges of life in your neighborhood, and in the tales you tell yourself about where you live?  “Night of the INSERT CREATURE HERE,” an original satirical story about a campfire gathering gone wrong and a mysterious uninvited guest with a terrifying growl.  How to get your own fill-in-the-blank printable mad lib of “Night of the INSERT CREATURE HERE” Full notes on today’s show, including articles on these topics, links to any resources mentioned, and the free printable fill-in-the-blank mad lib version of today’s story, “Night of the INSERT CREATURE HERE.” You can also share your thoughts on the show or just say hello! https://deftspacelab.com/climate-doom-rewilding-madlibstory/

    20 min

  2. EPISODE 2

    Big Bad Imaginary Wolves

    Track the Big Bad Wolf from fairy tales and metaphors to the real animal, and learn that everything you think you know about this elusive predator is probably wrong. Where do wolves show up, where do we know they live, and are they coming back to your neighborhood? How dangerous is the real animal? We also eavesdrop on an interview at the coffeehouse between a certain young professional dressed in red and her problematic furry companion. Dani Freund, a graduate student researcher at the Voyageurs Wolf Project in northern Minnesota, gives us a firsthand account of life and work in wolf country, and reveals why you shouldn’t watch too many scary movies before venturing into the woods alone. Listen to “Big Bad (Imaginary?) Wolves,” and subscribe to “30% Wild” at www.thirtywildpod.com Wolves in metaphor and storyHow to tell if wolves have moved into your neighborhood - or can you?How wolves improve the health of entire ecosystemsWolf country, pre-settlement, today, and tomorrowWhere’s the one place in the Lower 48 that wolves never left?Will wolves move back into the eastern US? Are they already here?Wolves and rewilding, here and in EuropeIncludes the original story, “Big Bad Coffee.”

    57 min

  3. EPISODE 3

    Raptors and Ravens

    What’s that huge shadow sweeping overhead? We explore the “death from above” that is raptors, and learn how ravens are on the move from legend and myth to your backyard courtesy of rewilding. We talk about the conservation victory of the return of eagles, ospreys, and their kin and what this shifted baseline tells us in the struggle against climate change. We also watch as the semi-supernatural thunderbirds of legend soar across the continent and beyond. Ryan MacLean, the Senior Education & Public Programs Coordinator for the Greenwich Audubon Center, tells us about the triumph of raptors and ravens over the pesticide DDT, and fills us in on current perils facing our birds, as well as what you can do right now at home to save your feathered friends. Listen to “Raptors and Ravens,” and subscribe to “30% Wild” at www.thirtywildpod.com The near-death experience of bald eagles due to the pesticide DDT, and their resurgence after the DDT banThe resurrection of ospreys, aka fish hawks, due to banning DDT.The spread of Common Ravens into the rewilding EastThe shifted baseline of growing up with or without the thunderbirdsThe success of 1970s’ conservation measures are inspiration for fighting climate change and habitat loss todayBiggest threats to birds today, including songbirdsHow climate change is threatening birdsWhat you can do personally to protect birdsIncludes the original story, “Shadows over America.”

    1h 9m

  4. EPISODE 4

    Snakeheads and Sharks, Part 1

    Face your fear of sharks and dare to go back in the water - as long as you’re watching for the scary invasive species lurking in your neighborhood lakes and rivers. We discuss where you’re most at risk from shark attacks and where else the bull shark might turn up. What do people see when they report sharks far from the ocean, and is it dangerous? We also follow a lost bull shark through urban flooding, combined sewers, and other inland terrors of the not-so-deep. Rochelle Sturtevant, PhD, the program manager for NOAA’s Great Lakes Aquatic Nonindigenous Species Information System (GLANSIS), tells us about the scariest invasive fishes in your backyard, why you can relax about sharks but not alligators - and why the scariest creatures are probably already inside your house. We also hear about the regular reports she gets about space aliens in local waterways. Listen to “Snakeheads and Sharks, Part 1” and “Snakeheads and Sharks, Part 2,” and subscribe to “30% Wild” at www.thirtywildpod.com Where you should be afraid of sharks, and where you shouldn’tShark hoaxes and mistaken sightingsThe sharky lake sturgeonThe most dangerous state for shark attacksInvasive species vs native species vs naturalized onesThree terrifying mystery invasives in your local lakeCan we eat our way out of invasive fish troubles? Invasive species vs zombies Other scary threats to your waterways: combined sewers and urban floodingHow to get your free copy of “Invisible Infrastructure” from the book Design by Deficit: Neglect and the Accidental CitySharks, alligators, and space aliens in the Great Lakes The secret sinister life of goldfish Includes the original sea shanty, “Lost Bull Shark, with special guest performances by Larry Womac (Part 1) and Ryan Gill (Part 2)

    27 min

  5. EPISODE 5

    Snakeheads and Sharks, Part 2

    Face your fear of sharks and dare to go back in the water - as long as you’re watching for the scary invasive species lurking in your neighborhood lakes and rivers. We discuss where you’re most at risk from shark attacks and where else the bull shark might turn up. What do people see when they report sharks far from the ocean, and is it dangerous? We also follow a lost bull shark through urban flooding, combined sewers, and other inland terrors of the not-so-deep. Rochelle Sturtevant, PhD, the program manager for NOAA’s Great Lakes Aquatic Nonindigenous Species Information System (GLANSIS), tells us about the scariest invasive fishes in your backyard, why you can relax about sharks but not alligators - and why the scariest creatures are probably already inside your house. We also hear about the regular reports she gets about space aliens in local waterways. Listen to “Snakeheads and Sharks, Part 1” and “Snakeheads and Sharks, Part 2,” and subscribe to “30% Wild” at www.thirtywildpod.com Where you should be afraid of sharks, and where you shouldn’tShark hoaxes and mistaken sightingsThe sharky lake sturgeonThe most dangerous state for shark attacksInvasive species vs native species vs naturalized onesThree terrifying mystery invasives in your local lakeCan we eat our way out of invasive fish troubles? Invasive species vs zombies Other scary threats to your waterways: combined sewers and urban floodingHow to get your free copy of “Invisible Infrastructure” from the book Design by Deficit: Neglect and the Accidental CitySharks, alligators, and space aliens in the Great Lakes The secret sinister life of goldfish Includes the original sea shanty, “Lost Bull Shark, with special guest performances by Larry Womac (Part 1) and Ryan Gill (Part 2)

    43 min

  6. EPISODE 6

    Mountain Lions in the East, Part 1

    Mountain lions, cougars, panthers, pumas - by any name, they’re the scariest animal out there, at least in our imaginations. On “30% Wild,” we look at the prospect of these big cats returning to the eastern part of the United States, where we know they live right now, and how they can show up virtually anywhere from time to time. How dangerous are these top predators? How do you stay safe during wildlife encounters? We also talk about black panther sightings, and learn why you shouldn’t choose the legendary Native American Underwater Panther as a kayaking buddy. Brian Roell, Wildlife Biologist and Large Carnivore Specialist with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, tells us about the real animal behind the stories, evaluates your chances of seeing a black panther in the wild, and shares a hair-raising bear encounter from the north woods of the Upper Peninsula. Listen to “Mountain Lions in the East, Part 1” and “Mountain Lions in the East, Part 2,” and subscribe to “30% Wild,” at www.thirtywildpod.com Are mountain lions dangerous to you?Will mountain lions return to the eastern US? Could they already be here? How to handle mountain lion encounters and stay safeWhere cougars live, past and present, and where they could turn up nextWhy black panther sightings are dismissed by expertsHouse cat or cougar? Cases of mistaken identityHow cougars are weathering climate changeCougars and deerIncludes the original story, “Copper Mine.”

    27 min

  7. EPISODE 7

    Mountain Lions in the East, Part 2

    Mountain lions, cougars, panthers, pumas - by any name, they’re the scariest animal out there, at least in our imaginations. On “30% Wild,” we look at the prospect of these big cats returning to the eastern part of the United States, where we know they live right now, and how they can show up virtually anywhere from time to time. How dangerous are these top predators? How do you stay safe during wildlife encounters? We also talk about black panther sightings, and learn why you shouldn’t choose the legendary Native American Underwater Panther as a kayaking buddy. Brian Roell, Wildlife Biologist and Large Carnivore Specialist with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, tells us about the real animal behind the stories, evaluates your chances of seeing a black panther in the wild, and shares a hair-raising bear encounter from the north woods of the Upper Peninsula. Listen to “Mountain Lions in the East, Part 1” and “Mountain Lions in the East, Part 2,” and subscribe to “30% Wild,” at www.thirtywildpod.com Are mountain lions dangerous to you?Will mountain lions return to the eastern US? Could they already be here? How to handle mountain lion encounters and stay safeWhere cougars live, past and present, and where they could turn up nextWhy black panther sightings are dismissed by expertsHouse cat or cougar? Cases of mistaken identityHow cougars are weathering climate changeCougars and deerIncludes the original story, “Copper Mine.”

    47 min

  8. EPISODE 8

    Back from the Dead, aka Rewilding

    What past life is in your yard, waiting to be resurrected? What do zombies have to do with ecology? In the spookiest way possible, we dig into rewilding your yard, neighborhood, or even whole regions. Get all the basics on bringing nature back to a space near you, including why you’d want to and how you’ll benefit. Plus pro tips about how to start with a tiny rewilded patch, right in your own backyard, porch, or patio, and remaking the world, one tiny action at a time. We also join a lonely coyote on a hair-raising night full of urban myths - and invasive species. Listen to “Back from the Dead, aka Rewilding,” and subscribe to “30% Wild” at www.thirtywildpod.com The basics on rewilding, in campfire story/urban myth styleAccidental rewilding through neglect, and the sometimes-creepy places it createsInvasives vs native speciesNature keeps us healthyWhat good is a tiny rewilded patch?Doing what you can with what you’ve gotChoosing a good rewilding siteMaking a small-site rewilding planPro tips about plants, tools, and materialsIncludes the original story, “Hitchhikers.”

    35 min
See All Season 1 (21)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Season 1: Scary Animals in the Backyard- Bears in the suburbs? Mountain lions in Chicago? Wolves in…New York?? Where *can't* you run into big predators these days, as climate change and habitat destruction push wildlife to the brink? What's behind these stories and their grip on our imaginations? And what creatures could be lurking outside *your* door? As schemes multiply to re-forest and rewild vast acreage, it can be enough to keep newcomers to outdoor pursuits from setting foot outside - and make seasoned hikers, gardeners, and birders question how well they really know their favorite haunts. Join me, an author and designer who’s spent a lifetime wandering around the woods, as we confront the fear and fascination of encountering a scary animal outdoors, alone, in a place you thought was safe. For everyone intrigued by our wild neighbors and everyone peeking outside from behind the curtains, it's "30% Wild: Scary Animals in the Backyard." Listen and subscribe at thirtywildpod.com, and get every episode before it gets you

Information

  • Creator
    Susan Dieterlen
  • Episodes
    21
  • Seasons
    1
  • Rating
    Clean