The Wild with Chris Morgan

KUOW News and Information

4.8 (3.5K)
Nature
Updated Weekly

The Wild with Chris Morgan is a celebration of the natural world and the people devoted to wild places and incredible species. In each episode, host and ecologist Chris Morgan brings you face to face with some of the most extraordinary creatures and explores how they are finding unique and inspiring ways to adapt and thrive.

5d ago

There's a bear in my swimming pool!

Bears in swimming pools… in Los Angeles? Of course I had to find out more. I've been studying bears and working with them in the wild for over 30 years, and I thought I'd seen it all. Polar bears in Canada, grizzlies in Alaska, Andean bears in South America. But I never thought I’d be racing to see a family of black bears lounging in a pool in a swanky LA neighborhood. A lot of my work is about keeping bears and people away from each other. Avoiding bear-human conflict. Bears belong in the wild, doing wild things surrounded by roots, berries, and forests… not hanging out with inflatable unicorns in swimming pools. But these LA bears are doing just that. And as you’ll hear, opinions about it run the gamut. On today’s episode, I travel to LA to get to know these famous pool-loving bears, and see if it is possible for bears and humans to live side by side. What happens when bears make our home their home? 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.
Sep 22

THE WILD is back!

Welcome back to THE WILD! All around the world, humans are getting up close and personal with wildlife. In Los Angeles, black bears are playing with floaties in swanky backyard swimming pools. Mountain lions are dodging cars trying to get across 10-lane highways. In subarctic Norway, generations of Eider keepers are bonding with vulnerable ducks. But when is getting too close to wildlife too far? Join host Chris Morgan for Season 8 of THE WILD, where he'll travel the world to meet the people defending space for wildlife, from deep in the wilderness to their own backyards. How can wildlife, wild places, and humans share our beautiful planet? New episodes of THE WILD come out starting on October 6, 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. 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! Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/ChrisMorganWildlife See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jun 23

Remembering David Johnson and the burrowing owls he loved

We lost a good friend a few days ago. A friend of the owls, and a man who made a real difference for them. I was very lucky to spend time with David Johnson for an episode we did about his delightful burrowing owls a few years ago - an experience that’ll always stay with me. David was a kind and inspiring man. He looked like an owl - inquisitive, wide-eyed, and full of magic, and possibilities. David Johnson passed away on June 15th from cancer. So in his honor, we’d like to share the episode we did that featured his work with burrowing owls. David’s owl work continues through the Global Owl Project and the people all over the planet that he brought into the world of these magical creatures that he loved with all his heart. Including the hundreds of young people he inspired to DO something for owls - so many of them are professional experts in the field now. Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/ChrisMorganWildlife See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Apr 22

Earth Day 2026 - You look beautiful

You look amazing, you look beautiful. Those are the words of Victor Glover, pilot of NASA’s Artemis 2 mission. He spoke those words less than a month ago on his trip to the moon. His way of describing our planet as he peered out the window of his space capsule and took in the view. I couldn't think of a better message than that as we reshare our special episode to celebrate our planet. So I hope you enjoy and happy Earth Day! 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! Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/ChrisMorganWildlife See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mar 3

Bird watching and listening with Libby Mills

When I was eight, growing up in England, I was already really into birds. I was in the Young Ornithologists Club for goodness sake! I didn't have one friend who was into birds. But these days, things are different. Here in the USA, almost 100 million people birdwatch. And that number's growing. There's a lot going on between the birds, as they flit around chirping and singing To us, it might just sound like beautiful little tunes. But to birds, and even other species in the forest, there’s a whole hidden world of conversation out there— love songs, alarm calls, turf wars, parenting struggles — entire dramas unfolding above our heads. So what are they saying? And why are they saying it? Naturalist Libby Mills has spent almost her entire life learning how to make sense of what the birds are saying. Today, I take a walk with Libby in her backyard where she helps us slow down, listen deeply, and try to better understand what’s going on in a bird’s world. GUEST:Libby Mills, naturalist at the North Cascades Institute Check out our Great British Birding Show episode to meet a wildly enthusiastic birder on the other side of the pond. Bird book Libby recommends: The Sibley Guide to Birds - Second Edition Birding app: Merlin Bird ID This is our last official episode of the season. It’s been so much fun - thank you for coming along with us to some truly wild places. We will be back in the fall with more episodes. But in the meantime, we want to hear from you! What kinds of stories do you want to hear? What should we do differently? Please consider taking THE WILD survey. It will only take a few moments of your time. Thanks! 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! Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/ChrisMorganWildlife See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Feb 24

Grey seals of Scotland: my lost tapes from 1994

Today, a fun trip down memory lane! Lots of things have shaped my life and work as an ecologist, and this experience when I was 25 was one of them. As I wrapped up my master's degree at the University of Durham in England, I was hired onto a grey seal project on some tiny, uninhabited islands off the coast of Scotland. While I was there, I recorded the seals and the six weeks of fieldwork on my Walkman cassette recorder. I had no idea I’d be digging into those archives 32 years later! Hear the tape, learn about the seals, and listen to our conversation when I track down Dr Sean Twiss who hired me all those years ago. This was a fun one! GUEST:Dr. Sean Twiss, associate professor of animal behavior and behavior ecology at Durham University in England We want to hear from you! What kinds of stories do you want to hear? What should we do differently? Please consider taking THE WILD survey. It will only take a few moments of your time. Thanks! 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. Follow us on Instagram @chrismorganwildlife and @thewildpod for more adventures and behind the scenes action! 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. Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/ChrisMorganWildlife See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Feb 17

Rhino Man

Anton Mzimba was the head ranger at the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve in South Africa. Anton and hundreds of wildlife rangers like him risk their lives every day to protect endangered species, mainly the rhino, from poachers and organized crime. Anton is the focus of a documentary film called Rhino Man. It tells the extraordinary story of the rhinos, and the brave rangers that are out to protect them. In this episode, filmmaker John Jurko ll tells us about his relationship with Anton, the threats to rhinos and how he finds hope in the face of so much evil. You can support this work by contributing to a fund for Anton Mzimba’s family and the Future Rangers fund Audio in this episode and photo courtesy of Rhino Man, © Global Conservation Corps. Music courtesy of composer Simon Wilson. We want to hear from you! What kinds of stories do you want to hear? What should we do differently? Please consider taking THE WILD survey. It will only take a few moments of your time. Thanks! 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! Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/ChrisMorganWildlife See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Feb 10

Back to the future: Genetically modified wildlife

De-extinction! You probably saw the headlines - big, splashy statements about bringing the dire wolf - the ancient wolf species - back from the dead. But are they really back? Dr. Helen Pilcher says no. She’s an author, science communicator and an expert on genetically modified wildlife. And she joins me to make sense of this controversial idea of “editing” the genes of animals. It’s a heated conversation in the scientific community. Because it's not just about bringing back animals from the dead, it's about changing the genetic makeup of animals that still exist. Today, we’ll dive into the pros and cons of modifying wildlife and the ethics behind changing the very DNA of a wild animal. 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 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! Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/ChrisMorganWildlife See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Trailer

Welcome back to THE WILD for Season 6

This season's going to be a little different...we're headed to our national parks. We've got eight special episodes recorded on location in America’s national parks: stories about their biodiversity, their complex histories, and how they are protecting nature. We'll explore all sorts of different ecosystems, from the tallest trees on the planet to the hottest place on earth. Plus we've got more surprises for you including fun conversations where I try to keep up with the sharpest minds in wildlife conservation, and fresh releases of some of your favorite WILD episodes from our archives. New episodes of THE WILD come out starting on May 28th. You can help us continue to create this special immersive storytelling by joining THE WILD Patreon community at www.patreon.com/chrismorganwildlife or donating 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 (@thewildpod) and (@chrismorganwildlife) for more adventures and behind the scenes action! Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/ChrisMorganWildlife See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Morgan

Host

4.8

out of 5

3,489 Ratings

I love you

Sep 25

ShelliBelli20

Beautiful soundscapes, warm voice, hopeful message.
Season 8

Sep 19

#1wildling

I just heard the trailer and I can’t wait for season eight to come out!
Buffalo Boys

Aug 15

geoman127

Extraordinary powerful sad and inspirational in depth story today regarding the Kalispell Native American life and the remarkable Buffalo boys history and on going determination on KUOW today Thank you!
Favorite Podcast

Jul 31

Carey_Bear

Look forward to each episode!

The Wild with Chris Morgan is a celebration of the natural world and the people devoted to wild places and incredible species. In each episode, host and ecologist Chris Morgan brings you face to face with some of the most extraordinary creatures and explores how they are finding unique and inspiring ways to adapt and thrive.