There was a time when the existence of the giant panda was nothing more than legend. A fairytale to those in the western world. Whispers of a black and white beast echoed around the early 1900s.

In this episode, my conversation mixes three of my favorite things - bears, mystery, and adventure as I hear an incredible story that Dr Nathalia Holt tells in her book The Beast in the Clouds: The Roosevelt Brothers’ Deadly Quest to Find the Mythical Giant Panda. But this story is about way more than just two brothers’ dangerous search for a mystery species in a strange part of the world. It’s also about the moment in history when humans began to understand their real impact on the natural world. A realization that led to the birth of the modern conservation movement. Oh, and there might be some Himalayan bandits and bone-chilling blizzards along the way!

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.

Humpback whales in the Salish Sea have a complicated history. They were hunted to near extinction a century ago, with whalers turning some of the largest creatures on Earth into buckets of oil, slabs of meat, tubs of cheap margarine and fertilizer. These coastal waters were emptied of these magnificent creatures who once called them home.

But now, in an amazing turn of events, Humpback whales have started to come back. And what they’ve found is a whole new world of dangers.

On today’s episode, I’m out at sea off the coast of Vancouver with scientists on a high speed chase for answers. Why are they coming back? And are they here to stay? Some groundbreaking research techniques might tell us.

• Check out our eDNA episode about the groundbreaking things scientists are using it for
• Whale Report app for reporting Humpback whales in the Salish Sea
• Listen to more whales around the Salish Sea

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.

Photo Credit: Ocean Wise. Photo Taken Under DFO Permit MML-18, BCZ0180 "Monarch"

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.

Happy holidays! Thanks for tuning into THE WILD. I’m so glad you’re here.

THE WILD team is hard at work on some more brand-new episodes that will come out in the new year. But for now, I want to revisit a very popular episode from last season that I think is perfect for this busy time of holiday travel.

It’s a conversation I had with author Ben Goldfarb about roads and their impact on pretty much everything in the natural world.

So, if you’re piling into the car to get to the airport, or taking a road trip to visit your friends and family, give a listen to this episode. I bet it’ll get you thinking differently about America’s roads.

We'll be back in your feed in a few weeks. Have a happy and safe holiday season!

GUEST:
Ben Goldfarb, is an award-winning environmental journalist and author of Crossings: How Road Ecology Is Shaping the Future of Our Planet

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.