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The Wild with Chris Morgan

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THE WILD with Chris Morgan is a celebration of the natural world and the people devoted to wild places and incredible species. Each episode explores our world’s complex web of ecosystems, taking listeners on an immersive, sound-rich journey across the Pacific Northwest and around the world. From climbing a giant redwood tree to howling for wolves to snorkeling over a coral reef, listeners will feel as though they are side-by-side with host and ecologist Chris Morgan, experiencing the wonder and resilience of nature.

THE WILD is a production of KUOW and Chris Morgan Wildlife, with support from Wildlife Media. It is produced by Matt Martin and Lucy Soucek. It is 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 @thewildpod and @chrismorganwildlife on Instagram.

Make a donation to support this podcast. THE WILD would not be possible without listener contributions. Your gift helps us continue to create this special immersive storytelling.

Episodes

  • caption: Orangutans spend the first 16 years of their lives learning from their mothers.

    Orangutans: people of the forest

    Northern Sumatra is a magical tropical home to the endangered orangutan. But their rainforest home is being cut down, and many are orphaned as their habitat is lost. Researchers are working hard to understand how orangutans process and learn, while others rehabilitate young individuals for a life back in the wild.

  • caption: Cicadas from Brood X in 2004 in Winchester, VA.

    Billions of bugs: life of a cicada underground

    The shrill calls of billions of Brood X cicadas emerging from the earth have captured the nation’s ears and attention this spring. But what do these noisy insects DO for the 17 years they live underground? In this episode we dig deep into that question.

  • A message from Chris

    I hope you're enjoying spring wherever you are. I just wanted to let you know that we're taking a short break to work on some new episodes. We just got back from an incredible trip in California for two stories. One is about California condors, North America's biggest bird that almost became extinct and island foxes on the Channel Islands. We'll be back in June, which means that now is the perfect time to listen to past episodes if you missed them. Keep well everybody and stay in touch.

  • caption: Jason Toft prepares to enter the water off downtown Seattle to survey juvenile salmon.

    Salmon and the city

    How a destructive earthquake opened up a surprising opportunity to do something good for one of the pacific northwest’s most important creatures, juvenile salmon.

  • caption: A raven’s brain is literally the size of a walnut. But the ratio between the size of a raven’s brain and it’s body is one of the largest of any bird in the world.

    The brain of the raven

    Being a “bird brain” is a complement if you’re talking about ravens. Their intelligence and ability to empathize and read emotions helps them survive but it’s their ability to manipulate others, and even plan for the future that allows them to really thrive in the wild.

  • Fly

    Why it’s so hard to swat a fly

    It’s springtime which means sunshine, picnics and flies. But you might think twice about reaching for that fly swatter. Flies are amazing creatures that possess the fastest visual systems in the world, use gyroscopes for precision flying, and can see almost 360 degrees.

  • caption: A lone mountain caribou walking through the snow in the mountains of British Columbia.

    Saving the mountain caribou

    This is a tough story to tell. In 2019 the last of the mountain caribou in the lower 48 states disappeared. Extinct. Deforestation threatens those that are left. Professional Wildlife tracker and photographer David Moskowitz takes us to the frigid mountains of British Columbia to learn about the ancient but fragile ecosystem these majestic reindeer call home.

  • caption: Chris Morgan with a sign warning about jaguars in the jungles of Belize.

    The Path of the Jaguar

    Over 60% of Belize is in a natural, wild state, but development is threatening the movements of the jaguars. In this episode, I'll meet the people who are trying to help protect these jungle cats.
  • caption: Two Scarlet Macaws fly together.

    The Flight of the Scarlet Macaw

    There are only 350 scarlet macaws left in the wild in Belize. They face the threats of poaching and habitat lose. But let us introduce you to the passionate people determined to save these colorful birds.