30% Wild

What’s the scariest thing in the woods? Howls and cries echoing through the night. Half-seen shadows flitting through the trees. 30% Wild delves into these encounters – and the science behind them. Learn how to stay safe out there, feel at home in the outdoors, and hear stories that revolutionize how you see your surroundings. Feed your thirst for the wild world outside your door, and join the community of others building a life closer to nature. The wild is closer than you think, and getting there is easier than you might imagine. Season One confronts the outdoors’ fear that haunts us the most: dangerous animals. Mountain lions in the East, wolves anywhere, bears everywhere. We’ll track these stories in the scariest place of all: close to home, maybe even in your backyard. What’s lurking out there, where will wildlife show up next, and what do we do when we see that mountain lion? If you want to know more about what’s outside your door, if you’re new to outdoor pursuits, or if you love outdoors stories with a bite, come along as we uncover what’s going on behind the world we see outside.

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/

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.comWolves 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.”

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.comThe 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.”

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.comWhere 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)

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.comWhere 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)

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.”

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.”

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.comThe 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.”

What makes a place creepy, and most especially, what makes the woods spooky? Is it just the animals that are scary, or is there something else waiting off the trail? From abandoned cabins to strange echoes, we run away with our imaginations and delve into the research on what we like and don’t like about potentially threatening places in the outdoors. Plus how to have the best haunted house or front yard this Halloween.We also get just freaked out enough on the trail of a long-ago crime, deep in the Connecticut woods.With stories from this season’s wildlife experts about what to worry about when you’re alone in the woods, and what they’ve seen and heard out there. Listen to “Fear in the Woods,” and subscribe to “30% Wild” at www.thirtywildpod.comThe deep dark woods as iconic creepy placeHalloween decorations and cliched spooky places – why are *these* the places we fear? Mysterious crashes in the woods at nightMistaking bears for BigfootAnecdotes ain’t scienceWorking in the woods alone after watching scary moviesTrusting your gut vs dismissing your anxietiesHow to handle your fears in the woodsTaking care of scary places by avoiding them Snakes and cheeseburgersHow to stay safe from scary animals in the woodsHow to keep your dog safe in the woodsIncludes the original *true* story, “Coincidence?”

If any animal in the eastern US has a myth, it's the fisher, also sometimes called the fisher cat. What's true about this giant weasel and what's just a story around the campfire? If you've never heard of fishers, should you be afraid of them? As they retake new territory, when are they coming to your backyard, or could they live there already? Most importantly, are they really cats? If fishers aren't making that terrifying screech outside your window at night, what is - and hear the noise for yourself!Listen in on eyewitness accounts of a legendary creature stalking the streets and backyards of America, described as a "killer that knows little fear."Dr. Laken Ganoe, a postdoctoral wildlife ecologist with the Quest Lab at the University of Rhode Island, reveals the real animal behind the legend and shares her thoughts about why fishers inspire such fear and loathing.Listen to “Legend of the Fisher (Cat),” and subscribe to “30% Wild” at www.thirtywildpod.com Essential fisher facts for those who've never heard of themAre wolverines as scary as people say?What "everybody knows" about fishers - but isn't trueHow to eat a porcupineHow to tell if a fisher lives in your neighborhood (Hint: you won't see or hear it)What a mysterious chuckle in the woods meansCommunity science, aka citizen science, and learning from roadkillWhy hunters need to stay alert in fisher countryIncludes the original story, “Tonight on Creature Adventure!”

Fluffy cow or climate hero? Which is scarier - how much our past and future depends on the bison’s unbelievable impact, or how close we came to losing that impact forever? Or maybe the scariest thing is a 2000 lb buffalo thundering toward you with ill intent? While you ponder, come with us on a visit to a barnyard where the full moon remembers the prairie’s past a little *too* well.Trevor Edmonson, Stewardship Lead with The Nature Conservancy in northern Indiana, gives us an inside look at bison and their impact on the restored prairie complex of the Kankakee Sands preserve, and talks vanished lakes, “land snorkeling,” and how the prairie built the Midwest. Listen to “Eat Burgers, Save the World: Bison,” and subscribe to “30% Wild” at www.thirtywildpod.comHow we nearly lost bison forever, and how they came backNative American plains tribes and the bison, in good times and bad, and todayMammoths and the ancient origins of your daily highway commuteThe Plains today are all about the bison of the pastThe eco-miracle that bison bring to grasslandsWhat prairies do for youReading bison body language20,000 acres of wild Indiana, cattle barons, and The Grand Kankakee MarshHow you can help preserve and restore prairie, at home, in your community, and on the roadHow eating bison meat affects conservation of the species - and your healthWhy are bison the most dangerous animals at the national parks?The value of not being the top of the food chain outdoorsIs that Mountain lion inside your head or on the trail cam?Alligators as the scariest animal, the wetland nightmareAre you a land snorkeler?The rewards of being a very slow hiker in the quiet landscapes of the MidwestIncludes the original story, “Midsummer Prairie Moon.”

Fluffy cow or climate hero? Which is scarier - how much our past and future depends on the bison’s unbelievable impact, or how close we came to losing that impact forever? Or maybe the scariest thing is a 2000 lb buffalo thundering toward you with ill intent? While you ponder, come with us on a visit to a barnyard where the full moon remembers the prairie’s past a little *too* well.Trevor Edmonson, Stewardship Lead with The Nature Conservancy in northern Indiana, gives us an inside look at bison and their impact on the restored prairie complex of the Kankakee Sands preserve, and talks vanished lakes, “land snorkeling,” and how the prairie built the Midwest. Listen to “Eat Burgers, Save the World: Bison,” and subscribe to “30% Wild” at www.thirtywildpod.comHow we nearly lost bison forever, and how they came backNative American plains tribes and the bison, in good times and bad, and todayMammoths and the ancient origins of your daily highway commuteThe Plains today are all about the bison of the pastThe eco-miracle that bison bring to grasslandsWhat prairies do for youReading bison body language20,000 acres of wild Indiana, cattle barons, and The Grand Kankakee MarshHow you can help preserve and restore prairie, at home, in your community, and on the roadHow eating bison meat affects conservation of the species - and your healthWhy are bison the most dangerous animals at the national parks?The value of not being the top of the food chain outdoorsIs that Mountain lion inside your head or on the trail cam?Alligators as the scariest animal, the wetland nightmareAre you a land snorkeler?The rewards of being a very slow hiker in the quiet landscapes of the MidwestIncludes the original story, “Midsummer Prairie Moon.”

When is a pig not a pig? When it’s the worst invasive species anywhere. Whether wild boar, razorback, or wild pig, feral swine top the list of ecological worries across most of the US, and much of the world. What makes feral pigs so scary and so very hard to control, and are they coming to a backyard near you? We also look through the eyes of a very special escapee from a very particular ship, centuries ago. Peggy Anesi, Educator on Natural Resources, Environment, and Energy with University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Extension, joins us and reveals the shocking way feral swine get to Illinois and why she never eats wild pork, plus a tale of mysterious pawprints in the snow. Listen to “Apocalypse Pork: Feral Pigs,” and subscribe to “30% Wild” at www.thirtywildpod.comHow feral pigs arrived and spread Are feral swine in your backyard? Rototillers and the rise of the machinesThe search for the perfect book cover pigThe pros and cons of eating invasive speciesWhy pig diseases matter to youAlways carry a pocketknife in cougar countryKids in the woodsFree range pigs vs feral pigsDangers of feral pigs and how to stay safeConquistadors and pigs Bears vs mountain lions vs wolvesIncludes the original story, “First Step”

Is that dark shape outside your window a bear or just your imagination? As black bears move into new places and get closer to humans, the answer may surprise you. Are backyard bears dangerous, and when will they arrive in your town?We also spy on a woodland meeting between five very different bears, all headed for YOUR house.Dr. Tracy Rittenhouse, Associate Professor with the Department of Natural Resources & the Environment at the University of Connecticut, joins us to discuss wildlife in the exurbs, who’s thriving in our backyards and who’s not, while revealing the tiny menace that scares even people who work with bears.Listen to “Bear-anoia,” and subscribe to “30% Wild” at www.thirtywildpod.comThe most dangerous bears in North America, and how close they are to you.Why bears are moving into new areasBears near people, in our yards, shopping centers, and even inside houses!Our common frenemy, NatureStorybook bears vs real life bearsHow common are bear attacks, and how to stay safeWill warmer winters stop bears from hibernating?A scary snake encounterHow to stay safe from ticks in the woods, and why you want toIncludes the original story, “The Five Bears.”

Is that dark shape outside your window a bear or just your imagination? As black bears move into new places and get closer to humans, the answer may surprise you. Are backyard bears dangerous, and when will they arrive in your town? We also spy on a woodland meeting between five very different bears, all headed for YOUR house.Dr. Tracy Rittenhouse, Associate Professor with the Department of Natural Resources & the Environment at the University of Connecticut, joins us to discuss wildlife in the exurbs, who’s thriving in our backyards and who’s not, while revealing the tiny menace that scares even people who work with bears.Listen to “Bear-anoia,” and subscribe to “30% Wild” at www.thirtywildpod.comThe most dangerous bears in North America, and how close they are to you.Why bears are moving into new areasBears near people, in our yards, shopping centers, and even inside houses!Our common frenemy, NatureStorybook bears vs real life bearsHow common are bear attacks, and how to stay safeWill warmer winters stop bears from hibernating? A scary snake encounterHow to stay safe from ticks in the woods, and why you want to Includes the original story, “The Five Bears.”

Wily hero, despised villain, or something in between? Love coyotes or hate them, don’t bet against them being in your backyard, under your porch, or even trotting down your city’s streets. What makes these wild canines icons of resilience?We also watch a race on those city streets, myth vs myth, to see who spreads fastest or maybe who cheats best.Peggy Anesi, Educator on Natural Resources, Environment, and Energy with University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Extension, makes a special return guest appearance to make the case for coyotes, talk about her decades-long love for them, and share a few really disturbing facts about owls.Listen to “Never Bet Against Coyotes,” and subscribe to “30% Wild” at www.thirtywildpod.comWhat coyotes do for usHow humans “make” wildlifeAre coyotes dangerous, to us or our pets?Coyote packs, or notCoyote howls, sings, and calls“Babysitter” coyotesCoyotes vs foxes vs wolves vs dogsWrestling with Smiley the friendly coyoteWhat to do when you see a coyote, and why they follow peopleWhy cities have more, not fewer, coyotes, and why we’re seeing them moreKnow your enemy - learn all you can about wildlife you hate or fearChicago coyotes and the Urban Coyote Project Wildlife values, and how you get yoursIncludes the original story, “Home Field Advantage”

Wily hero, despised villain, or something in between? Love coyotes or hate them, don’t bet against them being in your backyard, under your porch, or even trotting down your city’s streets. What makes these wild canines icons of resilience?We also watch a race on those city streets, myth vs myth, to see who spreads fastest or maybe who cheats best.Peggy Anesi, Educator on Natural Resources, Environment, and Energy with University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Extension, makes a special return guest appearance to make the case for coyotes, talk about her decades-long love for them, and share a few really disturbing facts about owls.Listen to “Never Bet Against Coyotes,” and subscribe to “30% Wild” at www.thirtywildpod.comWhat coyotes do for usHow humans “make” wildlifeAre coyotes dangerous, to us or our pets?Coyote packs, or notCoyote howls, sings, and calls“Babysitter” coyotesCoyotes vs foxes vs wolves vs dogsWrestling with Smiley the friendly coyoteWhat to do when you see a coyote, and why they follow peopleWhy cities have more, not fewer, coyotes, and why we’re seeing them moreKnow your enemy - learn all you can about wildlife you hate or fearChicago coyotes and the Urban Coyote Project Wildlife values, and how you get yoursIncludes the original story, “Home Field Advantage”

What is it we see, when what we see is “impossible”? Have you ever had something unsettling happen in the woods that you couldn’t explain? Whether animals way out of place, cryptids, or mysterious noises and lights, we wander through the possibilities of what’s going on when you can’t believe what you see. We also take a nighttime stroll through a legendary woods where everything depends on the eye of the beholder. With snippets from here and there, including the guests on our previous episodes, about being “unsettled” by the impossible, out there. Listen to “Impossible Scary Animals: Seeing What’s Not There,” and subscribe to “30% Wild” at www.thirtywildpod.comFalse wildlife reports, and what’s behind themPerception vs realityImagination and seeing what you want to seeThe need for aweHoaxes through the agesWhat your brain wants you to seeA real true ghost storyCryptid or creature? What unsettles experts out in the woodsIncludes the original story, “Beasties”

You love wildlife and you want to do something to help it, but what can you do? If the problems facing wildlife look insurmountable, this episode is for you! Plus make a peaceful backyard refuge from everything else scary for yourself, a tiny vacation you can take daily. Learn how to make a difference, one backyard at a time, and (re)build for wildlife in the places where we live. Take a trip into the past of your own neighborhood, and see the hidden world of your town, viewed as a fox or a bear. A special how-to episode translating the insights of “Scary Animals in the Backyard” into pro tips and practical steps for your own local space. From real live landscape architect - creator and host Susan Dieterlen. Listen to “How to (Re)Build Your World for Wildlife,” and subscribe to “30% Wild” at www.thirtywildpod.comFive ways to provide for wildlife in our spaceFour changes to make right nowHow saving wildlife saves usChanging what you can, and why it’s worth itAvoiding conflict with your local wildlife…and your neighborsRevisiting The Doom, and how to make a refuge from itPeace on demand is a potent tool for resilience to pretty much anythingHelp your neighbors love your backyard habitat – and want one of their ownFighting The Doom with small changes