Researching articles, films, and her 38 books for adults and children, nationally bestselling author Sy Montgomery has been chased by an angry silverback gorilla in Rwanda, hunted by a tiger in India, and swum with piranhas, electric eels and pink dolphins in the Amazon. Her work has taken her from the cloud forest of Papua New Guinea (for a book on tree kangaroos) to the Altai Mountains of the Gobi (for another on snow leopards.) For THE SOUL OF AN OCTOPUS (a National Book Award finalist) she befriended octopuses at the New England aquarium and scuba dived and snorkeled with wild octopuses in Mexico and French Polynesia; next she drew on her scuba skills to cage dive with great white sharksand swim freely with giant oceanic manta rays .

For her most recent national bestseller for adults, Of Time and Turtles, she befriended a 42-pound wild snapping turtle named Fire Chief, who shows his extraordinary trust by allowing her to feed him by hand.

She lives in New Hampshire with her husband, the writer Howard Mansfield, and their border collie Thurber.

Summary

In this engaging conversation, Sy Montgomery shares her profound love for animals and nature, recounting her experiences with various creatures, including turtles, octopuses, and hummingbirds. She discusses her journey as a writer, the importance of connecting children to the natural world, and the lessons she has learned from her animal companions. Montgomery emphasizes the significance of animal consciousness and the magic of the natural world, inspiring listeners to appreciate and protect the environment. Her reflections on life, death, and gratitude resonate deeply, making this conversation a heartfelt exploration of the bond between humans and animals.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Sy Montgomery

03:21 The Journey of Fire Chief the Turtle

06:20 Friendship and Collaboration with Matt

09:19 Early Connections with Animals

11:28 The Impact of Pets on Life

14:11 Pursuing a Passion for Nature

17:13 The Octopus Experience

20:14 The Importance of Connection to Nature

33:03 The Delicate World of Hummingbirds

39:25 The Connection Between Humans and Hummingbirds

46:34 The Journey of Christopher Hogwood, the Pig

51:21 Lessons from Animals: How to Be a Good Creature

01:00:14 The Mystical Nature of Dolphins

01:11:52 Gratitude and Connection to the Natural World

01:12:25 Podcast exit terence  - 

https://symontgomery.com/

Photo of Sy by Michael Sterling 

Music for every episode 

Intro and exit music used: Strange the dreamer by Savfk - www.youtube.com/@savfkmusic

Connect with Ryan Anderson

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/awonderjunkie/

awonderjunkie.com

Breathe4Flow.com

Rumble https://rumble.com/user/awonderjunkie

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@awonderjunkie

iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-wondejunkie/id1739838765

Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1CcQXpxfV9P89IrKmtV2hS?si=6519a88aef444ba0

A bit about Ryan Anderson-  https://open.spotify.com/episode/7bsR23JM4z6p1RPpbv7czC?si=4ba51224cf464e70

Keywords

Sy Montgomery, animal consciousness, nature writing, turtles, octopuses, hummingbirds, pink dolphins, animal rescue, environmentalism, children's literature