National Park Traveler Episode 139: Wildlife Extinctions, Recoveries, And Futures

By Kurt Repanshek - October 10th, 2021

There is no shortage of wildlife news, and little of it lately seems to be positive. We’re in a world-wide extinction crisis. Here in the United States, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service just announced that nearly two dozen species, from the Ivory-billed woodpecker to two freshwater fish species, are extinct.

Drought in the Southwest also is pressuring wildlife and could force changes not only in their populations but in where they’re found. The National Park System is home to countless species, from the robust marine life found around coral reefs at places such as Buck Island Reef National Monument and Biscayne National Park to the bison, wolves, grizzly bears and more found at Yellowstone National Park, America’s Sergengeti.

But how is wildlife in the parks doing? To explore that and other questions surrounding wildlife, we’re joined by Dr. Joel Berger, a senior scientist with the Wildlife Conservation Society as well as the Barbara Cox Anthony University Chair in Wildlife Conservation at Colorado State University.

:02 National Parks Traveler introduction
:12 Episode introduction with Kurt Repanshek
1:08 Dr. Joel Berger, a senior scientist with the Wildlife Conservation Society, discusses wildlife issues with Kurt Repanshek.
17:10 No’Easter - Nature’s Symphony - The Sounds of Acadia
17:29 Nova Scotia Tourism
18:00 Interior Federal Credit Union
18:21 Grand Teton National Park Foundation
18:49 Friends of Acadia
19:15 Yosemite Conservancy
19:41 Traveler's conversation with Joel Berger continues
40:23 Blue Mist - Randy Petersen - The Sounds of Shenandoah
40:58 Episode Closing
41:30 Washington’s National Park Fund
42:05 Potrero Group
42:33 North Cascades Institute
42:50 Western National Parks Association
43:11 Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation
43:32 Orange Tree Productions
44:05 Splitbeard Productions
44:16 National Parks Traveler footer

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