Wildlife for You: Recent Episodes
Daryl and Stephanne
Did you know that red wolves were once one of the dominant Apex predators in the southeast? Sadly, the species is now hanging by a thread along the coast of North Carolina.
If you’re wanting to drive fast expensive cars and travel the world, run away. If you don’t mind being broke but extremely happy… boy, do we have a career for you!
Meg and Daryl talk to some aspiring young wildlife biology students who recently took part in the SWAP program. Don’t know what the SWAP program is? Well, listen to the podcast and find out. These promising young students are the future stewards of our precious wildlife resources.
Al... a big ol' Russian boar in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park spurs a discussion on not only pigs in the Park, but pigs in America.
The hardest lesson I learned was finding out my dad didn't really know everything there was to know about wildlife. In fact, he got a whole lot wrong! Daryl and Meg discuss some of those things they heard as kids and explain the truth about what is really going on.
Lots of people head to the Smoky Mountains and some of them actually get out of their car and hit the trails. If you want to be one of those people, listen to Meg who is a seasoned hiker in GSMNP.
Meg comes prepared to grill Daryl
with a whole list of bear questions... and a turkey question to boot!
Last episode Daryl and Meg introduced you to the wonderful world of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This episode, they dive into a discussion about some of the amazing wildlife you will find there, and even some of the wildlife you won't.
"Wildlife for You" launches a new platform to help teach people about the amazing outdoors. We begin with where it all started for our long-time host, Daryl... at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. He is joined by his good friend and all-around southern spirit, Meg Pelley, a volunteer at the National Park. They discuss not only the Park and tidbits about bears but also why the Park is so special to them.
Noooo... we are not talking about Cape buffalo, were not even talking about the Buffalo Bills (sadly), we are talking about the American bison.
Wild pigs, feral hogs, Russian boars... Whatever you wanna call them... they’re awful for our ecosystem.
From totally misguided news reporters to big “ash” cats. We cover those honking big predators. Heck we even talk about Hank the Tank.
Stephanne and Daryl take you into a deep dive on Sandhill cranes. They are beautiful and wonderful birds in more ways than one.
We’re back, although a little rusty for 2022. We get things kicked off until Stephanne’s dog decides to take center stage but needless to say... we’re glad to be back!
Everyone knows that there’s bear country but few people know about “human country.” If you truly love bears it’s best to teach them to keep out of human country.
Grizzly 399... she’s popular, she’s beautiful, and she is a handful. Find out what it takes, and doesn’t take, to keep 399 alive and thriving.
In this episode Daryl and Stephanne talk about some human activities that truly are reshaping the world… and not for the better!
Stephanne and Daryl take a deep dive into what is by far the most impactful species on earth and no, it is not coyotes.
Fresh from her recent trip to Disney World Stephanne grills Daryl on the good and bad of wildlife rehabilitation.
There is a lot of misinformation out there about black bear hibernation. Yes, they hibernate they just do it a little bit differently… Yes, even in the Smokies!
Find out if animals react to traumatic events the same way humans do. The science is still emerging but the questions are intriguing
When does educational television become uneducational? When they flat out lie for ratings!
What’s the difference between a turtle, a tortoise, and a terrapin? If you don’t know, find out here!
You guessed it… We’re talking about skunks. Anyway, we hope none of our episodes are really that stinky.
Everyone knows that wild possums eat loads of ticks correct? Think again! This podcast teaches you to be mindful of “laboratory” studies.
Everything you ever wanted to know about owls and even some things you didn’t want to know.
We take a deep dive into what these two terms mean and why they sometimes inspire deep-seated reactions.
Red dawn and the X-Men don’t have anything on real life wolverines. Not only are they one of Stephanne‘s favorite creatures but they’re pretty darn cool to boot.
Animals move around for various reasons. Just because they’re there may not mean they’re really there. Find out what we mean because it can be confusing.
Take a dive into the science regarding the impact of roads on grizzlies and grizzly behavior. It’s not always what do you think it is or what you heard.
Learn about the slithery heat seeking, air tasting, comedic actors we all know and love as… snakes.
Snakes freak people out but it’s mostly due to fear of the unknown. We try to break down some of those misunderstood concepts.
There is so much to enjoy about a yard full of birds. Find out what you should do to make your backyard bird paradise.
It’s getting harder and harder to discern good information from bad information. Keep in mind, bad wildlife information can not only hurt wildlife, it can hurt you.
Believe it or not humans are actually good for some species of wildlife. Well let’s just say they have learned to live with us.
The global pandemic affected nearly all human life, this undoubtedly has had widespread impacts to wildlife. It’s pretty mind-boggling to even think about the potential impacts.
When a bear gets killed unintentionally people get mad. If only we could teach people the right thing to get mad at maybe we can make a difference!
Whenever a bear attack occurs it’s best if we take a step back and breathe. It is best to better understand the situation before making knee-jerk reactions.
We all know that those predators are out there but we may not know what they all sound like. You’d be surprised!
Many of us know our birds of prey by sight but how many of you know what they sound like? Listen and learn the vocalizations of our favorite raptor friends.
What better way is there to impress the ladies than to know your frog calls! Heck you can even impress the guys to if you like! They are simple and easy to learn, all you have to do is listen.
Predators not only have distinct ways of taking down animals, they also have distinct ways of eating it. Find out how biologist use these clues to determine who’s been feeding.
Some nature documentaries are designed for shock value. They are great for identifying an issue but just make sure you strap on your critical thinking skills ahead of time.
Different predators apprehend their quarry in different ways. Wildlife biologists can then use this information to determine what predator was responsible for the kill when discovering a carcass.
Why do wolves strike fear into the hearts of so many? They’re pretty amazing animals and to learn about them is to love them. Well, at least it should be.
Why do people see cougars even in photos of... well, NOT cougars? Misinterpretations are actually easy to explain.
Often times we try too hard to teach people about Mother Nature, sometimes we need to let her teach us. She’s pretty smart ya’ know.
Not everything about wildlife is peaches and cream. Sometimes bad things happen in Nature and we just have to let them run its course.
We’ll take a deep dive into the world of raccoons and discover how truly smart they are... much smarter than cats!
It is often said some animals are smarter than others, now if only we knew what the heck that even means.
Vultures, often called buzzards in North America, are some pretty cool and interesting birds. Listen and find out why!
Learn all there is to know about the SWAP program and why it is such an amazing non-profit.
Many people have issues with what they call nuisance wildlife. Animals are often being animals, they probably think humans are the biggest nuisance species of them all.
Bears have an insanely powerful sense of smell. Understanding how strong it truly is, is often the key to understanding what makes them tick.
The good ol’ Virginia opossum... there’s much to them than just roadkill. We need these guys!
Feeding birds is a commitment and responsibility... a responsibility to the birds. Find out how to keep your feathered friends healthy.
Everyone is enamored with brown bears, also known as grizzlies. Though they may seem dangerous and scary, it may not always be their fault.
We take an in depth look at some of the most famous wildlife-related urban legends. Sorry grandpa but you may not like this one.
This episode takes a deep dive into North America’s two well-known eagles species, the Golden and the Bald. It is everything you wanted to know, and even some things you didn’t want to know about these majestic birds.
It’s great to love wildlife, in fact we encourage it. Just make sure you know the right way to do it and that you don’t “love wildlife to death.”
Bats in North America are an extremely important species. We need to do all we can to educate ourselves on and to help maintain these precious insect eaters.
The “why” questions are often the toughest to answer but we do our best to explain those trickier situations. They are not always easy decisions.
In this episode we discuss the two primary deer species in North America, whitetails and blacktails, otherwise known as mule deer. We save elk, moose, and Caribou for another time.
Animals have developed some fascinating survival techniques that help carry them through the winter. Find out with some critters do to survive the snow.
We take an in-depth look at woodchucks and other members of the rodent family. Yes, some can be classified as cute!
Coyotes love-hate relationship with people is often misunderstood so we take a somewhat in-depth look at the biology and behavior of these wonderful predators.
We take a quick peek into those wildlife diseases that can sometimes be transmitted to humans. It’s rare but you do have to be careful.
Watch out! There are a lot of unscrupulous folks out there, or as Stephanne puts it ass-clowns, who care more about the money than the wildlife. Do your homework before supporting them!
Wildlife poaching is a huge issue, not just in those far away places but right here in North America.
Keystone species and the intricate role they play in ecosystems. We were in rare form tonight!
Wildlife biologists need to choose their words wisely when talking to the public. It’s one of the only tools we have to influence people.
Genetic adaptations may be weird at first but they may give some animals a leg up. That could be a good thing!
The viral video of the cougar defending her cubs is broken down to explain what was really going on.
Predators on the landscape can help strengthen ecosystems by simply changing the behavior of their prey.
There’s a simple reason why there are so many panther and cougars sightings in the east but you ain’t gonna like it!
Bruno the bruin (bear) has captured the hearts and minds of thousands. In this episode we discuss Bruno's history, behavior, and future outlook.