1 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:13,480 Speaker 1: From Mediator's World News headquarters in Bozeman, Montana. This is 2 00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:17,479 Speaker 1: Kel's we can review with Ruyan Kel Kelly and now 3 00:00:17,760 --> 00:00:22,440 Speaker 1: Here's Kel. Would it surprise you to know that the 4 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:26,200 Speaker 1: animals are responsible for moving more dirt than any other 5 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:33,120 Speaker 1: animal on Earth can also fly. It's not a mole, vole, earthworm, armadillo, badger, 6 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:42,800 Speaker 1: or burrower of any sort. It's a songbird. Australia's learbird 7 00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:46,879 Speaker 1: or liar bird spends its time moving dirt, debris and 8 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:50,880 Speaker 1: leaf litter on the forest floor in search of mostly invertebrates, 9 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:52,880 Speaker 1: but it has with a lot of birds. They will 10 00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:55,720 Speaker 1: eat what is in front of them, which can also 11 00:00:55,760 --> 00:01:00,080 Speaker 1: include lizards and small mammals. Known primarily for their singing, 12 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:03,800 Speaker 1: lyre birds have the ability to mimic a huge range 13 00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:07,280 Speaker 1: of songs and noises. The lire bird is about the 14 00:01:07,319 --> 00:01:10,039 Speaker 1: size of a raven, making it one of the largest 15 00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:13,880 Speaker 1: songbirds on the planet. In fact, the males have a 16 00:01:13,959 --> 00:01:18,360 Speaker 1: twenty eight inch tail fan almost like a pheasant peacock combo, 17 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:22,120 Speaker 1: which led many to mistake them for jungle foul instead 18 00:01:22,160 --> 00:01:26,840 Speaker 1: of songbirds. During mating season, the males will sing and strut, 19 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:30,680 Speaker 1: fanning their tail feathers for up to six hours a day. 20 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:34,000 Speaker 1: The more complex the song, the better chance of calling 21 00:01:34,040 --> 00:01:36,880 Speaker 1: in a female. The songs are a compilation of lire 22 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:41,040 Speaker 1: bird songs, other bird songs, and basically anything that happens 23 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:44,759 Speaker 1: in the woods. Researchers have counted up to seventy two 24 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:49,360 Speaker 1: different bird songs in one lire bird song session. That's 25 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:52,640 Speaker 1: like a teenage e D M DJ with a d 26 00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:56,680 Speaker 1: d if our. Older listeners would like that last line 27 00:01:56,720 --> 00:02:01,120 Speaker 1: broken down. That's an electronic dance music is jockey with 28 00:02:01,160 --> 00:02:04,680 Speaker 1: a tension deficit disorder. I have no idea what you're 29 00:02:04,720 --> 00:02:07,520 Speaker 1: talking about. I'd be lying if I didn't say. I 30 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:10,120 Speaker 1: went down a bit of a YouTube rabbit hole filled 31 00:02:10,120 --> 00:02:15,320 Speaker 1: with lyrebirds mimicking humans, animals, camera clicks, sirens, and possibly 32 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:20,240 Speaker 1: the best example of layer bird mimicry chainsaws at work, 33 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:37,320 Speaker 1: complete with engines revving and trees cracking and falling. No, 34 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:41,560 Speaker 1: I don't believe the chainsaws being mimicked were steel chainsaws, 35 00:02:41,840 --> 00:02:44,000 Speaker 1: because you don't need to sing and to have a 36 00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:48,680 Speaker 1: steel chainsaw to attract a mate. You just need the chainsaw. Anyway, 37 00:02:48,720 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 1: The point is on top of the beautiful long tail 38 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:56,320 Speaker 1: fan fancy dancing and complex vocal arrangements. It is now 39 00:02:56,600 --> 00:03:00,120 Speaker 1: estimated that a liar bird population studied in Australia you 40 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:04,359 Speaker 1: is accountable for moving a hundred and fifty five tons 41 00:03:04,639 --> 00:03:08,280 Speaker 1: of soil and leaf litter, or eleven standard dump truck 42 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:12,360 Speaker 1: loads of material in twelve months. In order to obtain 43 00:03:12,400 --> 00:03:16,560 Speaker 1: this estimate, a liar bird population was studied. The researchers 44 00:03:16,639 --> 00:03:19,440 Speaker 1: fenced out lire birds from certain areas and found that 45 00:03:19,520 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 1: soil compassion was thirty three percent higher in non lire 46 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:26,520 Speaker 1: bird areas. The leaf litter blocking the sun from the 47 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:30,200 Speaker 1: soil was three times as deep. Anyone with a rhodo 48 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:33,399 Speaker 1: tiller and a garden plot knows that a little turnover 49 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:37,480 Speaker 1: helps produce more food annually. In short, this is real 50 00:03:37,560 --> 00:03:40,880 Speaker 1: good for the forest floor. The beaver has long been 51 00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:46,560 Speaker 1: our go to ecosystem engineer example. By dropping trees creating dams, 52 00:03:46,760 --> 00:03:51,240 Speaker 1: the beaver literally changes the landscape. The busy beaver character 53 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:54,200 Speaker 1: is often depicted with a hard hat and a hammer 54 00:03:54,320 --> 00:03:58,640 Speaker 1: or shovel, just to represent lawn care hardware businesses. The 55 00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:03,840 Speaker 1: lire bird is the dancing, earth moving ecosystem engineer alternative, 56 00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:07,320 Speaker 1: Like if those bulldoz are operators you pass on highway 57 00:04:07,360 --> 00:04:11,520 Speaker 1: projects were prone to six hours singing competitions with self 58 00:04:11,600 --> 00:04:15,320 Speaker 1: choreograph dance routines. Can't wait to see the business that 59 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:21,640 Speaker 1: adopts that example. This week stories from the Woods, Wolves, bears, 60 00:04:21,640 --> 00:04:25,000 Speaker 1: and birds. But first, I'm gonna tell you about my week. 61 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:29,680 Speaker 1: My week and this podcast are brought to you by 62 00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:33,920 Speaker 1: Steel Power Equipment. Steel the number one chainsaw to imitate. 63 00:04:34,400 --> 00:04:38,120 Speaker 1: Nine out of ten superb lire birds agree. First up, 64 00:04:38,560 --> 00:04:42,680 Speaker 1: the sausage is done. Sausage making is great while you're 65 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:45,040 Speaker 1: doing it, but it's even better when you finally put 66 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:49,600 Speaker 1: everything away. Marguez sweet Italian a Thai sausage called Law 67 00:04:50,080 --> 00:04:53,320 Speaker 1: which if you've not been making cold tie salads for 68 00:04:53,360 --> 00:04:56,000 Speaker 1: dinner in the summer heat, well you need to get 69 00:04:56,040 --> 00:04:59,359 Speaker 1: on that rice noodles, lots of fresh aromatics, and the 70 00:04:59,400 --> 00:05:02,640 Speaker 1: game of your choice or in this case, Law sausage 71 00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:06,919 Speaker 1: and a batch of Mexican Terisa with the real deal 72 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:10,599 Speaker 1: new Mexico red chilies. All of these sausages are course 73 00:05:10,640 --> 00:05:14,440 Speaker 1: ground with about pork fat added to it. Listen up, 74 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:17,760 Speaker 1: I'm gonna give you three fresh tips to tuck away 75 00:05:17,800 --> 00:05:21,200 Speaker 1: for your next sausage making adventure. The trick with game 76 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:25,480 Speaker 1: sausages is either to incorporate the fat and the meat fully, 77 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:29,279 Speaker 1: as in, you take your meat and your fat and 78 00:05:29,320 --> 00:05:31,960 Speaker 1: you run it through the grinder on course, and then 79 00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:34,120 Speaker 1: you mix it all together, and then you put it 80 00:05:34,200 --> 00:05:36,520 Speaker 1: back in the grinder and you run it through the 81 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:40,800 Speaker 1: grinder with a fine plate which mixes it again, and 82 00:05:40,839 --> 00:05:44,600 Speaker 1: then you mix it all again. Or you go the 83 00:05:44,680 --> 00:05:48,240 Speaker 1: full emultification route, which is a little bit messy and 84 00:05:48,279 --> 00:05:51,840 Speaker 1: you're like really blending the stuff together, like with a 85 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:55,040 Speaker 1: kitchen aid or something, all this in order to kind 86 00:05:55,040 --> 00:05:58,880 Speaker 1: of make the meat and the fat almost indistinguishable. Or 87 00:05:59,120 --> 00:06:01,719 Speaker 1: if you're sticking with horse grind like I do, you 88 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:06,640 Speaker 1: cook your sausages gently, aim for a hundred and forty degrees, 89 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:11,120 Speaker 1: don't pop the casing. You'll be poaching your game meat 90 00:06:11,200 --> 00:06:14,560 Speaker 1: and all the tasty spices in a little pig fat 91 00:06:14,760 --> 00:06:18,800 Speaker 1: filled tube made of pigg or lamb and testine. If 92 00:06:18,839 --> 00:06:21,840 Speaker 1: you get hotter or you lose your fat, you still 93 00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:25,679 Speaker 1: end up with dry meat. It'll be flavorful and good, 94 00:06:26,080 --> 00:06:31,120 Speaker 1: but will be dry. And the third thing, use real casings. 95 00:06:31,760 --> 00:06:34,960 Speaker 1: Don't go in for this collagen stuff. In my opinion, 96 00:06:35,040 --> 00:06:38,159 Speaker 1: it just will not do. For those of you who 97 00:06:38,279 --> 00:06:41,679 Speaker 1: right now are pooh poohing the use of domestic fat 98 00:06:41,800 --> 00:06:44,960 Speaker 1: with wild game, I hear you. I've ground lots of 99 00:06:44,960 --> 00:06:48,479 Speaker 1: elk fat into elk sausage and had some really good results, 100 00:06:48,960 --> 00:06:52,039 Speaker 1: only the back fat, not the cavity fat. But you 101 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:54,760 Speaker 1: know the thing is, I don't eat sausage every day 102 00:06:54,880 --> 00:06:57,760 Speaker 1: or every week. I give most of it away. And 103 00:06:57,880 --> 00:07:01,040 Speaker 1: in the words of the iconic character Vincent Vega from 104 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:13,480 Speaker 1: pulp fiction, bacon taste good. Pork chops taste good. Now 105 00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:17,280 Speaker 1: for the update people actually care about. The dog update. 106 00:07:17,720 --> 00:07:21,120 Speaker 1: Snorts World Snort the just about four and a half 107 00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:24,239 Speaker 1: month old yellow lap she learned a couple of things 108 00:07:24,280 --> 00:07:27,560 Speaker 1: this last week. She got her first retrieve, which was 109 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:33,720 Speaker 1: absolutely incredible. We've been running out after work, driving an 110 00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:36,280 Speaker 1: hour to hunt for forty five minutes and having pretty 111 00:07:36,280 --> 00:07:40,560 Speaker 1: good luck locating Hungarian partridge. The Hungarian partridge or hunt 112 00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:43,800 Speaker 1: is a non native game bird we love, so we 113 00:07:43,880 --> 00:07:47,480 Speaker 1: think of it as native. Isn't that interesting. It is 114 00:07:47,520 --> 00:07:51,280 Speaker 1: also called the gray partridge or English partridge. They hang 115 00:07:51,320 --> 00:07:54,520 Speaker 1: out in small groups called cuvees, and they're about the 116 00:07:54,520 --> 00:07:58,760 Speaker 1: size of a softball. Anyway, we bumped a group twice. 117 00:07:59,400 --> 00:08:03,280 Speaker 1: Snort was fairly oblivious but having a great time hopping 118 00:08:03,360 --> 00:08:06,920 Speaker 1: cactus and chasing grasshoppers. The third time, we got up 119 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:10,240 Speaker 1: to them, this time in much taller sage brush, so 120 00:08:10,320 --> 00:08:13,880 Speaker 1: tall Snort couldn't even see anything. I got a shot. 121 00:08:14,480 --> 00:08:18,640 Speaker 1: We were close enough that she heard the birds get up, bang, thump. 122 00:08:19,240 --> 00:08:21,880 Speaker 1: She stood next to me. I gave her the go command, 123 00:08:22,400 --> 00:08:25,520 Speaker 1: and much to my surprise, she walked into the floating feathers, 124 00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:29,200 Speaker 1: got excited, passed through them, dug into the sage brush, 125 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:31,600 Speaker 1: and came directly back to me and put a houn 126 00:08:31,840 --> 00:08:35,600 Speaker 1: in my hand. I was ecstatic. She thought that was 127 00:08:35,679 --> 00:08:37,920 Speaker 1: pretty cool. Then I pulled the liver out of the 128 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:40,440 Speaker 1: hun and fed it to her, and she thought that 129 00:08:40,600 --> 00:08:45,080 Speaker 1: was really really cool. The next lesson she learned, sometimes 130 00:08:45,240 --> 00:08:47,319 Speaker 1: when the gun goes off, there is no dead bird 131 00:08:47,840 --> 00:08:52,320 Speaker 1: and no dead birds liver to eat, because I missed that. 132 00:08:52,480 --> 00:08:56,320 Speaker 1: Lab life is a tough one. Right now, it's all 133 00:08:56,360 --> 00:08:59,480 Speaker 1: fun and games and making sure she enjoys this stuff 134 00:08:59,480 --> 00:09:02,959 Speaker 1: for right and laying the groundwork of obedience that ties 135 00:09:02,960 --> 00:09:06,000 Speaker 1: into hunting. Pretty darn fun. We've been on a few 136 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:09,320 Speaker 1: more walks with the shotgun, and uh, she's still chasing 137 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:15,440 Speaker 1: butterflies and grasshoppers. Moving onto the mail desk. Last week 138 00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:18,880 Speaker 1: we covered the topic of wolf reintroduction in Colorado. In 139 00:09:18,960 --> 00:09:22,200 Speaker 1: response to that podcast, I got an email that contained 140 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:25,400 Speaker 1: links to three peer reviewed studies on the topic of 141 00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:29,280 Speaker 1: genetic swamping. I'm gonna dig into this subject more, so 142 00:09:29,320 --> 00:09:33,680 Speaker 1: I'll make it brief now. Another very reasonable argument against 143 00:09:33,800 --> 00:09:38,679 Speaker 1: reintroduction of gray wolves to Colorado is actual Mexican wolves. 144 00:09:39,320 --> 00:09:42,360 Speaker 1: The Mexican wolf has been discussed here a number of times. 145 00:09:42,840 --> 00:09:46,560 Speaker 1: Mexican wolf recovery is going reasonably well. The population has 146 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:50,319 Speaker 1: a steady and higher than expected growth rate. However, the 147 00:09:50,400 --> 00:09:53,920 Speaker 1: numbers are not strong enough to maintain genetic diversity if 148 00:09:53,960 --> 00:09:57,360 Speaker 1: they had to compete with the larger gray wolf. In 149 00:09:57,360 --> 00:09:59,760 Speaker 1: this case, the larger gray wolf would be coming in 150 00:09:59,800 --> 00:10:04,480 Speaker 1: from Colorado, so wrap your head around this. The pro 151 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:08,800 Speaker 1: to not reintroducing wolves to Colorado would be to grow 152 00:10:08,920 --> 00:10:13,079 Speaker 1: more wolves on the southern edge of Colorado. So when 153 00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:16,800 Speaker 1: gray wolves do make it to southern Colorado, the Mexican 154 00:10:16,840 --> 00:10:21,640 Speaker 1: wolf will be genetically diversified and fortified enough numbers wise 155 00:10:21,880 --> 00:10:25,200 Speaker 1: to maintain their identity. I'm only bringing this up now 156 00:10:25,440 --> 00:10:28,280 Speaker 1: as I've found that this topic is a reasonable one, 157 00:10:28,920 --> 00:10:33,679 Speaker 1: and for whatever reason, this genetic swamping argument is completely 158 00:10:33,720 --> 00:10:36,680 Speaker 1: absent from all of the articles dealing with the Colorado 159 00:10:36,679 --> 00:10:41,120 Speaker 1: wolf reintroduction subject. I just don't know why, but I'll 160 00:10:41,160 --> 00:10:46,319 Speaker 1: find out Next up, Chris writes in with elk, earthquakes 161 00:10:46,320 --> 00:10:49,240 Speaker 1: and fighter jets, this is just for you folks in 162 00:10:49,280 --> 00:10:52,880 Speaker 1: the Elk Woods. I was on my second elk hunt ever, 163 00:10:53,360 --> 00:10:57,160 Speaker 1: first time going solo, took five days, but I finally 164 00:10:57,200 --> 00:11:00,000 Speaker 1: got into a giant heard way back in the book. 165 00:11:00,800 --> 00:11:03,400 Speaker 1: The first stock I put on was foiled by a 166 00:11:03,520 --> 00:11:06,360 Speaker 1: mule deer dough that came between me and the herd 167 00:11:06,720 --> 00:11:10,600 Speaker 1: and then spooked. The second attempt was blown up by 168 00:11:10,600 --> 00:11:14,480 Speaker 1: a group of four fighter jets flying a low altitude pattern, 169 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:18,840 Speaker 1: and my third and final attempt was swiftly ended when 170 00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:22,480 Speaker 1: an earthquake rumbled the area, scaring the crap out of 171 00:11:22,480 --> 00:11:25,880 Speaker 1: me and the whole herd of elk. Besides the general 172 00:11:25,920 --> 00:11:28,400 Speaker 1: bad luck of the day, it was probably the most 173 00:11:28,480 --> 00:11:31,680 Speaker 1: fun I've ever had in the woods. I interacted with 174 00:11:31,760 --> 00:11:34,080 Speaker 1: dozens of alk all day and got a heck of 175 00:11:34,080 --> 00:11:36,880 Speaker 1: a workout, climbing every mountain in the area to try 176 00:11:36,920 --> 00:11:39,840 Speaker 1: to get a shot. I left with another helping of 177 00:11:39,920 --> 00:11:43,000 Speaker 1: tag soup, but I'll be back for another try next year. 178 00:11:44,000 --> 00:11:46,319 Speaker 1: Sounds like when they made Chris, they forgot to put 179 00:11:46,360 --> 00:11:53,880 Speaker 1: in the quick never give up, never surrendering. Moving on 180 00:11:53,960 --> 00:11:57,840 Speaker 1: to the national park's desk, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 181 00:11:58,240 --> 00:12:01,960 Speaker 1: on the afternoon of September eleven, two hikers, Max and 182 00:12:02,040 --> 00:12:05,320 Speaker 1: Jack got more than they bargained for when traveling on 183 00:12:05,360 --> 00:12:09,079 Speaker 1: a remote backcountry trail. In fact, it was the remote 184 00:12:09,160 --> 00:12:11,840 Speaker 1: nature of the spot that lured them. They had been 185 00:12:11,920 --> 00:12:15,560 Speaker 1: hiking the a t or Appalachian Trail, and each day 186 00:12:15,600 --> 00:12:18,640 Speaker 1: they had seen a handful of people, not a ton, 187 00:12:18,880 --> 00:12:21,040 Speaker 1: but more than they had wanted for a true back 188 00:12:21,040 --> 00:12:25,280 Speaker 1: country experience. As with some National parks, camping is only 189 00:12:25,320 --> 00:12:29,920 Speaker 1: allowed at designated sites, and some campsites are reservation only, 190 00:12:30,360 --> 00:12:34,360 Speaker 1: even the ones that are only accessible by foot. Max 191 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:38,400 Speaker 1: and Jack were less than pleased. Unhappy with what they 192 00:12:38,440 --> 00:12:41,600 Speaker 1: found as they descended into the camp site they had 193 00:12:41,679 --> 00:12:45,640 Speaker 1: looked forward to the most. As Jack said, the toughest 194 00:12:45,679 --> 00:12:49,040 Speaker 1: spots to get to are the best. Instead of a 195 00:12:49,080 --> 00:12:53,160 Speaker 1: feeling of solitude provided by a lonesome creekside camp site, 196 00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:57,679 Speaker 1: they spotted an empty tent, a cook stove, obvious signs 197 00:12:57,880 --> 00:13:02,000 Speaker 1: of an area peopled. To add to their disappointment, the 198 00:13:02,080 --> 00:13:04,760 Speaker 1: people who were doing the people and were not around, 199 00:13:05,080 --> 00:13:07,640 Speaker 1: but their stuff was and it was not up to 200 00:13:07,760 --> 00:13:11,640 Speaker 1: code as in the camp was you know, kind of 201 00:13:11,679 --> 00:13:15,600 Speaker 1: a mess. Not how a responsible backcountry hiker would leave 202 00:13:15,600 --> 00:13:19,600 Speaker 1: a site, especially in bear country, but they didn't see 203 00:13:19,640 --> 00:13:23,600 Speaker 1: the other party anywhere. These sites are equipped with bear cables, 204 00:13:23,720 --> 00:13:26,440 Speaker 1: which is a high line to hang your food stuff from. 205 00:13:26,920 --> 00:13:30,080 Speaker 1: The missing hiker hadn't used it. The scene looked like 206 00:13:30,160 --> 00:13:33,600 Speaker 1: the hiker had woken, made some coffee, hung his food 207 00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:38,280 Speaker 1: bag conveniently, and went on day hike, leaving gear irresponsibly 208 00:13:38,320 --> 00:13:42,120 Speaker 1: spread out in bear country to make matters worse. As 209 00:13:42,200 --> 00:13:45,079 Speaker 1: the pair went to gather water from the stream, they 210 00:13:45,200 --> 00:13:48,640 Speaker 1: found the reason you don't leave a messy camp staring 211 00:13:48,679 --> 00:13:52,080 Speaker 1: at them from the other side, a black bear. The 212 00:13:52,120 --> 00:13:55,280 Speaker 1: bear wasn't interested in leaving, and it looked as if 213 00:13:55,360 --> 00:13:58,400 Speaker 1: he had been chewing on a nylon bear bag. The 214 00:13:58,400 --> 00:14:02,320 Speaker 1: proof is in the pudding. Messy camp attracts bear, bear 215 00:14:02,400 --> 00:14:07,640 Speaker 1: gets rewarded. Now the bear won't leave. Max ran up 216 00:14:07,679 --> 00:14:10,640 Speaker 1: and down the trail in both directions for half a 217 00:14:10,679 --> 00:14:14,400 Speaker 1: mile or so, Thinking that the responsible party should be 218 00:14:14,480 --> 00:14:17,560 Speaker 1: here to deal with this, but no one could be found. 219 00:14:18,160 --> 00:14:20,480 Speaker 1: Jack and Max decided that they should try to haze 220 00:14:20,520 --> 00:14:23,640 Speaker 1: the bear further from the campsite and maybe what they 221 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:25,920 Speaker 1: thought was the food bag on the other side of 222 00:14:25,920 --> 00:14:29,840 Speaker 1: the creek. The bear was reluctant to react, reluctant to leave, 223 00:14:30,280 --> 00:14:33,200 Speaker 1: but he did grab the bag and give it a tug, 224 00:14:33,360 --> 00:14:37,040 Speaker 1: and it appeared heavy, which is when Jack thought, what 225 00:14:37,160 --> 00:14:40,280 Speaker 1: could someone pack on their back all the way in 226 00:14:40,360 --> 00:14:43,200 Speaker 1: here that is heavy enough for the bear to not 227 00:14:43,440 --> 00:14:47,040 Speaker 1: be able to move? Yet that heavy thing fits in 228 00:14:47,080 --> 00:14:50,600 Speaker 1: a bear bag, but it does not contain the tempt 229 00:14:50,880 --> 00:14:55,320 Speaker 1: sleeping set up, stove and the other food bag. That's 230 00:14:55,320 --> 00:14:58,960 Speaker 1: when they noticed the shoes, and let me tell you, 231 00:14:59,120 --> 00:15:03,040 Speaker 1: food stuffed into a bear bag typically doesn't have bright 232 00:15:03,120 --> 00:15:06,920 Speaker 1: red shoes. Shocked, they rushed to find an area with 233 00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:09,960 Speaker 1: cell phone signal so they could call for help. This 234 00:15:10,040 --> 00:15:15,400 Speaker 1: took them an additional twelve miles. They eventually reached authorities 235 00:15:15,520 --> 00:15:18,800 Speaker 1: and rangers arrived around midnight to find the body of 236 00:15:18,880 --> 00:15:23,200 Speaker 1: Patrick Madurra, forty three, of Elgin, Illinois, in the act 237 00:15:23,280 --> 00:15:27,200 Speaker 1: of being eaten by the bear. Rangers killed the two 238 00:15:27,880 --> 00:15:31,080 Speaker 1: pound bore and closed a section of Hazel Creek Trail 239 00:15:31,120 --> 00:15:34,200 Speaker 1: and Campsite eighty two, which falls on the North Carolina 240 00:15:34,280 --> 00:15:37,080 Speaker 1: side of the park. It's unclear if the bear mauled 241 00:15:37,200 --> 00:15:39,880 Speaker 1: Madurra while he was still alive or was just scavenging 242 00:15:39,880 --> 00:15:43,120 Speaker 1: on his remains, and autopsy was scheduled for Tuesday at 243 00:15:43,120 --> 00:15:46,720 Speaker 1: the North Carolina Chief Medical Examiner's Office, and Raleigh Park 244 00:15:46,800 --> 00:15:49,440 Speaker 1: officials said they could take several weeks two months to 245 00:15:49,480 --> 00:15:53,560 Speaker 1: get the results. Parks spokeswoman Jamie Sanders told Knox News 246 00:15:53,720 --> 00:15:57,160 Speaker 1: that Madeira had a backcountry reservation for a multi night 247 00:15:57,240 --> 00:16:00,160 Speaker 1: trip and was scheduled to stay alone at camps night 248 00:16:00,280 --> 00:16:04,120 Speaker 1: eight two. On the night of September eight, officials found 249 00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:07,640 Speaker 1: one tent and one sleeping bag at the site. Quote 250 00:16:07,800 --> 00:16:10,760 Speaker 1: our wildlife biologists, who are experts in dealing with bear 251 00:16:10,880 --> 00:16:14,040 Speaker 1: human conflict, believe that once a bear is scavenged on 252 00:16:14,160 --> 00:16:17,280 Speaker 1: human remains, there's a high potential that they're going to 253 00:16:17,320 --> 00:16:21,280 Speaker 1: continue that behavior. That was told the Ashville Citizen Times. 254 00:16:21,800 --> 00:16:23,560 Speaker 1: It would be a good guest to say that this 255 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:27,600 Speaker 1: bear didn't kill Madura. Even though Great Smoking Mountains National 256 00:16:27,640 --> 00:16:30,800 Speaker 1: Park has a population of some six hundred black bears. 257 00:16:30,960 --> 00:16:34,560 Speaker 1: It has only known five bear attacks in its entire history, 258 00:16:34,800 --> 00:16:38,400 Speaker 1: with just one ending in a fatality. After speaking with 259 00:16:38,480 --> 00:16:41,240 Speaker 1: Max and Jack and looking at the Park Service report, 260 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:44,520 Speaker 1: it sounds as if Mr. Elgin could very have likely 261 00:16:44,600 --> 00:16:48,320 Speaker 1: had a pre existing medical condition and had been experiencing 262 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:52,160 Speaker 1: some medical issues. That's just speculation. We'll find out more 263 00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:55,720 Speaker 1: when the coroner's report comes out. Mr Elgin was late 264 00:16:55,840 --> 00:16:59,520 Speaker 1: to a remote campsite that this pair of twenty four 265 00:16:59,640 --> 00:17:02,720 Speaker 1: year old hikers picked out for its remoteness and even 266 00:17:02,760 --> 00:17:05,480 Speaker 1: still took some serious effort to get to. He was 267 00:17:05,600 --> 00:17:07,800 Speaker 1: late not by a couple hours, but likely by a 268 00:17:07,840 --> 00:17:10,919 Speaker 1: couple of days. His campsite was left in an in 269 00:17:11,200 --> 00:17:14,639 Speaker 1: use state, as in, it wasn't destroyed, It wasn't really 270 00:17:14,680 --> 00:17:17,400 Speaker 1: a mass It was just you know, the way you'd 271 00:17:17,440 --> 00:17:19,879 Speaker 1: leave a tent if you were going to take a 272 00:17:19,960 --> 00:17:23,000 Speaker 1: leak in the woods, not go on a backcountry hike 273 00:17:23,040 --> 00:17:26,600 Speaker 1: away from it, especially in bear country. Again, this black 274 00:17:26,640 --> 00:17:30,360 Speaker 1: bear was likely just being a black bear scavenging around 275 00:17:30,560 --> 00:17:34,320 Speaker 1: and found a lot of food pre winter. Jack and 276 00:17:34,359 --> 00:17:37,960 Speaker 1: Max would like to leave you with this carry bear spray, 277 00:17:38,200 --> 00:17:40,880 Speaker 1: and I'll give him one more bit of credit. Here 278 00:17:41,440 --> 00:17:45,240 Speaker 1: they carried sharpie's and paper and before they took off 279 00:17:45,520 --> 00:17:48,359 Speaker 1: to go find authorities, they were able to mark the 280 00:17:48,400 --> 00:17:51,040 Speaker 1: trail on both sides of the camp site in an 281 00:17:51,080 --> 00:17:54,320 Speaker 1: attempt to let any other hikers know that there is 282 00:17:54,359 --> 00:17:57,520 Speaker 1: a bear and it could be protecting a meal, which 283 00:17:57,600 --> 00:18:00,879 Speaker 1: makes them, in my book anyway, you know, smarter than 284 00:18:00,920 --> 00:18:04,560 Speaker 1: the average bear. Good job fellas. You can find both 285 00:18:04,640 --> 00:18:09,080 Speaker 1: these guys on Instagram at Jackson Polston a k Patches 286 00:18:09,119 --> 00:18:13,080 Speaker 1: oh Hula, Han Polston and Maximilian Bouchane all of one 287 00:18:13,119 --> 00:18:18,440 Speaker 1: word real creative Max. Moving on to the ornithology desk, 288 00:18:18,720 --> 00:18:22,080 Speaker 1: the woodpecker desk could be exact, which you know has 289 00:18:22,119 --> 00:18:27,439 Speaker 1: a lot of holes in it, where we're taking a 290 00:18:27,480 --> 00:18:31,240 Speaker 1: hard look at the wild world of acorn woodpeckers. These 291 00:18:31,280 --> 00:18:33,959 Speaker 1: birds don't mess around. They've got a game of throne 292 00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:37,640 Speaker 1: style turf war strategy that is violent and sometimes fatal. 293 00:18:38,119 --> 00:18:41,159 Speaker 1: While it's very rare for any bird to understand complex 294 00:18:41,160 --> 00:18:45,439 Speaker 1: social relationships, acorn woodpeckers do just that, and they have 295 00:18:45,520 --> 00:18:49,119 Speaker 1: an intimate knowledge of the relationships between a bunch of 296 00:18:49,160 --> 00:18:54,399 Speaker 1: different individuals. SaHas Barb and Avian biologists at the Smithsonian 297 00:18:54,480 --> 00:18:57,800 Speaker 1: National Museum of Natural History and co author of this 298 00:18:57,920 --> 00:19:01,640 Speaker 1: crazy new study published in the Journal of Current Biology. 299 00:19:01,840 --> 00:19:05,600 Speaker 1: Barb and his colleagues focused on a specific population that 300 00:19:05,640 --> 00:19:09,399 Speaker 1: lives year round in Carmel Valley, California, fitting them with 301 00:19:09,480 --> 00:19:13,320 Speaker 1: tiny radio transmitters to track their movements and figure out 302 00:19:13,320 --> 00:19:16,679 Speaker 1: the complex nature of the battles between peckers and a 303 00:19:16,720 --> 00:19:20,439 Speaker 1: little over a year, researchers observed thirty six birds and 304 00:19:20,480 --> 00:19:24,520 Speaker 1: the ensuing power struggles that would make the Roman Empire jealous. 305 00:19:25,160 --> 00:19:29,040 Speaker 1: These birds don't look like marauding savages. Males have a 306 00:19:29,119 --> 00:19:32,480 Speaker 1: clownish face with a red cap and a whitish forehead, 307 00:19:32,680 --> 00:19:35,720 Speaker 1: while female support a black cap. They live in large 308 00:19:35,760 --> 00:19:38,880 Speaker 1: groups and gather acorns by the hundreds to wedge them 309 00:19:38,880 --> 00:19:41,960 Speaker 1: into holes they made in tree trunks or telephone polls. 310 00:19:42,440 --> 00:19:45,760 Speaker 1: They expertly catch insects on the wing and give racous 311 00:19:45,880 --> 00:19:49,560 Speaker 1: waca waca calls frequently. That must be where the you know, 312 00:19:49,720 --> 00:19:52,679 Speaker 1: the character from the Muppets, got it? What out? What up? 313 00:19:53,320 --> 00:19:56,520 Speaker 1: All of this sounds normal, right Here comes the fun part. 314 00:19:57,000 --> 00:20:00,040 Speaker 1: These birds are very territorial, and when a vague and 315 00:20:00,119 --> 00:20:03,080 Speaker 1: see opens up in a territory after a bird's death, 316 00:20:03,280 --> 00:20:06,320 Speaker 1: there is often a fierce fight between rival groups of 317 00:20:06,359 --> 00:20:10,320 Speaker 1: brothers and sisters. These crazy flying battles can involve more 318 00:20:10,320 --> 00:20:13,680 Speaker 1: than forty birds and can last for days. Some are 319 00:20:13,760 --> 00:20:17,879 Speaker 1: warriors and other spectators, but all acorn woodpeckers spend a 320 00:20:17,920 --> 00:20:22,119 Speaker 1: ton of energy on these tussles for dominance. Barb told 321 00:20:22,160 --> 00:20:26,000 Speaker 1: Popular Science, it seems like these power struggles are really 322 00:20:26,119 --> 00:20:30,840 Speaker 1: important sources of social information. Our best guess is they 323 00:20:30,840 --> 00:20:34,080 Speaker 1: get some juicy tidbits out of it. Imagine getting in 324 00:20:34,119 --> 00:20:35,920 Speaker 1: a fist fight every time you need to know who's 325 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:39,000 Speaker 1: dating who. The trees where the birds store. All those 326 00:20:39,040 --> 00:20:42,640 Speaker 1: acorns are the eventual prizes in these scraps, and they 327 00:20:42,640 --> 00:20:47,199 Speaker 1: can be held for multiple generations. Barb says these aren't 328 00:20:47,280 --> 00:20:52,159 Speaker 1: casual encounters. Acorn woodpeckers are vicious, often gouging or pecking 329 00:20:52,200 --> 00:20:56,160 Speaker 1: out an opponents I and potentially killing any who stand 330 00:20:56,160 --> 00:20:59,360 Speaker 1: in their way. I imagine watching an acorn do its 331 00:20:59,359 --> 00:21:03,480 Speaker 1: thing would be like switching between episodes of Vikings and Hoarders, 332 00:21:03,520 --> 00:21:07,439 Speaker 1: each scene as shocking as the next. Just remember, be 333 00:21:07,560 --> 00:21:10,360 Speaker 1: nice to your neighbors and don't take an acorn from 334 00:21:10,359 --> 00:21:15,080 Speaker 1: a woodpecker. Moving on to the seldom visited Hawaii desk. 335 00:21:17,000 --> 00:21:21,760 Speaker 1: You know Hawaii bright colored flora, sandy beaches, palm trees, 336 00:21:21,960 --> 00:21:24,920 Speaker 1: and some of the most hospitable folks around. I can 337 00:21:24,960 --> 00:21:30,280 Speaker 1: hear the ocean waves now so peaceful. Oh and did 338 00:21:30,320 --> 00:21:34,520 Speaker 1: I mention hordes of deadly wildcats massacring and endangered birds 339 00:21:36,160 --> 00:21:38,399 Speaker 1: that should be on a T shirt. I came for 340 00:21:38,440 --> 00:21:42,480 Speaker 1: the sand, I stayed for the bird massacre. Well that's 341 00:21:42,520 --> 00:21:45,360 Speaker 1: what happened last month on the island of Kauai, according 342 00:21:45,400 --> 00:21:48,560 Speaker 1: to the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources. If 343 00:21:48,560 --> 00:21:50,960 Speaker 1: you've ever listened to this show before, you know what 344 00:21:51,040 --> 00:21:54,040 Speaker 1: I think about feral and non feral feelines, and they're 345 00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:58,640 Speaker 1: unbelievable death toll on our bird populations. But now it's 346 00:21:58,640 --> 00:22:03,040 Speaker 1: gone too far. They're whacking endangered native Hawaiian birds. In 347 00:22:03,080 --> 00:22:05,879 Speaker 1: this case, it was a single cat that eight nine 348 00:22:05,920 --> 00:22:11,000 Speaker 1: birds trail cameras cod that cat killing Hawaiian Petrols, a 349 00:22:11,119 --> 00:22:15,200 Speaker 1: large dark gray, brown and white sea bird. Among all 350 00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:18,199 Speaker 1: of the factors that have brought petrols to endangered status, 351 00:22:18,240 --> 00:22:22,879 Speaker 1: they're threatened by habitat from development, small Asian mongooses and rats, 352 00:22:22,920 --> 00:22:26,080 Speaker 1: all of which feed on the helpless chicks. Feral cats 353 00:22:26,320 --> 00:22:30,280 Speaker 1: still maybe their biggest predator. According to a Hawaii d 354 00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:33,600 Speaker 1: n l R Facebook post, over the course of three 355 00:22:33,640 --> 00:22:36,200 Speaker 1: days in a remote area of the unowned A Polli 356 00:22:36,320 --> 00:22:40,880 Speaker 1: Natural Area Reserve, one cat, photographed on multiple trail cameras, 357 00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:44,800 Speaker 1: killed at least nine endangered Hawaiian petrol chicks. The team 358 00:22:44,800 --> 00:22:47,600 Speaker 1: working in the area found the partially eaten baby birds 359 00:22:47,640 --> 00:22:50,800 Speaker 1: outside their burrows. They were just over a month old. 360 00:22:51,320 --> 00:22:54,720 Speaker 1: This is a devastating incident for all of us, said 361 00:22:54,720 --> 00:22:58,720 Speaker 1: the project coordinator for the Kawai Endangered Sea Bird Recovery Project. 362 00:22:59,160 --> 00:23:02,760 Speaker 1: Without active in management, cat kills used to be widespread 363 00:23:02,880 --> 00:23:06,080 Speaker 1: and commonplace in our mountain seabird colonies, but we have 364 00:23:06,119 --> 00:23:09,280 Speaker 1: seen a huge drop in these incidents in managed colonies 365 00:23:09,320 --> 00:23:12,240 Speaker 1: in recent years thanks to the hard work and dedication 366 00:23:12,280 --> 00:23:16,600 Speaker 1: of predator control teams and land managers. However, as this 367 00:23:16,680 --> 00:23:20,280 Speaker 1: incident clearly shows, just one cat getting into a colony 368 00:23:20,400 --> 00:23:23,119 Speaker 1: can result in the deaths of a large number of 369 00:23:23,119 --> 00:23:26,760 Speaker 1: these vulnerable birds in a very short time. The Hawaii 370 00:23:26,800 --> 00:23:31,439 Speaker 1: Invasive Species Council says that feral cats have established populations 371 00:23:31,600 --> 00:23:35,000 Speaker 1: on all eight of the main Hawaiian islands and contribute 372 00:23:35,000 --> 00:23:40,560 Speaker 1: to widespread ecological disruptions that threatened native Hawaiian wildlife. In short, 373 00:23:40,720 --> 00:23:44,240 Speaker 1: feral cats are a huge threat to Hawaii's unique wildlife. 374 00:23:44,640 --> 00:23:48,240 Speaker 1: In addition to direct predation, feral cats also spread a 375 00:23:48,320 --> 00:23:54,240 Speaker 1: potentially lethal parasite, Toxoplasma gandhi that contaminates terrestrial, freshwater and 376 00:23:54,280 --> 00:23:57,800 Speaker 1: marine environments and has been showed in negatively impact birds 377 00:23:57,800 --> 00:24:01,239 Speaker 1: and mammals, including humans. Do you ever wonder why they 378 00:24:01,280 --> 00:24:04,640 Speaker 1: say pregnant women shouldn't take out the litter box? There 379 00:24:04,680 --> 00:24:08,080 Speaker 1: you have it. What can we do about this? Well, 380 00:24:08,280 --> 00:24:11,760 Speaker 1: here's a list. Spaying newter pet cats, keep the damn 381 00:24:11,840 --> 00:24:16,119 Speaker 1: things inside, don't feed the outside ones, speak ill of, 382 00:24:16,480 --> 00:24:19,800 Speaker 1: don't respect folks that let pets go. If you know 383 00:24:19,960 --> 00:24:22,640 Speaker 1: somebody who has an outdoor cat, make sure the dang 384 00:24:22,720 --> 00:24:26,040 Speaker 1: thing wears a bell. Do all of this, and your 385 00:24:26,040 --> 00:24:30,080 Speaker 1: local songbirds and you know, podcasters will thank you every 386 00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:35,840 Speaker 1: calm around. I mean, that's all I've got for you 387 00:24:35,960 --> 00:24:39,080 Speaker 1: this week, Thanks so much for listening. As per usual, 388 00:24:39,320 --> 00:24:41,399 Speaker 1: you can find me at a s k C A 389 00:24:41,680 --> 00:24:44,879 Speaker 1: L that's asked cal at the meat eater dot com. 390 00:24:44,960 --> 00:24:46,959 Speaker 1: Let me know what I'm getting right, let me know 391 00:24:47,160 --> 00:24:50,520 Speaker 1: what's going on. In your neck of the woods. Thanks again, 392 00:24:50,800 --> 00:24:58,880 Speaker 1: I'll talk to you next week.