Category: Science
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159: Polar Bears in a Warming World with Andrew Derocher
Last week I published a blog post where I set out to answer the question of whether polar bears are facing impending extinction due to climate change or are they, in fact, doing better than ever. Around the time when I was investigating this question, I got in touch with Professor Andrew Derocher from the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Alberta, who has studied polar bears for over 40 years. He specialises in ecology, conservation, and management…
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158: Wildlife In The Balance with Simon Mustoe
This is one of the most thought-provoking books I have read. Although I don’t agree with everything in the book, I can overlook my disagreements because of how brilliant some parts that I do agree with are. So I couldn’t wait to sit down with the author, expert ecologist, Simon Mustoe for a chat about his views and, of course, about the book. In his book, “Wildlife in The Balance”, Simon lays out the case for animals being the most…
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157: Is The Red Wolf a Real Species? Conversation with Peter Brewitt
Without exaggeration, red wolves are my favourite canid species. I don’t exactly remember where and when I heard about them for the first time but I really got interested after reading an excellent book by Dan Flores, “Coyote America”. The history of this species and the inept and ultimately futile conservation and recovery programs are something that anyone interested in conservation should be familiar with. Well, maybe I’m being slightly unfair as the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service still runs…
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Shore Angling for Rays Decades Ago and Now
Recently, several people suggested that in the past decades, it was a rare occurrence for anglers to catch a ray off the beach. The implication was that there was an increased abundance of rays nowadays which I found confusing, knowing the deteriorating state of biodiversity in our seas. So I contacted Declan Quigley, an independent researcher and a previous guest on episode 151, who has an unparalleled knowledge of historical records related to fish, fisheries and angling. I asked him…
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155: Sixgill Sharks and Flapper Skates with Patrick Collins
The sixgill shark (Hexanchus griseus) is the largest of the Hexanchiformes order of sharks, the most primitive living sharks, sometimes called “fossil sharks”. The sixgill, sometimes known as the blunt nose sixgill or cow shark, can grow to over 6 metres (20 feet) in length and weigh over a tonne. What’s interesting is that in Ireland one can catch one of these beasts with rod and line, most famously with the help of master skipper Luke Aston, who is not…
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151: Irish Sturgeon with Declan Quigley
One of the three pillars of my podcast is to preserve knowledge about how the natural environment was in the past and to record stories and experiences from many decades ago. One such story, that I have a feeling is slipping away, is the story of the Irish sturgeon. Or to be more precise the story of sturgeon in Irish waters, as it wasn’t a separate species but likely one of two recorded in the north-west European waters: the Atlantic…
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150: Predator Control with Barry McMahon
The topic of lethal predator control has proven to be highly contentious. On one end of the spectrum, there are people who are inherently opposed to killing animals no matter the circumstances. On the other end are people who are eager to get on with reducing numbers, too eager perhaps. However, there are many reasons and scenarios where it might be needed. Today we focus on predator control in relation to ground-nesting birds and their precarious conservation status. When dealing…
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147: Woodcock Research and Hunting with James O’Neill
The woodcock is one of the most interesting birds. It is a wader that adapted to the woodland habitat. It has a range of unique characteristics like 360-degree vision, a flexible bill and white tail feathers that reflect up to 30% more light than the feathers of any other bird. It is also a valued game bird, meaning it is a sought-after quarry for bird hunters. So much so that an entire breed of gun dogs, cocker spaniels, was created…
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Seal Cull in Ireland
This is something I would like to share with you after recently attending the SeaMonitor-STRAITS conference. I’m predicting that in the coming months, or years perhaps, we’ll see a sanctioned seal cull in Ireland. Mark my words! The listeners who have been with me for some time might remember that a few years ago I talked with a trawlerman who was arguing that the seal population needs to be reduced. His argument revolved around the impacts that seal presence had…
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SeaMonitor-STRAITS Conference
Regular listeners might remember that two years ago I published a series of episodes about the SeaMonitor project and related research. So it was my great pleasure to accept an invitation to the two-day long SeaMonitor-STRAITS Conference, which marked the close of the SeaMonitor project and the launch of the STRAITS project. The speaker list included the cream of the crop of marine scientists, policymakers and representatives from governmental agencies. It was also a great opportunity to catch up with…