Is there any fish species in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem more iconic than the Yellowstone cutthroat trout? While the name conjures imagery of a ruthless nature, these fish are called cutthroats due to the distinct red markings found along their jawline and gills. Yellowstone cutthroat trout are a keystone species in the region, providing food to numerous species including bears, otters, ospreys, and others. Yellowstone cutthroat trout are also at the epicenter of one of the most interestin...
Jun 19, 2025•33 min•Ep. 35
Before public lands were even a concept, the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem was, and continues to be, stewarded by Indigenous Peoples. In short, public lands are Native Lands. In today’s world, many current public land management policies exclude or marginalize Indigenous roles and input. In the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and beyond, a growing movement is pushing to restore Indigenous connection, stewardship, sovereignty, and sustainable practices rooted in Traditional Ecological Knowledge. Jo...
May 28, 2025•40 min•Ep. 34
In the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and beyond, beavers are experiencing a bit of a renaissance. These large aquatic rodents are critical ecosystem engineers and play a role in mitigating the effects of climate change and strengthening wildlife habitat. However, decades of rampant trapping and views of beavers as a nuisance have decreased their numbers across the country. The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem needs healthy beaver populations doing their job to help keep this place remarkable. Lucki...
Apr 22, 2025•35 min•Ep. 33
In the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and beyond, beavers are experiencing a bit of a renaissance. These large aquatic rodents are critical ecosystem engineers and play a role in mitigating the effects of climate change and strengthening wildlife habitats. However, decades of rampant trapping and views of beavers as a nuisance have decreased their numbers across the country. The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem needs healthy beaver populations doing their job to help keep this place remarkable. Luck...
Apr 07, 2025•38 min•Ep. 32
What makes Yellowstone bison special? Sure, they’re the largest herd of bison found in the United States, but why are they the best bet for restoring bison across the country? Is it the fluffiest fur, the pointiest horns, or something else? In this episode, we’ll dive into why Yellowstone bison matter. Joining us again on the podcast is the Greater Yellowstone Coalition’s wildlife program manager Shana Drimal. Shana provides strategic leadership to the Greater Yellowstone Coalition’s policies an...
Mar 12, 2025•42 min•Ep. 31
What happens beneath Yellowstone is vast and varied. One of the most interesting geological phenomena found here is hydrothermal explosions. While they may not have a timetable like some of the iconic geysers, or the breathtaking colors of some pools, 2024’s sky-high event at Biscuit Basin put hydrothermal explosions on the map. Reading about this unpredictable encounter got me thinking: what are the underlying forces behind hydrothermal explosions? Is the caldera waking up? How are they studied...
Jan 28, 2025•40 min•Ep. 30
What would Greater Yellowstone be like without the grizzly bear? Once upon a time, we were close to answering that question. Today, these grizzly bears represent one of the greatest conservation success stories. Going forward, we want to make sure that grizzlies can continue to thrive on the landscape long into the future. In Greater Yellowstone, figuring out the next steps in grizzly bear conservation and management is a complex issue. There isn’t consensus on how best to manage grizzlies, and ...
Dec 16, 2024•48 min•Ep. 29
Bats elicit many emotions from us – fear, intrigue, aversion, adoration. These pint-sized flyers often go unnoticed, yet they play a vital role in maintaining the balance of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. From their incredibly unique adaptations to their contributions to pest control, bats are truly nature’s unsung heroes. In Part 2, we’re joined again by Dr. Riley Bernard, an applied wildlife ecologist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Zoology and Physiology at the University of ...
Nov 01, 2024•49 min•Ep. 28
Bats elicit many emotions from us – fear, intrigue, aversion, adoration. These pint-sized flyers often go unnoticed, yet they play a vital role in maintaining the balance of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. From their incredibly unique adaptations to their contributions to pest control, bats are truly nature’s unsung heroes. We’re joined by Dr. Riley Bernard, an applied wildlife ecologist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Zoology and Physiology at the University of Wyoming. Dr. Bern...
Oct 29, 2024•45 min•Ep. 27
Yellowstone National Park holds the distinction of being the United States' first national park. What does it mean to be the first? What was a national park in the 19th century, and does it hold the same definition today? We’ll answer those questions and more as we dive into how Yellowstone became the park we know and love today. This episode is the second part of our History of Yellowstone National Park series, so we recommend listening to Part 1 first. If you’ve already tuned in to Part 1, tha...
Aug 13, 2024•59 min•Ep. 26
Yellowstone National Park holds the distinction of being the United States' first national park. What does it mean to be the first? What was a national park in the 19th Century, and does it hold the same definition today? We’ll answer those questions and more as we dive into how Yellowstone became the park we know and love today. On this episode, we sit down with Alicia Murphy who is the park historian for the National Park Service in Yellowstone National Park. Basically, it’s her job to preserv...
Jul 31, 2024•46 min•Ep. 25
It’s no secret that Greater Yellowstone contains some of the most beautiful wildflower landscapes in the world. In late spring and early summer, fields explode with yellow, purple, pink, and many more vibrant hues found in our native blooming plants. We can thank our native pollinators for providing such a show. However, Greater Yellowstone’s pollinators are responsible for more than just a wildflower symphony of colors. They are key players in the health of the ecosystem, ensuring native plants...
Jun 18, 2024•50 min•Ep. 24
Wolves in Greater Yellowstone represent one of the greatest conservation success stories. Once absent from the ecosystem, a reintroduction nearly 30 years ago brought back this keystone species to the landscape. Today, Yellowstone wolves are renowned across the world and represent a significant economic driver through wildlife-watching and tourism, generating an estimate $82 million annually. Their presence in Yellowstone National Park has also allowed researchers to conduct a multi-year study o...
May 30, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 23
Thanks to that little glowing box in our hand, we are constantly inundated with heavy news, social media updates, or the fact that you forgot to do Wordle again. Have you ever just wanted to chuck it into the trash and head out to your nearest trail or place of solitude? Maybe find some respite among the trees, enjoying the simplicity of nature. From my conversation today, I believe that’s what compels many people who join the backcountry trail crew in Yellowstone National Park. Being part of a ...
Apr 30, 2024•52 min•Ep. 22
Winter is a brutal time of year in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The sun rises late and sets early, temperatures stay well below freezing for weeks on end, and the snow can pile up foot on top of foot. For the ecosystem’s many ungulates, including pronghorn, elk, deer, and moose, winter is the hardest season to survive. For the best chance of enduring the cold and snow, ungulates migrate with the seasons, seeking milder winter habitat that provides a respite from winter’s intensity and a be...
Mar 14, 2024•38 min•Ep. 21
The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is a vast landscape shared by people and wildlife. Habitat for species like grizzly bears, wolves, elk, and more isn’t just found within public lands, but exists alongside, and even overlaps with, the wide-open working lands of this region. With wildlife and people living in such close proximity, the possibility of conflict is often not far behind. Wildlife-livestock conflict is a complex challenge that requires thoughtful, multi-faceted, and creative solutions....
Feb 13, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 20
A question we commonly ask fans of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is: If you could see one animal out in the wild, what would it be? It may surprise you that the most popular answer by far is the wolverine. So, why are wolverines at the top of so many peoples’ wildlife bucket list? These elusive critters are rarely seen and even more rarely captured on camera. Their near-mythological status, incredible journeys over isolated jagged peaks, and wild fierceness in a furry compact body makes the ...
Jan 23, 2024•40 min•Ep. 19
They say, “a picture is worth a thousand words,” although sometimes it feels like we’re left speechless when viewing the spectacular photos and film of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. People from across the globe who have never visited this remarkable region feel a connection simply from the story these images tell. From a bird’s eye view of Grand Prismatic Spring, to a sweet moment of a grizzly bear sow and her cubs, to the sheer vastness that is Greater Yellowstone, the moments captured via...
Nov 30, 2023•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 18
To fit with the spooky theme of today, Halloween, we are spending some time with one of Greater Yellowstone’s most enigmatic and charismatic creatures. If you’ve been to Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park, you’ve definitely seen these beautiful, surprisingly large, black birds that seem dead set on making mischief. That’s right, we are talking ravens. Ravens can be found throughout Greater Yellowstone and are members of the corvid family, which also includes crows, magpies, jays, and more...
Oct 31, 2023•56 min•Ep. 17
We know Greater Yellowstone is a remarkable ecosystem. It is also an increasingly vulnerable ecosystem. The impacts of climate change on this landscape can be felt far and wide and are showing up in some surprising ways. As the impacts of climate change put our communities, water, and wild lands at risk, GYC is working alongside diverse partners and stakeholders to better understand climate-related threats, prepare for a warmer, drier future, and protect our most climate-sensitive resources. On ...
Sep 19, 2023•39 min•Ep. 16
Directly on the northern edge of Yellowstone National Park, Crevice Mountain rises some 3,000 feet above the Yellowstone River and is a prime example of what makes the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem so extraordinary. The area provides vital habitat for grizzly bears; is an important migration corridor for elk, mule deer, and big horn sheep; and is one of the few designated places outside the park where Yellowstone bison can roam. Now imagine a full-scale gold mining operation right in the middle ...
May 25, 2023•35 min•Ep. 15
The beautiful, unbroken forests found in Greater Yellowstone are an integral part of the ecosystem’s overall health and vitality. They provide crucial habitat and forage for its many wildlife species, are buffers against the effects of climate change, and offer nearly endless opportunities for solitude and recreation to us human inhabitants of the region. Many of the forests here in Greater Yellowstone are part of the national forest system – federally managed lands overseen by the U.S. Forest S...
Mar 23, 2023•35 min•Ep. 14
If you’ve ever spent time in the high, wild reaches of Greater Yellowstone, up near the tree line, you may have come across a silvery, gnarled pine tree. If you’ve seen it, chances are you’ve encountered a whitebark pine. These remarkable trees can live upwards of 1,000 years, and are often the highest elevation pines you’ll find in Greater Yellowstone. And not only that, but they are important to the overall health of ecosystem in some surprising ways. On today’s episode, we sit down with Dr. D...
Feb 10, 2023•31 min•Ep. 13
The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is home to awe-inspiring landscapes and iconic wildlife. And since time immemorial, it’s been stewarded by Indigenous People who view its lands, waters, and wildlife as sacred. The Indigenous way of caring for the land acknowledges its life-giving energy, is centered on reciprocity, and uses Traditional Ecological Knowledge to keep the ecosystem in balance. Recognizing and reinstituting Indigenous values, beliefs, and practices is a vital step in restoring the c...
Nov 21, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 12
The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is replete with opportunities for adventure. There is no shortage of hikers, mountain bikers, climbers, mountaineers, hunters, and more out exploring the ecosystem at any given moment. With all that space, and so many people out in it, there is also no shortage of opportunities to get in a bit of trouble. So, what happens when you fall down a slope and break your leg miles from the trailhead? Or a friend of yours went out for a hike, but it’s hours after they we...
Oct 11, 2022•51 min•Ep. 11
Oh, give me a home, where the buffalo roam. This 19th-century poem line turned western song lyric evokes days past when wild bison covered wide open spaces across North America. But these days, the only place wild American plains bison can be witnessed in large, free-roaming herds is within Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone bison are the descendants of just two dozen animals who found refuge in Yellowstone's high interior during the mass extermination of bison that took place in the late 18...
Sep 08, 2022•52 min•Ep. 10
Panther, painter, mountain screamer. Catamount, ghost cat, puma. These are just a few of the regional and colloquial names for an elusive carnivore that stalks the wilds of Greater Yellowstone. It’s an animal many folks go their whole lives sharing habitat with without seeing even once in the wild. Here in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, it is more commonly known as the mountain lion or cougar. In Episode 09, we are sitting down with Daniel Stahler of Yellowstone National Park. Dan is a wildl...
Jun 30, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 9
As Aristotle once said, “The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.” It is no secret that the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem inspires countless artists using every medium imaginable to create masterpieces depicting what this landscape means to them. In Episode 08, we sit down with artist DG House in her studio in Bozeman, Montana. DG is a contemporary Indigenous painter and photographer who is best known for her boldly colored and beautiful...
May 10, 2022•53 min•Ep. 8
March 1, 2022 marked the 150th anniversary of the founding of Yellowstone National Park. This important milestone is reason to celebrate this special place, but also reflect on its history and envision a more inclusive future. Despite myths about Yellowstone being an untouched, uninhabited land before the Yellowstone Park Protection Act was signed in 1872, the lands that became the world’s first national park were inhabited by or important to many Indigenous peoples. Today, dozens of Tribes can ...
Mar 16, 2022•57 min•Ep. 7
Elk in Paradise: it doesn’t get more idyllic than that. In Montana’s appropriately named Paradise Valley, an enormous amount of elk congregate to forage, rest, and find safety in numbers. Many travel straight over from Yellowstone National Park, which sits at the southern end of Paradise Valley. However, elk encounter numerous barriers within Paradise Valley. The road to Yellowstone National Park stretches through the valley and is a site for elk-vehicle collisions. Fences crisscross the landsca...
Jan 31, 2022•36 min•Ep. 6
