In a recent episode of the Wild For Change podcast, I had a conversation with Ellie Laks, the founder of the Gentle Barn, about her new book, "Cow Hug Therapy." The book is a touching account of how the animals at the Gentle Barn have taught her valuable lessons about life and death and everything in between. I have always found solace in the compa…

On a new Wild For Change podcast, we speak with Brooks Bonner, Program Director of the E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation. E.O. Wilson, was an American biologist, naturalist, ecologist, entomologist, and the author of many books, including Half-Earth. The premise of Half-Earth proposes that to save the planet, half of the Earth’s lands and seas ne…

On a new Wild For Change podcast, we welcome back Damien Mander, environmentalist and founder of Akashinga, the first all-women, anti-poaching organization formerly known as the International Anti-Poaching Foundation. We also welcome Nyaradzo Hoto, a Biodiversity Officer of Akashinga who focuses on research and data analysis collected by the Akashi…

Today on the Wild For Change podcast, we will be speaking with Sara Newton, Head of Content and Creative Strategist for Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. Sara is also one of the main cinematographers for the organization. For over forty years, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has been patrolling the seas to help coastal and island governments fro…

On a new Wild For Change podcast, we speak with Kayah George. Kayah George is from the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, part of the Coast Salish peoples of Victoria, Canada. Despite Kayah’s young age, she has spoken for half her life about indigenous and environmental issues like the transmountain pipeline and chemicals leaking into the Burrard Inlet. She re…

We welcome back to the Wild For Change podcast Grand Chief Judy Wilson, a member of the Secwepemc Nation to discuss the importance of our interconnection with nature. Nothing is separate. For example, more than 70 of the 100 crops responsible for providing 90% of the world’s food are pollinated by bees. But the bee population is crashing from the u…

Today on the Wild For Change podcast, we are speaking with Teresa Becher and Mandy Migura from Alaska Wildlife Alliance (AWA) about the special population of endangered beluga whales who live in the Cook Inlet in the central Gulf of Alaska. Teresa is the Beluga Whale Monitoring Coordinator who coordinates monitoring sessions of a whole team of volu…

Today, we are speaking with Ron Sutherland, Chief Scientist of Wildlands Network who is their in-house animal and rewilding expert. The mission of Wildlands Network is to reconnect, restore and rewild North America so that life in all its diversity can thrive. Ron has over 25 years of experience in wildlife research. His extensive knowledge of wild…

On today’s Wild For Change podcast, we will be discussing freshwater availability with Lis Mullin Bernhardt, a United Nations Programme Officer for Water. Her previous work for the UN includes Coordinator for the Global Adaptation Network, an initiative that helps the world build resilience to climate change. Water is essential in order for us to s…

On today’s Wild For Change podcast, we speak with John Jurko II, creative director of Global Conservation Corps and lead producer and director of the film RHINO MAN. Global Conservation Corps is a non-profit organization that is bridging the gap between communities and wildlife. The film RHINO MAN was the first project of Global Conservation Corps …

On a new Wild For Change podcast, we speak with Hannah Matthews, a Water Programs Manager of charity: water. Water is the foundation for all life, without water, we couldn’t survive. Lack of fresh water largely influences a person’s physical and mental health, time, education, and livelihood. And as we are seeing the effects of climate change, chro…

Growing up April and her husband Tyler dreamed of having a pet pig. After watching a video of a mother pig living in a horrific gestation crate, April knew in her heart she wanted to dedicate her life to rescuing and saving pigs and finding them their forever home. This was the impetus of Chicagoland Pig Rescue. But April and Tyler aren’t stopping …

Wetlands are crucial ecosystems for the filtration of excessive water in some parts of the world and for storing carbon, preventing the overheating of the atmosphere. This is why they are often called the ‘kidneys’ of the landscape. Moreover, they are home to numerous flora and fauna species and thus are vital as a variety of habitats. However, hum…

On today’s Wild For Change podcast, we speak with Nicole Schmitt, Executive Director of the Alaska Wildlife Alliance. Alaska Wildlife Alliance was founded in 1978 to be a voice for Alaska’s wildlife, which includes marine mammals and endangered species. The mission of Alaska Wildlife Alliance (AWA) is to safeguard wildlife biodiversity knowing the …

On a new Wild For Change podcast, we speak with amphibian biologist Dr. Kerry Kriger, founder of Save the Frogs! Save The Frogs! began in 2008 and works across the United States as well as around the world to prevent the extinction of amphibians and to create a better planet for humans and wildlife, while also empowering ordinary citizens to contri…

On this Wild For Change podcast, we speak with Judy Wilson, who formerly served as Kukpi Chief of the Neskonlith Indian Band about the Wolf Treaty; A Treaty of Cultural and Environmental Survival. Judy has knowledge, experience and an extensive background in First Nations land rights/specific claims, human rights, children & family jurisdiction, em…

Today we are speaking with Brooke Bowlin, a sustainable fashion advocate who got her start in the industry in 2018 from owning a second-hand clothing store. After dealing with people’s excess of clothing, Brooke’s eyes were opened to the harm and overconsumption of fashion. She has made it her mission to educate about better personal as well as ind…

Today, we welcome back Leif Cocks, founder of the International Elephant Project, based in Sumatra. The International Elephant Project (IEP) is a not-for-profit project for elephant conservation, rainforest protection and local community partnerships, in order to protect and save the entire ecosystem and biodiversity of habitats shared by elephants…

On today’s Wild For Change podcast, we speak with three hosts of Vigil4Elephants that commemorates the elephant lives that were lost each year in captivity; Barbara Lovett, founder, and president of Save Nosey Now, Inc. Courtney Scott, founder and president of Free the Oregon Zoo Elephants. Sandra Clinger, president of The Elephant Advocacy Project…

On a new Wild For Change podcast, we speak with Jodie Wiederkehr, founder of Chicago Alliance for Animals (CAA). CAA is a volunteer grassroots animal advocacy organization that began in 2015. The first goal of CAA was to ban horse carriages in downtown Chicago, and in 2017, the organization began diligently documenting how the horses were treated b…

On a new Wild For Change podcast, I speak with Miguel Franco, CFO and co-owner of Healthy Substance, a vegan Mexican restaurant located on the south side of Chicago. We will be speaking about how Healthy Substance got its start, what it means to eat vegan, and how eating vegan helps to save animals’ lives. Healthy Substance is one of my favorite re…

Today on the Wild For Change podcast, we will be discussing the magnificent rhino, with our guest, Simon Jones, CEO of Helping Rhinos. Helping Rhinos is predominantly based in Africa. Their focus is on helping the species survive at sustainable levels by improving protection, care, and welfare of the rhino in its natural habitat as well as to forge…

Founded in 2013, Conserv Congo is a non-profit conservation whose mission is to maintain the biodiversity of the Congo Basin in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Congo Basin is a vast tropical rainforest and a biodiversity hot spot which is home to 100’s of mammal species. Conserv Congo puts itself on the frontlines to save and protect enda…

On today’s Wild For Change podcast, we are going to learn about habitat restoration with David Lloyd, steward for the Cook County Forest Preserves in Illinois. During this podcast, we will learn why habitat restoration is so crucial for local ecosystems. I am fortunate enough to live near forest preserves where I can take a hike, see wild flowers a…

On a very special Wild For Change podcast, we celebrate World Elephant Day with Dr. Vicki Fishlock, resident scientist of Amboseli Trust for Elephants in Kenya. The Amboseli Trust for Elephants, located in Kenya, is a not-for-profit organization that focuses on the long-term conservation and welfare of Africa’s elephants in the midst of human expan…

On today’s Wild For Change podcast, we speak with Joshua Sam Miller. Joshua is a world recording artist, composer, and producer. His mission is to connect people to the natural world through using the sounds of nature as a healing modality. After discovering an affinity to surfing, Joshua took note of the fragility of ocean life and began using his…

On a Wild For Change podcast, we speak with The Conservation Kid, Cash Daniels. Cash has always had a passion for protecting our earth and its natural resources. At the age of 7, he began cleaning up trash around the Chattanooga River and has since removed 17,000 pounds of trash. He started teaching adults about the importance of protecting our pla…

On a Wild For Change podcast, we speak with Ellie Laks-Weiner, founder of The Gentle Barn. Ellie founded the Gentle Barn in 1999. The Gentle Barn rescues animals, gives them sanctuary, and heals children by sharing the animals’ stories. It began as a half-acre farm in the San Fernando Valley, California. In 2002, co-founder Jay Weiner began as a vo…

On a new Wild For Change podcast, we speak with Barbara Lovett, co-founder of Save Nosey Now, a grassroots organization founded in 2014, whose original mission was to provide actions and education that would get Nosey, a circus elephant to sanctuary and keep her there. Barbara will share the story of how her love and determination to rescue Nosey e…

On today’s podcast, we discuss how unmanned aircraft systems, or UAS’, can benefit wildlife, nature, and mankind with Fatema Hamdani, CEO, and co-founder of Kraus Hamdani Aerospace. In today’s world, we are constantly seeing changes in our climate, larger-scale natural disasters and fires. Many of our wildlife are threatened by poaching and wildlif…

On a new Wild For Change podcast, we will be talking about America’s historic prairie ecosystem, with Daniel Kinka, Senior Wildlife Restoration Manager of American Prairie. American Prairie’s mission is to conserve the largest ecosystem in the contiguous United States. It is working to connect and preserve more than 3 million acres of habitat on th…

Today, we will be speaking with Blake Lawrence, Marketing Manager of Cool Effect on how we can reduce our carbon footprint. Cool Effect is the actual boots on the ground non-profit working diligently to help fund projects that help reduce our carbon footprint. Cool Effect uses science, expertise, and transparency to fund projects around the globe t…

If you’re a bird lover like me or a lover of nature, you are going to love today’s podcast with Tykee James, Government Affairs Coordinator of The National Audubon Society. The National Audubon Society is a nonprofit conservation organization that started in 1905. It protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. Audubon works through…

On a new Wild For Change podcast, we will be speaking about plastic pollution with three experts from Ocean Conservancy; Dr. Britta Baechler, Senior Manager, Oceans Plastics Research will be discussing the overall problem with plastics, how microplastics form and why they are problematic. Robyn Albritton, Senior Manager, International Coastal Clean…

On today’s podcast, we will be speaking with Marc Ayers, Illinois State Director for the Humane Society of the United States. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1954 to champion animal welfare and to fight the good fight against animal cruelty across the nation and the world. HSUS’ scope …

The Regenesis Project is a trailblazing regenerative model of inhabiting the earth so that both humans and nature can co-flourish. It is part of a global network of living labs called Ecosystem Restoration Camps that are restoring a diverse array of degenerated ecosystems and experimenting to find the best ecosystem practices. These restoration cam…

On a new Wild For Change podcast, we will be speaking with Dr. Vicki Fishlock – resident scientist of Amboseli Trust for Elephants in Kenya. The Amboseli Trust for Elephants is a not-for-profit organization that focuses on the long-term conservation and welfare of Africa’s elephants in the midst of human expansion, through scientific research, outr…

On this new Wild For Change podcast episode, we will be speaking with Damien Mander, founder of the International Anti-Poaching Foundation. Damien was a naval clearance diver and special operations sniper for the Australian Defense Force. He completed 3 years of duty in Iraq. While traveling through Africa, he was inspired by the work of game range…

On today’s podcast, we will be learning what biomimicry is with Lex Amore, Director of Partnerships and Advocacy at the @biomimicryinstitute. There is a quote from Frank Lloyd Wright that seems to sum up for me how to describe biomimicry; “Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature, it will never fail you.” Biomimicry is a practice that imitat…

On today’s podcast, we will be speaking with Larissa Sousa, Associate Director for Communications for Gorongosa National Park. Gorongosa National Park is located in the Great Rift Valley in central Mozambique, Africa. Gorongosa is one of the most biodiverse places on earth with over 4,800 species identified and is home to a unique blend of thriving…

Today, we will be discussing the importance of ocean conservation with conservationist, Sruthi Gurudev. According to the National Ocean Service, our oceans cover 70% of the earth’s surface and produce over half of the world’s oxygen and absorb 50 times more carbon than our atmosphere. As Sylvia Earle, an oceanographer so aptly put; “With every drop…

Today, we will be speaking with Ross Bernet, Mapping and Monitoring Expert for One Tree Planted. We will be discussing what trees actually provide for us, animals, and the planet beyond their beauty and shade. Our planet is home to over 60,000 species of trees, some of which provide us food, all of which help absorb carbon dioxide from our atmosphe…

Today we will be speaking with Leif Cocks, world renown orangutan expert and founder of The Orangutan Project. The Orangutan Project was created in 1998. Its mission is to protect endangered orangutans from extinction and to live in secured populations for years to come. Leif has played a key role in establishing conservation plans for orangutans a…

Today we will be speaking with Catherine Doyle, Director of Science, Research, and Advocacy for the Performing Animal Welfare Society also known as PAWS. PAWS was co-founded by the late Pat Derby and Ed Stewart, 37 years ago as a sanctuary for abused, captive, and retired performing animals. Such animals included elephants, lions, tigers, and bears…

Today we will be speaking with Katherina Audley, project founder and director of Whales of Guerrero. Whales of Guerrero began in 2013 to generate needed research of humpback whales in the state of Guerrero, Mexico as well as to partner with the local community to find ways to restore the declining marine ecosystem. Overall, Mexico ranks second in t…

Today we will be speaking with Nikki Sharp, Executive Director of Wildlife SOS. Founded in 1995, Wildlife SOS is a non-profit conservation based in India to help rescue and rehabilitate wildlife that has been exploited, mistreated, or in distress, as well as protecting India’s habitats, forests, and biodiversity. Wildlife SOS’s broad efforts of sav…

Today on the Wild For Change podcast, we will be speaking with Adams Cassinga, founder of Conserv Congo. Founded in 2013, Conserv Congo is a non-profit conservation whose mission is to maintain the biodiversity of the Congo Basin in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Congo Basin is a vast tropical rainforest and a biodiversity hot spot that …

In today’s Wild For Change podcast, we are speaking with Mike Veale, the president of Global Conservation Force. Asia is currently home to three species Mike Veale founded Global Conservation Force in 2014. His mission is to save endangered species and protect their habitats in countries like Africa and Asia. His unique zoo keeping background combi…

Today on the Wild For Change Podcast, we will be speaking with Ted Cheeseman, co-founder of Happywhale. Happywhale was created in 2015, when Ted Cheeseman’s decades long expeditions to the Antarctic and the island of South Georgia demonstrated where whales were once prevalent, sightings of whales were rare. This was due to hundreds of years of this…