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Joshua Tree National Park sits at the meeting point of two deserts, welcomes roughly three million visitors a year, and protects a landscape filled with Joshua trees, desert bighorn sheep, mountain lions, tortoises, bats—and some of the darkest skies within reach of Southern California.

In this episode of Naturally Scott, Scott Harris sits down with Jane Rodgers, superintendent of Joshua Tree National Park, to talk about what it takes to protect one of America’s most recognizable desert landscapes.

Jane began her National Park Serv...

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Along historic Route 66 in the Arizona desert sits the tiny town of Oatman—a former gold-mining community where the most famous residents have four legs.

In this edition of Naturally Scott Adventures, Scott Harris visits the wild burros of Oatman, Arizona, descendants of the animals that once worked the region’s mines. When mining faded, the burros were left behind. They adapted to the brutal desert, survived, and generations later still roam the Black Mountains.

But Oatman’s “town burros” have discovered an easier way to make a...

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Amy Tan is best known as the bestselling author of The Joy Luck Club. But in recent years, another passion has taken over much of her attention: the birds in her own backyard.

In this episode of Naturally Scott, Scott Harris sits down with Amy to talk about The Backyard Bird Chronicles, a deeply personal collection of observations, sketches, questions, and encounters that grew out of her return to nature during a difficult period in her life. What began as a private journal eventually became a book filled with...

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With a wingspan approaching 10 feet, the California Condor is a bird you don't simply see—you experience.

In this edition of Naturally Scott Adventures, Scott Harris travels to Navajo Bridge in Arizona, where the Colorado River cuts through Marble Canyon and one of the rarest birds in North America has found an extraordinary place to roost. Scott considers it the best place in the world to experience California Condors, with birds sometimes resting on the bridge girders almost directly beneath you. 

Scott follows the...

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Squirrels raid our bird feeders, bury thousands of nuts, leap between trees, and somehow seem to outsmart nearly every obstacle we put in their way. But just how remarkable are they?

In this episode of Naturally Scott, Scott Harris sits down with squirrel expert John Koprowski of the University of Wyoming to explore an animal nearly everyone knows—but few of us truly appreciate.

John has spent much of his career studying squirrels, a family that includes more than 300 species spread across much of the wo...

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Owls are usually creatures of forests, trees, and darkness. Burrowing Owls break just about every one of those rules.

In this edition of Naturally Scott Adventures, Scott Harris heads to Cape Coral, Florida, a city that calls itself the “Burrowing Owl Capital of the World”—and makes a pretty convincing case. Unlike most owls, these tiny raptors live underground, spend much of their day out in the open, and have become remarkably comfortable sharing their neighborhoods with people. 

One of Scott’s favorite places to...

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Killer whales—or orcas—are among the most recognizable animals on Earth. But beneath those black-and-white markings are remarkably complex societies, with different diets, dialects, traditions, and even cultures passed from one generation to the next.

This week on Naturally Scott, Scott Harris sits down with renowned killer whale researcher John Ford, who has spent more than four decades studying these extraordinary animals, primarily along the coast of British Columbia. His fascination began as a child watching killer whales pass his family's fishing boat and eventually led to w...

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What could possibly draw someone to Texas in the middle of summer?

Twenty million bats.

In this edition of Naturally Scott Adventures, Scott Harris travels to Bracken Cave Preserve just outside San Antonio—home to the largest bat colony on Earth. Every summer evening, millions of Mexican free-tailed bats pour from a single cave in one of the greatest wildlife spectacles anywhere in the world. 

Scott shares what it's like to witness the breathtaking "batnado," explains why these tiny mammals are so important to agriculture, and...

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What if everything you thought you knew about some of North America's most familiar animals was wrong?

In this episode of Naturally Scott, Scott Harris welcomes science writer and author Jason Bittel, whose new book Grizzled shines a spotlight on 50 of North America's most misunderstood animals. From grizzly bears and white-tailed deer to porcupines, daddy longlegs, yellow jackets, and ringtails, Jason shares the fascinating stories hiding in plain sight. 

Together, Scott and Jason explore the surprising biology, remarkable adaptations, and evolutionary history of creatures many o...

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There may be no animal more closely tied to the spirit of the American West than the wild Mustang.

In this edition of Naturally Scott Adventures, Scott Harris travels to Nevada in search of one of North America's most iconic animals—wild Mustangs. From the shores of Washoe Lake State Park to the open sagebrush country outside Reno, Scott explores the history, biology, and enduring romance of these remarkable horses.

Along the way, he shares unforgettable encounters with bachelor bands racing across the desert, solitary stallions standing wa...

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What if the most important life in the ocean is almost completely invisible?

In this episode of Naturally Scott, Scott Harris sits down with marine microbiologist Dr. Ginny Edgcomb of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution for a fascinating journey into the hidden world beneath the waves.

From hydrothermal vents and hypersaline lakes at the bottom of the Mediterranean to deep-sea drilling expeditions in the Indian Ocean, Ginny studies microscopic organisms that thrive where most life simply cannot. Along the way, she explains how these remarkable microbes recycle nutrients, fuel...

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Welcome to another edition of Naturally Scott Adventures, where Scott Harris takes you into the field to experience some of North America's most remarkable wildlife and wild places.

In this episode, Scott visits Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge on Florida's Gulf Coast to meet one of the state's most beloved residents—the Florida manatee. These gentle marine mammals, often called "sea cows," can weigh well over 1,000 pounds, yet they're among the most peaceful animals you'll ever encounter. 

Scott explores the biology, behavior, and conservation of Flo...

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Award-winning author, ornithologist, and conservationist Scott Weidensaul returns to Naturally Scott to discuss his inspiring new book, The Return of the Oystercatcher: Saving Birds to Save Ourselves. Rather than focusing solely on declining bird populations and environmental challenges, Scott shares something equally important: hope. 
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From the remarkable comeback of Bald Eagles and Canada Geese to the recovery of American Oystercatchers, Scott highlights conservation victories that prove people can make an extraordinary difference when science, persistence, and collaboration come together. 
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Th...

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Welcome to another edition of Naturally Scott Adventures, where Scott Harris takes you into the field to experience some of North America's greatest wildlife spectacles, iconic species, and wild places.

In this episode, Scott heads deep into Florida's Big Cypress National Preserve in search of one of America's most ancient and awe-inspiring predators: the American alligator. What follows is a journey into a landscape that feels frozen in time, where cypress swamps, sawgrass wetlands, and sun-soaked canals are home to hundreds of alligators and countless other wild creatures. 

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Few people have done more to save cranes than George Archibald.

In this episode of Naturally Scott, Scott Harris sits down with the co-founder of the International Crane Foundation for a remarkable conversation spanning decades of conservation, adventure, and hope. George shares the incredible story of helping rescue the Whooping Crane from the brink of extinction, including his famous partnership with a crane named Tex and the unexpected journey that led from a Wisconsin field to Johnny Carson's stage. 

The conversation also explores the migration of more than a m...

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Welcome to another edition of Naturally Scott Adventures, where Scott Harris takes you into the field to experience some of North America's greatest wildlife spectacles, iconic species, and wild places.

In this episode, Scott heads to the remote beaches of Corolla in North Carolina's Outer Banks to spend time with one of the most fascinating populations of wild horses in America: the Colonial Spanish Mustangs. 

For more than 500 years, legend holds that these remarkable horses have survived along this isolated stretch of coastline after Spanish ships wrecked o...

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Dragonflies are older than dinosaurs, can migrate across oceans, and spend most of their lives underwater.

In this fascinating and surprisingly fun episode of Naturally Scott, Scott Harris sits down with entomologist and evolutionary biologist Jessica Ware of the American Museum of Natural History to explore the incredible world of dragonflies, damselflies, insect evolution, and why insects deserve far more attention than they get.

Jessica explains how dragonflies were among the first animals ever to fly, how some species migrate over 11,000 kilometers across oceans, and why these ancient aerial...

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Welcome to the very first edition of Naturally Scott Adventures — a new series where Scott Harris takes you directly into the field to experience some of nature’s greatest spectacles, species, and wild places.

And for Episode 61, we begin with one of the most breathtaking wildlife gatherings on Earth: one million snow geese at Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge.

Each March, hundreds of thousands — and sometimes more than a million — snow geese converge on this Missouri refuge during migration. The sound is overwhelming. The sky turns white with birds. Bald eag...

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What does it feel like to sit beneath a sky filled with a million birds?

In this episode of Naturally Scott, Scott Harris is joined by naturalist, filmmaker, and Carolina Safari Co. founder Zach Steinhauser for a conversation about one of America’s most overlooked wildlife spectacles—the gathering of over a million Purple Martins at Bomb Island on South Carolina’s Lake Murray.

Zach shares the remarkable story behind his documentary Purple Haze and explains how these tiny swallows became almost entirely dependent on humans for nesting sites. The co...

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Butterflies are beautiful. They are also disappearing.

In this episode of Naturally Scott, Scott Harris sits down with University of Nevada, Reno biology professor Matt Forister for a fascinating and surprisingly urgent conversation about butterflies, insect declines, climate change, pesticides, and why these tiny creatures may tell us more about the health of our planet than almost anything else.

Matt explains how a decades-long butterfly monitoring project in California revealed dramatic declines in both butterfly abundance and species diversity, and why modern pesticide use may be playing a major...

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In this episode of Naturally Scott, Scott Harris sits down with Wade Crowfoot, Secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency, for a wide-ranging conversation about conservation, climate challenges, and the future of one of the most biodiverse places on Earth.

Wade shares how a childhood spent outdoors in the Midwest shaped his path into public service, and how his work now spans everything from wildfire prevention and water management to protecting California’s vast natural landscapes. Together, Scott and Wade explore the realities of managing natural resources in a state of 40 mi...

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This episode is a first for Naturally Scott — a panel conversation.

Scott Harris brings together three remarkable voices — Sy Montgomery, Debi Shearwater, and Lynn Scarlett — for an honest, thoughtful discussion about the history of women in birding, how the experience has evolved, and where things stand today.

Each brings a different perspective: science and storytelling, business and field leadership, and public policy and conservation. Together, they reflect on what it was like entering male-dominated spaces decades ago, the challenges they faced, the progress that’s been made, and the work sti...

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Every spring, billions of birds move across North America — and for a brief moment, one place becomes the center of it all.

In this episode of Naturally Scott, Scott sits down with Kimberly Kaufman, Executive Director of the Black Swamp Bird Observatory, to explore The Biggest Week in American Birding — one of the most important and accessible birding events in the world.

Held along the shores of Lake Erie in northwest Ohio, this 10-day festival brings together tens of thousands of birders to experience peak spring migration at p...

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Few people understand owls like Denver Holt. As the founder of the Owl Research Institute, Denver has spent nearly four decades studying owls in the wild — from long-eared owls in Montana to snowy owls on the Arctic tundra.

In this episode, Denver joins Scott Harris to explore what it really means to be a “boots on the ground” field biologist. From cross-country skiing into remote nesting territories to enduring Arctic summers in Utqiaġvik (Barrow), Alaska, his work is a testament to patience, persistence, and deep observation.

The conversation dives i...

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In this episode of Naturally Scott, Scott sits down with Debi Shearwater — one of the most iconic figures in seabirding and pelagic birding anywhere in the world.

Often called the “Queen of the Seas,” Debi has spent more than four decades leading pelagic trips off the California coast and across the globe, introducing thousands of people to the magic of seabirds, marine mammals, and life on the open ocean.

From her early days as an Army wife to launching a life-changing pelagic career in 1976 out of Monterey Bay, Debi’s story...

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In this episode of Naturally Scott, Scott sits down with Keith Hackland, owner of the Alamo Inn B&B, Gear and Tours, and one of the best-known hosts in American birding. From the heart of the lower Rio Grande Valley, Keith shares what makes this corner of Texas one of the richest birding regions in the country — and why so many birders come once and then spend a lifetime coming back.

Keith reflects on his path from South Africa to South Texas, the restoration of the historic Alamo Inn, and how a...

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In this episode of Naturally Scott, Scott sits down with raptor biologist Bryan Bedrosian, Conservation Director at the Teton Raptor Center, for a wide-ranging conversation about birds of prey, applied science, and what conservation looks like when research is paired with action.

Bryan shares his journey into raptor biology and describes the work of the Teton Raptor Center across research, rehabilitation, and education. The conversation explores cutting-edge projects ranging from bioacoustic monitoring of forest owls to long-term studies of great gray owls, including how changing snow conditions may influence their survival...

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In this episode of Naturally Scott, Scott sits down with John Adams, Deputy Director and COO of Biosphere 2, for a conversation about one of the most ambitious environmental experiments ever attempted.

Often remembered for its early human habitation experiment, Biosphere 2 is far more than a historical curiosity. John explains how the facility continues to operate today as a living laboratory designed to help scientists better understand Biosphere 1 — Earth itself. The discussion explores how large-scale, closed ecological systems allow researchers to study climate processes, water cycles, ecosystem interactions, and the challenges of su...

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In this 50th episode of Naturally Scott, Scott Harris sits down with Chad Nelson, CEO of the Surfrider Foundation, to talk about a coastal conservation organization that doesn’t just educate and inspire — it organizes, advocates, and fights for practical outcomes.

Surfrider’s work spans five core fronts: plastic reduction, ocean protection, beach access, coasts and climate, and clean water. Chad explains how a movement that began with surfers trying to protect beloved breaks has grown into a national network of volunteers running hundreds of campaigns — from cutting single-use plastics and improvin...

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In this episode of Naturally Scott, Scott sits down with Elizabeth Gray, CEO of the National Audubon Society, for a wide-ranging conversation about birds, climate, hope, and what it really takes to turn conservation losses around.

Elizabeth shares the personal experiences that shaped her life in conservation — from childhood curiosity sparked by books, to studying endangered Hawaiian honeycreepers, to witnessing firsthand how climate change affects species that live nowhere else on Earth. The conversation moves through stories of loss, resilience, and recovery, including the return of bald ea...

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In this episode of Naturally Scott, Scott sits down with ecohydrologist Emily Fairfax of the University of Minnesota to talk about an animal that quietly reshapes entire landscapes: the beaver.

What begins as a conversation about hydrology and water quickly becomes a deep look at how beavers function as true ecosystem engineers. Emily explains how their dams slow water, restore wetlands, create wildlife habitat, and even build natural resilience to wildfire.

Scott and Emily also explore common misconceptions about beavers, why they are often misunderstood, and how their impact...

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In this episode of Naturally Scott, Scott sits down with Peter Stangel of the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities to talk about forests in a way most people never hear them discussed.

Not as scenery.
 Not as hiking destinations.
 And not even primarily as ecosystems.

But as working systems that support both people and wildlife at the same time.

Following recent conversations about saving the American chestnut and protecting the redwoods, this episode steps back to look at the forest as a whole. Pe...

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In this episode of Naturally Scott, Scott sits down with author David Gessner, a writer who never wanted to be called a nature writer — and yet became one of the most important voices helping us understand why wild places and birds matter.

David is the author of Return of the Osprey, Soaring with Fidel, Leave It As It Is, and The Book of Flaco, among many others. His work explores raptors, wilderness, obsession, humor, grief, and the deep human pull toward the natural world. Scott first encountered David’s writ...

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In this episode of Naturally Scott, Scott sits down with John Goodell, Executive Director and Chief Curator of the Archives of Falconry, to explore one of humanity’s oldest and most misunderstood relationships with wildlife.

Falconry is often imagined as domination or display. In reality, it is a hunting tradition built on trust, restraint, and a deep respect for wild raptors. John explains what falconry actually is, how it has been practiced for more than two thousand years across cultures, and why the birds at the center of it remain fully wi...

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In this episode of Naturally Scott, Scott sits down with Scott Black, Executive Director of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, to explore the small creatures doing the biggest work in nature: insects and other invertebrates.

Scott Black breaks down what “invertebrates” really are, why pollinators matter far beyond gardens, and how conservation shifts when you start paying attention to the species without backbones. Along the way, he explains a surprising truth about honey bees — that they’re not native wildlife, but closer to livestock — and why native pollinators deserve far more of th...

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New York Harbor is one of the most storied waterways in the world, but for generations it was also one of the most damaged. Long before skyscrapers defined the skyline, oysters shaped the ecology, economy, and culture of the region—until they were pushed to the brink of disappearance. Today, something remarkable is happening beneath the surface.

In this episode, Scott Harris sits down with Pete Malinowski, co-founder of the Billion Oyster Project, to explore one of the most ambitious urban restoration efforts in the world. Pete ex...

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Rewilding isn’t about nostalgia — it’s about scale.

In this episode of Naturally Scott, Scott sits down with Dr. Jodi Hilty, President and Chief Scientist of the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Y2Y), to explore one of the most ambitious conservation visions on Earth: reconnecting 2,000 miles of wild landscape from Yellowstone National Park to the Yukon.

Dr. Hilty explains why isolated parks are no longer enough, how wildlife corridors, overpasses, and private lands keep ecosystems functioning, and why large carnivores like wolves, wolverines, and grizzly bears are essent...

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In this episode of Naturally Scott, Scott sits down with John Calambokidis, one of the world’s leading cetacean researchers and the co-founder of Cascadia Research Collective. For more than four decades, John has studied whales across the Pacific, combining long-term fieldwork, cutting-edge technology, and an unwavering commitment to scientific integrity.

The conversation opens with a candid look at whale rescue efforts, including the heartbreak of failed rescues and what those moments reveal about both human limits and motivation. From there, Scott and John explore the story be...

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In this episode of Naturally Scott, Scott Harris is joined by Lisa T. Ballance, Director of the Marine Mammal Institute, for a wide-ranging conversation that moves from personal history to some of the most consequential marine science of the past half-century.

Ballance explains how her career in ecology and conservation biology led her into the heart of the tuna–dolphin controversy in the Eastern Tropical Pacific, where massive purse-seine fisheries once killed millions of dolphins and reshaped global seafood policy. Scott and Lisa discover that their lives br...

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What would it take to truly rewild North America?

In this episode of Naturally Scott, Scott Harris sits down with Jack Humphrey of the Rewilding Institute to explore one of the most ambitious and consequential ideas in modern conservation: reconnecting large landscapes so nature can function the way it once did.

Jack shares decades of firsthand experience working on wilderness cores, wildlife corridors, and large carnivore conservation—from restoring illegal roads in the Southwest, to building wolf acclimation pens on Ted Turner’s Ladder Ranch, to helping shap...