archive
Interviews: Searching for the Poisonous Pitohui
September 13, 2006 Conservationist Bruce Beehler is pushing through a wild and previously unexplored jungle in search of a mysterious and poisonous bird native to Papua New Guinea, the pitohui. His only lead and guide is a local shaman, who uses poison from the bird in his rituals.
Scores of Elephants Killed by Poachers in Chad
September 4, 2006 National Geographic Society Explorer-in-Residence Fay has uncovered a staggering loss: During a survey of Chad — a country of vast spaces at the heart of Africa — he stumbled on at least 100 dead elephants near an elephant preserve, killed for their ivory tusks.
The Green Heart of Sumatra
August 8, 2006 The Leuser Ecosystem, one of the world's richest yet least-known forest systems, is increasingly threatened by logging and encroachment by a burgeoning population. We fly into the heart of the forest to profile the conservationists trying to keep it pristine for future generations.
Saving Sumatra's Wild Orangutans
August 7, 2006 Some scientists believe the orangutan — a Malay word that translates to "man of the forest" — may soon become extinct, wiped out by the humans it so closely resembles. We travel to the Indonesian island of Sumatra to profile competing plans to save the great ape.
50 Years On, a Passion for the Wild Endures
July 26, 2006 In July of 1956, wilderness activists Olaus and Mardy Murie made an expedition to the upper Sheenjek River of Alaska's Brooks Range to inventory an untouched wilderness. Five decades later, one of their young disciples returns to find the beauty intact.
The Savage, Beautiful World of Army Ants
July 25, 2006 The ant photographs of Mark Moffett, a Harvard-trained ecologist, are often compared to art. He talks with Alex Chadwick about his latest article for National Geographic magazine on the hidden world of one of the most aggressive species of ant.
Program Aims to Protect Tigers -- and Their Prey
July 6, 2006 The Wildlife Conservation Society announces a new approach to tiger conservation: Scientists will focus not only on the tigers, but also on the safety of their prey and the actions of their human neighbors.
Fighting in Nepal Threatens Rhino Population
June 13, 2006 A promising conservation effort to save Nepal's endangered rhinos is now in serious trouble, due to poachers and fighting between government forces and Maoist insurgents. But a new truce is giving conservationists hope for the future.
The Hidden Language of Insects
Societies of Sound in the Forest
May 25, 2006 Evidence suggests at least one group of insects, the tiny treehopper, communicates using sound vibrations. Researcher Rex Cocroft has scoured a biologically rich piece of the Amazon in eastern Ecuador to record the sounds of the tiny insect.
The Hidden Language of Insects
Engineer's Notebook: The Wilderness Chorus
May 24, 2006 NPR engineer Flawn Williams kept a diary of his journey to eastern Ecuador to capture the sounds of the Amazon — hear his own report on his quest to record the spectacular bellows of the howler monkey.
The Hidden Language of Insects
A Journey to the Edge of the Amazon
May 24, 2006 The jungle and rain forest surrounding the Tiputini Biodiversity Station is still incredibly wild, even by the standards of the Amazon. There are tantalizing hints that it also may be full of insects that talk to each other.
Researchers Fan Out to Find Bird Flu in Alaska
May 19, 2006 In Alaska alone, the goal is to test and screen more than 15,000 birds this summer and fall. Despite the looming danger, the surveillance effort is still somewhat of a work in progress.
Interviews: Giant Panda Released to the Wild
April 28, 2006 Friday is a big day for one of the most charismatic animals on Earth: the giant panda. Native to central China, the black-and-white bear was almost driven to extinction — now one bred in captivity has been released back into the wild.
Interviews: Tracking Elephants in Chad
April 17, 2006 National Geographic Society explorer-in-residence Mike Fay is tracking the migration of elephants on a conservation mission in Chad. He spoke recently with Alex Chadwick as he watches three lions eating a young elephant they recently killed.
The Lost Gospel of Judas Iscariot?
April 6, 2006 Researchers say they have discovered the only known copy of the Gospel of Judas, which portrays Judas Iscariot not as a traitor, but as an essential player in helping Jesus carry out his mission. Alex Chadwick talks to Herb Krosney, author of The Lost Gospel.
