Cull of the Wild: Killing in the Name of Conservation with Hugh Warwick (rerun)

Cull of the Wild: Killing in the Name of Conservation with Hugh Warwick (rerun)

Author: KSQD 90.7 FM in Santa Cruz & KSQD.org July 6, 2025 Duration: 57:39
Sustainability Now! on KSQD.org
ScienceCultureNaturePhilosophySocietySociety & Culture

Do you remember the Northern Spotted Owl, icon of the old-growth Redwood Wars of the 1990s?  Well, the Northern Spotted Owl is, once again, under threat.  This time, however, the threat comes from another species of owl, the Barred Owl, a larger and more aggressive bird native to the United States, whose range has been expanding westward as a result of development and climate change.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife has devised a plan to protect the Northern Spotted Owl: shoot Barred Owls.  Scientists, conservationists and the public are torn: should humans intervene to prevent animal extinctions by competitors and invasive species if they threaten the survival of endemic ones, or should we let nature take its course?  And since humans have intervened in nature for thousands of years, everyday and everywhere, what is the right thing to do?  How can we decide?

Join host Ronnie Lipschutz for a rerun of a 2024 conversation with Hugh Warwick, spokesperson for the British Hedgehog Preservation Society, who has been looking into this dilemma around the world. He has just published Cull of the Wild: Killing in the Name of Conservation.  Warwick is a frequent speaker on wildlife conservation in public talks and on British radio and TV. He also runs courses on hedgehog conservation.

Warwick with hedgehog photo © Zoe Broughton


Every other Sunday, Sustainability Now! on KSQD.org offers a thoughtful space to explore the complex questions facing our planet. Born from the community airwaves of KSQD 90.7 FM in Santa Cruz, this podcast connects the local environmental pulse of Northern California to global conversations. Since its launch in 2019 by host Ronnie Lipschutz, the program has built a reputation for deep, engaging dialogues that refuse to simplify the challenges at hand. You’ll hear from a compelling mix of voices-field researchers detailing ecological shifts, philosophers examining our relationship with nature, community organizers building practical solutions, and authors framing new narratives for society. The discussions naturally weave between science, culture, and policy, reflecting a belief that true sustainability is as much about philosophy and community as it is about data. This isn’t about alarmism or easy answers; it’s about informed, nuanced exploration. Tuning in means listening to people who are actively thinking, studying, and working on the front lines of change. Each episode of this KSQD podcast provides substance and perspective, whether the topic is regenerative agriculture, conservation ethics, technological innovation, or social justice. It’s for anyone ready to move beyond headlines and engage with the ideas and actions shaping a viable future.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 26

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