Episode #157 Show Notes

Rewilding Australia on a Continental Scale with John Kanowski, PhD

January 18, 2024

Headshot photo of John Kanowski, PhD
John Kanowski, PhDChief Science Officer at the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC)

Episode #157 Summary

Australia is home to an astounding array of wildlife found nowhere else on Earth. However, many of these unique species are endangered due to human-caused pressures. So, what does it take to conserve, restore, and rewild the planet’s largest island?

G’day, mates! Today I’m taking you to Australia for an informative conversation with John Kanowski, PhD, Chief Science Officer at the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC). 

John’s career has been nothing short of fascinating, between life-threatening advocacy work in Malaysia as a young man, going back to school to better understand the conservation issues he was promoting, delving deep into understanding Australia’s rainforests, and now, conserving and rewilding the island on a continental scale.  

In this episode, John and I explore the top conservation issues plaguing the island, notably invasive predators and inferno fires, how AWC is protecting and reintroducing Australia’s endangered mammals, the methods AWC is using to remove introduced predators, collaborating with indigenous communities and land owners to create ideal habitats for wildlife, the tech they’re using to monitor wildlife (shoutout to Debbie Saunders of Wildlife Drones from Episode 145), the challenges and successes of his career, and so much more.

So, grab another shrimp off the barbie, pour yourself a refreshing beverage, and join us as we have a rip-roaring time exploring the wild side of Australia’s conservation efforts today on Rewildology.

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