Encounters
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Salmon: The Miracle
Celebrate Alaska’s wild salmon with a rare Encounters program—host Richard Nelson indoors! “Salmon: The Miracle” is a live recording of Richard’s Sitka WhaleFest talk given to a standing-room-only crowd in November.
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Harbor Seal
Keep company with Richard Nelson and a crowd of basking harbor seals on a tiny bedrock islet off the Alaska coast. These remarkable animals are like emissaries from the ocean world—graceful, alluring, and brilliantly adapted to life underwater. This program is funded by the North Pacific Research Board.
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Sea Otter
Who’s the cutest marine mammal? Hands down, it’s the sea otter! Join host Richard Nelson off the outer coast of Alaska as he drifts with a flotilla of sea otters. This program is funded by the North Pacific Research Board.
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Seabirds
Spend some quality time with a staggering number of seabirds and one Richard Nelson on St. Lazaria Island, off the coast of Southeast Alaska. Part of the Alaska Maritime Wildlife Refuge, St. Lazaria Island is the nesting place for more than half a million seabirds! This program is funded by the North Pacific Research Board.
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Salmon Subsistence
Land the big one—a bright red sockeye salmon—with host Richard Nelson as he practices subsistence fishing on a salmon stream in Southeast Alaska. The definitive example of a truly renewable resource, sockeye salmon spend part of their lives in freshwater lakes and part in the ocean. Learn about their miraculous life cycle, their importance for subsistence life ways in villages and towns all over Alaska, and how maintaining healthy salmon habitats across their range and the careful management...
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Old River
If you crave wildness on a massive scale, come for a journey along the Utukok River, in the far northwest corner of arctic Alaska. On a ridge overlooking the sprawls of green summer tundra, host Richard Nelson stumbles across a cache of stone artifacts, connecting this seemingly empty land with an ancient human story. This is not just a wild land; it is also a homeland for the Inupiaq people who still hunt, travel, and sustain their cultural lives here. These silent stone tools bring back...
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Surrounded by Caribou
Crouch in a narrow ravine in Northwestern Alaska with host Richard Nelson, surrounded by a great rushing river of tens of thousands of caribou. Brilliantly designed for their northern world, caribou have dense warm fur, phenomenal endurance, a genius for navigation, ability to find food in a frugal environment, and a constant yearning for travel—sometimes in spectacular groups of 100,000 or more.
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Pennyroyal Dawn
Come along with Richard Nelson for a dawn walk on an Australian ranch where both cattle and wildlife abound. We’ll spot a sugar glider returning from a night in the treetops, hear the sunrise chorus of kookaburras, magpies, butcherbirds, and spectacular parrots, feed the “chooks” (as chickens are known in Australia), and meet two beautiful Australian herding dogs. Along the way, we’ll learn about cattle and land Down Under.
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Cow
Most of us rarely give a thought to these fascinating creatures, but from a practical standpoint they're the most important animals in our lives. Even if we swear off meat and dairy, products from cows are everywhere around us and they're a major factor in our personal ecology. Put on your boots and head for the pasture with host Richard Nelson for a "face-to-face" meeting with your "inner cow".
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Salmon in Indian River
Join Richard Nelson as he paddles his kayak at the mouth of Indian River that runs through Sitka, Alaska. Listen about the amazing life cycle of the salmon as you watch the fish round the end of their lives as they begin to swim up river. This program is funded by the Alaska Sustainable Salmon Fund.
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Steller's Curse
The reknowned naturalist Georg Steller had a rocky road to fame. He was an amazing naturalist for his time, describing many plants and animals on the famous 1733 Vitus Bering voyage from Russia to Alaska. When he arrived in Alaska, after a 10 year journey he was allowed only 10 hours to go ashore. And many of the animals that Steller described(that were later named for him) are now either threatened, endangered or extinct. He was cursed. Go with Elizabeth Arnold over to Russia during her own...
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Brown Bears and Wildness
Get a close listen to some of the biggest grizzly bears on earth in Katmai National Park where you get a feel for the importance of wildness.
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Herring Fishery
he world's biggest herring fishery takes place in Sitka, Alaska. It's a sign of Spring when the million dollar fishery takes off in Sitka Sound.
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Herring Rake
Richard Nelson drifts in his skiff above a cloud of herring in the Southeast Alaska Spring. He uses a fishing tool that is called a herring rake to harvest these fish. The rake has a wonderful history wrapped in Native American knowledge.
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Wild Sounds
The silence of solitude in the natural world, is often far from quiet. Being outdoors often means one is lucky enough to hear the sounds of the wild. Yet many natural sounds may soon be extinct. Richard Nelson shares his appreciation of wild sounds.
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Black Bear Spirit
Learn about the life history of the Black Bear from the Native American tradition, knowledge that has been passed along from generation to generation as we watch black bears in Glacier Bay National Park.
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Bison
It moans like a cow, but you can't mistake the bison for its more domesticated cousin. Head to Delta Junction, Alaska as host Richard Nelson sits among a heard of 200 bison.
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Beaver
Often called nature's engineers or nature's hydrologist, the beaver is a rodent that has figured out how to manipulate its environment sometimes to the chagrin of human beings.
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River Trip
Camping in the far north brings many sounds of the northern wild. Join host Richard Nelson as he floats down the Bonnet Plume River in the Yukon Territory of Canada.
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Mountain Sheep
Most people only hope to see Dall sheep as a tiny dot in binoculars, but on this blustery day above the Alaska Highway, Richard Nelson heads up some very steep rugged mountains to get incredibly close to these charismatic animals.
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Urban Wildlife
Many Alaskans live in Alaska because they love to see wildlife, but just how close to they like their wildlife. On this Encounters, head out with Elizabeth Arnold and local fish and wildlife officers to see just what kind of issues abound in the biggest city in Alaska.
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Volcano
hile she can't see Russia from her house, Elizabeth Arnold heads to one of the wildest Russian geographies in the country to get sprayed and hopefully not boiled in the Valley of the Geyers, a protected area on the Kamchatka Pennisula.
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Urban Birdwatching
The City parks in Anchorage have some of the most unusual wildlife in the nation. Far from urban jungles, these parks offer wonderful opportunities for birdwatching and even some charasmatic megafauna watching!
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Tide
he tide waits for no man.... including Encounters host Richard Nelson who gets himself into quite a dramatic spot to have a close encounter with the tide.
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Deer and People
Join Richard Nelson on the outer coast of Southeast Alaska as he guides us through one of the most interesting human wildlife relationships in the United States - deer and people.
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Deer and Natural History
Richard Nelson appreciates the elegance and grace of the Sitka Blacktail deer as he tells us about the natural history of this important animal that defines wildness in the Tongass National Forest.
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Aleutian Goose
For nearly 30 years the Aleutian Cackling Goose, disappeared. It was thought to be extinct in Russia and in Alaska. But in large part due to the efforts of two men, on opposite sides of the Bering Sea, the goose is back.
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Cod
Join reporter Jeb Sharp as she heads to Newfoundland to look for a fish that once piled into fishermen's dorries. A fascinating fish with a rich history, cod are now showing up in some unexpected places.
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Gray Whale
Gray Whales frequent the shores of Southeast Alaska as they do all up and down the west coast. Find out why they are sometimes called the farmers of the sea and how mother gray whales defend their young against killer whales.
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Seagulls
Hold your nose to avoid the smell as you stroll next to a river in Southeast Alaska when the salmon have spawned and the seagulls begin their feast. Find out what makes ordinary seagulls extraordinary birds.
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Octopus
Head on down to the octopus garden with Elizabeth Arnold and one of Alaska's most enthusiastic octopus scientists. Dutch Harbor is well known for its fishing but it turns out it may also have a plethora of octopi
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Albatross
The albatross is a pretty special bird. Weighing 20 pounds and evolving some of the most efficient flight systems in the bird world, it travels great distances and lives most of its life far away from land. Richard Nelson hitches a ride with an Alaskan longline fishing boat to catch a glimpse and hang out with some of these spectacular beings of flight.
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Boreal Forest
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Aurora
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Bald Eagle
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Bird Migration
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Russian Polar Bears
Russian Eskimo people reach across the Bering Sea for an important cultural exchange in Alaska. Elizabeth Arnold reports on shared issues of polar bears in villages and on how Russian Native people are taking actio to prevent walrus stampedes.
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Gray Jay
The jays are some of the most intelligent beings in the animal world. They are clever and ubiquitous. Listen to why the Koyukon people advise us to remember that these birds know more than we do.
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Solitude
Alone at last! Go to a wilderness area with Lisa Busch in search of a moment alone... the kind that Congress had in mind back in 1964 when they passed the Wilderness Act.
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Thrush
The voice of the Swanson's Thrush is considered by many to have the most beautiful song of any bird in North America. But there are 75 species of thrushes and many compete for that title. Join Richard Nelson as he listens to thrushes and tells us all we ever wanted to know about these lovely birds.
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Sandhill Crane
The voice of the Sandhill Crane epitomizes everything that Alaska is about. Hear this the one of a kind sound in Delta Junction at a fabulously close range.
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Tasmanian Devil
The Tasmanian Devil is one of the world's most famous wild animals, but hardly anyone would recognize one in the wild. Join host Richard Nelson in Tasmania as you catch a rare glimpse in the wild of these special creatures.
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Thylacine
Some people will tell you that the Tasmanian Tiger is long extinct, but others will assure you that it still lurks like a shadow or a dream on the wild island of Tasmania. One of the world's most strange and elusive animals on this episode of Encounters.
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Australian Dawn
Get up close to a bunch of polar bears as they feed on the remains of a bowhead whale. Listen to what makes these marine mammals such great hunters and why they are so revered by the indigenous cultures of the north.
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Cane Toad
On this Encounters DownUnder segmentRichard Nelson heads out on a hot Australian night in Darwin to look for one of the worst invasive species Australia has ever seen - the Cane Toad.
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Wolverine
Richard Nelson guides us through a lovely valley in the Brooks Range mountains as we track one of the most mysterious and difficult animals to find - the Alaska wolverine.
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Nanuq
Get up close to a bunch of polar bears as they feed on the remains of a bowhead whale. Listen to what makes these marine mammals such great hunters and why they are so revered by the indigenous cultures of the north.
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Pika
Go on a search for a fascinating animal called a Pika. Listen to the chirping voices of the collared Pika in the steep mountains of the Alaska Range. This hobbit of a creature looks something like a guinea pig with bright black eyes but sounds like a bird.
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Muskox
Most Alaska sounds have been fairly well documented. We know what bears sound like, humpback whales, even eagles. But what is the sound of a muskox? In this episode of Encounters you will hear the ROAR of the Muskox.
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Venison
Look of the shoulder of host Richard Nelson as he butchers a freshly killed deer. He tells stories of his learning to hunt from his Inupiaq teachers and we learn how knowing more about the food we eat can make us feel closer to the environment.
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Erosion
Travel to the front lines of global warming with host Elizabeth Arnold as she heads out to Kivalina a small island in the Bering Sea that is washing away.
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Rain
What to do on a rainy day? - how about listening to the rain on a tent or taking a walk in the rain to learn about its important connection to the earth.
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Peregrine
Peregrine falcons are the fastest animals in the world. Watch and listen to these amazing predatory birds whom are back from the edge of extinction!
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Humpback Whale
The underwater song of the humpback whale is one of the most unusual sounds there is. Get your adrenaline pumping as host Richard Nelson goes along with researcher Jan Straley to observe a group of humpback whales bubblenet feeding.
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Trumpeter Swan
The honk of the trumpeter swan reminds us that summer is officially over and birds are flying south.
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Wolf
Listen to the quintessential Cry of the Wild on this episode of Encounters. Watch a small group of wolves play and pounce as you listen to Richard Nelson tell you about this animal that has come to represent all that is wild.
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Sealion
Go for a paddle with a pod of sealions and get close enough to smell their fishy breath on this episode of Encounters.
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Elk
Head up to autumn in the Yukon in Canada this week to hear the annual Elk rut. Find out what makes Elk the icon of hunters and nature lovers all around the country and get a first hand listen to their amazing bugle call.
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Salmon
Instead of heading uptown, head upstream this week with Richard Nelson as he gets into a salmon stream to experience the amazing annual life cycle event of wild Alaskan salmon.
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Eider and Walrus
Get relief from the summer heat and jump aboard a U.S. Coast Guard ice breaker with host Elizabeth Arnold. Experience life on board a 400 foot floating laboratory as an array of scientists study eiders(ducks) and walrus.
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Wilderness
On a sandy beach on an island off the Alaskan coast host Richard Nelson makes a camp fire and discusses what is special about wild places and how wild places can humble us and remind us what is important about the world around us.
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Bear Safety
Grizzly country can quicken the pulse of anyone who enters it. In this episode, Richard Nelson keeps a sharp on a gathering of grizzlies - or coastal brown bears -in the Katmai country of Alaska. These are some of the biggest bears on earth and nowhere are they more abundant than in the sumer meadows of Katmai. Learn about portable electric fences, cooking away from camp and other tricks to stay safe around one of the most feared and esteemed animals in the Alaskan wilderness.
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Mountain Goat
This Encounters segment takes listeners to new heights as we perch on the sheer face of an Alaskan mountain to observe a herd of mountain goats. Richard Nelson explains how these thiicly furred, pur white animals elude predators by scrambling around on rugged, rocky ledges high above the waters of Glacier Bay.
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Wood Frogs
Listen to the sounds of early summer where wood frogs croak in the Alaskan North Country. Their croak mark the beginning of summer, but what makes them truly amazing happens in the winter. These amphibians can freeze their entire body – including their heart and their lungs. How do they do it.? Join Richard Nelson on a trip up North to get a closer listen to these remarkable beings.
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Mosquito
Listen to the mantra of pure misery, the theme song of exasperation as Richard Nelson lands in the Gates of the Arctic National Park to do a story on what some call the Alaska State bird: the mosquito. Learn how Koyukon Indian people have managed to survive among these creatures and what they eat when there is no human flesh.
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Killer Whale
Travel to Southeast Alaska for the exciting and unusual adventure of being up close to a pod of killer whales. Leave your field glasses at home, but bring your ears to hear for yourself what makes these marine mammals so fascinating.
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Chilkoot Bear
Many people have mixed emotions about black bears - we fear them but they fascinate us. On this episode of Encounters, Richard Nelson meanders a salmon spawning river in Alaska to experience mostly fascination of these special creatures.
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Hummingbird
Listen to the buzz and whirl of one of the most amazing little packages in nature - the hummingbird. Richard Nelson captures these little hummers in some great acrobatics as he watches them during a stop over in Southeast Alaska.
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Ice Algae
Hear the ice smash to the sides of the U.S. Icebreaker The Healy as host Elizabeth Arnold gets a front row seat to Arctic science in the Bering Sea. Paying attention to what is happening with the small plant life that live below the ice could tell us a great deal about how climate change will impact the rest of the Bering Sea and the rich fisheries that depend on life there.
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Shorebirds
Duck for cover as you witness the incredible migration of hundreds of thousands of shorebirds heading north to their breeding grounds. Richard Nelson goes to the Copper River Delta to witness one of the most spectacular bird migrations in North America. See you there!.
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Porcupine
Find out why porcupine love is a little prickly when you go for a walk in the woods with Encounters host Richard Nelson and a porcupine.
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Harp Seals
Award winning reporter Jeb Sharp is in eastern Quebec during the pupping season of the Harp Seals. Made famous by the hunt for their pelts that became the emblem of environmental conflict, scientists are now concerned how these critters will fare when there is less sea ice!
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Glacier
Hear glaciers calve right before your very ears as Richard Nelson paddles unsettlingly close to one of mother nature's most thrilling actions in Glacier Bay National Park See you there!
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Patch Dynamics
Head up to the Pribilof Islands and out in the Bering Sea with this week's host Elizabeth Arnold as she reports on a new way of looking at one of the world's richest areas for sea life. Climb up steep cliffs to watch arctic fox and sea birds and head down to the beaches to hear sea lions as she talks with scientists about a comprehensive scientific approach called patch dynamics that aims to help us understand how changing climate might impact this special place. See you there!
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Dipper
Though the ground is still covered with snow it is Spring in the North Country. Host Richard Nelson watches a tiny Dipper as it makes its way around a stream that is cold with the melting snow. See you there!
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Shearwater
The sky blackens with short tail shearwaters as Richard Nelson sits off the coast of a Tasmanian island to watch in amazement at the homecoming journey that these amazing birds make half way around the world each year. It is a journey that connects Australia with the Northland. See you there!
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Wombat
Head out to the rugged island of Tasmania to a grassy meadow on a sunny day to observe one of the areas's most famous creatures - the wombat. Find out about this unusual marsupial's love ritual and watch these quiet creatures graze. See you there!
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Lyrebird
Believed to have one of the most beautiful songs in the animal kingdom, the Lyrebird takes flight on this episode of Encounters. See you there!
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Parrot
Encounters heads out to see and hear parrots in the wilds of Australia.Watch them fly and hear them sing. See you there!
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Kangaroo
Encounters takes you DownUnder this week up close to the iconoclastic Australian animal- the amazing kangaroo See you there!
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Kookaburra
Thanks to the movies almost everybody has heard the amazing voices of the Kookaburra, the Australian magpie. Listen to the conductors of the dawn opera in the Australian Outback on this episode of Encounters DownUnder. See you there!
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Fur Seals
Elizabeth Arnold heads to a remote island in the Bering Sea to up close and personal with some ferocious sounding and looking beach loungers - the northern fur seals. Be careful not to get too close on this episode of Encounters! !
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Platypus
Richard Nelson continues the Encounters DownUnder Series with the most unlikely of creatures the platypus - an egg laying mammal, with poisionous spurs on its legs that can sense electrical impulses with its leathery beak. See you there, mates!
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Caves
Head under ground with producer Ed Schoefeld as we go into some of North America's deepest caves. Find out why indigenous people and geologists are so excited about these under ground caverns.
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Raven and Science
Why the expression "bird brains" when ravens are some of the most clever thinkers around?Listen to why many indigenous cultures believe the raven to posess magical qualities and why scientists are intrigued with raven brains.
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Goanna
Heat up with Richard Nelson as he heads to Australia to begin his Encounters Down Under Series. In this episode you'll want to bear your snake gators as you will be following around one of the world's largest lizards in poisoinous snake country. G'day and See ya there!
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Polar Bears and Climate Change
This week on Encounters join host Richard Nelson as he revisits polar bears. This time he explores how the changing global climate is quickly changing the world of polar bears. See you there!
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Frontierism
This week on Encounters head up North to Cold Foot, Alaska, a community of 10 people just inside the Arctic Circle. Producer Lisa Busch explores what it means to live on the frontier in the Last Frontier. She visits a family living on the edge of civilization and wilderness and discovers that the frontier may be a state of mind as well as a geographic location. See you there!
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Cold
Go on a winter walk with host Richard Nelson as he describes what it takes to survive and thrive in some of the world's lowest temperatures. Learn how the challenge of the cold can be exhilirating and how indigenous people of the North have adapted to freezing temperatures.
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Place
Follow in the footsteps of a grizzly bear journeying into the heart of a beautiful wild island. Host Richard Nelson explores the rewards of commitment to a home place in Alaska drawing wisdom and guidance from Alaska Native traditions, and savoring the greatest of Alaska's riches the vast and unencumbered land. See you there!
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Night Sky
Head out on a midnight kayak paddle to go star gazing with host Richard Nelson as he explores the biggest, most humbling natural feature that we all share -- The NIGHT SKY. See you there!
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Hunting
Go hunting for Sitka Black Tail deer with host Richard Nelson who has lived among some of the most impressive indigenous hunting communities in the Arctic.
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Tongass Bears and Salmon
Take a walk along a salmon stream while some grizzly bears feed on wild Alaska salmon. Host Richard Nelson explores the complex relationship between the ancient Tongass forest, the amazing salmon that swim in the forest streams and the grizzly bears that live there.
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- Environment, Culture
- Alaska PR
- English
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