It’s time for me to face my fears! Oysters are iconic here in the Pacific Northwest. The glistening, oval shells and salty aroma are like having a tasty piece of the ocean on your plate. (Well…tasty for some). For a lot of people, including me, you try them once and hope you never have to again. 

They’re also critical to the ecosystem. A single oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water a day. Their shells stick together as they proliferate, creating “reefs” that make habitat for over 300 other species from crabs, and herring, to sea anemones and young salmon.   

But our native Olympia oysters have taken a real hammering. A combination of pollution, habitat degradation, and… the Gold Rush…. brought them to the brink. That’s when a strong group of oyster enthusiasts stepped in to help.

On today’s episode, we’ll meet the folks going to some extraordinary lengths to save this local population…and I sit down at a downtown Seattle oyster bar to taste this slimy delicacy and learn why eating them can also help support their future.

Enjoy BONUS CONTENT and help us continue to create this special immersive storytelling by joining THE WILD Patreon community atwww.patreon.com/chrismorganwildlife and you can donate to KUOW at kuow.org/donate/thewild. Thank you.

THE WILD is a production of KUOW in Seattle in partnership with Chris Morgan Wildlife and Wildlife Media. It is produced by Matt Martin and Lucy Soucek, and edited by Jim Gates. It is hosted, produced and written byChris Morgan. Fact checking by Apryle Craig. Our theme music is by Michael Parker.

Follow us on Instagram @chrismorganwildlife and @thewildpod for more adventures and behind the scenes action! We’re also on Tiktok! Check us out @chris.morgan.wildlife.

It&rsquo;s time for me to face my fears! Oysters are iconic here in the Pacific Northwest. The glistening, oval shells and salty aroma are like having a tasty piece of the ocean on your plate. (Well&hellip;tasty for some). For a lot of people, including me, you try them once and hope you never have to again.&nbsp;
They&rsquo;re also critical to the ecosystem. A single oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water a day. Their shells stick together as they proliferate, creating &ldquo;reefs&rdquo; that make habitat for over 300 other species from crabs, and herring, to sea anemones and young salmon.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
But our native Olympia oysters have taken a real hammering. A combination of pollution, habitat degradation, and&hellip; the Gold Rush&hellip;. brought them to the brink. That&rsquo;s when a strong group of oyster enthusiasts stepped in to help.
On today&rsquo;s episode, we&rsquo;ll meet the folks going to some extraordinary lengths to save this local population&hellip;and I sit down at a downtown Seattle oyster bar to taste this slimy delicacy and learn why eating them can also help support their future.
Enjoy BONUS CONTENT and help us continue to create this special immersive storytelling by joining THE WILD Patreon community at<a href="https://www.patreon.com/chrismorganwildlife"> www.patreon.com/chrismorganwildlife</a> and you can donate to KUOW at <a href="http://kuow.org/donate/thewild">kuow.org/donate/thewild</a>. Thank you.
THE WILD is a production of KUOW in Seattle in partnership with<a href="https://www.chrismorganwildlife.org/"> Chris Morgan Wildlife</a> and<a href="https://www.wildlifemedia.org/"> Wildlife Media</a>. It is produced by<a href="https://www.kuow.org/authors/matt-martin"> Matt Martin</a> and<a href="https://www.kuow.org/authors/lucy-soucek"> Lucy Soucek</a>, and edited by<a href="https://kuow.org/authors/jim-gates"> Jim Gates</a>. It is hosted, produced and written by<a href="https://www.chrismorganwildlife.org/bio"> Chris Morgan</a>. Fact checking by<a href="https://apryledcraig.wordpress.com/"> Apryle Craig</a>. Our theme music is by<a href="https://www.michaeltparker.com/"> Michael Parker</a>.
Follow us on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/chrismorganwildlife/?hl=en">@chrismorganwildlife</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thewildpod/?hl=en">@thewildpod</a> for more adventures and behind the scenes action! We&rsquo;re also on Tiktok! Check us out <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@chris.morgan.wildlife">@chris.morgan.wildlife</a>.

The Wild with Chris Morgan is a celebration of the natural world and the people devoted to wild places and incredible species. In each episode, host and ecologist Chris Morgan brings you face to face with some of the most extraordinary creatures and explores how they are finding unique and inspiring ways to adapt and thrive.

 

The Wild with Chris Morgan is a celebration of the natural world and the people devoted to wild places and incredible species. In each episode, host and ecologist Chris Morgan brings you face to face with some of the most extraordinary creatures and explores how they are finding unique and inspiring ways to adapt and thrive.
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The Wild with Chris Morgan

Chris Morgan ventures out with the folks going to some extraordinary lengths to save Washington’s Olympia oysters…and sits down at a downtown Seattle oyster bar to finally face his fears and taste this slimy delicacy.