Does Missouri have mountain lions? Yes and no. Many sightings of these large cats turn out to be a case of mistaken identity. Although mountain lions were once as common as deer in Missouri, they were eradicated in the 19th century. If that’s the case, why are we seeing these cats pop up now and again? Are they making a comeback? Is there cause for alarm? MDC’s Wildlife Management Coordinator Alan Leary answers these questions and more in this episode. And be sure to check out the MDC website...

MDC Director Sara Parker Pauley is permanently out-of-office and retiring from the Department! Sara joins Nature Boost to look back on her time in conservation, the people who inspired her, and shares guidance for those interested in a conservation-related career.

Missouri’s annual cicadas will be joined by their periodical friends this summer – prepare for a noisy season! What even are cicadas? Why do they spend most of their lives underground? What are the benefits of these little creatures? Learn the answers and dispel some cicada myths when Nature Boost is joined by MDC Forest Entomologist Robbie Doerhoff. Find more cool facts about annual and periodical cicadas on the MDC website at missouriconservation.org

Nature Boost is celebrating 2024’s biggest celestial event – the solar eclipse slated for April 8 in southeast Missouri! We talk to MDC Media Specialist and self-proclaimed astronomy nerd Dan Zarlenga about how and why an eclipse happens, what to expect, and best ways to take pictures and videos of the event. We also speak to Urban Wildlife Biologist Erin Shank about what our native wildlife thinks of these events and the interesting ways they react when the moon blocks out the light of the sun.

Missouri’s Ozark and eastern hellbender populations are endangered, but a special partnership between the Missouri Department of Conservation and the Saint Louis Zoo is helping these salamanders stage a comeback. In February’s episode, hear from Justin Elden, Curator of Herpetology and Aquatics at the Saint Louis Zoo, and Director of the Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Institute Ron and Karen Goellner Center for Hellbender Conservation, as he shows us around the Zoo’s Herpetarium and talks about the...

What the heck is a hellbender? Listen to this episode and find out! Missouri Herpetologist Dr. Jeff Briggler takes Nature Boost on an Ozark stream to check during breeding season for the eastern hellbender. This episode discusses the hellbender’s endangered status, the challenges both Ozark and eastern subspecies face, and MDC’s partnership with the Saint Louis Zoo to restore populations. Learn more about the hellbender by visiting mdc.mo.gov or stlzoo.org 

Nature’s effect on our health is a topic we’ve discussed before, but it bears repeating! Primary Care Physician Dr. Jennifer Allen joins us to discuss why our bodies and minds need nature and why getting outside is especially important in the winter!

MDC Naturalist Sarah Easton joins us again to answer common questions received during the fall and winter seasons. Topics include white-tailed deer, MDC’s Eagle Days, leaving the leaves, and how to recycle live Christmas trees for wildlife.

Nature Boost learns the ropes this episode with Kevin McCarthy and Russell Errett from the BETA Fund. These two rock climbing enthusiasts helped establish the first rock climbing bluff offered on an MDC area at Rockwoods Reservation. Learn rock climbing basics, safety, how to get started, and hear about BETA Fund’s mission to conserve outdoor spaces in the Midwest for recreational rock climbing. Read more about the organization at betafund.org.

Nature Boost meets up with MDC Conservation Educator Ginger Miller for a picnic lunch in Windsor. What’s on the menu? Listen and find out!

Join us for a night of theater at the Muny! Muny CEO Kwofe Coleman tells us what makes this outdoor theater so special, how the nature setting adds to productions, and why so many continue to attend shows year after year. Later, MDC’s Karen Hudson guides us around Forest Park and tells us about MDC’s partnership with the Muny. Learn more and visit at muny.org!

MDC Naturalist Sarah Easton sits down with Jill to answer common questions MDC receives from the public during the summer season. Topics include summer bird-feeding, what to do if you find an abandoned or injured animal, and best ways to protect yourself against mosquitos, ticks, and poison ivy.

Learn why Missouri is dubbed “The Cave State” as Jill goes cave exploring with MDC Naturalist and cave expert Shelly Colatskie. Learn why the state hosts so many caves, how they form, and tips and resources on how to become a caver yourself!

Morel mushrooms are tricky fungi to hunt. Join Jill as she sets out on another quest to find the coveted springtime mushroom. Will she succeed? Or will she spend another year wondering if these mushrooms actually live up to the hype? Listen and find out.

Keep an eye on the roads this spring for one of our reptilian friends – box turtles! Turtles are coming out of their winter dens in search of food and a mate and are common seen crossing the roads. MDC Naturalist Shelly Colatskie also tells listeners about Missouri’s most famous turtle, Peanut, and how this red-eared slider is spreading awareness in the anti-littering movement.

MDC Magazine Manager Stephanie Thurber joins Jill this episode to discuss the Missouri Conservationist and Xplor for Kids magazines. Learn how you can subscribe to these amazing FREE publications, how the magazine has evolved through the decades, and the variety of topics covered. Stephanie mentions her favorite Xplor story in this episode, the Wood Duck Diaries. Here’s the link to read it for yourself: https://mdc.mo.gov/magazines/xplor/2012-02/wood-duck-diaries

Many wildlife species are active during the winter, but where have the reptiles and amphibians gone?! Missouri Herpetologist Jeff Briggler is back to tell us how frogs, turtles, lizards, and snakes survive the cold months. He also tells us about the latest edition of MDC’s Amphibians and Reptiles of Missouri illustrated guidebook. Check it out online at mdcnatureshop.com

There’s still much to explore in the outdoors during winter. Bundle up, stuff your pocket with Kleenex, and head out on a trail with Jill following a snowfall! Look for wildlife tracks, get in some steps, and enjoy nature in a winter wonderland.

Celebrate our birds this holiday season through the Christmas Bird Count. US Fish and Wildlife Migratory Bird Biologist Sarah Kendrick tells us the history of the bird census, how to join, and how the data helps declining bird populations. Learn more about the Christmas Bird Count at Audubon.org

Celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday by learning more about the wild turkey. Wild Turkey Biologist Nick Oakley gives some fun facts about this gamebird you can bring to your dinner table.

Feeling batty this month? Learn all about one of Halloween’s most iconic mascots in October’s episode. Jill speaks with MDC Bat Ecologist Jordan Meyer about types of bats found in Missouri, what they’re up to this time of year, and what to do if you happen to find one on your property.

It’s getting close to Halloween season, and what better way to celebrate than learning about one of Missouri’s most unique snakes? Join Jill as she speaks with MDC Naturalist Alex Holmes about the two-headed black ratsnake at the Cape Girardeau Nature Center.

Butterflies are insects, but many of us think of them as something “more.” Perhaps it’s their beauty or the fact that they don’t bite or sting that makes people like them so much! Learn about the iconic monarch butterfly, their impressive migration journey, and what you can do to help support their population.

Tag along on geese banding efforts in mid-Missouri and learn why and how MDC biologists place waterfowl identification bands on Canada geese.