Conservation Glossary of Terms
When language is vague, conversations break down. When definitions are unclear, accountability disappears. In my time reporting on conservation issues, I have learned that language is not neutral. The words used in conservation shape policy, perception, and outcomes for wildlife. They influence how ecosystems are measured, how risks are assessed, and how decisions are justified....
Bald Eagle – My Wildlife Wonders No. 6
Once pushed to the brink by habitat loss, persecution, and the pesticide DDT, the bald eagle was down to just a few hundred nesting pairs in the Lower 48 states by the 1960s. It remains one of the most dramatic raptor population crashes in modern North American wildlife history. Today, their comeback is considered a...
7 Books I Read This Year That Reshaped My Conservation Philosophy
These seven books redefine conservation as a commitment to relationship, attention, humility, and conscious choice. The books span decades and genres, but reading (or re-reading) them together in 2025 allowed me to identify patterns that continue to reshape my perspective on the nuanced environmental, conservation and climate challenges the world faces. From science to Indigenous...
Northern Lights in Kansas City: How to See & Photograph the Aurora Borealis
The Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) are a rare and special treat for Kansas City. Sitting at Latitude ~39°N, KC is much further south than the typical viewing zones, like Canada or Alaska, and sightings of the aurora borealis are extremely rare. In an average decade, visible auroras might occur fewer than three times. However, we...
Elk – My Wildlife Wonders No. 5
The sight and sound of a bugling bull elk, especially during the autumn rut, is one of the most celebrated and recognizable wildlife experiences in North America. They symbolize the majesty and rugged beauty of the continent's wild spaces. For many Native American tribes, the elk (Wapiti) is a revered animal, central to ceremonies, spirituality,...
Alaska’s Bold New Wildlife Crossing Project: My Latest Story for Sierra Magazine
My latest story – and first for Sierra – is a news feature about brand new wildlife crossings being built into a major infrastructure project on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska to help with the pervasive moose-vehicle collision problem in the region. Come behind the scenes with me. Read the full story on Sierra → A Road Less Deadly: Can...
Inside the Fight to Save the Bali Starling: New Feature Published in Mongabay News
My latest story - and first for Mongabay News - is a feature about Indigenous-led conservation sparking a remarkable recovery for the critically endangered Bali starling, which was nearly lost forever in the wild. I have been reporting on this story since December, and I am so pleased to share it has been published by...
Monarch Butterfly – My Wildlife Wonders No. 4
Humans have long been fascinated by monarch butterflies and their epic journeys. Their innate ability to endure hardship and navigate thousands of miles mesmerizes us, as they migrate with multiple generations across thousands of miles. Their unique transformation between an egg, caterpillar, chrysalis and ultimately butterfly is a vivid metaphor for change, rebirth and hope....
Eastern Collared Lizard – My Wildlife Wonders No. 3
The eastern collared lizard, colloquially called the "mountain boomer," is named for its distinctive black "collar" markings around the neck and shoulders. Males are particularly colorful, displaying blue-green bodies, yellow stripes, and orange or yellow throats, while females have more subdued coloration. They can run on their hind legs, reaching speeds of up to 15...
Heather Physioc Wins Six Honors in OWAA’s 2025 Excellence in Craft Contest
Kansas City–based conservation photojournalist and writer Heather Physioc has earned six awards in the Outdoor Writers Association of America’s (OWAA) 2025 Excellence in Craft Contest, which celebrates outstanding outdoor media across writing, photography, and other creative disciplines. The contest, sponsored by Friesens, ASA, and Pew, drew entries from across the country. Winners were announced during...
Bighorn Sheep – My Wildlife Wonders No. 2
Once pushed to the brink by overhunting, habitat loss and disease, bighorn sheep have made a strong comeback, thanks to decades of conservation work across the western U.S. and Canada. However, population growth has plateaued and constant vigilance is necessary to maintain stability, and several subspecies remain at-risk. Species: Bighorn Sheep Also Known As: Rocky...
Bali Starling – My Wildlife Wonders No. 1
A hush falls over the misty forest of Nusa Penida. Light rain weaves silver threads through the canopy. From the hush of the foliage, a flash of white breaks the green—a bird glides in, landing with effortless precision on a spiny trunk. It's a striking bird with brilliant white feathers, a deep blue leathery patch...
Artificial intelligence threatens real creativity everywhere.
The explosion of readily accessible artificial intelligence tools has made it possible for anyone with an internet connection to generate art, photography, and even entire worlds with a single prompt. But AI promises to unlock unprecedented creativity in the same breath that it threatens to wipe out entire workforces built on human skill and storytelling....
Quechua is a living people, not a dying language: Inside the fight to preserve and revitalize endangered Indigenous languages in the Andes
By Heather Physioc In a rustic adobe building in the Andean mountainside, cool light filters in through small windows that look out over a misty valley below. The hut is constructed from bricks of mud mixed with straw and highland grasses. The roof is corrugated sheet steel and thatch. The clay walls are brushed white...
My top 24 photographs of 2024.
Being outdoors and capturing wildlife is my happiest place with a camera in hand. The worst weather conditions and most painful injuries can fade into the background when I’m locked in on an animal with my zoom lens. Shooting in the Chihuahua desert Then I return home with the camera, and go through the sometimes...
Portorož, Piran & Lipica: Experiencing the Istrian Peninsula & Karst Region of Slovenia
Strolling along the boardwalk from the elegant Grand Hotel Bernardin in Portorož, the Adriatic coast seemed calm with clear water and gently lapping waves. Minutes later, turning a corner at the charming marina town of Piran, the wind instead felt gusty, and the choppy Gulf of Trieste whipped and smashed over the breakwater. Shopkeepers hurried...
Spring Scenes & Hidden Gems in Lower Town Zagreb, Croatia
The air smells rich with the aromas of homemade cheeses, fresh pastas and pastries. Red-striped umbrellas shelter row upon row of wooden stalls and tables stocked with fruits, vegetables, and cut flowers. The open-air Dolac Market is lively and colorful in the heart of the city of Zagreb in Croatia, sitting in the shadows of...
Experience Wonders of Wildlife and the Ancient Maya in Yucatán, Mexico
Home » Witnessing Chichén Itzá, Wonder of the World The iconic El Castillo, also known as the Temple of Kukulcan, at Chichén Itzá, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in Yucatan, Mexico. The massive step pyramid towers before a cloudy sky, illuminating the grandeur and texture ancient Mayan architecture. A series of ancient...
Capturing Conservation: Animal portraits to inspire the next generation
The year my dad made us “Friends of the Zoo” at our local Kansas City Zoo was one of the most memorable of my childhood. I recall frequent visits to see nature programs on the giant IMAX screen. Eleven-year-old me was delighted to meet the Kratt brothers, of “Kratts’ Creatures” fame, against the backdrop of one of their children’s educational...
Photography from O’ahu, Hawaii in September
Family and work travel can be unproductive for many photographers. Fast-paced itineraries and going with the flow of a group make it tougher to spend time crafting the ideal image with perfect light and composition. So we take on a different kind of challenge - making something beautiful with a speedy snap. Managed expectations and...
Animal Portraits from GloWild at the Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium
When the Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium announced their GloWild event would return, I jumped at the chance to get tickets for this year's "Around the World" theme. I took it as a fun assignment to shoot animal "portraits" of my favorite illuminated silk lanterns. The lantern sculptures for the event were hand-crafted by 151...
San Diego Up Close
I had already written an extensive post about recommendations for visiting San Diego, but since then, I have frequently returned to visit family and speak at conferences. I will periodically share new images and tiny details from the trips with fresh recommendations. Soak in the succulents & cacti. (Sep. 2023) San Diego's Mediterranean climate is...
Morning views in Gulf Shores, Alabama
Admittedly, I underestimated coastal Alabama as an outdoor travel destination. But when the Outdoor Writers Association of America hosted our annual conference at Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores, Alabama, I experienced a small taste of its natural beauty first-hand. Allow me to humble myself and say I stand corrected. The images below were my...
Mountain goats on the McCullough Gulch Trail hike in Colorado
Something always stands between me and the goats. I haul all my stupid, heavy photography gear on my back for miles into thinning air, hoping I'll spot their white fur against the rocky ridges. Then, every time I see them, something terrible happens that keeps me from them. I nearly crap my pants on Grays,...
River reconnection: backpacking the North Fork Skokomish River Trail in Olympic National Park
Why would any sane, rational human being leave the comfort of their home with air conditioning and plumbing, strap 40 pounds of gear onto their back, and haul it 10 miles into the wilderness on foot to sleep on the ground, and eat dehydrated food for days? Under threat of bear activity and a “mountain...