How much has the U.S.’s wildlife changed since Lewis and Clark?
Summary
To mark the US bicentennial, the Smithsonian launched a project resurveying the Lewis and Clark Trail to compare historical wildlife data with modern observations. Hosts join scientists in Montana setting up AI-powered camera traps to document species changes over two centuries. The episode highlights how this citizen science initiative reveals shifts in biodiversity while celebrating resilient wildlife communities, particularly on Native American reservations.
Topics discussed
Intro and Welcome to Wrexham sponsorship
The idea to resurvey the Lewis and Clark Trail
Crowdsourcing the wildlife survey and sponsor ads
Meeting the science team in Montana
Setting up motion-activated camera traps
AI processing and species identification
Historical context and the difficult hike
Finding the spot and testing the camera
Comparing past and present wildlife data
Conservation insights and episode wrap-up
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