One of the delights of my recent research has been to discover animals that can help us fight the climate change battle. Sea otters, now recovering on the Pacific Coast of North America, are one of them. Their contribution to the maintenance of kelp forests is good for the climate and good for a productive …
Interview with Marc Bekoff about Tenacious Beasts
Psychology Today recently published an interview I did with animal behaviorist Marc Bekoff. Marc gave me the chance to talk about some of the motivations behind my book Tenacious Beasts. I unpack the idea that we need an updated conception of animals. "Why There's Hope for the Survival of Strong-Willed Beasts" Photo Credit: Heidi Pearson …
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When Wildlife Isn’t So Wild.
Bears are wild animals. Dogs are pets. It's pretty simple, right? Events in my hometown this summer had me rethinking this. I wrote a short essay on the topic for The Philosophical Salon. One part of the essay explores a growing disenchantment with the words 'wild' and 'wilderness.' Another looks lovingly, and a bit critically, …
When Biology Goes Extinct
It's purely coincidence so soon after P-22's death, but I got the opportunity to be part of a science fiction exchange in Slate.com this week about a lion running loose on city streets. MargrĂ©t HelgadĂłttir's escaped lion is roaming the dark corners of Longyearbyen on Svalbard. The remote Arctic outpost is now a busy metropolis …
The Life and Legacy of an LA Lion
The only mountain lion living wild in Hollywood was hit by a car last week and euthanized. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife put P-22 to sleep after determining his age and poor condition gave him little chance of recovery. P-22 had been a much-loved resident of one of the world’s most exclusive zip …
A Quick Book Update
Hey all. I just got back to town after an exciting research trip to Tromsø in northern Norway. Amongst other things, I attended a workshop on future possibilities for agriculture. We talked in detail about the idea of "Arctic perennials." Can you envision this future? Stay tuned for more. In the meantime, reviews of my …
Christopher J. Preston 