Owls of the Eastern Ice with Jonathan Slaght
Author & biologist Jonathan Slaght joins Todd this week to talk about his new book Owls of the Eastern Ice and his incredible story about the elusive Blakiston’s fish owls in the Russian Far East. Jon shares his compelling conservation story about why he’s spent his life researching fish owls, while offering his perspective on the hunting culture, food and people of Primorye – a remote area two thirds the size of Minnesota along the Sea of Japan.
Jonathan Slaght with a Blakiston’s Fish Owl
Fish Owls and Hunting Cultures
We’re talking about local food staples such as salmon, moose cutlets, deer, fish pelmeni dumplings and Russian blini. Jon shares a few stories about the hunters he met while doing his field work in remote villages like Agzu and Amgu. We also talk about his fascinating fish owl research and the challenges of locating Blakiston’s fish owls in the Sikhote-Alin Mountains. He shares perspective on learning about their habitat and home ranges and talks about developing collaborative conservation plans with local logging companies and communities to protect them. We also talk about global connections, how some flooring in North American homes comes from the hardwood forests of Primorye, and more.
Order Owls of the Eastern Ice *
The Outdoor Feast has @JonathanSlaght on the podcast this week. We're talking about his recent book Owls of the Eastern Ice, which has been awarded the Times Nature Book of the Year.
© 2026 iHeartMedia, Inc.
