Owls of the Eastern Ice: A Quest to Find and Save the World’s Largest Owl

Join biologist Jonathan Slaght Ph.D. virtually to hear about his years of work with Blakiston’s fish owls in the wilds of Russia.

From 2006-2010, Jonathan Slaght studied Blakiston’s fish owls in Russia for his PhD degree in Wildlife Conservation at the University of Minnesota. His memoir of this quest, called “Owls of the Eastern Ice,” is a rare glimpse into the everyday life of a scientist and the subjects of his deep fascination. Slaght takes us to the Primorye region of Eastern Russia, where we join a small team for late-night monitoring missions, on mad dashes across thawing rivers, drink vodka with mystics, hermits, and scientists, and listen to fireside tales of Amur tigers. Most captivating of all are the fish owls themselves: careful hunters, devoted parents, singers of eerie duets, and irrepressible survivors in a harsh and shrinking habitat.

In this presentation, Slaght will describe fish owls and his project, sharing the story of his months-long trek covering thousands of miles, spurred by his deep fascination with safeguarding the elusive owl from extinction.

Jonathan Slaght is a wildlife biologist and author who works full time for the Wildlife Conservation Society as the Russia and Northeast Asia Coordinator. His writings, scientific research, and photographs have been featured by the BBC World Service, the New York Times, The Guardian, Smithsonian Magazine, The New Yorker, and Audubon Magazine, among others.

For more information on Jonathan Slaght and his work, please visit his website, jonathanslaght.com.

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