A dire wolf has been brought back through modern genetic science — and I sat down with the company executive overseeing the project to understand exactly how it happened.
In this in-depth interview, we discuss dire wolf cloning, de-extinction science, CRISPR gene editing, ancient DNA recovery, conservation biotechnology, and what this breakthrough could mean for endangered species, ecosystem restoration, and the future of wildlife management.
Is this true de-extinction?
Could extinct animals like the woolly mammoth or saber-toothed cat be next?
What are the ethical concerns around cloning predators?
It’s a fascinating conversation and this is just the beginning.
Part two will come next week as we dive into how this technology might have an impact on the highly endangered red wolf breeding program.
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A small, dark amphibian sits half-hidden among reeds inside the amphibian exhibit at the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo. At first glance, it does not stand out.
Yet this is the Hula painted frog (Latonia nigriventer), a species once declared extinct and now the focus of one of the zoo’s most important conservation programs.
The frog was first described in 1940 near Lake Hula and last observed in 1955. After decades without sightings, it was officially declared extinct in 1996 — the first amphibian in the nation ever listed that way.
Then, in 2011, a single individual was rediscovered in the Hula Valley following years of wetland restoration.
Subsequent genetic and morphological research revealed that the species belongs to an ancient lineage once believed to have disappeared at the end of the last Ice Age.
Today, it survives in only a small number of wetlands, and the total wild population is estimated at just a few hundred individuals.
It is classified as Critically Endangered.
In response to its rediscovery, the Jerusalem Zoo partnered with the Israel Nature and Parks Authority to establish a formal research and conservation initiative.
As stated in the official document:
“Building on a long-standing collaboration with the Israel Nature and Parks Authority and a proven track record in conservation initiatives, the Jerusalem Zoo was granted permission to initiate an ex situ research and conservation program for Latonia nigriventer.” The comeback of the Hula Painte…
A founding group of frogs was transferred to the zoo. Two dedicated facilities were created: a behind-the-scenes unit for egg incubation and larval rearing, and a public exhibit designed to raise awareness while respecting the frog’s secretive nature.
The program focuses on gathering essential biological information:
“The primary goal is to uncover key aspects of the species’ biology through controlled husbandry and monitoring, thereby providing essential data to support both ex situ breeding and in situ habitat protection.” The comeback of the Hula Painte…
Because the species had been absent for decades, basic details about its breeding cycle, development, and dietary needs were largely unknown. Research conducted at the zoo helps fill these gaps and supports habitat protection efforts in the Hula Valley.
Established in 1993 as a non-profit institution through a partnership between the Jerusalem Municipality, the Jerusalem Foundation, the Jerusalem Development Authority, and the Ministry of Tourism, the zoo was built as both a public space and a conservation center. The Hula painted frog program reflects that mission directly.
Visitors who enter the amphibian exhibit may not immediately recognize the importance of the small frog they see. The display is modest. Behind the scenes, however, ongoing research continues — steady, careful, and long-term.
The Jerusalem Zoo is currently the only zoo in the world to house this species and present its conservation story.
In a quiet corner of the zoo, work is underway to ensure that this time, the frog’s story does not end.
At first, it reminded people of black panther stories… but this was something different.
The more I looked, the more certain I became: this was a jaguarundi — one of the most elusive wild cats in the Americas, and not something you expect to see crossing a road in broad daylight.
It walked calmly in front of the truck, disappeared into the grass, and left me completely stunned.
Check out the video above and let me know what you think.
Chester Moore
Moore To Host Shark Seminar Saturday At Houston Fishing Show
The Houston Fishing Show at the George R. Brown Convention Center will feature a special seminar by Chester Moore, Editor-In-Chief of Texas Fish & Game and founder of the Gulf Great White Sharks Society.
Moore’s seminar, titled “Giant Sharks of the Texas Coast,” will take place at 1:45 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 21. The presentation will focus on recent developments involving shark populations along the Texas coast.
Moore will discuss an increase in sightings and activity of great white sharks and other large shark species in the Gulf of Mexico. Topics will include tracking data of great whites near the Flower Gardens National Marine Sanctuary, efforts to locate rare and large dusky sharks in Texas waters, and accounts of historically large sharks in the region.
The seminar will also highlight ways the public can get involved in conservation projects focused on large and rare shark species.
Attendees will receive a free Gulf Great White Shark Society decal. Kids are welcome, and the first 10 children at the event will get a free shark book courtesy of the Society.
The seminar is part of the Houston Fishing Show’s educational schedule.
The recent decision by the Boone and Crockett Club to recognize javelinas in a new big game records category represents a victory for this often overlooked and even maligned Texas native.
Known scientifically as collared peccaries, javelinas inhabit the arid regions of Texas and other parts of the Southwest.
Despite being native to the region, they’ve often been sidelined in conservation and hunting discussions. By elevating javelinas to a “Boone and Crockett” category, the Club’s action could provide the species with a much-needed spotlight, potentially curbing the devastating impacts of poisoning and promoting sustainable hunting practices.
For years, the javelina has been caught in the crossfire of feral hog management strategies, particularly in Texas, where hog populations have reached crisis levels. With the introduction of the warfarin-based toxicant for feral hogs I had serious concerns for the javelina.
While aimed at controlling invasive hog populations, such toxicants pose a grave threat to native species like the javelina. Sharing similar diets and overlapping habitats with feral hogs, javelinas are susceptible to poisoning.
TPWD’s “Javelina in Texas” publication notes that “Recent downturns in javelina population trends in South Texas appear to follow drought cycles, habitat management treatments, and more recent emphasis on white-tailed deer management, including high fencing and predator control.”
They go on to say that although habitat improvement for white-tailed deer, such as food plots, supplemental feeding, and water development, improved habitat for javelina, in many cases it also exacerbated problems between deer enthusiasts and javelina.
“Incidental and illegal harvest of javelina due to their perceived nuisance of predation, agricultural damage and competition with deer has added to this decline.” (TPWD)
Big protein-fed, selectively bred whitetail bucks bring in big bucks to ranchers and javelina are not a priority. In fact, as the TPWD document notes, illegal harvest is rampant.
In 2017 I wrote about this and called it the “Texas Javelina Massacre” and it represents the greatest decline in range of a game animal in Texas in modern history. In the 1930s javelina ranged close to the Red River. Now they’re restricted to South of San Antonio, the lair of the trophy whitetail.
If warfarin killed those bucks there would be an outcry as big as the state itself. If it kills javelina, you can bet more will be put out.
Many will look at taking out hogs and javelina as a two for one special.
Recognizing javelinas as a legitimate big game species under Boone and Crockett could play a critical role in reversing this trend.This recognition sends a powerful message: javelinas are not just incidental wildlife or agricultural nuisances but an integral part of the ecosystem worthy of respect and protection. It’s a shift that could influence both hunters and land managers, emphasizing the need to differentiate between native species and invasive pests.
Hunting organizations like Boone and Crockett wield considerable influence over the perception of wildlife. Their record books, long revered in the hunting community, often dictate what species are considered prestigious or desirable for hunting. By including javelinas, B&C can incentivize conservation.’
When hunters begin to value javelinas as trophy animals, the species gains not only visibility but also a constituency invested in its survival. This could lead to more careful habitat management practices, as hunters and ranchers recognize the ecological and economic benefits of preserving javelina populations. Boone and Crockett’s decision could inspire broader public interest in the species.
Much like the resurgence of bison as a symbol of American conservation, javelinas could transition from being misunderstood oddities to celebrated icons of the Southwest.
One of the most pressing issues in wildlife management in Texas today is the need to make clear distinctions between invasive exotic species, like feral hogs, and native wildlife, such as javelinas. Education and advocacy are essential to dispel these misconceptions and ensure that javelinas receive the protection they deserve. Boone and Crockett’s recognition of javelinas is a critical step in this direction, as it underscores the importance of differentiating between invasive threats and native wildlife in conservation strategies.
Hunter-conservationists have long been at the forefront of efforts to protect and restore wildlife populations. From the recovery of wild turkeys to the resurgence of elk in the eastern United States, hunters have demonstrated their commitment to preserving America’s natural heritage. The Boone and Crockett Club’s decision to include javelinas in their record books reflects this tradition of leadership and advocacy. By valuing javelinas as a big game species, the Club is not only promoting ethical hunting but also laying the groundwork for broader conservation efforts that could benefit the species for generations to come.
And speaking of elk, maybe we need to look at the status of elk in Texas. Despite being a native they are not game animals.
Texas has a unique wildlife management approach with many hits and a few misses. The javelina is a miss and this recent decision bodes well for the species.
Chester Moore
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For decades, people across the United States have reported something that science insists shouldn’t exist:
A jet-black mountain lion.
From rural Texas to the Appalachian Mountains, eyewitnesses have described large black cats slipping through the woods, crossing roads at night, or appearing briefly on trail cameras before vanishing again. Some call them “black panthers” but most are describing a mountain lion-totally black in color.
They came politely, clipboards in hand, introducing themselves as researchers studying chronic wasting disease. In Kerrville neighborhoods where white-tailed deer drift through backyards like pets, the visitors spoke the language of science and stewardship.
They asked homeowners about deer sightings, herd health, and whether they might allow access to their land for “sampling.” Only later did residents learn that these supposed researchers were not affiliated with any recognized university or wildlife agency.
According to local law enforcement warnings, individuals were falsely claiming to be researchers in order to gain access to private property—raising concern that the encounter was a front for illegal take rather than legitimate science.
This unsettling incident illustrates a broader reality: modern poaching schemes are becoming more sophisticated, deceptive, and difficult to detect, and they are often distinguished from ethical hunting only by intent and legality.
Ethical hunting is a regulated activity deeply tied to conservation.
According to state wildlife management experts and major conservation organizations, ethical hunters obtain licenses, abide by season dates, respect bag limits, and seek landowner permission before accessing private property.
Ethical hunters operate under the principle of fair chase, meaning animals are pursued without giving the hunter an improper or unlawful advantage.
Chester is a passionate hunter with a heart for conservation. Here he prepares for a long walk back to camp with an eastern turkey taken near Cato, NY. He has worked throughout this entire career to expose poaching.
Ethical hunting also plays a vital role in conservation funding. License fees and excise taxes paid by hunters support habitat restoration, wildlife research, and law enforcement. By contrast, poaching undermines that system entirely. According to wildlife crime definitions used by state and federal agencies, poaching includes taking animals out of season, exceeding legal limits, trespassing, using prohibited methods, or misrepresenting identity or purpose to gain access to land.
Poaching today is rarely impulsive.
According to research conducted by the Boone and Crockett Club’s Poach & Pay Project, approximately 96 percent of poaching incidents in the United States go undetected.
The study used surveys of conservation officers, hunters, landowners, and convicted poachers to estimate what researchers refer to as the “dark figure” of wildlife crime. This high rate of undetected activity allows illegal harvest to persist with little immediate consequence.
Criminological studies on wildlife crime show that poachers actively seek to reduce detection risk.
According to research published by Arizona State University’s Center for Problem-Oriented Policing, wildlife offenders often plan carefully, choosing locations, times, and methods that avoid enforcement patrols and witnesses. These behaviors increasingly resemble organized property crime rather than opportunistic rule-breaking.
Technology has widened the divide between ethical hunting and poaching. Ethical hunters use tools such as trail cameras and mapping applications legally and with permission. Poachers may use similar technology covertly.
According to conservation technology research published in peer-reviewed journals, drones, GPS tools, and encrypted communication platforms are increasingly exploited by illegal hunters to scout land, monitor animal movement, and coordinate activities while minimizing exposure.
The sophistication of modern poaching has forced enforcement agencies to adapt. According to United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime research on wildlife trafficking, illegal wildlife activity often mirrors other forms of organized crime, requiring intelligence gathering, surveillance technology, and interagency cooperation rather than simple patrol enforcement.
These trends have consequences beyond the animals taken. According to wildlife biologists, illegal harvest distorts population data by removing animals outside of scientifically established quotas, often targeting prime breeding individuals. This undermines long-term management goals and complicates efforts to maintain healthy wildlife populations.
Poaching also harms ethical hunters. According to hunter advocacy organizations and wildlife agencies, illegal activity erodes public trust in lawful hunting.
When landowners encounter deception or trespass, they may respond by closing access altogether, limiting opportunities for ethical hunters who follow the rules and support conservation.
Illegal wildlife trafficking is starting to put a dent in jaguar populations.
Local authorities emphasize that legitimate wildlife research does not involve unannounced door-to-door visits requesting immediate permission to harvest animals. According to law enforcement advisories, residents should verify credentials, confirm agency affiliation, and report suspicious behavior promptly.
The Kerrville incident serves as a reminder that modern poaching often hides behind the appearance of legitimacy.
Ethical hunting operates openly, lawfully, and in cooperation with wildlife management systems. Poaching relies on secrecy, deception, and exploitation.
As illegal schemes grow more elaborate, protecting wildlife will depend on informed communities, ethical hunters, and enforcement strategies capable of distinguishing stewardship from crime.
Chester Moore
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Wildlife cloning is already happening — and it is happening both in illegal circumstances and sanctioned by the government.
Watch my special report on wildlife cloning.
The Marco Polo sheep, one of the world’s most iconic wild sheep species, is now at the center of a debate that raises urgent questions:
• Is wildlife cloning helping conservation—or harming it? • Who regulates cloning endangered animals?
• What happens when science moves faster than ethics and law? This video explores the dark side of wildlife cloning, conservation risks, genetic manipulation, and the long-term impact on biodiversity.
If you care about endangered species, conservation science, or animal ethics, this is a conversation we need to have.
Check out the video and watch till the end and share your thoughts—should wildlife cloning be banned, regulated, or embraced?
Chester Moore
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Over the years, I’ve heard some fascinating claims about animals that supposedly live in places they don’t belong. Mountain goats in North Carolina. “Vietnamese mountain hogs” roaming the southern woods. Exotic species hiding in plain sight, just out of reach of official recognition.
At first glance, stories like these don’t sound completely unreasonable. The animals people describe often look unfamiliar—thick-bodied, oddly shaped, or sporting features most folks don’t expect to see locally. The locations aren’t impossibly remote. And once a story starts making the rounds, especially when it’s repeated with confidence, it begins to feel less like rumor and more like fact.
That’s how these legends gain traction. Someone sees something unusual. A name gets attached to it. Then the explanation spreads faster than the evidence.
One experience in particular stayed with me. Years ago, I personally came across an animal that people around me were calling an “Asian mountain buffalo.” The story surrounding it was detailed and persuasive. Multiple people insisted it was something exotic—an animal that had escaped captivity or been quietly released years earlier. And I’ll admit, at first glance, it really did look out of place. Big. Heavy. Different from what most people expect to see in that region.
But the more I listened, the more I realized something important was missing from the conversation: basic questions.
No one was asking where the animal came from. No one was comparing it to known species. No one was slowing down long enough to separate what they were seeing from what they were assuming. The mystery wasn’t being examined—it was being protected.
That moment stuck with me because it revealed how easily ordinary animals can be transformed into something extraordinary once curiosity gives way to certainty. When people stop questioning, familiar species become cryptids. Farm animals turn into foreign beasts. And the truth gets buried under a more exciting story.
In this video, I take a closer look at several cases just like that—situations where animals were believed to be something they weren’t. Not because people were foolish, but because human nature tends to favor a good story over a careful explanation. We want the world to be more mysterious than it is, and sometimes all it takes is an unfamiliar shape or an unusual setting to spark a legend.
The goal isn’t to mock these stories, but to understand them—and to remember that the simplest explanation is often the most accurate, even when it isn’t the most exciting.
Chester Moore
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A massive, woolly mountain goat slowly lifted her head above a granite outcrop, silhouetted against the thin alpine sky.
For years, photographing a mountain goat had been a personal goal of mine. But as a Texan who lives at just 14 feet above sea level on the Texas coast, I felt every step as I climbed near 14,000 feet on Colorado’s Mount Blue Sky. The altitude slowed me down, sharpened my breathing, and reminded me just how far from home I truly was.
As I carefully made my way toward the rock, I realized the goat was a nanny—and tucked close beside her was a beautiful, very young kid. The moment was brief but powerful. I raised my camera, capturing her strength and grace, and I made sure to focus on the collar and ear tag she wore, knowing those details mattered beyond the photograph itself.
When I returned home, I contacted Rebecca Boyce with Colorado Parks & Wildlife to learn more about the goat I had photographed. What I discovered was fascinating. The nanny, identified as Ear Tag #1128, had been fitted with a GPS collar in October 2016. At the time of capture, she was estimated to be five years old or older and in good body condition. Her collar transmitted data until January 2017, when it likely failed due to a malfunction.
According to Boyce, the data revealed that from October 2016 through January 2017, the goat spent her entire time within just 2.2 square miles around Mount Blue Sky. Even in its short lifespan, the collar provided valuable insight into how these animals use the rugged alpine landscape.
That experience reinforced an important lesson for me and my family: turning in any tag or collar information you encounter truly matters. Those small details—often overlooked—help wildlife biologists piece together the stories that guide conservation and management decisions.
Sharing this moment with my daughter, Faith, and my wife, Lisa, made it even more meaningful. Standing together on that mountain and later learning how one observation could contribute to conservation became a highlight of our conservation awareness work. It reminded us that meaningful conservation doesn’t always start with grand actions—it starts with paying attention, respecting wildlife, and choosing to share what we see so it can make a difference.
Chester Moore
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For decades, people across the southern United States have reported seeing unusually large wildcats — often identified as Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) — despite the species not being officially confirmed in the Deep South.
These sightings have fueled long-standing rumors of secret lynx stocking programs, whispered explanations passed through hunting camps and rural communities.
Similar to past mountain lion misidentification stories in the South, reports of “lynx” often reveal how unfamiliar wildlife, poor lighting, and size exaggeration can create persistent legends.
But where did these stories really come from? In this investigation, I examine the biology and confirmed range of the Canada lynx, how it differs from the far more common bobcat (Lynx rufus), and why misidentification has played such a powerful role in Southern wildlife lore.
This documentary explores whether Canada lynx have ever occurred in the American South, how they differ from bobcats, and why generations of Southerners have reported seeing “lynx” where none are officially recognized. Even popular references reflect this confusion.
A famous “souped-up wildcat” joke told by comedian Jerry Clower illustrates how people have long described unusually large or intimidating wildcats using the word “lynx,” regardless of species.
Jerry Clower talked about a “lynx” in Mississippi.
By separating rumor from record, folklore from biology, and perception from documented range, this film traces how the idea of “lynx in the South” took hold — and what the real history actually shows.
Chester Moore
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