Kgnu - How On Earth

Sage Grouse Saga (start time: 4:04): One of the most spectacular and flamboyant rites of spring is, arguably, the mating ritual of a the greater sage grouse, a chicken-like bird with a long tail, with spiky tail feathers.  Its historic range spans 11 Western states, including Colorado. But that sagebrush-dominated habitat has been chopped up and degraded by oil and gas development, mining operations, cattle grazing and even wind farms--causing grouse populations to plunge. Since 2010 the bird has waited for a milestone decision, due by Sept. 30, by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to list it as threatened or endangered.  Biologist Noreen Walsh, director of the  Service’s Mountain-Prairie Region, discusses with How On Earth host Susan Moran the biology of this curious bird and a range-wide collaborative conservation initiative aimed at preserving the grouse and its habitat. Oh, check out this live "lek-cam," from The Nature Conservancy. Fragile Ocean (start time: 17:21) David Helvarg, a journalist and author