Join us for an exciting virtual event featuring Jonathan C. Slaught, author of Owls of the Eastern Ice: The Quest to Find and Save the World’s Largest Owl. This captivating book tells the story of Slaught’s journey to safeguard one of nature’s rarest birds, the Blakiston’s fish owl, found only in the remote forests of Primorye, a region where Russia, China, and North Korea converge.

Primorye, a land where brown bears, tigers, and leopards coexist, is home to this elusive and endangered owl. A chance encounter with the Blakiston’s fish owl transformed Slaught’s life, sparking a lifelong mission to protect this species from extinction. In his pursuit, Slaught navigated thousands of miles through harsh taiga terrain, spending months with Russian locals who endure the extreme conditions of this untamed wilderness. His work also highlights the impact of logging on the owl’s fragile habitat and the ongoing struggle to preserve it for future generations of both wildlife and humans.

From 2006 to 2010, Slaught studied Blakiston’s fish owls in Russia for his PhD in Wildlife Conservation at the University of Minnesota. These owls, the largest in the world at over 11 pounds, rely on salmon and other aquatic prey, despite living in regions where rivers freeze for much of the year. His groundbreaking research, in collaboration with the Russian Academy of Sciences, helped form the foundation for a conservation management plan to protect these rare birds.

Slaught’s memoir, Owls of the Eastern Ice, published in 2020, garnered widespread acclaim, being named a New York Times Notable Book and earning spots on The Wall Street Journal’s Ten Best Books of 2020 and the shortlist for the National Book Award. It also won the 2021 PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award. In this event, Slaught will share his adventures in the field, the challenges of conservation work, and ongoing efforts to save the endangered Blakiston’s fish owl.

About the Author:

Slaught received both MS and PhD degrees from the University of Minnesota, in Conservation Biology and Wildlife Conservation, respectively, and an undergraduate degree in Russian Language from Drew University in New Jersey. He’s worked for the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) since 2011, where he is now the Regional Director of their Temperate Asia Program. His duties include oversight and strategic conservation planning of all WCS activities in Russia, Mongolia, China, Central Asia, Afghanistan, and Iran. He also coordinates WCS avian conservation activities along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway from the tundra in the Arctic to the mudflats of Southeast Asia. Slaught’s writings, scientific research, and photographs have been featured by the BBC World Service, the New York Times, The Guardian, Smithsonian Magazine, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and Audubon Magazine, among others. He is currently finishing his second book, titled “Tigers Between Empires,” about Amur tiger conservation in northeast Asia.

To learn more, visit his personal website or the Wildlife Conservation Society website.

This presentation is also part of The Nestled Nook, our exclusive, members-only book club that offers a unique opportunity to engage with authors and explore fascinating nature, avian, and conservation-themed books. Led by host Hilary Penner, members enjoy in-depth discussions and personal insights from featured authors, making each session an enjoyable experience. To learn more about The Nestled Nook or to join the club, please become a member today!