Episode Details

Episode 34: Why Did the Beaver Cross the Road?
Guest: Ben Goldfarb, award-winning environmental journalist and author
Hosts: Mike and Caitlin Ruhl
Duration: ~1 hour 10 minutes

🦫 Episode Summary:
This week’s episode of Outdoor Ruhls brings together old friends for a heartfelt and fascinating conversation about fish, fieldwork, writing, and the creatures that shape our landscapes. Mike and Caitlin are joined by Ben Goldfarb, renowned environmental journalist and author of Eager and Crossings, for a wide-ranging conversation that starts with shared memories of working in Yellowstone National Park and travels through fisheries science, book writing, and beaver admiration.

Ben talks about freezing nights electrofishing on the Madison River, lake trout battles on Yellowstone Lake, and the epic ecological significance of the humble beaver. The crew also explores the deeper reasons why fish captivate us, and Ben shares insights into his upcoming book on fish movement. There’s even a little Mets-Phillies banter to close things out.

📚 Topics Covered:

How Mike, Caitlin, and Ben met working fisheries in Yellowstone (2009)

Electrofishing for brown trout at night on the Madison River

The ecological war against lake trout in Yellowstone Lake

Why Eager became a breakout conservation book — and what Dan Flores had to do with it

Crossings: the surprising and devastating ways roads affect wildlife

Writing with humor and heart about dark ecological subjects

Fish as tactile gateways to the wild

Mussels, minnows, mystery, and ichthyophilia

Ben’s upcoming book on fish movement

And yes… Mets vs. Phillies

📘 Featured Works by Ben Goldfarb:

Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter

Crossings: How Road Ecology Is Shaping the Future of Our Planet
🏆 Winner: Banff Mountain Book Award for Environmental Literature
🏆 E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation Award (shortlisted)