Matthew L. Miller
@matthewlmiller.bsky.social
Author, Fishing Through the Apocalypse. Editor, TNC’s Cool Green Science.
I love fishing of all kinds, natural history, outdoor pursuits, public lands and good books.
I love fishing of all kinds, natural history, outdoor pursuits, public lands and good books.
Pinned
Just starting here. I’m a long-time writer for The Nature Conservancy. I have a passion for fishing of all kinds, wildlife, outdoor pursuits, good books and conservation communications.
Reposted by Matthew L. Miller
#RodentOfTheDay Heunglin's Striped Grass Mouse (Lemniscomys zebra)
"[A] species of rodent in the family Muridae. Its natural habitats are moist savanna, subtropical or tropical moist shrubland, arable land, and plantations ."
Ph/inf: eol.org/pages/4463012
"[A] species of rodent in the family Muridae. Its natural habitats are moist savanna, subtropical or tropical moist shrubland, arable land, and plantations ."
Ph/inf: eol.org/pages/4463012
November 7, 2025 at 3:00 PM
#RodentOfTheDay Heunglin's Striped Grass Mouse (Lemniscomys zebra)
"[A] species of rodent in the family Muridae. Its natural habitats are moist savanna, subtropical or tropical moist shrubland, arable land, and plantations ."
Ph/inf: eol.org/pages/4463012
"[A] species of rodent in the family Muridae. Its natural habitats are moist savanna, subtropical or tropical moist shrubland, arable land, and plantations ."
Ph/inf: eol.org/pages/4463012
Should we kill trees because they're ugly? At one point, the National Park Service did just that.
Modern conservation is loaded with value judgments.
Modern conservation is loaded with value judgments.
Witches’ Broom and the Conservation of “Ugly”
Should we kill trees because they’re ugly? At one point, conservationists did. Fortunately, times can change.
blog.nature.org
November 7, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Should we kill trees because they're ugly? At one point, the National Park Service did just that.
Modern conservation is loaded with value judgments.
Modern conservation is loaded with value judgments.
Two sides to the same sign in rural Idaho.
November 6, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Two sides to the same sign in rural Idaho.
Reposted by Matthew L. Miller
Introducing Ozzy! This prehensile-tailed porcupine, Zoo Boise's newest resident, is already becoming a star. 🌠
Settling into the renovated Small Animal Kingdom's Rainforest Building, Ozzy likes to nimbly climb and flip around his habitat’s canopy.
📷: Lead zookeeper Taylor S
Settling into the renovated Small Animal Kingdom's Rainforest Building, Ozzy likes to nimbly climb and flip around his habitat’s canopy.
📷: Lead zookeeper Taylor S
November 5, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Introducing Ozzy! This prehensile-tailed porcupine, Zoo Boise's newest resident, is already becoming a star. 🌠
Settling into the renovated Small Animal Kingdom's Rainforest Building, Ozzy likes to nimbly climb and flip around his habitat’s canopy.
📷: Lead zookeeper Taylor S
Settling into the renovated Small Animal Kingdom's Rainforest Building, Ozzy likes to nimbly climb and flip around his habitat’s canopy.
📷: Lead zookeeper Taylor S
Reposted by Matthew L. Miller
GAR WEEK 2025 is HERE!!!
Join @garlab.bsky.social as we celebrate these awesome living fossil fishes and freshwater biodiversity for #GarWeek!
We look forward to hearing from YOU with any gar pics, puns, stories, GARtwork and questions this week!
Join @garlab.bsky.social as we celebrate these awesome living fossil fishes and freshwater biodiversity for #GarWeek!
We look forward to hearing from YOU with any gar pics, puns, stories, GARtwork and questions this week!
November 3, 2025 at 3:04 PM
GAR WEEK 2025 is HERE!!!
Join @garlab.bsky.social as we celebrate these awesome living fossil fishes and freshwater biodiversity for #GarWeek!
We look forward to hearing from YOU with any gar pics, puns, stories, GARtwork and questions this week!
Join @garlab.bsky.social as we celebrate these awesome living fossil fishes and freshwater biodiversity for #GarWeek!
We look forward to hearing from YOU with any gar pics, puns, stories, GARtwork and questions this week!
Reposted by Matthew L. Miller
Only four #taxidermy bluebuck are known in #museums (Paris, Leiden, Stockholm, Vienna): the only large mammal species to become extinct in Africa in recent centuries. Bluebuck disappeared in ~1800.
(It feels weird to know I've seen them all - the only physical evidence of what bluebuck looked like)
(It feels weird to know I've seen them all - the only physical evidence of what bluebuck looked like)
November 5, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Only four #taxidermy bluebuck are known in #museums (Paris, Leiden, Stockholm, Vienna): the only large mammal species to become extinct in Africa in recent centuries. Bluebuck disappeared in ~1800.
(It feels weird to know I've seen them all - the only physical evidence of what bluebuck looked like)
(It feels weird to know I've seen them all - the only physical evidence of what bluebuck looked like)
Meet the Apalachicola redhorse, a newly described fish species.
Meet the Apalachicola Redhorse, a Newly Recognized Fish Species
For more than 50 years, the Apalachicola redhorse was a fish with no name. Learn more about this newly recognized species of sucker.
blog.nature.org
November 5, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Meet the Apalachicola redhorse, a newly described fish species.
Latest addition to the backyard flock.
November 3, 2025 at 4:01 AM
Latest addition to the backyard flock.
A beautiful fall day and trout taking dry flies. #flyfishing
November 2, 2025 at 11:37 PM
A beautiful fall day and trout taking dry flies. #flyfishing
Black’s Creek Bird Reserve, one of the birding hotspots near Boise, Idaho.
Some nice sightings this afternoon including northern shrike, yellow-rumped warbler & tundra swan.
Some nice sightings this afternoon including northern shrike, yellow-rumped warbler & tundra swan.
October 31, 2025 at 10:38 PM
Black’s Creek Bird Reserve, one of the birding hotspots near Boise, Idaho.
Some nice sightings this afternoon including northern shrike, yellow-rumped warbler & tundra swan.
Some nice sightings this afternoon including northern shrike, yellow-rumped warbler & tundra swan.
Reposted by Matthew L. Miller
Lampreys definitely fit in the “creepy but cool” category.
Bonneville Fish Ladder viewing window, Oregon.
Bonneville Fish Ladder viewing window, Oregon.
October 31, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Lampreys definitely fit in the “creepy but cool” category.
Bonneville Fish Ladder viewing window, Oregon.
Bonneville Fish Ladder viewing window, Oregon.
Reposted by Matthew L. Miller
Not much is scarier for a #GreatLakes fish than the invasive sea lamprey, sometimes called vampire fish 🧛
But while they're more trick than treat in their introduced range, they're actually threatened in parts of their native range of the Atlantic coasts of Europe + North America - that's scary!
But while they're more trick than treat in their introduced range, they're actually threatened in parts of their native range of the Atlantic coasts of Europe + North America - that's scary!
October 31, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Not much is scarier for a #GreatLakes fish than the invasive sea lamprey, sometimes called vampire fish 🧛
But while they're more trick than treat in their introduced range, they're actually threatened in parts of their native range of the Atlantic coasts of Europe + North America - that's scary!
But while they're more trick than treat in their introduced range, they're actually threatened in parts of their native range of the Atlantic coasts of Europe + North America - that's scary!
Capybara, the world's largest rodent. The species has a wide range in South America, but is especially abundant in flooded grasslands like Colombia's Llanos and Brazil's Pantanal.
Capybaras roam in herds like ungulates & will all plunge into water when threatened. They are also quite tasty.
Capybaras roam in herds like ungulates & will all plunge into water when threatened. They are also quite tasty.
October 31, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Capybara, the world's largest rodent. The species has a wide range in South America, but is especially abundant in flooded grasslands like Colombia's Llanos and Brazil's Pantanal.
Capybaras roam in herds like ungulates & will all plunge into water when threatened. They are also quite tasty.
Capybaras roam in herds like ungulates & will all plunge into water when threatened. They are also quite tasty.
Small mountain whitefish. Boise River, Idaho. #flyfishing
October 30, 2025 at 10:50 PM
Small mountain whitefish. Boise River, Idaho. #flyfishing
My search for black-backed woodpeckers near my Idaho home, one unexpected bright spot after last year's dismal fire season. #birding
Searching for Black-backed Woodpeckers After the Burn
Learn the fascinating life history of the unusual, elusive black-backed woodpecker, a burnt-habitat specialist.
blog.nature.org
October 29, 2025 at 3:57 PM
My search for black-backed woodpeckers near my Idaho home, one unexpected bright spot after last year's dismal fire season. #birding
Forget the Halloween bats and spiders.
Here are the creatures that should really give you the creeps.
Here are the creatures that should really give you the creeps.
7 Underrated Creepy Creatures
Bats and snakes get an undeserved bad rap. But here are some creepy crawlies that might keep you up at night.
blog.nature.org
October 28, 2025 at 7:57 PM
Forget the Halloween bats and spiders.
Here are the creatures that should really give you the creeps.
Here are the creatures that should really give you the creeps.
The Boise River in autumn.
October 26, 2025 at 3:27 PM
The Boise River in autumn.
Reposted by Matthew L. Miller
A male African pygmy goose, a type of perching duck and one of the smallest waterfowl in the world. Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, Washington
#Birds #BirdOfTheDay #Green #SideEye #Ducks #Photography #Birdscrolling #PNW #BirdNerd
#Birds #BirdOfTheDay #Green #SideEye #Ducks #Photography #Birdscrolling #PNW #BirdNerd
October 21, 2025 at 1:34 PM
A male African pygmy goose, a type of perching duck and one of the smallest waterfowl in the world. Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, Washington
#Birds #BirdOfTheDay #Green #SideEye #Ducks #Photography #Birdscrolling #PNW #BirdNerd
#Birds #BirdOfTheDay #Green #SideEye #Ducks #Photography #Birdscrolling #PNW #BirdNerd
Swift fox prove more adaptable than anyone thought. A conservation success story.
It doesn't hurt that they're incredibly cute animals.
It doesn't hurt that they're incredibly cute animals.
The Swift Fox Makes a Surprise Comeback
New research shows North America’s smallest canine might be more adaptable than anyone previously thought.
blog.nature.org
October 21, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Swift fox prove more adaptable than anyone thought. A conservation success story.
It doesn't hurt that they're incredibly cute animals.
It doesn't hurt that they're incredibly cute animals.
Reposted by Matthew L. Miller
I recently came across an eastern red bat, chilling in the brush on a warm afternoon. I guess they’re common in PA but I hadn’t seen one up close before.
October 20, 2025 at 6:53 PM
I recently came across an eastern red bat, chilling in the brush on a warm afternoon. I guess they’re common in PA but I hadn’t seen one up close before.
It's time to celebrate bats: from a species that is as light as a dime to a bat that fishes.
Meet The World’s 10 Coolest Bats
From bats that mimic chickens to bats that build tents, a look at some of the most fascinating creatures on the planet.
blog.nature.org
October 20, 2025 at 6:23 PM
It's time to celebrate bats: from a species that is as light as a dime to a bat that fishes.
A trip to the Schwartz sturgeon pond in Parma, Idaho. A bizarre facility featured in my book, but also a great time for kids.
October 19, 2025 at 7:56 PM
A trip to the Schwartz sturgeon pond in Parma, Idaho. A bizarre facility featured in my book, but also a great time for kids.
Reposted by Matthew L. Miller
Species Spotlight - Flying Squirrels
"Unlike their tree-nut favoring cousins, flying squirrels have a surprisingly diverse palette...and readily supplement their diets with insects, bird eggs, or even the newly hatched birds themselves. "
www.nps.gov/articles/spe...
"Unlike their tree-nut favoring cousins, flying squirrels have a surprisingly diverse palette...and readily supplement their diets with insects, bird eggs, or even the newly hatched birds themselves. "
www.nps.gov/articles/spe...
October 16, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Species Spotlight - Flying Squirrels
"Unlike their tree-nut favoring cousins, flying squirrels have a surprisingly diverse palette...and readily supplement their diets with insects, bird eggs, or even the newly hatched birds themselves. "
www.nps.gov/articles/spe...
"Unlike their tree-nut favoring cousins, flying squirrels have a surprisingly diverse palette...and readily supplement their diets with insects, bird eggs, or even the newly hatched birds themselves. "
www.nps.gov/articles/spe...
Reposted by Matthew L. Miller
When a big Alligator Gar decides it's time to go, it goes! ReGARdless of the video we're trying to shoot 😅
Gars can be good indicators of ecosystem health, specifically aquatic connectivity (e.g. river-floodplain connections) due to their migratory spawning behavior. #GarWeek
Gars can be good indicators of ecosystem health, specifically aquatic connectivity (e.g. river-floodplain connections) due to their migratory spawning behavior. #GarWeek
October 16, 2025 at 2:15 PM
When a big Alligator Gar decides it's time to go, it goes! ReGARdless of the video we're trying to shoot 😅
Gars can be good indicators of ecosystem health, specifically aquatic connectivity (e.g. river-floodplain connections) due to their migratory spawning behavior. #GarWeek
Gars can be good indicators of ecosystem health, specifically aquatic connectivity (e.g. river-floodplain connections) due to their migratory spawning behavior. #GarWeek
Misty morning on the Boise River.
October 16, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Misty morning on the Boise River.