Wildlife Wire

What happens when powerful photography and investigative journalism inspire real conservation action? In this episode of Wildlife Wire, Mark Surls and Samantha Miller sit down with award-winning National Geographic photographer Steve Winter and environmental journalist and National Geographic Explorer Sharon Guynup to discuss their new book, Big Cats. Featuring 170 photographs and stories spanning...

  What happens when we stop treating wildlife, environmental sustainability, human well-being, and animal protection as separate issues? In this episode of Wildlife Wire, Mark Surls talks with educator, author, and Institute for Humane Education co-founder and president Zoe Weil about the interconnected systems that shape our lives—and how learning to see those connections can help us become bette...

When Words Become Law: Amendment 83 with Jess Beaulieu What happens when wildlife policy is written into a state constitution—and key terms are left undefined? In this episode of Wildlife Wire, Mark Surls and Samantha Miller are joined by attorney and educator Jess Beaulieu for a legal deep dive into Colorado’s Amendment 83, the proposed constitutional amendment addressing hunting, fishing, and wi...

Gary Skiba is a lifelong hunter and angler, retired Colorado wildlife biologist, former Colorado Parks and Wildlife commissioner, and former staff lead on Colorado’s early wolf-management planning. In this episode, he joins Mark to discuss why he opposes Amendment 83, the 2026 proposal to establish a constitutional right to hunt and fish in Colorado. The conversation examines language in the amend...

What happens when a mountain lion advocate, a sheep producer, and a houndsman sit down to talk about the future of mountain lions in Utah? In this episode of The Wildlife Wire, Samantha Miller is joined by three people whose relationships with mountain lions could hardly look more different: Denise of Utah Mountain Lion Conservation, southern Utah sheep producer and houndsman Andy Rice, and lifelo...

Mark and Sam are joined by John Calfa III, co-host of The Wolf Connection Podcast, for a conversation about wolves, storytelling, conservation, and the connections between humans and the natural world. John shares how The Wolf Connection Podcast began during the COVID shutdown and has grown into hundreds of conversations with scientists, authors, conservationists, artists, ranchers, hunters, photo...

Joel Sartore — the Photo Ark in your backyard  Mark and Sam sit down with National Geographic photographer, explorer, author, and conservationist Joel Sartore, founder of the National Geographic Photo Ark. For more than two decades, Joel has traveled the world photographing more than 17,000 species as part of an ambitious effort to document biodiversity and inspire people to protect wildlife and t...

This episode looks at common misinformation campaigns used to oppose pro-wildlife efforts, including messaging that discourages public involvement and leans heavily on “trust the experts.” Sam and Mark break down how these narratives are constructed and why they are effective. They also examine the role of science versus values in wildlife decisions and what that means for public participation.  ...

This episode breaks down how wildlife legislation actually moves through the political process. Bills begin with a core concept, but are quickly reshaped by stakeholder input, requiring tradeoffs between policy goals and what is operationally and politically feasible. Wildlife policy outcomes depend less on intent alone and more on navigating legislative structure, stakeholder pressure, and strate...

Mark and Sam get real on how wildlife "management" decisions are made, discuss science-based management and what it means for Colorado residents and wildlife.

Join Sam and Mark as they wrap up their first full year hosting the Wildlife Wire! Thank you to all who have listened throughout the year. We look forward to sharing our thoughts and guests with you. On this episode we have: Rogan blasts liberal policies for enabling mountain lions to eat pets | Fox News   Kentucky Fish and Wildlife accepting Christmas trees to create fish habitat   Report: Urgent...

On today's episode Samantha and Mark discuss the interesting wildlife news, including: 8 Everyday Habits You Can Change That Actually Make a Difference for Wildlife Marshland mashup: Red wolf-coyote hybrids adapt to coastal Louisiana • Louisiana Illuminator Raccoons are evolving to be as cute and cuddly as pets — and they want inside your homes Enviros confirm new jaguar 'Cinco' spotted in Souther...

Join Sam and Mark as they dive into top wildlife news stories from across the country. The State of Colorado's Wildlife Crossings Future of Dauphin Island foxes remains undecided Humanity rises as wildlife recedes: Two studies show the extent of human domination over nature California passes law to phase out gillnet fishing in state waters to protect underwater wildlife Please like, subscribe, and...

Ryan Sedgeley from the Endangered Species Coalition joins Mark and Sam for this special Halloween episode. They discuss myths about wolves, coyotes, and prairie dogs, as well as zombie deer and frogs coming back from the dead.

On today's episode, Dan Parkinson discusses the history of Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, the challenges they face, and the ways we can protect them.  Participate in citizen science with iNaturalist Learn where some of that data goes and about all things bighorn through the Mountain Studies Institute .

Sam plays the role of guest and talks about all things furbearer. What are furbearers? Species of animals grouped together for no other reason than people like to kill them for their fur. 

Today Sam interviews Mark about rodenticides, or rat poisons, and why they are bad news for people, pets, and wildlife. Find information on rodenticides from Project Coyote here .

Today we are joined by one of our personal heroes, the First Gentleman of Colorado, Marlon Reis.    Marlon has brilliantly leveraged his role in Colorado to advocate for animals of all kinds, from puppies in pet stores to wolves in the wild, Marlon has consistently pushed for humane treatment of all species.

We’re joined by Emma Halverson, Executive Director of Wild Fish Conservancy, to explore the historic return of fish traps to the Pacific Northwest. From their cultural roots and conservation benefits to the launch of the first Columbia River trap fishery in nearly 100 years, Emma shares how this ancient method could reshape the future of salmon and steelhead recovery. https://wildfishconservancy.o...

Bill serves as Senior Videographer and Editor for Wildlife Protection Solutions (WPS), where he combines his creative vision with cutting‑edge tools—like AI‑powered real‑time camera traps, immersive VR experiences, and digital platforms—to protect endangered wildlife and ecosystems around the world. www.wildlifeprotectionsolutions.org Bill's Instagram Wildlife Protection Solutions Instagram

Jay is the preserve manager for the Southern Plains Land Trust, and spends his days managing the bison herds and improving their network of protected lands for the benefit of all native wildlife species. For 30 years, Jay worked tirelessly as an attorney representing environmental organizations and individuals seeking to protect the environment. Jay also helped to start the Environmental Law Clini...

Join Sam and Mark as they dive into the top wildlife news stories, including: Grizzly bears aren't wolves Big scary bobcats? Border wall jaguar Snakes hear with their jaws Please like and leave a review!    

Joining us is Emma Balunek. Emma’s work is a combination of conservation research and visual storytelling. In collaboration with Michael Forsberg and the Platte Basin Timelapse project, along with Dr. John Benson’s lab, Emma has been studying the cooperative hunting relationship between coyotes and badgers in prairie dog colonies across western grasslands. Coyote/Badger Sighting Form Emma's Instag...

Join Sam and Mark for this week's wildlife news, including: Bighorn Sheep in Colorado Ghost Wolves in Texas Grand Jury for Hope  Movies that Scare Wolves

Dr. Adrian Treves is a leading voice for science, future generations, and the public trust. A Harvard-trained ecologist and Professor of Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, he founded the Carnivore Coexistence Lab in 2007 to explore how humans and large carnivores, from coyotes to grizzlies, share landscapes.    For nearly three decades, his work has bridged law, ecology,...