The Wolf Connection

Kirk Robinson is the Founder and Executive Director of the Western Wildlife Conservancy. It works to preserve and protect native wildlife species through research, education, and advocacy with a focus on the needs of large carnivores. The organization envisions holistic, ecologically-based wildlife management guided by an ethical respect for the beauty of healthy ecosystems and the intrinsic value...

KC York is the President & Founder of Trap Free Montana since its inception in 2015. They represent hikers, anglers, hunters, wildlife watchers, ranchers, pet owners and outdoor enthusiasts concerned about or adamantly opposed to trapping. KC discussed the issues surrounding trapping in Montana, some of the unethical methods of trapping that impact wildlife in the state, and the social, politi...

Kaija Klauder is the Lead Technician for the Denali National Park and Preserve Wolf and Caribou Research Projects. She presented her research related to Scavenging Patterns and Habitat Selections of Carnivores in the Subarctic at the International Wolf Symposium in October 2022. Kaija discussed her passion for working with carnivores since a young age, the research she presented at the symposium,...

Georgina De Caigny is the Founder and Executive Director of Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary in Alberta, Canada. The sanctuary was founded in 2011 and currently has 43 permanent residents. We spoke with Georgina about her journey to starting Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary, the challenges they face, and  how they look to educate others in the wolfdog world. Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary Website Between Wolf and...

Matt Barnes is a Rangeland Scientist who continues to study and apply methods for livestock & predator coexistence management in the western United States. He is part of the Northern Rockies Conservation Cooperative and is an Advisor for the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project. Courtney Vail is the Campaign Director for Oceanic Preservation Society, an Advisor for the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project and h...

Cassi Camara is a Graduate Researcher for the Center for Human Carnivore Coexistence at Colorado State University. Cassi was a presenter at the International Wolf Symposium discussing the media portrayal of wolf reintroduction in Colorado. She explained the messaging strategies used for both sides of the wolf reintroduction debate, how those messages influenced peoples final vote on Prop 114 and h...

Jad Davenport is a Director of Wolf Programs for Churchill Wild, a Canadian company specializing in arctic wildlife viewing. He is a licensed bear guide in Canada, a National Geographic photojournalist, and a member of the Explorers Club. Jad spoke to us about his career as a photojournalist, the citizen science happening at Churchill Wild involving wolves and polar bears, and the unique way these...

Carter Niemeyer retired from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in 2006 as the Wolf Recovery Coordinator for the state of Idaho. He was an integral part of the Federal Wolf Reintroduction in both Yellowstone and Idaho. Carter has authored two books, Wolfer and Wolf Land which can be purchased through multiple book retailers. Carter spoke about wolves in Montana, Wyoming, Idaho and Colorado. He e...

Adrian Wydeven spoke to us about the new draft of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Wolf Management Plan. He described what changes have been made from prior years, and the pros and cons of the proposed plan.   Adrian Wydeven is a former Wildlife Biologist and Wildlife Manager for the Department of Natural Resources in Wisconsin. He headed up the Wisconsin wolf recovery program that in...

Kristin Combs is the Executive Director of Wyoming Wildlife Advocates. Wyoming Wildlife Advocates informs, educates, and empowers communities to preserve wild legacy, protect shared wildlife and modernize wildlife management across the state. Kristin discussed Wyoming's wolf management plans, the mission of the organization and the perception of wolves in the state. Wyoming Wildlife Advocates...

Lizzy Pennock is the Carnivore Coexistence Advocate with WildEarth Guardians. Recently, WildEarth Guardians and Project Coyote filed a lawsuit challenging  Montana's expanded wolf hunting program, established by the 2021 state Legislature. The ruling was successful in granting a temporary restraining order against the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the State of Montana, and the Fish and Wi...

Wolf Sanctuary of PA has been in operation for over 40 years, and is home to over 50 wolves and wolf dogs. Through their guided tours, they seek to dispel some of the common myths about wolves and provide a more accurate and respectful image of this keystone species. Michelle Mancini, the Education Director, spoke with us about the history and logistics of the organization and the impact they have...

Ryan Devereaux has been an investigative journalist for The Intercept for almost a decade. His two recent pieces titled "In Reviewing Wolves' Endangered Status, Martha Williams Confronts Her Montana Past " and "The Fight To Stop Republicans From Killing Wolves and Grizzlies " details the ongoing issues surrounding the wolf hunts in Montana. We spoke in depth with Ryan abou...

Nick Gevock does public policy and communications work on a wide range of conservation issues in Montana and the Northern Rockies. He previously served as the Conservation Director for the Montana Wildlife Federation for 8 years and as a newspaper reporter for 11 years in Montana covering wolf issues.  We talked with Nick about his background as a hunter, his work as a reporter and the history of...

This is the fourth and final episode of our podcasts recorded at The International Wolf Symposium in Minneapolis, Minnesota! Marc Cooke and Kim Bean are the President and Vice President of the non-profit organization Wolves of the Rockies. Since 2011, their mission has been to protect and defend the wolves of Yellowstone National Park & the Rocky Mountains while trying to enact positive change...

This is the third episode of our podcasts recorded at The International Wolf Symposium in Minneapolis, Minnesota! Taylor Bland has gone from being a wildlife guide in Yellowstone National Park, to a Biological Technician for the Yellowstone Wolf Project. She is also on the Board of Directors for the International Wolf Center. We talked about the changes happening in her professional life, the impa...

This is the second of our podcasts recorded at The International Wolf Symposium in Minneapolis, Minnesota! Bridget Borg is a Wildlife Biologist in Denali National Park where she has been studying wolves for over a decade. She is also the Principal Investigator for Denali National Park's wolf and caribou research programs. We talked about her plenary session that discussed the history of Denal...

This is the first of our podcasts recorded at The International Wolf Symposium in Minneapolis, Minnesota! Bridgett VonHoldt, Kristin Brzeski, and Joey Hinton are all co-founders of the Gulf Coast Canine Project. The goals of the project are to understand the genetic ancestry of the unique wild canines persisting along the Gulf Coast of the United States and study how red wolf ancestry affects morp...

Tom McPherson is the Director of Seaforth Expeditions in Sechelt, British Columbia. They share amazing wildlife encounters with photographers and filmmakers in the hopes that they produce works that inspire and educate the world about the fragility and beauty of the Pacific Northwest ecosystems. Tom spoke to us about the beginnings of Seaforth Expeditions, his knowledge of the wildlife and ecosyst...

Bridget Borg is a Wildlife Biologist in Denali National Park where she has been studying wolves for over a decade. She is also the Principal Investigator for Denali National Park's wolf and caribou research programs. Bridget spoke about her research on wolves in Denali, the environmental differences for wolves in Alaska and some of the topics she will be speaking about at the International Wo...

Julie Meachen is an Associate Professor of Anatomy, Vertebrate Paleontologist and Functional Morphologist at Des Moines University. She is the Lead Investigator at the Natural Trap Cave and has been excavating Pleistocene mammals from Rancho La Brea since 2003. We discussed her research and findings about gray wolves and dire wolves from the Pleistocene Era, along with studies on other Pleistocene...

Kira Cassidy has been a Biologist and Research Associate for Yellowstone Forever for over a decade. Connor Meyer is a PhD Student in Wildlife Biology at the University of Montana.   They are working on new research pertaining to Toxoplasmosis in wolves around Yellowstone National Park. Kira and Connor discussed what Toxoplasmosis is, the relationship between cougars and wolves with this disease, a...

Julia Huffman is an award winning independent documentary filmmaker who produced Medicine of the Wolf. Her latest works include the animated story Today As I Run, and The Wild One, based on an excerpt from Jim Brandenburg's book Brother Wolf. We caught up with Julia about her recent projects, how she handled the creative process during the pandemic, and how she hopes both films will help the...

Bridgett VonHoldt is the Associate Professor of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at Princeton University. She has been studying ecological epigenomics which address the ecological and evolutionary questions regarding animals adaptations & response to selection. Bridgett spoke to us about her work regarding the genomic & phenotypic diversity between dogs and wolves, and how captured coyot...

Ryan Devereaux has been an investigative journalist for The Intercept for almost a decade. His piece titled " Rocky Mountain Massacre", details the events leading up to, during, and after the recent wolf hunt in Montana. We discussed the article at length, discussing how he got involved in the story and what he learned from his time in Montana around Yellowstone National Park. Rocky Moun...