The Wolf Connection

Chris Smith is the Southwest Wildlife Advocate for WildEarth Guardians and Greta Anderson is the Deputy Director for Western Watersheds Project. We were lucky enough to have both of them on the podcast to discuss Asha, the Mexican Grey Wolf who was traveling beyond the I-40 boundary. During our discussion, Asha was re-captured and will ultimately be transported back inside the recovery area. Chris...

Lizzy Pennock is the Carnivore Coexistence Attorney for WildEarth Guardians. Conservation groups Flathead-Lolo-Bitterroot Citizen Task Force and WildEarth Guardians were granted temporary relief for threatened grizzly bears, when a judge issued an interim ban on wolf trapping in Montana grizzly bear habitat. This was all stemming from a lawsuit filed on September 22nd, 2023.  Lizzy went into detai...

Dario Hipolito is a PhD student at both the Center for Environmental and Marine Studies at the University of Aveiro in Portugal, and the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Zagreb in Croatia. He studies Iberian wolves in Portugal, grey wolves in Croatia and promotes coexistence in both places. Dario explained his journey to studying wolves in Europe, how he engages rural communitie...

For over a decade, Ronan Donovan has been a Conservation Filmmaker & Photographer. His work has included studying chimpanzees in Uganda, to wolves in Yellowstone National Park and the Arctic. His visual storytelling, speaking engagements, and photography exhibits have continued his pursuit of conservation for animals on the human dominated landscape. Ronan spoke about his journey from wildlife...

Eric Odell is the Wolf Conservation Manager for Colorado Parks & Wildlife, and has worked within the agency since 2000. In this role, he directs conservation and management programs to aid in the establishment and protection of native, non-game carnivore species to the state. Eric went into great detail about the wolf reintroduction plan in Colorado, gave updates on where the wolves are coming...

Taylor Ganz is a Wildlife Ecologist who studies how humans and landscape factors influence interactions between species. For the Washington Predator-Prey Project, she evaluated how ungulates responded to predators, forage dynamics, and landscape change driven by humans, including wildfire and timber harvest. Taylor spoke in detail about her research at the Washington Predator-Prey Project, the lan...

Kim Wheeler has been the Executive Director of Red Wolf Coalition for 18 years. The Red Wolf Coalition (RWC) advocates for the long-term survival of red wolf populations by teaching about the red wolf, fostering public involvement in red wolf conservation and envisions the long-term survival of free ranging, self-sustaining red wolf populations at three or more sites. Kim spoke to us about her jou...

Zach Lee is currently based in North Carolina and has been a photographer for nearly 7 years. He has worked on photographing Red Wolves for conservation efforts and informing the public about their endangered status. Zach spoke to us about his journey to North Carolina, how he become involved photographing Red Wolves, and how he helps local NGO's in spreading information about the species. @z...

Erik Molvar is the Executive Director for Western Watersheds Project. The mission of Western Watersheds Project (WWP) is to protect and restore western watersheds and wildlife through education, public policy initiatives, and legal advocacy. He is the author of 16 hiking guidebooks and backpacking techniques manuals for national parks and wilderness areas spanning the West from Alaska to Arizona....

Monica Stahlmann is the author of Trumpet the Miracle Wolf Pup book series. Clint Burson is the Strategic Communications Manager for LightHawk Conservation Flying, and Brooke George is their Wildlife Program Manager. LightHawk has flown many endangered species across the country that are in active recovery programs in the wild, including Mexican Gray and Red Wolves. Monica shared updates on her bo...

Mario Canseco is the President of Research Co. since 2018, and has analyzed and conducted public opinion research since 2003. He has been working with The Fur-Bearers, whose mission is to protect fur-bearing animals through conservation, advocacy, research, and education since 2013 collecting gray wolf public opinion research. The Fur-Bearers have collaborated with researchers Stephanie Rutherford...

Ben Bluhm has been photographing wildlife for over 3 years and volunteers with Utah Mountain Lion Conservation. He has used some of his photos to help non-profit organizations with visual storytelling and promoting their missions. Ben spoke to us about some of his incredible wolf photos, and how he's helping with causes related to conservation and preservation of wildlife in the western U.S....

Claire Davis is the Founder of Washington Wildlife First and Animal & Earth Advocates, a Seattle-area law firm that brings public interest litigation on behalf of animals, wildlife, and the environment. Washington Wildlife First is the only Washington nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to monitoring and reforming the state agency that is supposed to protect the state's fish and...

Brad Orsted is an award-winning wildlife and conservation filmmaker/photographer, author, speaker and wilderness therapy instructor. Brad’s first memoir, Through the Wilderness: My Journey of Redemption and Healing in the American Wild , is out now and available for purchase in all places where books are sold. He spoke to us about his process of writing his memoir, his feelings surrounding its rel...

John E. Marriott has been photographing wildlife for over 30 years and has authored multiple books on wolves, bears and national parks. He is involved in Canadian conservation issues with his non-profit organization, EXPOSED Wildlife Conservancy, which provides ethical and science-based solutions to solve the most pressing wildlife management challenges today. John spoke at length about his experi...

Michelle Lute is the Co-Executive Director for Wildlife For All, whose mission is to reform wildlife management in the U.S. to be more democratic, compassionate and focused on protecting wild species and ecosystems. She is a conservation scientist and advocate with nearly twenty years experience in biodiversity conservation on public and private lands around the globe. Michelle spoke about the eff...

**UPDATE** Shortly after we recorded this episode, an Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife kill order for the Five Points Pack, claimed the lives of 4 wolves from that pack. That order has been lifted, however another kill order was issued for the Lookout Mountain Pack for up to two wolves. These orders were issued due to livestock depredations and conflicts. Updates on these lethal removal orde...

Dave Stalling is a former Force Recon Marine who has deeper understanding of what it means to be part of the natural world. He was the former conservation writer for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundations - Bugle Magazine for a decade. He has also worked for the U.S. Forest Service, the National Wildlife Federation, Trout Unlimited and is a past President of the Montana Wildlife Federation.  He now se...

Katie Jackson is a freelance writer who covers adventure travel, camping, national parks, and outdoor gear, that has been featured in Outside Magazine and USA Today. She recently published an essay in Outside Magazine titled: My Rancher Parents Hate Wolves. I Took Them on a Wolf-Watching Tour in Yellowstone to Change Their Minds. She talked with us about her upbringing in a ranching family, the ca...

Joanna Lambert is a Professor of Environmental Studies and Faculty in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology for the University of Colorado, Boulder. She has been teaching for over 25 years. Her research has covered primates in Africa, wolves in the Rocky Mountain West, and animals as they adapt to human based landscapes. She is also the Senior Science Advisor for the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project. Joanna...

Candace Dyar is a nature and conservation photographer, educator, wildlife & wolf advocate based in Washington State for nearly two decades. Her work has captured the attention of global audiences and been featured by acclaimed outlets such as World Wildlife Fund and The Weather Channel / Pattrn. Candace shared some of her incredible wolf photos and the stories behind them! She also spoke abou...

This is the third and final podcast recorded at The 2023 Yellowstone Wolf Summit in Gardiner, Montana! Doug Smith recently retired as the Senior Wildlife Biologist in Yellowstone National park after 28 years of service where he supervised the wolf, elk, and bird programs. Doug has studied wolves for 44 years, done over 2,000 interviews, and appeared on numerous documentaries about wolves and birds...

This is the second podcast recorded at The 2023 Yellowstone Wolf Summit in Gardiner, Montana! Kristin Combs is the Executive Director of Wyoming Wildlife Advocates, which informs, educates, and empowers communities to preserve wild legacy, protect shared wildlife and modernize wildlife management across the state. Kristin  discussed her presentation, her thoughts on the summit and coexistence meas...

This is the first of our podcasts recorded at The 2023 Yellowstone Wolf Summit in Gardiner, Montana! Garrick Dutcher is the Research & Program Director for Living with Wolves. He has been working on wolf related education in Idaho for over 20 years. Living with Wolves is dedicated to engaging the public worldwide in education, outreach and research to promote truth and understanding about wolv...

Welcome to our 150th episode!  Stephen Rivera and John Calfa preview the Yellowstone Wolf Summit taking place in Montana June 21st through June 23rd, discuss the speakers coming to the event, and talk about incredible content that will be shared from that week. Follow us on our Instagram for stories, content and posts throughout the summit and feel free to DM us:  @thewolfconnectionpod Email us yo...