The Wolf Connection

Anna Maziuk is a Polish journalist  and author that specializes in nature writings. She also conducts creative workshops for children and adults, often inspired by natural phenomena and direct contact with nature in all its forms. Since 2014, she has dedicated her life to telling the stories of wolves. Anna's book Instynkt, About Wolves in Polish Forests,  discusses the social, cultural and l...

Matt Yamashita has been with Colorado Parks and Wildlife for 17 years. He is currently the Supervisor and Area 8 CPW Wildlife Manager for the agency and was recently invited to take part on the panel discussion at the ACES event, 'Living with Wolves: Coexistence in Colorado' in Aspen. Listen to the event here!  Matt spoke to us about his background at CPW, delved extensively into the wol...

Kurt Holtzen has been a Field Advisor and a Wildlife Conflict Mitigation Specialist for nearly 20 years. He assists with predator coexistence at Lava Lake Lamb in Idaho and is a Conflict Reduction Consortium for the Western Landowner Association. Kurt explained his techniques on preventing predation among livestock, updated us on his endeavors in Colorado ahead of wolf reintroduction, and spoke ab...

Tom Walker has been living near Denali National Park in Alaska for nearly 60 years. He is an award winning photographer and writer specializing in Alaska's natural history and wildlife. His latest book, The Wanderer: An Alaska Wolf's Final Journey,  details the epic journey of Wolf 258, as he traveled nearly 3,000 miles in less than 6 months. Tom discussed his process when writing this b...

Amanda Beer is the Director of Programs for Wolf Connection. She joined John and Stephen to discuss the new multimedia educational platform for youth called "Wolf Lessons for Human Lives", which was a project years in the making.  This platform is meant to bring Wolf Connection's signature empowerment program to the internet and beyond! Amanda, John & Stephen discussed their ove...

The short film 'Almost Ancestors' illustrates the parallel paths of displacement experienced by Mexican gray wolves and indigenous peoples. Sheila Hollow Horn is Dineh and Oglala Lakota, and was born and raised in Tuba City on the Navajo and Hopi reservations. Sheila has numerous Hopi family members and  plays the lead role of the Hopi Daughter in 'Almost Ancestors'. Bertram Ts...

Emily Renn is the Executive Director of the Grand Canyon Wolf Recovery Project, and Erin Hunt is the Managing Director for Lobos of the Southwest. Both were heavily involved in celebrating and promoting the 25th Anniversary of the Mexican Gray Wolf being reintroduced into the wild. Emily and Erin spoke in depth about the challenges this specific population of wolf encounters politically, socially...

Julia Cook is a wildlife photographer based in Wyoming who is currently finishing her degree in Environmental and Natural Resources. She has an incredible portfolio, capturing images from wildlife in and around Yellowstone National Park ranging from bears to wolves. Julia spoke about her upbringing near Yellowstone, the influence that the natural environment has had on her photography, and the mes...

Rachel Tilseth is the Producer & Director and Manish Bhatt is the Associate Producer of People & Wolves: A Wisconsin Story Mired in Political Intrigue . The film tells the story of Wisconsin’s gray wolves, the controversies surrounding them, and how people learn to coexist as these native predators are finally back on the landscape after nearly 45 years. Rachel and Manish both spoke about...

This is a recording of the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies event that took place in Aspen, Colorado on Wednesday, March 15th, 2023. The event starts with a presentation by keynote speaker Joanna E. Lambert, PhD, who is a Professor of Environmental Studies at the University of Colorado – Boulder. The presentation was followed up with a panel discussion moderated by John Calfa and included Ma...

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 for all wolves across the country. They spoke to us about wolf and grizzly bear bills being proposed in the Montana legislat...

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 wolves, while encouraging coexistence and inspiring people to take action to protect them.   Garrick spok...

Erica Berry is the author of Wolfish: Wolf, Self, and the Stories We Tell About Fear. This is her first novel which is available on Amazon and other book retailers, as well as all audiobook platforms. She shared in depth about the influence wolves had on her while writing Wolfish, the impact she hopes the book will make, and the personal experiences she encountered during the process. Wolfish on A...

Wolf Hollow was founded 35 years ago by Paul Soffron in Ipswich, Massachusetts. Today, the original mission is carried on by his family, the staff and the volunteers which states, “To preserve the wolf in the wild, through education and exposure.” Zee Soffron is the Facility and Program Director at Wolf Hollow. He spoke about the beginnings of Wolf Hollow with his father, the goal and mission of t...

Jim and Jo Stanko's ranch has been in the family since 1907 near Steamboat Springs, Colorado. They utilize several conservation initiatives on their land, along with placing 143 acres into a conservation easement which is home for several wildlife species. They have received the Leopold Conservation Award for their efforts. Jo Stanko discussed the history, daily operations, and the dynamics s...

Jordyn O'Gara recently graduated from the University of Minnesota Duluth's Center for Environmental Education. At the International Wolf Symposium in October of 2022, she presented her curriculum designed for education about the myths surrounding wolves in the Midwest, and why they exist in the first place. Jordyn went into detail about the curriculum she created, explaining the historic...

Kira Cassidy has been a Biologist and Research Associate for Yellowstone Forever for over a decade. Kira, along with 13 others, co-authored the paper Human Caused Mortality Triggers Wolf Pack Instability covering 5 National Parks across the U.S. This research talks about the extent of human caused mortality on wolf packs, pack persistence and reproduction. Kira discussed the process of putting thi...

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...