The Wolf Connection

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

@wyomingwildlifeadvocates

@thewolfconnectionpod

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 Wildlife Commission.

Lizzy spoke to us about the expanded wolf hunting program in Montana, the details of the lawsuit brought by WildEarth Guardians & Project Coyote, and the impact this could have on wolves across the state.

@wildearthguardians

@projectcoyote

WildEarth Guardians Wolf Lawsuit Montana

WildEarth Guardians

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 made in their community.

Wolf Sanctuary of PA

@pa_wolf

@thewolfconnectionpod

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 about Martha Williams, who is the current Director of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, her ties to Montana Fish & Wildlife Management, the status of wolves review for federal protections in the Northern Rockies, and how grizzly bears may soon be removed from the Endangered Species Act. 

@ryandevereaux

In Reviewing Wolves' Endangered Status, Martha Williams Confronts Her Montana Past

The Fight To Stop Republicans From Killing Wolves And Grizzlies

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 the wolf conservation debate. He also shared how wolf vitriol and extreme management actions are pushing to privatize wildlife for commercial purposes. 

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 for all wolves across the country.

We talked about their thoughts on the symposium, the direction wolf management is headed throughout the country and the world, and what still needs to happen to protect wolves and predators in the wild.

@wolves_of_the_rockies

Wolves of the Rockies Linktree

Wolves of the Rockies Website

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 impact the symposium had for her and what she was taking away from her time in Minnesota.

@taylorlbland

Yellowstone Wolf Project

International Wolf Center

Conservation Nation

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 Denali National Park wolf studies, the impact the symposium has on research and collaboration, and what she was looking to take away from her time in Minnesota.

@denalinps

Bridget Borg Bio & Research

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 morphology and behavior.

We discussed their work both individually and as colleagues, and their experiences being at The International Wolf Symposium for the first time.

Gulf Coast Canine Project

Brzeski Conservation Genetics Lab

Joey Hinton Website

@thebeeps

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 ecosystem along the coastline, and the many encounters he has experienced photographing and studying sea wolves.

Seaforth Expeditions Website

@seaforthexpeditions

@thewolfconnectionpod

@wolfconnection