The Wolf Connection

KC York is the President & Founder of Trap Free Montana since its inception in 2013. They represent hikers, anglers, hunters, wildlife watchers, ranchers, pet owners and outdoor enthusiasts concerned about or adamantly opposed to trapping.KC spoke about the updated trapping regulations for bears, wolves and other furbearers in the state of Montana, the issues that trapping and snaring bring to the recreational public, and upcoming bills being introduced into the Montana legislative session. Trap Free Montana  @trapfreemt@thewolfconnectionpod

Courtney Vail is the Board Chair and Community Outreach Advisor for Rocky Mountain Wolf Project. As a wildlife biologist and social scientist with a deep background in environmental policy and psychology, she has provided leadership for the design and implementation of diverse domestic and international programs, campaigns, and initiatives. Courtney spoke about recent events dealing with the wolf reintroductions in Colorado, coexistence measures that are being implemented on the ground, and campaigns she has launched to raise money to help continue reintroduction efforts in the future. Rocky Mountain Wolf Project (Website)Born to Be Wild License PlateUSFWS Seeks Information on Illegal Killing of Grey Wolf in Colorado@rockymtnwolf@thewolfconnectionpod

Delia Malone is the Wildlife Chair for the Colorado Chapter of the Sierra Club, and an Ecologist for the Colorado Natural Heritage Program at Colorado State University. She has also been at the forefront of wolf reintroduction efforts for the state of Colorado. Delia spoke at length on ecosystem balance, the roles wolves and other species play in the broader ecological picture, and how Colorado stands ecological from her perspective. Delia Malone Sierra Club ColoradoDelia Malone Articles@thewolfconnectionpod

Angie Ruiz is a writer, director, and producer of award-winning documentaries Forever Faithful & Black Beauty Breed that can be seen on Apple+, Amazon Prime, and Vimeo On Demand. Her new film, Wonders of the Wolf, will be screening at film festivals in 2025. Angie shared insights into the filmmaking process, the influences that shaped her work, and the message she hopes to convey through the film Wonders of the Wolf.Angie Ruiz WebsiteWonders of the Wolf Film@mrsangieruiz@thewolfconnectionpod

Matt Hyde and Mauriel Rodriguez are both Postdoctoral Researchers helping with California Wolf Project. California Wolf Project seeks to develop a model for how to bring universities, government agencies, and local communities together around the science and practice of improving human-wildlife interactions on a shared landscape.Matt and Mauriel described the research objectives and goals for the project, how they aim to bring their unique ecological and community engagement skills to the table, and what the future of wolves in California could look like. California Wolf ProjectMauriel Rodriguez ResearchMatt Hyde Research@californiawolfproject@thewolfconnectionpod

Ellen Dymit is a doctoral student at Oregon State University and is one of the researchers who has studied coastal sea wolves along the Katmai Coast in Alaska in 2021. The majority of her findings detail the prey base of these wolves and their hunting patterns in a coastal setting. Ellen went into great depth describing her research on coastal sea wolf diet, how they are collecting data from scat samples, and the progression of the project since its initial inception. @ellendymit (Twitter/X)Wolves on the Katmai Coast hunting sea otters and harbor sealsOregon State Researchers Observe Wolves on Katmai Coast@thewolfconnectionpod

Matt Metz has been a biologist with the Yellowstone National Park Wolf, Cougar, and Elk projects for over two decades. He specializes in studying prey dynamics among these species and their ecological impacts on the park.Matt provided an in-depth analysis of the wolves' effects on prey species, highlighting shifts in the prey base and changes in the distribution of ungulates throughout the park. He also discussed how other carnivores influence the relationships between wolves and ungulates.Matt Metz Research@thewolfconnectionpod

Madeleine Nyman is the Project Manager for LIFE BOREALWOLF, which conveys information about wolves and their behaviour, promotes local interaction and provides tools for the prevention of adverse impact and losses caused by wolves.Mari Lyly is a Special Planning Officer with the Finnish Wildlife Agency, which romotes sustainable game husbandry, supports the activity of game management associations, and sees to the implementation of wildlife and game policy.We spoke at length about wolf management and research in Finland, the delicate relationship between humans and wolves in the region, and the challenges that are faced when trying to mitigate conflicts with wolves. LIFE BOREALWOLF WebsiteFinnish Wildlife Agency Website

Cassi Camara is an Environmental Education Specialist for the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. She works to bring conservation, stewardship and environmental education to younger generations both domestically and through her work with the European Union.Cassi went into great detail discussing her environmental educational work in Virginia, bringing those insights to countries in Europe, how Europe and the U.S. differ in their coexistence strategies, and the current reintroduction in Colorado. cassi.camara@dcr.virginia.govWolves Across Borders@thewolfconnectionpod

Cecilia Di Bernardi is a post doctorate at Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Department of Ecology, SLU, with a research focus in Ecology and Management of large mammals. The majority of her work with wolf populations is conducted within Scandinavia (Sweden & Norway). Cecilia spoke about her background beginning in Rome, Italy. Her main focus of study is wolf diets, identifying individual wolves, and monitoring pack sizes. The majority of her research can be done by collecting scat samples and finding DNA that way. Cecilia Di Bernardi Research PageScandinavian Wolf Project@ce.dibernardi@c_dibernardi@thewolfconnectionpod