The Wolf Connection

Marc Bekoff is a professor emeritus of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Marc has published 31 books and has won many awards for his research on animal behavior, animal emotions (cognitive ethology), compassionate conservation, and animal protection. He has worked closely with Jane Goodall as co-chair of the ethics committee of the Jane Goodall Institute, and is a former Guggenheim Fellow.Marc spoke at length about one of his books, The Emotional Lives of Animals: A Leading Scientist Explores Animal Joy, Sorrow, and Empathy - and Why They Matter, his research throughout the course of his career, and the relationships between humans and animals in many settings. Marc Bekoff WebsitePsychology Today BlogColorado's Wolves: Good News for Their Future as Wild Animals @thewolfconnectionpod

Will Stenberg and his brother Zack Stentz recently visited Wolf Connection to spend time with the pack and recorded a quick podcast! They gave an update on their Alpha Wolves of Yellowstone  project, and spoke about their visit to the sanctuary. Will Stenberg is a writer and musician, and his brother Zack Stentz is a writer and film producer known for his work on films like X-Men: First Class & Thor.Stampede Ventures recently optioned the rights to Rick McIntyre's first 3 books in the Alpha Wolves of Yellowstone series for Will and Zack to script a film adaptation.@thewillstenberg@musezack'The Alpha Wolves Of Yellowstone’: Stampede Ventures Taps Zack Stentz, Will Stenberg To Script Film Based On Non-Fiction Book Series (Deadline)@thewolfconnectionpod

Samantha Miller is the CATs (Cats Aren't Trophies) Campaign Manager in Colorado. The Colorado Ballot Measure, Initiative 91, has gained enough signatures to be on the ballot in the November Election. The basis of the proposal is to end trophy hunting of mountain lions and fur-trapping of bobcats. Samantha went into great detail on the ballot measure, the dangers mountain lions, bobcats and Canadian lynx face in Colorado, how the organization operates, and what they hope to achieve if the measure passes. Ballot Measure Press Release (CATs Website)CATs Website@catsarenttrophiescolorado@samanthakmiller

Leo Leckie is the Lead of Program Education & Outreach for Wolf Connection and has begun working with Yellowstone Wolf Tracker. He recently came back onsite to visit Wolf Connection, worked with the program staff, visited the wolf pack, and sat down for a quick podcast!Leo spoke about moving back to Yellowstone, shared stories about wolves & elk, specifically Wolf 907F, and his connections to the youth in the Wolf Connection programs. @yellowstoneleo@wolftrackerThe Yellowstone Wolf Family Tree@thewolfconnectionpod

This is our first podcast crossover episode and we were so excited to have this discussion with Brooke Mitchell from Rewildology! Brooke is the host, founder and executive producer for Rewildology which is a podcast that talks about conservation, travel and rewilding the planet. Brooke engages with guests from across the globe, delving into their personal stories, what motivates them to dedicate their lives to conservation, and the profound discoveries they have made throughout their careers.We all discussed what led us down the nature path, how our respective podcasts got started, and how they navigate the science, nature and wildlife space while looking to bring valuable information to our respective audiences. Rewildolgy Website@rewildology@brookerewild@thewolfconnectionpod

Ryan Sedgeley is the Southern Rockies Representative for the Endangered Species Coalition. Alan Lacy is the Founder & Chief Filmmaker for Reel Earth Films. Both organizations worked on the new film 'Welcome Home', that tells the story of wolves’ return to Colorado and how wildlife and people can live together.Ryan and Alan spoke about their own connections to nature, the process of creating this film for the public, and the deeper meanings behind the films message for wolves' and humans coexistence moving forward. **See the trailer and updates on film screenings below**Welcome Home Film WebsiteEndangered Species CoalitionReel Earth Films@endangeredspeciescoalition@reelearthfilms@thewolfconnectionpod

Doug Smith is a former Senior Wildlife Biologist and the former Yellowstone National Park Wolf Program Lead for 28 years. Chris Servheen was the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Grizzly Bear Recovery Coordinator for 35 years. Both Doug and Chris went into great detail about the history of grizzly bear and wolf recovery, the changing landscape in predator management since the 1980's, and their concerns about the future of both species in the western United States. **Please read their paper published in The Yellowstonian below** Will Two Of The World’s Greatest Wildlife Conservation Success Stories Be Unwritten?Bear Specialist GroupYellowstone Wolf Project@thewolfconnectionpod

Joel Cates has been the Facilities Manager for Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary since 2019 after starting as a volunteer in 2013.He spoke about growing up around the wilderness in North Western Ontario, his journey in the early days of Yamnuska, and gave updates on recent rescues and projects happening around the sanctuary. Yamnuska Website@yamnuskawdsanct@cates239

Emily Weidner has been a U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Biologist at the Bend Field Office in Orgeon since 2017. She is the office lead for eagles, sage-grouse, bats and wolves. Emily spoke about her role as a USFWS Biologist in Oregon, the types of research happening with wolves in their specific area, told us an incredible wolf encounter story, and about her experiences in the field. @onebrownlegU.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (Bend, OR)@thewolfconnectionpod

Screenwriter, director and producer Ashley Avis came back to Wolf Connection for the second time in 2 weeks! Ashley filmed at Wolf Connection for the new initiative, A Cry for the Wild, which will culminate in a 3-day event & rally for wolves and wildlife in Washington, D.C. this month. She also disclosed information about the next steps in the new film project, American Wolf.Ashley is the President of The Wild Beauty Foundation, wrote, directed and edited Black Beauty  on Disney+ and directed the award winning documentary Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West. **More details about "A Cry for the Wild" rally in Washington, D.C. below**Cry for the Wild Website@ashleyavis@thewolfconnectionpod