The Wolf Connection

This is our very first episode of 'Wolf Tracks' where we are discussing multiple wildlife issues and articles pertaining to wolves, mountain lions and bears with Carter Niemeyer! 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. Here are the articles and content that were discussed in the podcast:CPW Commissioners Site Lack of Trust Over ReleaseNever Ending Wolf WarsColorado Cuts April Hunting Season Short (Mountain Lions)The Coming War on Grizzly BearsExposed Wildlife Conservancy: Trapped in the Past Documentary Series @thewolfconnectionpod

Rob Edward has been working on restoring wild lands and wildlife in the American West for nearly 30 years. He is a Co-Founder and Strategic Advisor for Rocky Mountain Wolf Project and President of the Rocky Mountain Wolf Action Fund. Rob went into great detail about the journey to reintroducing wolves into Colorado, his working relationships throughout this initiative, the challenges that are ahead, and how he hopes this project will help other rewilding efforts. @rockymtnwolfRocky Mountain Wolf ProjectColorado Parks & Wildlife Grey Wolves@thewolfconnectionpod

Phillip Scrimshaw has been working as a photographer since 2021. He has taken multiple trips to Yellowstone, along with heading to Africa to photograph painted wolves and other wildlife. He tracks all of his adventures on his blog, and informs the public about the plight of the painted wolf on the African continent. Phillip discussed how he came into photography, how the first trip to Africa changed his life trajectory, the impact painted wolves have had on his life, and how he helps the conservation effort surrounding the species. @scrimshawphotographyScrimshaw Photography WebsiteZambian Carnivore Program@thewolfconnectionpod

James Frystak is an Emmy Award Winning Cinematographer for his work on Netflix's Island of the Sea Wolves. He has been a part of filming other series including America The Beautiful and Incredible Animal Journeys for BBC, CBC, Disney+ and National Geographic. James spoke to us about his experiences filming for Island of the Sea Wolves, his career path becoming a Cinematographer and the impact of telling natural stories to the world. James Frystak WebsiteJames Frystak ShowreelRiver Road Films@james_frystak @thewolfconnectionpod

Krisztina Gayler is a part of multiple organizations including The Rewilding Institute, The National Wolfwatcher Coalition and The Rocky Mountain Wolf Project. An avid wolf watcher and coexistence advocate, she imparts her knowledge of European ranching & shepherding to help promote non-lethal methods of living and working with carnivores. Krisztina talked about her upbringing in Hungary, the history of ranching & shepherding with carnivores in Romania and Transylvania, and how she hopes to bring these methods to the forefront of coexistence with wolves. Krisztina Gayler Rewilding EarthWolf WatchersThe 06 Legacy@krisztina_gayler@thewolfconnectionpod

Mike Koshmrl has been and environmental reporter and journalist for over a decade. He previously worked with Jackson Hole News & Guide and currently writes for WyoFile, reporting on environmental, conservation and natural issues concerning the state of Wyoming. He went into great detail about his articles: Border Killings: How Shooters Lured Historic Colorado Wolves to their deaths in Wyoming and Wyoming is killing Colorado's wolves, again, and the state's keeping it a secret. Both discuss the issue of wolves traversing over state lines, the state government withholding information and how we could see similar conflicts as Colorado reintroduces wolves into their state.@koshywritesMike Koshmrl Author ArchiveWyoming Killing Colorado WolvesBorder Killings Article@thewolfconnectionpod

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 and Greta described the impact Asha's story has made throughout the environmental community, what they hope her story does for future conservation of Mexican Grey Wolves and their thoughts on wolf recovery in the Southwest United States. @wildearthguardians@westernwatershedsproject@thewolfconnectionpodAdvocates Urge Agencies to Let Asha Roam FreeAsha's Visit to Northern New Mexico Offers Hope for RecoveryAsha the Roaming Mexican Grey Wolf Captured in New Mexico

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 detail about the court ruling, what it means for grizzly bears and wolves in the near future, and the effects this could have in the state Montana. @wildearthguardiansWildEarth Guardians Press ReleaseCase Documents@thewolfconnectionpod

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 communities with coexistence discussions surrounding wolves, and the challenges wolves face in Portugal. @dariorhipolitoDario Hipolito Research GateDario Hipolito WebinarLife Wild Wolf@thewolfconnectionpod

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 biologist to filmmaker, how his experiences with wolves have shaped his visual storytelling, and the many avenues he promotes educational information for the public. @ronan_donovanRonan Donovan WebsiteHigh Desert Museum Bend, Oregon: Wolves Exhibit@thewolfconnectionpod