Science literacy is growing more important by the day – particularly for advocates looking to make change in the lives of animals and the environment. But between complex, academic papers, bureaucrats and others who don’t fully explain theories or provide citations, and the world of instant-access social media, it isn’t always easy to be on the side of fact. That’s why the job of the science communicator is becoming vital – and that’s why I wanted to talk to the best science communicator I know, Dr. Anna Zakrisson.

Dr. Anna’s Imaginarium is a brilliant collection of podcasts, social media groups, and videos – as well as a new business – that allows Anna to discuss all sorts of topics and issues related to science. With her PhD in biology and love of talking about science, she was the perfect person to join Defender Radio and explore what science literacy is, why social media could be making it harder to think critically, and how we can do better as advocates, content creators, scientists, and content consumers.

Doctor Anna's Imaginarium: www.annazakrisson.com

Send Your Review Screengrab to: michael@thefurbearers.com

Defender Radio Patreon: www.patreon.com/DefenderRadio

Email Updates: www.TheFurBearers.com/Updates

Science literacy is growing more important by the day – particularly for advocates looking to make change in the lives of animals and the environment. But between complex, academic papers, bureaucrats and others who don’t fully explain theories or provide citations, and the world of instant-access social media, it isn’t always easy to be on the side of fact. That’s why the job of the science communicator is becoming vital – and that’s why I wanted to talk to the best science communicator I know, Dr. Anna Zakrisson.

Dr. Anna’s Imaginarium is a brilliant collection of podcasts, social media groups, and videos – as well as a new business – that allows Anna to discuss all sorts of topics and issues related to science. With her PhD in biology and love of talking about science, she was the perfect person to join Defender Radio and explore what science literacy is, why social media could be making it harder to think critically, and how we can do better as advocates, content creators, scientists, and content consumers.

Dr. Anna's Imaginarium website: www.AnnaZakrisson.com

Email a screen grab of your review: michael@thefurbearers.com 

Support Defender Radio: www.Patreon.com/DefenderRadio

Get Defender Radio Email Updates: www.TheFurBearers.com/Updates

It’s just about impossible to be Canadian and not hear about pipelines, oil, tankers, and other environmental and political hot potatoes in British Columbia and Alberta. But in much of the debates, regardless of which side you fall on, there is one element often forgotten: wildlife.

The impact of oil and other materials on wildlife can be extreme, and there is little in the way of support for the professional and volunteer rehabilitators who try to help the animals. Fortunately, training is available, and there are dedicated individuals and organizations who work tirelessly to help animals who come into contact with oil. To discuss what specialized treatment is required, how animals are able to recover from oil spills and other incidents, and what the public can do to help, Defender Radio was joined by Linda Bakker of the Wildlife Rescue Association.

Wildlife Rescue Association: www.WildlifeRescue.ca

Defender Radio Patreon: www.Patreon.com/DefenderRadio

Defender Radio Emails: www.TheFurBearers.com/updates

Photo provided by Wildlife Rescue Association

It’s just about impossible to be Canadian and not hear about pipelines, oil, tankers, and other environmental and political hot potatoes in British Columbia and Alberta. But in much of the debates, regardless of which side you fall on, there is one element often forgotten: wildlife.

The impact of oil and other materials on wildlife can be extreme, and there is little in the way of support for the professional and volunteer rehabilitators who try to help the animals. Fortunately, training is available, and there are dedicated individuals and organizations who work tirelessly to help animals who come into contact with oil. To discuss what the specialized treatment is required, how animals are able to recover from oil spills and other incidents, and what the public can do to help, Defender Radio was joined by Linda Bakker of the Wildlife Rescue Association.

This is a news brief edit of the interview – a full version will be made available later this week at TheFurBearers.com, iTunes, and anywhere else you listen to podcasts.

Defender Radio Patreon: www.Patreon.com/DefenderRadio

Defender Radio Emails: www.TheFurBearers.com/Updates

A hint of anger or disgust can be heard when conversation turns to wolves and coyotes in some communities – particularly those where managing livestock pays the bills. A long-held belief in many regions of the world – including many parts of Canada – is that eliminating these predators will protect livestock. Though numerous studies show that bounties or culls are ineffective at this, the practice remains in place.

Dr. Gilbert Proulx of Alpha Wildlife Research & Management, along with Sadie Parr of Wolf Awareness Inc., wanted to test some of the beliefs surrounding cattle and wild canids. In their paper Is Livestock An Important Food Resource For Coyotes and Wolves in Central Eastern Alberta Counties with Predator Control Bounties?, the duo tested three hypotheses based on assertations supporting bounties. The results showed, simply, that cattle isn’t an important food resource and  that a bounty made no difference in the amount of cattle consumed by coyotes and wolves. The results also led to the recommendation that the bounties be discontinued.

With communities spending tens of thousands of limited budgets on ineffective bounties, individual animals being killed, and ecosystems being irreparably damaged, this science is more important than ever. Dr. Gilbert Proulx joined Defender Radio to discuss the science behind the research, some of the factors that lead to the belief that predators are killing livestock, and what’s necessary to move forward from this outdated model of management.

Read the paper: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325010330_Is_Livestock_an_Important_Food_Resource_for_Coyotes_and_Wolves_in_Central_Eastern_Alberta_Counties_with_Predator_Control_Bounties_Original_Research

Join the Defender Radio Patreon: www.Patreon.com/Defenderradio

Get Defender Radio email updates: www.TheFurBearers.com/updates

A hint of anger or disgust can be heard when conversation turns to wolves and coyotes in some communities – particularly those where managing livestock pays the bills. A long-held belief in many regions of the world – including many parts of Canada – is that eliminating these predators will protect livestock. Though numerous studies show that bounties or culls are ineffective at this, the practice remains in place.

Dr. Gilbert Proulx of Alpha Wildlife Research & Management, along with Sadie Parr of Wolf Awareness Inc., wanted to test some of the beliefs surrounding cattle and wild canids. In their paper Is Livestock An Important Food Resource For Coyotes and Wolves in Central Eastern Alberta Counties with Predator Control Bounties?, the duo tested three hypotheses based on assertations supporting bounties. The results showed, simply, that cattle isn’t an important food resource and  that a bounty made no difference in the amount of cattle consumed by coyotes and wolves. The results also led to the recommendation that the bounties be discontinued.

With communities spending tens of thousands of limited budgets on ineffective bounties, individual animals being killed, and ecosystems being irreparably damaged, this science is more important than ever. Dr. Gilbert Proulx joined Defender Radio to discuss the science behind the research, some of the factors that lead to the belief that predators are killing livestock, and what’s necessary to move forward from this outdated model of management.

Read the paper: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325010330_Is_Livestock_an_Important_Food_Resource_for_Coyotes_and_Wolves_in_Central_Eastern_Alberta_Counties_with_Predator_Control_Bounties_Original_Research

Support Defender Radio on Patreon: www.Patreon.com/DefenderRadio

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Dr. Max Foran is no stranger to telling Canada’s stories: he’s written dozens of books and articles on subjects ranging from urban sprawl to international trade of historic Alberta. But in his latest project, he takes on a subject steeped in philosophy, history, science, and industry: Canadian wildlife management.

The Subjugation of Canadian Wildlife, published in April 2018 by McGill-Queen’s university Press, is an outstanding look at the twisting tale of how wildlife in our country is managed. Perhaps the most all-encompassing book on the subject that does not simply repeat what managers and the political system tell the public, Dr. Foran does a superb job of bringing together the vast array of moving parts, history, and moral-decision making that makes up modern wildlife management. It is an absolute must read – and is accessible for readers of virtually any level, regardless of academic background.

Dr. Foran joined Defender Radio to discuss what drove him to write this book, what he learned along the way as a professional researcher and writer, and what he hopes Canada’s wildlife management policies can become as we move forward.

Get your copy: http://www.mqup.ca/subjugation-of-canadian-wildlife--the-products-9780773553163.php

Defender Radio Patreon: www.Patreon.com/DefenderRadio

Defender Radio Email Updates: www.TheFurBearers.com/Updates

Dr. Max Foran is no stranger to telling Canada’s stories: he’s written dozens of books and articles on subjects ranging from urban sprawl to international trade of historic Alberta. But in his latest project, he takes on a subject steeped in philosophy, history, science, and industry: Canadian wildlife management.

The Subjugation of Canadian Wildlife, published in April 2018 by McGill-Queen’s university Press, is an outstanding look at the twisting tale of how wildlife in our country is managed. Perhaps the most all-encompassing book on the subject that does not simply repeat what managers and the political system tell the public, Dr. Foran does a superb job of bringing together the vast array of moving parts, history, and moral-decision making that makes up modern wildlife management. It is an absolute must read – and is accessible for readers of virtually any level, regardless of academic background.

Dr. Foran joined Defender Radio to discuss what drove him to write this book, what he learned along the way as a professional researcher and writer, and what he hopes Canada’s wildlife management policies can become as we move forward.

This is a news brief edit of our extensive interview. The full interview will be made available later this week on TheFurBearers.com, via your iOS device on the iTunes store, or anywhere else you listen to podcasts.

The Subjugation of Canadian Wildlife: http://www.mqup.ca/subjugation-of-canadian-wildlife--the-products-9780773553163.php

Defender Radio Patreon: www.Patreon.com/DefenderRadio

Defender Radio eNews: www.TheFurBearers.com/Updates

There are 417 national Parks and historic sites in the United States National Park system, visited by more than 275 million people every year. Among those numbers is a power couple doing something pretty awesome.

Sarah and Lucas Villa-Kainec want to visit each and every park and site in the national park system – and along the way, they want to share the stories of these remarkable places. But they don’t want to write another travel guide, they want the real stories, told by the people who spend their days – and sometimes a good portion of their lives – at these locations. That’s why they started their new show: Podcasts with Park Rangers.

Sarah and Lucas interview park rangers and share their wonderful, passionate stories about these incredible places, including a love of the flora and fauna of caves, the historical significance of locations, and more. The Villa-Kainecs joined Defender Radio to share their story about the stories – and what listeners to this new podcast can expect to learn about national parks, RVing from park to park with their cats, and what makes these locations so special.

Listen to Podcasts With Park Rangers: www.PodcastsWithParkRangers.com

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