Defender Radio and The Switch

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Coronavirus, the animals and us May 22, 2020

Show notes

It's been a while, hasn't it? The last time I posted an episode it was February and a global health emergency was landing hard in Canada and the United States. Since then, we've learned a lot about the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 but a lot of questions remain. You're probably not going to get answers to those questions on this podcast.

But what you're going to hear is a solid summary of what we know about coronavirus and its link to animals, a conversation about the difficulty in media rapidly disseminating scientific information, and how ready some North Americans are to make big lifestyle changes as a result of the virus. Tom Beggs, a research scientist with Faunalytics, joined Defender Radio last week to discuss general information about coronavirus and animal advocacy in the time of coronavirus, as well as the results and analysis of a fascinating US poll regarding public knowledge on coronavirus and its animal links.

Before we dive in I want to remind everyone that this information should not replace that given by health professionals and neither participants in this interview are health professionals; for up to date information on COVID-19 in your community please seek your municipal, provincial or the Health Canada coronavirus websites.

Read The Faunalytics Report: https://faunalytics.org/covid-19-poll/

Health Canada COVID-19 Page: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19.html

CDC COVID-19 Page: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

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Mountain Caribou Habitat: Exceeding Disturbance Limits Feb 21, 2020

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Eighty-one per cent of BC's southern mountain caribou local populations have lost more habitat than what's needed for survival. That's the lede from the Wilderness Committee news item announcing the release of the NGO's report, State of Southern Mountain Caribou Habitat in BC: Exceeding Disturbance Limits.

The fate of the mountain caribou in this region has been spotlighted in part due to their status under the Species at Risk Act and the controversial methods the government has utilized. Wolf culls and maternity pens are in use but aren't considered a long-term solution by advocates – and doesn't address the clear and indisputable cause of the caribous' perilous position: habitat destruction.

The report released by Wilderness Committee measures "all destructive activities within caribou critical habitat over the past 80 years." The results, according to the report, show that "critical habitat disturbance levels are far beyond the threshold for caribou recovery in 17 out of 21 local population units."

What that means and what Canadians can do to protect caribou – as well as wolves and other wildlife being killed in recovery efforts – is discussed with Defender Radio by report author Charlotte Dawe of Wilderness Committee.

Episode cover photo by John E. Marriott: www.WildernessPrints.com

Wilderness Committee Report: https://www.wildernesscommittee.org/news/bc-allows-destruction-caribou-habitat-point-extinction-new-report

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The Wild World of Ecotourism Feb 06, 2020

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Let's talk about the economy. An exciting start to any conversation, right? Here's the thing: events like Ontario's spring bear hunt are pushed by governments because they look at the financial impact of them. But here's the thing: hunting and trapping aren't the only activities that bring in dollars to the province. In fact, ecotourism as a whole is a multi-billion dollar industry in Ontario and British Columbia – and hunting is a tiny fraction of the cash flow created.

In the last episode of the show we spoke about the spring bear hunt in Ontario – and if you haven't heard that episode along with advocacy options please do go back and listen to it. In this episode we're talking about the wild world of ecotourism in general terms through the experiences of an ethical and successful operator, Eric Boyum.

The owner/operator of Ocean Adventures on the coast of beautiful British Columbia, Eric and his partner and photographer extraordinaire Trish take both local residents and international visitors to explore the coastline, see the beauty of the natural environment and get a chance to witness and photograph stunning wildlife. Eric joined Defender Radio recently to discuss his business and experience, the opportunities that exist for people with outdoor experience in the ecotourism sector and the ethics and considerations he takes into account on a daily basis.

Ocean Adventures: www.OceanAdventures.bc.ca

Referenced article about polar bear killing a dog: https://thefurbearers.com/blog/frightening-truth-behind-viral-video-polar-bear-petting-dog

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The Wild World of Ecotourism Feb 06, 2020

Show notes

Ocean Adventures: www.OceanAdventures.bc.ca

Referenced article about polar bear killing a dog: https://thefurbearers.com/blog/frightening-truth-behind-viral-video-polar-bear-petting-dog

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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/FurBearerDefenders

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DefenderRadio

The Case Against The Ontario Spring Bear Hunt Jan 23, 2020

Show notes

Well, there's no nice way to put it: the Ontario government wants to make permanent the spring season for killing black bears.

There's a whole lot of reasons the Ontario spring bear hunt shouldn't exist at all, let alone be made a permanent fixture. To explore the myriad of reasons it's a bad idea and more completely outline the harm this hunt can and does cause, I was joined by bear expert Mike McIntosh of Bear With Us Sanctuary and Rehabilitation Centre here in Ontario.

TAKE ACTION: https://thefurbearers.com/blog/action-alert-spring-bear-hunt-ontario-could-become-permanent

Fact Check TVO article: https://www.tvo.org/article/are-ontarios-hunting-rules-about-managing-wildlife-or-making-money

Bear With Us Sanctuary & Rehab Centre: https://bearwithus.org/

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Bill 156 Is Bad For Animals Jan 10, 2020

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Bill 156 is dangerous for animals.

This legislation, introduced in late 2019, targets those who find their ways onto animal agricultural facilities and document disregard for animal welfare or individuals who are working on farms and become whistleblowers in the face of blatant animal cruelty. It even targets those who protest or bear witness for animals on their way to slaughter. It is billed as a way to protect the security of farmers and food production, but if that was the intent it would focus on the farms – not those who find problems with them.

Animal agriculture isn't an area I spend a lot of time researching outside of its relationship to wildlife conflict; some of the dear people in my life are passionate about this subject, however, and I witnessed their distress in the face of this legislation. That's why I wanted to talk to Camille Labchuk, Executive Director at Animal Justice. We get into what this legislation will actually mean and how animal lovers and activists can take action against it. We also discuss the PAWS act – Ontario's new animal welfare legislation that replaces the enforcement actions of the Ontario SPCA.

Animal Justice: www.AnimalJustice.ca

Cover art: www.WeAnimalsMedia.org

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An Important Announcement Dec 04, 2019

Show notes

There's no interview this week but I do want to share with you a brief version of the 20-year history behind The Fur-Bearers' quest to regain charitable status and what that could mean for the animals and for you!

Here are some relevant links:

Donate Now: http://thefurbearers.com/charity

Intuit Tax Article: https://thefurbearers.com/blog/what-charitable-status-would-mean-you

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Casavant on communicating complaints Nov 22, 2019

Show notes

We've all been angry at a situation and let it out on social media. It makes sense: that's a place our friends and community can gather from afar and acknowledge our feelings and join in the process of venting. The trouble these days, however, seems to be when that's all we do when we have legitimate concerns about policies or the actions of others, particularly those in a position of authority.

When it comes to complaining, there's not necessarily a right way, but there certainly are effective ways, especially when we want to see change as a result of our concerns. Whether it's someone trespassing on property, a community member feeding wildlife inappropriately or a complaint about how a public official conducted themselves, it's important to understand that without proper communication, little may change.

That's why I connected with Bryce Casavant, the former Conservation Officer who faced disciplinary action for refusing to kill two innocent bear cubs. With his mixed background of military and law enforcement, as well as his PhD studies at Royal Rhodes and new role with Pacific Wild, Bryce was the ideal candidate for this interview. We discussed government complaints processes, how and when the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act can be utilized, and the reality that many people in our communities may face very real fears or wade through the tides of others' privilege to exercise their rights.

Pacific Wild: www.PacificWild.org

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Ecological Grief And Why Scientists Need To Be Allowed To Cry Nov 01, 2019

Show notes

Tim Gordon is an Exeter University PhD student working on some fascinating solutions to help fish on coral reefs in Australia using sound. As cool as this research is, that's not what brought Tim's work to my attention: it was a short letter published in the journal Science. Titled, Grieving environmental scientists need support, Gordon co-wrote the letter with colleagues Andrew Radford and Stephen Simpson. It is a call for cultural change in the scientific community. Researchers are witnessing the loss of ecosystems and species, something that can cause anyone to experience grief. But traditionally, scientists are considered impartial and dispassionate observers. This dissonance can be outright harmful, and Gordon and his colleagues believe the scientific community must begin discussing and addressing these problems – or as he puts it, allowing scientists to cry.

Tim joined me all the way from the northeastern coast of Australia to share his views on the subject, his personal efforts to live with the heavy emotions he feels working on the great barrier reef as its existence hangs in the balance and, because I was curious, how he's helping Nemo find his way home.

Read 'Grieving environmental scientists need support': https://science.sciencemag.org/content/366/6462/193.1

Tim Gordon's Exeter University page: http://biosciences.exeter.ac.uk/staff/profile/index.php?web_id=Tim_Gordon

"Helping Nemo Find Home" three-minute thesis video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eixMvMdF_cg

Crisis Services Canada: https://www.crisisservicescanada.ca/en/

Suicide Prevention (USA): https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

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Keeping Black Bears Safe In Autumn Oct 25, 2019

Show notes

Bears are hungry. Like super duper hungry. This time of year they're getting ready for hibernation and are spending most of their time getting all the calories they can – and that means it's extra important to manage attractants and do what we can to keep them from hanging out in our neighbourhoods. Even if we individually like having the bears in our yards, other neighbours may not – and having them grow comfortable around people can and will lead to other conflict. And despite available solutions, in BC it often means they are killed by conservation officers.

The North Shore Black Bear Society is working tirelessly within their community and others in BC to get municipal by-laws in place and push for greater education and enforcement from governments. Their own work on education is also impressive, including traditional and social media, classroom visits and more. To help us understand what bears are up to, the importance of changing our behaviours to protect them, and what attractants we may not be thinking about this time of year, Luci Cadman of the North Shore Black Bear Society joined Defender Radio.

Learn more about North Shore Black Bear Society: https://northshorebears.com

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