Defender Radio and The Switch

Latest Episodes:

Getting To Know The Humane Education Coalition (531) Jun 28, 2018

Show notes

Humane education is pretty awesome – we can all agree on that, right? But what exactly humane education looks like, how it's delivered, and even what the goals are can be different from person to person, and organization to organization.

I was very fortunate to get to spend some time with Megan Moon, the Executive Direction of the Humane Education Coalition. This relatively young organization is looking to expand the impact of humane education around the globe by offering resources, research, and more to partners from all walks of life.

Megan joined Defender Radio to share the story of the Humane Education Coalition, dive into some of the programs, research, and resources they're developing, and share how people can get involved.

Humane Education Coalition: www.HECoalition.org

Defender Radio Patreon: www.Patreon.com/DefenderRadio

Defender Radio eNews: www.TheFurBearers.com/Updates

NEWS BRIEF - 531: Getting To Know The Humane Education Coalition Jun 25, 2018

Show notes

I was very fortunate to get to spend some time with Megan Moon, the Executive Director of the Humane Education Coalition. This relatively young organization is looking to expand the impact of humane education around the globe by offering resources, research, and more to partners from all walks of life.

Megan joined Defender Radio to share the story of the Humane Education Coalition, dive into some of the programs, research, and resources they're developing, and share how people can get involved.

This is a news brief edit of our interview. The full interview will be available later this week at TheFurBearers.com, on iTunes, or anywhere else you listen to podcasts.

The Humane Education Coalition: www.hecoalition.org

Defender Radio Patreon: www.Patreon.com/DefenderRadio

Defender Radio eNewsletter: www.TheFurBearers.com/updates

Bryce Casavant On Co-existing With Cougars (530) Jun 14, 2018

Show notes

Cougars have been in the news recently, particularly in British Columbia. Conflict with Canada's big cats isn't overly common, but when cougars end up in communities, lethal action seems to be the first response. And that's why we called up Bryce Casavant.

He joined Defender Radio to discuss who cougars are, how to distinguish between sensationalism and fact, and what we can all do to promote co-existence with cougars and other wildlife across Canada.

Defender Radio Patreon - www.Patreon.com/DefenderRadio

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NEWS BRIEF: 530 - Bryce Casavant On Co-existing With Cougars Jun 11, 2018

Show notes

Bryce is a former Conservation Officer who made international headlines when he refused orders to kill two healthy bear cubs. Educating residents on safely co-existing with wildlife remains a passion of his, as he writes for his own blog and as is frequently contacted by media to serve as an expert source. He joined Defender Radio to discuss who cougars are, how to distinguish between sensationalism and fact, and what we can all do to promote co-existence with cougars and other wildlife across Canada.

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

Defender Radio Patreon: www.Patreon.com/DefenderRadio

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Dr. Anna Zakrisson On (breaking out of our echo chambers, the use of magic science wands, serving science by stealth) Her Imaginarium (529) May 30, 2018

Show notes

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

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NEWS BRIEF - 529: Dr. Anna Zakrisson On (breaking out of our echo chambers, the use of magic science wands, serving science by stealth) Her Imaginarium May 28, 2018

Show notes

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

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

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On Oiled Wildlife (528) May 24, 2018

Show notes

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

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Photo provided by Wildlife Rescue Association

NEWS BRIEF: 528 - On Oiled Wildlife May 22, 2018

Show notes

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

New Evidence Puts A Target On Predator Bounties (527) May 16, 2018

Show notes

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

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NEWS BRIEF: 527 - New Evidence Puts A Target On Predator Bounties May 14, 2018

Show notes

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