Defender Radio and The Switch
Episodes
Defender Radio Update: The Return
02 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Defender Radio is back after a pandemic-related hiatus. New episodes will be launching this month so stay tuned! In this update, hear from host/produc...
Nathaniel Erskine-Smith: ePetitions and the Animal Welfare Caucus
11 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Getting governments to change isn’t easy; often, there are roadblocks in the path to communicating an issue, particularly ones related to non-human ...
Coyote Conversations: Aversion Conditioning For Urban Coyotes
29 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
As we press through these colder months of the winter, I’m seeing more questions about coyotes pop up on social media and traditional media. Of cour...
PPE and Plastic Pollution
21 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The coronavirus pandemic has forced a lot of change in the world in the last 13 months. One of the most notable, unfortunately, is an increase in plas...
Coexistence with Bears Starts with Humans
13 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Luci Cudman, the executive director of the North Shore Black Bear Society and Ellie Lamb, bear behaviour expert and bear viewing guide and instructor ...
Defender Radio Returns January 7
08 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Defender Radio, the podcast for wildlife advocates and animal lovers, will resume posting new episodes on January 7, 2021! The first episode to be fea...
Hidden: Jo-Anne McArthur on the latest book from We Animals Media
18 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
I’ve got good news, better news and bad news, folks. The good news is that yesterday a book launched that will change minds, hearts and lives around...
Center for Contemporary Sciences: Changing the Paradigm on Animal Testing
30 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A lot of animals are tested upon and killed in the name of science, particularly biomedical research. In conversation, many people adopt a utilitarian...
Getting To Know The Anthrozoology Podcast
22 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Anthrozoology is a fascinating field of study – simply put, it examines the interactions between humans and other animals. This is a broad concept, ...
Attitudes on Animal Use Are Evolving
15 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In a world with a 24-hour news cycle, robot trolls on the internet and unprecedented political changes, knowing where we stand on some core issues can...
B.C. Selling Roads To Caribou Destruction
08 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s season eight! We’ve got a lot to catch up on – the pandemic, the outstanding contest, what’s going on with The Fur-Bearers and more – a...
Beyond Shark Week
20 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Shark Week has come and gone for the year, but your chance to learn and celebrate sharks can go thanks to a new book that brings together academic stu...
Safe Passage: Exploring predator-prey dynamics in wildlife corridors
13 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Wildlife corridors are a great idea: they connect habitats and ecosystems, allowing animals of all types to safely get across roads. As over 20,000 an...
The State Of Animal Advocacy
06 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Animal advocacy is a huge community. There’s folks like us at The Fur-Bearers, who focus on wildlife coexistence, habitat issues and a specific comm...
Wolf Cull Science
30 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
British Columbia has ordered the killing of hundreds of wolves as part of their caribou recovery plan in recent years. You can hear more about this pl...
Essay: On Media Blaming Wildlife For Human Conflict
22 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Media outlets paint wildlife as the perpetrators of actions against people. But in their own recounting of events, they show how humans often started ...
My Week Off
10 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Hi folks! There's no episode this week because I'm on vacation! The episode art is from earlier today of JJ the Lake Hound, waiting for me to toss her...
Vindicated: Former Conservation Officer Bryce Casavant On His Five Year Fight
02 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Nearly five years ago to the day, then-Conservation Officer Bryce Casavant famously refused an order to unnecessarily kill two healthy bear cubs; he w...
The Bear Necessities
18 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Black bears are common throughout much of Canada and, despite their gentleness and general lack of interest in people, end up the accused source of co...
2020-06-05
05 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
I have no words this week. There is nothing I can say that will soften the hurt facing people in North America, and particularly Indigenous peoples an...
Getting to know coyotes
29 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
How can you tell the difference between a wolf and a coyote? What’s a coywolf? Do they live alone or in packs? Are their packs like wolves, or diffe...
Coronavirus, the animals and us
22 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
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 U...
Mountain Caribou Habitat: Exceeding Disturbance Limits
21 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
The Wild World of Ecotourism
06 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
The Wild World of Ecotourism
06 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
The Case Against The Ontario Spring Bear Hunt
23 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Bill 156 Is Bad For Animals
10 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Bill 156 is dangerous for animals. This legislation, introduced in late 2019, targets those who find their ways onto animal agricultural facilities an...
An Important Announcement
04 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 char...
Casavant on communicating complaints
22 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Ecological Grief And Why Scientists Need To Be Allowed To Cry
01 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Keeping Black Bears Safe In Autumn
25 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 t...
The Wilderness, Wildlife and Human Interaction Symposium
18 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
We need change in how we view wildlife and the management of species and their homes. Outdated science and traditions need to be updated with current ...
Jo-Anne McArthur Is Taking We Animals To The Next Level
10 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is later than originally anticipated – between human and canine health issues and some technical whoopsies, things got delayed. And bef...
Ontario's Wolves And Coyotes Under Fire
19 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The Ontario government is considering liberalizing wolf and coyote hunting in Northern Ontario in a bid to increase moose hunting opportunities. But t...
Back to school on: Compassionate Conservation
12 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
What is compassionate conservation? How can teaching today’s students the tenets of this movement affect government decisions tomorrow? And why does...
Krikey Is Helping Gorillas With Augmented Reality
11 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
How do you grow empathy and protect the future non-human animals in a part of the world most people will never visit? One company has the answer – a...
Dr. Marc Bekoff On What It Means To Unleash Our Dogs
27 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
As many of you know, I’m a dog guy. I share my home with JJ the Hamilton Hound, who you’ll often hear clicking around and bringing me toys while I...
BC's Black Bears Have a Human Problem
21 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Bears are dying in British Columbia as spring turns to summer. I’d like to have a cute, chipper way of introducing this interview, but that’s the ...
Celebrating Catios
13 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Cats love to climb, jump, pounce, and play. Unfortunately, they often want to do this outside, where those skills help them kill wildlife and birds in...
Charlotte Dawe: Crossroads for Caribou Conservation in BC
29 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Mountain caribou are endangered in British Columbia. It’s a big deal: the federal government has threatened to intervene if plans aren’t put in pl...
Introducing The Young Defenders
24 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The Fur-Bearers and Defender Radio are proud to announce the launch of a new project: The Young Defenders, a site and podcast to help youth Defend The...
PJ Smith of HSUS on: Fur, Fashion and The Future
16 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
PJ is the Director of Fashion Policy at the Humane Society of the United States and has played a major role in getting big brands like Armani to drop ...
The People Who Give A Dam: Protecting Beavers in Belleville
08 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Defender Radio host Michael Howie spent four days in Belleville, Ontario, where a nearly year-long process to protect beavers after one was found in a...
100,000 Downloads Special Report
26 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Host Michael Howie shares the news that Defender Radio has reached 100,000 downloads, and gets a surprise midway through recording! Support Defender R...
Beyond Easter Bunnies with Ladybird Animal Sanctuary
18 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the Easter long weekend and you know what that means – bunnies, chicks and other little critters are being discussed, if not bought, as prese...
A Discussion On Non-Human Animal Suicide
11 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever looked over at your dog and cat and wondered, “Are they happy?” If you’re like me, you probably have. But have you ever asked deep...
Canada’s Seals and Sea Lions: Under Siege East and West
04 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The idea of a west coast seal and sea lion hunt or cull popped up earlier this year. It seemed a bit strange, but that perhaps there was some internal...
Alberta Grizzlies Can Be Rehabilitated
28 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The science is pretty straight forward when it comes to rehabilitating grizzly bears: it works, and they’re not more likely to come into conflict as...
Killing Animals to 'Save' Animals
21 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
If you read enough headlines about the environment and wildlife, it won’t be long until you see one like ‘kill wolves to protect endangered caribo...
John E. Marriott is Exposing the Cruelty of Snares
07 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
John E. Marriott has taken some of the most breathtaking photos of wildlife that I have ever seen. He’s the keynote speaker at The Fur-Bearers gala ...
Boss' Snare Story
13 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Boss’ story is similar to many others we’ve heard this trapping season, but he was one of the few lucky ones. While on a walk with his guardian ne...
Remembering Titus
06 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Not long ago, Kimberly Ross and her family lost their beloved companion Titus to a legally set snare. This episode features an emotional interview wit...
Defender Radio's 2019 Kickoff Video
03 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
One year ago today, I spoke about hope in a video like this. It's been a long year, with loss and pain, but I know together we can make change for our...
The Bandit Who Gave Back Christmas
19 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Reggie Raccoon is looking forward to a day of loot on December 25. Will his greed reign, or will the spirit of giving find its way into his heart? T...
Know Your Rights While You Fight For Theirs
05 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Protest and activism are a cornerstone of change, particularly in social issues. While our right to protest and speak are guaranteed by law in both Ca...
Intolerable Cruelty: The Science Behind Snares and Strychnine
28 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Before we get started, I want to put out a general advisory – in this episode we will be speaking in a matter-of-fact tone about the cruelty of snar...
Capitalism and Conservation
21 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The World Wildlife Fund issued their bi-annual Living Planet report in late October, and it painted a dark reality: humanity has wiped out 60% of an...
Animal Law: Funding, Frustrations, and Finding Solutions for Change
14 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Changes at the OSPCA, concerns about an NGO being in law enforcement, and the importance of filing reports, complaints, and creating paper trails are ...
Special Report: Recognizing and Preventing Bloat
07 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
If you follow host Michael Howie on social media, you’ll know that last week his dog JJ required emergency surgery for a critical, and unpredictable...
Shifting Paradigms in Alberta (605)
31 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Wilderness, Wildlife and Human Interaction - Changing the Paradigm is being hosted by the Cochrane Ecological Institute at the Cochrane Ranchouse on N...
Highs and Lows: Exploring the Impacts of Global Warming on Species’ Elevational Distributions
17 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
How are ecosystems responding to the warming of the planet? It’s a big question, and there isn’t a single answer. But specific questions are being...
603: The Advocate's Counsellor
10 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
CONTENT WARNING: trauma, anger, depression, anxiety, grief, and issues related to mental health today Liz Sinclair Ruth was a vegetarian at a young a...
602: #LiveWarm With Wuxly Movement
05 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Wuxly Movement is the animal-free, made-in-Canada outerwear brand that animal lovers across Canada are raving about. Full disclosure – I myself have...
602: #LiveWarm With Wuxly Movement (NEWS BRIEF EDITION)
02 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Wuxly Movement is the animal-free, made-in-Canada outerwear brand that animal lovers across Canada are raving about. Full disclosure – I myself have...
601: Conservation by Regulating Hunting
28 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Those in consumptive wildlife activities – hunting and trapping – like to say that they’re responsible for conservation of many species. And, in...
601 - Conservation By Regulating Hunting (NEWS BRIEF EDITION)
25 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Those in consumptive wildlife activities – hunting and trapping – like to say that they’re responsible for conservation of many species. And, in...
Success or Failure: Measuring Predator Removal (533)
11 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Wildlife conflict is a major issue across Canada and around the world. As humans continue to alter landscapes, break down connectivity of ecosystems a...
NEWS BRIEF - 533: Success or Failure: Measuring Predator Removal
09 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Wildlife conflict is a major issue across Canada and around the world. As humans continue to alter landscapes, break down connectivity of ecosystems a...
532: End of Time and Other Bothers Episode 2!
03 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
What! Still not Defender Radio? That’s right, it’s the SECOND episode of The End of Time and Other Bothers. You can go back to an earlier episode...
532: The End of Time and Other Bothers Episode 1!
03 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Hey – this isn’t Defender Radio! That’s right, it’s the first episode of The End of Time and Other Bothers. You can go back to an earlier epi...
The End of Time and Other Bothers (Mike's Geeky Birthday Episode) (532)
03 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
It’s my birthday! Well, it’s my birthday week. And since everyone has to do what I say for the rest of the week, we’re going to take a step away...
Getting To Know The Humane Education Coalition (531)
28 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 w...
NEWS BRIEF - 531: Getting To Know The Humane Education Coalition
25 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 w...
Bryce Casavant On Co-existing With Cougars (530)
14 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Cougars have been in the news recently, particularly in British Columbia. Conflict with Canada’s big cats isn’t overly common, but when cougars en...
NEWS BRIEF: 530 - Bryce Casavant On Co-existing With Cougars
11 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Cougars have been in the news recently, particularly in British Columbia. Conflict with Canada’s big cats isn’t overly common, but when cougars en...
Dr. Anna Zakrisson On (breaking out of our echo chambers, the use of magic science wands, serving science by stealth) Her Imaginarium (529)
30 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Science literacy is growing more important by the day – particularly for advocates looking to make change in the lives of animals and the environmen...
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
28 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Science literacy is growing more important by the day – particularly for advocates looking to make change in the lives of animals and the environmen...
On Oiled Wildlife (528)
24 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
It’s just about impossible to be Canadian and not hear about pipelines, oil, tankers, and other environmental and political hot potatoes in British ...
NEWS BRIEF: 528 - On Oiled Wildlife
22 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
It’s just about impossible to be Canadian and not hear about pipelines, oil, tankers, and other environmental and political hot potatoes in British ...
New Evidence Puts A Target On Predator Bounties (527)
16 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A hint of anger or disgust can be heard when conversation turns to wolves and coyotes in some communities – particularly those where managing livest...
NEWS BRIEF: 527 - New Evidence Puts A Target On Predator Bounties
14 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A hint of anger or disgust can be heard when conversation turns to wolves and coyotes in some communities – particularly those where managing livest...
Dr. Max Foran On The Subjugation of Canadian Wildlife (526)
10 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 inter...
NEWS BRIEF - 526: Dr. Max Foran On The Subjugation of Canadian Wildlife
07 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 inter...
Podcasts With Park Rangers (525)
02 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 t...
NEWS BRIEF - 525: Podcasts With Park Rangers
30 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 stor...
Getting Schooled on Canada's Commercial Seal Hunt (524)
26 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The East coast seal hunt has started in Canada, and with it a fierce public relations campaign from two sides: those who support the seal hunt, and t...
NEWS BRIEF - 524: Getting Schooled on Canada’s Commercial Seal Hunt
23 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The East coast seal hunt has started in Canada, and with it, a fierce public relations campaign from two sides: those who support the seal hunt, and t...
Mike McIntosh Talks Living With Spring Bears (523)
19 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
From BC to the east coast, black bears are waking up and wandering about as winter finally gives way to spring. The best person to talk to about bears...
NEWS BRIEF: 523 - Mike McIntosh Talks Living With Spring Bears
16 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Bears! In British Columbia they’re starting to wander about, and across the rest of the country they’re waiting out the final days of winter befor...
Tell Dani Reiss & Canada Goose That You're Going To Refuse The Goose! (522)
11 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
This week I’ve got a special episode for you. I’m going to tell you about the #RefuseTheGoose campaign we’ve launched, targeting Canada Goose fo...
Co-Existing With Coyotes In Suburban Burlington (521)
06 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
LaSalle Park in Burlington, Ontario, is a beautiful area, right on the shore of Lake Ontario. It’s a diverse area, full of wildlife, walking trails,...
NEWS BRIEF: Co-existing With Coyotes In Suburban Burlington (521)
04 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
LaSalle Park in Burlington, Ontario, is a beautiful area, right on the shore of Lake Ontario. It’s a diverse area, full of wildlife, walking trails,...
The Science That Shows Government Wildlife Management Is Unscientific (520)
28 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
We’ve all heard the phrase Wildlife management should be science-based. It’s spoken loudly by advocates who are opposed to all hunting and trappin...
NEWS BRIEF: 520 - The Science That Shows Government Wildlife Management Is Unscientific
26 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
We’ve all heard the phrase Wildlife management should be science-based. It’s spoken loudly by advocates who are opposed to all hunting and trappin...
Fostering Compassion Thru Storytelling with The Gryphon Press (519)
21 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The Gryphon Press is a wonderful publishing company The Fur-Bearers met through the Humane Education Coalition. Their children’s books on subjects f...
NEWS BRIEF: 519 - Fostering Compassion Thru Storytelling
19 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The Gryphon Press is a wonderful publishing company The Fur-Bearers met through the Humane Education Coalition. Their children’s books on subjects f...
Bryce Casavant and 100 years of Wildlife Records (518)
15 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
You’ve probably heard the name Bryce Casavant: he’s the former Conservation Officer in British Columbia who made headlines when he refused an orde...
NEWS BRIEF: 518 - Bryce Casavant and 100 Years of Wildlife Records
13 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
You’ve probably heard the name Bryce Casavant: he’s the former Conservation Officer in British Columbia who made headlines when he refused an orde...
The BC SPCA Is Helping People Be AnimalKind (517)
07 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
While we all love wildlife and want to co-exist with the animals, sharing our bedrooms and walls with them isn’t exactly ideal; many species can cau...
NEWS BRIEF: 517 - The BC SPCA Is Helping People Be AnimalKind
05 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The BC SPCA launched AnimalKind last week, a program that will help residents and business owners find accredited wildlife removal or control companie...