Defender Radio and The Switch
Episodes
The Time Of The Raccoons (516)
01 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
I love raccoons. They’re smart little problem-solvers, who have learned to adapt into a landscape that’s difficult to navigate for a non-human ani...
NEWS BRIEF: 516 - The Time Of The Raccoons, featuring Cara Contardi of Urban Wildlife Care
26 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
This is the first Defender Radio News Brief, a more traditional radio interview, edited down to its core points, and kept within 5 to 7 minutes, for q...
Adam Winston’s Podcast Explores Dogs In Our World (515)
19 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In our world, there are many types of dogs, each unique and wonderful. And in a 12-episode podcast series, Adam Winston has explored makes our relatio...
Cautiously Optimistic: Alberta Ready To Allow Rehab For Bears (514)
12 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The story of Russell, the orphaned and injured bear cub outside of Calgary, broke hearts around the world. Wildlife rehabilitators and veterinarians w...
This Common Sense Policy Update Can Help Keep Dogs Safe From Traps (513)
05 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Host Michael Howie discusses The Fur-Bearers' push for trap warning signs in provinces and territories across Canada, how it can help protect dogs, ca...
Killing Wolves To Curb Depredation Could Create Conflict (512)
29 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
New research from Dr. Adrian Treves and his colleagues Drs. Francisco Santiago-Avila and Ari Cornman highlights that lethal management of wolves to pr...
Cat Declawing is Amputation and Dr. Margie Scherk Wants it Stopped (511)
25 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Cat declawing sounds like a reasonable way to prevent damage to furniture and homes, and keep cats who may be given to shelters with families. But the...
IFAW Partners With Communities For Their Northern Dogs Project (510)
22 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The International Fund for Animal Welfare, or IFAW, has a campaign called the Northern Dogs Project. On the face of it, the program is straightforward...
Joshua Katcher Is Telling The Story Of Fashion Animals (509)
15 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Fashion Animals, set to be published by Vegan Publishers and funded through Indiegogo, takes on the fur fashion industry in a whole new way. Fashion A...
Introducing The New Legal Podcast From Animal Justice: Paw & Order (508)
08 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The law exists to protect everyone, and for advocates like us, that includes non-human animals. Canadian law isn’t quite there yet, but the folks at...
The New Year's Rant: How Do You Grow Hope? (Ep. 507)
30 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The next regular episode of Defender Radio: The Podcast for Wildlife Advocates and Animal Lovers will be available January 8, 2018, featuring Animal J...
Christmas In A Cozy Cave: The Defender Radio Family Christmas Special
18 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
This is the Defender Radio Family Christmas Special! Christmas In A Cozy Cave is a heart-warming Christmas tale of two very different animals who were...
Defender Radio Family Christmas Special (Thanks and acknowledgements)
18 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
We just released the Defender Radio Family Christmas Special, and decided to do this brief episode separately to not interfere with your enjoyment of ...
John E. Marriott talks Tall Tales, Long Lenses (505)
11 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
John Marriott is a wonderful wildlife photographer. I’ve had the good fortune to chat with him in the past about his work, particularly on the subje...
Advocating For Russell The Orphaned Black Bear Cub of Bragg Creek, Alberta (504)
04 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In October I received a slew of emails about an injured bear cub in a community outside of Calgary, Alberta. Ordinarily, I’d just do a quick google ...
Canadian Researchers Used 4 Million Animals In The Name Of Science (503)
27 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
More than four million animals were used in research in Canada in 2016, a 21% increase from the previous year. Included in this increase were the use ...
Inside The Absurdly Intellectual, Accurately Anthropomorphised World of Joshua Barkman's False Knees (502)
20 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Joshua Barkman, creator of the False Knees web comic, takes every day circumstances for the animals we see around us in urban areas, like raccoons, ra...
501: Communities Can Co-Exist With Coyotes
14 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Here we are – season five! I can’t think of a better way to kick off this momentous run than with coyote expert, and my good friend, Lesley Sampso...
452: Elizabeth May Says We Have The Power To Go Green
30 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Going green is a good idea.There aren't many people who don't want to see a more sustainable world that lessens our impact on the planet, habitats, ec...
451: Getting Warm With Wully
24 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
This story started with necessity too – Canadian Football player James Yurichuk was moving his family from tepid Vancouver to brisk Toronto, and wan...
450: Stop Poisoning The Wolves
17 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Poisons that cause extreme suffering and death are being used to cruelly kill wolves. But there’s an opportunity to get at least one of them out of ...
449: Inside The Grizzly Poll
11 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
. It was a day of mixed emotions when we heard that the new NDP-led government in British Columbia would ban trophy hunting of grizzly bears – but s...
448: Beating Back Burnout
03 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Between our battles to protect animals, and the seemingly endless stream of terror attacks, natural disasters, and headlines involving Donald Trump, f...
447: IFAW to the Rescue
26 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Extreme weather events have wreaked havoc across the southern United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean. In the U.S. Virgin Islands, hurricanes have to...
446: A Legal Fight For Freedom
19 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
A visit to the aquarium or zoo could be magical as a child. Heck, for a lot of adults, it can still be magical. Seeing species from all over the world...
Turtle Power
13 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Defender Radio visited the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre, we learned that there are eight native species of turtle in Ontario – and several of ...
444: Bark To School
05 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Kids are groaning, parents are cheering, and teachers are refilling hip flasks and chocolate drawers: it’s back to school week. While many families ...
443: Good Coyote, Bad Rap
29 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Bad Coyote, the 2013 documentary that purports to explore the state of Atlantic Canadians during a cull of coyotes after the tragic death of folksinge...
Ep. 442: Shoot To Thrill
22 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Shooting a bear is remarkably easy. You need someone to help you find them, the equipment and knowledge of that equipment to be able to line up the sh...
441: Leaving History In The Past
16 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In my experience, when this hunt is discussed, us urban folk from away are dismissed for not understanding what it means to be a Newfoundlander. That’...
440: The Last Stand of the Acadian Forest
08 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The scene looks like one painted with the words of Tolkien: moss covered rocks, a babbling brook, various low shrubs, and monstrous trees fill the lan...
439: Selfies, Safety, and Search & Rescue
01 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Sandra Riches, the BC Coordinator for AdventureSmart, joined Defender Radio to talk selfie safety, the basics of being prepared, and what has led to ...
438: Fish, Bears, and Conservation
18 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
West coast bears like their fish. I don’t think we really need science to tell us that. But which bears eat what, how much salmon they’re eating, ...
437: 500 Marmots Later...
11 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
At one time, the Vancouver Island Marmot held a comfortable position as a unique rodent in high-altitude meadows on their namesake territory. And then...
436: The Fight for BC's Wildlife
04 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
A quiet announcement made in March stirred the pot – and now it’s brewing up to a storm. In the last week, dozens of wildlife protection non-profi...
435: The WOLF Sanctuary
28 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Wolves are one of the most majestic creatures on the planet. They’re intelligent, social, and thrilling to watch whether roaming their territory, hu...
Episode 434: Parks Canada's Wildlife Crossings Pt. 2
20 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Wildlife corridors are becoming beautiful and iconic scientific feats that show our ability to co-exist with animals, when we put our minds to it. And...
Episode 433: Parks Canada's Wildlife Crossings Pt. 1
13 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Wildlife corridors are becoming beautiful and iconic scientific feats that show our ability to co-exist with animals, when we put our minds to it. And...
Episode 432: Questioning Coyote Conversations
06 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Conversations about coyotes can quickly get controversial, particularly in the media. Are they simply another creature trying to care for their famili...
Episode 431: Bear Basics of Emergency Response
30 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Let’s start with the obvious: stopping conflict with wildlife before it begins is always our preference. And there’s a lot of ways we can do that,...
Episode 430: The Long Weekend Rant Episode
22 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Given that it’s a three-day weekend here in Canada, and people away, outdoors, and generally not in their offices. Next weekend it’s Memorial Day ...
Episode 429: Dr. Marc Bekoff and the Rise of the Compassionocene
15 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
When we hear the word “compassionate” paired with non-human animals, our first thoughts often go to Dr. Marc Bekoff. A highly-esteemed field biolo...
Episode 428: Bif Naked, Wild and Free
08 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Bif Naked is a Canadian rock star, author, cancer survivor, and social and animal advocate. Her music career, which spans more than 20 years and inclu...
Episode 427: Advocacy in the Age of Trump
01 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
On January 10, 2017, Donald Trump became the 45th President of the United States of America. While I do have my personal feelings about the man that I...
Episode 426: Science for the Win (Defeating Depredation)
24 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Thousands of protestors in cities across North America marched on the weekend, calling attention to the need for science in society and government. I ...
Episode 425: John E. Marriott and the Ice Grizzlies
17 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Witnessing the northern lights dance across an open arctic sky, watching a grizzly mother teach her cubs to fish for the first time, and feeling the s...
Episode 424: The Easter Bunny Blues
10 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Easter is around the corner, and for some reason, that means we’ll soon be surrounded by rabbits. Sadly, it isn’t just the stuffed toys or chocola...
Episode 423: What to Expect When You're Expecting
03 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
It is remarkable how significant an impact people have on the wildlife around them, even if it isn’t always seen. Understanding our role, and what w...
Episode 422: Spring Training
27 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The sun is shining, the rain is washing away the last of the snow, and families are hitting the trails and sidewalks with their four-legged companions...
Episode 421: The Non-human Rights Project
20 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Steven Wise stood up in a New York court room to make his case last week. It’s something he’s worked toward for years, and so far, the courts have...
Episode 420: #TeamRaccoon / Problem-solving the problem solvers
13 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Raccoons are the enemy, and green bins are the battlefield. At least, that’s how some Torontonians view an ongoing saga between themselves and the f...
Episode 419: A Season of Change
06 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Spring is in the air. Well, right now it is. Later today, it might be snow. Or hail. Or summer. It’s been a bit hard to tell exactly what to expect ...
Episode 418: Communicating About Coyote Conflict
28 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Talking about conflict isn’t always easy. Emotions can be high – the sight of a large animal can be unnerving and cause instinctual fear reactions...
Episode 417: Evolving Ethics for Wildlife Control
20 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when you put 20 international scientists in a room for two days to talk about human-wildlife conflict resolution? You get the seven princ...
Episode 416: Ending the USDA's War on Wildlife
14 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
There is a war on wildlife in the United States, waged with federal dollars at the behest of large lobby groups. It sounds like a conspiracy theory, b...
Episode 415: Saving Seals by the Sea Shore
07 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Culling grey seals on Canada’s east coast will not help the recovery of Atlantic Salmon populations. That’s what the science says in a report prep...
Episode 414: Compassionate Communication
31 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Compassion is something we at The Fur-Bearers talk a lot about – but how do we speak with compassion? And, in a world of seemingly massive cultural,...
Episode 413: Oh, The Places They'll Go
23 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Stopping wildlife conflict, protecting individuals, and ensuring co-existence can be a struggle after development. But it can be a whole lot easier if...
Episode 412: Don't Fence Me In
16 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The Little Smoky caribou herd is in trouble, and the Alberta government is gearing up for a plan that scientists and advocates claim will only waste m...
Episode 411: Pooches, Perception, and Compassion
19 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
If you see a dog sit down and pant, are they smiling, or showing anxiety? If they roll on their back, is it submissive, or simply an ask for a belly r...
Episode 410: Doug's Story
13 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Jaclyn Penney’s family is in mourning. Their beloved dog, Doug, who had been with them only six months, died in front of Jaclyn’s mother from the ...
Episode 409: Finding Shelter
06 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
The Rowels family was trying to find a home. But when they arrived in a tiny town in southern Bulgaria, they found their calling: finding homes for st...
Episode 408: Cougars, Co-existence, and the Capacity to Care
30 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Two cougars killed by the Conservation Officer Service in a coastal community in British Columbia created quite the stir this week. Social media and t...
Episode 407: A Day To End Seal Products
21 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
“Don’t tell me, show me,” is a way of noting that actions mean more than words. And maybe it’s a lesson Canadian parliamentarians need when it...
Episode 406: Giving A Hoot for Species At Risk
15 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
The frightening reality is that British Columbia has no species at risk or endangered species laws on the books. Species at Risk legislation is what i...
Episode 405: Challenging Cougar Conflict Misconceptions
08 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Cougars are persecuted for the typical reasons: they’re large carnivores that, when they come into conflict with people or places people live, can d...
Episode 404: Trophy
31 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Ninety-one percent of people in British Columbia oppose the trophy hunting of grizzly bears, from all demographics and geographic regions. Economic st...
Episode 403: The Wolf Policy Paradox
24 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
The status of wolves is a contentious subject these days. Between myths and fact, depredation and trophic cascades, it seems that every opinion is equ...
Episode 402: The Bear Facts of the Scientific Method
18 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
It seems that much of society has lost its grip on what words like facts or theories actually mean, and how they should and shouldn’t be used. It b...
Episode 401: Nathaniel's Message of Hope
07 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Though it has been a rough week for animal advocates, I’m very pleased to be starting this new season with a message of hope. On Wednesday, October ...
Episode 332: A Shot In The Dark
14 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
The word science is often used as a shield when discussing wildlife policies, particularly management of predators in relation to depredation. Whether...
Episode 331: Simply (smelly) skunks
23 Aug 2016
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to skunks, most of us have one of two images in our head. The first is the stinky animal we avoid at all costs. The other… well, the o...
Episode 330: Wolves in the crosshairs
17 Aug 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Woodland caribou aren’t doing too well in Alberta. Two herds specifically, those in the Little Smoky and A La Peche ranges, are at risk of extirpati...
Episode 329: Algonquin's Wolves
08 Aug 2016
Contributed by Lukas
The provincial park is home to the Eastern wolf – now often referred to as Algonquin Wolves. These wolves are considered a threatened species and, w...
Episode 328: How to rescue BC's rangers
11 Jul 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Across BC’s vast landscape is over 14 million hectares of protected lands and provincial parks. Tourists from around the world flock to these beauti...
Episode 327: Mysterious Marmots
04 Jul 2016
Contributed by Lukas
As many as 30 Vancouver Island Marmots are presumed dead after their embedded transmitters failed to activate following their hibernation this spring....
Episode 326: The BS in BSL
23 Jun 2016
Contributed by Lukas
From Stubby, the highly decorated canine soldier in World War One, to Pete the Pup, who tagged along with the Little Rascals, pit bull like dogs were ...
Episode 325: Uncertainty, certainly
14 Jun 2016
Contributed by Lukas
We began to tentatively celebrate when earlier this month the Auditor General of British Columbia revealed there would be an investigation into the tr...
Episode 324: Alberta's Animal Awakening
09 Jun 2016
Contributed by Lukas
When the words ‘animal sentience’ and ‘Alberta’ popped up in The Fur-Bearers’ news feeds, we had an office full of cartoonish double-takes. ...
Episode 323: Questioning Zoos
06 Jun 2016
Contributed by Lukas
It’s been a bad few weeks for zoo animals in North America. Harambe, a silverback gorilla in the Cincinnatti Zoo, was shot to death after a young ch...
Episode 322: Cause & Effect of Conflict
31 May 2016
Contributed by Lukas
We know that grizzly bears love fish. We know that grizzly bears can come into conflict with people and infrastructure. And now, thanks to researchers...
Episode 321: Cull is a four-letter word
17 May 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Cull is a four-letter word – and that double-meaning is finally becoming more clear. For years, governments and consumptive wildlife users have argu...
Episode 320: Advocacy in Markham
09 May 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Do compassion and city politics go together? Can we really expect local politicians to do what’s right for the animals, and still balance their duti...
Episode 319: #YMMFire Special Report
05 May 2016
Contributed by Lukas
The wildfires in Fort McMurray this week have destroyed homes and ways of life. And as residents fled as part of mandatory evacuations, the question l...
Episode 318: C-246
25 Apr 2016
Contributed by Lukas
In February a private members bill was introduced to the House of Commons by a rookie Liberal MP. Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, member for Beaches – East...
Episode 317: Paws for Hope
11 Apr 2016
Contributed by Lukas
There are nearly 200 volunteer-run animal rescue organizations in British Columbia. The majority of them do not receive government funding, have littl...
Episode 316: The Trophy Hunt Begins
01 Apr 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Today the infamous trophy hunt of grizzly bears in British Columbia begins – and it’s no April Fool’s prank. Hunters from around the world will ...
Episode 315: Herd
21 Mar 2016
Contributed by Lukas
They once defined the great prairies of North America. Buffalo herds numbered as high as 50 million animals before European settlement began. And afte...
Episode 314: Special Report
14 Mar 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Headlines are popping up in Ontario and B.C. alike – dangerous illnesses including distemper and rabies are appearing at rates higher than usual. Th...
Episode 313: Fear itself
01 Mar 2016
Contributed by Lukas
In the animal kingdom, the power of fear is something no one would question. Fear can impact and control entire populations, affect whole ecosystems, ...
Episode 312: On the origins of conflict
08 Feb 2016
Contributed by Lukas
If there’s one thing the media loves, it’s wild animals attacking humans. It’s got everything: adventure, blood, trauma, and typically, a hunt f...
Episode 311: The advocacy of Dr. Marc Bekoff
03 Feb 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Whenever we talk compassionate conservation, ethics, emotions of wildlife, or the benefits of drinking single malt Scotch through a Twizzler, there’...
Episode 310: John Marriott Exposed
25 Jan 2016
Contributed by Lukas
The trophy hunting of grizzly bears and culling of wolves have been hot topics in the news in recent years, and it’s only heating up. In British Col...
Episode 309: The Compassionate Man
18 Jan 2016
Contributed by Lukas
From host Michael Howie: I can’t speak for every animal-loving man out there, but when I stand and take a look at a magazine rack, there isn’t a l...
Episode 308: Animals in Science
13 Jan 2016
Contributed by Lukas
We can’t be sure if you heard the news, but late last year, senate bill S-214 hit the media. It’s a bill that, if passed by both the senate and th...
Episode 307: Making a case for animals
04 Jan 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Last month there was a lot of hubbub in wildlife and animal welfare circles about two big legal news items: Quebec creating legislation to recognize a...
Episode 306: The reindeer revolt
21 Dec 2015
Contributed by Lukas
While recording this year’s special Christmas episode, a surprising phone call came in on the Defender Radio hotline. A reindeer named Agnes (yes, r...
Episode 305: #banshockcollars
14 Dec 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Shock collars are inherently inhumane and potentially traumatizing devices used to illicit specific reactions from dogs. For a long time, their use wa...
Episode 304: Meet the #MammothMovement
26 Nov 2015
Contributed by Lukas
I’m a bit late with this week’s episode but I have a good excuse – last week I had surgery on my sinuses, a procedure that will help me breathe ...
Episode 303: Spring killing returns to Ontario
15 Nov 2015
Contributed by Lukas
It’s hard to describe the frustration I felt when I saw the announcement from the Ministry of Natural Resources here in Ontario – the spring bear ...