The Wolf Whisperer: Diane Boyd's Lifelong Dedication to Montana's Wolves

Dr. Diane Boyd is a wildlife biologist who has 45+ years of applied expertise on behavior, conservation and management of wild wolf populations. She is the author of "A Woman Among Wolves: My Journey Through Forty Years of Wolf Recovery." 

• She began her career in 1977 with Dr. L. David Mech’s wolf research project in Minnesota. She moved to Montana in 1979 to study gray wolf recovery in the Rocky Mountains from the first natural colonizer to approximately 2000 wolves today in the western U.S. Her work has focused on wolf ecology, dispersal, habitat use, prey selection, behavior, morphology, genetic relationships, and the social dimensions of wolf-human conflict resolution. She has collaborated on research in the Rocky Mountains of the U.S., British Columbia, Alberta, the Mexican Wolf Recovery Program, and wolf research projects in Italy and Romania. She has published numerous articles in scientific journals, invited book chapters, and articles in popular literature. She received her M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Montana, and is presently an Affiliate Faculty member at the University of Montana. Diane recently retired from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks as the Region 1 Wolf and Carnivore Specialist, but she is continuing her wolf conservation efforts on a broader scale through teaching and writing. You can support this podcast by donating a few dollars per month on Patreon! We really appreciate any contribution, no matter how small.

Show Notes:

00:02:54 - Discovering Wolves in the Wild

00:05:20 - From Wildlife Biologist to Wolf Researcher: A Journey

00:07:56 - Discovering the Rugged Beauty of Glacier National Park

00:10:54 - Lone Wolf Survivor in Montana

00:12:30 - The Wolves' Natural Migration to Montana

00:14:36 - Wolves Roaming from Montana to Yellowstone

00:16:59 - Wolves' Vocal Repertoire and Tracking Techniques

00:20:46 - Saving a Hypothermic Wolf

00:22:54 - Rescuing a Drugged Wolf in the Rain

00:25:39 - Debunking the Wolf Relocation Myth

00:27:33 - Comparing European and North American Wolves

00:29:59 - Wolves: Misunderstood Neighbors

00:32:06 - Coexisting with Wolves: Balancing Livestock and Ecosystem Needs

00:36:08 - Wolves and Other Predators in the Ecosystem

00:37:23 - Weaving Science, Ecology, and Resilience

00:39:30 - Preventing Chronic Wasting Disease in Montana

• Follow the adventures and interviews in real time at TrailLessTraveled.net and be sure to check out our visual series on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram.
• The radio version of the show premieres Sunday nights at 6 MST, streaming live online at Trail1033.com & locally (Missoula) on the Trail 103.3 FM
• Why listen to the radio version instead of the podcast? Well, because the radio version includes music selected by the folks we interview!

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