Biodiversity and Urban Connectivity feat. Dr. Thami Croeser and Dr. Holly Kirk
Release Date: 02/03/2025
Surviving The Wildfire feat. Interior Wildlife Rehabilitation Society
Defender Radio and The Switch
Over 21,000 people were , British Columbia, when the Bald Range fire rapidly grew to over 156 square kilometres. Among the thousands of homes that were impacted or destroyed by the wildfire is . The volunteer-run organization, led by founder Eva Hartmann, focuses on water birds, bats, reptiles, and small mammals like beavers, otters, and muskrats. When the call to evacuate came in Eva and her partner chose to enact the Interior Wildlife evacuation plan – and saved all the animals in their care. Tragically, the Interior Wildlife facilities were destroyed by the wildfire. Now, the Interior...
info_outline
Urban Habitats and Connectivity featuring Dr. Lenore Fahrig
Defender Radio and The Switch
When we talk about wildlife, we often talk about it as though it belongs somewhere else. A forest. A park. A protected area. Somewhere north of us, away from the roads, neighbourhoods, shopping centres, and backyards where we spend most of our lives. But nature is not somewhere else. It's everywhere. Coyotes on city streets, raccoons in backyards, skunks under sheds, birds crossing parking lots, insects searching for flowers — all are living in landscapes we have shaped, divided, paved, and rearranged. So what does that mean for them? And what does it mean for us? Dr. Lenore Fahrig, a...
info_outline
The Space Wildlife Needs feat. Dr. Valli Fraser-Celin & Tijana
Defender Radio and The Switch
Defender Radio host Michael Howie is joined by colleagues and Tijana (Wildlife Campaigns and Advocacy Manager at The Fur-Bearers) to talk about studies covering drones and British Columbia's endangered species, plus a chat about what kind of space wildlife needs this time of year. SHOW NOTES Episode artwork of an edangered Vancouver Island Marmot by Learn more about Dr. Valli Fraser-Celin: Instagram: Articles on TheFurBearers.com: Articles and Studies referenced: When Drones Disturb Nature: What Wildlife Research Is Telling Us: Species at Risk in British Columbia: What 17...
info_outline
Fur Farming and the Next Pandemic featuring Dr. Neil Vora
Defender Radio and The Switch
It feels like yesterday – and a lifetime ago – that the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the world. I don’t know about you, but I’m still dealing with that experience, and I see the impact of it around me regularly. What’s most upsetting, perhaps, is that experts are sending clear messages: it’s not if, but when the next pandemic will hit. A major source for potential virus spillover is fur farms, of which there remain dozens in Canada today, despite a British Columbia mink fur farm ban announced in 2021. , a former CDC epidemiologist, Executive Director of the Preventing Pandemics...
info_outline
Spring in the Wild City featuring Nathalie Karvonen
Defender Radio and The Switch
This time of year is glorious for all of us – and for the wild neighbours with whom we share our communities. From black bears and coyotes to skunks and squirrels, wildlife is out and about, finding new den sites, food sources, and introducing their families to the world around them – even in cities. Sadly, human infrastructure and behaviours can lead to tragic outcomes for many animals; and that’s why dedicated wildlife rehabilitators across the country need your help. Joining us to talk about spring wildlife and their families, the surprising biodiversity of major cities like Toronto,...
info_outline
Communicating Coexistence feat. Dr. Valli Fraser-Celin + Tijana S.
Defender Radio and The Switch
Defender Radio host Michael Howie is joined by colleagues Dr. Valli Fraser-Celin and Tijana S. (Wildlife Campaigns and Advocacy Manager at The Fur-Bearers) to talk about The Fur-Bearers' recent time at the Humane Canada Summit for Wildlife, two studies reviewed for our article, and how communication is a key aspect to wildlife coexistence. SHOW NOTES Episode artwork by / Getty Learn more about Dr. Valli Fraser-Celin: Instagram: Articles on TheFurBearers.com: Articles and Studies referenced: Humane Canada recap – Study: Helping Landowners Live with Beavers – Why Nocturnal Wildlife...
info_outline
What's Next?
Defender Radio and The Switch
We want to look into the future for Defender Radio and The Switch – and that means hearing from you! We've put together a short (really) that will take fewer than 5 minutes and can help us know in which direction to go. It includes episode length/frequency, guest mix, accessibility, and more. To show our appreciation, we're also offering a $100 Visa Gift Card that will be randomly drawn and awarded to a survey taker (must be 18+, live in Canada excluding Quebec, and provide name/contact information in the survey to participate). Click here to get started or visit . Thank you. SHOW...
info_outline
Animal Law at University of Toronto featuring Dr. Angela Fernandez
Defender Radio and The Switch
Animal law is a topic of growing interest to Canadians, advocates, and legal experts. While there are some great people doing great work related to animal law in Canada, there haven’t been any university-associated programs on it – until now. Angela Fernandez, a long-time University of Toronto law professor, is taking on the project as the director of the University of Toronto Animal Law Program. To share what the vision for the program is, what prospective students may learn, why there’s a need for the program, and how it could reshape law in Canada, Professor Fernandez joins Defender...
info_outline
Fashion's Future is Fur-Free featuring PJ Smith
Defender Radio and The Switch
September is fashion month, with massive week-long events in major cities worldwide, including New York, London, Milan and Paris. And the question on many peoples’ minds is: will we be seeing fur, or will more designers choose to go fur-free? PJ Smith, Director of Fashion Policy for Humane World for Animals thinks the future of the industry is fur-free, and joins Defender Radio to discuss trends, textile innovation, and what gives him optimism. SHOW NOTES Humane World for Animals: Humane World for Animals Woolrich Campaign: Want to suggest topics for Defender Radio? Reach out to us at...
info_outline
Canmore Cougar Tragedy Update feat. John Marriott and Maggie Spizziri
Defender Radio and The Switch
The tragic story of a locally beloved cougar being killed near Canmore, Alberta, earlier this year was heartbreaking. John Marriott, an award-winning wildlife photographer and co-founder of Exposed Wildlife Conservancy shared his harrowing experience with Defender Radio – along with his discovery of two cougar kits, orphaned by the incident. Several months later, the cougar kits were transferred to Parc Safari in Quebec, and the outcry for policy change in Alberta rages on. To share more about these updates and introduce the new Executive Director of Exposed Wildlife Conservancy, John...
info_outlineEnhancing biodiversity in urban areas is a critical step in improving our ecosystems, resilience against the climate crisis, and ensuring nature exposure for residents. But how do you increase biodiversity on pavement?
According to two researchers, it can start with stepping stones.
Drs. Thami Croeser and Holly Kirk tackled this issue and showed the brilliance of available solutions in their paper Nature-based solutions for urban biodiversity: spatial targeting of retrofits can multiply ecological connectivity benefits.
In short, the researchers showed that converting underutilized parking spaces in urban Australia can improve ecological connectivity – the ability for various species to move across the landscape from one patch of greenspace to another. To share the need for such connectivity changes, how they developed and ran their study, the incredible benefits to both people and ecosystems, and what lessons we can learn, Drs. Thami Croeser and Holly Kirk join Defender Radio.
SHOW NOTES:
Episode art provided by Dr. Thami Croeser
Read the paper: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169204624001683
Dr. Thami Croeser on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thami-croeser-822ab9a/
Dr. Holly Kirk's website: https://natureonthebrain.wordpress.com/
The Conversation Article: https://theconversation.com/stepping-stones-for-wildlife-how-linking-up-isolated-habitats-can-help-nature-thrive-in-our-cities-234923
Sound of Mole Crickets via Mostly Nature / YouTube
Want to suggest topics for Defender Radio? Reach out to us at DefenderRadio@Gmail.com, by visiting DefenderRadio.com or engaging host Michael Howie on social media via Instagram (www.instagram.com/howiemichael) or Facebook (www.Facebook.com/DefenderRadio).
Defender Radio is produced by The Fur-Bearers (www.TheFurBearers.com), a charitable non-partisan organization whose mandate is to advocate on behalf of fur-bearing animals in the wild and in confinement, promote coexistence solutions in communities and protect the habitats of fur-bearing animals across Canada. You can follow The Fur-Bearers on Instagram (www.instagram.com/furbearers), Twitter (www.twitter.com/furbearers) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/FurFree).