Raincoast radio

Episode 1: Gray wolf recovery with Diane Boyd

In our inaugural Of Wolves and Women episode, Diane Boyd reminds us “It’s people management, not wolf management.”
2025 February 3
Raincoast Radio: Of Wolves and Women (a podcast by Raincaost).

In this episode of Raincoast Radio’s Of Wolves and Women, wolf researcher and author of A Woman Among Wolves, Dr. Diane Boyd shares captivating stories and insights from her forty year journey through wolf recovery in the western U.S. We discuss her early experiences working with Dr. David Mech in northern Minnesota and the consuming passion that led her to wolves and field biology, ultimately shaping both her career and who she is today. 

Diving into one of Diane’s favourite topics, we learn about the advantages and disadvantages of reintroduction efforts, drawing on examples from Yellowstone National Park and Colorado, while also shedding light on the often-overlooked story of natural wolf recolonization throughout the Rocky Mountains. 

Additionally, we explore the social dimensions of wolf-human conflict resolution and the importance of fostering open conversations about wolves and wolf conservation.

“It’s people management, not wolf management […] If you’re less combative, you generally are more able to open a conversation, and if you’re even able to open a conversation about wolves, you’re able to open conservation of wolves.”

Dr. Diane Boyd
Diane Boyd stands in a cutblock holding a radio antenna up in the air while tracking wolves.
Diane Boyd, circa 1988, uses an antenna to pick up signals from radio-collared wolves.
Wolf researcher, Diane Boyd, stands smiling wearing a kerchief, with mountains in the background.
Diane Boyd in 2023. Photo by Becky Petrashek.

Dr. Diane Boyd has four decades of applied expertise on behavior, conservation and management of wild wolf populations. 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 3,000 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 more than fifty 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 and 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. Her debut memoir, A Woman Among Wolves: My Forty Year Journey Through Wolf Recovery, was released September 10, 2024.

About her memoir, Raincoast Senior Scientist and large carnivore expert, Paul Paquet, noted that it was “a captivating and informative must-read.”

“Wild wolves know no boundaries as they explore new frontiers. Likewise, Dr. Diane Boyd in her inspirational memoir, A Woman Among Wolves, confronts traditional gender roles and wages her own battles for respect through acts of resolution, rebellion, and rigorous science. Buttressed by humor and compassion, and driven by curiosity, she challenges prejudice and adversity as an advocate for both women and wolves. And in doing so, she reveals much about their respective lives, including the enduring problems encountered within an indolent culture that views women field biologists as oddities and wolves as unwelcome nuisances. Diane’s spirited story closely intertwines with that of the wolves she studies, sometimes making it difficult to know whose memoir this really is. For me, however, her own story is also the story of the wolves, which makes her memoir a captivating and informative must-read.”

Dr. Paul Paquet

This series is dedicated to Gudrun Pflüger

As a former professional cross-country skier and elite marathon mountain runner, Gudrun’s exceptional skills made her uniquely suited to track the elusive coastal wolves of British Columbia, Canada. As a field biologist, she was pivotal in helping both scientists and local communities collect vital data, shedding light on the ecology and genetics of wolves on BC’s central coast, and later, in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta. Beyond her contributions to wolf conservation, Gudrun was a mother, friend, and source of inspiration to many within Raincoast and beyond. Documented in films, such as A Woman Among Wolves and Running With Wolves, Gudrun’s journey was one of passion, determination, and resilience, revealing the true healing power of nature.

Additional resources

Topics discussed

  • [1:24] – Diane’s introduction
  • [1:50] – Why did you write “A Woman Among Wolves”? 
  • [4:05] – What led you to study wolves? 
  • [5:10] – Diane’s experience working with David Mech
  • [6:15] – What did it mean to study a wild wolf in the 1970s? 
  • [7:10] – From veterinary medicine to field biology
  • [8:40] – Following one wolf in the west
  • [10:15] – Introduction to the Yellowstone wolf reintroduction 
  • [11:05] – Wolf reintroduction versus natural colonization
  • [16:50] – Human dimensions of wolf management
  • [21:10] – Lessons learned from working with livestock owners and ranchers
  • [23:20] – Chelsea shares her experience as a young wolf researcher
  • [25:45] – Tracking individual wolves using GPS collars, camera traps, and genetics
  • [29:40] – Working with state fish and wildlife departments
  • [34:05] – Viewing and researching wolves in national parks
  • [36:25] – Story of Phillis 
  • [42:25] – Stories left out of Diane’s book
  • [46:05] – Near-death experiences and challenges faced in the field
  • [54:45] – Working in the Canadian park system with Paul Paquet and others 
  • [57:05] – What has working with wolves taught you about yourself?
  • [57:48] – What contribution to wolf science are you most proud of? 
  • [1:01:28] – Dedication to Gudrun Pflüger

About Raincoast Radio

Raincoast Radio is created by Raincoast Conservation Foundation. It is produced by Sofia Osborne with additional audio editing by Oumar Salifou. Fact checking by the Raincoast team. The wolf photo in the podcast art is by Mark Williams. Music by Crypt-of-Insomnia and Luca Francini.

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Raincoast Radio: Of Wolves and Women (a podcast by Raincaost).