Episode 7: A special tribute to wolves and women with Paul Paquet

In this episode of Raincoast Radio’s Of Wolves and Women, large carnivore expert and Raincoast Senior Scientist Dr. Paul Paquet recounts some of his most impactful and memorable experiences from over 50 years of studying wolves around the world. From Russia, Ukraine, Poland, and the Carpathian mountains in Europe to Nunavut, Northwest Territories, and the Canadian Rockies, Paul was drawn to wherever wolves roamed. This included his time in northern Alaska with wolf researcher Bob Stevenson and author Barry Lopez, during the period when Lopez was writing Of Wolves and Men.

Paul reflects on the profound impact the women featured in this series have had on both his life and his understanding of wolves. He shares the inspiration behind curating the Of Wolves and Women series, emphasizing how important it was to recognize these women for their remarkable contributions in a truly special way. After speaking with Paul, it became evident just how humble these women are about their achievements, despite the lasting impact they’ve had — and continue to have — on the field of wolf research and conservation.

“Many of these women had not really been given the recognition that they should have. The contributions that they had made were really important in our understanding of wolves, conservation, behaviour, and ecology, and the contributions were immense.”

Paul Paquet, Senior Scientist

Finally, we discuss the core principles and values that have guided, and continue to guide, Raincoast’s work — emphasizing the importance of preserving scientific integrity, upholding ethical and moral frameworks in decision-making, and cultivating authentic, enduring relationships with Indigenous governments and communities.

“Science does not grant us permission to do anything […] Whether we should do something that is based on scientific knowledge falls within the realm of ethics, morality, and in some cases, societal values.”

Paul Paquet, Senior Scientist

Paul Paquet is a senior scientist with the Raincoast Conservation Foundation and an Adjunct Associate professor at the University of Victoria in the Department of Geography where he works closely with the Raincoast Applied Conservation Science Lab. As a world authority in conservation science, Paul has more than 50 years of scholarly and applied research experience. His research includes terrestrial mammals, marine mammals and birds, wildlife diseases, and genetics. He is recognized internationally as an expert on the ecology, behaviour and management of mammalian carnivores, especially wolves and bears. His studies span North America, Europe, Mid-East, and the Pacific Ocean. 

Paul’s research focuses on the interface between ecological theory and conservation, science and policy, and environmental ethics. He has spent decades covering subjects ranging from the worldwide decline of large carnivores to the philosophical relationship of ethics, animal welfare, and conservation; co-authoring more than 200 scholarly articles and co-editing several books addressing ecology, conservation, and environmental ethics. 

Dr. Paquet holds graduate degrees in philosophy, wildlife management and conservation, biology, and a PhD in zoology from University of Alberta. Academic appointments include Adjunct Professor of Biology and Associate Professor of Environmental Design at the University of Calgary, Adjunct Professor at University of Saskatchewan College of Veterinary Medicine, Adjunct Professor of Zoology at University of Manitoba, and Faculty Associate at Guelph University and University of New Brunswick. 

Paul serves on science advisory committees for Environment Canada, US Fish & Wildlife Service, Caribou Scientific Advisory Committee for Saskatchewan, WWF International, the European Union, and several Species Survival Commissions (SSC) of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Additional resources

• Books and symphonies mentioned
  • Of Wolves and Men (1978) by Barry Lopez
  • White Fang (1906) by Jack London
  • The Call of the Wild (1903) by Jack London
  • The Jungle Book (1894) by Rudyard Kipling
  • Peter and the Wolf (1936) by Sergei Prokofiev
• Remembering Chester “Lone Wolf” Starr
• Remembering Gudrun “Gudy” Pflüger
• Learn more about our Wolf Conservation Program

Topics discussed

[00:35] – Paul’s introduction
[01:10] – What led you to study wolves?
[03:45] – Memorable experiences studying wild wolves
[04:20] – Barry Lopez’ book Of Wolves and Men
[06:00] – What inspired the series Of Wolves and Women?
[08:30] – Sharing ice cream with Diane Boyd’s dog
[10:30] – Letting our dogs help clean the dishes
[12:20] – Working with Diane Boyd
[16:30] – Diane and Shelley in Banff National Park
[18:45] – Working with Shelley Alexander
[20:14] – The Wolf Man in Canadian Geographic 
[21:10] – The journey of Pluie the wolf 
[23:50] – Finding Pluie’s radio collar
[25:30] – Yellowstone to Yukon Initiative
[26:15] – Vast home ranges of wolves
[27:15] – Working with Jane Packard 
[30:20] – Working with Susan Bragdon
[34:00] – Female wolves as the prominent leader
[36:00] – Dynamics and variance within wolf packs
[37:35] – The International Wolf Symposium
[38:20] – Working with Astrid Vik Stronen
[42:00] – contribution to Coastal and interior wolves
[42:40] – Remembering Gudrun Pflüger
[46:15] – British Army Special Forces training in Banff
[50:00] – Paul as a collaborator and colleague
[52:55] – Let’s not let the science die
[54:35] – Raincoast’s conservation ethics
[55:20] – Science does not give us permission to do whatever we want
[57:10] – Bringing ethics into policy
[59:30] – Longstanding relationships with Indigenous communities
[1:01:45] – Learning from Chris Darimont 
[1:02:25] – What has working with wolves taught you about yourself?
[1:03:50] – Advice to young