Wolves, biodiversity, and food security with Susan Bragdon

02/18/25 • 64 min

In this episode, international lawyer and natural resource ecologist Susan Bragdon discusses her early work as a young girl studying wolves in captivity. She shares the groundbreaking discovery her observations led to about the role of female wolves, challenging the biases that had shaped previous understandings. We also explore the dynamic nature of wolf interactions and the importance of considering personality in understanding wolves and advancing wildlife conservation.

From wolves to multilateral negotiations, Susan shares how her desire to protect wildlife and biological diversity led her to recognize the importance of agricultural diversity for food and nutrition security. Driven by a passion for both science and advocacy, she discusses her career as an international lawyer working with the United Nations and the founding of Seeds for All — a non-profit dedicated to supporting and expanding agroecology by amplifying the voices and participation of small-scale farmers and promoting inclusive, democratic governance.

Susan H. Bragdon is an international lawyer, natural resource ecologist, and U.S. patent agent with more than 25 years of experience working with governments, United Nations agencies and multilateral institutions and donor organizations on policy and science related to sustainable food systems, biological diversity, small-scale farmers, and agroecology.

She served as Legal Advisor to the Convention on Biological Diversity and was the first attorney-senior scientist hired within the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) at a senior level to develop and implement policy strategy on plant genetic diversity and food security and to leverage its role through critical partnerships. Susan also developed and led the Food and Sustainability Programme at the Quaker United Nations Office in Geneva and was a Policy Advisor for Oxfam Novib’s Sowing Diversity=Harvesting Security Programme.

Susan is the Director of Seeds for All, a non-profit organization with a mission to support and expand agroecology by amplifying the voices and participation of small-scale farmers and building democratic, participatory and inclusive governance at all levels.

Additional resources:

Seeds for All
Susan H. Bragdon’s early wolf research
- Scent rubbing in wolves (Canis lupus): the effect of novelty (2011)
- Mutual Rearing of Simultaneous Litters in Captive Wolves (1982)
Books mentioned throughout the episode
- The Wolf: The Ecology and Behavior of an Endangered Species by L. David Mech
Films featuring Gudrun Pflüger
- A Woman Among Wolves
- Running With Wolves
Learn more about our Wolf Conservation Program

Raincoast Radio is hosted by Chelsea Greer and produced by Sofia Osborne, with additional audio editing by Oumar Salifou. This podcast is a production of Raincoast Conservation Foundation, a team of conservationists and scientists empowered by research to protect the lands, waters and wildlife of coastal British Columbia. Learn more and support our work at raincoast.org.

Additional resources:

Seeds for All
Susan H. Bragdon’s early wolf research
- Scent rubbing in wolves (Canis lupus): the effect of novelty (2011)
- Mutual Rearing of Simultaneous Litters in Captive Wolves (1982)
Books mentioned throughout the episode
- The Wolf: The Ecology and Behavior of an Endangered Species by L. David Mech
Films featuring Gudrun Pflüger
- A Woman Among Wolves
- Running With Wolves
Learn more about our Wolf Conservation Program

Previous Episode

Wolf social behaviour with Jane Packard

In this episode, behavioural ecologist Dr. Jane Packard highlights the connection between behaviour, ecology, and physiology as she recounts captivating tales from her time as a wolf researcher across Canada and the US. From captive wolves in Minnesota to the wild packs of Ellesmere Island and Yellowstone National Park, we also explore the complex interplay of social and environmental factors that shape the intricate lives of wolves, delving into their reproductive, social, and cognitive behaviours.

Additionally, in the pursuit of progressing both wolf research and conservation, we discuss the importance of learning to see the world through the eyes of another being — whether two-legged or four-legged — and recognizing the value of perspectives shaped by diverse experiences and ways of knowing.

Dr. Jane Packard is Associate Professor Emeritus at Texas A&M University. She joined the Graduate Faculty in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences with a BA in Psychology from Swarthmore College, Ph.D. in Ecology and Behavioral Biology from the University of Minnesota, and postdoc at the University of Florida.

In 2008, she was internationally recognized as a leading expert on wolf social behaviour for research conducted early in her career. Her national reputation broadened as she applied the principles of behavioural ecology to marine mammals and ungulates. Her greatest research contributions included behavioural mechanisms of infertility, animal use of habitat, and diverse cultural perspectives on conservation.

Teaching and service awards highlighted her dedication to scientific rigor, diversity, and high impact learning experiences for undergraduates. She served on the boards of international, national and local non-profit organizations, including: Society for Conservation Biology, Organization for Tropical Studies, Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, and Brazos Valley Museum.

Additional resources:

Jane M. Packard’s research
- Wolves (2019)
- Wolf Social Intelligence (2012)
- Wolf Behavior: Reproductive, Social, and Intelligent (2003)
Books mentioned in the episode
- The Arctic Wolf by L. David Mech
- In the Shadow of Man by Jane Goodall
- Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Films featuring Gudrun Pflüger:
- A Woman Among Wolves
- Running With Wolves
Learn more about our Wolf Conservation Program

Next Episode

The science and ethics of tracking wolves with Shelley Alexander

In this episode, wildlife scientist and canid specialist Dr. Shelley Alexander shares captivating stories and insights from the early days of her wildlife career. From tracking the return of wolves in Banff National Park to raising coyote pups and working with livestock owners, Shelley reflects on how these formative experiences have influenced the trajectory of her work 25 years later.

Challenging the traditional concept of habitat, we explore how animals might experience habitat alteration and loss, emphasizing the importance of considering not only the physical attributes but also the cognitive and affective landscape of “good” habitat.

Acknowledging the inextricable link between science and ethics, we delve into the ethical considerations of trapping and collaring wolves for research. We also explore the broader ethical, ecological, and social implications of the indiscriminate and targeted killing of wolves and other canid species.

Dr. Shelley Alexander is a Professor of Geography at the University of Calgary. She has over 30 years of experience studying human-wildlife coexistence, specializing in wolves and coyotes. She founded the Canid Conservation Science Lab, embracing non-invasive methods and the principles of Compassionate Conservation.

Shelley started her wildlife career in 1991 as a field researcher working for Dr. Paul Paquet on the first study of recolonizing wolves in Banff National Park, Canada. She also studied briefly with Dr. Jenny Ryon (Dalhousie University) monitoring captive wolf family dynamics, in-den behaviour, and play in coyote pups.

Shelley became an international expert in road ecology and geospatial analysis for carnivore conservation. Since 2006, she has led the Foothills Coyote Initiative, investigating topics from coyote ecology and social intelligence to human-coyote conflict and the effects of urbanization on coyotes, landowner experiences with and media portrayal of coyotes, spatial epidemiology, and the intersection of colonial ideology, ethics, and coyote killing. She also created UCalgary Living with Wildlife — an active evidence-based wildlife coexistence program on campus.

In November 2024, Shelley was elected to the College of Fellows of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, recognizing her contributions to raising the profile of Canada's natural heritage at home and worldwide.

Additional resources: