What was Mike Phillips' unfunded research idea involving grizzly bears and tampons?

Mike Phillips proposed a study in the early 1980s to test if menstrual odor affected grizzly bear behavior. The idea involved collecting used tampons, distilling menstrual fluid, and then injecting it into small waxy balls to be fired by a crossbow near bears. The study ultimately wasn't funded due to various concerns.

What are the most effective defensive tools against grizzly bears?

Bear spray is highly effective against grizzlies. It should be kept easily accessible, and individuals should practice using placebo cans. Hiking in groups and being aware of surroundings, especially in areas with limited visibility, are also crucial for safety. Fighting back is only recommended if a bear enters your tent, otherwise, protect soft parts and play dead.

What is a trophic cascade and how does it relate to wolf reintroduction in Yellowstone?

A trophic cascade describes how species at the top of the food pyramid, like gray wolves, can profoundly affect lower layers. In Yellowstone, the reintroduction of wolves reduced elk numbers and changed their behavior, leading to cascading effects such as the growth of willows and aspens, which in turn increased beaver populations and passerine birds.

Why was there a historical 'war' against gray wolves in the US?

The 'war' against gray wolves, lasting centuries, was driven by early European settlers' embrace of 'manifest destiny' and a desire to tame the wilderness. Wolves symbolized wildness and unpredictability, clashing with the vision of a predictable, human-dominated landscape. This led to systematic extermination through shooting, trapping, den destruction, and widespread poison use.

What is the 'sixth great extinction crisis' and why is it concerning?

The sixth great extinction crisis is the ongoing, rapid disappearance of species worldwide, occurring at a rate approximately a thousand times faster than the natural background rate. Unlike previous mass extinctions caused by natural events, this crisis is driven by human activities and their relentless pursuit of dominating the planet, posing a great peril to the health of global landscapes.

Why is Colorado considered the 'last missing piece' for continental gray wolf restoration?

Colorado offers a unique opportunity due to over 17 million acres of federal public lands and an estimated 700,000 deer and elk. Restoring wolves here would create an unbroken connection for gray wolves from the High Arctic to the Mexican border, an unparalleled continental-scale restoration of a major carnivore.

What are the actual predatory capabilities of real wolves versus mythical wolves?

The 'mythical wolf' is often perceived as an all-powerful, supernatural predator. In reality, the 'real wolf' struggles daily for survival, failing in 70-80% of hunts. They are not built for easy kills, with less muscular forelimbs and claws that wear down. Their success comes from being doggedly determined and supremely social, relying on their pack for survival.

How can conflicts between wolves and livestock be minimized?

Effective strategies include employing 'range riders' (modern shepherds) to maintain a human presence, implementing husbandry practices that promote larger, more defensive livestock groups, and modifying calving locations to reduce exposure to wolves. Compensation programs can also mitigate economic losses. Techniques like 'fladry' (flagging on fences) can deter wolves from specific areas.

What is the current status of the gray wolf under the Endangered Species Act (ESA)?

Despite decades of restoration efforts, the gray wolf currently inhabits only about 15% of its historical range in the continental US. The US Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed delisting wolves in some areas, which Mike Phillips views as a misguided interpretation of the ESA, arguing it's premature and due to agency exhaustion rather than full recovery.

What is the Rocky Mountain Wolf Action Fund trying to achieve in Colorado?

The Rocky Mountain Wolf Action Fund aims to get a wolf restoration initiative on the 2020 ballot in Colorado. They need to collect 200,000 signatures from Colorado residents by the end of September (with a critical deadline of September 15th for funding) to ensure the initiative appears on the ballot, allowing Coloradans to vote on the future of wolves in the state.

How can people contribute to the Colorado wolf reintroduction effort, even if they're not in Colorado?

People can donate to the Rocky Mountain Wolf Action Fund (WolfActionFund.com), especially to meet the $600,000 goal by September 15th for signature gathering. Tim Ferriss offers a $100,000 matching grant for contributions within a week of the podcast release. Non-Coloradans can influence the future of national forests by supporting these efforts. Colorado residents can sign petitions or volunteer to gather signatures.

Key Moments

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Key Moments

TL;DR

Restoring wolves to Colorado offers a continental-scale rewilding opportunity and an alternative to extinction.

Key Insights

Apex predators like wolves play a crucial role in ecosystem health through trophic cascades.

The current extinction crisis is occurring at an unprecedented and alarming rate due to human activity, not natural cycles.

Restoration efforts by private landowners and organizations are vital for species recovery.

Reintroducing wolves to western Colorado presents a unique, continental-scale opportunity to connect fragmented populations.

Concerns about wolves harming livestock or big-game populations are largely unfounded, supported by decades of research.

Citizen action through ballot initiatives and direct support is essential for successful wolf reintroduction.

PREDATORS AS ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERS

Mike Phillips, drawing from his extensive experience in wildlife conservation, emphasizes the pivotal role of predators in maintaining healthy ecosystems. Predators, by definition, are rare but their presence can trigger 'trophic cascades.' This phenomenon occurs when top predators influence prey behavior and population numbers, leading to cascading effects down the food web. Examples include increased vegetation growth due to reduced herbivore pressure and subsequent habitat improvements for other species like birds and beavers. The reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park is a prime example of this top-down ecological impact.

THE EXTINCTION CRISIS AND HUMAN ROLE

Phillips highlights that while extinctions have occurred throughout Earth's history, the current rate is drastically accelerated, approximately a thousand times faster than the natural background rate. Unlike past crises caused by events like asteroid impacts, the current Anthropocene extinction crisis is driven by human activities. He stresses that humans are unlikely to go extinct, but the Earth may become profoundly altered, leading to immense suffering. This accelerated loss of biodiversity is a critical issue that demands urgent attention and action.

WOLF REINTRODUCTION: LESSONS FROM THE PAST

Phillips recounts his early career leading the Red Wolf restoration program, the first attempt to reintroduce a species declared extinct in the wild. He then moved to lead the Yellowstone Gray Wolf restoration program, a pivotal effort that demonstrated the profound ecological changes resulting from predator reintroduction. Despite the success of such programs, Phillips notes that the gray wolf still occupies only about 15% of its historical range, underscoring the vast amount of work still needed.

COLORADO: A CONTINENTAL REWILDING OPPORTUNITY

Western Colorado is identified as a critical and unique opportunity for large-scale wolf restoration. The region boasts over 17 million acres of federal public land, supporting a substantial population of deer and elk, which are primary prey for wolves. This vast, contiguous public land, combined with a supportive public sentiment, makes Colorado the ideal 'arch stone' for reconnecting wolf populations from the High Arctic to the Mexican border. This represents a rare chance for continental-scale rewilding.

ADDRESSING CONCERNS AND PROMOTING COEXISTENCE

Phillips directly addresses common concerns regarding wolf reintroduction, such as threats to human safety, livestock predation, and impacts on big game populations. He presents data showing that gray wolves pose minimal threat to humans, and livestock losses are infrequent and manageable. Likewise, wolf populations have not disrupted big-game hunting in areas with established wolf populations. He emphasizes practical tools for coexistence, including range riders, husbandry practices, and compensation programs, alongside the potential for more liberal management on private lands and conservative management on public lands.

STRATEGY, ACTION, AND THE TIME SENSITIVITY

The effort to reintroduce wolves to Colorado is time-sensitive, primarily through a ballot initiative in 2020. The Rocky Mountain Wolf Action Fund is working to gather 200,000 signatures by the end of September 2019 to qualify the initiative for the ballot, requiring significant funding by September 15th. Phillips stresses that direct democracy and citizen engagement, whether through donations or volunteering for signature gathering, are crucial. He likens the situation to holding 'the bridge,' emphasizing that this is a rare opportunity to foster restoration and demonstrate a new, more harmonious relationship with nature.

Mentioned in This Episode

●Products

●Software & Apps

●Companies

●Organizations

●Books

●Concepts

●People Referenced

Common Questions

Grizzly bears often have blood-stained muzzles from hunting caribou calves for a short period in early summer. However, their teeth are stained green because their diet primarily consists of vegetation; looks can be deceiving in their predatory portrayal.

Topics

Mindset & Self-Improvement Science & Mathematics Wolf Reintroduction Environmental Policy Ecosystem Restoration Environment & Climate Wildlife Conservation Apex Predators Trophic Cascades Endangered Species Human-wildlife Coexistence

Mentioned in this video

People

Aldo Leopold

An influential ecologist who wrote 'A Sand County Almanac' and famously observed the importance of predators in maintaining ecosystem balance.

Mike Phillips

Executive Director of the Turner Endangered Species Fund and advisor to the Turner Biodiversity Division, co-founded with Ted Turner in 1997. Previously led Red Wolf and Gray Wolf restoration programs for the US Department of Interior, and served in the Montana House and Senate.

Tim Ferriss

Host of The Tim Ferriss Show, deconstructs world-class performers, and expresses excitement about wolf restoration.

Ted Turner

Co-founder of the Turner Endangered Species Fund and Turner Biodiversity Division with Mike Phillips, described as a hero with a big heart and imagination.

Software & Apps

ShipStation

A shipping software that helps streamline online selling by consolidating orders and finding the best shipping carriers.

Fladry

Strips of flagging hung from a fence that flap in the wind, used to create confusion for gray wolves and deter them from entering certain areas, such as calving grounds.

Concepts

Anthropocene Era

The current geological epoch, following the Holocene, in which human activity is the dominant influence on climate and the environment, marking the beginning of the sixth great extinction crisis.

Red Wolf Restoration Program

A historic effort led by Mike Phillips to restore red wolves to the southeastern US, notable as the first attempt to restore a carnivore species declared extinct in the wild.

Trophic Cascade

An ecological process that starts at the top of the food chain and tumbles downwards, like wolves impacting elk behavior and numbers, leading to changes in vegetation and other species.

Yellowstone Gray Wolf Restoration Program

A successful reintroduction program led by Mike Phillips in 1994, which significantly changed the park's ecosystem by reducing elk numbers and altering their behavior.

Organizations

Rocky Mountain Wolf Action Fund

A sibling organization to the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project, aiming to get wolf restoration on the 2020 Colorado ballot for Coloradans to vote on.

Turner Endangered Species Fund

Co-founded by Mike Phillips and Ted Turner in 1997, it is a significant private effort dedicated to using reintroductions to restore imperiled species.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Organization that issued a permit for Mike Phillips to use radioactive materials for a study on Red Wolves.

US Fish and Wildlife Service

The federal agency responsible for implementing the Endangered Species Act, sometimes perceived as prematurely delisting species due to resource exhaustion, rather than proper funding.

Rocky Mountain Wolf Project

An educational effort focused on telling the truth about gray wolves and demonstrating that coexistence is straightforward, of which E.O. Wilson is a science advisory team member.

Books

A Sand County Almanac

A book by Aldo Leopold recommended by Mike Phillips, which discusses the need for a land ethic and humanity's place within the planet's diversity of life.

Products

Bear Spray

An effective deterrent against grizzly bears, recommended to be kept at the ready and practiced with placebo cans.

Legislation & Policy

Endangered Species Act

The foundational law for the recovery of imperiled species in the US, which according to Mike Phillips, the US Fish and Wildlife Service sometimes misinterprets or attempts to circumvent due to the difficulty of recovery efforts.

Companies

Helix Sleep

A mattress company that offers a sleep quiz to match customers with a mattress tailored to their body type and sleep preferences.

Locations

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

Location where Mike Phillips studied grizzly bear behavior and habitat use in anticipation of oil and gas development.

Yellowstone National Park

The site of a historic gray wolf restoration effort led by Mike Phillips, documented to show ecological changes like the growth of aspen forests and willow communities due to wolf reintroduction.

Denali National Park

Proposed location for Mike Phillips' unfunded study on grizzly bear response to menstrual odors.

White River National Forest

A significant federal public land area in western Colorado, part of the 17+ million acres that support a large deer and elk population, ideal for wolf reintroduction.

Colorado

Identified as the last missing piece for continental gray wolf restoration, offering a 'biological mother lode' with vast public lands and a large prey population.

Media

How Wolves Change Rivers

A popular YouTube video (40M+ views) reflecting the efforts to restore gray wolves to Yellowstone National Park, illustrating the concept of trophic cascades.

Horatius at the Bridge

A poem written in 1842 by Thomas Babington Macaulay, cited for its lines about standing firm in defense, used metaphorically to inspire action in conservation.