Mar 6, 2019
When in Germany in the 80s Elli Radinger was refused a job in space law because it was supposedly man’s work she gave it all up to dedicate her life to wolves and is now a world expert on the subject. In this fascinating episode I talk to Elli about watching wolves in the wild in America’s vast national parks, close encounters with bears, the incredible bonds wolves share in the pack and about some of the really lovely stories in her book the Wisdom of Wolves.
On this episode we cover:
How a childhood dog led to her interest in wolves
How she came to work with wolves
Working as a flight attendant to see the world
Qualifying as a lawyer
Wanting to work in aviation law
Being rejected from space law due to being a woman
Giving up law to work with wolves
Working as a tour guide
Starting a captive wolf research internship in Indiana
The ‘land of fire and ice’ of Yellowstone National Park
Volcanos and geysers
Having all US predator and prey animals in one spot
Being the only place in the world you can watch wild wolves from the road
The fascinating re-introduction of wolves into Yellowstone
How wolves have changed the whole ecosystem of the park
Huge Wapiti elks
Scotland considering re-introducing wolves
Living in the middle of wolf and bear territory in a cabin in the woods in Minnesota
Kissing wolves and raising wolf pups in captivity
Encountering her first wolf in the wild
Bear spray versus hamster spray!
How bears and wolves don’t usually attack people
Her close encounter with a black bear in Minnesota
The sad death of Timothy Treadwell and Amie Huguenard
How wolves can show tenderness and love
The she wolf who stole her heart
How female wolves have very strong personalities
How the death of her favourite wolf, killed by hunters, almost made her give up on Yellowstone
Anti-wolfers who want to kill the wolves to detroy the Yellowstone project
The hate against wild animals and wolves
Gorillas in the Mist
Wolf-watching in -30c!
The curious nature of wolves
The night she camped out in the snow (no tent, -35C)
The stunning display of the Northern Lights
The wolf he came to stand so close to her
How humans can learn a lot from wolves
Listeners questions from Penny, Torben, Sophie, Paul and Marcus
The countries in Europe we still have wolves – Eastern Europe, Germany, Spain, Italy. France, Switzerland, the Netherlands
Rome’s spaghetti wolves
Why wolves howl (it’s not about the full moon)
The wolf pack in her book that howled every Wednesday at 3pm
How crossing dogs with wolves is dangerous
Wanting to be there for her old dog when she dies
The secret life of trees Peter Wohlleben
Her book the Wisdom of Wolves being translated into 17 languages
Her new book The Wisdom of Old Dogs
How dogs teach us so much
Wanting to see Iceland, Greenland and the artic ‘before it melts down’
How living with an old dog makes you realise how valuable time is
Her forthcoming book tour around the Netherlands and Eastern Europe
Sean Ellis and his work with wolves in captivity
French kissing wolves
Growling at wolves
The wolfy soundtrack that reminds her of, yes, you guessed it, watching the wolves