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Nature's Secret Service

Nature's Secret Service

di Ed Newcomer

Stagione 3

Wolves of the Great Lakes - Special Agent Steve Stoinski

Are the gray wolves in the Great Lakes area any less persecuted than the wolves in western states? Nope. Join Ed in a conversation with Special Agent Steve Stoinski and hear about his investigation of a Wisconsin landowner who took it upon himself to rid his area of wild wolves protected by the Endangered Species Act. Steve also gives us some insight into what happened to the very first wolves that naturally migrated into Colorado long before that state's effort to reintroduce them. You won't believe it! Well, you probably will believe it.

Idaho Wolf Wars - Wildlife Officer Tony Latham

Can you kill a wolf in self-defense? One of the very few exceptions to the prohibition against killing endangered or threatened species is self-defense - if you have to kill the animal to save yourself or others. Although wolves have a ferocious reputation in folklore, there are almost no documented cases of wolves attacking human beings. Even when human biologists raid a wolf den to study pups, the adult wolves will not attack. Sit down for a discussion with Tony Latham, one of the most respected state wildlife officers in the west to talk about Idaho's "Wolf Wars." You'll be fascinated to learn about a 'self-defense' case involving two deer hunters in Idaho who shot a wolf and claimed it was attacking them. Tony was assigned to investigate whether or not that claim was true.

The Wildlife Forensic Crime Lab - Dr. Ed Espinoza

Where do agents turn when they have a case like last week's poison meatball investigation? Well, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Clark Bavin National Forensic Laboratory in Ashland, Oregon, was the first crime lab established in the United States that was totally dedicated to assisting with wildlife crime investigations. A fully accredited crime lab, the FWS Lab provides assistance to federal and state wildlife investigators as they tackle some of the most complex investigations. This week, join Ed for his discussion with Dr. Ed Espinoza, the former deputy director of the FWS Lab to learn more about what the lab can do and how it helps agents solve cases and bring violators to justice.

The Poison Meatballs - Special Agent Scott Bragonier

Ed Newcomer tells the incredible story of Special Agent Scott Bragonier's investigation of a expansive crime scene in the wilds of Idaho. What happened at the crime scene? It appears to Agent Bragonier as if someone has tried to poison wild wolves that are protected by the US Endangered Species Act. Join Ed and Sheryl McCollum, the host of the Zone-7 podcast, as they talk about the case and the important role played by forensic evidence and good crime scene processing. This case was the first case where someone was successfully convicted for attempting to take an endangered or threatened species. Special thanks to Sheryl McCollum and the team at Zone-7 for giving us permission to replay this episode on Season 3 of the Nature's Secret Service podcast.

The Omak Wolf - Special Agent Corky Roberts

If you illegally kill an endangered wolf that naturally migrated into the United States but want to keep the pelt, how do you launder it so it appears to be 'legal?' Tune in to this week's episode with former USFWS special agent Corky Roberts to hear about his investigation of a Washington resident who did just that.

Red Wolves, Mexican Grays, and Colorado Wolves - Mike Phillips (Part 2)

Join Ed for part two of our conversation with renowned wolf biologist Mike Phillips. In this week's episode, Mike takes us through the history of red wolf reintroduction in the Southeastern US, Mexican gray wolf reintroduction in the Southwest, and the recent efforts to reintroduce wolves to Colorado. Although Mike is an ardent supporter of wolf reintroduction across the US, he is a realist and speaks to us honestly about the reintroduction efforts and the likelihood of success under current circumstances.

Yellowstone Wolves Reborn - Mike Phillips (Part 1)

Join the conversation with Mike Phillips, former head of wolf reintroduction in Yellowstone National Park as he talks with us about wolf reintroduction, wolf biology, the way wolves interact with their environment, and how misplaced anti-wolf sentiments are threatening one of the greatest wildlife recovery success stories in US history.

Jack Booted Thugs - Special Agents Paul Weyland and Steve Magone

What happens when you head out to conduct a wolf poaching investigation and the local sheriff threatens to arrest you? Wolf Number 10 in Montana wasn't the only reintroduced wolf killed in 1995. Wolf Number B13 was released in Idaho in early 1995 and by Spring, it was dead. Shot and killed on a private rancher's property in central Idaho. Special Agents Paul Weyland, Steve Magone, and Tom Riley were put on the case but what they encountered at the crime scene would send chills down the spine of any federal law enforcement officer. Join the conversation this week with Ed, Paul Weyland, and Steve Magone and they take you through the story.

The McKittrick Memo - Elinor Colbourn

Join Ed for his conversation with former federal prosecutor Elinor Colbourn about the infamous McKittrick Policy and its impact on wolf poaching cases. Elinor was a senior federal prosecutor with the US Department of Justice in the Environment and Natural Resources Division where she prosecuted some of the country's most important criminal cases involving environmental law. She was the prosecutor on the "Friday Night Lights" case discussed with Special Agent Keith Swindle in Season 1, Episodes 4 and 5.

Wolf 10 and the Lawman: Special Agent Tim Eicher

Wolf Number 10 was the first of the reintroduced wolves in Yellowstone National Park to be illegally shot and killed by a poacher. US Fish and Wildlife Service Special Agent Tim Eicher was the agent assigned to solve the case. Join Ed and Tim for their conversation about that case and learn how Tim identified a suspect and brought him to justice. Hear, too, how the case was the spark for long-lasting policy at the US Department of Justice that has hampered Endangered Species Act criminal cases for the past 30 years.

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