Meet the
Jane Goodall
of Wolves
Nearly 50 Years Tracking the West’s Greatest Comeback
Episode Description
By the early 1900s, gray wolves had been hunted, trapped, and poisoned out of the West. Now, more than 3,000 wolves roam here. Our guest, wildlife biologist Diane Boyd, has spent nearly 50 years tracking their remarkable comeback—from the arrival of a lone gray wolf from Canada in 1979 to today’s thriving packs. In pursuit of her resilient quarry, Diane has faced down grizzly bears, forded icy rivers, and skimmed above the treetops in a tiny bush plane.
In this unforgettable episode, she brings us up close and personal with these fascinating canids, including when she first felt a wolf’s heartbeat—its breath inches from her face—and the time she discovered the sedated wolf on her lap was actually fully awake. She also slows down to marvel at the wild wonders of life near Glacier National Park, including singing frozen lakes and swirling northern lights. Tune in for Diane’s expert wolf-watching tips, too. By the end, you’ll be howling to spot one yourself.
Wolf-watching highlights:
- Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming: The best place in North America to see wolves in the wild, with a devoted community of researchers, guides, and binocular-toting wolf-watchers.
- Denali National Park, Alaska: Hop on the park bus for remarkable wildlife viewing.
- Glacier National Park, Montana: Dense forest makes sightings rare but spectacular.
Guest
Diane Boyd is a wildlife biologist and one of the world’s foremost experts on gray wolf recovery and ecology. She has spent nearly five decades studying and advocating for wolves in the wilds of Montana near Glacier National Park. When she started in the 1970s, she was the only female biologist in the U.S. researching and radio-collaring wild wolves. With her two dogs for company, she faced the rigors of the Montana winter in an isolated cabin without running water or electricity.
In her memoir, A Woman Among Wolves, Diane takes readers on a wild ride from the early days of wolf research to the present-day challenges of wolf management across the globe, highlighting her interactions with an apex predator that captured her heart and her undying admiration. Her writing resonates with her indomitable spirit as she explores the intricate balance of human and wolf coexistence.
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