Wolf genetics and ecology with Astrid Vik Stronen

Raincoast Radio

In this episode, conservation biologist and genetics researcher Dr. Astrid Vik Stronen discusses her journey into wildlife research and conservation, beginning with her early passion for ecology and evolving into a focus on wildlife genetics and genomics.

From tracking wolves through the dense forests and rolling hills of Riding Mountain National Park, Manitoba to analysing hundreds of wolf scats collected in the coastal temperate rainforests of British Columbia, Astrid offers captivating insights and stories from both the field and the lab.

Delving into the fascinating world of conservation genetics, we explore an innovative and rapidly expanding field that enables researchers to track and understand wild animals, often with minimal disturbance. Astrid explains that by collecting hair, scats, and other genetic materials, we can create genetic profiles for individual animals, which allow us to assess relatedness among pack members, inbreeding levels, population structure, and even disease movement. She also emphasizes the critical need to preserve genetic diversity and understand how wolves and other wildlife are adapting to the challenges posed by human disturbance and rapid environmental change.

Dr. Astrid Vik Stronen is a wildlife biologist and researcher in conservation genetics and ecology, primarily working on wolves and other larger carnivores. Recent research projects include genomic analyses of wild species and threatened domestic breeds in Europe and Canada, including wolves, golden jackals, bears, European bison, Mediterranean monk seals, and native cattle and dog breeds at risk.

Astrid is interested in contemporary evolution resulting from human activities, and how we can best preserve wild species and their habitats in the face of rapid environmental change. She also has a strong interest in applied conservation genetics, and in projects that integrate ecology, evolution, and conservation and connect these fields to human dimensions including ethics and human-wildlife interactions.

Since 2018, Astrid has been living and working in Ljubljana, Slovenia, as part of the “ekozivali” (animal ecology) group at the University of Ljubljana’s Biotechnical Faculty, and she is also a co-founder and researcher at the Biotechnical Faculty’s spin-out company DivjaLabs. During the past years she has had the chance to participate in several research and conservation projects in Slovenia and beyond, and she appreciates the opportunities to continue to get to know this beautiful and biodiverse region.

Additional resources:

• Astrid Vik Stronen’s research
  • The relevance of genetic structure in ecotype designation and conservation management (2022)
  • Population genetic structure of gray wolves (Canis lupus) in a marine archipelago suggests island-mainland differentiation consistent with dietary niche (2014)
  • Canid hybridization: Contemporary evolution in human‐modified landscapes (2012)
• WOLFNESS - Biodiversa+
• 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.