The Origins Foundation Podcast – Roundup 165

Episode Title: Colorado Wolves, Wisconsin Sandhill Cranes, Botswana Elephants, and more!
Release Date: January 14, 2026
Hosts: Robbie (A) & Ashley (B)

Overview

This lively roundup episode surveys hot-button conservation and hunting issues from around the world, focusing on wolf management in Colorado, proposed Sandhill crane hunting in Wisconsin, controversy over elephant management and hunting concessions in Botswana, and major legislative and policy updates in North America. The conversation emphasizes the need to shift the conservation narrative from “saving” species to managing and sustaining them, scrutinizing how laws and passions impact real-world wildlife and communities.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Changing the Conservation Narrative

• Robbie recounts a discussion about how the focus of conservation has shifted:
  • “We talk about that the animal welfare, animal conservation movement used to be a ‘save the X’ movement and today it needs to be a sustain or manage the X movement.” (02:18)
• Old-school “save the [species]” campaigns vs. today’s nuanced need for sustainable management, including controlled hunting and population balancing.

Seal Overpopulation & Fisheries Collapse (Namibia)

• Issue: Mass deaths of seals on Namibia’s coast, likely due to starvation linked to overpopulation and depleted fisheries.
• Discussion: Restrictions on seal hunting inhibit population control, leading to ecological collapse:
  • “Overpopulation of the seals destroys the fisheries. No fish left anymore. Seals can't eat the fish, seals starve to death. It's like the perfect example. Why are we not valuing a resource versus this old school mentality of like, no, that's untouchable?” (04:39, Robbie)
• Action item: Pledge to dig deeper into this issue for a future episode.

2. Colorado Wolves – Jurisdictional Gridlock and Controversy

• Recent federally mandated timing and accounting for wolf reintroduction efforts in Colorado create a legal and practical tangle for Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW).
  • “CPW did not initiate this situation. They didn’t put it on the ballot. The voters did....CPW is stuck in the middle.” (11:48, Ashley)
• Ballot initiatives vs. federal law:
  • Overlapping state/federal jurisdictions, with state referendums advancing proposals strongly influenced by federal protections (e.g., the Endangered Species Act).
• Controversial importation of wolves from Canada, possibly including an individual from a livestock depredating pack—Ashley expresses skepticism about the accuracy of this report.
• “Wolves are always hot topics and always points of engagement... people go crazy on social media talking about wolves.” (17:03, Robbie & 17:09 Ashley)

3. Idaho’s Tech-Related Hunting Restrictions

• Idaho’s “negotiated rulemaking process” lauded for transparency and inclusiveness:
  • “They formed a hunting and advanced technology working group … months of meetings, statewide hunter surveys, public comments… a year and a half.” (19:04–20:20, Ashley)
• New Rules:
  • No drones for big game hunting (Aug 30–Dec 31)
  • No night vision (for hunting, scouting, or retrieval)
  • No thermal imaging (same limitations)
  • No transmitting trail cameras on public lands (controversial; debated utility and fairness)
• Exemption for wolves: The tech ban doesn’t apply to wolf hunting because of wolf population and livestock depredation issues.
  • “These would still be permitted statewide on private property year round for wolf hunting only.” (28:23, Ashley)
• Broad agreement on restricting technology:
  • “It should at every state level. Everybody should say no to drones with hunting.” (21:05, Robbie)
  • On trail cameras: “Even the trail camera stuff in Arizona, nobody’s come afterwards and go that’s really hurt us.” (27:23, Robbie)

4. Legislative Trends in Statehouses

• Most states have reconvened legislative sessions, and numerous hunting-/wildlife-related bills are coming.
• Noted recurring bills such as New York’s annual trophy hunting legislation and the emergence of “copycat” bills across multiple states.

5. Wisconsin Sandhill Cranes – Toward a Hunting Season

• Explosive crane population growth: now ~112,000 vs 30,000 threshold for hunting set by FWS.
• Standing-room-only legislative hearing, strong support from farmers and the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association.
  • “They had about $1.5 million in [crop] losses this past year. And right now the producers are just absorbing those losses.” (32:35, Ashley)
• International Crane Foundation is not anti-hunting generally, but opposes hunting in Wisconsin.
  • “Sort of like they’re ok with hunting in other states … but they just don't want them to hunt in Wisconsin.” (33:24, Ashley)
• State wildlife biologists affirm population stability and precedent from other states.
• Next steps: Senate committee vote pending.

6. Botswana’s NG13 Elephant Hunting Conundrum

• Analogy: “Elephants are the wolves of southern Africa…and if you had to pick the Colorado of elephants, it's Botswana.” (38:13, Robbie)
• NG13: Million-acre concession area mired in corruption, mismanagement, and local disputes.
  • “NG13 has been embroiled in controversy… first big hundred-pound elephant got killed... all the anti hunting people picked it up.” (41:03, Robbie)
• Recent illegal transfer of concession management, court-ordered hunting moratorium, and implications for community revenue and anti-poaching efforts.
• Robbie: “Would you prefer to have a hunting operator up there constantly present…dissuading poaching, or kick the hunting operator out…let poaching do what it needs to do and take out double, triple, quadruple the amount of elephants?” (46:24)
• Future podcast planned to unpack this in full: “Unpacking the NG13 Elephant Issues.”

7. New BLM Director Nomination – Steve Pearce

• Highly controversial due to oil/gas, anti-federal-land-protection record.
  • “Some of his [Congressional] votes are very concerning to me…the most concerning one was that he cosponsored the HERD Act … would have authorized the Department of Interior and USDA to sell or dispose of federal public lands…” (54:25, Ashley)
• Bipartisan opposition, lots of attention from conservation and ‘green’ organizations.
• Advice: Now’s the time for stakeholders to contact senators and raise concerns, especially about Pearce’s views on public land sales.
  • “Ask the incoming potential BLM boss a very straightforward question, ‘Are you going to sell any of our public lands that belong to the BLM?’” (51:01, Robbie)

8. US Withdrawal from IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature)

• The US has withdrawn both funding and membership, following an executive order to review international treaties.
• Concern about loss of influence:
  • “We don’t have a seat at the table for helping craft international policy … I don’t see a benefit to us leaving IUCN specifically.” (59:17, Robbie)
• Further concern about non-sustainable use NGOs now gaining unchecked influence in international conservation.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the need for management over sentimentality:
  “We don’t need to save [certain species] anymore … we need to manage them.” – Robbie (03:05)
• On restricting hunting technology:
  “Laws are made because of a few bad actors.” – Ashley (21:48)
• On Colorado’s wolf introduction gridlock:
  “CPW is stuck in the middle…trying to carry out what Colorado voters voted into existence, but their hands are tied.” – Ashley (11:48)
• On hunting’s conservation impact in Africa:
  “[Would you rather] have a hunting operator up there constantly present…or kick the hunting operator out and let poaching do what it needs to do?” – Robbie (46:24)
• On losing an international voice:
  “Conservation is now a global issue. We all have to work together… if you're not at the table, then things are going to be passed that affect us anyway.” – Ashley (57:27)
• On transparency in rulemaking:
  “It wasn’t just pushed through the commission. It went public, commission, legislature signed. I like it.” – Robbie (30:18)

Timestamps of Major Segments

• 00:48–06:28: Changing conservation narratives (save vs. sustain), Seal die-offs in Namibia
• 09:50–17:15: Colorado wolves – legal tangle, ballot vs. federal management, social media feedback
• 18:07–30:33: Idaho hunting technology restrictions, process for rulemaking, debate and exemptions for wolves
• 30:38–37:16: Wisconsin Sandhill crane hunting bill, population/recovery, support/opposition
• 37:26–47:38: Botswana’s NG13 elephant concession controversy, hunting vs. poaching, corruption
• 47:42–55:03: BLM director nomination, Steve Pearce’s voting record, land sale concerns
• 55:28–59:17: US withdrawal from IUCN; loss of influence in international conservation policy

Final Tone & Style Notes

The hosts deliver information with a blend of candor, expertise, and occasional comedic banter, taking care to credit all sides of each debate, while clearly aligning with pragmatic, management-forward conservation. The episode is approachable, conversational, and rich with both data and personality.

For more, listen directly or follow up on upcoming dedicated episodes on NG13 elephants and other developing stories.