Zoë Hanley leads Defenders of Wildlife’s coexistence initiatives in the Northwest, working directly with communities sharing the landscape with imperiled species like grizzly bears and gray wolves. For the past decade, Zoë has worked to deepen human understanding of carnivore ecology and develop strategies for human-carnivore coexistence.

Zoë will talk about Innovating Predator-Livestock Non-Lethal Tools: RAG Box 2.0: The radio-activated guard (RAG) box was developed in the late 1990s as a visual and acoustic device to deter predators from killing livestock in small pastures. However, the design had never been standardized; devices were expensive, lacked protection for sensitive radio-collar frequencies and were prone to malfunction and user error. To address these issues, we partnered with engineers and multiple state wildlife agencies in 2020-21 to develop the RAG box 2.0. We conducted preliminary field tests to evaluate the efficacy of this updated non-lethal tool in Washington and Oregon. The results will help determine the appropriate uses of this tool and add to a growing body of scientific studies that support the use of humane tools for predator-livestock conflict resolution.

Lynn Okita is a longtime wildlife enthusiast and advocate and has a special interest in wolves. She is a member of the WA Department of Fish & Wildlife Wolf Advisory Group (WAG), and advocates for coexistence with wolves in this diverse stakeholder group representing conservationists, livestock producers, hunters, and outdoor recreationists. She is the Board Chair of Western Wildlife Outreach, a nonprofit based in WA, and is a member of the Pacific Wolf Coalition Steering Committee. 

In the past, Lynn volunteered for Olympic Wildlife Rescue in western WA (now closed), and at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Large Animal Research Station where reindeer, caribou, and musk oxen were studied. She is a nurse practitioner and has worked in various healthcare settings over the years. Lynn will give an update on the Status of Wolves in Washington.