Justin Brown

Date: 2017-05-03 | Duration: 1h 37m

Episode Overview

Wildlife biologist Justin Brown shares deep insights into the adaptability and behavior of urban predators, focusing primarily on coyotes and mountain lions. Drawing from his extensive fieldwork in cities like Chicago and Los Angeles, Brown highlights how coyotes have successfully integrated into densely populated areas, often surviving by scavenging human trash and exploiting urban fruit trees. He recounts memorable encounters, including a coyote stealing a chicken and navigating busy streets with remarkable agility. Brown emphasizes the importance of coexistence, encouraging people to scare off coyotes rather than attempt removal, which often backfires by increasing reproduction rates. The conversation also delves into mountain lion research in the Santa Monica Mountains, where Brown discusses the challenges these large predators face due to habitat fragmentation caused by freeways. He explains the use of radio collars and tracking technology to monitor their movements and health, sharing stories about individual lions like P-22. Brown touches on the unintended consequences of rodenticides on mountain lions and the efforts to educate livestock owners on protecting their animals from predation. Throughout the episode, Brown underscores the complexity of urban ecosystems and the resilience of these predators, offering a nuanced perspective on human-wildlife interactions in modern landscapes.

About Justin Brown

Justin Brown is a dedicated biologist specializing in coyote field research at the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, where he leads innovative studies that contribute to wildlife conservation efforts. With a rich background in ecology and animal behavior, Justin is known for his engaging approach to educating the public about the role of coyotes in urban ecosystems and the importance of coexistence. His insights into coyote behavior and their adaptability in urban settings have made him a sought-after expert, featured in various media, including his appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience. Passionate about fostering a connection between nature and communities, Justin's work not only advances scientific understanding but also promotes family-friendly outdoor experiences.

Key Moments

– Urban Wildlife
– Coyotes
– Mountain Lions
– Wildlife Tracking
– Animal Collaring
– Human-Wildlife Interaction
– Wildlife Ecology
– Predator Behavior
– Wildlife Conservation
– Wildlife Disease
– Animal Scat Analysis
– Wildlife Management
– Urban Ecosystems
– Wildlife Adaptation
– Wildlife Poisons and Toxicants
– Wildlife Movement Barriers
– Livestock Protection
– Wildlife Research Methods
0:00:24 – Introduction to urban coyote encounters
0:02:03 – Tracking coyotes in Chicago urban areas
0:02:36 – Mention of Dan Flores and coyote literature
0:04:42 – Collecting coyote scat for research
0:05:45 – Coyotes exploiting fruiting trees in urban settings
0:06:31 – Collaring animals to monitor urban wildlife
0:07:55 – Long-term bobcat collaring project since 1996
0:09:58 – Observation of coyote with pups
0:11:07 – Advice to scare off coyotes in urban areas
0:14:00 – Mountain lions navigating busy urban roads
0:16:42 – Differentiating coyote scat from bobcat scat
0:17:28 – Mountain lion study and collaring efforts
0:20:49 – Dominance behavior among male mountain lions
0:22:15 – Challenges in removing urban predators
0:25:39 – Mountain lion attacks on livestock
0:28:17 – Relocation of captured mountain lions
0:29:39 – Impact of poisons on wildlife health
0:30:26 – Mountain lion population in Santa Monica Mountains
0:33:15 – Seasonal fruit availability for urban wildlife
0:35:25 – Coyotes affected by mange disease
0:37:59 – Coyotes widespread across the US except Hawaii
0:38:46 – Reducing human food sources to manage coyotes
0:41:03 – Complex relationship between coyotes and dogs
0:44:59 – Data sharing among wildlife researchers
0:47:36 – Population control effects on coyotes
0:48:55 – Adaptability of coyotes across environments
0:50:41 – Feeding wildlife linked to coyote problems
0:51:30 – Coyotes preying on moose in winter
0:53:47 – Use of VHF collars for animal tracking
0:54:23 – Frequent collar replacements for mountain lions
0:57:52 – Freeways as barriers to wildlife gene flow
1:00:12 – Historical presence of elk and grizzly bears
1:03:03 – Mountain lions' diet includes browse and brush
1:05:55 – Description of darting equipment for wildlife
1:10:09 – Wildlife corridors aiding animal movement
1:16:09 – Unknown long-term effects of toxicants on wildlife
1:18:21 – Rat populations in urban environments
1:22:49 – Funding sources for wildlife research
1:27:59 – Dedication required for wildlife fieldwork

Transcript Excerpt

Starting point is 00:00:00 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Starting point is 00:00:24 But yeah, no law enforcement on my end. I'm just a biologist. Well, listen, man, I've read about your work in Starting point is 00:00:54 not off the top of my head but Starting point is 00:01:10 This is in Burbank. Starting point is 00:01:32 And I just remember thinking, this is so strange. These are like wild dogs that live like right amongst us. And then from then on, I've had some encounters. I had a coyote steal a chicken from Starting point is 00:02:03 there, so I worked in Chicago for a long time. We were tracking coyotes in some incredibly urban areas there, like right along Lakeshore Drive in Chicago. Starting point is 00:02:36 relationship with coyotes i had um dan flores on the podcast last month who's the author of coyote Starting point is 00:03:12 And so it's nice to have something like Dan's book to kind of reference people to. Starting point is 00:03:49 she comes out and tries to run them off. Starting point is 00:04:09 the dog and start trying to like nip at its back and the dog the people move on Starting point is 00:04:42 scientists and i don't know if that's the story you read or not but we're basically having people collect coyote scat from Starting point is 00:05:19 Human trash. Starting point is 00:05:45 Yeah, you know, I was talking with a friend about it, and he was saying that he hates them. even when there's not a lot of prey available, they're able to take advantage of these different fruiting trees. Yeah. Starting point is 00:06:07 I mean, there's other predators too. Starting point is 00:06:31 collar a few animals so we could kind of see what's going on and how these animals are persisting down Starting point is 00:06:55 And then we'll throw a collar on them. Starting point is 00:07:05 They're a lot like a dog. Starting point is 00:07:21 And they just lay there. Starting point is 00:07:55 of uh we've actually had a bobcat project going on since 1996 and so we've been coll...

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Who was the guest on Joe Rogan Experience #954?

Justin Brown was the guest on JRE #954. This page includes the episode overview, topics discussed, and related resources.

What topics were discussed on JRE #954?

On Joe Rogan Experience #954 with Justin Brown, topics include Urban Wildlife, Mountain Lions, Wildlife Tracking, and Animal Collaring.

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