Anthropomorphism - our tendency to assign human characteristics to non-human animals isn’t inherently a mistake. Often it’s the bridge that allows us to care. But it’s layered: there’s empathy and intuition for our fellow mammals and then there’s supplanting our identity onto them to serve ourselves.

That’s the tension we navigate in our work. The question isn’t whether we anthropomorphize, but when it helps and when it gets in the way.

Robert Anderson first contacted me after reading one of our Everyday Ethology articles. A physicist scientist by education, Robert had the rare experience of closely encountering orcas at SeaWorld San Diego between 1979 and 1980. He also has a long-standing relationship with horses, beginning on a ranch where he came to know thirty-two individuals, each with their own personality, preferences and social roles.