Everyday Ethology
Welcome to the New Home of Everyday Ethology
Everyday Ethology began as a column shaped by the animals we work with, the people who care for them and the insights that arise between wild and domestic worlds. This new home allows the writing to grow grounded in curiosity, care and openness.
You’ll find updated favorites, new articles, guest voices and ‘Quick Reads’ which are short reflections meant to encourage noticing.
We hope these pieces spark ideas of your own. Your observations and experiences might offer perspectives that help others and we welcome you to share them.
Horses, Orcas and Morality
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.
Quick Reads: Not Ours to Name: On Empathy Without Ownership
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.